Antarian Recollection Series CC/slight UC ADULT CnC COMPLETE

[DMartinez]

Author: DMartinez
Email: shockerdm@icqmail.com
Disclaimer: Characters portrayed in the following work of fiction belong to creative geniuses: Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and the WB. No infringement was intended.
Rating: ADULT(strong language and sex)
Summary: Max remembers his past life.
Coupling: Mostly a Max/Liz in one form or another but with hints at other relations as well
Notes: Max's POV. I'm making up names left and right.
AN: This is a repost. I was asked and needled and prodded and subjected to some White Room tactics by someone who will remain nameless and will be faceless shortly after I get my hands on her. '-)
I never finished posting it when I originally wrote it and hopefully it will be in better shape this go around. This story occurs at the beginning of the second season. I'm not going to go back and give them the names that were revealed to us because... well... I don't wanna.
First I post the four shorts that started the small series.

It's Good to Be King

I scream into my pillow as I shoot off into my hand. Yes, I, Maxwell Evans or Gediro of Utinu, do have the tendency to whack off in the middle of the night. God, I am so damn horny that I can't think straight. Memories have invaded my brain.

It's happened to Isabel. I suppose that since she's older then it would happen to her first. I guess this means that they got my birthday all wrong. They just all came to me the other night while I was trying to sleep and not think about Liz Parker and Kyle Valenti in bed together. They've come to me every night since.

The first memory that I got was of my bride, Rila. She was so young and innocent when we were married. Now that I think about it... she was practically a child. I was nearly 30 by the time she was deemed old enough for me to marry and even then she was but 16 years old: the stereotypical blushing bride.

God, they had fed her a line of crap from the moment she could comprehend having to marry me upon her 16th birthday. They told her that I was handsome and charming and a hero. Now, I concede to the handsome hero part but charming? Arrogant is more like it.

I've crushed entire armies with the flip of a coin. A coin with my face on it, no less. That's exactly how I would do it. Heads, offensive, tails, defensive. That's how we fought the battles and I rarely lost.

Back to my child bride. I could tell from the first moment that I looked into Rila's eyes after I had been allowed to remove her veil that she worshipped me, or at least the image of me that they had painted for her. They really did nothing to prepare her for me.

I think they messed with Tess's memories of me because if she really remembered things the way they really were... she'd be running from me as fast as she could.

My previous self was not a sensitive man. Our wedding bed was great... for me. I can remember having Rila undress for me, and her blushing as she did so. Her blue eyes fixed on mine because she was intimidated by my size. She was so small and my muscle mass was huge. I recall running my hands over her curves. Her body was so firm and ripe. I took her the only way I knew how, hard and fast. She was so tight around me that it drove me crazy. I barely noticed her tears... I don't think I really cared. It's kinda scary actually... you know... comparing who I am now with who I was then.

I remember my mother chiding me days later for mistreating my wife. I never mistreated Rila. I may have been insensitive to her first time with a man, I may have been overzealous in taking her as mine but I never intentionally hurt her. It wasn't my fault that she had been so sheltered that she didn't know how a man and woman came together. She believed that she loved me on our wedding day; I knew that I didn't love her. It was a marriage for the sake of my crown.

I swear, they must have hid her in the caves of Ibdensia all her life. Her servants weren't as sheltered as I can vouch for. Those were my next memories to surface. I remember one servant in particular, Jirena. She had to have been nearly 20, green eyes and blond hair. She was definitely no stranger to a man's bed.

I kept her around awhile but then my second, Fervid, decided he liked her look. So I let him have her. Sometimes I think I can still feel her soft breasts against my chest. She had an amazing body; curves everywhere and she had these lips... perfect for blowjobs.

I know my second was betrothed to my sister, Vilandra, but what harm would it do. I did as I was told and married the child but I wasn't a monk. I shouldn't expect my second to be either. I wonder if Michael will remember the green-eyed pixie that I sent his way.

Tonight, I remembered my first time. I was 17 and heading out to my first battle with my father. It was an entire week of firsts. First time I traveled to the seas of Hedanio, first time I was allowed to fight instead of observe, first time I was allowed to observe the battle strategies that my father had devised. It was the first time I was allowed my own tent. It meant that I was a man. That entire trip was a rite of passage.

There was a crew of... I can't think of a closer translation than Gypsies. In exchange for protection in the following battle, the leader agreed to give my father his daughter. I remember watching the transaction with extreme boredom. I'd seen it done many times before and then my father would disappear with his new acquisition and be ready to fight in the morning. Imagine my surprise when my father gave the young beauty to me.

Her name was Misela of Kejir. A beauty she was. Her body was glorious, just begging to be had. She had long dark hair and these brown eyes that made you think that you could read her. She acted compliant and sweet in front of the men and her father but once in my tent... hellfire. She drove me wild. Once inside my tent, all pretenses were dropped on both our parts.

She glared at me as I touched her face. She spat in my face when I leaned in to kiss her. A wave of my hand cleaned my face as I continued to wear her down. I was arrogant even then. As I pulled her gorgeous body against mine, I told her that she was a very lucky girl. She asked why; oh she had the voice of an angel. I told her that she was going to be the first to know my bed. It was an honor, I told her, to share a bed with Prince Gediro of Utinu.

I can feel my cock hardening again as I remember what it was like to make that girl mine. I was her first. Misela had told me that I could take her body but her mind, heart and soul would be forever out of my reach. I told her that was acceptable. I proceeded to melt her.

I familiarized myself with every curve and crevasse of her body. The taste of her breasts, the feel of that tight ass, the soft skin on her firm stomach, those soft lips, the taste of her mouth. I took her to my war-bed and I had her screaming my name before long. Gediro on her lips was the sweetest thing I had ever heard.

I kept her a while... as long as my father would let me. I told him that she was my good luck charm and he let me keep her a little longer. For three years I kept her. In that third year, I watched her body change. Her breasts grew larger and her stomach less flat. It was one night as I lay between her legs in the aftermath that she confessed to me.

Misela told me that I had made her go back on her words. She told me that she belonged to me: heart, mind, body and soul. I told her yes, it was true, she belonged to me in almost every way possible. I don't think I'll ever meet a creature as beautiful as she was... She was taken from me. She was the closest thing that I had to love and she was taken away from me.

I was told that she died on the way back to her people. I know that was a lie. Her people would have never taken her back. I had ruined her. That was my one regret. If only I had given her back... but then my father would have ruined her. She didn't die because I never felt it. I would have known if she had died.

I lived my life after that as my father saw fit. I had many women. I scandalized nearly every woman in my home until my father died in battle. His whores wished to move on to me... not a chance. I kicked them all out. I filled my home with fresh faces.

As I lay here... I don't know whether to be disgusted with myself or hold myself up as a shrine. I never got my bride pregnant, but then she was slightly scared of me. She obeyed me and never questioned the suite of rooms. I came to her room when I felt like it. At night, her servants served me.

Tonight I do something that the old me would never have done. I thought about Misela. I wondered where she was. She had a baby by me... I'm almost certain of this, a son. Somewhere in this universe is a prince to this damned throne and he's probably much older than I... and probably more able to rule the planet.

A knock at my window pulls me out of my thoughts. I slide myself back inside my boxers before I get up. I hope that whoever it is can't see too well in the dark, I don't want to have to explain what I've been doing.

There she is. A vision. I take it back. I did meet someone even more beautiful than Misela of Kejir. She's Liz Parker. She tells me that she had to see me, that she and Kyle never did it. My heart whoops for joy and my soul rejoices. My mind forgets the pain that I've been in.

I pull her into my room with a kiss that makes us both dizzy. I'm just grateful that she finally told me the truth. As I hold her against me, my arousal is made plain to her. She tries to back away but I hold her tight against me.

It's like deja vu. Liz fights me but not very hard, not as hard as Misela did. She wants this as much as I do, she just won't admit it. I kiss her with every fiber of my being and she begins to sway. I catch her and place her on my bed. This bed has become my war-bed.

Tonight I lose my virginity for the second time in my recollection. Liz has become Misela to my Gediro. I melt away our clothes and run my hands over her body, she moans and arcs into my touch.

The door opens but I raise my hand and it slams shut, the lock melting into place. I drive into Liz over and over, vaguely aware of her tears. I do bring her pleasure though. She screams my name in ecstasy, over and over again. It's absolute music to my ears. Her tight body gets even tighter around me as she comes. I follow her over into the abyss, screaming her name.

As I come down from my sexual high, something is not right. I try to kiss Liz with all the love I have for her and the beautiful act that we've just shared but she shoves me away. She can't leave because I'm on top of her and inside her still. I ask what's wrong, I love you, I say, what's wrong.

Liz pushes me back and locks eyes with me and demands to know who the hell Misela is. As I'm looking at her, I see Misela. I blink. They are one. I take her face in mine and kiss her forehead. Misela is you, I tell her. I soothe the wound that I've unintentionally inflicted. I hold her to me and ignore the knocks on my door. Isabel is too nosy for her own good.

Liz asks me another question. I barely hear it but I answer it with an answer I've used with her former self before. "It's good to be King."

I kiss her and drift into the most peaceful sleep I've had since saving her life. I'll wait until tomorrow to tell her about my memories. I just need to hold her tonight. Tomorrow... tomorrow I'll tell her everything. She'll see that we were destined to be together.

I can't remember how I died but knowing me... it was in a blaze of glory.

The End

[DMartinez]

Author: DMartinez
Email: shockerdm@icqmail.com
Disclaimer: Characters portrayed in the following work of fiction belong to creative geniuses: Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and the WB. No infringement was intended.
Rating: ADULT
Summary: Michael remembers his past life.
Notes: Michael's POV. Sequel to It's Good To Be King. I'm making up names left and right. Max - Gediro of Utinu, Michael - Fervid of Jinaso, Isabel - Vilandra of Utinu, Tess - Rila of Opaeno, Liz - Misela of Kejir, Maria - Jirena.

Always Second

I'm insane. That has to be it. These dreams have been driving me crazy. They might be memories... I don't know. Michael Guerin, or maybe it's Fervid of Jinaso, is insane, that's official. Or else why would I dream about Max having sex with various women?

There are things no one knows about me. I'm a neat freak. People think that I don't have a messy home because I don't have many things to mess it up with. Wrong. I like order. I crave orders. Why else would I be pestering Max to snap out of it and be a leader?

I've spent tonight organizing my memories; I suppose I'll accept that for now. New ones are slipping in and messing up my order. I'll start from what I believe is the beginning.

King Kones of Utinu, my king, my only superior. I was 23 at the time. I was damn good at making sure his orders were carried out. Kones was a great warrior but being King held him back. He couldn't unnecessarily put his life in danger until it was certain that Gediro would live up to everyone's expectations.

It was when we met up with the... Gypsies, I guess that's a good word. Gediro was 17 and a punk. Kones took the gypsy princess as payment for protection. She was gorgeous, with this body that just screamed, 'do me'. I think her name was Misela. I knew what would happen. Kones would take her to bed for the night and then, assuming we all made it back from battle the next night, she would be mine. I couldn't wait.

Imagine my surprise when Kones gave Misela to Gediro, then I was given orders that no one would disturb them. I wanted to ram my fist through Gediro's pretty little head. I had to stand there all night and guard his damned tent. My body was hard as I listened to that brat Prince take her over and over again all night. The next day was the best day of fighting of my life... plenty of tension to work out.

Sure, I had my pick of Kones' servants but I wanted Misela. Gediro kept her like a pet and Kones let him! The girl would sit stiffly at the prince's feet. She was allowed to attend no one but him. She wanted to hate him but no one could hate him. He was too pretty. He would be a good weapon later.

When we returned from the seas of Hedanio, I was demoted. Technically it was an honor but I saw it as a demotion. Kones assigned me as Gediro's advisor. I had to learn to anticipate his moves just as I had Kones.

My routine: Listen to Kones' plans as he banged his newest servant. Then I would devise a strategy worthy of our plans. Then armed with his information I would go to Gediro to listen to his plans.

It's so strange that it seemed so natural for me to be there while Gediro was having sex with Misela. I was jealous as hell but it seemed normal to discuss battle plans while he did his thing. I watched over the next two years. He took her everywhere we went. Misela grew to love him. I know she did. I knew what would happen.

Three years after the battles near Hedanio, I noticed. She didn't want to tell anyone. Misela was pregnant with the next prince of Utinu, her royal blood would see to that... even if she was a gypsy. It was the thing that she most feared. I made a deal with her. She would give me one night with her and I would make sure that her son would never have to sit on the throne.

I took her to my bed and worshipped the softness of her skin and long brown hair and those liquid pools of brown she had for eyes. Gone was the spitfire that had been given away by her father. This was obedience. I get just a little hard just remembering how responsive she was. That was the best sex of my life.

I sent her off to one of our safer farming villages. We never saw her again. The prince was withdrawn for a month before Kones started throwing little sluts his way. When Kones died, I was restored to my position as second in command of the army. I did a little happy dance and had my pick of all the women Gediro was stupid enough to throw out.

Rila of Opaeno was a surprise to me. Nehide had insisted that Gediro get married to a child that had been raised to love the new King. I laughed my ass off. After all these years of training him to be like his father, a stud among studs, Gediro was getting tied down.

About this time I was sent an apprentice. He was nine years old. He was powerful, he would do just fine. I vaguely remember my own apprenticeship. This boy, Miwiro, was from one of our safest farming villages. I never asked about his parents but they must have been important. Miwiro had fighting and combat in his blood. I took great pride in training him.

One night it happened. After the royal wedding was long over and Gediro had already moved on to Rila's servants. I was told that Vilandra was to be mine. I remember that icy glare cutting into my soul. I liked it. I ignored the rumors about her lover. She was fairly young 24 to my 36. Nehide had wished to let Vilandra come around on her own but that was never going to happen.

To take my mind off things, I went to Gediro's chamber to listen to his plans. There was a blonde servant bouncing on his cock, letting out cries of ecstasy. I just stood there and talked game plan with him. She was distracting him from the subject at hand and he made a motion with his hand, barely a gesture and she just stopped and climbed off him and started sucking him dry.

So there we were, strategizing on how to overtake Qitlin and still keep Ceirda safe while his fist was wrapped in her hair, keeping her mouth on his cock. Is that not the most bizarre scene you've ever heard of? Not just Max getting head but me in the room while it happened.

I don't remember how it happened but he offered her to me after he'd seen me looking at her. Jirena, he said her name was. She was Rila's favorite servant. She was beautiful, long blond hair and these green eyes.

No matter how much I enjoyed that one, it never changed the fact that I've always gotten Max's sloppy seconds. I am sick and tired of being treated like I don't matter.

So here I go. I'm so pissed off that I don't go in the window, I take the long way through the house to see Max. I opened the door only to have it slammed in my face and locked from the inside. I just sink to the floor against the door and think it all out while ignoring the moans from the room.

Max gets the girl, I get her afterwards. Even the damned throne. I marry Isabel and get it after Max dies. New memories are popping up. Miwiro had gone with me to war. That kid adored me, almost like I was his father. I was watching him, taking care of him. I was doing fine but the blast grazed us both. Gediro went down but nothing ever touched him.

That's when it clicked. My apprentice, my Miwiro, my almost son... was Gediro's. He did it to me every time. I never told Gediro what I had come to realize. He didn't deserve to know... then it hits me again. Jirena seemed so familiar, as did Misela... and all in the same ways that Vilandra and Rila did.

Once the noise died down, I used my powers to get into Max's room. It was almost funny. Poor Liz got stuck under Max when he passed out. I helped her out since we couldn't wake Max. It's kinda amazing how much she looks like Misela. I mean right down the mole right above her... well, we'll just leave some things to the imagination.

I slip up and call her Misela as I hold Max away from her. Her head snaps around so fast I think her head might fly off. Apparently Max slipped up too, apparently he's getting his memories as well.

I try to explain things to Liz; I leave out certain parts of course. The two of us are going to let Maria know, tomorrow. I've never seen Max sleep like this.

Now, I hold Liz while we sit on the floor and watch Max sleep. I don't think this is the first time we've done this... and I don't think it will be the last.

I just wonder when I'll stop coming in second where Max is concerned.

The End

[DMartinez]

Author: DMartinez
Email: shockerdm@icqmail.com
Disclaimer: Characters portrayed in the following work of fiction belong to creative geniuses: Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and the WB. No infringement was intended.
Rating: MATURE
Summary: Isabel remembers her past life.
Notes: Isabel’s POV. Sequel to It's Good To Be King and Always Second. I'm making up names left and right. Max - Gediro of Utinu, Michael - Fervid of Jinaso, Isabel - Vilandra of Utinu, Tess - Rila of Opaeno, Liz - Misela of Kejir, Maria - Jirena.


Underestimated

Why do my brothers take me for granted? They use me against each other constantly. I’m sick and tired of it. I, Isabel Evans, I, Vilandra of Utinu, am no longer going to be underestimated by anyone. I remember now. I remember what it was that Vanessa Whitaker wanted me to remember.

I remember things that no one else does. I was the eyes and ears of the castle in Utinu. I was 11 when my father and brother left for the seas of Hedanio. I remember the whore my brother brought back. Gediro. I loved my big brother but I never trusted Misela. She let him walk all over him. She sat at his feet like a pet, she wore her heart on her sleeve. It was disgusting. Misela never spoke to me and would have never allowed it.

Would you believe she let herself get pregnant? There was no way I was going to allow that bastard child to get the throne ahead of me. I was 14 when I hinted to one of the servants that getting Misela out would be best. The way it went down, you would have thought it was Fervid’s idea to get her as far into our country as possible.

Two years later my mother told me that I was going to marry Fervid. No, it couldn’t be happening, I thought. Fervid of Jinaso was a brute, an absolute idiot. Marriage to him would be misery. I played the troubled teen and so my mother said that it didn’t have to happen right away. She would wait to tell him when I was ready. Like that was going to happen. I just couldn’t imagine marrying a man 12 years my senior anyway.

Meticulous. That’s what I am. At the moment I am meticulously reorganizing my dresser. Anything to help me sort out my messed up life. I want to be normal... well, with the advantage of my alien powers. I don’t want to have these past memories; it just makes me realize how much of myself that no one really knows... except Alex. I can tell him anything and he will only love me more. I can’t take that. He reminds me of my entertainer in Utinu.

Father picked him out for me when I was 9. Balei was the 12-year-old son of poor farmers. He had a big heart and a great sense of humor. He was the only one who could ever make me laugh... or cry. I don’t know why I kept him around. Any really great leader would kill anyone who knew their weaknesses. I must have been a glutton for pain.

Balei was my friend, my one true friend. He knew everything about me. He knew what went on in my mind while I did the things I did. When I meticulously arranged for Misela’s disappearance, he chewed me out. He called me selfish and unfeeling. He was right. I broke my brother’s heart to preserve my right to the throne. Gediro was never the same after she left.

Despite Balei’s humbling influence, I still became even more devious as I grew older. I guess that’s what happens when you’re daddy’s little girl. Gediro got the warrior instincts and I got the scrupulous nature. I even turned on Balei eventually. I used his feelings against him. Being the person that I am now, I am ashamed of what I did. Balei did not deserve that.

Father had died just months before. I was 19. He was 22. We had 10 years of friendship behind us and I threw it away. I seduced him. I lost my virginity to him and he to me. God, he was so in love with me. After that, we would meet to make love. I would lie in his lean arms, look into his blue eyes and lie to him. I would tell him that I loved him. He knew that I could never marry him; I was betrothed to Fervid. We were clumsy about our trysts. He really should have known better, he did know me heart and soul after all.

I let us get caught by my mother. To keep me from being scandalized, she had him executed. I used Balei to lose my virginity so that Khivar and I could be together. I loved Khivar. I would do anything for him. He was Gediro’s age. They were old rivals. It was the one thing I kept a secret from Balei. Balei knew my secrets and had to be silenced. No one has ever made me feel the way he did and I regret what I did to him.

Khivar wanted me to be Queen of Utinu. He said I would make a better leader than my brother... if only I could fight. So we would sneak away. We would train and make love. My mind wanders from its task as I think of the way that he used to make me feel when we were together. I don’t have time for that right now. Khivar seduced me with promises of power. He built up my self-image. Then it backfired on him. Not in any obvious way but I became bored and slipped into my Princess act.

Now, I can’t deny that I loved him or that he loved me but... he started underestimating me. I hated that. Gediro left me out of plans that would affect the both of us. He was ruled by his hormones, like every other male of any species. I was growing tired of everything. Khivar had to learn a lesson about women and the true power they held. I enthralled his second with my charms. I wanted Khivar to hear about Niko.

So mother caught me and made the announcement. Fervid and I were to be married. Soon. I was kept under guard. Niko had made it safely back to Khivar’s grounds before word could get out. 24 years old and my mother treated me like a child. I was forced to spend time with my brother, his child bride and Fervid.

Rila of Opaeno. Poor child. Two years she ran and hid whenever my brother walked into a room. I didn’t associate much with her. She was disgusting. The frightened little thing could never even keep her own servants in check. I had seen the green eyed one come and go from my brother’s chamber often enough. I had even seen the slut in Fervid’s suite.

I was really a horrible person in my past life. Even as I move onto my closet to rearrange it in an order I see fit, I realize that I am not the person that I once was. Vilandra and Isabel have one thing in common: our hatred of being underestimated, of being seen as expendable, invisible and insignificant. Even now I know this because while I am questioning my existence, Max is either whacking off very loudly or he’s got Liz in his room.

Fervid had an apprentice, Miwiro. The boy followed him wherever he went. I often caught the boy staring at me. I thought he had a crush until I saw him in the same room with my brother. I wanted to laugh. Misela’s son was back and the heir to the throne was right under everyone’s noses. I wasn’t about to say anything... but I was going to keep an eye on him.

My routine: Meet Khivar in the wee hours of the morning to talk game plan, join my family for breakfast, sit with Fervid, entertain the wedding planners, listen in on Gediro’s talks with Fervid and watch the boy like a hawk.

I begged Fervid to take me to battle with him. I remember that day with astonishing clarity. I was in a safe place. I could see everything. Gediro stood on the hill, blocking the blasts. Fervid and Miwiro threw energy out into the energy field. Time seemed to slow as I saw the blast aimed for my future husband. Both of them ducked, it grazed them. Miwiro was mostly unharmed but he had been thrown hard. At the same time, Gediro went down as if hit. Nothing had ever gone near him.

That’s what confirmed Fervid’s suspicions about Miwiro’s heritage. Gediro honestly thought he’d been hit. It never occurred to him that his second’s apprentice looked just like him. Oh, the secrets I kept.

Khivar and I would have been an unstoppable team... if not for my overblown ego. Our plan backfired and I was killed. It was the day before my wedding that we decided to overthrow my brother. He never knew what hit him. Niko got Fervid. Rila tried to fight off Khivar but she lost. Gediro took me with him. As Khivar’s energy destroyed him, Gediro got me. Thank God Miwiro had taken my mother to safety. Together they must have hid the Granilith from Khivar.

I know that Vilandra was manipulative. I can be but I don’t want to. I will protect Alex from me. I will not turn on my brothers. I don’t like the way they treat me but I will not let it go down the way it did before. I have to tell Max. I remember what he doesn’t.

I sneak down the hall to find the door has been melted shut and opened using our powers. When I push the door open, I am surprised by what I find. Michael is holding Liz. They sit on the floor and they watch Max. He’s passed out and naked from what I can tell. I ask what’s going on and Michael just gives me this wary look. He tells me that he and Max remember.

It reminds me of Miwiro. He used to look at me like that. If Max and Michael remember... then I guess I won’t be underestimated anymore. Michael tells me that tomorrow we will all have a talk. One look at Liz and I know that something is different.

Tomorrow we’ll see who we really are.

THE END

[DMartinez]

Author: DMartinez
Email: shockerdm@icqmail.com
Disclaimer: Characters portrayed in the following work of fiction belong to creative geniuses: Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and the WB. No infringement was intended.
Rating: R
Summary: Tess remembers her past life.
Notes: Tess's POV. Sequel to It's Good To Be King, Always Second and Underestimated. I'm making up names left and right. Max - Gediro of Utinu, Michael - Fervid of Jinaso, Isabel - Vilandra of Utinu, Tess - Rila of Opaeno, Liz - Misela of Kejir, Maria - Jirena, Alex - Balei.


Lacrimae Rerum, Cetera Desunt... (Tragedy of Life, The Rest Is Missing...)

I'm conflicted. I love Max. Yes. That's what I'm supposed to do. That's what I was programmed to do... because I loved him in our former life. Tess Harding and... why can't I ever remember my former name? We are the same person. I stare at my reflection in confusion.

I've been this way for hours. Kyle was making fun of me earlier. He said for all I talked... that I was really naive and inexperienced. It stung. It was the first time that anyone had ever told me that but it stung as if that's what had upset me for most of my life.

Nasedo took me around the world. I learned many things. He taught me a secret. Master Latin. He said master Latin and all the other languages will just come. He was almost right. That didn't help any when we moved to Japan.

He was almost right though. If you can learn a key, that key will lead to other keys. That is how a person will rule the world. I think again on how Kyle teased me.

Then the name whispers through my head. Rila. Rila of Opaeno. That's my name. With the recognition of my name comes a flood of other memories. Horrible memories.

I grew up near the seas of Hedanio. When the first battles took place, my family moved into Utinu. Opaeno had long been gone, since my birth.

I was trained. Gediro would be my love, they told me. He would love me more than anything. He was such a handsome, brave, caring person. He was a great warrior. They showed me pictures of him.

I watched him grow up through the pictures. The young prince of Utinu sitting in his throne with a servant at his feet. The man that took care of his family after his father died. The warrior that won many battles.

I was so in love with the stories they told me about him. When I turned 16, they made the announcement. I was going to marry him. Jirena, my servant, and I prepared for a month. She teased me with stories of what would happen in my marriage-bed.

She was so bad. Jirena was always falling in love and making love to the male servants. She told me that I would love sharing a bed with my future husband. I just wanted to please him.

I can remember the feral look in his eyes with he pulled the veil off my face. I knew that I had turned bright red. I thought that my wedding and wedding night would be perfect. To my surprise when we were shown to our suite, we had separate rooms but would spend the night in mine.

I blushed while I undressed for him. Pictures did him no justice. He was huge, muscles and broad shoulders. I felt so tiny and little underneath his gaze.

I stare into the mirror and will away the memory of my first time in that other life. Tears slip down my face and I wipe them away. I have to ignore Kyle when he comes in to see what's wrong with me. He thinks that he's done something wrong. I wait until he leaves me alone.

Gediro didn't love me, not one iota. He didn't even know about me until our engagement was announced. Our first time together was painful for me. I cried the whole time and half the night while he was passed out beside me.

That night traumatized me. He came to me every night that first week. I was scared of my husband. One night I hid. Gediro's mother saw me behind a tapestry. When he stormed in looking for me, she didn't tell him where I was. She stared after him until he was long gone. Then she took me to her rooms. She saw how frightened I was of him. I was just a little girl married to a warrior.

Nehide and I became friends. I confided in her. She must have told him something because once the newness wore off, he stopped coming to me. Jirena tried to talk to me but I didn't want to tell her that those things she told me were lies. Then I saw Jirena less and less.

I can remember Vilandra glaring at Jirena. It was then I found out Jirena was sleeping with my husband. That my husband's mistresses were the reason we had separate rooms. Nothing they had told me about what my life would be like when I was queen actually happened.

My sister-in-law wouldn't stoop herself to talk to me, not even when her engagement was announced. I thought maybe we could bond over the sameness of our situations; being married to someone so much older than ourselves and having no real choice about it. She would never acknowledge my presence.

Once I tried to talk to her, figuring my bad experience could help her on her own wedding night. She laughed and walked off. Nehide explained to me that Vilandra had been known to fall in love rather easily. She had the unfortunate disposition to give herself over just as easily. Her first lover was a clown by the name of Balei. He was executed for even touching the princess in a familiar way (that was the official reason). Her second lover... well no one seemed sure of who it was. He escaped before he could be identified.

That should have been a clue. It was Vilandra that betrayed us. When Kivar stormed the palace, we were all off guard. I remember how he went after me. He said that he had to make sure I was dead so that his bride could assume the throne that was rightfully hers.

I don't want these memories. I want the ones where my husband was a loving man, who would die for me. I would give up knowing my own name if just to get rid of the truth. So many things make sense now. Why Max doesn't love me. Why he doesn't remember. Gediro and Max are two completely different people. It's hard to believe they are one and the same.

I have to talk to him.

As I am leaving, Kyle stops me. Says he'll give me a ride. he must know, vaguely, what I've been thinking about. So we go to Max's. The ride was very silent. He doesn't leave when I cross the street. In fact, he follows me. He helps me into Max's window...

Everyone, well almost everyone, is there. Michael is holding Liz, who looks like she's seen a ghost. Isabel is sitting in the desk chair. Max is passed out in a manner that reminds me of our wedding night.

Kyle calls in to see why I'm just standing there. Isabel gives me a guilty look. Michael tells me. They all remember. Kyle climbs in and takes in the sight. Michael says in the morning. When Max wakes up, we talk.

Kyle and I sit underneath the window to wait. Thoughts run through my head. About the tragedy of life. Nothing ever works out the way it's supposed to or the way you want it to. Without the tragedy, though, the rest is missing. Another travesty is when it goes wrong, the rest is still missing.

Lacrimae rerum, cetera desunt...

The END

I'll start posting the sequel story next week. Promise '-)

[DMartinez]

Author: DMartinez
Email: shockerdm@icqmail.com
Disclaimer: Characters portrayed in the following work belong to creative geniuses: Metz, Katims and the WB.
Rating: R
Spoilers: End of the World
Notes: Must have read: It's Good To Be King, Always Second, Underestimated, Lacrimae Rerum Cetera Desunt... All part of the Antarian Recollection series
Max Evans - Gediro of Utinu, Isabel Evans - Vilandra of Utinu, Tess Harding - Rila of Opaeno, Michael Guerin - Fervid of Jinaso, Liz Parker - Misela of Kejir, Maria DeLuca - Jirena, Alex Whitman - Balei, Kyle Valenti - Hanu.
Maria’s rant in part 2 comes courtesy of Col. Thank you, you’re a dear.
AN: This is a repost and it is finished. I'll post once or twice a week. I'll try to repost the other stories I started to post but one at a time. So a little patience is what I ask. '-)

Cling and Clatter


Max opened his eyes as he yawned, he blinked against the bright sunlight. Odd, he didn't remember leaving the curtains open. He turned his face into the pillow and groaned. He was vaguely aware that he was not wearing any boxers beneath the sheets.

“Is he awake?” A voice asked softly.

“Give him another minute. It usually takes him awhile to wake up.” An even softer voice replied.

Shaking his head, he pushed himself away from the bed and visually confirmed his lack of clothes and soiled sheets. Holding the sheet against his body he rolled over expecting to find Isabel and Michael but instead found five of his friends. “What the hell is going on? Why is everyone here?”

“Remember anything about last night, Romeo?” Michael glared.

Max sat up, careful to pull the sheet tight against his body. His droopy eyes fell on Liz, who was wearing his clothes. It came flooding back; the dreams, Liz at the window, making love to her. “And so I reiterate. What is everyone doing here? As I recall there should only be one other person in here.”

“We remember.” Tess whispered. “Everything. At least I do.”

“Me too.” Isabel nodded.

“Yeah, me too.” Michael chimed in.

“Re-” Liz's voice caught in her throat. “Remember what exactly? I know Michael told me it was basically about your past lives but... for all you guys to run to Max... what exactly?”

“Okay, okay. We'll talk about this... but can I put on some clothes please?” Max shifted backwards on the bed, pulling the blankets with him.

“Sure thing.” Kyle nodded and hopped out the window, motioning for Tess to follow. “Meet ya'll on neutral ground.”

“Yeah, Crashdown.” Isabel nodded and opened the door. Michael started to lead Liz out the door but a look from Max stopped him.

“Liz. Stay. Please?” Max's eyes pleaded with her. She nodded and looked to Michael, letting him know that she would be alright. “Thank you.”

Michael eyed Max warily before shutting the door. Liz hugged herself, barely looking at the man she had made love to the night before. Max moved to get up and she spun around, still embarrassed by the situation. Max couldn't keep a small smile from his face. Suppressing a chuckle, he sat back down. “There are boxers in the top drawer on your right. Mind tossing me a pair?”

Blushing and trying not to look, Liz pulled out a pair of boxers and tossed them over her shoulder. Max caught them and stood to put them on. “You know... you did see me naked last night.”

“But it was dark and... now it's day and it's different.” Her cheeks were still flaming when he moved past her to get clothes from his closet. Max pulled on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Grabbing a pair of socks he sat on the edge of the bed to put them on.

“Different.” He repeated. “How is it different?”

“I don't know. It just is.” Liz put a hand to her face, willing away the heated blush on her face.

Max sat up after he tied his shoes. Something occurred to him. He stood and tilted her face up to look at him. “Did I hurt you? Liz? Did I?”

“No. You didn't.” Her eyes dropped to her hands where they had come to rest on his chest.

“Liz...” He pressed.

“I know what you're thinking and no. I mean, yeah... it hurt at first but that was bound to happen.” Liz blushed brighter. “But it did feel... really... really, really good.” She buried her face in her hands, letting him put his arms around her. “I can't believe that we... God, Max.”

“That's what you called me last night...” He teased her. Liz swatted him. They shared a tender kiss in memory of the beautiful act they had shared together for the first time... and the second. Running his hands up and down her bare arms, Max looked her over. “I think you look better in my clothes than I do.”

“Oh Max. I can't go home in your clothes.” Her eyes widened. “What if my parents find out that I wasn't home last night?”

“Sh.” Max stroked her hair and held her to him for a moment, then held her out. His hand hovered over her and his clothes transformed into her clothes. Then he waved a hand over the bed, ridding it of the evidence of the night before. “If they ask, you got up early for a walk. Ready?”

“Yeah, I guess so.” Liz nodded and moved towards the door. Max caught her hand and led her into the house. “Max... is what Michael told me true?”

“What did Michael tell you?” Max waited for the answer.

“That I am Misela, some woman from your past life. I didn't completely understand it all and I wasn't really listening because I was too worried about him seeing me naked.” Liz blushed again. She wished she could stop doing that.

“Michael saw you naked?” Max's defenses automatically went up.

“Beside the point. You were passed out and I was stuck. He helped me.” Liz pulled him down the hallway to the kitchen where Isabel and Michael were waiting. “Is it true?”

“Essentially... yeah.” Max nodded and lowered his voice. “We'll talk about it after I talk to the others. I promise.” He kissed her hand. “I love you.”

“I love you.” Liz stood on tiptoe to kiss his lips.

Michael's eyes narrowed at the couple standing in the kitchen doorway. He wasn't so sure that history should repeat itself.

--

Max looked around the table at the faces of his sister, best friend, former-wife and his lover. “Where to start?”

“I really don't want to talk about this...” Tess whispered. Max couldn't help but feel guilty for her sudden lack of interest.

“I'm sorry. I really am.” He told her. Liz, sitting by his side, noticed that Tess suddenly seemed to want to be as far from Max as possible.

“Can we get started?” Michael groaned.

“I want to know who Misela is.” Liz spoke up. Isabel turned away, Michael scratched at the back of his head, Max took her hand and Tess shook her head in confusion.

“Who's Misela?” Tess asked softly.

“She was--” Isabel stopped herself. “She was in the palace around the time that you were born. You never met her. No one ever talked about her.”

“With good reason.” Michael managed before exchanging a look with Max.

“What are you guys talking about?” Liz couldn't believe how cryptic they were being all of a sudden. Tess stared at Liz for a long time. The way she sat up stiffly, the way it was obvious that she and Max had gotten back together by the glimmer in her eyes when she looked at him. It was the eyes that gave it away. The look that gave it all away.

“It's you. Nehide told me about you.” Tess whispered, blue eyes widening in recognition. “You broke him. It's your fault what he did to me.”

“Liz, can you give us a minute to talk about this?” Max turned to her, kissing her cheek. “I promise that I'll tell you everything later.”

“Ok.” The kiss was just supposed to be short and sweet but became impassioned before they remembered where they were and she left them alone. Max watched until she had gone into the back before turning back to his fellows. Eyes on Michael, Max began. “What did you tell her last night?”

“Just... You passed out on top of her and I helped her out. I accidentally called her Misela. You should have seen her face when I said that. She demanded to know what Misela was and I told her who she was. All I said was that she was someone you loved in your past life.” Michael rushed to get out.

“Good.” Max sighed, relieved. “I want to tell her myself.”

“What? You're going to tell her that she's your whore?” Isabel scoffed. For a moment, she couldn't believe that had just come out of her mouth... but it was true. Even as Isabel, Vilandra resented Misela or Liz and what she represented: a threat to inevitable reign.

“What? I thought she was just a servant.” Tess sat up. “She was in all those pictures they showed me of you. She always sat at your feet. I figured you fell in love with her but were told you couldn't marry her. That is what your mother said.”

“Not even close.” Michael snorted. “Misela of Kejir was princess of a traveling procession of... Ceronis, vagabonds. Anyway, Max took her as payment from her father for protection during the battles the next day. He kept her around until she fell in love with him and got pregnant. After she was gotten rid of, no one was allowed to speak her name.”

“That's putting it lightly. She was barely more than a sex slave.” Isabel groaned, tired of the subject. “He would have gotten tired of her eventually... just like all the others. Not like he loved any of them.”

“What?!” Liz exclaimed. No one had seen her walk back into the dining room. No one knew exactly what she had heard. Michael closed his eyes. That had come out wrong and she didn't know the details surrounding her exit from the palace. Max watched her face flush in anger. “So what? You did me in before and you were going to do me in again?”

“Liz...” He started to plead with her.

“No! I do not want to hear it.” She stormed off in extreme anger.

“Shit.” Max held his head in his hands. Then he sat up. “We need to talk about this. Everything... and I do mean everything needs to come out in the open.”

--

“Liz, babe, what is wrong?” Maria watched her friend go through various stages of upset. First she had cried, then she had punched a pillow to death, then she had torn up a picture of Max. “What did the moron do this time?”

“How could I have been so stupid?” Liz sank down on the bed. “He told me that he loved me and I believed him. I actually believed him.”

“I'm missing something here. I thought we had already established that Max loves you. You're not talking to him anyway.” Maria sighed.

“That's just it. I went over last night to tell him the truth. I was going to tell him the whole thing.” Liz felt the anger rising.

“What did you actually tell him?”

“That I didn't sleep with Kyle. I couldn't say anything else because then he was kissing me.” She ran a hand through her hair. “And things just...” Suddenly her hand went to her mouth. “We didn't even use a condom...”

“Condom? Liz! You slept with Max?” Maria shrieked. “Well? Tell me about it.”

“I will not.” Liz scoffed. “But I have to so you'll understand just exactly what happened last night... I wasn't planning on sleeping with him. He just kept kissing me and then I didn't want to fight him anymore.”

“Wait... did he like... force you?” Maria sat straighter, concerned for her friend.

“No. I can't explain it. I knew I shouldn't and I tried to leave but then I just thought... to hell with it. I wanted him.” Liz threw her hands up in the air. “And then when he...”

“Was it good?” Maria butted in.

“Maria, please. When he... came... he called out Misela.”

“You're kidding. He said someone else's name?”

“Yeah, that's what I thought. Then he says that I am Misela and kisses me. So I figure that Misela is like a term of endearment in Antarian or something.” Liz turned to Maria who nodded in concurrence. “Then he just passes out right on top of me... and then Michael walks in.”

“Whoa. Michael was there?”

“Can I finish?” she flopped back on the bed. “So after Michael gives me a hand, he calls me Misela. So term of endearment, it's not.” Her eyes fixed on the ceiling. “He just kept staring at me... like he'd never seen me before... So he tells me that Misela was someone from Max's past life. Someone he loved.”

“Wow... so you were both reincarnated and met again. This is totally something out of one of my mother's books.” Maria grinned excitedly.

“Maria... wait. I'm not done. Eventually... like everyone was there. Me, Michael, Isabel, Tess... Kyle. Last night... everyone tapped into their memories and gathered to talk about them. So this morning, we're all downstairs and they wanted to talk. Max promised that he would talk to me afterward.” Liz took a deep breath. “He had already told me what Michael said was true. So I went back to ask when exactly we could talk and I hear them talking about me. You know me Misela.”

“What did they say?”

“That I was a whore. Max's sex slave... that I fell in love with him and got pregnant and he just got rid of me. They said that I was like all the others, he got tired of me and moved on.”

“Oh Lizzie... babe. I'm sorry.”

“How could he use me like this?”

“I'm sure that it's not what it seems. Max loves you.” Maria tried to comfort her friend.

“You don't understand.” Liz sat up and wiped at her face angrily. “I won't cry over him any more. Not him, not any alien. If this is how he feels about me then fine. It's done with.”

“Lizzie. He wouldn't do this to you.”

“Maria. While Michael and Isabel were saying these horrible things about me, Max sat back and did nothing. He made no move to defend me... and after how I agonized about what he must think of me, thinking that I had slept with Kyle...” Liz shook her head. “No more. I'm done.”

--

Max watched Isabel and Tess walk off. Then he turned to Michael. “What didn't you want to say in front of them?”

“Nothing.” Michael crossed his arms and fixated his eyes on a bottle of ketchup.

“Come on. I know you were holding back. It has to do with her. Fine, I know you helped her escape. Fine, I know you knew she was pregnant. What didn't you say?” Max demanded.

Michael weighed his options very carefully. Then he realized this would create a larger rift, left unsaid it would stay. “About the night she left the palace...”

“I couldn't find her.” Max pressed, then it sank in very slowly. “I couldn't find you either.”

“Right.” Michael nodded, keeping his eyes on the ketchup bottle. “Don't worry about it. It was nothing.”

“I don't believe you.” Max argued.

“Whatever. Don't worry about it. It's nothing.”

“Don't give me this shit.” Max ordered. “She's already angry about the way you guys talked about her.”

“But-- just forget it. No one needs to know. It's my own shit.” Michael sat back. “She's gonna tell Maria.”

“We'll have to tell Maria about Jirena, then.” Max noted Michael's sudden silence. “Yeah, I see you remember Jirena, too.”

“So.” Who could forget the green-eyed servant with lips that could drive a man to the edge of insanity?

“You want to tell Maria she was the palace slut in Utinu and quite possibly among the Opaenians?” His amber eyes flashed and met wary gray ones.

“No.”

“Then do as I say. We've already screwed up enough with Liz.” Max growled and went to go talk to Liz.

--

“It's awful, Kyle.” Tess curled up on the Valenti couch. “I remember everything.”

“Buddha says that by sharing our pain, we lighten our loads. It allows the mind to rise to heights unrealized. We can't understand ourselves if we don't understand each other.” He sat on the table facing her. She tossed him a confused look. “It helps to talk about it.”

“I was a child, Kyle. I mean, barely a year younger than I am now but I was so young. They told me so many lies. They said he would love me and cherish me. He didn't. He was cold and just shy of cruel.”

“We are talking about Evans, right?” This information just blew him away.

“After he stopped sleeping with me. Nehide and I had a talk.”

“Neh-i-duh?” He repeated uncertainly.

“Nehide of Laoron, Max's mother. She told me that he had a servant that he fell in love with. Of course, he could never marry her. The servant was returned to her people and died in an accident along the way. Gediro... Max. He was never the same. Nehide said that it was like a part of him died when she did.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Because... the older pictures of him that I had... all had her in them. Losing her made him cold. He treated me like he did his whores.” Tess wiped at her eyes. “It was because of Misela. Liz.”

“Whoa.” Kyle held his hands up. “Are you trying to tell me that Liz and this Mee-sel-la chick are the same person?”

“Yeah.”

“How is that even possible?”

“You tell me, Buddha-boy. You're the one that believes in natural reincarnation.” She glared at him.

“Okay. Okay. Okay.” Kyle tried to draw on memories of what he'd read on the subject. “If there was something Misela was supposed to finish with you guys, it would make sense that she was reincarnated into a form that she could do that in. That's not exactly Buddhism there. I'm talking out of my ass now.” He propped his elbows on his knees and leaned forward. “What would she need to do in this life that she didn't in her past life?”

“Linao.” Tess whispered suddenly.

“Leen-ah-o? What's that?”

“Linao... it means... prince.”

“Nehide, Misela, Rila, Gediro. Linao. What the hell is up with your names?” He shook his head. “Okay but what does Linao have to do with Liz?”

“Misela never told Gediro about the Linao. In fact, Vilandra and Fervid...” Tess noted Kyle shaking his head again. “That’s Michael... they figured it out but never told Gediro about it either.”

“Why? I'm missing something here.”

“They were concerned about successions. If Gediro knew about the Linao, neither of them would get to the throne in their lifetime. Chances are the Linao didn't know who his father was.” Tess caught the confused look on Kyle face. “The Linao is Gediro's son. His son from Misela. Max and Liz had a son in their past life.”

“Holy shit.”

tbc

[DMartinez]

Part 2

Liz walked calmly around her room, drying her hair and setting out her uniform. She heard him walk into her room but she just kept busy. Once she shut the hair dryer off, she sat at her vanity to do her hair.

“Liz?” Max whispered. He noted that she had showered and was getting ready for work. “It wasn't what it seemed out there. Isabel and Michael had no control over their mouths. They've always been jealous of you... been jealous of what we had... even back then.”

She didn't even acknowledge that he had spoken. She just grabbed her uniform and went into the bathroom. He stood outside the door. “Liz, come on. Let me tell you what it was really like.”

“Get out.” Liz muttered as he brushed past him and grabbed her shoes. “I don't care to hear anymore. Just leave. Don't come back. I have to work.”

Max sank down on her bed when she breezed out of the room. She had never once looked at him or acknowledged that she heard a single word that he said.

--

“There’s more Kyle.” Tess whispered. “I had a servant named Jirena.”

“A servant...” He waited for her to elaborate on why she brought up the subject.

“She was older than I was and... subject to being promiscuous. She came with me to the palace when I married Gediro. After he stopped sleeping with me, I didn’t see her as much...” She watched as he shook his head in understanding of what she was implicating. “Rumor has it after he got tired of her... Fervid took to her.”

“Okay. So your servant slept with the two most important men in the kingdom. What’s the whoop now?” Kyle shrugged his shoulders.

“Jirena is Maria.” She whispered softly.

“Excuse me?”

“Maria and Jirena are the same person.”

“Okay. Okay. Kinda makes sense. I read somewhere that people are always reincarnated in units... so that they can make things right. So if Liz was with you guys... goes to figure that Maria would be as well. Anyone else?” Kyle ran a hand over his face.

“Alex.”

“Alex? So who was Alex? A stable boy?”

“No... we didn’t have horses.” Tess cracked lamely. “He was Balei, a clown that was kept around for Vilandra’s entertainment. Nehide said that Vilandra fell in love with Balei and they got together but... when Nehide found out... Balei was executed. You see how strange this all is? We were supposed to tell each other everything today but somehow I don’t think we did. I kept my mouth shut about a lot of the things that Nehide told me. Isabel never mentioned Balei or her other lover. Max... I think Max told us everything, although he didn’t talk about Jirena. Michael... he stayed quiet a lot. He knows something that the rest of us don’t.”

“Okay. Wow.” Kyle ran his hand through his hair. “This situation could get wildly out of control.”

“Tell me about it.” Tess brushed her hair out of her face, sinking backward into the couch.

“I'm gonna go talk to someone else. I need someone else's side of the story to fill in the holes.” Kyle stood up from the couch. He yanked on his shoes and made for the door. “You coming?”

“Why are you doing this?” Tess asked, her eyes full of pleading.

“Look... Alex is a good buddy of mine. Maria is practically a sister and the way things are going with our parents, that is a very real possibility. Liz... Liz is very special and I will not allow anyone to hurt her. These are MY friends and I will figure all this out if it kills me.” Kyle stopped his rant just as abruptly as it started. “Are you coming?”

“No. Who are you going to talk to first?”

“Michael. He’s the one with the secrets... right?” With that, Kyle was out the door and on the hunt.

--

Max shadowed Maria around, pleading with her to tell him what was wrong with Liz. “Maria, come on. She won’t talk to me.”

“Maybe you should have thought of that when everyone was calling her a slut.” She whirled on him.

“It was a misunderstanding.” Max practically yelled. When he realized that the whole restaurant was staring at them, minus Liz who kept going like she hadn’t heard a thing. He quickly lowered his voice. “She won’t let me explain how it really was. Michael and Isabel have always been jealous of Liz’s position with me. Always. This life and the past life and even more so now that we have both perspectives.”

“Tell me something. Do you love her?” Maria crossed her arms.

“Of course I do. I love her so much that it hurts.” Max leaned in closer. “Did she tell you about... last night?”

“Yes, she did. Misela?”

“Maria. When I was Gediro... Misela was the first woman I ever made love to. She was my first and only love.” Max saw Maria’s eyes melt. “Last night was very special, not only because we made love for the first time together... Because I love Liz with all the strength that I had for Misela. Our firsts were each other’s firsts in both lifetimes and that only confirms what I’ve always known... Liz is my destiny.”

“I’ll talk to her.” Maria nodded with a little smile. “No promises but I’ll talk to her.”

“Thanks Maria.” Max started to go but turned. “Have you spoken to Michael?”

“No, why?” At the expression on his face, her curiosity rose immensely. She waited for him to spill his guts but he shut his mouth and stared down at his toes.

“Don’t worry about it.” He waved and walked off. Maria thought about it. If Michael had something to tell her, he wouldn’t come looking for her and if it was about anything... it was about what anything was about today. Maybe he was going to tell her about their lives back on Antar. If Liz was a part of their lives, why shouldn’t she be? Maria went about her work with a smile plastered on her face. Maybe she and Michael had a romantic affair since he was engaged to Isabel. Maybe he promised to run away with her before the wedding... She couldn’t wait until she could go talk to Michael.

--

Michael stared at the wall over Kyle’s head. Kyle had just burst into the apartment rattling off information that Tess had given him. The two guys moved away from the door, nudging it closed but never really letting it catch. He wasn’t really sure what to say. He could say that Tess was wrong and he wasn’t hiding anything. He could say that... no he couldn’t. “Why are you so interested?”

“Tess confided in me about all this alien crap because things are weird... like weirder than usual.” Kyle crossed his arms and leaned against the bar. “This concerns Liz, Alex and Maria. They don’t deserve all this crap you guys keep throwing around.”

“What do you want to know?”

“Bally, Jergens, Marcel and Linear.” Kyle sat on a stool and waited for Michael to say something. Michael just stared at him in a confused stance for a few minutes.

“Oh... I got it. Bal-lay, Jer-reena, Mee-sella and Leen-ah-o.” Michael annunciated for Kyle.

“Whatever. Just tell me what you know about them.” He was quickly losing patience with the alien jerk in front of him.

“Ok. Balei was some idiot hired to keep Vilandra entertained. I never bothered much with him. The Linao was my apprentice.” Michael sat on his bed. “I came out and told Max already that the kid existed. The Linao was his son. I know he was. The boy was like my own son... He was called Miwiro.”

“Mee-vee-ro. I got it. Keep going.” Kyle rubbed at his eyes. If his eyes had been open, he would have seen the movement in the doorway.

“Jirena was Rila’s servant. Gediro would keep her close to relieve his frustrations. I must have looked at her too long one day because he gave her to me.”

“Gave her to you?” Kyle’s eyes narrowed to slits.

“I was in my mid-thirties and she was barely in her twenties. She was a servant that knew her way around a man’s... whatever. It’s what she did best. I mean... at her station, sleeping with me or Gediro would be the closest to status she would get.” Michael trained his gaze on his feet.

“So what? You and this past Maria just what?”

“She gave me what I wanted when I wanted it. It’s what she did. She’d always been that way. Even when she lived in the Opaenian household from what Tess said.”

“What about Liz?”

“What about her?”

“Was she what you guys said she was?”

“Yes... No. No. Misela was special. We, Kones and I, picked her out--”

“Hold on. Ko-ness?” Kyle shook his head. “You guys have such weird names.”

“King Kones of Utinu, Gediro’s father. Anyway, we were getting ready for battle, teaching Gediro the ropes. He was a young punk and had been coddled while we fought. He had to turn him into a man, quick. Then this band of Ceronis comes through. Their leader came from Kejir, this legendary place said to only be accessible by the light of the third moon and the first song of the Varnya. Anyway. Their leader, he’s like a King but we don’t give them much merit as their land can never be found, so their leader offers us his daughter in exchange for safe passage and protection in the battle.”

“So what? He bribed you guys to look after his people by giving his daughter.”

“Right. So this Kejir Princess is young, untouched, pure. Kones usually takes these type girls for the night and I would get them the second night. As a change of plans... He gave her to Gediro. I had to guard their tent while they did their thing.” Michael’s hands tightened into fists at his sides while he talked. “He fell in love with her. Three years later, she was pregnant.”

“Really?”

“Misela didn’t want her son to become the Linao. He’d become king of a kingdom like ours... so she wanted out. I arranged for her to hide in one of our villages. We told Gediro that she had died when we sent her back to her family.”

“What aren’t you saying? I don’t buy this. Why... what’s the deal?”

“He wasn’t the only one who wanted her. She was beautiful, gorgeous. Her smile lit up a room and her laugh just... it was contagious. She was so strong, unselfish... She would do anything to keep her baby safe. When I went to her with my plan, she agreed... to everything. Did you know that Liz has a mole about an inch from her right nipple? She’s got a scar next to her belly button about the size of a dime and the shape of our smallest moon.” Michael found himself grinning at the image of her naked body in his mind.

“What are you saying?”

“For three years... I wanted her. I was supposed to have her the night after the battle but Kones had changed his mind and given her to Gediro. I watched them and I envied what they had. It should have been mine. I wanted her. The last night that she was in the palace, she stayed with me. I couldn’t keep her in my room because Gediro or Jirena came in and out as they please.” Michael developed a far away glaze as he spoke. “I took Misela out to the Siheo and made love to her under the stars by the light of the moons. I only had one night... so I memorized every inch of her. I reveled in the fact that I was only the second man that she had ever slept with. She wasn’t pure anymore but she was a damn shot better than Jirena.”

“What!” A shriek filled the room. Michael and Kyle’s head snapped around to the door where Maria was standing. Her face was red with anger and her eyes filling with tears. “Is that what you think of me?”

“Maria, no--” Michael started to explain but she cut him off.

“No! NO! Don’t talk to me. Just don’t talk to me!” She advanced on him in three long strides. “I genuinely cared for you...”

“Listen.” Michael tried again but she slapped him hard, whipping his head around and leaving a bright red handprint.

“I don’t ever want to see or speak to you or any of your green little friends again from this day forward.” Maria took a deep breath and spoke softly but forcefully. “You, Max, Isabel and Tess do NOT exist to me as I certainly don’t matter to any of you.”

Before either guy could react, Maria had stormed out the door and slammed it behind her. Kyle rubbed his face with his hands. “Holy shit.”

“My thoughts exactly.” Michael rubbed at his sore face. “You’re the Guru. How do I fix this?”

“Depends.” Kyle replied softly. “Do you feel about Maria that way?”

“What way?”

“She’s like a sister to me. If I have to kick your ass, I will. Buddha forgive me, I will kick your ass.” Kyle narrowed his eyes at Michael.

“Whoa! Hold up. That was Fervid feeling that way in Utinu on Antar. I am Michael, I... I care for Maria. I do NOT like Liz.”

“Care to explain?”

“Ok. You still have feelings for Liz... right?” Michael inched away from Kyle just in case.

“Yeah, if Evans hadn’t come along... I think we’d still be together.”

“Ok. But you wouldn’t move in on her and now that she and Max are sorta together...”

“Hell, no. I wouldn’t make a move on her because now I’m her friend.” Kyle glared at the cowering Michael.

“Right. See, this is like a past thing. My former self was infatuated with Liz’s former self but I know her too well now to think that way about her. I do not, do not, like Liz in any way that might jeopardize my life.” Michael swore and crossed his heart. “I want Maria. That’s all.”

“Good Luck my friend. The road to truth hath many trials and only the pure shall prevail.”

“What?”

“Tough luck, good luck, be careful and wear a cup.” Kyle grinned and turned to the door. “Now... we’ve got some problems to fix and I want to talk to Isabel about Alex.”

“Whoa.” Michael froze. “You’re gonna touch that subject?”

“Why not?”

“Vilandra was a bitch but go ahead.” Michael shook his head slowly.

“I thought you were engaged to her.” Kyle stopped his movements to the door.

“Well, we were but not by choice. Her mom chose me because I was already in a high position within the hierarchy. Isabel was Princess. If anything happened to Max, Isabel would rule and as her husband I would become King.” Michael shrugged and waved to Kyle as the shorter boy walked out the door.

--

“All aliens are scum!” Maria shouted as she entered Liz’s room. There was no one there. “Liz?”

“In here...” Liz’s strained voice wafted out from the bathroom. Maria raced around and found Liz on her hands and knees in front of the toilet.

“Are you okay?” Maria knelt beside her friend.

“I’m fine. Just a little morning sickness.” Liz shook her head and began puking once again.

“Ay Dios mio! Please tell me you aren’t pregnant.” Maria closed her eyes and waited for Liz’s response.

“Ok, lets examine the facts. I’m throwing up. I had unprotected sex with an alien last night.” Liz grumbled as she got up to brush her teeth. “And I have this craving for hot wings... which I would probably get if I wasn’t puking my guts out.”

“Can you tell that quick?”

“It’s aliens we’re talking about, Maria. Anything is possible.” Liz flushed the toilet and stumbled to her bed. “I’m gonna go talk to Michael.”

“Michael? Why?” Maria immediately threw her fences up.

“I am NOT speaking to Max at the moment and I will not speak to Tess and Isabel and I have never gotten along. Michael is at least nice to me.” Liz never noticed Maria’s sudden change in attitude.

“Is this a pattern for you?” Maria almost shrieked.

“What?” Liz’s eyes got wide and she rolled over to look at her friend.

“You and Max have sex, you get pregnant and then you move on to Michael? No! No! NO!” Stomping to the door, Maria shouted over her shoulder. “I don’t want to speak to you ever again, Liz Parker.”

“What did I do?” Liz called after her.

--

“Kyle?” Isabel opened her bedroom door to find Kyle standing there. “What are you doing here?”

“I need to talk to you... your mom told me to come on back.” He shifted slightly while he waited for her to make up her mind about if she wanted him in her room.

“About what?”

“I’ve talked to Tess and to Michael and they’ve told me some things. Your side is missing though.” Kyle shoved his hands into his pockets. “I know about Balei, Linao... Miwiro.”

Her face crumpled up as she stepped aside to let him in. “Do you know everything?”

“I know that Alex was killed in his past life. That you wouldn’t tell your brother about his son being in the palace because you wanted to rule...” Kyle said softly. “I’m not judging but somebody’s gotta pick up the pieces...”

“I was so awful.” Isabel sank down on the bed. “They used to discount me completely in the past life. I won’t ever forget Gediro’s face when he realized that it was me.”

“What happened?” he asked, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

“If I start, you can’t interrupt me. I was an evil child.” She leaned forward, eyebrows raised.

“Tell me. Maybe I can fill in the holes.” Kyle got comfortable with one of her pillows. “So, evil child. Speak.”

“I was horrible. Daddy gave me a clown when I was nine. Balei. He knew all my secrets, he could make me laugh. He was my only friend. I remember when I was 11, Gediro went with Daddy and Fervid to battle. They came back with Misela. She was a Ceroni... allegedly from Kejir. I hated her immediately. Gediro would make goo-goo eyes at her all the time and it was obvious that she was in love with him. I was 14 when I found out she was pregnant. I was spying. I made a suggestion to Fervid. I said something about how beautiful the Siheo was at night, about how no one would ever know that someone was hiding there... how close it was to the gates.”

“So you... it was your idea for Michael to sleep with Liz before taking her out of the palace?” Kyle broke in.

“He slept with her?” Isabel’s jaw dropped open. “I didn’t know that. I was just pretending to be flirting with him. I didn’t know that he wanted her too...”

“Continue.” Kyle pushed.

“Right, my reasons were completely selfish. I wanted to be queen. If Gediro knew about Misela and Linao... he would marry her. She was a princess and even though her property couldn’t be found or measured, she was royalty. It would be possible. I would never get to the throne that way. So I spoke to Fervid. I may have mentioned the laws of succession to Misela and then she was gone and so was the brat. I broke my brother’s heart to assure my birth rite. Balei yelled at me for what I did to Misela.” Isabel wiped at her eyes. “Then I met Khivar. He was just gorgeous and he wanted me on the throne as much as I wanted on it. I was 17 when our meetings started.”

“Khivar? Isn’t that...” Kyle snapped his fingers. “That guy that wants you dead.”

“He doesn’t want me dead.” Isabel whispered. “I think he still loves me. That’s what Nicholas said.”

“What’s going on, Isabel?”

“I was in love with Khivar. I would do anything for him. He was from another kingdom, a warrior. His parents orphaned him when he was a little boy and he worked his way up to being the finest warrior in Disjala. I would meet him in the Siheo and he would teach me to fight.” Isabel smiled a little at her forbidden courtship. “I mean, I met him at one of those absurd parties my mother was always throwing. I should have known better, he was as old as Gediro... I guess you could say they were rivals. I didn’t start paying attention to Gediro until after Khivar told me to. I wanted to marry him but my mother had told me that I was supposed to marry Fervid.”

“Ok... I think I see.”

“I wanted to be with Khivar and so I used Balei. He really was my best friend. He knew what I was and he still came to me when I told him I loved him. We may be an advanced type of civilization but purity is important. There was no way I could make love to Khivar and it not be found out when I married Fervid and so... I used Balei. I let my mother catch us together. Daddy had been dead just a few months and the pressure with Khivar had gone up. My mother just thought that I was a silly twit, ready to fall in love with any man who gave me as much attention as my father did.” Isabel rose to her feet and began pacing. “My mother couldn’t let word get out and so... she had Balei executed... and all I could think was that now... Khivar and I could be together. I wouldn’t have to worry about Balei finding out or what would happen on my wedding night...”

“Alex was Balei.”

“Yes. I can still see his blue eyes and his smile. I betrayed him for Khivar.” Isabel wiped at her eyes roughly and continued. “I—I... Gediro was King. That meant I was one step away from being Queen. I was getting upset at Khivar for pushing me. Sure, we met, trained and made love but he was taking me for granted. He thought I was blind. I knew he wanted to be King and I was a tool for that purpose... but I also knew he loved me. I was 24 when I let myself get caught in bed with Niko, Nicholas. My mother announced my marriage to Fervid. I remember her lecturing me about how good a wife Rila was. I didn’t want to be compared to that sniveling....” She broke off suddenly. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean that. I just... sometimes when I remember, I talk like Vilandra.”

“What happened?”

“Well, I picked up on my eavesdropping. I learned about Gediro and Fervid’s security plans for the party they were throwing for our wedding and the party the night before. I told Khivar how to sneak in. He was wary of me since he heard about how I was roped into the engagement. He hadn’t heard that it was Niko I was with or else the night would have been worse than it was. Niko took out Fervid. Khivar took out Rila. Gediro and I faced off. We circled and circled the room as if there weren’t a battle going on around us. I lifted my hand just as he lifted his and... Khivar shot him. He shot me and I shot him... we killed each other.”

“Holy shit.”

tbc

[DMartinez]

Part 3

Kyle paced for a moment before turning to Isabel. “Are you going to tell them?”

“I want to but... I’m scared.” She whispered. “I don’t want them to think that I’m the same person but at the same time I want more respect than I’ve been getting. What if they all hate me? Will you come with me?”

“Yeah... I mean... I still gotta talk to Max.” He sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets.

“Ok. Meet me out at the quarry. I feel safe there.” Isabel nodded stiffly. “Just Max, Michael and Tess. I don’t want to look at Liz or Alex after what I’ve done to them... in the last life and this one.”

“Okay.” Kyle studied her face only knowing a little of what she was talking about. “Where are they now? Do you know?”

“Michael’s off of work. Max has been at the Crashdown all day. Tess won’t talk to anyone.”

“I’m on it.”

--

Max watched Liz move around customers with a bright smile on her face. She refused to look at him or service him. Agnes had kept him in cherry coke all evening, making her annoyance obvious. Michael sat across from him, sighing heavily. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?” Max’s eyes never left the brunette that hated him at the moment.

“Just accept my apology.” Michael concentrated his stare on the table. “I’m probably never going to say it again, so sorry for everything that I’ve ever done wrong and for everything that I will do wrong.”

“What happened?”

“Maria.” He whispered. “I was talking to Kyle and she overheard... I don’t know how much but she does know about Jirena.”

“How could you let her find out?” Max snapped his eyes to his friend.

“I didn’t ok. We can add one more to the list of humans that hate us. If Maria’s talked to Alex then we have two.”

“Alex?” Max shook his head.

“Tell me you remember Balei.” Michael groaned when Max’s face remained blank. “Don’t tell me you were that caught up in yourself.”

“What?” Max blinked. Had Michael just accused him of being selfish?

“You just blocked out everything that didn’t have anything to do with you, didn’t you?” Michael scoffed and sat back to watch Maria wander into the restaurant to talk to Alex. “Look, there it goes and we’ll be three for four.”

“You accuse me of being selfish and then you change the subject?” Max’s jaw dropped. “What the hell is your problem?”

“My problem?” Michael’s head snapped around. “I don’t have a problem. You’re the one that has a problem. You’re too wrapped up in your own shit that you don’t notice that the rest of us are in deep shit too. Maria hates me. She thinks I think she’s a whore. She hates you too because she knows you used to sleep with her, too. Your sister used Balei and then he was killed and you don’t even care. No wonder whatever problem Liz was talking about on the phone, she came to me.”

Max started up out of his seat but a pair of hands shoved him back into it. Kyle loomed over the two. “This is not the place to air the royal dirty laundry. Quarry, now. Isabel has something she wants to tell you guys.”

Kyle was about to follow them out of the Crashdown when Maria stopped him. “Kyle, what’s going on?”

“Nothing. Just alien crap.” Kyle shook his head. He had already learned to identify Maria’s moods. She was currently in her ‘death-to-all-those-alien’ mood and shouldn’t really be around anyone. He just needed to keep her out of it while she was pissed.

“That’s nice.” Maria droned, rolling her eyes. “When isn’t there alien crap? Why are they sending you to do their dirty work? You need to free yourself of aliens. Be free. Get them out of your life and out of your house... so what’s going on?”

“Maria... it’s just alien crap. Liz and Alex and alien crap.” Kyle shook his head and started out the door. “Don’t worry about it.



Liz winced slightly as a cramp immobilized her near Max’s table. A wave of nausea flowed over her and as it passed, she heard Kyle’s order out to the quarry. The two were out of their chairs in a flash. Alex appeared by her side just moments later.

“Are you okay?” His concerned blue eyes ran over her hunched over form.

“I’m just feeling a little icky.” Liz lied. She dreaded going upstairs to take the pregnancy test she had another waitress buy for a ‘friend of hers’ later on that evening. “My shift’s over and... did you hear that? Why are they going to the quarry to discuss us?”

“No idea.” Alex shrugged, trying not to let it show how much his curiosity was growing due to Kyle’s statement to Maria.

“I don’t know about you but I don’t like to be talked about behind my back.” Liz narrowed her eyes. “I want to know what’s so important that they have to go someplace so private to talk about us.”

“Let’s go and see.” Alex nodded in agreement. Maria stood there dumbfounded. She had asked Alex to meet her so she could tell him what she had found out regarding their past lives and the moment that he had seen Liz looking a little ill, he was off to help her. She still had to tell him that he was there on Antar just like the rest of them and so she followed the twosome out to the quarry.

--

The sky had darkened considerably since Isabel had left her house. She watched the storm clouds sweep across the sky and block out what was left of the sun. A cloud of dust announced the arrival of her fellow aliens and Kyle. Nervously, she began pacing and waited for them to meet her by the reservoir’s edge. Max was the first, leaping out of the Jeep to look her over and make sure she was okay. “What is it? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I just... I have to talk to you guys.” Isabel whispered and cleared her throat, looking over at the others. “I know you all know that we didn’t say everything that needed to be said this morning. I know that we’ve all been talking to Kyle.”

“What?” Max turned to look at the jock, who was motioning for Isabel to keep going.

“Tell them about Khivar.” Kyle prompted but his words were lost as the wind picked up.

“And there are three people that we need to talk about. We need to talk about this... Michael.” Isabel singled him out.

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea, Iz.” Michael shook his head and threw his hands up in the air.

“Michael... Isabel’s right.” Tess stayed next to Kyle’s car. “I know things that you all don’t think I know because of my relationship with Nehide.”

“And I’ve done some horrible things as Vilandra.” Isabel felt the sting of tears. “Michael... Kyle accidentally told me what you did... and that wasn’t entirely your fault but... you did it anyway.”

“What is she talking about, Michael?” Max approached him slowly, barely aware that rain had started to fall on them all.

“Tell him about the boy. I remember the way you looked at him... you wanted him to be your son.” Tess whispered.

“I knew about him too, Michael. I knew he was there. Tell him.” Isabel called out over the winds that brought the rain down hard on them. Lightning flashed, lighting up the quarry.

“Michael.” Max glanced at his sister and former bride before turning back to his second. “What are they talking about? What boy? What boy?”

Just as Michael opened his mouth to speak, two cars pulled into the quarry, lightning lit up the cars to identify them as Maria’s Jetta and Alex’s Rabbit. Three people leapt out of the cars.

“Kyle!” Isabel shouted over the wind. “I thought I told you not to let them come.”

“I can’t be in two places at the same time. It was either keep them home or come and support you and this little powwow.” Kyle shouted back.

“What’s going on?” Alex shouted and blinked against the bright lighting and stinging rain. “If this concerns us, we should have been invited.”

“Liz? What are you going out here? You’re going to get sick.” Max tried to approach her but Liz backed off.

“I’m still angry with you. Don’t touch me. I’m only here because I heard Kyle say this little meeting was about Alex and me. It’s bad enough that you’re talking about me behind my back. Don’t drag Alex into this too.” Liz hissed at him.

“Maria... what are you doing here?” Kyle groaned and wiped the water off his face.

“I’m here to get you and Alex and go home. We do not need their alien crap. You’re my friend and I won’t have them messing with you too.” Maria shouted out and pointed specifically to Michael.

Kyle noted Maria’s obvious omission of Liz’s name. “Maria. What’s your problem? I know what you heard and you are really overreacting.”

“I’m overreacting? He called me a slut!” Maria shouted out.

Liz approached Michael and tried to talk to him over the raging wind. “Michael. I gotta talk to you!”

“What? You’re gonna yell at me too?” He backed off and stared up at the churning clouds overhead.

“Why would I yell at you? Because you called me names? This is important and I will never speak to Max again.” She pulled his arm so that she could yell in his ear.

“There she goes! You took him in the past life and now you’re taking him again!” Maria stomped her foot and pointed to Michael and Liz. “Why can’t you just be satisfied with Max? Why do you have to have Michael too?”

“What?” Max’s eyes widened then glared at his supposed best friend.

“Oh yeah. Don’t you know? They shacked up back on the home planet.” Maria blurted out. “Apparently your planet is full of sluts.”

Michael had never been scared of Max in all his life but at that moment, nothing in the world could have scared him more. While the two stared at each other, Kyle ran his hands through his hair. “This was not supposed to go like this. Isabel was supposed to tell about Alex and Khivar, Tess was supposed to talk about everything that Nehide said and Michael was supposed to tell about Misela.”

“What about me?” Alex turned from Kyle to Isabel, who blinked rapidly to keep the rain out and to clear her head enough to make a response.

“Kyle, it’s no use. I knew this would all go to hell.” Tess threw her arms up and turned away from them to stare up at the flashes of light that danced across the sky, not caring that she was soaking wet.

Kyle turned to where Liz was staring at Max and Michael. Max started yelling just as the brightest flash of lightning appeared over a side of the quarry. “I’m selfish? You called me selfish today. You and Liz?”

“It wasn’t Liz!” Michael countered, getting Maria’s attention. “It was Misela!”

“Why?”

“I don’t know why. She was gorgeous. She was supposed to be mine and you got her first just like everything else. I was your father’s favorite. He was like a father to me and as soon as you came of age I was tossed in the backseat.” Michael roared letting two lifetimes worth of angst out. “My question is why I always got your sloppy seconds. First Misela and then Jirena.”

“You’re gonna bring that out now?” Max took a step forward. “We were talking about Misela.”

“I know! I’m not changing the subject. I’m just saying that you’ve never thought about anyone but yourself!” Michael shouted in his face.

“What?!” Max shoved him backwards.

“Maybe you should think about why Misela came to me. Why she gave herself to me? Why she ran away from you? Why she took her son away? I’m surprised you didn’t think of that... it’s still all about you.” Michael fought off Max’s advances. Soon a shoving match ensued.

“You took her away from me. You let her get away.” Max shoved Michael hard, making the taller boy back up a few steps. Max was about to advance on him again but Liz stepped in front of him.

“I don’t know what’s going on but stop it.” She told him calmly.

“Let him come, Liz. I can take it. He’ll just blame me for his mistakes like he always did.” Michael glared. Max reached around Liz and grabbed Michael by his shirt. His friend just took it. “Go ahead, hit me. You didn’t have any qualms last time.”

“Do you have any idea of the pain you caused me by screwing me over?”

“Guys, chill! You’re going to hurt Liz and the baby!” Maria snapped out of it as soon as Liz had tried to stop the two boys from fighting but it was obvious that none of her efforts to keep them apart were working and only succeeding in getting her sandwiched between the two furious aliens ready to kill each other. Maria’s words stilled the alien boys in an instant.

“What?” Max’s eyes snapped down to Liz, who suddenly wouldn’t look at him. Silence settled over the eight friends. “Are you...?” Slowly, Max released his grip on Michael and tipped Liz’s chin to look up at him. “Liz...”

Tess screamed, making them all turn. She pointed out into the darkness that had settled over the quarry. When a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, a figure was lit up. It made its way across the floor of the quarry directly toward them. As the figure came closer, it became clear that it was male and walking very quickly. He was upon them in moments. Max thrust Liz behind him and raised his hand to the man walking to them. Michael stood next to him and also raised his hand.

A guy about the same age as them stopped a few feet away and knelt down in front of Max. “My lord, I am so glad I found you so soon.”

“Who are you?” Max asked and a familiar face turned up to him. Max just couldn’t think of why the guy was so familiar.

“Forgive me, King Gediro.” He stood and swallowed nervously. “I am your humble servant, your mother’s protector and temporary ambassador to Earth.” A half-smile crossed his face for an instant and was gone. “I was just a little boy when you died. Your mother, Nehide of Laoron, has sent me to retrieve you, your wife, your sister and your commander. We received notice that you had emerged and it is time.”

Isabel gasped and stepped forward to look at the guy. This guy had been 11 the last that Isabel remembered and now he didn’t look much older than them. “How can you be him? I know you. How can you be him?”

“That will take some explaining and I promised your mother that I would bring you back as soon as I found you.” The ambassador bowed his head in her direction. “Princess Vilandra, you are every bit as beautiful as I remembered.”

“How can you recognize them?” Maria spoke up.

“They look exactly the way they did on Antar.” He answered without taking his eyes off his King. “Now, we must go. Khivar is still wreaking havoc.”

“Khivar’s still alive?” Isabel whispered to herself, she could still remember how in love with him she had been.

“We must go. I’ll explain on the way.” The ambassador gestured behind him in the direction he had just come from.

“No.” Tess spoke up.

“Queen Rila.” The boy turned and smiled, before continuing. He couldn’t believe his luck that they were all right there when he landed. “We really need to go. I can only hide the ship for so long.”

“Tess is right. We can’t just leave.” Max turned to his friends, all tension gone from the fight just seconds ago. “We have people that we have to report to. We... have parents that will worry. Besides... I have to think about it.”

“What is there to think about? Your kingdom is falling. Your people are enslaved. You have to come home. There is nothing to think about.”

“I don’t have to do anything. There is more to consider here that just my going home.” Max shouted against the still raging wind. The rain was stopping but they were all still soaking wet. “I’m not going to go streaking across the universe at the drop of a hat just because you or my mother say so.”

“Stop it!” Tess shouted and made for Kyle’s car. “Let’s just go. We’ll think better dry and fed. I don’t know about you guys but I was too anxious to eat today.”

“She’s right.” Max nodded stiffly, calming down. “Let’s go home and think of what to do.”

“Then I suggest that we hurry.” The ambassador pointed the cars parked nearby. “Are these... your talosh?”

“Cars.” Michael supplied and looked over his former apprentice. He looked like a perfect blend of Misela and Gediro. He was just as tall as his father, with his mother’s beautiful eyes, her fair skin, his dark hair... it was so strange.

“Fervid, my master, it is good to once again be in your service.” He bowed his head at Michael and smiled broadly.

“Let’s go back into town before you guys get sick.” Kyle motioned for his friends to get into their cars. Miwiro got a good look at Kyle when the lightning flashed. He approached the teen slowly. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Hanu? Is it really you?” The ambassador couldn’t stop himself from hugging the human boy tight. “I can’t believe it. When you said you’d always be with me... I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”

“Um, his name is Kyle... not Hanu.” Liz interrupted, noticing how uncomfortable her ex-boyfriend looked. He let go of the shorter teen and faced the owner of the voice that had just spoken to him. “I’m Liz. That’s Maria and that’s Alex.” She pointed to each in turn. She began to feel uneasy with the way this guy was staring at her. Granted he was gorgeous but the stare was uncomfortable. “We should go.”

Max took her arm but she shook it off and walked off to Alex’s car. When the strange boy started to go after her, Max stopped him. He didn’t like the way that the ambassador guy was looking at Liz. “You’re riding with me.”

Kyle sat behind the wheel of his car and watched the stranger. It was all coming together in his head. He called Max his king and Michael his master. He recognized them all and thought Kyle was someone he wasn’t. He didn’t even need eyes to see how much like Max he was. The way they clashed just a few moments ago was all the proof anyone needed. The stranger was the Linao. This was Miwiro.

Max waited for Isabel and their guest to climb into the Jeep and watched the others all drive off; Kyle, Michael and Tess in the convertible, Liz and Alex in the Rabbit, Maria in the Jetta. Once all were on their way, Max turned to the guy in the passenger seat. “Who are you? You never gave me a name.”

“Max, this is Miwiro.” Isabel hissed. It was at his blank expression that she realized her brother still had no clue who this boy was. “What are we going to do with him? We can’t tell Mom and Dad who he really is.”

“Your highness, I do not understand.” Miwiro leaned forward. “I thought you would be on your own. Where is your protector?”

“Dead. We have parents. We’re barely 17 and 18 years old.” Isabel explained. “We have parents that don’t know who we really are. They think we’re human.”

“We could tell them that this is a relative of ours.” Max turned onto the highway and ran a hand over his face. “We can’t call him Miwiro. Any suggestions?” He turned to Miwiro.

“You may call me whatever you want. I am always your servant.”

“Okay, Bob... you’re our cousin.” Max fixed his eyes on the Rabbit a few cars ahead. “Don’t talk about us too much.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Max... do you think that Liz is really pregnant?” Isabel stared out the window and pondered over everything that had been said.

“I don’t know. I... didn’t use anything and I don’t think Liz was on any birth control.” Max’s fist suddenly pounded the steering wheel. “How could I be so stupid?”

“Max, how long have you been sleeping with her?” She barely turned to look at her brother. Miwiro sat back to listen.

“Iz... god... last night was our first time. She didn’t sleep with Kyle... that’s what she came over to tell me.” Max tried to explain but he just felt so trapped. Like he was in 10 deep and clawing at mud walls. “I was in the middle of memory retrieval when she showed up and... I lost control. She’s Misela and I love her... I did what came naturally to Gediro and she deserves better than that. Can we even tell after one day?”

“No.” Miwiro whispered softly.

“What?” Both Max and Isabel turned.

“It’s impossible to tell after one day. It takes us weeks to learn of new life. My mother didn’t know about me until she was beginning to show... at least, that’s what I remember her telling one of the women in the village.” Miwiro’s eyes turned bright at the mention of his mother. “I was only with her until I was nine and then I was in the palace. I was still in the palace when she died only months after the monarchy fell. I didn’t even know until years later when I was spying on the slave drivers. She didn’t survive one week of captivity.”

“You didn’t even know she was dead?” Isabel whispered softly. She reached back and took his hand, squeezing it in what she hoped was a comforting gesture and she was rewarded with a shy smile.

“I... this is embarrassing.” Miwiro ducked his head a little. “I used to have the biggest crush on you when I was younger. I meant it when I said you are just as beautiful now as you were then.”

Max snorted and kept his eyes on the road. The other two didn’t dare speak for the rest of the ride into town.

tbc

[DMartinez]

Part 4

“I’m not calling him Bob.” Isabel glared at her brother. Miwiro sat back, stared out the window and wondered how it could rain so much. Earth was a strange place and he was finding his leaders much changed. They were parked in front of the Evans home trying to come up with a cover story. “How about Stephen or Victor or something better like that?”

“Isabel, he’s not a pet.” Max sighed and turned in his seat to look at his guest. “Do you have a problem with Bob?”

“No.” Miwiro shook his head slowly. “But I don’t have any concept of what Earth names are supposed to sound like.”

“I’m Isabel, this is Max. Rila is Tess. Fervid is Michael. Our other friends’ names are Liz, Maria, Kyle and Alex. Our parents are Philip and Diane.” Isabel nodded to the house in front of them. “I mean, Bob is such a generic name.”

“Robert.” Max suggested finally, it was only the full form of Bob but surely it would appease his sister. “How’s Robert? It’s not Bob and it’s just as good as those other names.”

“Fine. Robert is fine.” Isabel rolled her eyes and turned back to Miwiro. “I hope that’s okay with you.”

“It’s fine, Princess, really.” Miwiro gave her a shy smile.

“That’s another thing. You cannot address us by our titles or whatever. I’m Max, that’s Isabel.” Max stated slowly and watched the other cars pull up nearby. Somehow he had beaten them all... and then he realized that they had probably all gone to the Crashdown expecting to meet there and come over to his house when he hadn’t shown up. “Let’s go.”

The dripping threesome moved into the house and was immediately greeted by the worried Mrs. Evans. “Kids, I was so worried with the two of you gone during this storm... who is this?” Diane asked and went for towels in the hall closet.

“Yeah, Mom... you’ll never believe this.” Isabel started and motioned for her brother to take over. He was always better at lying to their parents about the important stuff.

“Mom, this is Robert... Miro.” Max quickly threw in a last name and shrugged at Isabel’s disgusted face. “We ran into him and um... the darnest thing... hehe... well. Apparently, he’s our cousin.”

“Oh! Really?” Diane blinked and looked over the strange young man dripping in her foyer. “Well, you certainly look like Max. It’s nice to meet you, Robert, I’m Diane. It’s... very fortunate that you ran into them.” She turned to her children. “Tell me what happened.”

--

“Liz, I can’t believe you.” Alex sighed and opened the car door. “How could you be so careless?”

“I wasn’t exactly thinking.” She muttered and followed him up the Evans’ walkway.

“Obviously.” He turned his blue eyes on her. “Why didn’t you say something sooner?”

“Alex, it’s not like I was keeping it a secret. I don’t even know yet... It’s just that last night, we... and this morning I was fine but this afternoon I was really nauseous and dizzy... it makes sense that I could be carrying an alien child, Alex. I’m not exactly thrilled about it.” Liz finished at last. “What are we doing here?”

“I want to talk to Isabel and you obviously need to talk to Max.” Alex pressed the doorbell and glanced over his shoulder at the others climbing out of their cars. The six of them waited for the door to open. Mrs. Evans swung the door open and blinked at all the wet faces standing there.

“Hi. Kids!” She called out and then stepped aside. “I’ll bet all of you were at the Reservation with Max and Isabel?”

“Yeah.” Maria nodded. “It started raining.”

“It’s still raining, Maria.” Alex bit back a laugh and turned on the charm for Mrs. Evans. “We are very sorry to come into your lovely home sopping wet but your house was the first on the way into town. The street lights are down...”

“It’s no problem. At least you kids aren’t out there driving. Come in, dry off.” Diane laid out a towel next to the door. “Just... shoes here.” Then she held out another towel. “Jackets here.”

Kyle took off his jacket and then took the towel from her. He was better able to hold onto the ton of wet jackets that went into it. Soon, all jackets and shoes had been properly taken off and taken to be dried.

“We’ll just lay these out in the laundry room to dry. Max, Isabel and Robert went to get dried off. I’m sure they’ll be out soon.” Diane kept moving. “I’ll get some more towels and make some hot chocolate or something. Feel free to use the phone to let your parents know where you are.” She started to walk off but then turned back. “Michael, I think I washed an outfit of yours that got left behind, sometime. In case you want dry clothes, they’re in the hall closet next to Max’s room.”

“Yeah, thanks.” Michael nodded stiffly and then scooted past the mass of people to retrieve said clothes.

“Alex...” Maria turned puppy dog eyes on her best friend. “I have a bag in the trunk of my car... could you go get it?”

“Fine.” He rolled his eyes and went outside to retrieve said bag.

“What’s in the bag?” Tess asked softly.

“Clothes.” Maria nodded her head as if it was obvious but the others kept staring at her. “What? With the way that Michael keeps wanting to take off in my car with me in it... I’ve taken precautions. I will not get stuck in the middle of nowhere in grungy stanky clothes.”

Liz couldn’t keep a laugh from escaping her mouth. It quickly died when Max entered the foyer. She couldn’t stop herself from looking him over and was barely able to contain the inevitable drool. He was wearing a thin wife beater and sweats, barefoot. “Hey guys.” He nodded to Alex when he walked in with Maria’s bag. Maria took the bag and then opened it. After a moment, she reached in and pulled out a set of clothes for both Tess and Liz to borrow. She gave both girls looks that said not to even mention it. Liz hugged the dry clothes to her chest and bit her lip. Max had moved to stand beside her. “Liz... um, you can use my room to get dressed... if you want... you know, after Robert comes out.”

“Robert?” Liz and the others asked.

“You know... Robert.” Max emphasized the name. “My cousin from... Arizona that we ran into on the Reservation at that store with the cow skull on the sign...”

“Right. Robert.” Liz nodded and made to move past Max but he followed her. “Max... I know that...”

“Yeah, we need to talk... but not now.” Max nodded and tried to shove his hands into his pockets but soon realize he didn’t have any. He pushed open his door and waited for Liz to go first.

Liz took one step in and whirled around, hand covering her eyes. “Oh my god...” The sight was branded in her mind. Miwiro had been standing naked in front of the stack of clothes on Max’s bed. Her face was flaming red with shock and embarrassment. She nodded to Max’s hushed ‘wait here’ and waited until the door had closed before leaning against the wall for strength. Those Antarians sure knew how to make ‘em.

--

“Why aren’t you dressed?” Max hissed and closed the door behind him, leaving the mortified Liz in the hallway.

“I don’t know how these work.” Miwiro pointed to the stack of Max’s clothes.

“Don’t clothes work the same on Antar?” Max sighed and picked up the boxers. “These go on first. Feet through the holes, tag on the left side, patch on the waist band in back.” Miwiro obediently did as told and followed the rest of Max’s blind instructions until he was dressed. Max picked up Miwiro’s wet clothes and after examining them, he understood how he could have gotten confused. There were elaborate ties on the sides of the shirt. The pants had laces that ran up each leg from mid-thigh to waist and from below the knee to the ankle. “Does everyone wear these?”

“Only the servants. Royalty and warrior classes... as well as our ambassadors wear much nicer things.” Miwiro wiggled his toes in the socks he was given. They felt odd, like dancing shoes. His heavy boots had been shoved underneath the bed.

“I thought you were an ambassador.” Max narrowed his eyes at the boy, who shifted nervously and bowed his head. “You aren’t, are you?”

“I was cendsi.” He shrugged with a half-smile. “My mother said I get my sense of detin from my father.”

“Okay.” Max nodded and gathered some extra clothes to take with him to Kyle and Alex. “Follow me and try not to talk too much.”

--

Liz entered the living room to find most everyone already there. She must have taken longer than she thought to dry off and get dressed. Then again, she had debated for 15 minutes on whether or not to borrow some of Max’s clothes. Maria had given her a pair of shorts and a spaghetti strap tank top. She finally borrowed an extra pair of his sweats and one of his sweatshirts over the tank top.

Running her eyes over everyone else, she blushed when her eyes fell on Miwiro. Her already red face reddened more when he offered her the seat next to him and half his blanket. Not seeing any other open spaces in the Evans’ living room, she sat down beside him. He kept staring at her. She smiled nervously at him. “What?”

“What?” he blinked rapidly at her.

“You’re staring at me.” Liz furrowed her brow.

“You’re beautiful... very beautiful. There was a story about a Kejir princess.” His voice caught everyone’s attention. By then everyone was dry and congregated in the living room. Alex, Maria and Kyle filled up one couch. Tess and Isabel were sharing a chair. Michael lay sprawled on the floor. Liz and Miwiro occupied the remaining couch. Max and his mother were busy handing out mugs of hot chocolate and apple cider.

At the words, Max’s head snapped up to see the voice’s owner and who he was sitting with. He was about to warn Miwiro not to say anything but his mother opened her mouth first. “I’d love to hear it.”

Once they were all settled in, the young man began his story. “Legend has it the Kejir had land on which no person could ever set foot. The legend also says that only the King of Kejir and his bloodline could visit it upon the light of the third moon and the first song of the Varnya. His people traveled the land, turning tricks, earning money and friendship from all the other kingdoms.”

“Ooh. This sounds fascinating.” Diane whispered to her son, who had shared his blanket with her. Max only nodded and waited for Miwiro to go on.

“The last Kejir king, Taoni, had a daughter. She was so beautiful and the purest of all princesses. The king had many offers for her hand but he turned them all down. His daughter was very young and he had lost his own very young wife in childbed. He wanted her to live a long life with many seasons of happiness. All was well until the battles started. King Kones of Utinu took his second in command, Fervid, and his son, Gediro, into the Ceirda for the fighting. The others called them Ceronis but it was the Kejir who were traveling the land at the time. Misela, that’s the Kejir princess, was only 34 seasons.” Miwiro caught the questioning glances on many faces. “Excuse me, the equivalent of 17 years old.”

“How do the seasons work?” Maria pondered aloud.

“There were two seasons. One for dying and one for living. One season grew the grass green and the other shriveled and killed it.” Miwiro quickly explained. “Two seasons in a year. So... King Kones wanted a fee for keeping the Kejir unharmed in the battle to come in the next day. King Taoni didn’t have any money, or goods to offer. So he sorrowfully offered his only daughter. The second that King Kones laid eyes on Misela he was entranced. She was the most beautiful girl that he had ever seen. Her purity radiated off her.” He looked around the room. Everyone’s eyes were on him as he told the stories he had been told as a child. “King Kones took the girl and gave her to his son. Gediro was also 17 years old and this was his first time in battle. Now. Prince Gediro was a handsome man and many women would have given their eyeteeth to be with him if only for one night but, he had been so far with his mother. She kept him soft and this time with his father was to prove his manhood.”

“How awful for that poor girl...” Diane murmured.

“They say she hated him... at first. Misela was treated well by Gediro but she could never really be more than a servant. She was made to sit at his feet if he chose to keep her, which he had. No man in his right mind would give up such a beauty. Her blood was royal even if her father’s land was doubted. Misela was a catch.” He nodded sincerely. “Rumors say that the prince fell in love with her and eventually she with him. They say she became with child a few years later. She feared what would happen if her child were one day made to rule. The official story was they sent her back to her family but she never made it, she died en route. There are rumors that Fervid helped her escape. That she lives somewhere with the heir to the throne.”

“That is so sad.” Maria whispered.

“What happened to the prince?” Max spoke up after sharing a look with Liz. Her confusion was written all over her face.

Miwiro blinked at him. His king should know this already. “Well, they say his heart broke when he was told his love had died. He was never quite the same. Some say he became cruel, some say his heart turned to stone. He did eventually marry again. A child not more then 31 seasons. She never bore him any children and then, Khivar stormed the castle one day. Killed all the royal family.” He saw the pained look on Isabel’s face. “Gediro’s sister, Vilandra... she was betrothed to Fervid but their ages were so vast and rumor has it that she once loved a servant of hers. A clown called Balei, he was put to death, he wasn’t good enough for her. Vilandra was never the same after he was gone.”

“Such sad stories.” Diane shook her head and ruffled her son’s hair. “Glad nothing like that happens today. How about I make some popcorn.”

A chorus of ‘Thank you, Mrs. Evans’ went up as she exited the room. Isabel spoke first. “Robert... tell us about your mother. What was she like?”

“Jana was wonderful.” He smiled broadly and turned to Liz. “You have eyes like hers. You remind me so much of my mother.” Then he turned back to the group. “The old women in the village never knew much about her past and Jana would never talk about it. They say she was beautiful once but she had an accident after I was born and it disfigured her face. I don’t remember what she looked like before but I never thought she was ugly. I could feel her purity. My Jana was a good woman. She would tell me stories about my father. She said he was a great warrior that would have loved me very much.”

“I’ve got a question.” Kyle spoke slowly, as if afraid to ask it or hear the answer. “Who is Hanu?”

“I apologize for my display earlier.” Miwiro ducked his head. “Hanu was my mentor after Fervid died. He took care of me. You could say he was a priest, a spiritual leader. He died two years ago. Two Antarian years that is. It was Hanu that told me all these stories. He had eyes and ears where no one else could have thought. It is by him that my lady Nehide has survived.”

“Wow, so he was like a father to you.” Maria whispered. “When did your father leave you?”

“I’ve never met him.” Miwiro looked to his hands. “I don’t even know his name. Whenever I asked Jana... she would just shake her head and begin crying. All she ever told me was that she loved him, that he loved her and that he was the greatest man ever to live. The village women told me that they had never met him. When my mother came to live with them, she was already pregnant... about... um... less than a season along. She told them her name was Nisai and that her husband had died in war. They took her in and nursed her during pregnancy. Then she began work at the refinery. That’s how her face got burned. She was still working there when I left to train with Commander Fervid.” A far off look crossed his eyes. “I only wish that I could have been there when she died. Khivar destroyed our village just a month after he stormed the palace. I didn’t find out for two years and I swore that I would do anything to avenge her death.”

tbc

[DMartinez]

Part 5

Max watched Liz and Miwiro talk on the couch they shared. She smiled brightly at him as he showed her some hand games that Antarians play. with a pang he noted how she blushed when her eyes locked with his. A not unfamiliar feeling washed over him when they leaned in close to whisper to each other. It strengthened when she took his hand and disappeared down the hallway with him. Max was sure he was turning green with envy until he remembered that Liz had seen Miwiro naked. Then he knew he was jealous as hell.

--

Liz turned to Miwiro in the privacy of the bathroom. "You know... I'm sorry about walking in on you earlier..."

"It's okay. Really. I'm not embarrassed." Miwiro replied calmly. He had lived in such closed quarters with so many people that shyness had simply melted away.

"So Max said that I might be?" Liz asked shyly. She couldn't believe she was turning to a complete stranger for help on this but... Miwiro would know more than the others about these things.

"He wasn't sure and I told him, it usually takes many months to find out." Miwiro nodded to her. "I could help you find out."

"You could?" Liz's eyes widened. "How?"

"There is this... thing that I can do, called a fira. Would you like to try?" He asked.

"What is it?" She asked warily. It wasn't that she didn't trust him but she just met the guy and he was an alien. Like that had ever stopped her before.

"I would... touch you." He spoke slowly. "And then go into your head. Forgive my English, I am still learning much."

"You mean a connection?" Liz suppressed a grin. "You would match your breathing to mine, look in my eyes and then get inside my mind, then into my body?"

"Precisely. You have done this before?" Miwiro tilted his head at her. She nodded and slowed her breathing. Her eyes locked on his amazing eyes... so much like Max's. Did all aliens have eyes like that? She felt as if she had been rushed by a cold wind and then it was gone.

"No." He told her.

"What?"

Miwiro gave her a half smile. "Not all aliens have eyes like mine. I get mine from my father. At least that's what my mother used to tell me."

"You really don't know who he is?" She asked, hopping up on the bathroom counter, momentarily forgetting why they had gone in there.

"No. I never understood what the secret was. I am 35 seasons now... and I don't have any clue where I came from. Not only do I not know my father, I don't know where my mother came from." He looked into the mirror beside her, sighing at his face. "How do you go about looking for someone that looks like you? I don't believe he's dead. I think he's out there somewhere. I wonder sometimes if he knows about me. If he's looking for me too."

"I hope you find him." Liz touched his shoulder lightly. "So um... am I? Pregnant?"

"No." He shook his head. "You have... the stomach flu as I believe you call it."

"Oh." Liz blushed suddenly. She had just jumped to the most severe conclusion.

"He genuinely loves you." Miwiro tipped her chin up.

"Yeah?"

"How could he not? You are Misela." He saw her eyes widen. "I'm sorry. I got some of your thoughts. Just like with your question about my eyes. It was hanging in the front and I couldn't help but see it." When he saw that she had calmed down, he continued. "You are very beautiful just like she was. I've seen pictures, usually of her sitting at his feet but it's you. Don't ever leave him. Never hurt him. She made him cold man when she left. I know you love him. Hold on to him. Our world could not handle a Gediro without your love, not again."

--

"So, who's going to tell them?" Kyle hissed to Isabel and Michael.

"I really wish Max could just see it." Isabel whispered.

"I guess I'll do it." Michael sighed. "I'm the one that helped her escape. He can't get any more pissed at me... right?"

"We'll just stay out of the line of fire." Kyle crossed his arms and sat back.

--

Maria munched on some popcorn and sipped at her cider. "I... I don't know what to think. I just don't. All of these memories and it's still like they don't know what to do with them."

"Think about Maria." Alex cleared his throat. "You lived your entire live up til now and then boom. There's stuff from before your birth that makes everything shift. You look at everything differently. I know I would."

"You do." Tess whispered from beside them. They both turned to listen to her. "I've been so sure I was in love with Max all these months and... I got my memories. I was afraid of him in my past life. He hurt me in so many ways because he was so cold to me. I didn't want anything to do with him after we were married. Then my best friend abandoned me."

"Who was your best friend?" Maria asked softly.

"You were. We practically grew up together. I looked up to you. Then after he got tired of being with me... you were too happy to jump into bed with him." Tess wiped at her eyes. "You and I are not friends, Maria. We never were but Jirena and Rila were. Rila was thankful that Gediro no longer went to her but it hurt that he went to Jirena... or rather... Jirena went to him when he snapped his fingers..."

"Oh my god... I was like... on something, right? No way would I sleep with Max." Maria's eyes got big.

"You wouldn't. Jirena would. She was... crazy." Tess smiled bitterly. "I remember she was always falling in love and sleeping with guys. Then when I got married... her tastes improved. First King Gediro and then Commander Fervid... you were my servant. That was your official class."

"Oh..."

"So, if you were a slut... you were a high ranking slut. Not just anyone got to spend as much time as you ever did with him and Fervid." Tess sniffed and took a sip of her Tabasco laced hot chocolate. "This isn't stuff I would have thought about before but now... I think about everything twice."

--

Liz found Max staring out the window. She approached him slowly. "Hey... I hope you don't mind that I borrowed your clothes."

"Oh yeah... it's fine." Max turned at her voice. "You and... Robert are getting along."

"He's a nice guy. He's had it pretty rough." Liz had mulled everything over and she knew she hadn't been fair to Max that afternoon. "I'm sorry. I didn't understand what was going on. I kinda still don't but... I'm better about it."

"Liz. I hope you realize that I really do love you... every bit as much as Gediro did Misela." He raised his hand to her face, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"Not every bit as much." Liz bit her lip. "I'm not pregnant."

"No?" Max gulped suddenly. A weight was lifted of him. "Ok."

"Yeah. It's great news." She smiled at him.

"How?"

"M--I mean Robert performed a fira on me. He said it's all clear... you know... when this is all over... you should do something for him." Liz watched an unfamiliar look cross his eyes.

"Like what?" He asked stiffly.

"Help him find his father." Liz lifted her hand to touch his. "He's lost, Max. He grew up without a father. His master died so soon... his mentor died about two years ago. He told me that he held Hanu until he died of old age. Max... that isn't something that happens on Antar much anymore. If he found his father... he'd be a much happier person."

"You want him happy?" Max asked her slowly.

"What is with you?" Liz scoffed. She shook her head and looked away. "He's a nice guy. He's here to tell you your people need you and you've barely spoken five words to him." Liz locked eyes with him. "Why?"

Max just turned away.

"Max..."

"Should we really trust him?" Max whispered softly.

"Max, you said you got your memories back. Has he lied to you yet?" She lightly touched his arm.

"No but what if it's a trap?" He spun around and hissed at her. His urgency set off a light bulb in her head. She started shaking her head at him.

"I don't think that's what you're afraid of at all. I think you're afraid that he's telling the truth." Liz crossed her arms and backed away. "Make up your mind Max. You can't have it your way. I know you don't want to go back but... you have to."

"That's not it, Liz." He weakly tried to protest but she locked eyes with him and walked off. Right smack into Miwiro who had been carrying a drink in his hands. His hot chocolate spilt all over his shirt.

"Oh! Robert. I'm sorry." Liz gasped and looked around for something to clean him up with. When she didn't find anything, she chose a different route. "Here. Give me your shirt."

Max watched on in disbelief. Liz helped Miwiro out of the shirt. Holding it in her hands she quickly looked him over for burns and then gasped. "Oh my god..."

TBC

[DMartinez]

I spoil you guys.

Part 6

Liz's eyes were glued to a spot on Miwiro's well-built abs about an inch from his belly button. Max followed her gaze and furrowed his brows. It wasn't until Michael walked up that he saw it.

Miwiro didn't understand why they were all staring at his stomach. At least, not until Michael lifted up Liz's shirt to expose her belly button. Exactly an inch from both of their belly buttons was a dime sized shape. Max recognized it after a moment. It was identical to the smallest of their moons on Antar.

"What does this mean?" Miwiro asked.

"Your mother had one, too." Michael whispered to him. Letting go of Liz's shirt, he pulled Miwiro close. "You might have been my apprentice but you have a higher calling. Linao."

Miwiro sank to his knees and then looked up at his king. "Is it true?"

Max shut his eyes and the memories were upon him. Misela's lovely body was indeed ripened towards the end. She had been pregnant, he had thought so all along. "Michael, where did you send her?"

"Jinaso." Michael whispered, head bowed. The safest place in all of Antar was in his own home. A farming village with small factories and mills. While he might have been ashamed of his home when he first went to the palace, later he looked back on the memories with fondness. What better way to ensure the safety and anonymity than a small village like his?

"I am from Jinaso." Miwiro whispered. His head spun. He couldn't quite grasp the concept. How in the world could he be the Linao? His mother was a simple woman, who did simple work.

"That mark." Max dropped down to point to the birthmark. "Misela told me that only she and her father wore it. It was the mark of the Kejir." Looking over the boy that was his own age, he began to see it. His own eyes stared at him from features reminiscent of his own, her coloring on his flesh, a mingling of their hair on his head. "My son?"

--

The rain stopped and most everyone left. Michael and Liz stayed. Diane had insisted that Michael not be alone on a such a horrible night and told Liz that she could stay... Max wouldn't mind at all. To which of course, Max and Liz found the strength to blush at. A call to her parents settled everything. She could stay until close, then her father would go and pick her up.

The five of them sat around the living room, absolutely quiet, while pretending to watch a rerun of some old sitcom. Liz watched Miwiro with wide eyes. He was her son from a past life. Their son. She turned to Max for what felt like the twentieth time in as many minutes. He was in pretty much the same state that she was, maybe worse because he could remember the past life.

Max couldn't believe it. It had been barely 24 hours since his first memories had surfaced and in that time he had known in the back of his mind that somewhere there was a boy or a girl somewhere out there that belonged to him. Seeing him, was something else completely. This was actual proof that the past life had really happened. He tossed a glance to the hallway where his parent's light had just shut off.

It was Miwiro that broke the silence. "If I had known... I would have never come. I shouldn't have left her alone but she made me come."

"She?" Isabel whispered, already knowing the answer.

"Nehide, your mother... my grandmother I guess." He shrugged and wiped at his eyes, signaling to the rest of them how he was really taking this revelation. "Maybe... maybe I would have come, just to meet you all."

"I... I can't remember too much. I remember alot but not everything." Max whispered. "H-how did it end?"

"It feels like yesterday for me." Miwiro pulled his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around his legs. "It was the night before the wedding, Vilandra and Fervid's. The party was dying down and last minute preparations were being made. I... I was spying on my master, Fervid. He was with the slut, I mean... um, Jirena." He blushed when he realized that the others were staring at him with a bit of shock. "I was curious." He shook his head in lieu of an 'anyway' and kept talking. "When the alarm sounded, we all raced down to the throne room. I remember that I was trying to be brave but I was so scared. King Gediro took one look at me and he blinked. I still don't know what was going through his mind. I often thought he was crazy for what he did next. He... just stared at me for a second and then pulled me aside.

"I remember my heart was beating so fast. I had been to war before, I had helped to fight before, but always under the protection of Fervid, and I was scared because the fighting had never been so close to home before. Two years of learning to fight and living in the palace... when the fighting had come home, it was too scary. I was frightened to death and my king was being familiar with me, as if I were his best friend and not a servant. I didn't even realize he knew my name.

"He knelt down in front of me and put his hands on my shoulders. 'Miwiro,' he says, 'my mother cannot fight. She's distraught and you are too young to fight without supervision. I cannot risk either your capture or your lives in what's going to happen here tonight. Take her through the secret passages to a safe place. Take care of her for me. When this is over, I will come and get you. Don't leave until I come. Do you understand? I am trusting you to take care of her and whoever else might find their way down the passages, understand? I know you're scared. We are all scared but now is the time to be brave. Tonight we all must bow our heads to destiny. Our fate rests on the events to take place, on our courage, on our loyalty. Do you understand me?' I told him I did. I kissed his hand and did as I was told. I have never forgotten his words to me. I took her to a safe place, deep within the castle but I couldn't sit still and it was taking so long. Hanu had already come with the Granilith, it took so long. I felt like I had been down in those passages for years. I had to do something.

"I... I left her alone with Jirena. She had found her way down to our hiding place on her own. I guess Fervid told her. I crept through the passages and the closer I got to the throne room, the louder the shouts and explosions got. I didn't come out, I hid just inside the entrance to the tunnel. That was the first time I had ever laid eyes on Kivar in person. Niko... I had seen him before but Kivar was scary. What was scarier was Vilandra. She was on his arm and it broke my heart. She had betrayed us all and no one found out until it was too late.

"Queen Rila had pressed herself against the wall, trying to hide from Kivar in the tapestries. She was so young... He kept scaring her, telling her about successions and how she had to die so that Vilandra could take her rightful place on the throne. Kivar sent a fireball out and it engulfed Queen Rila.

"Fervid and King Gediro were fighting fiercely... They killed every one in their path. Niko managed to pull my master away from king Gediro, away from his cover. By the time my master realized it, it was too late. I wanted to shout out and distract Niko but my place was to protect those who could not protect themselves. Fervid and Niko struck. I had to watch my master die and he knew in his last moments that his shot missed.

"I saw Vilandra's tears when Kivar turned his incredible power on Gediro and my king's shock when he was hit but he had enough strength to shoot out at her and she at him. They both died. Gediro weakened by Kivar's attack was killed by his sister's hand. Delicate and tired Vilandra killed by her own king and brother. I didn't know what to do. Kivar screamed something awful and knelt beside Vilandra. He wailed incoherently. I will never forget the cries he made, ever. They haunt my dreams. He called her horrible names and then told her he loved her. Who loves like that?" Miwiro turned his eyes heavenward. "He called her a slut, a whore, a... a iteori and then turned around and proclaimed his everlasting love to her beauty, to her wondrous spirit, to her goodness and light... Who loves like that? He tried to save her but it was too late.

"I don't think she could live with that sin on her soul. I ran back to the hiding place and I retrieved the Queen. We fled the castle through the tunnels. Jirena tried to follow but she fell behind. Hanu rushed us along. He knew where we could hide with the Granilith." Miwiro stopped and wiped the tears from his cheeks. He looked around to see Isabel also crying.

"That's horrible." Liz whispered. It sounded like a first hand account of any earth empire's demise. "You witnessed the fall of Antar?"

"All of it. Not just that night. The months that followed were hard. We found the scientists and we sent clones with the Granilith and as many protectors that we could spare." Miwiro sat up straight. "I see now the reason you were sent here. Time passes so much quicker here and you've matured faster. I thought maturation would occur in the pods but obviously I was wrong. It's a fourth faster I gather?"

"I don't think so." Liz leaned forward. "I've been thinking about this and if you're 17 and it's been just six for you and over 50 years for us... It's gotta be somewhere around nine of our years to one of yours." She stopped talking when she realized all eyes were on her. "So what? I happened to figure out the ratio and you all stare at me like I'm a geek."

"No. No. Um, that's good. Thanks." Max patted her knee gently and gave her a smile. He turned to Miwiro, his son. It still felt a foreign thought. "What will you do when you go back?"

"Me? You have to come with me." Miwiro started to panic. "I couldn't do it in all the years since you died. Just because now I truly know who I am... It doesn't make one bit of difference. We need you."

"I am not trained for this." Max protested, cover his face with his hands. "I have lived in fear all my life. My powers aren't developed... I've just learned who I am."

"What?" Miwiro looked around the room.

"Our ship crashed." Michael whispered softly.

"I don't think we were completely undamaged." Isabel added.

"How do you mean?" Miwiro got to his feet and looked at his father, his mother, his aunt and his master. "What? Tell me."

"I'll do it." Liz told them all and grabbed Miwiro's hand. "We'll talk in the kitchen."

"What is it?" Miwiro could barely contain the bubble of excitement in touching the one who would be his mother. He had often wondered what she had looked like before the accident. To touch just a piece of her soul was exhilirating.

Liz led him to the table and held onto his hand. "In 1947, the Earth year that you sent the clones down here, something went wrong. The ship crashed and our government, the American government, they tried to cover it up, pretend it never happened. We are all one race here, we're simple and difference scares us. Three of the crew died. One was taken injured and died in captivity and still another captured later for experimentation. Somehow the pods were gotten to safety."

"You mean they had not any training?"

"No. In fact the one capture eventually escaped if I understand it correctly. Nasedo never did give a straight answer about anything." Liz sighed deeply. "When he went to retrieve the pods... only Tess... Rila remained. The others had already emerged and set out on their own."

"But--"

"Hold on. They were separated. Max and Isabel were found by the Evans, leaving Michael behind. They were raised so differently, but still human. They always knew they weren't human but they hid. Never wanting to be caught by the government and experimented on. I was shot a year ago. Max healed me, brought me back from the dead and there was no more hiding. That's when the running started. Nasedo and Tess have only been around since earlier this year, they've trained and honed their powers very little...

"They can defend themselves against human threat but they are in no way ready to go up against aliens. Max is a good leader but he won't fight without a reason and he doesn't even really remember what the fighting was about." Liz finished quickly. "Max is confused right now. They need a little time and I understand that we don't have a little time."

"You're right. We don't have time." Miwiro stood. "I need to... I need to breathe."

"Ok. Don't go too far. The back door's over there." Liz nodded and watched him make his slow way to the back door. "Is it weird?" He turned with a mask of confusion. "Seeing your father as he was at your age... literally."

"It's... strange. I cannot call him father anymore than I could call you mother but I know it's true. I need a little time. I've been an orphan for so long." Miwiro nodded his head slowly and continued his journey to the back yard. He raised his eyes to the skies as tears of frustration raced down his face. "Why? Why, Mother? Why, Father? Why did you do this to me? Hanu, why did you leave me alone to face this?"

He sank to his knees at stared up at the stars where they glittered through the wisps of cloud left over from the storm. "I am not Linao. I was not raised to be Prince. I don't know what to do. Give me a sign? Show me my destiny? What fate lies ahead from the events of this night? Tell me."

As if in answer, the skies sent a streak of light between the threadlike clouds.

TBC