Disclaimer:
These characters do not belong to me, but to the writers and producers
of
Spoilers:
After Chant Down Babylon, changes happening where Max is successfully
rescued, and Michael was the one who broke up with Maria.
Pairings: You’ll have to wait and see!
Pronunciation Guide:
Author’s
notes: Queen Fadilia Kedar:
Max/Isabel’s mother
King
Alaric Kedar: Max/Isabel’s father
Andaria: Tess’ mother
Radim:
Tess’ father
Kedrans: race from which Royal Four descended
Iturians: race from which Khivar descended, and
overthrew and killed Zan and the Kedrans
Cerideans: special core ops of the Iturian army, mostly
psyonics and telepaths
Kaptar’s
Jewel: constellation in the
Antarian’s star system
Yun’s
Garment: Aurora Borealis - Northern Lights
Saren Dari: desert plain on
Antar
dashka : good luck charm
elkarl :
Iturian hand weapon
capaechea:
long
haired woolly creature, with long flanks and a large hump on its back
kii: location where various endangered animals
are kept for protection
Tir Lamar: sister city to Eshtari
kashkar: slur, equivalent to witch
plascer: plasma weapons, compact, length of your hand
Chapter Sixty Four
***
I am your Creator. You were in
my care even before you were born.
-
Isaiah 44:2
***
"No!" Isabel
clenched her fists and gritted her teeth as raw primal emotions, springing from
an unending well she didn't know existed, surged up and overtook her. Spinning
around, she left her dead husband and turned to face his murderer, who met her
with an expression of both contempt and fear. The strength which she drew upon
was not her own and came from a dark place that Isabel had never visited; but
from the unexpected death that had occurred mere moments beforehand, she
blindly struck out in complete despair.
The wealth of energy that
poured forth from the still-trembling hands illuminated half of the desert
plain. While she rid the Earth of the unfeeling killer, Isabel was flooded with
images of Jesse. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the feel of his kiss,
the way his smile made her feel warm and full of hope. His laughter echoed in
her ears as if he was standing right there beside her. The moment of pure
elation she felt when they were pronounced man and wife now surfaced, causing a
sudden ache in her chest, as the bright white glow of pure energy began to wane
before her eyes and everything began to fade - the darkness converging upon
her.
Jesse. Oh God, why
Jesse?
The anger and pain still
lingered in the depths of her mind, warring, crying to be avenged; what she had
done wasn't enough. Her arms grew limp and fell to her side; her eyelids
drooped and her vision blurred, but before giving into the call of the soothing
voice of sleep, with much effort, located a mound of black ashes in the midst
of copper and gold - nothing left but dry, particle flakes scattered across the
four winds. That was what she was
capable of. Death. Isabel
sounded a guttural cry - low and undefined - unable to voice find the words to
explain the sense of loss...pain that wracked her body. She hated everything in her life that had
brought her to this moment of utter despair.
Let me die...just let me
die.
~~~
Max shrunk back as a
brilliant flash blinded him momentarily, just before he was about to rise from
under Liz's unconscious body. Isabel's voice was as clear as daylight, as she
struck out at the young captain under Qunar's command. The hurt, pain and anger
fuelling his sister created the most spectacular display of power he had ever
witnessed before, short of his own prior invitation to Qunar for him to show
himself. He shielded his eyes, as he searched for the catalyst of her fury -
and he found it - Jesse's body lay flat upon his back, his eyes rolled back and
his mouth agape.
Oh God.
Max looked up at Isabel,
who had incinerated the captain in less than a half of a second, before he had
a chance to defend himself, still pouring out volts of energy on nothing but a
pile of dust. He closed his eyes and forced himself to focus on what still lay
ahead. Emotions are a luxury.
Max lifted his head as he
noticed the light fade and witnessed Isabel's cry into the empty void before
her. There was no possible way to comprehend what she had lost. He looked down
at Liz, who lay unconscious, like that of Sleeping Beauty.
Qunar hadn't perceived the
threat Vilandra still posed; as he was taken aback a moment ago, when the
would-be princess suddenly rose from her deathbed to kill Captain Leisner. It
was only when her anguish surfaced had Qunar known that he must finish her off
- leaving no doubt as to her time of deathh. He bid his time, not wanting her to
turn her unexpected powers on him. No, he waited until she dropped into human
weakness again and felt the toll of her vast rage.
Just about...now. Qunar's lips contorted into a
triumphant smirk as he watched the dark-haired royalty fall to her knees.
Max's eyes snapped to the
sudden movement to his left; Qunar stood with open palm amid towards Isabel.
"Not this time!" he growled, raising his hands towards the distracted
enemy.
~~~
Light silently flew through
the moonlit night, striking its intended victim. The victory was sweet for its
assassin and bittersweet for its intended. As the lights of the far off
galaxies sparkled in its' total oblivion, a shadow approached. The moonlight
captured the familiar face, allowing one last glimpse of him.
Zan. Maxwell.
Before a word could be
uttered, blackest darkness welcomed its newest resident.
~~~
"She's been barricaded
in her quarters since they returned, Your Highness." Emine's voice was low
and just above a whisper, holding a trace of an apology.
Fadilia nodded slowly,
biting her bottom lip absentmindedly while she pondered the state of her
daughter-in-law. The disclosure of the events of the mission had been kept to
the Interior; General Steren had thought it best, as had she. Everyone had been
at the meeting except Tess. "Has she spoken to anyone since she has
returned?" The dark handmaiden shook her head tentatively.
"Fine," she said, waving her dismissal towards Emine, who obeyed as
if it had been spoken.
Fadilia waited until she
heard the door close before letting out an anxious sigh. This did not bode well
for their contingent of troops. Had Tess and Michael come home victorious it
would have boosted morale, but it did not seem to be the Unseen's will. Even
the schematics Quirinius had downloaded were encrypted and it would take some
time to read them, if they could.
She closed her eyes and
rested against the edge of her bed as she had dreamt of finally meeting her
grandson. When the realization that he
was not with Tess sunk in she almost felt despair. He was a symbol of the future of the Kedran lineage, just as Max
was the hope of its return. Fadilia pressed her fingers against her lips,
choking back the tears. There had to be an explanation...there just had to
be.
~~~
Again and again she
replayed the events of that day in her mind, trying to think of another way she
could have possibly rescued Zander without the threat of his death looming over
him - the cause of his return to captivity. Tess let out an angry cry. She
searched the minimalist room for something loose, something to throw. Her
fingers curled around a small, smooth round object, about the size of a large
egg; with all of her might she twisted her body and flung the object across the
room and against the hard walls. It made one large cracking sound and then a
variety thuds, differing with size as the object crumbled to the floor.
Tess stood there a moment,
her breath laboured, as her gaze trailed from the white marking on the wall to
the pile of mineral that had once formed a holograph - a gift from the
Loyalists that was programmed with images of her past life as well as her
current life. "Damn," she yelled hoarsely, pressing the heels of her
palms against her temples. Closing her eyes, Tess willed the tears that were
brimming, threatening to fall. She shook her head, consciously breathing in and
out, in an attempt to pull herself together.
I can't lose him. God, I
can't lose my son!
Tess wrapped her arms
around her stomach, cradling it. She bent over, slowly dropping to her knees
and allowing the sobs to flow in the isolation of her room. Zander. Her
mind would not stop saying his name over and over, as if saying it numerous
times would conjure up her son. This can't be happening. Everything was
under control.
Tess covered her face with
her hands and allowed the wet manifestation of her sorrow comfort her. Why
did I leave him with a stranger?
Plagued with doubt and fear for her son, the room seemed to swirl around
her in a blurry haze. None of this was
expected and would the General not have spoken to her of a Loyalist spy within
the walls of Saren Dari? As her
curiosity and questions mounted, the tears began to subside, as the analytical
side of her began to review the mission without the pain and remorse that
plagued her the other several hundred times she had done this.
"Why didn't he want to
leave?" she asked aloud to herself. Her body was trembling - a usual
aftermath of a cry fest.
Swallowing hard, Tess
furrowed her brow and pressed her index finger against her bottom lip as she
thought about her son's voice and Barak's turn for the 'good'. Her mind churned
and groaned as she tried to understand why her son would tell her to leave him.
It was not because of fear. She felt no fear in his mind; in fact she
felt understanding and confidence of what the future held. "This just
doesn't make any sense."
"What doesn't make any
sense?"
Tess jerked her head up to
see Michael standing in her doorway. She frowned. "How did you get
in?" She had made sure that she coded her doors to lock and open to a
certain security code, which only she knew. Tess had only planned on using it
in extreme times; one like this one, which she hadn't expected.
"I have my ways,"
Michael said mischievously, although his eyes revealed his tentativeness to his
attempts at lightheartedness.
Tess took a deep breath,
knowing that her body hadn't physically recovered from the emotional turmoil
she had just gone through, and she didn't want anyone to know about. With slow
precision, Tess rose from the floor, making sure she had her balance and
wouldn't stumble, giving Michael or anyone else cause to know how much giving
Zander up had nearly destroyed her. "Did you hotwire the security
system?"
"A sophisticated
system like that? How would I even know how to begin?" Michael frowned at
her like she had given him too much credit, feigning ignorance.
"Yeah, well they've
gotten so sophisticated that the architects don't even think about people
having the skill to hotwire the system. I know," she replied dryly.
"So, you been busy
attacking walls, have you?" Michael glanced casually towards the chalky
white mark she had left after throwing the holograph at the wall.
Tess rolled her eyes and
walked towards the small pile of rubble. "It was being nosy," she
said, glaring at him over her shoulder. "Just like you are." Bending
over, Tess kneeled in front of the mess and began to pick up the pieces of
rock.
"Hey, if you want to
try to throw me against a wall," he spread his arms open, as if giving her
an opening, "give it your best shot."
Tess shook her head and
returned to the task of cleaning her room. "What are you doing here,
anyway?" She pushed herself up from her kneeling position and walked over
to the metal chute that was on the opposite side of the room, just above her
desk, and slid the garbage into its mouth. Dusting off her hands she placed
them on her hips and gazed up at Michael. "Well?" she asked, staring
at him impatiently.
"I think you know why
I'm here."
Now it was her turn to play
dumb. She shook her head. "No. Can't say that I do." Tess walked
casually over to her desk where she went to check up on the status of the
encrypted schematics.
Tess hated this prying, and
she thought Michael should know better than this. She heard Michael sigh
exasperatingly. "Look I know you are having a hard time dealing with
giving up Zander like that..."
Tess spun around and glared
at him. "Don't talk to me about that," she warned, trying to keep the
well of emotions from being drawn from again. "You don't have a clue; and
I don't want to talk to you about this." Tess began punching a several
keys on the touch control panel, turning away from Michael's steady,
scrutinizing gaze. "I already said as much as I'm going to say in the ship."
"You need to talk
about it."
Tess curled her fingers
into a fist and swallowed hard. She turned calmly and faced Michael, gazing at
him with cold stoicism. "Just like you want or need to talk about Isabel?
Or did that problem just disappear?" The sharpness in her voice was
tinged with regret in the end.
The worry and concern in
his eyes flickered and disappeared. He nodded slowly. "You know, you're
right. Maybe I'm not the right person to talk to you about this." Michael
turned and walked towards the door; he paused at the entrance as the door slid
open. "You don't have to go through this alone, you know." His voice
was cold, yet she could hear the sincerity masked by the hurt. "I've
remembered a lot since we've returned, and learned a little: Don't fool
yourself into thinking that we're alone in this. We have to stick together or
we'll leave Antar the exact way we did the first time."
Tess stared after Michael
as his shadowed form strode into the dim corridors. Not alone? Tess
scoffed at this. I've always been alone...ever since I was created.
~~~
‘And you’ll need to find
Nonnie’s body.’
Barak pretended to inspect
the equipment and the security system now tagged to the bio processing unit. We
will ensure Andaria receives a proper burial.
‘No. No burial.’
Barak frowned. He didn’t
understand why the child refused burial. It will be according to Kedran law.
He hoped that would reassure Prince Zander.
‘No.’
Can you explain why?
Silence.
“Barak.”
The tall Loyalist spy spun
around to find Nicholas striding purposefully toward him. “Yes my
“I hear congratulations are
in order,” Nicholas spouted. “I am impressed that you were able to convince Ava
that her son’s best interest is to remain here at Saren Dari.”
Barak curled the corners of
his lips slightly and raised his brow, feigning a satisfied, malicious smirk.
He had practiced that for several days. Once he was transferred to Saren Dari
with Zander, he had many opportunities to perfect this expression. Nicholas
seemed to take a liking to him, as he remained aloof and subservient in his
presence. And to an egocentric Iturian like Nicholas that was paying him the
respect due to him.
“I only did what my
Nicholas beamed at this
compliment. “Well Barak, you’ve done well under my command. You are a quick
study.” The short commander slapped Barak on the back and guided him away from
the newly repaired unit and Zander. “I think you’ve earned some deserved time
off.”
Barak’s eyes widened at the
suggestion. Biting his tongue, he tried to remain calm and relax his muscles.
Nicholas hadn’t tried to probe his mind since he had proved himself loyal, but
if he gave any hint of cause for the probe he would be found out. Previously,
when he had been subjected to the probes, he had known before hand and was able
to mentally prepare for the assault. Also, the Loyalist architects managed to
send him some diversionary implant that would subvert Nicholas’ probe from any
of his true intentions. But without preparation he would be cull.
“Is something wrong,
Barak?” Nicholas was staring up at him with a suspicious expression. “I would
think you would be ecstatic at the possible leave from this god forsaken
desert.” He said it with utter contempt.
Barak swallowed hard. “Uh,
it’s just Sir...” Think fast. Think fast. “As you saw with the soldiers
during this past confrontation with the enemy,” he paused a moment. “As I’m
sure you, yourself noticed their complete and utter lack of discipline
and intelligence when dealing with the Loyalists.” He cleared his throat. “As
you witnessed, we lost an entire contingent of soldiers from their inability to
defend or even transport prisoners.” Barak stopped there, knowing if he rambled
it would be a complete giveaway.
Nicholas stared up at him
with narrowed eyes, tilting his head to the side, as if debating whether this
was a plausible explanation.
Barak tried to remain still
and calm, although his heart was racing.
“Of course!” Nicholas
suddenly replied. “I was just testing your determination and fortitude in
obtaining our goal!”
Barak nodded once, as if
acknowledging that this had been Nicholas’ plan all along; but he knew that it
had not been a test. The commander had planned on allowing him to depart from
Saren Dari on leave, but with the explanation he had given Nicholas for
staying, it would have made the commander seem foolish to continue along that
path, so Nicholas covered up in an attempt to look like it was just a test.
“And very sneaky it was, Commander.” He plastered on a sincere smile...at least
sincere enough for the likes of Nicholas and General Garrick.
Nicholas nodded and began
mumbling to himself. “Yes. Yes.” He turned and looked up at Barak. “Well, I’m
sure I’m keeping you from some errands,” he said, gesturing him to leave the
laboratory. “You’re dismissed.”
Barak clicked his boots
together and saluted. “Sir.” He strode towards the exit, without looking back.
It had taken him a couple of weeks to train himself not to glance back towards
the large oval unit that held Zander’s weak body. Though the child’s mind was
strong, his body seemed to grow thinner and paler by the passing hour.
Barak cleared his throat as
he turned sharply and walked down the sterile corridor, as he had done many
times before. He will be fine. Zander had reassured Barak of that. But in these days, he was beginning to
wonder how he had allowed a mere child to comfort him.
It should have been the
other way around.