Later that evening, as Christine lay awake contemplating her situation, there was a knock on the door, and the younger male canine she had seen in the dining room entered. 

     "Good evening," he said politely, making a little bow.  "Are you feeling better now?"

     Christine sat up on the edge of the bed and composed herself.  "Yes, thank you," she said.  "I feel… Well, a little better."

     "My name is Perry," he said in a pleasant tone.  "And I have been told that I'm to think of you as my long lost cousin."

     "Oh," said Christine, with uncertainty "That's… nice.  Um… My name is… Christine."

     "I'm very pleased to meet you, Christine," he said with particular emphasis to indicate that he was not just exchanging pleasantries.  And Christine could not help noticing that this young canine creature almost visibly radiated charm. 

     "We've prepared a guest room for you, " Perry explained.  "Would you like to come see it now and get settled in?"

     "Oh, of course," said Christine.  "I hadn't thought.  This must be your parents' room."

     "That's right," he said with a smile. 

     "I'm sorry for being an imposition," she said somewhat shyly. 

     "Oh, don't worry about that," said Perry.  "I for one am very glad you're here.  And it will be my pleasure to see to your every comfort."

     "Thank you," Christine sighed, smiling at him shyly, unexpectedly moved by the gentle charm of what she had just realized was an overwhelmingly beautiful creature. 

     "Shall we go," he said, taking her by the hand. 

     Happily she allowed him to guide her out of the room and down the hall to another room which he explained would be hers for the duration of her stay. 

     "If the decor is not to your taste I'll be happy to help you redecorate," Perry offered.  "I want you to feel comfortable so you'll stay with us a long time."

     "Perry, are you lonely?" asked Christine. 

     "No," he said, curiously.  "Why do you ask?"

     "You seem awfully eager to open your home and your heart to a total stranger," she said. 

     "A beautiful stranger," he said with romantic intonation. 

     "Oh my gosh," said Christine, turning away to hide her blushing cheeks. 

     "I'm sorry," he said.  "I didn't mean to embarrass you."

     "No, I'm being silly," said Christine.  "I feel like I'm in a fairy tale and I've just met Prince Charming." Then she felt flushed and said, "Oh my, I can't believe I just said that."

     "I'm not sorry you said it," said Perry.  "At least I know you like me."

     "Don't be silly.  I like you very much," she said, with obvious bemusement in her voice. 

     "I like you, too," said Perry.  "I want to be very close to my new cousin."

     "Do I really look beautiful to you?" she asked.  "I mean, don't you think humans are ugly?"

     "Why would I think that?" asked Perry.  "I'm human."

     "Oh?" said Christine.  "I could have sworn you were a dog."

     "Hmm," said Perry, as if finding the comment offensive but not wanting to be cross with his new friend.  "Actually, I'm half Elysian spaniel.  But I'm also half human."

     "And you're human half finds me attractive?" she asked. 

     "My human half has never seen anything like you," said Perry.  "You are a perfect, flawless human.  I never expected to see one.  At least, not outside of pictures left behind by the elder race."

     Perry noticed how intensely interested Christine seemed in what he was saying. 

     "You don't know what I'm talking about, do you?" said Perry.  "You've obviously come from another planet."

     "Your father didn't tell you anything about me?" she asked. 

     "No, all he said was that I should treat you like a cousin," said Perry. 

     "I think maybe I should talk to him again before I tell you about myself," said Christine.  "I don't know how much he might want me to keep secret."

     "Oh, please, don't keep secrets from me," said Perry.  "I get enough of that from my parents.  They expect me to not notice all the weird things that go on around here.  They want me to believe they're just normal people.  But I know there's something special about them.  I know my Dad has access to scientific knowledge no one on this planet should have.  Sometimes I think he even has magical powers.  But, if I ask, he just gives me a stern look and says he won't talk about it.  Christine, do you know my father's secret?"

     "If I did know, would you expect me to betray him?" she asked, with trepidation. 

     "No, I wouldn't expect you to betray a confidence," said Perry. 

     "Then please let me speak to him, before you ask me to open up to you," Christine implored. 

     "Come," said Perry.  "I'll take you to him."



     Perry led Christine down to the music room.  There they found Sir Jon seated on a stool playing an atmospheric melody on his guitar.  His eyes were closed as he played, as though he were lost in meditation. 

     For a time Christine and Perry looked on, enjoying the music.  But then Christine took a closer look at the guitar and let out a slight gasp. 

     Sir Jon's eyes opened, and he put an ending to his spontaneous composition. 

     At that moment Christine noticed how very old Sir Jon seemed.  Not in a physical sense, but there was just something in his bearing that betrayed extreme age, experience and wisdom.  If ever she had need of a sensei she could ask for no better teacher than this. 

     "Sorry for disturbing you," said Christine, politely. 

     "It's good to see you up and about, my dear," said Sir Jon, kindly. 

     "Christine was eager to talk to you again," said Perry.  "Apparently about some private matters.  So I'll leave you two alone."

     Sir Jon nodded his approval and Perry departed. 

     Slowly Christine approached Sir Jon.  Then she knelt before him and said humbly, "Sensei."

     Sir Jon was visibly surprised by this. 

     "Dear Christine, there's no need to humble yourself so," said Sir Jon, kindly. 

     "I am in your care," she said, humbly.  "I place my trust in you and hope to learn from you."

     "You have had some Omman training, I see," said Sir Jon.  "Do you think that's why you came here? To learn something from me?"

     "When I was younger my powers were strong," she said.  "I understood the healing magic.  And I was happy just to do kind things for people.  But I got older and bad things happened to me.  I lost my ability to use magic.  And to a great extent I lost my will to be kind to others.  Rael said there was poison in my soul - a malignance that needed to be cured.  But it wasn't something he could simply remove with his magic.  He said only understanding of truth would cure me.  You've lived so long and seem so wise.  Please teach me the truth that will heal me."

     "Christine, do you really want me to be your sensei?" asked Sir Jon. 

     "Yes, I do," she said sincerely. 

     "Then here is your first instruction," said Sir Jon.  "Stand up and never kneel before me again."

     Christine obeyed. 

     "We won't be having that kind of relationship," said Sir Jon.  "I will impart my wisdom to you if you wish, but only in the same sense that I would share it with my own children.  Think of me as a father or grandfather if you wish, but not as a master to whom you must offer total obedience."

     "You're very kind," she said. 

     "And so are you," he said.  "Though you seem to doubt your own kindness.  I sense in you a very kind person with a sincere desire to do good for others.  If you believe you've lost that aspect of yourself you are very mistaken."

     "Do you think I'll ever be able to use healing magic again?" she asked. 

     "That depends on you," said Sir Jon.  "If Rael could not heal you, surely I can not.  He's the big healer in the family, you know.  So, the power to heal you must come from within yourself.  When you understand the truth about yourself, you will become as powerful a healer as you ever were."

     "How shall I find the truth?" she asked. 

     "That may well be why you are here," said Sir Jon.  "Often we need a change of environment to get things in perspective.  Perhaps if you become a part of this world it will teach you something you could not learn in the world you came from."

     "How should I begin?" she asked. 

     "You can start by entrusting yourself to my son," said Sir Jon.  "He is eager to be your guide in this world.  He'll gladly teach you everything you need to know to become a part of it."

     "How long do you think I'll be staying?" asked Christine. 

     "These time travel journeys have a tendency to be rather long," Sir Jon explained.  "If The Omman Lords sent you here for a learning experience you might be here several years - maybe even a lifetime.  But I'm sure that you will eventually be returned to the time and place you departed from to resume your life there.  Otherwise I would not have been able to meet you there."

     "Then I probably won't see my family again for years," Christine reflected.  "Nor anything I would think of as familiar."

     "Have no regrets, Christine," said Sir Jon.  "It's just a training journey.  And of all the worlds that The Omman Lords could have sent you to for training I can think of few that would be more pleasant than this one, or better suited to someone who wants to restore her own sense of kindness.  So why don't you start by being kind to Perry and allowing him to take care of you, as he so longs to do."

     "Being kind to Perry is no trick," said Christine.  "He's such a sweet and gentle soul.  If only he were human, I think I would fall madly in love with him."

     "But, Christine," said Sir Jon.  "He is human.  Everyone on this planet is human.  They've just been altered slightly by animal genetics that have corrupted their DNA.  In your world, humans came in different colors and breeds, didn't they? And there were humans who came from other worlds who were different in other ways.  But still you thought of them as human.  The people of this world also are human.  You must not judge them solely by appearance."

     "Are you saying it's ok for me to fall in love with Perry?" she asked.  "Would you even encourage it?"

     "My dear, everyone loves Perry," said Sir Jon.  "I'd think there was something seriously wrong with you if you didn't develop feelings for him.  There's nothing in this world or this culture to prevent you from getting as close to him as you want to."

     "Not even family objections?" she asked. 

     "Perry is in a unique and somewhat sad situation, as I'm sure he will explain to you," said Sir Jon.  "Every honor this society demands he has fulfilled and been left empty.  His family is therefore prone to lavish unrestricted tolerance on him.  We do not question or critique his comings and goings, his choices for relationships, or very much else that goes on in his life.  And you, likewise, are a free spirit not bound by any such rules as you might have known in that other world.  You are free to love as you will.  And I encourage you to love, because it is only through love that you will discover the truth you seek."

     "Speaking of truth, how much truth should I reveal to Perry?" she asked.  "He told me he doesn't know about you.  Am I to keep your secrets?"

     "I am bound by a promise I made to Sonny," said Sir Jon.  "I'm not to entice or encourage my son to follow in my footsteps and become a Time Captain.  So I don't confide in him about my past.  But it would be unfair of me to ask you to hold back what you know.  You will need to be totally honest with him, and I will simply refuse to confirm or deny anything you tell him about me."

     "Will it do him harm to know?" she asked. 

     "Perry is not a child anymore," said Sir Jon.  "Though my children will always be children to me.  He is old enough to know.  And it may be that, as well as being here for your own needs, you are here to awaken Perry to what may be his destiny.  Thus, it was very considerate of you to ask, but I don't want you to keep secrets for my benefit."

     "There's one more thing I need to ask you," said Christine.  "Could you please tell me the history of this guitar?"

     "My guitar?" asked Sir Jon, curiously.  "Have you seen it before?"

     "Everyday of my life for years and years and years," said Christine, tearfully "It's my brother's guitar."

     "Your brother in your time plays this guitar?" Sir Jon verified. 

     Christine nodded. 

     "I conjured this guitar during my first adventure with Rocinantè," Sir Jon recalled.  "We went to a world filled with magic.  And there I made the determination to become a spellsinger.  This instrument has traveled with me ever since.  It focuses my magic and amplifies my will.  I can not imagine ever willingly parting with it.  So I can only assume that, if this instrument survives in the hands of a new master, I must have ceased to exist."