h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

*The tardis dematerialises, leaving Kyra standing in an empty alley with her bag slung over her shoulder. The familiar smells and sounds assail her senses, and she smiles as she heads towards the main street, trying to get her bearings*

*She's dressed in dirty jeans and a flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Her only jewellery is a cheap set of dogtags and a strip of leather tied around her wrist. Her dagger is back in its place inside her boot, and she's comforted by the familiar weight of it*

*Upon leaving the alley Kyra finds herself in Jackson's Market, the centre of the town and only a stone's throw from the inn she had stayed in with Eli on their last visit. She heads there and pays upfront for a week in the only single room, right at the top of the rickety building*

*For weeks Kyra roams the streets of Westhaven, working hard to make herself part of the street scene again. There's a subtle hierarchy in place, and it's difficult to pentrate it without ruffling a few feathers. Kyra is careful to avoid impacting the future, but she figures that one street-kid more or less won't make much of a difference. She's a little older now, and considerably richer, but she hasn't forgotten what it was like to constantly be cold and hungry*

*For the first few weeks of her visit on Rigel VI Kyra stays well away from any place that she may have once gone, even though her four-year-old self is most likely still happily living in the country with her mum. This is mostly out of fear of her own memories. The child she once was knew nothing about the streets of Westhaven, and wouldn't for at least another five years, but Kyra remembers all too well*

*Eventually, though, she realises that she won't find out anything meaningful without taking a few risks. Kyra doesn't have a lot to work with. Her own surname is reasonably useless, as no one of the appropriate age shares it in Westhaven. She and Eli had found out that her mother's name is Emily Sun. Kyra wishes she had the courage to go and see her before she died*

*The two of them had also narrowed the list of Kyra's possible fathers down to half a dozen, and it's these men Kyra spends most of her time tracking down*

*Kyra's had some fun over the last month or so. It's been good to get away on her own for a change, even if her main purpose isn't to enjoy herself. She has made some progress in the search for her father. It's been more complicated than she'd imagined, but she can feel that she's getting closer*

*According to Kyra's recollection, her mother is still alive, but won't be for much longer. Kyra's avoided going to see her, partly because she doesn't want to risk messing up her past, but mostly because she's scared of the memories. She doesn't want fresh memories of something she can never have screwing around in her head*

*She's no longer sure if finding out about her family is such a good idea, and so she waits for something to change*

*Change comes rather dramatically. Still unsure about the exact date of her mother's death, it comes to a shock to Kyra when her snooping reveals that a small black-haired girl has been admitted to the 'Haven', Westhaven's orphanage. Kyra recognises her young self immediately through a wrought-iron gate. She isn't prepared for the stabbing sensation that courses through her when it registers that her mother had died again, and she hadn't been able to stop it*

*That night Kyra gets spectacularly drunk*

*She's too late, as always. When Kyra gets to the cemetery the service is over. She lays a carefully chosen wreath on her mother's grave and sits next to her, trying to think of what to say*

*After Kyra has been on Rigel VI for a month she starts to seriously entertain the notion that Eli might not be coming for her. In her current mood the idea doesn't seem that unlikely*

*She renews her efforts to find her father, trying to focus on her reason for being here*

*Now that her younger self is in Westhaven, Kyra goes to her house. Seeing it brings back painful memories that she suppresses ruthlessly. Working very hard to avoid feeling anything, and almost succeeding, Kyra goes through the rooms she last saw when she was four years old, looking for a clue as to the identity of her father*

*It almost seems too easy when she finds a photo in a frame on a bookcase*

*Kyra assumes that the dark-haired baby is herself. She vaguely recognises the image of her mother, though her own memories are more stylised. The man in the picture is holding the baby on his lap, and both adults are smiling at her, their love obvious. Kyra slowly takes the photo from the frame without taking her eyes off the figures*

*Then her expression hardens and she pockets the photo*

*Kyra misses Eli. Her mind goes from one extreme to the other - either Eli doesn't know she's gone or he's decided to leave her here. The latter seems more likely to her at the moment. She tries to convince herself that she doesn't care, and fails miserably. The same thoughts keep circling her mind - everything she's given up, everything she's lost. The fact that she's back where she started - on Rigel VI, low on cash and with no prospects or plans. She wonders where Eli is right now. Has he lost his sister yet?*

*In an effort to take her mind off things and prove to herself that she *doesn't* need Eli, she goes to the city's record office and requests her record. She's tempted to show her ID and claim to be her own aunt, but decides against it, in case the younger her somehow hears about it. Instead, she pretends to be a messenger sent to pick up the files for a fictitious lawsuit. Strangely enough, it works. She only gets copies, but that's enough for her. Kyra had expected to have to break in. She restrains her curiousity until she returns to the inn and locks herself into her room*

* Tavaron's tardis materialises again on Rigel VI. While muching on some chocolate, Eli gives Paul a solemn look. *

Better not go outside alone, Paul. This planet's *dangerous* at the best of times, and in this time there are still Gael smugglers around.

*Paul nods*

I won't.

*he also takes a piece of chocolate*

I'll only go out with Tavaron. We should be alright.

* Eli nods. *

Good. And remember, don't make yourself a target. Don't wear new or expensive clothes or jewelry, and don't wander off into the alleys.

* He gets up, and so does Lucy. She calls Frankie and puts her on her leash. *

We're going to see if we can find Kyra. If we're not back when you get up we're going to need Tavaron's help, too.

* She smiles reassuringly at Paul. *

But we should be okay. Eli knows his way around.

*Kyra sits on the saggy and creaky bed in her small rented room, looking at the photos she'd 'liberated' from her mother's house. Most of them have her with either one of her parents, and she strains her memory, trying to remember one of the moments the pictures show*

*Paul smiles*

Good luck. See you later.

*a few miutes later Paul and Tavaron go to bed. They had dinner on Aubergine already - in a small restaurant at the beach.*

* Eli and Lucy wish Paul and Tavaron goodnight, and leave the tardis with Frankie. The tardis exits onto an alleyway in Jackson's Market, close to the inn where Eli and Kyra stayed on their previous visit, some 17 years in the future. *

* Frankie sniffs around and, recognising some of the smells, reverts to her behaviour from before her time with Kyra and Eli: No longer her playful self, she becomes alert and watchful. *

* Eli slips back into his alpha male persona, wrapping one arm around Lucy's waist in such a way that both of them can easily get at their weapons. He's glad he spent so much time getting to know the neighbourhood during his last visit - it seems not much will change over the years to come. *

* Consequently, they manage to fit in well with the locals, and find their way to the inn without any trouble - not counting the street kid sneaking up on them and being chased off by a fierce growl from Frankie. *

* The inn's bar is bustling, just as Eli remembers it. They get themselves a table near the wall, and sit down with their backs towards it. The innkeeper comes over to take their orders. When he returns with two beers, Eli discretely slips him an extra bill. *

Kyra Sun? </>

*The innkeeper looks around inconspicuously as he pockets the money*

Top of the stairs </>

*He roughly wipes the table with a dirty rag and returns to the bar, where he yells at a ten-year-old boy for dropping a glass*

* Eli smiles at Lucy when the innkeeper has left. They drink their beer without haste, talking softly and flirting openly while keeping an eye on the inn's exit. As they don't see anyone resembling Kyra leave, they finish their beer and get up. *

* Frankie has clearly picked up another familiar scent, because she strains slightly on her leash as they slip up the stairs. When they get to the room at the top, Eli has her scratch at the door, trusting Lucy to watch their back. *

Kyra? It's us. </>

*Kyra's heart jumps and she grins. She *knew* they wouldn't leave her*

*She gets up quickly and goes to the door, unlocks the three latches quickly and throws the door open*

Eli!

*She throws her arms around him*

* Eli feels his anger ebb away, at least for now, and being replaced with relief as he returns Kyra's hug. When he lets her go, Frankie demands her attention, tail wagging frantically. *

* Lucy smiles at the scene, keeping one eye on the stairs nevertheless. *

*Kyra gives Frankie a quick but vigorous rub, then moves away from the door*

Come in. Look, I found photos.

*She picks up two of the pictures from the bed and shows Eli proudly*

http://bp0.blogger.com/_8Qzzu2LGDOg/RYZH6I_U3vI/AAAAAAAAB2k/5eJDm-257U4/s1600-h/144.jpg

I look like her, don't I?

And I think this is my dad.

http://www.dtwins.co.uk/tasha_personal/Highlander/images/richie2.gif

He looks nice, doesn't he? 'Course he's still young now ...

*She looks at Eli a little anxiously*

* Eli, Lucy and Frankie enter the room, even though doing so makes it very cramped in there. *

* Eli glances at the pictures before turning his gaze back to Kyra, his anger at her slowly returning. *

There'll be time for that later. Get your stuff, you're coming with us.

* His tone of voice makes it clear this isn't up for discussion. *