Disclaimer: Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I’m simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD’s get released.
Tomorrow’s Yet to Come
Chapter Fifty - The Secret is Out
The Aberjani training room slowly filled as the soldiers and the trainee’s filed in, one by one. There were no chairs in the dimly lit room, and the Aberjani lined up in rows, facing the darkened podium.
Max stood quietly, feeling the waves of nervousness pouring off the soldiers around him.
If I can feel this, he thought to himself. What’s happening to poor Kyle?
He leaned forward slightly and looked down the line, trying to focus until Kyle came into vision. Even in the dim light, Max could see Kyle shaking slightly, and his lips were moving as he formed silent words. Max shifted a bit more, and he saw Michael step out of line and shove himself in beside Kyle. Michael leaned down and whispered something to Kyle, and Max could see some of the tension leave his body. Max stepped back into position, smiling to himself. Who’d have thought Michael would ever be the one to give Kyle comfort.
A movement at the front of the room grabbed his attention, and Max focused on the shadowy figures that were standing on the raised platform. Two pencil thin lights came on, focusing down on the platform, bringing General Kobodi into view, and next to him was Kivar! Max stared at him, and feelings of hatred rose up inside of him, threatening to spill out. Stealing a page from Kyle’s book, Max forced himself to focus on a stream he camped at once with his father. In his mind, he watched a small golden leaf float down the stream, and his feelings of rage subsided, slightly.
“Soldiers of Lord Kivar!” shouted General Kobodi. “It is time for you to move forward to the next stage of your training. Soon you will swear complete and total allegiance to Lord Kivar. You will protect and defend him with your life. All hail Lord Kivar!”
“All hail Lord Kivar!” came the shout from many of the Aberjani, but Max noticed that most of the students looked confused and said nothing.
The trideka, he thought. It’s working, but it’s going to get them killed unless they play along.
“Say it,” he hissed to the Aberjani trainees on either side of him. “Even if you don’t mean it, just say it. Get the word out.”
Max felt his body sag in relief as the Aberjani on either side of him realized what he said made sense, and passed the word on. A swift perusal of the room showed him that Michael, Kyle and Zan had all realized the same thing, and were spreading the word as well. Suddenly a low chanting filled the room; growing louder and louder.
“All hail Lord Kivar, all hail Lord Kivar!”
“Lord Kivar has come here today to see if you are worthy to serve him, and this is how you react?” screamed General Kobodi. “You are not fit to wipe his boots! You will be lucky to be chosen to serve Lord Kivar.”
“All hail Lord Kivar, All hail Lord Kivar!” The chants filled the room growing louder and louder.
“Silence!” roared General Kobodi. He and Kivar walked off of the platform, and exited the room, followed by the other Aberjani, leaving only the trainees in the room. As soon as the door closed, flashing lights filled the room, highlighting pictures of Kivar, and a piercing whistle began, causing many of the Aberjani, as well as most of the trainees to cover their ears and fall to their knees screaming.
A movement up near the ceiling caught Max’s eye, and he realized there was a small observation window, looking down on all of them. Squinting, he was able to make out the figures of Kivar and Kobodi, staring down at them. He felt a pushing at his mind, felt a voice telling him to stand up and show his support of Kivar.
Max forced himself to ignore the lights, and the noise, and stood up.
“Long live Lord Kivar! Kivar forever!” he shouted.
One by one, the other Aberjani trainees dragged themselves to their feet, following Max’s example. As soon as they all stood and were chanting, the lights dimmed, and the incessant screaming of the whistle ended, leaving the room in silence. The door opened, and Kobodi and Kivar walked back in.
“That is better,” said Kobodi. “What do you have to say for yourselves?”
“We follow Lord Kivar,” the trainees intoned. “We live and die for Kivar. All hail Lord Kivar.”
“We will meet again tomorrow at this time,” said Kobodi. He turned and followed Kivar from the room, slamming the door behind them.
“What the hell was that?” one of the trainees asked Max. Max said nothing, only giving a small shake of his head to indicate that this was neither the time, nor the place for that particular conversation.
One by one, the trainees filed out of the room, and made their way to the student common area. After making sure that they were unobserved, the trainee who had spoken to Max earlier, grabbed him and shoved him against the wall.
“Are you going to tell me now, what that was all about?” he yelled.
“Are you going to keep your voice down?” said Max, “Or are you trying to get us all killed?”
“I want some answers,” said the trainee.
“And you’re assuming that I have them?” asked Max, stalling for time.
“Didn’t you feel it?” asked Zan, moving to stand beside Max. “They were mind warping us, but I guess we were powerful enough to throw it off.”
“They weren’t mind warping us,” said the trainee, who’s name was Quor`toth. “Mind warping is illegal. Lord Kivar declared it. He said it was a tool used only by the royal family to guarantee our submission.” He stopped, and Max could see the memories rushing back to him. “But that’s not right. The royal family were the ones who declared that the use of mind control was to be seriously monitored. It was one of the things King Daronian, and later his son, King Zan both felt very strongly about. It wasn’t the royal family that used mind control to rule is. It’s Lord Kivar!”
“Keep your voice down,” said Zan. “Do you want them to know that we’ve figured that out?”
“No,” said Quor`toth.”
“It’s probably not safe for us to talk here. We should probably head outside if we’re going to keep discussing this,” added Michael, as he and Kyle moved forward to stand beside Max and Zan.
“The courtyard of the Training Academy?” suggested another student. “If anybody asks, we can act like we’re out there to train.”
“Good idea,” said Max. “Let’s go now, and we’ll see what we can figure out.”
The Aberjani trainees moved outside to the courtyard, and lined up as if they were working out. As they moved, they discussed what had happened in the room with Kobodi.”
“I think you’re all wrong,” said one. “I didn’t feel anything. Kivar is our true leader, and the royal family tried to oppress us.”
Kyle slid over next to the trainee and quickly checked to see if he was wearing any of the jewelry from Me’noyith’s cart. His neck, ears, wrists and fingers were bare. Thinking fast, Kyle removed a platinum band he wore around his wrist. He grabbed the other trainee’s hand and quickly shoved it onto his wrist.”
“Hey, what the hell are you doing?” the student shouted. Kyle quickly shifted his weight, and knocked the student’s leg out from under him, causing him to fall.
“A new fighting technique,” Kyle explained.
“Oh, it’s,” began the student. Kyle watched as the mind warps became clear in the student’s mind and stepped back.
“Do you see it now?” he asked.
“What did you do?” the student asked. “How did you do that?”
“There is a property in this metal that blocks the energy waves used in the mind control. I don’t know how it works, but it does.”
“How do we know this isn’t just another form of mind control?” asked another of the trainees. “How can we be certain you aren’t trying to mind warp us.”
“You felt what Kobodi was trying to do to you. You could feel it pushing on your mind,” explained Max. “Does it feel like that now?”
“No,” said Quor`toth. “In fact, my mind feels clearer than it ever has before.”
“We need you to swear that you won’t reveal this to anyone,” said Michael. “We need to know we can trust you.
“We can’t afford to be innocent,” said Quor`toth. “Stand up and face the enemy. Kivar is our enemy!”
“Do you all agree?” Max asked.
One by one, the students agreed to keep the secrets revealed to them by Max and the others. They were all anxious to help, and wanted to know what they could do.
“Right now, nothing,” said Max. “Continue as if nothing has happened, and don’t tell anybody. You’ll know when things start to happen, I promise you, and you’ll know exactly what to do.”
Tomorrows Yet to Come (CC ALL,YTEEN/MATURE) [COMPLETE]
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majiklmoon
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majiklmoon
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 361
- Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2001 10:55 am
- Contact:
Chapter 50 added 9/25/04
Disclaimer: Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I’m simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD’s get released.
Chapter Fifty – One – Plans Revealed
Alex sat staring at the row of communicators on the table. Sometimes, he amazed even himself. Instead of the week Maria had given him, he made the communicators in a day. Uploading the song was simple too. The hardest task was getting them to ‘talk to each other,’ as Maria had put it, but he even managed to do that.
“Damn, I am good,” he said to the empty room. Learning from his last work session in the lab, Alex quickly gathered up the communicators and stuffed them into a bag. Not a moment too soon, he thought when there was a knock on the door.
“Enter!” he shouted. Alex turned to see who it was, and was not very surprised to see Na’grat walk in.
“I want to know everything,” said Na’grat. “You used mind control on me, but you did it to protect me. Lord Kivar has always told us that he was the one that outlawed mind control, but I know that it isn’t true. HE is the one who is using it to control all of us and make us forget all the wonderful things King Zan was working towards. Why am I remembering all of this now? What’s happening to me?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” bluffed Alex.
“Don’t do that,” said Na’grat. “Don’t lie to me. We’ve had enough of that from Kivar.”
“Okay, did anything strange happen yesterday in the market place?” asked Alex.
“You mean other than your trying to mind control me?” asked Na’grat. “No, we saw all that stuff in the market place, and you mind warped me, and that was it. Oh, wait,” Na’grat said, suddenly. “Some crazy man was giving away all the jewelry on his cart. I took a necklace for my little sister. See, here it is,” he reached under his collar and used one finger to lift up necklace around his neck.”
“Take it off for a second,” said Alex. Na’grat complied, and handed the necklace to Alex. As soon as he did, his face went blank for a minute, and Alex could tell the mind warp was taking effect again.
“Here, put this back on,” he said, handing the necklace back to Na’grat. The Antarian boy settled the chain around his neck, and his expression cleared, almost at once.
“It’s amazing,” he whispered. “The necklace has the power to stop the mind control. How can this be?”
“Don’t ask, don’t tell, that’s my motto,” said Alex. “Well, mine and the United States Navy.”
“Something is going on, and I want to be a part of it,” said Na’grat.
“Look, Na’grat, can you just trust me on this. Sit tight. As soon as I know something I’ll tell you, I promise.”
“Do you swear on the throne of King Zan?” demanded Na’grat.
Alex got a visual image of him kneeling down before the toilet in Max’s house and swearing. He tried to stifle the smile before looking Na’grat straight in the eyes.
“Yes, I swear,” he said.
“Fine, then I will leave you, for now, but I won’t forget your promise.”
“I never thought you would,” Alex said to Na’grat’s retreating back.
After Na’grat left, Alex pulled out the weapon he was working on for the Aberjani. He picked up a small tool, and began to make a minor adjustment, while thousands of thoughts crowded his head. When the adjustment was finished, Alex picked up the weapon and looked through the site, while his finger rested on the trigger mechanism. He pictured Kivar standing in front of him, and pulled back on the trigger and smiled when the weapon gave a satisfying click.
Alex reached over to put the weapon down when he was stuck with a sudden burst of inspiration. He looked through the site again, and noticed exactly where his hands touched the metal, and at his finger, resting on the trigger.
I’ve got it, he thought. It’s perfect, and so simple. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it until now?
Excited, he put the weapon back on the shelf, and ran out of the lab.
That night, in the tunnel room, the group met anxiously, and everyone had a story to share about the student that had come out of the mind warp.
“The thing I’m wondering about,” said Alex, “Is when I took Na’grat’s chain away, he was acting like he was mind warped again. Does that mean Kivar has people doing this full time, or something?”
“He may,” said Max. “And we found out today that it’s possible to mind warp from a distance. Kobodi and Kivar did it today. They were in a small observation room, watching us, and throwing out mind warps like there was no tomorrow.”
“We should probably check with Che’koth about that,” said Zan.
“Yeah, and I need to get a supply of trideka from him as well,” said Alex. “I had this positively brilliant idea earlier, but I need the trideka to make it work.”
“Gee Alex, I wish you wouldn’t be so hard on yourself,” said Maria. “You shouldn’t be so critical of your ideas.”
“Play nice, Maria, or I won’t give you the present I have for you,” said Alex, dangling the bag of communicators front of her.
“Presents for me?” asked Maria, clapping her hands together like a small child. “Oh goody. What did you get me?”
“Michael, your wife is very, very weird,” said Alex, tossing the bag to Maria.
“Alex,” said Maria after she opened the bag. “I can’t believe you finished this already. You are such an over achiever.”
“Do we get to hear your fantastic plan now?” asked Kyle.
“Hey, what about my fantastic plan?” asked Alex, pretending to be offended.
“Alex, we know your plan really is going to be fantastic,” said Kyle, “So we can wait on it for a few minutes. Maria’s plan, on the other hand, is probably going to need a lot of work, so we should get started on it right away.” He ducked as various items from around the room came flying in his direction, thrown by the female members of the group.
“Hey, I was only kidding,” he said. “Seriously, I do want to hear what you have planned, Maria.”
“Shut up, Son of Kit-Shicker,” said Maria. “Or I’ll have my husband hurt you.”
“Don’t bring me into this,” said Michael.
“You I’ll punish another way,” said Maria, giving Michael a pointed look.
“Oh,” said Michael, when he realized what she meant. “Watch it Kyle, or I’ll have to kill you.”
“Okay, what I’m thinking is this,” said Maria. “We have these communicators, loaded with our song. We each have one to carry, and I want each one of us to place another in a strategic spot, around town, in the Training Academy, in the palace, you get the idea. Oh, yeah, and I’m going to return Jara Kobodi’s to her, personally. When the time comes that we decide to move forward, I’ll program the communicators to go into loudspeaker mode and start broadcasting the song all over the city. People are already starting to make a connection to the song, and the royal family. I think once they hear it playing, it will send them into a frenzy,” she finished.
“It’s a good plan,” said Kyle. “Simple, effective, and very little danger at all. It’s my kind of plan.”
“Oh yea! We have the Kyle Valenti seal of approval,” Maria said, dryly. “My life is now complete.
“Now that I’ve fulfilled Maria, let’s move on to Alex,” said Kyle, before he realized how totally wrong his statement sounded.
The group exploded with laughter, and Kyle’s face flushed a dull red when he realized what he said.
“Shut up,” he said, “You know what I mean.”
“Valenti, you are such a geek,” said Zan, slapping him on the back. “Alex, what’s your plan?”
“Well, I was thinking, passing out free jewelry is great way to get the modified trideka on the students, and maybe some of the adults, but I’m thinking that the Aberjani aren’t big fashion mavens and don’t wear jewelry.”
“You’re right,” said Zan. “Once you’re a full fledged member of the Aberjani, you have to adhere to a strict dress code. Jewelry is NOTa part of the dress code.”
“That’s what I figured,” said Alex. “So anyhow, I was working on that stupid weapon Kivar wants, and I started thinking, why not load the grips, and the trigger mechanism with the modified trideka?”
“Alex, that is brilliant,” said Max, looking at his friend in awe. “Maria, don’t get me wrong, your plan is fantastic, and will really spur the people on to action, but Alex, oh my God. You’ve found a way to bring down a large number of the Aberjani.
“Alex Whitman, have I ever told you how much I love you,” said Maria, squeezing his cheeks. “Max is right, my plan is great; no doubt about it, but yours is sneaky and subversive and totally awesome. Mine is a more in your face plan.”
“That is because you are an in your face kind of girl,” said Che’koth from the tunnel entrance.
“You know it, babe,” said Maria, with a cheerful grin. “So what brings you to our humble, well, room. News, food, an overwhelming desire to just hang with us?”
“All of the above,” said Che’koth. He removed a bundle from his back and set it on the floor, and all kinds of food spilled out.
“Ewww, what’s this?” asked Maria, holding up a misshapen plastic container. She opened it up and screamed in delight.
“Mom sent spaghetti sauce!” she shouted. “Please, please, please tell me you have some pasta in there too, or at least a loaf of bread to dunk.”
“Would this be what you’re looking for?” asked Michael, holding up another large plastic container.
“Forget the news, lets eat!” said Maria. She rummaged through Che’koth’s bundle and found that that their parents hadn’t sent any plates, or cutlery.
“Oh hell, now what?” she said.
“Maybe this will help,” Che’koth said with a grin. He went back into the tunnel and came back with another small bundle. “I stopped at the café got some utensils and things. I was also instructed to guard this with my life.” He rummaged through the large bundle and pulled out a long loaf of Italian bread, and another container.
Maria squealed and grabbed the container and opened it. She grabbed the loaf of bread and a knife and sliced the bread. “Isabel, heat the sauce. Michael, warm the pasta. Liz, start giving everyone plates. Alex, your in charge of silverware.” She poured the contents of the container onto the bread, and spread it with the knife. She put the bread on the table, and passed her hand over it, and it turned a toasted crispy brown.”
“Are we positively sure that Maria and Isabel aren’t related somehow?” Kyle asked Michael. “I’m seeing a disturbing resemblance to the Christmas Nazi in her.”
“I heard that, Kyle,” said Maria. “Now, shut up, sit down and eat, and there will be no talk of anything negative during this wonderful Italian meal!”
“Majesty,” said Che’koth, taking a seat next to Max. “I think it is very lucky that Maria is on your side. If she keeps acting like this, I fear that your General may soon be out of a job.”
Chapter Fifty – One – Plans Revealed
Alex sat staring at the row of communicators on the table. Sometimes, he amazed even himself. Instead of the week Maria had given him, he made the communicators in a day. Uploading the song was simple too. The hardest task was getting them to ‘talk to each other,’ as Maria had put it, but he even managed to do that.
“Damn, I am good,” he said to the empty room. Learning from his last work session in the lab, Alex quickly gathered up the communicators and stuffed them into a bag. Not a moment too soon, he thought when there was a knock on the door.
“Enter!” he shouted. Alex turned to see who it was, and was not very surprised to see Na’grat walk in.
“I want to know everything,” said Na’grat. “You used mind control on me, but you did it to protect me. Lord Kivar has always told us that he was the one that outlawed mind control, but I know that it isn’t true. HE is the one who is using it to control all of us and make us forget all the wonderful things King Zan was working towards. Why am I remembering all of this now? What’s happening to me?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” bluffed Alex.
“Don’t do that,” said Na’grat. “Don’t lie to me. We’ve had enough of that from Kivar.”
“Okay, did anything strange happen yesterday in the market place?” asked Alex.
“You mean other than your trying to mind control me?” asked Na’grat. “No, we saw all that stuff in the market place, and you mind warped me, and that was it. Oh, wait,” Na’grat said, suddenly. “Some crazy man was giving away all the jewelry on his cart. I took a necklace for my little sister. See, here it is,” he reached under his collar and used one finger to lift up necklace around his neck.”
“Take it off for a second,” said Alex. Na’grat complied, and handed the necklace to Alex. As soon as he did, his face went blank for a minute, and Alex could tell the mind warp was taking effect again.
“Here, put this back on,” he said, handing the necklace back to Na’grat. The Antarian boy settled the chain around his neck, and his expression cleared, almost at once.
“It’s amazing,” he whispered. “The necklace has the power to stop the mind control. How can this be?”
“Don’t ask, don’t tell, that’s my motto,” said Alex. “Well, mine and the United States Navy.”
“Something is going on, and I want to be a part of it,” said Na’grat.
“Look, Na’grat, can you just trust me on this. Sit tight. As soon as I know something I’ll tell you, I promise.”
“Do you swear on the throne of King Zan?” demanded Na’grat.
Alex got a visual image of him kneeling down before the toilet in Max’s house and swearing. He tried to stifle the smile before looking Na’grat straight in the eyes.
“Yes, I swear,” he said.
“Fine, then I will leave you, for now, but I won’t forget your promise.”
“I never thought you would,” Alex said to Na’grat’s retreating back.
After Na’grat left, Alex pulled out the weapon he was working on for the Aberjani. He picked up a small tool, and began to make a minor adjustment, while thousands of thoughts crowded his head. When the adjustment was finished, Alex picked up the weapon and looked through the site, while his finger rested on the trigger mechanism. He pictured Kivar standing in front of him, and pulled back on the trigger and smiled when the weapon gave a satisfying click.
Alex reached over to put the weapon down when he was stuck with a sudden burst of inspiration. He looked through the site again, and noticed exactly where his hands touched the metal, and at his finger, resting on the trigger.
I’ve got it, he thought. It’s perfect, and so simple. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it until now?
Excited, he put the weapon back on the shelf, and ran out of the lab.
That night, in the tunnel room, the group met anxiously, and everyone had a story to share about the student that had come out of the mind warp.
“The thing I’m wondering about,” said Alex, “Is when I took Na’grat’s chain away, he was acting like he was mind warped again. Does that mean Kivar has people doing this full time, or something?”
“He may,” said Max. “And we found out today that it’s possible to mind warp from a distance. Kobodi and Kivar did it today. They were in a small observation room, watching us, and throwing out mind warps like there was no tomorrow.”
“We should probably check with Che’koth about that,” said Zan.
“Yeah, and I need to get a supply of trideka from him as well,” said Alex. “I had this positively brilliant idea earlier, but I need the trideka to make it work.”
“Gee Alex, I wish you wouldn’t be so hard on yourself,” said Maria. “You shouldn’t be so critical of your ideas.”
“Play nice, Maria, or I won’t give you the present I have for you,” said Alex, dangling the bag of communicators front of her.
“Presents for me?” asked Maria, clapping her hands together like a small child. “Oh goody. What did you get me?”
“Michael, your wife is very, very weird,” said Alex, tossing the bag to Maria.
“Alex,” said Maria after she opened the bag. “I can’t believe you finished this already. You are such an over achiever.”
“Do we get to hear your fantastic plan now?” asked Kyle.
“Hey, what about my fantastic plan?” asked Alex, pretending to be offended.
“Alex, we know your plan really is going to be fantastic,” said Kyle, “So we can wait on it for a few minutes. Maria’s plan, on the other hand, is probably going to need a lot of work, so we should get started on it right away.” He ducked as various items from around the room came flying in his direction, thrown by the female members of the group.
“Hey, I was only kidding,” he said. “Seriously, I do want to hear what you have planned, Maria.”
“Shut up, Son of Kit-Shicker,” said Maria. “Or I’ll have my husband hurt you.”
“Don’t bring me into this,” said Michael.
“You I’ll punish another way,” said Maria, giving Michael a pointed look.
“Oh,” said Michael, when he realized what she meant. “Watch it Kyle, or I’ll have to kill you.”
“Okay, what I’m thinking is this,” said Maria. “We have these communicators, loaded with our song. We each have one to carry, and I want each one of us to place another in a strategic spot, around town, in the Training Academy, in the palace, you get the idea. Oh, yeah, and I’m going to return Jara Kobodi’s to her, personally. When the time comes that we decide to move forward, I’ll program the communicators to go into loudspeaker mode and start broadcasting the song all over the city. People are already starting to make a connection to the song, and the royal family. I think once they hear it playing, it will send them into a frenzy,” she finished.
“It’s a good plan,” said Kyle. “Simple, effective, and very little danger at all. It’s my kind of plan.”
“Oh yea! We have the Kyle Valenti seal of approval,” Maria said, dryly. “My life is now complete.
“Now that I’ve fulfilled Maria, let’s move on to Alex,” said Kyle, before he realized how totally wrong his statement sounded.
The group exploded with laughter, and Kyle’s face flushed a dull red when he realized what he said.
“Shut up,” he said, “You know what I mean.”
“Valenti, you are such a geek,” said Zan, slapping him on the back. “Alex, what’s your plan?”
“Well, I was thinking, passing out free jewelry is great way to get the modified trideka on the students, and maybe some of the adults, but I’m thinking that the Aberjani aren’t big fashion mavens and don’t wear jewelry.”
“You’re right,” said Zan. “Once you’re a full fledged member of the Aberjani, you have to adhere to a strict dress code. Jewelry is NOTa part of the dress code.”
“That’s what I figured,” said Alex. “So anyhow, I was working on that stupid weapon Kivar wants, and I started thinking, why not load the grips, and the trigger mechanism with the modified trideka?”
“Alex, that is brilliant,” said Max, looking at his friend in awe. “Maria, don’t get me wrong, your plan is fantastic, and will really spur the people on to action, but Alex, oh my God. You’ve found a way to bring down a large number of the Aberjani.
“Alex Whitman, have I ever told you how much I love you,” said Maria, squeezing his cheeks. “Max is right, my plan is great; no doubt about it, but yours is sneaky and subversive and totally awesome. Mine is a more in your face plan.”
“That is because you are an in your face kind of girl,” said Che’koth from the tunnel entrance.
“You know it, babe,” said Maria, with a cheerful grin. “So what brings you to our humble, well, room. News, food, an overwhelming desire to just hang with us?”
“All of the above,” said Che’koth. He removed a bundle from his back and set it on the floor, and all kinds of food spilled out.
“Ewww, what’s this?” asked Maria, holding up a misshapen plastic container. She opened it up and screamed in delight.
“Mom sent spaghetti sauce!” she shouted. “Please, please, please tell me you have some pasta in there too, or at least a loaf of bread to dunk.”
“Would this be what you’re looking for?” asked Michael, holding up another large plastic container.
“Forget the news, lets eat!” said Maria. She rummaged through Che’koth’s bundle and found that that their parents hadn’t sent any plates, or cutlery.
“Oh hell, now what?” she said.
“Maybe this will help,” Che’koth said with a grin. He went back into the tunnel and came back with another small bundle. “I stopped at the café got some utensils and things. I was also instructed to guard this with my life.” He rummaged through the large bundle and pulled out a long loaf of Italian bread, and another container.
Maria squealed and grabbed the container and opened it. She grabbed the loaf of bread and a knife and sliced the bread. “Isabel, heat the sauce. Michael, warm the pasta. Liz, start giving everyone plates. Alex, your in charge of silverware.” She poured the contents of the container onto the bread, and spread it with the knife. She put the bread on the table, and passed her hand over it, and it turned a toasted crispy brown.”
“Are we positively sure that Maria and Isabel aren’t related somehow?” Kyle asked Michael. “I’m seeing a disturbing resemblance to the Christmas Nazi in her.”
“I heard that, Kyle,” said Maria. “Now, shut up, sit down and eat, and there will be no talk of anything negative during this wonderful Italian meal!”
“Majesty,” said Che’koth, taking a seat next to Max. “I think it is very lucky that Maria is on your side. If she keeps acting like this, I fear that your General may soon be out of a job.”
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majiklmoon
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 361
- Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2001 10:55 am
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Chapter 52 added 9/26/04
Disclaimer: Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I’m simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD’s get released.
Chapter Fifty – Two – Operation Invincible
“Say, this is pretty good,” said Zan, reaching for another piece of garlic bread. “So anyhow, I was thinking. This is a really big planet, right? And we’re focusing all our efforts here in this one place. Is this the only city that Kivar took over?”
“Hey!” said Maria, sharply. “I said none of that during dinner!”
“Be reasonable, Maria. How can we not talk about it? It’s the reason we’re here,” said Michael.
“I know, I know. I just wanted to be normal for a while,” Maria said.
“Trust me, Maria,” said Kyle. “You are not now, nor have you ever been what anybody could call normal.”
“True,” said Maria, proudly. “Fine, carry on your soldier conversations,” she continued. “Just don’t expect me to participate.”
The others smiled at the thought of Maria staying out of any conversation for very long. Zan repeated his earlier comments, and they all looked to Che’koth for an answer.
“You know,” he said with a sigh. “A lot of the questions you ask can be found in your memories, if only you would access them.”
“But they’re so painful,” said Isabel. “Che’koth, I saw how I died. It was terrible. I don’t want any of the others to have to see anything like that.”
“Maybe they need to. Maybe you all need to,” said Che’koth, his voice firmer than any of them had ever heard before. “You have to face what you fear, or it will control you. Is that what you want, any of you? But to answer your question, Zan, Kivar rules the whole planet, as did the royal family before they were overthrown.”
“Shit,” said Max, banging the table forcefully. “We’ve only been focusing our energies here. We probably should have split up and gone to all the major cities around the planet.”
“No!” said Liz. “Max, you’re wrong. We need to be here. All of us need to be here. This is where Kivar is. He is the direct threat to us, and our families back home. Remember them. They’re why we came. It isn’t about saving Antar, at least it wasn’t when we came here. It was about protecting our families from the threat of the Aberjani. Remember Fred? He died just because he was our friend. What do you think those bastards will do to our families if they ever get near them? And what about Jose? He’s dead too.”
Max turned to Liz and put his arm around her, trying to comfort her, but she shook him off.
“Liz, stop it,” said Max, grabbing her by the arm. “I know why we’re here, and I’ll never, in a million years, forget about Fred, or Jose. But I think you’re forgetting that to effectively take the danger off of our families, we don’t have any choice but to destroy Kivar. Liz, come on, it’s not like I’m saying we’re going to stay here and rule for a thousand years or whatever. I just want to stop that bastard from ever hurting anybody I care about again.”
“If I may interrupt,” said Che’koth. “I took the liberty of notifying our forces in all the major cities and strategic outposts of our plans. Everything that has been happening here has happened out there, including the posters with the handprints and the songs. We’re a little
behind on modifying the trideka, but slowly but surely, that’s getting out there as well.”
“I should have thought of doing that,” said Max. “I don’t know where my head was.”
“Max, don’t be so hard on yourself,” said Che’koth. “You, all of you, have done remarkably well. Your plans have been well thought out, and well executed. You’ve been incredibly successful to date, and I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t continue to carry on exactly the way you have.”
“No, there’s no excuse,” said Max, bowing his head. “It’s no wonder Kivar managed to overthrow my throne before. Obviously, I’m not capable of managing it.”
“Stop it, now!” roared Che’koth. “You were an excellent king, and your only fault was that you wanted so much to make your world even better than it was. Do you honestly think your father would have allowed you to take the throne if he didn’t think you were worthy?”
“What do you mean, allow him to take the throne?” asked a puzzled Isabel. “Wouldn’t he have to die for Max, I mean Zan to take the throne?”
“Not at all,” said Che’koth. “Your father was ready to step down, which is a perfectly acceptable practice. It allowed Zan to take the throne, but the King remained as consul for him.”
“Well, where is he?” demanded Isabel. “What happened to him, and to our mother? Were they killed in the uprising?”
“Nobody knows,” Che’koth lied. “The King disappeared one day, shortly before the uprising took place. His body was never found.”
“And our mother?” Max asked softly, reaching across the table to hold Isabel’s hand.
“She is in hiding,” explained Che’koth. “Nobody knows where she is. She worked closely with the science team that spearheaded the cloning program that helped to create you, but once the ship was sent to Earth, she dropped from site.”
“Do – do you know where she is?” Zan asked. At Zan’s question, Max turned to look at him, and was shocked to see the glimmer of unshed tears in Zan’s eyes.
“No, but even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you,” said Che’koth. “Kivar has a bounty on her head. She was a very beautiful woman. She looks much like Isabel normally does. For a long time, after the bounty was announced, every beautiful blond woman was suspect.”
“So they could both be alive or dead, and we’ll never know?” asked Max.
“You never know what the future will hold?” Che’koth said cryptically.
Something in his voice aroused Liz’s suspicion, and she turned her head quickly to look at Che’koth, and was shocked by the love she saw in his eyes while he looked at Max.
“Well, not to sound like that evil mind warping hell beast we called Tess, but what do we do now, Max?” asked Isabel, trying to change the subject.
“I have an idea,” said Liz, suddenly. “But I’ll need Che’koth to help me. Max, remember when we go to school this fall. All the fraternities and sororities that were pledging had huge sheets hanging from their houses with signs painted on them?”
“Yeah, I’m with you, I think,” said Max. “Go on.”
“Why can’t we make something like that, but on a bigger scale?”
“Bigger?” asked Michael, “How much bigger?”
“Big enough to hang from the palace roof,” said Liz with a grin. “Che’koth, that’s where you and your people would come in, but I want to be there when it goes up.”
“It will be very dangerous,” Che’koth said to Liz, hoping to dissuade her. It wasn’t that he didn’t think Liz was up to that type of mission, but something in her eyes made him very wary.
“Don’t worry,” she said. “I can take care of myself.”
“Liz,” Max interjected. “There’s just one thing. Something like that will really cause an uproar. I’m kind of thinking maybe we should save it for when we’re ready to cause an all out war.”
“Yeah, you might be right,” she agreed, and watched, as Che’koth seemed to visibly sag with relief. “But I still have a few things I need to discuss with Che’koth, and I think tonight would be a good time to do it. So I’ll tell you what, Maria, don’t you have some other inflammatory song snippet to share? I’ll work with Che’koth’s group tonight to get them printed and posted.”
“Yeah, I was thinking,” said Maria. “Iz, what did you burn into the throne room floor, again?”
“And with the power of conviction, there is no sacrifice. It's a do or die situation, we will be invincible,” said Isabel.
“Perfect. That’s what we need to get out to the people next. And Alex, can you make me one more communicator?” Maria asked.
“Yeah, but why? You weren’t happy with the twenty or so that I already made?”
“Jerk. Of course I’m happy. I’m ecstatic, even, but I want to give on to Che’koth, so his people can make copies to send out to all the other rebel groups.”
“What did I tell you,” said Che’koth, leaning closer to Max. “Michael better watch out, or she’ll be taking his place as second in command. Of course, if she’s not interested in the job, I think your wife could fill the position as well.”
The group strategized for a while longer, drawing up a tentative schedule and battle plans. Max passed copies to everyone and stood before the group, a true leader at last.
“Any questions?” he asked. When nobody responded he continued. “I want all of you to go over this again and again. Draw up every possible scenario you can. We need to think of every possible thing that can happen, or go wrong. Tomorrow, we’ll meet back here, and go over everything together. Then I want to make up a time line and set everything into motion. Any questions?”
Everyone shook their heads, and Max smiled.
“Okay then, Che’koth, I want this sent out to everyone in your organization. In our organization. Operation Invincible began today! Antar will be free again!”
Chapter Fifty – Two – Operation Invincible
“Say, this is pretty good,” said Zan, reaching for another piece of garlic bread. “So anyhow, I was thinking. This is a really big planet, right? And we’re focusing all our efforts here in this one place. Is this the only city that Kivar took over?”
“Hey!” said Maria, sharply. “I said none of that during dinner!”
“Be reasonable, Maria. How can we not talk about it? It’s the reason we’re here,” said Michael.
“I know, I know. I just wanted to be normal for a while,” Maria said.
“Trust me, Maria,” said Kyle. “You are not now, nor have you ever been what anybody could call normal.”
“True,” said Maria, proudly. “Fine, carry on your soldier conversations,” she continued. “Just don’t expect me to participate.”
The others smiled at the thought of Maria staying out of any conversation for very long. Zan repeated his earlier comments, and they all looked to Che’koth for an answer.
“You know,” he said with a sigh. “A lot of the questions you ask can be found in your memories, if only you would access them.”
“But they’re so painful,” said Isabel. “Che’koth, I saw how I died. It was terrible. I don’t want any of the others to have to see anything like that.”
“Maybe they need to. Maybe you all need to,” said Che’koth, his voice firmer than any of them had ever heard before. “You have to face what you fear, or it will control you. Is that what you want, any of you? But to answer your question, Zan, Kivar rules the whole planet, as did the royal family before they were overthrown.”
“Shit,” said Max, banging the table forcefully. “We’ve only been focusing our energies here. We probably should have split up and gone to all the major cities around the planet.”
“No!” said Liz. “Max, you’re wrong. We need to be here. All of us need to be here. This is where Kivar is. He is the direct threat to us, and our families back home. Remember them. They’re why we came. It isn’t about saving Antar, at least it wasn’t when we came here. It was about protecting our families from the threat of the Aberjani. Remember Fred? He died just because he was our friend. What do you think those bastards will do to our families if they ever get near them? And what about Jose? He’s dead too.”
Max turned to Liz and put his arm around her, trying to comfort her, but she shook him off.
“Liz, stop it,” said Max, grabbing her by the arm. “I know why we’re here, and I’ll never, in a million years, forget about Fred, or Jose. But I think you’re forgetting that to effectively take the danger off of our families, we don’t have any choice but to destroy Kivar. Liz, come on, it’s not like I’m saying we’re going to stay here and rule for a thousand years or whatever. I just want to stop that bastard from ever hurting anybody I care about again.”
“If I may interrupt,” said Che’koth. “I took the liberty of notifying our forces in all the major cities and strategic outposts of our plans. Everything that has been happening here has happened out there, including the posters with the handprints and the songs. We’re a little
behind on modifying the trideka, but slowly but surely, that’s getting out there as well.”
“I should have thought of doing that,” said Max. “I don’t know where my head was.”
“Max, don’t be so hard on yourself,” said Che’koth. “You, all of you, have done remarkably well. Your plans have been well thought out, and well executed. You’ve been incredibly successful to date, and I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t continue to carry on exactly the way you have.”
“No, there’s no excuse,” said Max, bowing his head. “It’s no wonder Kivar managed to overthrow my throne before. Obviously, I’m not capable of managing it.”
“Stop it, now!” roared Che’koth. “You were an excellent king, and your only fault was that you wanted so much to make your world even better than it was. Do you honestly think your father would have allowed you to take the throne if he didn’t think you were worthy?”
“What do you mean, allow him to take the throne?” asked a puzzled Isabel. “Wouldn’t he have to die for Max, I mean Zan to take the throne?”
“Not at all,” said Che’koth. “Your father was ready to step down, which is a perfectly acceptable practice. It allowed Zan to take the throne, but the King remained as consul for him.”
“Well, where is he?” demanded Isabel. “What happened to him, and to our mother? Were they killed in the uprising?”
“Nobody knows,” Che’koth lied. “The King disappeared one day, shortly before the uprising took place. His body was never found.”
“And our mother?” Max asked softly, reaching across the table to hold Isabel’s hand.
“She is in hiding,” explained Che’koth. “Nobody knows where she is. She worked closely with the science team that spearheaded the cloning program that helped to create you, but once the ship was sent to Earth, she dropped from site.”
“Do – do you know where she is?” Zan asked. At Zan’s question, Max turned to look at him, and was shocked to see the glimmer of unshed tears in Zan’s eyes.
“No, but even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you,” said Che’koth. “Kivar has a bounty on her head. She was a very beautiful woman. She looks much like Isabel normally does. For a long time, after the bounty was announced, every beautiful blond woman was suspect.”
“So they could both be alive or dead, and we’ll never know?” asked Max.
“You never know what the future will hold?” Che’koth said cryptically.
Something in his voice aroused Liz’s suspicion, and she turned her head quickly to look at Che’koth, and was shocked by the love she saw in his eyes while he looked at Max.
“Well, not to sound like that evil mind warping hell beast we called Tess, but what do we do now, Max?” asked Isabel, trying to change the subject.
“I have an idea,” said Liz, suddenly. “But I’ll need Che’koth to help me. Max, remember when we go to school this fall. All the fraternities and sororities that were pledging had huge sheets hanging from their houses with signs painted on them?”
“Yeah, I’m with you, I think,” said Max. “Go on.”
“Why can’t we make something like that, but on a bigger scale?”
“Bigger?” asked Michael, “How much bigger?”
“Big enough to hang from the palace roof,” said Liz with a grin. “Che’koth, that’s where you and your people would come in, but I want to be there when it goes up.”
“It will be very dangerous,” Che’koth said to Liz, hoping to dissuade her. It wasn’t that he didn’t think Liz was up to that type of mission, but something in her eyes made him very wary.
“Don’t worry,” she said. “I can take care of myself.”
“Liz,” Max interjected. “There’s just one thing. Something like that will really cause an uproar. I’m kind of thinking maybe we should save it for when we’re ready to cause an all out war.”
“Yeah, you might be right,” she agreed, and watched, as Che’koth seemed to visibly sag with relief. “But I still have a few things I need to discuss with Che’koth, and I think tonight would be a good time to do it. So I’ll tell you what, Maria, don’t you have some other inflammatory song snippet to share? I’ll work with Che’koth’s group tonight to get them printed and posted.”
“Yeah, I was thinking,” said Maria. “Iz, what did you burn into the throne room floor, again?”
“And with the power of conviction, there is no sacrifice. It's a do or die situation, we will be invincible,” said Isabel.
“Perfect. That’s what we need to get out to the people next. And Alex, can you make me one more communicator?” Maria asked.
“Yeah, but why? You weren’t happy with the twenty or so that I already made?”
“Jerk. Of course I’m happy. I’m ecstatic, even, but I want to give on to Che’koth, so his people can make copies to send out to all the other rebel groups.”
“What did I tell you,” said Che’koth, leaning closer to Max. “Michael better watch out, or she’ll be taking his place as second in command. Of course, if she’s not interested in the job, I think your wife could fill the position as well.”
The group strategized for a while longer, drawing up a tentative schedule and battle plans. Max passed copies to everyone and stood before the group, a true leader at last.
“Any questions?” he asked. When nobody responded he continued. “I want all of you to go over this again and again. Draw up every possible scenario you can. We need to think of every possible thing that can happen, or go wrong. Tomorrow, we’ll meet back here, and go over everything together. Then I want to make up a time line and set everything into motion. Any questions?”
Everyone shook their heads, and Max smiled.
“Okay then, Che’koth, I want this sent out to everyone in your organization. In our organization. Operation Invincible began today! Antar will be free again!”
-
majiklmoon
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Chapter Fifty Three added 9/28/04
Disclaimer: Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I’m simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD’s get released.
Chapter Fifty-Three – Chaos
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Che’koth asked Liz after the others left the room.
“We need to talk,” said Liz.
“Majesty, I’m going to ask you again,” said Che’koth. “Are you sure you want to do this?” He looked at her, and Liz saw pain, love, and loss in his eyes.
“I think I need to,” she said, softly.
“Do you?”
“If I ask, will you tell me the truth?”
“I have never, nor will I ever lie to you, Liz. I won’t lie to any of you. But, let me ask you this. Do you think the others are capable of dealing with the answers right now? And if they are not, are you capable of keeping the truth from them?”
Liz thought hard about what she suspected, and how the information would affect Max and Isabel.
“May I ask you two questions, Che’koth?”
“Majesty, you know I can deny you nothing,” Che’koth answered with a sad grin, afraid at what her questions would be.
“Okay then, my first question. Is this your true appearance?” Liz asked.
Che’koth was puzzled at the seemingly innocuous question, but he answered her truthfully.
“No, Liz, it is not,” he said.
“Will you please show me what you really look like?” she asked.
Che’koth smiled broadly at her second question and passed his hand across his face. Liz looked at him, and smiled, and he waved his hand over his face again and returned to his original appearance.
“Thank you,” Liz said, quietly. “Now, let’s get to work.”
Liz and Che’koth worked tirelessly through the night, along side the other resistance fighters. They plastered the city with posters that had not only the excerpt from the song, but each poster also bared the images of Max, Isabel, Michael and Ava, standing with their fists upraised.
“Do you think that is wise?” Che’koth asked.
“Probably not,” admitted Liz, “But we need to get moving on this. I want to get people really talking, and I think this will do it.”
“Talking, they’re going to be in an uproar when they see these,” laughed.
“Do you think it’s too much?” Liz asked, suddenly worried. “Do you think they look too much like Ma’nith, Isadra, Mesch and Atara?”
“No, they look exactly like Max, Isabel, Michael and Ava, and nothing like the persona’s they’ve adopted here on Antar,” said Che’koth. “It is a wise move, and one I would have made myself.”
“Che’koth, all this time, you’ve never once told us what to do, or how to do it. I mean, you’ve given us suggestions,” said Liz, “But never once have you said that we should do it this way, or that way. Why?”
“All of you Liz, are leaders, and true leaders can’t be told how to lead. They can be show the way, but whether they chose that way is always up to them. How successful do you think I would have been had I told you what to do?”
“Not very,” Liz admitted. “It’s just that sometimes,”
“Sometimes it would be nice to have an adult tell you what to do,” said Che’koth.
“Exactly,” Liz said.
“Well then, I promise you, if you ever stay up past your bedtime, I’ll tell you to go to bed, but other than that, you’re on your own. Now, can you get the rest of these put up in the Training Academy?” Che’koth asked, pointing to a stack of flyers.
“I don’t think it will be a problem, especially since Max and probably Maria will be waiting for me to get back,” said Liz.
“They’re good friends,” said Che’koth.
“The best,” Liz answered.
“Be safe, little one,” said Che’koth at the entrance of the tunnel. He pressed a kiss on her head, and watched as she ran down the dark expanse of the tunnel, the flyers under her arm.”
“I don’t think I want to go in there,” Liz said to Ava outside the entrance to the dining hall. “It sounds like a madhouse in there.”
“Liz, those pictures were a stroke of genius,” Ava said, propelling Liz through the door. “That, coupled with the trideka breaking all the mind warps ought to really have people talking.”
“Ava, that’s not talking in there, that’s screaming,” said Liz, her expression worried.
“Yeah well, screaming or not, I’m hungry, lets go get something to eat,” said Ava. She linked her arm through Liz’s, and dragged her into the dining hall.
They entered the room to find that total chaos had broken out. Students were screaming and throwing things across the dining hall. Everywhere the two girls turned, people waved posters.
“Did you really make that many of them?” Ava asked.
“No, I didn’t,” said a shocked Liz. “Oh my God, they must be making their own. Ava, maybe this was a mistake, a huge, giant mistake.”
“It was no mistake,” Ava said, her voice filled with steel. “It’s just what we needed. Now grab some food and go over to where Maria’s sitting. We’re drawing attention to ourselves standing here.”
“I don’t think anyone is even noticing us,” Liz said, making her way to the food line.
“Yeah we are, your new friend Varonia looks like she wants to kill you, but that gives me a great idea,” said Ava.
“Someone wanting to kill me gives you an idea,” said Liz. “I don’t think I like this very much.”
“Listen, just take a few minutes picking out your food. Give me a second to go talk to Maria, and then, take the long route to our table, and whatever you do, make sure you stop and talk to that witch. Okay?”
“Okay,” said Liz. She watched Ava speed away towards Maria, and turned back to the serving line, and took her time picking out her meal.
After several minutes had elapsed, she made a circuitous route to Maria’s table, pausing next to Varonia to say hello.
“Don’t even talk to me, traitor,” snapped Varonia. “I know you did this, and I’m going to find a way to prove it, too.”
“Look, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Liz. “I came over here to make an effort to put our differences behind us, but you’re just not giving me the chance.”
“I don’t want anything to do with you, scum,” began Varonia. She opened her mouth to spew more of her venom in Liz’s direction, but stopped when the sound of music drowned out the yelling in the dining hall.
Liz stared in shocked amazement as Pat Benatar’s voice rang out through the dining hall, singing the excerpt that was printed on the poster. As suddenly as it started, the music ended.
“How did you do that?” Varonia shouted, grabbing Liz’s arm.
“Varonia, stop it,” cried another girl, trying to pull Varonia’s arm off of Liz. “She didn’t do anything, she was standing right here in front of you. Maybe you’re the one that’s wrong. Did you ever think of that?”
“I’m not wrong. I’m not,” said Varonia.
“Well if sure you’re not wrong, then I’m sure you must be crazy,” said another girl. “It’s obvious you’re just jealous of Lan, and everything she’s achieved. Lan, I’m sorry we ever listened to her,” she added, smiling at Liz.
“Thanks,” Liz said softly. She smiled at the group, Varonia included, and then walked to the table where Maria, Ava and Isabel were waiting.
“How did you do that?” she asked as soon as she sat down.
“I had Alex explain how these things worked, and I set it up just to play that one little bit, and only in here. I figured it would get the Antarian Pam Troy off your back,” explained Maria. “So, did it work?”
“Yes and no, her friends think I’m innocent, but she’s just as certain that I had something to do with it.”
“I could mind warp her,” said Ava, hesitantly.
“Don’t bother,” said Isabel. “She’s not worth it. You’re going to have trouble makers like that no matter where you go. The best thing we can do is ignore her.”
“I’d rather kill her,” said Maria, darkly.
“Attention, attention, may I have your attention please,” came the Directors voice over that of the crowds. “All classes have been cancelled today. Again, all classes have been cancelled for today. Students are to remain on the grounds at all times. No students will be allowed in town today.”
Cheers filled the room, and students began running for the doors. They ran past the faculty members that were trying to block their exit from the school, but the students only pushed right past them and ran out into the courtyard and down towards the marketplace.
“Tunnel?” Maria asked the others. Ava quickly agreed, but Isabel and Liz both shook their heads.
“I think since classes are cancelled, this would be an excellent opportunity to go to the diplomatic headquarters at the palace, and perhaps drop off a few things. She patted her pocket where the communicators were hidden.
“I think I’m going to head to the lab and work on the guidance system some more. Besides, my pal is still watching, and it may look a little less suspicious if I go there today.”
The others agreed that Liz’s plan made sense. They quickly bolted their food and left the dining hall. Maria, Ava went in one direction, while Isabel went to locate her diplomacy instructor and get permission to go to the palace. Liz walked towards the lab, while Varonia trailed behind her, keeping to the shadows.
Chapter Fifty-Three – Chaos
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Che’koth asked Liz after the others left the room.
“We need to talk,” said Liz.
“Majesty, I’m going to ask you again,” said Che’koth. “Are you sure you want to do this?” He looked at her, and Liz saw pain, love, and loss in his eyes.
“I think I need to,” she said, softly.
“Do you?”
“If I ask, will you tell me the truth?”
“I have never, nor will I ever lie to you, Liz. I won’t lie to any of you. But, let me ask you this. Do you think the others are capable of dealing with the answers right now? And if they are not, are you capable of keeping the truth from them?”
Liz thought hard about what she suspected, and how the information would affect Max and Isabel.
“May I ask you two questions, Che’koth?”
“Majesty, you know I can deny you nothing,” Che’koth answered with a sad grin, afraid at what her questions would be.
“Okay then, my first question. Is this your true appearance?” Liz asked.
Che’koth was puzzled at the seemingly innocuous question, but he answered her truthfully.
“No, Liz, it is not,” he said.
“Will you please show me what you really look like?” she asked.
Che’koth smiled broadly at her second question and passed his hand across his face. Liz looked at him, and smiled, and he waved his hand over his face again and returned to his original appearance.
“Thank you,” Liz said, quietly. “Now, let’s get to work.”
Liz and Che’koth worked tirelessly through the night, along side the other resistance fighters. They plastered the city with posters that had not only the excerpt from the song, but each poster also bared the images of Max, Isabel, Michael and Ava, standing with their fists upraised.
“Do you think that is wise?” Che’koth asked.
“Probably not,” admitted Liz, “But we need to get moving on this. I want to get people really talking, and I think this will do it.”
“Talking, they’re going to be in an uproar when they see these,” laughed.
“Do you think it’s too much?” Liz asked, suddenly worried. “Do you think they look too much like Ma’nith, Isadra, Mesch and Atara?”
“No, they look exactly like Max, Isabel, Michael and Ava, and nothing like the persona’s they’ve adopted here on Antar,” said Che’koth. “It is a wise move, and one I would have made myself.”
“Che’koth, all this time, you’ve never once told us what to do, or how to do it. I mean, you’ve given us suggestions,” said Liz, “But never once have you said that we should do it this way, or that way. Why?”
“All of you Liz, are leaders, and true leaders can’t be told how to lead. They can be show the way, but whether they chose that way is always up to them. How successful do you think I would have been had I told you what to do?”
“Not very,” Liz admitted. “It’s just that sometimes,”
“Sometimes it would be nice to have an adult tell you what to do,” said Che’koth.
“Exactly,” Liz said.
“Well then, I promise you, if you ever stay up past your bedtime, I’ll tell you to go to bed, but other than that, you’re on your own. Now, can you get the rest of these put up in the Training Academy?” Che’koth asked, pointing to a stack of flyers.
“I don’t think it will be a problem, especially since Max and probably Maria will be waiting for me to get back,” said Liz.
“They’re good friends,” said Che’koth.
“The best,” Liz answered.
“Be safe, little one,” said Che’koth at the entrance of the tunnel. He pressed a kiss on her head, and watched as she ran down the dark expanse of the tunnel, the flyers under her arm.”
“I don’t think I want to go in there,” Liz said to Ava outside the entrance to the dining hall. “It sounds like a madhouse in there.”
“Liz, those pictures were a stroke of genius,” Ava said, propelling Liz through the door. “That, coupled with the trideka breaking all the mind warps ought to really have people talking.”
“Ava, that’s not talking in there, that’s screaming,” said Liz, her expression worried.
“Yeah well, screaming or not, I’m hungry, lets go get something to eat,” said Ava. She linked her arm through Liz’s, and dragged her into the dining hall.
They entered the room to find that total chaos had broken out. Students were screaming and throwing things across the dining hall. Everywhere the two girls turned, people waved posters.
“Did you really make that many of them?” Ava asked.
“No, I didn’t,” said a shocked Liz. “Oh my God, they must be making their own. Ava, maybe this was a mistake, a huge, giant mistake.”
“It was no mistake,” Ava said, her voice filled with steel. “It’s just what we needed. Now grab some food and go over to where Maria’s sitting. We’re drawing attention to ourselves standing here.”
“I don’t think anyone is even noticing us,” Liz said, making her way to the food line.
“Yeah we are, your new friend Varonia looks like she wants to kill you, but that gives me a great idea,” said Ava.
“Someone wanting to kill me gives you an idea,” said Liz. “I don’t think I like this very much.”
“Listen, just take a few minutes picking out your food. Give me a second to go talk to Maria, and then, take the long route to our table, and whatever you do, make sure you stop and talk to that witch. Okay?”
“Okay,” said Liz. She watched Ava speed away towards Maria, and turned back to the serving line, and took her time picking out her meal.
After several minutes had elapsed, she made a circuitous route to Maria’s table, pausing next to Varonia to say hello.
“Don’t even talk to me, traitor,” snapped Varonia. “I know you did this, and I’m going to find a way to prove it, too.”
“Look, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Liz. “I came over here to make an effort to put our differences behind us, but you’re just not giving me the chance.”
“I don’t want anything to do with you, scum,” began Varonia. She opened her mouth to spew more of her venom in Liz’s direction, but stopped when the sound of music drowned out the yelling in the dining hall.
Liz stared in shocked amazement as Pat Benatar’s voice rang out through the dining hall, singing the excerpt that was printed on the poster. As suddenly as it started, the music ended.
“How did you do that?” Varonia shouted, grabbing Liz’s arm.
“Varonia, stop it,” cried another girl, trying to pull Varonia’s arm off of Liz. “She didn’t do anything, she was standing right here in front of you. Maybe you’re the one that’s wrong. Did you ever think of that?”
“I’m not wrong. I’m not,” said Varonia.
“Well if sure you’re not wrong, then I’m sure you must be crazy,” said another girl. “It’s obvious you’re just jealous of Lan, and everything she’s achieved. Lan, I’m sorry we ever listened to her,” she added, smiling at Liz.
“Thanks,” Liz said softly. She smiled at the group, Varonia included, and then walked to the table where Maria, Ava and Isabel were waiting.
“How did you do that?” she asked as soon as she sat down.
“I had Alex explain how these things worked, and I set it up just to play that one little bit, and only in here. I figured it would get the Antarian Pam Troy off your back,” explained Maria. “So, did it work?”
“Yes and no, her friends think I’m innocent, but she’s just as certain that I had something to do with it.”
“I could mind warp her,” said Ava, hesitantly.
“Don’t bother,” said Isabel. “She’s not worth it. You’re going to have trouble makers like that no matter where you go. The best thing we can do is ignore her.”
“I’d rather kill her,” said Maria, darkly.
“Attention, attention, may I have your attention please,” came the Directors voice over that of the crowds. “All classes have been cancelled today. Again, all classes have been cancelled for today. Students are to remain on the grounds at all times. No students will be allowed in town today.”
Cheers filled the room, and students began running for the doors. They ran past the faculty members that were trying to block their exit from the school, but the students only pushed right past them and ran out into the courtyard and down towards the marketplace.
“Tunnel?” Maria asked the others. Ava quickly agreed, but Isabel and Liz both shook their heads.
“I think since classes are cancelled, this would be an excellent opportunity to go to the diplomatic headquarters at the palace, and perhaps drop off a few things. She patted her pocket where the communicators were hidden.
“I think I’m going to head to the lab and work on the guidance system some more. Besides, my pal is still watching, and it may look a little less suspicious if I go there today.”
The others agreed that Liz’s plan made sense. They quickly bolted their food and left the dining hall. Maria, Ava went in one direction, while Isabel went to locate her diplomacy instructor and get permission to go to the palace. Liz walked towards the lab, while Varonia trailed behind her, keeping to the shadows.
-
majiklmoon
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 361
- Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2001 10:55 am
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Chapter Fifty Four added 9/28/04
Disclaimer: Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I’m simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD’s get released.
Chapter Fifty-Four – Is it Liz, or is it Buffy?
Plash Nevenia greeted Liz when she walked into the lab. She pulled out a chair and motioned for Liz to join her.
“Good morning, Liz,” Plash said. “How do you fare today?”
“Tired,” said Liz with a yawn.
“Why don’t you go and rest, since our esteemed Director has cancelled classes today?”
“No, I need to work on the guidance system. Besides, if I wasn’t doing that, I’d be helping the others, and that’s not such a great idea right now.”
“Why?” queried Plash. “Is something wrong?”
“Just my new not best friend Varonia. She’s so certain that I’m behind everything that’s going on. It gets a bit annoying after a while.”
“Well, don’t look now,” said Plash, glancing up into the mirror that was above her head. She’s looking in the doorway right now.”
Liz looked up into the mirror, and saw the reflection of Varonia, peering in the window.
“Oh, for Pete’s sake,” she said. “I’ve had enough of this!” Liz jumped off the stool, and ran across the room and opened the door before Varonia had a chance to react. She reached out and grabbed the girl, and slammed her against the wall. Violence was not part of Liz’s nature, and the anger she felt coursing through her body scared her. She decided, however, to use the unfamiliar emotions to her benefit.
“What the hell is your problem, Varonia?” she asked in an uncharacteristically harsh voice.
“Don’t hurt me. Please don’t hurt me?” the Antarian girl whimpered.
“Don’t hurt you?” Liz asked, her voice incredulous. “What about what you’re doing to me. You’re spreading vicious rumors about me, and now, your stalking me. You are sick Varonia, and if you don’t leave me alone, I swear, you’re going to regret it!”
“Elandra, Varonia, what’s going on here? What is the meaning of this?” yelled the Director, coming down the hall.
“She attacked me, Director,” shouted Varonia.
“Elandra, is this true?” asked the Director.
“Maybe you’d better get the full story,” said Liz, pushing Varonia against the wall a bit harder. “I went up to Varonia today, in good faith, trying to come to some sort of understanding, and she started spewing her venom again. And THEN!” Liz said, her voice growing louder, “After that music came on, even though I was standing right there in front of her, she blamed me for it. Then she followed me down the hall, and is spying on my work.” Suddenly, inspiration struck Liz. “How can I be sure she isn’t some sort of spy, working against Lord Kivar? Maybe she’s spying on the guidance system, and trying to deflect attention off of herself by accusing me!”
“Is this true, Varonia?” the Director asked. “Did you spy on Elandra?”
“No, I,”
“She did, Director,” said Plash Nevenia, joining the conversation. “In fact, it was I who saw her peering through the door. I think it would be best if her father was notified.”
“Yes, I agree, Plash Nevenia,” said the Director. He reached out and took Varonia by the arm. “You will come with me.”
“No, you’re wrong, it’s not me!” Varonia shouted. “It’s Elandra, she’s the one working against Lord Kivar. “My family is loyal to Lord Kivar!”
“Well, we will have a discussion with your family,” said the Director. “Come with me.”
Liz and Plash watched as the Director dragged a kicking and screaming Varonia down the hall, before returning to the lab.
“Well, that was kind of fun,” said Liz. “But I really don’t want her to get into any trouble.”
“She won’t,” said Plash. “The Director said he’d contact her father, and he will. And her father will handle it.”
“Good, that’s one less problem for us to deal with,” said Liz, sitting back down at the table. “Now if I can just get the guidance system to work, I should be all set.”
“I was thinking about that,” said Plash. “Why not modify it so that it ignores specific DNA, instead of focusing on it. Can you do that?”
“That’s what I’ve been working on,” said Liz. “But no matter what I do, wait! I’ve got it!” she shouted. She grabbed a piece of paper and began to scribble frantically. “Why didn’t I see this before? It’s so simple.”
Plash watched indulgently while Liz wrote and erased and wrote some more. Finally when she was finished, she threw her pen on the table and blew out a heavy breath. “Done,” she said with a sigh. “Man, this must be my day for epiphanies. First I figure out the perfect way to get Varonia off my back, and then, I figure this out. We don’t want to create a guidance system for a weapon, we want to make a sensor for what the weapon fires, so that it can track, or not track a specific target.”
“Liz, are you sure?” asked Plash. “Do you want me to go to Kobodi with this?
“Yeah,” said Liz. “I think even he’s smart enough to see that we can’t manufacture a weapon to do what he wants, but we can modify the energy bolts, or bullets or whatever their going to fire to do what they want.”
Liz suddenly realized what she was saying, and she sat quickly, feeling the blood rush from her face.
“Listen to me!” she cried. “I’m getting excited about finding a way to kill my husband and friends.”
“No, you’re excited because you solved a problem, Liz,” said Plash, rubbing Liz’s shoulders. “You weren’t thinking in terms of who it would hurt, and in fact, you found a way to have it not track a certain target. You’ve saved them, Liz, not destroyed them.”
Plash’s words made a logical kind of sense to Liz, but they didn’t touch the pain that filled her soul. She leaned against the wall of the lab and cried and cried.
__________________________________
Isabel, dressed in her diplomatic garb walked through the gates of the palace, smiling as she remembered the market area covered with posters. Liz really went all out, she thought to herself.
Once inside the palace, Isabel quickly made her way to the diplomatic offices. She removed her cloak, checking to make sure the communicators were hidden deep within the extra pocket she had sewn into the lining.
“Greetings Isadra,” said the Ambassador with a smile. “I did not expect to see you here today.”
“The Director cancelled classes for today,” she explained to the Ambassador. “There was a bit of a problem at the Training Academy, so I thought since I had some free time, I could come here and get some work done. Of course, it doesn’t every really seem like work, when I’m doing things for you,” she added with a flirtatious smile. “I always learn so much from you, Ambassador.”
“Ah, Isadra,” the Ambassador roared with laughter. “You have the makings of a fine diplomat. You know just how to mix sincerity with flattery. But we have plenty of work for you today. Lord Kivar is quite angry at what has been going on in town, and it’s going to take all of our skill to convince him not to allow his anger to color his opinion of the treaties he is going over today.”
“Of course you won’t want me involved in that,” said Isabel, trying to keep the fear out of her voice. She didn’t want any part of seeing Kivar again. “It’s far to difficult a task for a trainee like me to be involved with.”
“Nonsense,” said the Ambassador. “You will be fine. Besides, you’ll only be assisting me, not actually discussing anything with Lord Kivar. I think seeing your beautiful face will be just the thing he needs to distract him from the whole situation.”
“You said it’s only going on in town, is that correct, Ambassador?” asked Isabel.
The Ambassador looked around furtively, making sure nobody else was around. “Actually,” he said, lowering his voice to a whisper. “It’s been happening all over the planet. I don’t know who is doing and, and I don’t know how, but everything that has happened here, has happened in every major city on Antar. It’s also happening in the smaller towns and villages, but on a lesser scale. Lord Kivar is up in arms about it.”
“Maybe I really should just stay out of the way,” said Isabel. “Why don’t I stay here, and make sure all of the paperwork is taken care of.”
“Don’t be silly, Isadra,” said the Ambassador. “I want you to familiarize yourself with the information in these diplomatic transmissions. When you’ve finished, we’ll meet Lord Kivar in the Great Hall.”
Isabel sighed, but realized there wasn’t anything she could do about it. She waited until the Ambassador left the room, and then went to her cloak and removed several of the communicators. She slipped them into various parts of her diplomatic uniform, then settled down to read the latest transmissions.
Chapter Fifty-Four – Is it Liz, or is it Buffy?
Plash Nevenia greeted Liz when she walked into the lab. She pulled out a chair and motioned for Liz to join her.
“Good morning, Liz,” Plash said. “How do you fare today?”
“Tired,” said Liz with a yawn.
“Why don’t you go and rest, since our esteemed Director has cancelled classes today?”
“No, I need to work on the guidance system. Besides, if I wasn’t doing that, I’d be helping the others, and that’s not such a great idea right now.”
“Why?” queried Plash. “Is something wrong?”
“Just my new not best friend Varonia. She’s so certain that I’m behind everything that’s going on. It gets a bit annoying after a while.”
“Well, don’t look now,” said Plash, glancing up into the mirror that was above her head. She’s looking in the doorway right now.”
Liz looked up into the mirror, and saw the reflection of Varonia, peering in the window.
“Oh, for Pete’s sake,” she said. “I’ve had enough of this!” Liz jumped off the stool, and ran across the room and opened the door before Varonia had a chance to react. She reached out and grabbed the girl, and slammed her against the wall. Violence was not part of Liz’s nature, and the anger she felt coursing through her body scared her. She decided, however, to use the unfamiliar emotions to her benefit.
“What the hell is your problem, Varonia?” she asked in an uncharacteristically harsh voice.
“Don’t hurt me. Please don’t hurt me?” the Antarian girl whimpered.
“Don’t hurt you?” Liz asked, her voice incredulous. “What about what you’re doing to me. You’re spreading vicious rumors about me, and now, your stalking me. You are sick Varonia, and if you don’t leave me alone, I swear, you’re going to regret it!”
“Elandra, Varonia, what’s going on here? What is the meaning of this?” yelled the Director, coming down the hall.
“She attacked me, Director,” shouted Varonia.
“Elandra, is this true?” asked the Director.
“Maybe you’d better get the full story,” said Liz, pushing Varonia against the wall a bit harder. “I went up to Varonia today, in good faith, trying to come to some sort of understanding, and she started spewing her venom again. And THEN!” Liz said, her voice growing louder, “After that music came on, even though I was standing right there in front of her, she blamed me for it. Then she followed me down the hall, and is spying on my work.” Suddenly, inspiration struck Liz. “How can I be sure she isn’t some sort of spy, working against Lord Kivar? Maybe she’s spying on the guidance system, and trying to deflect attention off of herself by accusing me!”
“Is this true, Varonia?” the Director asked. “Did you spy on Elandra?”
“No, I,”
“She did, Director,” said Plash Nevenia, joining the conversation. “In fact, it was I who saw her peering through the door. I think it would be best if her father was notified.”
“Yes, I agree, Plash Nevenia,” said the Director. He reached out and took Varonia by the arm. “You will come with me.”
“No, you’re wrong, it’s not me!” Varonia shouted. “It’s Elandra, she’s the one working against Lord Kivar. “My family is loyal to Lord Kivar!”
“Well, we will have a discussion with your family,” said the Director. “Come with me.”
Liz and Plash watched as the Director dragged a kicking and screaming Varonia down the hall, before returning to the lab.
“Well, that was kind of fun,” said Liz. “But I really don’t want her to get into any trouble.”
“She won’t,” said Plash. “The Director said he’d contact her father, and he will. And her father will handle it.”
“Good, that’s one less problem for us to deal with,” said Liz, sitting back down at the table. “Now if I can just get the guidance system to work, I should be all set.”
“I was thinking about that,” said Plash. “Why not modify it so that it ignores specific DNA, instead of focusing on it. Can you do that?”
“That’s what I’ve been working on,” said Liz. “But no matter what I do, wait! I’ve got it!” she shouted. She grabbed a piece of paper and began to scribble frantically. “Why didn’t I see this before? It’s so simple.”
Plash watched indulgently while Liz wrote and erased and wrote some more. Finally when she was finished, she threw her pen on the table and blew out a heavy breath. “Done,” she said with a sigh. “Man, this must be my day for epiphanies. First I figure out the perfect way to get Varonia off my back, and then, I figure this out. We don’t want to create a guidance system for a weapon, we want to make a sensor for what the weapon fires, so that it can track, or not track a specific target.”
“Liz, are you sure?” asked Plash. “Do you want me to go to Kobodi with this?
“Yeah,” said Liz. “I think even he’s smart enough to see that we can’t manufacture a weapon to do what he wants, but we can modify the energy bolts, or bullets or whatever their going to fire to do what they want.”
Liz suddenly realized what she was saying, and she sat quickly, feeling the blood rush from her face.
“Listen to me!” she cried. “I’m getting excited about finding a way to kill my husband and friends.”
“No, you’re excited because you solved a problem, Liz,” said Plash, rubbing Liz’s shoulders. “You weren’t thinking in terms of who it would hurt, and in fact, you found a way to have it not track a certain target. You’ve saved them, Liz, not destroyed them.”
Plash’s words made a logical kind of sense to Liz, but they didn’t touch the pain that filled her soul. She leaned against the wall of the lab and cried and cried.
__________________________________
Isabel, dressed in her diplomatic garb walked through the gates of the palace, smiling as she remembered the market area covered with posters. Liz really went all out, she thought to herself.
Once inside the palace, Isabel quickly made her way to the diplomatic offices. She removed her cloak, checking to make sure the communicators were hidden deep within the extra pocket she had sewn into the lining.
“Greetings Isadra,” said the Ambassador with a smile. “I did not expect to see you here today.”
“The Director cancelled classes for today,” she explained to the Ambassador. “There was a bit of a problem at the Training Academy, so I thought since I had some free time, I could come here and get some work done. Of course, it doesn’t every really seem like work, when I’m doing things for you,” she added with a flirtatious smile. “I always learn so much from you, Ambassador.”
“Ah, Isadra,” the Ambassador roared with laughter. “You have the makings of a fine diplomat. You know just how to mix sincerity with flattery. But we have plenty of work for you today. Lord Kivar is quite angry at what has been going on in town, and it’s going to take all of our skill to convince him not to allow his anger to color his opinion of the treaties he is going over today.”
“Of course you won’t want me involved in that,” said Isabel, trying to keep the fear out of her voice. She didn’t want any part of seeing Kivar again. “It’s far to difficult a task for a trainee like me to be involved with.”
“Nonsense,” said the Ambassador. “You will be fine. Besides, you’ll only be assisting me, not actually discussing anything with Lord Kivar. I think seeing your beautiful face will be just the thing he needs to distract him from the whole situation.”
“You said it’s only going on in town, is that correct, Ambassador?” asked Isabel.
The Ambassador looked around furtively, making sure nobody else was around. “Actually,” he said, lowering his voice to a whisper. “It’s been happening all over the planet. I don’t know who is doing and, and I don’t know how, but everything that has happened here, has happened in every major city on Antar. It’s also happening in the smaller towns and villages, but on a lesser scale. Lord Kivar is up in arms about it.”
“Maybe I really should just stay out of the way,” said Isabel. “Why don’t I stay here, and make sure all of the paperwork is taken care of.”
“Don’t be silly, Isadra,” said the Ambassador. “I want you to familiarize yourself with the information in these diplomatic transmissions. When you’ve finished, we’ll meet Lord Kivar in the Great Hall.”
Isabel sighed, but realized there wasn’t anything she could do about it. She waited until the Ambassador left the room, and then went to her cloak and removed several of the communicators. She slipped them into various parts of her diplomatic uniform, then settled down to read the latest transmissions.
-
majiklmoon
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 361
- Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2001 10:55 am
- Contact:
Chapter 55 added 9/29/04
Disclaimer: Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I’m simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD’s get released.
Chapter Fifty – Five – At the Palace
Isabel had just finished modifying her appearance slightly when the Ambassador walked in.
“Are you ready, Isadra?” he asked.
To go to my probable death? she thought to herself. No, I don’t think so. “Yes,” she said, giving the Ambassador a dazzling smile. “I think this will be very interesting.”
She followed the Ambassador out of the diplomatic offices and down the hallway to the Great Hall.
“Isadra, wait here,” said the Ambassador, shoving her into a chair. “I left something in our offices.”
“Wouldn’t it make more sense for me to go back and get it, Sir?” Isabel asked. “It’s what I’m here for.”
“No, no, you stay here,” said the Ambassador. “To be perfectly honest, Lord Kivar doesn’t want anybody without special clearance wandering around the palace. He still hasn’t found out who defaced the throne room.”
“Oh,” said a subdued Isabel. “In that case, I’ll just sit here, and not move a muscle.”
“Wise decision, my Dear,” said the Ambassador.
Isabel watched as he strode down the hall, and out of site. She looked around the hall, and considered hiding a communicator there, but decided against it. The sound of voices drew her attention, and Isabel became aware of voices coming from behind a half closed door across the hall.
“Damn it, they’re here, I tell you!” shouted a voice Isabel recognized as Kivar’s. “Why can’t you find them?”
“Lord Kivar, my people have searched everywhere. They are not here. I promise you. This is simply the working of a bunch of rabble-rousers. The royal four are still on Earth,” came the answer from a voice Isabel identified as Kobodi’s. “Perhaps if Princess Vilondra were to address the people, they would see that this has nothing to do with the return of the royal four.”
“You know she cannot speak,” said Kivar in a deadly voice. “However, the next prototype should be ready soon. She will address the people, but I don’t want to wait that long. I received word today that the work on the guidance system for our weapon is nearly complete. Actually Plash Nevenia informed me that instead of a new guidance system, they’ve found a way to create a sensor that will direct the energy bolts to their target. Now if your people could simply track down, Zan and the others, my problems would be over.”
The door opened, and Isabel saw Kivar, and behind him, Kobodi, preparing to exit the room. She shrank back against the chair, hoping against hope that they wouldn’t notice her, but it was to no avail.
“You there, what are you doing?” Kivar demanded when he drew abreast of where Isabel sat.
“I’m Isadra,” said Isabel, drawing herself up straighter. She was not going to allow herself to be cowed by Kivar. “I’m a member of the diplomatic trainees from the Training Academy. The Ambassador and I were on our way to the Great Hall for a meeting, when he realized that he forgot something. He told me to sit in this chair, and not leave this spot.”
“Take care of her!” Kivar ordered, and Isabel forced herself to look directly at Kivar, not showing any fear at all. “Wait!” he said, turning to Kivar. “I admire her spirit. Don’t kill her, simply erase this episode from her mind.”
“As you wish, Lord Kivar,” said Kobodi.
He stared at Isabel, and gave her mind a shove. Isabel felt him trying to warp her mind, and she played along. When he was done, he grabbed her by the arm.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“I don’t have to answer you,” Isabel said in a haughty voice. “You are a member of the palace cleaning staff. I am a member of the diplomatic corp. Unhand me this instant.”
“Excellent,” Kivar murmured. “Come along, there is much work to be done,” he said, turning to Kobodi.
Isabel watched as the two walked down the hall, and fell back into the chair, shaking with fear.
“Isadra, are you okay?” asked the Ambassador, and Isabel jumped with fright, unaware of his arrival.
“Yes,” she said, her voice still shaking. “Some members of the palace cleaning staff just accosted me, wanting to know why I was here.”
“What did you do?” asked the Ambassador. He had just seen Lord Kivar, and General Kobodi, and both of them let him know of their displeasure at finding one of his staff sitting in the hallway, alone.”
“I told them I was a member of the diplomatic corp, and didn’t have to answer to them,” said Isabel. “But after they left, I fell apart. I don’t like confrontations, Ambassador.”
“Nor do I,” said the Ambassador, pleased to hear that Isabel’s story matched that of Lord Kivar and Kobodi. He was fond of the girl, and didn’t want to have to kill her for being a spy. “Come along,” he said. “We have much work to do.”
A still shaking Isabel stood up, and followed the Ambassador down the corridor to the Great Hall, her mind on the conversation she had overheard.
Once in the Great Hall, the Ambassador walked to the table that had been set up in the middle of the room. He sat down in a chair, and instructed Isabel to sit at a small table directly behind him.
“Lord Kivar will be here in a few minutes, and we will go over the treaties,” he instructed. “You are simply to sit, and observe, and hand me the different treaties as I require.”
“Of course, Ambassador,” said Isabel. “I only hope I don’t disappoint you. Lord Kivar is quite an imposing figure. I’m still rather nervous at the thought of even being in his presence.”
“Isadra, you will do fine,” said the Ambassador. “I would not have chosen you for this assignment if I didn’t think you were capable. Simply push your fears down inside, and pretend you are an actress on a stage. You will be fine.”
Kivar walked into the Great Hall as the Ambassador finished speaking, and joined him at the large table.
“Good day, Ambassador,” said Kivar.
“Good day, Lord Kivar,” answered the Ambassador, standing up. “Allow me to present to you once more, the latest addition to my diplomatic staff. This is Isadra, she is a student at the Training Academy.”
Kivar stood up and walked over to the table where Isabel stood.
“Good morning, Isadra,” said Kivar with Isabel considered an evil smile. “How are you on this beautiful morning.”
“Good morning, Lord Kivar,” said Isabel, bowing her head slightly. “I am honored to be in your presence.”
“And why is that?” asked Kivar.
“You have done such wonderful things for the people of our world,” she said, flashing him blinding smile. “I decided long ago that it would be a great privilege to serve you in any capacity possible. When I was chosen to be a member of the diplomatic corp, it was like a dream come true for me.”
“Your loyalty will be well rewarded, Isadra,” said Kivar, satisfied that the mind warp was working. “Please, everyone, be seated. Let us work on these treaties. I have other things I need to accomplish today.”
Kivar and the Ambassador sat down at the large table, and Isabel took a seat at the small table behind the Ambassador.
“Ambassador,” said Kivar. “Tell your assistant to join us at the table. She will learn nothing hovering behind you like that.”
“Isadra, you heard Lord Kivar,” said the Ambassador. “Please join us.”
Isabel gathered up the paperwork and took a seat next to the Ambassador, and listened while the two men discussed the treaties on the table before them. When they were finished, Isabel quickly gathered up the paperwork, and waited quietly to leave.
“Ambassador, I have a few things I want to discuss with you, privately. “Isadra, please feel free to wander around the Great Hall, and the Gallery, but don’t go any further,” said Kivar.
“Yes, Lord Kivar,” said Isabel, bowing her head subserviently.
“If it would please you, Lord Kivar, Isadra has some work waiting for her in the diplomatic offices. With your permission, may she also have access to our rooms so that she may get her work done?” asked the Ambassador.
“Of course, Ambassador. Far be it from me to keep your assistant from her work. Please feel free to examine the gallery at your leisure, Isadra,” Kivar added, addressing Isabel.
“Thank you Lord Kivar.” She gathered up the paperwork and prepared to leave. She returned to the diplomatic offices, and quickly finished her work and prepared to leave.
Isabel made sure as many people as possible saw her when she left the palace. Once she was out of the palace, she ducked into an alley, and changed her appearance, and snuck back into a palace grounds through a side entrance Che’koth had told her about.
She carefully made her way to the guard quarters, where she hid a communicator inside a small niche in a rock wall. From there, she made her way back into the palace. Once inside, she kept to the shadows, hiding the communicators in a variety of places, including the grand ballroom. She toyed with the idea of returning to the throne room, but decided against it, in case Kivar was having it watched.
She walked down a long corridor, trying to remain in the shadows when she saw a figure up ahead.
Oh God, she thought. Who is that up there? Even as she thought the words, the figure ahead of her turned around and walked towards her. Isabel felt the blood leave her face when she came face to face with her double.
Taking a chance, she passed her hand over her face, and restored her appearance. The double looked at her curiously, and first touched her own face, then reached out to touch Isabel’s.
“Yes,” said Isabel, softly. “You’re me. It’s very confusing, isn’t it?” Acting without conscious thought, Isabel fired an energy bolt into her double’s chest, causing her to fall unconscious to the floor. Grabbing her under the arms, Isabel dragged her into a nearby room. She locked the door behind her and surveyed the room. She smiled when she saw a large armoire against a wall. Quickly, she removed the clothing from her double and stripped off her own clothes. She dressed in the double’s clothing, and then carried her to the armoire and locked her inside, along with her clothing.
“I hope you’ll be okay in there,” she said. She grabbed the communicators in their bag, and then schooled her features into the vacant mask worn by her double.
Feeling very afraid, Isabel stole back out into the hallway, and resumed her surveillance. She managed to place two more of the communicators before a large hand fell heavily onto her shoulder. Fighting back the urge to scream, she turned around and looked directly into the eyes of Kivar.
Chapter Fifty – Five – At the Palace
Isabel had just finished modifying her appearance slightly when the Ambassador walked in.
“Are you ready, Isadra?” he asked.
To go to my probable death? she thought to herself. No, I don’t think so. “Yes,” she said, giving the Ambassador a dazzling smile. “I think this will be very interesting.”
She followed the Ambassador out of the diplomatic offices and down the hallway to the Great Hall.
“Isadra, wait here,” said the Ambassador, shoving her into a chair. “I left something in our offices.”
“Wouldn’t it make more sense for me to go back and get it, Sir?” Isabel asked. “It’s what I’m here for.”
“No, no, you stay here,” said the Ambassador. “To be perfectly honest, Lord Kivar doesn’t want anybody without special clearance wandering around the palace. He still hasn’t found out who defaced the throne room.”
“Oh,” said a subdued Isabel. “In that case, I’ll just sit here, and not move a muscle.”
“Wise decision, my Dear,” said the Ambassador.
Isabel watched as he strode down the hall, and out of site. She looked around the hall, and considered hiding a communicator there, but decided against it. The sound of voices drew her attention, and Isabel became aware of voices coming from behind a half closed door across the hall.
“Damn it, they’re here, I tell you!” shouted a voice Isabel recognized as Kivar’s. “Why can’t you find them?”
“Lord Kivar, my people have searched everywhere. They are not here. I promise you. This is simply the working of a bunch of rabble-rousers. The royal four are still on Earth,” came the answer from a voice Isabel identified as Kobodi’s. “Perhaps if Princess Vilondra were to address the people, they would see that this has nothing to do with the return of the royal four.”
“You know she cannot speak,” said Kivar in a deadly voice. “However, the next prototype should be ready soon. She will address the people, but I don’t want to wait that long. I received word today that the work on the guidance system for our weapon is nearly complete. Actually Plash Nevenia informed me that instead of a new guidance system, they’ve found a way to create a sensor that will direct the energy bolts to their target. Now if your people could simply track down, Zan and the others, my problems would be over.”
The door opened, and Isabel saw Kivar, and behind him, Kobodi, preparing to exit the room. She shrank back against the chair, hoping against hope that they wouldn’t notice her, but it was to no avail.
“You there, what are you doing?” Kivar demanded when he drew abreast of where Isabel sat.
“I’m Isadra,” said Isabel, drawing herself up straighter. She was not going to allow herself to be cowed by Kivar. “I’m a member of the diplomatic trainees from the Training Academy. The Ambassador and I were on our way to the Great Hall for a meeting, when he realized that he forgot something. He told me to sit in this chair, and not leave this spot.”
“Take care of her!” Kivar ordered, and Isabel forced herself to look directly at Kivar, not showing any fear at all. “Wait!” he said, turning to Kivar. “I admire her spirit. Don’t kill her, simply erase this episode from her mind.”
“As you wish, Lord Kivar,” said Kobodi.
He stared at Isabel, and gave her mind a shove. Isabel felt him trying to warp her mind, and she played along. When he was done, he grabbed her by the arm.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“I don’t have to answer you,” Isabel said in a haughty voice. “You are a member of the palace cleaning staff. I am a member of the diplomatic corp. Unhand me this instant.”
“Excellent,” Kivar murmured. “Come along, there is much work to be done,” he said, turning to Kobodi.
Isabel watched as the two walked down the hall, and fell back into the chair, shaking with fear.
“Isadra, are you okay?” asked the Ambassador, and Isabel jumped with fright, unaware of his arrival.
“Yes,” she said, her voice still shaking. “Some members of the palace cleaning staff just accosted me, wanting to know why I was here.”
“What did you do?” asked the Ambassador. He had just seen Lord Kivar, and General Kobodi, and both of them let him know of their displeasure at finding one of his staff sitting in the hallway, alone.”
“I told them I was a member of the diplomatic corp, and didn’t have to answer to them,” said Isabel. “But after they left, I fell apart. I don’t like confrontations, Ambassador.”
“Nor do I,” said the Ambassador, pleased to hear that Isabel’s story matched that of Lord Kivar and Kobodi. He was fond of the girl, and didn’t want to have to kill her for being a spy. “Come along,” he said. “We have much work to do.”
A still shaking Isabel stood up, and followed the Ambassador down the corridor to the Great Hall, her mind on the conversation she had overheard.
Once in the Great Hall, the Ambassador walked to the table that had been set up in the middle of the room. He sat down in a chair, and instructed Isabel to sit at a small table directly behind him.
“Lord Kivar will be here in a few minutes, and we will go over the treaties,” he instructed. “You are simply to sit, and observe, and hand me the different treaties as I require.”
“Of course, Ambassador,” said Isabel. “I only hope I don’t disappoint you. Lord Kivar is quite an imposing figure. I’m still rather nervous at the thought of even being in his presence.”
“Isadra, you will do fine,” said the Ambassador. “I would not have chosen you for this assignment if I didn’t think you were capable. Simply push your fears down inside, and pretend you are an actress on a stage. You will be fine.”
Kivar walked into the Great Hall as the Ambassador finished speaking, and joined him at the large table.
“Good day, Ambassador,” said Kivar.
“Good day, Lord Kivar,” answered the Ambassador, standing up. “Allow me to present to you once more, the latest addition to my diplomatic staff. This is Isadra, she is a student at the Training Academy.”
Kivar stood up and walked over to the table where Isabel stood.
“Good morning, Isadra,” said Kivar with Isabel considered an evil smile. “How are you on this beautiful morning.”
“Good morning, Lord Kivar,” said Isabel, bowing her head slightly. “I am honored to be in your presence.”
“And why is that?” asked Kivar.
“You have done such wonderful things for the people of our world,” she said, flashing him blinding smile. “I decided long ago that it would be a great privilege to serve you in any capacity possible. When I was chosen to be a member of the diplomatic corp, it was like a dream come true for me.”
“Your loyalty will be well rewarded, Isadra,” said Kivar, satisfied that the mind warp was working. “Please, everyone, be seated. Let us work on these treaties. I have other things I need to accomplish today.”
Kivar and the Ambassador sat down at the large table, and Isabel took a seat at the small table behind the Ambassador.
“Ambassador,” said Kivar. “Tell your assistant to join us at the table. She will learn nothing hovering behind you like that.”
“Isadra, you heard Lord Kivar,” said the Ambassador. “Please join us.”
Isabel gathered up the paperwork and took a seat next to the Ambassador, and listened while the two men discussed the treaties on the table before them. When they were finished, Isabel quickly gathered up the paperwork, and waited quietly to leave.
“Ambassador, I have a few things I want to discuss with you, privately. “Isadra, please feel free to wander around the Great Hall, and the Gallery, but don’t go any further,” said Kivar.
“Yes, Lord Kivar,” said Isabel, bowing her head subserviently.
“If it would please you, Lord Kivar, Isadra has some work waiting for her in the diplomatic offices. With your permission, may she also have access to our rooms so that she may get her work done?” asked the Ambassador.
“Of course, Ambassador. Far be it from me to keep your assistant from her work. Please feel free to examine the gallery at your leisure, Isadra,” Kivar added, addressing Isabel.
“Thank you Lord Kivar.” She gathered up the paperwork and prepared to leave. She returned to the diplomatic offices, and quickly finished her work and prepared to leave.
Isabel made sure as many people as possible saw her when she left the palace. Once she was out of the palace, she ducked into an alley, and changed her appearance, and snuck back into a palace grounds through a side entrance Che’koth had told her about.
She carefully made her way to the guard quarters, where she hid a communicator inside a small niche in a rock wall. From there, she made her way back into the palace. Once inside, she kept to the shadows, hiding the communicators in a variety of places, including the grand ballroom. She toyed with the idea of returning to the throne room, but decided against it, in case Kivar was having it watched.
She walked down a long corridor, trying to remain in the shadows when she saw a figure up ahead.
Oh God, she thought. Who is that up there? Even as she thought the words, the figure ahead of her turned around and walked towards her. Isabel felt the blood leave her face when she came face to face with her double.
Taking a chance, she passed her hand over her face, and restored her appearance. The double looked at her curiously, and first touched her own face, then reached out to touch Isabel’s.
“Yes,” said Isabel, softly. “You’re me. It’s very confusing, isn’t it?” Acting without conscious thought, Isabel fired an energy bolt into her double’s chest, causing her to fall unconscious to the floor. Grabbing her under the arms, Isabel dragged her into a nearby room. She locked the door behind her and surveyed the room. She smiled when she saw a large armoire against a wall. Quickly, she removed the clothing from her double and stripped off her own clothes. She dressed in the double’s clothing, and then carried her to the armoire and locked her inside, along with her clothing.
“I hope you’ll be okay in there,” she said. She grabbed the communicators in their bag, and then schooled her features into the vacant mask worn by her double.
Feeling very afraid, Isabel stole back out into the hallway, and resumed her surveillance. She managed to place two more of the communicators before a large hand fell heavily onto her shoulder. Fighting back the urge to scream, she turned around and looked directly into the eyes of Kivar.
-
majiklmoon
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 361
- Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2001 10:55 am
- Contact:
Chapter 56 added 9/30/04
Disclaimer: Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I’m simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD’s get released.
Chapter Fifty – Six – Happenings at the Palace
“I’ve been searching for you, my love,” said Kivar. “It isn’t safe for you to wander around the palace like this. Come with me, I will take you back to our rooms.”
Isabel allowed herself to be taken by the arm, and led down a dark hallway. Kivar stopped outside a door, and opened it and led Isabel inside. Isabel stopped in shock when she entered the large chamber. She allowed her eyes to search the room, recalling the time when her parents, Vilondra’s parents, shared it.
That pig, she thought. How dare he defile their room like that.
“Come my love,” said Kivar, his voice heavy with lust. “I desire you.” He swept Isabel up into his arms and carried her over to the luxuriously draped bed.
Oh, God! Isabel thought. How the hell am I going to get out of this one. I’ll kill him before I let him touch me.
“I’m going to miss you, pet,” said Kivar, lying next to her on the bed. He ran his fingers through her long golden hair, releasing it from its bonds. Her golden curls cascaded down around her shoulders. He filled his hands with the silken mass, and brought it to his face.
“So soft, just like you,” he whispered. “Come love, touch me.”
Hesitantly, Isabel brought her hand to his chest. Do I kill him, now? she thought. She was just about to do it, when his communicator gave a short ring.
“Lord Kivar, this is General Kobodi. “We’re waiting for you in the Great Hall.”
Kivar growled in anger and rolled away from Isabel. He grabbed his communicator and spoke into it.
“I’ll be there in fifteen minutes!” he roared into the communicator.
“Aye, my Lord,” answered Kobodi.
That answers my question, thought Isabel. If I kill him now, and he doesn’t show up to his meeting with Kobodi, they’ll come looking for him. I’d never make it out of the palace.
“Come here love,” said Kivar, rolling towards her. We don’t have much time. He reached down and took her hand and placed it back on her chest. Isabel reacted quickly and fired a bolt of energy into his chest, knocking him into unconsciousness.
Jumping off the bed, she quickly hid one of the communicators in the room and turned for the door. At the last second, she ran back to the bed, and yanked several hairs from Kivar’s head.
Isabel opened the door, and looked up and down the hall, to make sure she was unobserved before dashing down the hall. She located the room where she had left her double and ran inside. She quickly stripped off the clothing that she wore and slipped back into her own clothing.
She dressed her double, and used her powers to wake her back up, and led her down the hall back to the room where the unconscious Kivar waited. She opened the door, and pushed the double inside and pushed her towards the bed. Isabel closed the door behind her and raced down the hallway. As she ran, she changed her appearance back to that if Isadra. She found the gallery and went inside, trying to slow her breathing as she did.
Isabel viewed the pictures in the gallery with horror, for most of them showed Kivar and herself in various poses.
As if, she thought to herself. She waited several more minutes, until her breathing slowed, and her face no longer felt flushed. She opened the door to the gallery and stepped out into the hallway, directly into the path of Kivar.
“E-excuse me, Lord Kivar,” she stammered. “I was just looking at the pictures in the gallery. Thank you so much for your kind and generous invitation.”
“Isadra, is it not?” asked Kivar. “The diplomatic apprentice?”
“Yes, Lord Kivar,” said Isabel, nodding her head.
“Tell me, young lady, have you seen anything strange since you’ve been in the palace?”
Isabel felt her heart begin to race with fear. “No, Lord Kivar,” she said. “But I’ve spent the last half hour in the gallery. Nobody came in there.”
“Thank you, Isadra,” said Kivar, turning away. “Tell me,” he said, turning back to face her. “What was your favorite picture?”
“I enjoyed the picture of you, in your military uniform, walking in the garden with Queen Vilondra,” Isabel lied.
“And why is that,” asked Kivar.
“Because while I can still see you as a formidable leader, what is more apparent is the love you share with the Queen.”
“Thank you, Isadra,” said Kivar, pleased with her answer. “The Ambassador is right, you will go far as a diplomat. Your answer was truthful, as well as flattering.” He reached out and took Isabel by the arm. “I am however going to ask you to leave the palace. We have an intruder in here, and are about to conduct a room by room search. I do not want you to be accosted by any of my guardsmen. I trust, Isadra, that as a diplomat, you know the judiciousness of not repeating this information to anyone.”
“Should anyone think to ask Lord Kivar, I can honestly tell them that you and I discussed the artwork in the gallery,” said Isabel with a smile.
“Very wise, indeed,” said Kivar. He escorted her to the palace entrance and watched as she exited the gates passed the Aberjani trainees that were coming to search the palace, and walked back to town.
___________________________________
“I want a complete search of the palace,” said General Kobodi. “Each team has been assigned an area of the palace. Do not leave the sector you have been assigned, unless it is to return back here. We had an intruder here today. Surveillance showed a black haired woman enter the palace this morning, but we have yet to see her leave. Find her, and bring her to me!”
“Who do you think it was?” Kyle asked Max as the two entered the palace.
“I’m guessing Isabel,” said Max. “Maria said Liz was going to work in the lab today, and that Isabel was going to try and do some of her diplomatic stuff to gain access to the palace.”
“Well, if it was Isabel, you can stop worrying,” said Kyle. “There she is, right now.”
They watched Isabel pass under the palace gates and head towards town.
“Guess we found our intruder,” Max whispered to Kyle. “And we know that she got out okay.”
“It will make searching that much more fun,” said Kyle. “We can poke around and see what we can find. And maybe hide a few of Maria’s communicators while we’re searching,” he added.
“You have been given your assignments!” shouted General Kobodi. “I expect no deviation from them. Is that clear?”
“Yes, General!” shouted the Aberjani and the Aberjani trainees alike.
“What sector did we get?” Kyle asked.
Max looked down at their assignment, and struggled not to explode with laughter.
“You’ll never, in a million years believe me if I tell you,” said Max.
“Try me,” said Kyle.
“How does the throne room grab you?” said Max.
“No way. No freaking way,” said Kyle. “Damn, because I was thinking we’d sneak in there and leave a communicator.”
“Yeah, me too,” said Max. “We just can’t catch a break, can we?”
“It’s okay,” said Kyle. “We don’t need to catch a break, we can make our own.”
“Is that more of your Buddha stuff?” Max asked.
“N’ah, I got it in a fortune cookie one time,” deadpanned Kyle.
Max gave Kyle a quick shove, knocking him slightly off balance as the two entered the main foyer of the castle. Following the directions they had been given, the two quickly made their way to the throne room. Max put his hand out to open the door, then stopped.
“Want me to go first?” said Kyle.
“I’m afraid,” Max admitted. “For the first time since we got here, I’m afraid. What if I remember something, what if I don’t remember something? God, Kyle, I sat on that throne and ruled this world.”
“Max, I don’t think it’s going to be as bad as you think,” Kyle said. “All of you have managed to suppress all the memories of your life here, and none of you, except Isabel have ever accessed the memory implants Che’koth gave us.”
“Isabel did it?” said Max, clearly shocked by this revelation. “Why didn’t she tell me?”
“She didn’t want you to know,” said Kyle. “She didn’t want anyone to know.”
“But she told you?” asked a confused Max.
“No,” said Kyle.
“Then how did you know?” asked Max, still stunned by Kyle’s announcement.
“You really aren’t asking me that question, are you?” asked Kyle.
“Oh yeah, right,” said Max, sheepishly. “You have that whole empathy thing going on. Sorry.”
“Don’t be. It’s pretty helpful, now that I’m starting to get the hang of it. Like right now, I know what you’re feeling, and I want to tell you to stop it. You didn’t throw the thrown away, Max. It was stolen from you.”
“That’s incredible,” said Max. “Can I borrow you the next time Liz is mad at me and I don’t know why?”
“Do I look stupid?” laughed Kyle. “You ready, or do you want me to do this on my own?”
For an answer, Max pushed the door open, and the two walked inside. Max stood in the center of the room, and turned around in a circle.
“Nothing,” he said. “I don’t feel anything at all. Well other than admiration for Isabel’s handiwork, that is.”
“Come on, let’s blow this pop stand,” said Kyle. “We already know there isn’t any intruder here.”
“Yeah, okay, I’ll be with you in a second,” said Max. He waited until Kyle left the room, and moved over to what used to be his throne. “Something’s missing,” he mused, as he examined the high backed throne. Without thinking, he sat down on the throne, and it began to glow. Max jumped up and spun around, his jaw dropping in shock. He passed his and over the back of the throne, but nothing happened.
“At least I know what was missing,” he said. “Kyle, come here!”
Kyle ran into the room and went directly to Max’s side. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Oh, never mind, I figured it out myself.”
There, emblazoned on the throne was the Royal Seal of Antar.
Chapter Fifty – Six – Happenings at the Palace
“I’ve been searching for you, my love,” said Kivar. “It isn’t safe for you to wander around the palace like this. Come with me, I will take you back to our rooms.”
Isabel allowed herself to be taken by the arm, and led down a dark hallway. Kivar stopped outside a door, and opened it and led Isabel inside. Isabel stopped in shock when she entered the large chamber. She allowed her eyes to search the room, recalling the time when her parents, Vilondra’s parents, shared it.
That pig, she thought. How dare he defile their room like that.
“Come my love,” said Kivar, his voice heavy with lust. “I desire you.” He swept Isabel up into his arms and carried her over to the luxuriously draped bed.
Oh, God! Isabel thought. How the hell am I going to get out of this one. I’ll kill him before I let him touch me.
“I’m going to miss you, pet,” said Kivar, lying next to her on the bed. He ran his fingers through her long golden hair, releasing it from its bonds. Her golden curls cascaded down around her shoulders. He filled his hands with the silken mass, and brought it to his face.
“So soft, just like you,” he whispered. “Come love, touch me.”
Hesitantly, Isabel brought her hand to his chest. Do I kill him, now? she thought. She was just about to do it, when his communicator gave a short ring.
“Lord Kivar, this is General Kobodi. “We’re waiting for you in the Great Hall.”
Kivar growled in anger and rolled away from Isabel. He grabbed his communicator and spoke into it.
“I’ll be there in fifteen minutes!” he roared into the communicator.
“Aye, my Lord,” answered Kobodi.
That answers my question, thought Isabel. If I kill him now, and he doesn’t show up to his meeting with Kobodi, they’ll come looking for him. I’d never make it out of the palace.
“Come here love,” said Kivar, rolling towards her. We don’t have much time. He reached down and took her hand and placed it back on her chest. Isabel reacted quickly and fired a bolt of energy into his chest, knocking him into unconsciousness.
Jumping off the bed, she quickly hid one of the communicators in the room and turned for the door. At the last second, she ran back to the bed, and yanked several hairs from Kivar’s head.
Isabel opened the door, and looked up and down the hall, to make sure she was unobserved before dashing down the hall. She located the room where she had left her double and ran inside. She quickly stripped off the clothing that she wore and slipped back into her own clothing.
She dressed her double, and used her powers to wake her back up, and led her down the hall back to the room where the unconscious Kivar waited. She opened the door, and pushed the double inside and pushed her towards the bed. Isabel closed the door behind her and raced down the hallway. As she ran, she changed her appearance back to that if Isadra. She found the gallery and went inside, trying to slow her breathing as she did.
Isabel viewed the pictures in the gallery with horror, for most of them showed Kivar and herself in various poses.
As if, she thought to herself. She waited several more minutes, until her breathing slowed, and her face no longer felt flushed. She opened the door to the gallery and stepped out into the hallway, directly into the path of Kivar.
“E-excuse me, Lord Kivar,” she stammered. “I was just looking at the pictures in the gallery. Thank you so much for your kind and generous invitation.”
“Isadra, is it not?” asked Kivar. “The diplomatic apprentice?”
“Yes, Lord Kivar,” said Isabel, nodding her head.
“Tell me, young lady, have you seen anything strange since you’ve been in the palace?”
Isabel felt her heart begin to race with fear. “No, Lord Kivar,” she said. “But I’ve spent the last half hour in the gallery. Nobody came in there.”
“Thank you, Isadra,” said Kivar, turning away. “Tell me,” he said, turning back to face her. “What was your favorite picture?”
“I enjoyed the picture of you, in your military uniform, walking in the garden with Queen Vilondra,” Isabel lied.
“And why is that,” asked Kivar.
“Because while I can still see you as a formidable leader, what is more apparent is the love you share with the Queen.”
“Thank you, Isadra,” said Kivar, pleased with her answer. “The Ambassador is right, you will go far as a diplomat. Your answer was truthful, as well as flattering.” He reached out and took Isabel by the arm. “I am however going to ask you to leave the palace. We have an intruder in here, and are about to conduct a room by room search. I do not want you to be accosted by any of my guardsmen. I trust, Isadra, that as a diplomat, you know the judiciousness of not repeating this information to anyone.”
“Should anyone think to ask Lord Kivar, I can honestly tell them that you and I discussed the artwork in the gallery,” said Isabel with a smile.
“Very wise, indeed,” said Kivar. He escorted her to the palace entrance and watched as she exited the gates passed the Aberjani trainees that were coming to search the palace, and walked back to town.
___________________________________
“I want a complete search of the palace,” said General Kobodi. “Each team has been assigned an area of the palace. Do not leave the sector you have been assigned, unless it is to return back here. We had an intruder here today. Surveillance showed a black haired woman enter the palace this morning, but we have yet to see her leave. Find her, and bring her to me!”
“Who do you think it was?” Kyle asked Max as the two entered the palace.
“I’m guessing Isabel,” said Max. “Maria said Liz was going to work in the lab today, and that Isabel was going to try and do some of her diplomatic stuff to gain access to the palace.”
“Well, if it was Isabel, you can stop worrying,” said Kyle. “There she is, right now.”
They watched Isabel pass under the palace gates and head towards town.
“Guess we found our intruder,” Max whispered to Kyle. “And we know that she got out okay.”
“It will make searching that much more fun,” said Kyle. “We can poke around and see what we can find. And maybe hide a few of Maria’s communicators while we’re searching,” he added.
“You have been given your assignments!” shouted General Kobodi. “I expect no deviation from them. Is that clear?”
“Yes, General!” shouted the Aberjani and the Aberjani trainees alike.
“What sector did we get?” Kyle asked.
Max looked down at their assignment, and struggled not to explode with laughter.
“You’ll never, in a million years believe me if I tell you,” said Max.
“Try me,” said Kyle.
“How does the throne room grab you?” said Max.
“No way. No freaking way,” said Kyle. “Damn, because I was thinking we’d sneak in there and leave a communicator.”
“Yeah, me too,” said Max. “We just can’t catch a break, can we?”
“It’s okay,” said Kyle. “We don’t need to catch a break, we can make our own.”
“Is that more of your Buddha stuff?” Max asked.
“N’ah, I got it in a fortune cookie one time,” deadpanned Kyle.
Max gave Kyle a quick shove, knocking him slightly off balance as the two entered the main foyer of the castle. Following the directions they had been given, the two quickly made their way to the throne room. Max put his hand out to open the door, then stopped.
“Want me to go first?” said Kyle.
“I’m afraid,” Max admitted. “For the first time since we got here, I’m afraid. What if I remember something, what if I don’t remember something? God, Kyle, I sat on that throne and ruled this world.”
“Max, I don’t think it’s going to be as bad as you think,” Kyle said. “All of you have managed to suppress all the memories of your life here, and none of you, except Isabel have ever accessed the memory implants Che’koth gave us.”
“Isabel did it?” said Max, clearly shocked by this revelation. “Why didn’t she tell me?”
“She didn’t want you to know,” said Kyle. “She didn’t want anyone to know.”
“But she told you?” asked a confused Max.
“No,” said Kyle.
“Then how did you know?” asked Max, still stunned by Kyle’s announcement.
“You really aren’t asking me that question, are you?” asked Kyle.
“Oh yeah, right,” said Max, sheepishly. “You have that whole empathy thing going on. Sorry.”
“Don’t be. It’s pretty helpful, now that I’m starting to get the hang of it. Like right now, I know what you’re feeling, and I want to tell you to stop it. You didn’t throw the thrown away, Max. It was stolen from you.”
“That’s incredible,” said Max. “Can I borrow you the next time Liz is mad at me and I don’t know why?”
“Do I look stupid?” laughed Kyle. “You ready, or do you want me to do this on my own?”
For an answer, Max pushed the door open, and the two walked inside. Max stood in the center of the room, and turned around in a circle.
“Nothing,” he said. “I don’t feel anything at all. Well other than admiration for Isabel’s handiwork, that is.”
“Come on, let’s blow this pop stand,” said Kyle. “We already know there isn’t any intruder here.”
“Yeah, okay, I’ll be with you in a second,” said Max. He waited until Kyle left the room, and moved over to what used to be his throne. “Something’s missing,” he mused, as he examined the high backed throne. Without thinking, he sat down on the throne, and it began to glow. Max jumped up and spun around, his jaw dropping in shock. He passed his and over the back of the throne, but nothing happened.
“At least I know what was missing,” he said. “Kyle, come here!”
Kyle ran into the room and went directly to Max’s side. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Oh, never mind, I figured it out myself.”
There, emblazoned on the throne was the Royal Seal of Antar.
-
majiklmoon
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 361
- Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2001 10:55 am
- Contact:
Chapter 57 added 10/1/04
Disclaimer: Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I’m simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD’s get released.
Chapter Fifty – Seven – Panic and Power
“Make it go away,” said Kyle, his voice filled with panic. “Make it go away.”
“Don’t you think I tried already?” asked Max.
“Well, try again!” shouted Kyle. “Why’d you do that anyhow? They’re going to know it was us. We were the only ones in here.”
“Kyle, calm down,” said Max. “Freaking out isn’t going to help us any.”
“Well, it’s helping me feel better,” said Kyle. “Besides, this is your inner panic I’m picking up on. If you’d just let it out, I wouldn’t be freaking so much.”
“Leaf floating on a stream Kyle,” said Max. “See the freaking image in your mind and focus on it, while I try to come up with a plan.”
“Don’t bother,” said a suddenly calm Kyle. “I have one.” He walked across the throne room, stepped out into the hallway, and yelled.
“General Kobodi, General Kobodi! Emergency in the throne room!”
The other Aberjani, and the trainees took up the cry, and footsteps pounded in the hallway as everyone, including General Kobodi made their way to the throne room.
Max watched in horrified fascination as the room filled, and everyone gawked at the orb emblazoned on the headrest of the throne.
“What is the meaning of this!” shouted General Kobodi from the back of the room. “Why are all of these people in this room?” He shoved his way to the front of the crowd, and stopped in shock when the throne came into view.
“Who did this?” he asked, his voice deadly. “Who is responsible for securing this room?”
“We are, General Kobodi,” said Kyle, stepping forward.
“Can you explain to me why you chose to stand in a hallway and scream like a fishwife, instead of coming to find me?” asked Kobodi, his voice deadly.
“You told us not to leave the room we were sent to secure,” said Kyle, his face a mask of innocence.
A loud laugh caused everyone in the room to turn towards the door, where Kivar stood.
“He has you there, Kobodi,” said Kivar, his face a deceptive mask of calmness. “You told them not to leave the area that they secured until they were called. Congratulations, soldier. You unquestioningly followed orders. Now, tell me, which one of you did this?”
“Lord Kivar,” said Max, stepping forward. “Neither one of us did this, we don’t even know what it is. We only know that this symbol has appeared on the treasonous trash that has appeared in town. Kahtair thought it was best to raise the alarm.”
Kivar pushed his way through the crowd of students, and Max tried to hide a shudder of fear when he saw Zan slip his hand into Kivar’s pocket and pull out his communicator.
Kivar stopped when he stood in front of Max, and grabbed him by the arm. “Tell me which one of you did this?” he said, his voice hard as metal. As he spoke, he shoved at Max with his mind, and he could feel Kivar prodding him to tell the truth.
“It was here when we came in,” Max said, calmly. “As soon as we realized where we saw that symbol, Kahtair called for General Kobodi.”
“Dismiss your troops, Kobodi. We’re not going to find anything here,” said Kivar.
“Lord Kivar,” came a disembodied voice. “Lord Kivar, please contact the security center.”
Max cringed as he watched Kivar reach into his pocket for his communicator. A look of displeasure crossed his face when he couldn’t find it, and he quickly reached into another pocket and retrieved it.
“This is Kivar,” he said into the communicator.
“We have secured all the exits, as you requested, Sir. Nobody can enter or exit the building.”
“That will be all,” said Kivar. He shoved the communicator in his pocket. “Kobodi, I want to meet with you later. You instructed the trainees not to leave the areas they were searching. Your student reacted in the only way possible to notify you of a security breach. His comrades came running to assist him, as good soldiers will. All of this has probably allowed our intruder to escape, unnoticed. I expect you to have a very good reason for why you did this, when we meet. Dismissed.”
“Yes, Lord Kivar,” said Kobodi, bowing low. When he stood, he shot Kyle a look of malevolent hatred.
“Oh, and Kobodi, if I find out that any of your trainees have been punished because of your error, it will not go well for you,” said Kivar, walking out the door.
“You are dismissed,” said Kobodi, his voice filled with hatred. “Return to the Training Academy immediately.” He pushed past the trainees and stormed out the door and down the hallway.
By unspoken consent, the trainees waited several minutes until they were certain that they wouldn’t bump into Kobodi. They filed silently out of the throne, and down to the palace entrance.
Once they were clear of the palace, the other trainees circled around Max and Kyle.
“Which one of you did that?” asked the trainee called Quor`toth.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Max. “It’s like I said, the symbol was on the throne when we walked into the room.”
“Well, we’ve all got your back on this one,” said another trainee. “I could feel Kivar trying to mind warp you into telling the truth.”
“I was telling the truth,” said Max, quietly. “Come on, let’s get back to the Training Academy before Kobodi finds another reason to want to kill us all.”
The group began walking towards the school. Max and Kyle allowed themselves to fall to the back of the group, and meet up with Michael and Zan.
“What the hell happened?” Michael asked.
“Max felt the need to play king and sit in the pretty seat,” said Kyle. “And the throne decided to announce to the world that the king had arrived.”
“It was a stupid thing to do,” said Max.
“But perfectly natural,” said Zan. “I would have done the same thing, but I don’t know if I would have handled the whole situation as well as you guys did.”
“That was all Kyle,” said Max. “But your switcheroo with the communicators was pretty smooth.”
“What switcheroo?” asked Michael. “Jesus, I need a program to keep up with you guys.”
“I saw Zan remove the communicator from Kivar’s pocket, just before they paged him,” said Max. “How did you get the new communicator in his pocket so quickly though? I didn’t see that at all.”
“I did that first,” said Zan. “I slipped Maria’s in his left pocket, and pulled the other one out of his right pocket.”
“Very cool,” said Michael. “You know, I’m starting to feel really superfluous here.”
“How do you even know a word like superfluous?” questioned Kyle.
“It was a slow night at the CrashDown. I read Liz’s SAT prep book,” explained Michael.
“Anybody ever tell you what a geek you are sometimes, Guerin?” asked Kyle.
“Yeah, but you love me anyway,” said Michael, and Max did a double take at the uncharacteristic show of emotion.
“We’d better get moving,” said Zan. “We’re the last ones out, and you know that despite what Kivar said, Kobodi’s going to have it out for you and Kyle. Let’s not give him any extra ammunition.”
______________________________________
Once back at school, the group split up, agreeing to meet in the tunnel room as soon as possible. When Michael entered the room, he found Ava dancing joyously around the room, hugging herself with glee.
“Happy much?” asked Michael.
“Oh Michael, it was wonderful,” said Ava, throwing herself into her brother’s arms and hugging him tightly.
“That’s great,” said Michael. “I’m glad it was wonderful, but Ava, I just have one question. What the hell is it?”
“Just an idea that I had,” she said. “And it worked perfectly. I didn’t think it would, but it did.”
“That’s it, you are so not allowed to hang out with Maria anymore,” said Michael. “It’s bad enough that I never have a freaking clue what she’s talking about. I never knew it was catchy! You sound just like her. Slow down, start at the beginning, and for crying out loud, please use complete sentences.”
“I’m sorry, Michael,” said Ava, struggling to calm down a little. “But see, I had this really great idea to get some of the trideka to everyone. Che’koth helped me organize it, and it worked perfectly. Today, just about everyone in school, instructors and students alike received a package with a piece of jewelry in it. Do you know what this means?”
“They’re all going to have kick ass accessories?” said Michael.
“Michael!”
“I get it, I get it,” said Michael, wrapping his arms around Ava. “Good deal Little Sis, very good deal indeed.”
“What’s good?” asked Maria, standing with Alex in the doorway.
“Ava’s idea of course,” said Michael. “Where are the others?”
“There on there way,” said Alex. “We saw everyone except for Liz, but I’m sure she’ll be down too.”
The door opened again, and Max, Kyle, Zan and Isabel walked in to the small room. Everyone took their usual seats, except for Max, who paced around the room, feeling lost without Liz.
“Who wants to go first?” said Kyle in an effort to break the silence that pervaded the room.
“Don’t you think we should wait for Liz, first?” Isabel asked tentatively. She knew that she didn’t want to tell her story more than once.
“How about if we do this?” asked Michael looking at Ava. He could tell she was so excited to share her news with everyone that she was about to explode. “If someone has happy, and I mean strictly happy, nothing scary, news to share, they share it now. If there is anything of concern to share, we save it for when Liz gets here?”
Everyone agreed, and Ava jumped up, happy to share her news with her friends.
“So the way I figure it, by now, just about every member of the staff and the student body are officially unwarped,” she said. “With the obvious exception of Jara Kobodi of course.”
“Isn’t there a chance that someone will notify Kivar?” asked Alex.
“Yeah,” admitted Ava. “But we ran that same risk when we had the guy with the cart pass out all that stuff the other day.”
“Ava’s right,” said Maria. “And I think it was a great idea. Anybody else got any happy news to share?” She looked around the room, and watched as everyone shook their heads. “Then I propose that we celebrate Ava’s bold and successful maneuver until Liz gets here. All in favor?”
A resounding chorus of aye’s filled the room, followed by laughter at Maria’s attempt to follow parliamentary procedure. Everyone relaxed a little and began to talk. The volume of the various discussions drowned out the sounds from the tunnel.
Max looked up and noticed Che’koth standing in the passage to the tunnel, watching all of them, his face a study of intense concentration.
“Hey Che’koth, what’s up?” Max asked. “We’re just hanging out while we wait for Liz. The pasta nazi is off tonight, but we have plenty of other things to eat.”
“There is no time,” said Che’koth. “We need to get to work. There is much to be done. I want one of you to make some more flyers right away. When they are done, the rest of you will distribute them through out the city while everyone is asleep.”
Nobody moved from their seats. They just stared at Che’koth, shocked by his sudden appearance, and his outburst.
“Why are you sitting there?” he yelled. “I told you to get to work!”
“Now look,” began Max. He stopped as a bolt of energy shot across the room, striking Che’koth in the chest. He spun around to find Liz standing in the doorway, her arm extended to fire another bolt of energy if necessary.
Chapter Fifty – Seven – Panic and Power
“Make it go away,” said Kyle, his voice filled with panic. “Make it go away.”
“Don’t you think I tried already?” asked Max.
“Well, try again!” shouted Kyle. “Why’d you do that anyhow? They’re going to know it was us. We were the only ones in here.”
“Kyle, calm down,” said Max. “Freaking out isn’t going to help us any.”
“Well, it’s helping me feel better,” said Kyle. “Besides, this is your inner panic I’m picking up on. If you’d just let it out, I wouldn’t be freaking so much.”
“Leaf floating on a stream Kyle,” said Max. “See the freaking image in your mind and focus on it, while I try to come up with a plan.”
“Don’t bother,” said a suddenly calm Kyle. “I have one.” He walked across the throne room, stepped out into the hallway, and yelled.
“General Kobodi, General Kobodi! Emergency in the throne room!”
The other Aberjani, and the trainees took up the cry, and footsteps pounded in the hallway as everyone, including General Kobodi made their way to the throne room.
Max watched in horrified fascination as the room filled, and everyone gawked at the orb emblazoned on the headrest of the throne.
“What is the meaning of this!” shouted General Kobodi from the back of the room. “Why are all of these people in this room?” He shoved his way to the front of the crowd, and stopped in shock when the throne came into view.
“Who did this?” he asked, his voice deadly. “Who is responsible for securing this room?”
“We are, General Kobodi,” said Kyle, stepping forward.
“Can you explain to me why you chose to stand in a hallway and scream like a fishwife, instead of coming to find me?” asked Kobodi, his voice deadly.
“You told us not to leave the room we were sent to secure,” said Kyle, his face a mask of innocence.
A loud laugh caused everyone in the room to turn towards the door, where Kivar stood.
“He has you there, Kobodi,” said Kivar, his face a deceptive mask of calmness. “You told them not to leave the area that they secured until they were called. Congratulations, soldier. You unquestioningly followed orders. Now, tell me, which one of you did this?”
“Lord Kivar,” said Max, stepping forward. “Neither one of us did this, we don’t even know what it is. We only know that this symbol has appeared on the treasonous trash that has appeared in town. Kahtair thought it was best to raise the alarm.”
Kivar pushed his way through the crowd of students, and Max tried to hide a shudder of fear when he saw Zan slip his hand into Kivar’s pocket and pull out his communicator.
Kivar stopped when he stood in front of Max, and grabbed him by the arm. “Tell me which one of you did this?” he said, his voice hard as metal. As he spoke, he shoved at Max with his mind, and he could feel Kivar prodding him to tell the truth.
“It was here when we came in,” Max said, calmly. “As soon as we realized where we saw that symbol, Kahtair called for General Kobodi.”
“Dismiss your troops, Kobodi. We’re not going to find anything here,” said Kivar.
“Lord Kivar,” came a disembodied voice. “Lord Kivar, please contact the security center.”
Max cringed as he watched Kivar reach into his pocket for his communicator. A look of displeasure crossed his face when he couldn’t find it, and he quickly reached into another pocket and retrieved it.
“This is Kivar,” he said into the communicator.
“We have secured all the exits, as you requested, Sir. Nobody can enter or exit the building.”
“That will be all,” said Kivar. He shoved the communicator in his pocket. “Kobodi, I want to meet with you later. You instructed the trainees not to leave the areas they were searching. Your student reacted in the only way possible to notify you of a security breach. His comrades came running to assist him, as good soldiers will. All of this has probably allowed our intruder to escape, unnoticed. I expect you to have a very good reason for why you did this, when we meet. Dismissed.”
“Yes, Lord Kivar,” said Kobodi, bowing low. When he stood, he shot Kyle a look of malevolent hatred.
“Oh, and Kobodi, if I find out that any of your trainees have been punished because of your error, it will not go well for you,” said Kivar, walking out the door.
“You are dismissed,” said Kobodi, his voice filled with hatred. “Return to the Training Academy immediately.” He pushed past the trainees and stormed out the door and down the hallway.
By unspoken consent, the trainees waited several minutes until they were certain that they wouldn’t bump into Kobodi. They filed silently out of the throne, and down to the palace entrance.
Once they were clear of the palace, the other trainees circled around Max and Kyle.
“Which one of you did that?” asked the trainee called Quor`toth.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Max. “It’s like I said, the symbol was on the throne when we walked into the room.”
“Well, we’ve all got your back on this one,” said another trainee. “I could feel Kivar trying to mind warp you into telling the truth.”
“I was telling the truth,” said Max, quietly. “Come on, let’s get back to the Training Academy before Kobodi finds another reason to want to kill us all.”
The group began walking towards the school. Max and Kyle allowed themselves to fall to the back of the group, and meet up with Michael and Zan.
“What the hell happened?” Michael asked.
“Max felt the need to play king and sit in the pretty seat,” said Kyle. “And the throne decided to announce to the world that the king had arrived.”
“It was a stupid thing to do,” said Max.
“But perfectly natural,” said Zan. “I would have done the same thing, but I don’t know if I would have handled the whole situation as well as you guys did.”
“That was all Kyle,” said Max. “But your switcheroo with the communicators was pretty smooth.”
“What switcheroo?” asked Michael. “Jesus, I need a program to keep up with you guys.”
“I saw Zan remove the communicator from Kivar’s pocket, just before they paged him,” said Max. “How did you get the new communicator in his pocket so quickly though? I didn’t see that at all.”
“I did that first,” said Zan. “I slipped Maria’s in his left pocket, and pulled the other one out of his right pocket.”
“Very cool,” said Michael. “You know, I’m starting to feel really superfluous here.”
“How do you even know a word like superfluous?” questioned Kyle.
“It was a slow night at the CrashDown. I read Liz’s SAT prep book,” explained Michael.
“Anybody ever tell you what a geek you are sometimes, Guerin?” asked Kyle.
“Yeah, but you love me anyway,” said Michael, and Max did a double take at the uncharacteristic show of emotion.
“We’d better get moving,” said Zan. “We’re the last ones out, and you know that despite what Kivar said, Kobodi’s going to have it out for you and Kyle. Let’s not give him any extra ammunition.”
______________________________________
Once back at school, the group split up, agreeing to meet in the tunnel room as soon as possible. When Michael entered the room, he found Ava dancing joyously around the room, hugging herself with glee.
“Happy much?” asked Michael.
“Oh Michael, it was wonderful,” said Ava, throwing herself into her brother’s arms and hugging him tightly.
“That’s great,” said Michael. “I’m glad it was wonderful, but Ava, I just have one question. What the hell is it?”
“Just an idea that I had,” she said. “And it worked perfectly. I didn’t think it would, but it did.”
“That’s it, you are so not allowed to hang out with Maria anymore,” said Michael. “It’s bad enough that I never have a freaking clue what she’s talking about. I never knew it was catchy! You sound just like her. Slow down, start at the beginning, and for crying out loud, please use complete sentences.”
“I’m sorry, Michael,” said Ava, struggling to calm down a little. “But see, I had this really great idea to get some of the trideka to everyone. Che’koth helped me organize it, and it worked perfectly. Today, just about everyone in school, instructors and students alike received a package with a piece of jewelry in it. Do you know what this means?”
“They’re all going to have kick ass accessories?” said Michael.
“Michael!”
“I get it, I get it,” said Michael, wrapping his arms around Ava. “Good deal Little Sis, very good deal indeed.”
“What’s good?” asked Maria, standing with Alex in the doorway.
“Ava’s idea of course,” said Michael. “Where are the others?”
“There on there way,” said Alex. “We saw everyone except for Liz, but I’m sure she’ll be down too.”
The door opened again, and Max, Kyle, Zan and Isabel walked in to the small room. Everyone took their usual seats, except for Max, who paced around the room, feeling lost without Liz.
“Who wants to go first?” said Kyle in an effort to break the silence that pervaded the room.
“Don’t you think we should wait for Liz, first?” Isabel asked tentatively. She knew that she didn’t want to tell her story more than once.
“How about if we do this?” asked Michael looking at Ava. He could tell she was so excited to share her news with everyone that she was about to explode. “If someone has happy, and I mean strictly happy, nothing scary, news to share, they share it now. If there is anything of concern to share, we save it for when Liz gets here?”
Everyone agreed, and Ava jumped up, happy to share her news with her friends.
“So the way I figure it, by now, just about every member of the staff and the student body are officially unwarped,” she said. “With the obvious exception of Jara Kobodi of course.”
“Isn’t there a chance that someone will notify Kivar?” asked Alex.
“Yeah,” admitted Ava. “But we ran that same risk when we had the guy with the cart pass out all that stuff the other day.”
“Ava’s right,” said Maria. “And I think it was a great idea. Anybody else got any happy news to share?” She looked around the room, and watched as everyone shook their heads. “Then I propose that we celebrate Ava’s bold and successful maneuver until Liz gets here. All in favor?”
A resounding chorus of aye’s filled the room, followed by laughter at Maria’s attempt to follow parliamentary procedure. Everyone relaxed a little and began to talk. The volume of the various discussions drowned out the sounds from the tunnel.
Max looked up and noticed Che’koth standing in the passage to the tunnel, watching all of them, his face a study of intense concentration.
“Hey Che’koth, what’s up?” Max asked. “We’re just hanging out while we wait for Liz. The pasta nazi is off tonight, but we have plenty of other things to eat.”
“There is no time,” said Che’koth. “We need to get to work. There is much to be done. I want one of you to make some more flyers right away. When they are done, the rest of you will distribute them through out the city while everyone is asleep.”
Nobody moved from their seats. They just stared at Che’koth, shocked by his sudden appearance, and his outburst.
“Why are you sitting there?” he yelled. “I told you to get to work!”
“Now look,” began Max. He stopped as a bolt of energy shot across the room, striking Che’koth in the chest. He spun around to find Liz standing in the doorway, her arm extended to fire another bolt of energy if necessary.
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majiklmoon
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- Contact:
Chapter 58 added 10/2/04
Disclaimer: Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I’m simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD’s get released.
Chapter Fifty – Eight – Will the Real Che’koth Please Stand Up
Maria screams filled the room. Michael and Kyle spun to fire on the intruder, and only the quick thinking of Zan stopped them.
“Don’t!” he shouted. “It’s Liz!”
“Liz, what did you just do?” Maria asked in horror. “You just killed Che’koth.”
“Who says that’s Liz,” said Kyle, his voice hard with pain and anger. “Maybe it’s a shape shifter, like Nascedo.”
“I’m not a shape shifter, you idiot,” said the person in the doorway. “God, you guys, it’s me. Don’t you recognize me?”
“I don’t know who you are,” said Maria. “But our Liz would never kill the one friend we have on this God forsaken planet.”
“Will you just listen for a second? I am Liz, and that wasn’t Che’koth. He was an imposter.”
Without a word, Max crossed the room, and pulled Liz into his arms and kissed her. As they kissed, he got flashes of Liz as a child, and flashes of the life he and Liz had started to build together on Earth. He pulled away from Liz and looked at the others.
“She’s Liz,” he said. “Liz, why did you do it? Why did you kill Che’koth? He was just telling us that we had to mobilize, and get more posters out into the city.”
“I’m trying to tell you,” said Liz. “If you’d all just shut up and let me explain. That’s not Che’koth lying there.”
“Liz is right,” said a voice from the tunnel.
Everyone turned and watched as another Che’koth staggered into the room, blood dripping from a gash on his head.
“Che’koth!” Liz cried. She rushed across the room and led him to a chair. “Sit down, let me clean and bandage that for you. What happened?”
“I was attacked just as I entered the tunnel,” he said, falling heavily into the chair.
“Here, why don’t I heal that for you,” said Max, moving over to stand next to Liz.
“NO!” both of them shouted.
“You must not waste your powers on me, Max,” Che’koth said. “You will need them later I am sure.”
“Look, how do we know all of this is true?” asked Isabel, speaking for the first time. “I mean, I know Max said he got flashes when he kissed Liz, so that must be Liz, but how do we know you’re really Che’koth?”
“Liz said he was. She was certain that the other one was an imposter,” added Alex. “How can we be certain?”
“Simple,” said Liz. “Che’koth, what should we do now?”
“That’s not my decision to make, Majesty. If you look inside of you, you’ll find the answers. You only have to search.”
“That’s Che’koth,” said Liz.”
“What? I don’t get it,” said Alex.
“Look the other night, Che’koth and I had a conversation, and I pointed out that he never gives us orders. He may make suggestions, but he never tells us what to do. When I walked in, that guy over there,” she pointed to the body on the ground, “Was ordering all of you around like there was no tomorrow. That’s how I knew he wasn’t Che’koth.”
“Well, who’s that, then?” asked Kyle, pointing to the body.
“I don’t know,” admitted Che’koth. “He came up from behind me. I never saw him.”
“He isn’t dead,” said Liz. “I only stunned him.”
“Great, lets wake him up,” said Zan, grimly. He reached down and grabbed the man, and dumped some water on his face.
“What happened?” asked the fake Che’koth.
“We’ll do the questioning,” said Michael. “Starting with who the hell are you?”
“I am Che’koth, of course,” said the man. “Why aren’t any of you doing what I told you to do? We need to get those posters out there.”
“Ava?” said Michael. Ava stepped up and focused on the man, and gave his mind a small shove.
“Who are you?” demanded Michael.
“I am Chak N’ohr,” said the man. “I was recruited, along with many others, by General Kobodi to find out who is responsible for spreading the filthy lies about the royal family. I saw a man slip into a hidden tunnel, and I decided to follow him. I jumped him, and he fell, hitting his head. I found his identity papers, so I knew his name. I changed my appearance to look like him, and I left him for dead in the tunnel. I followed the tunnel until I came to this room. I hid in the darkness while I listened to you talk. I know you are the ones who are responsible for trying to turn people against Lord Kivar.”
“What are we going to do with him?” asked Isabel. “We can’t just kill him.”
“Isabel, we’re talking about waging a war,” said Zan. “Don’t you think we’ll be killing people then?”
“That’s different,” said Isabel. “If we kill him now, we’ll just be killing him in cold blood. We can’t do that. We’re not like that.”
“You’re right,” admitted Zan. “Damn, where are Lonnie and Rath when you really need them.”
“We don’t have to kill him,” said Alex. “If Ava and I warp the hell out of his mind, he won’t remember anything.”
“Unless he comes across some of the trideka we’ve modified,” said Ava.
“I think you’re plan is best,” said Che’koth from the chair. “We can worry about the trideka at a later date. I will however destroy that particular entrance to the tunnel. Please do not try to exit through there until I can arrange for another passage to be made.”
“I don’t know, Che’koth. You’re starting to sound kind of bossy,” said Liz with a smile.
“Ava, Alex, you know what to do, right?” Max asked. The two nodded, and proceeded to warp Chak N’ohr’s mind, convincing him that he had not seen or heard anything at all. When they were done, Isabel reached over and knocked him back out.
“We have some things to talk about,” she said by way of an explanation, “We can get rid of him after we’re done. I want to tell you all what happened today, and I just want to get it over with.”
Isabel related her encounter with Kivar and Kobodi, and Kivar’s invitation for her to visit the gallery at her leisure.
“I snuck back into the palace, and placed a few of the communicators around. Then I encountered my double. I knocked her out, and dressed in her clothes. I figured I have more access to areas of the palace that way.”
“Are you insane Isabel Amanda Evans Whitman!” shouted Alex. “What if Kivar had found you?”
“He did,” said Isabel. “Did you know that bastard is using our parents bed chamber for his own?”
“Bed chamber?” shouted Alex.
“Calm down, Alex,” said Isabel, the tremor in her voice discounting the calm expression on her face. “I knocked him out, and I got the hell out of there. I retrieved my duplicate, switched clothing, and sent her into him.”
“Liz, I cannot believe you put yourself in such danger,” said Alex. “He could have killed you.”
“So what,” Isabel shot back. “It’s not like that’s a new experience, he already did it once.”
Alex jumped up and walked across the room to where Isabel stood. He put his arms around Isabel in a comforting gesture, but she shook him off.
“Alex, you can’t take care of this with a hug. I’m not a child, and it’s not going to make me feel all better.”
“Maybe it’s supposed to make me feel better, Iz, did you ever think of that? I’m scared shitless at the thought of you anywhere near that son of a bitch, and you’re standing here glibly telling us he took you to his bedroom. How am I supposed to act?”
“I’m sorry,” cried Isabel, bursting into tears. “I don’t know why I’m acting this way.”
“Isabel, come sit by me,” said Che’koth. “Calm down, and let the others recount their adventures today.
Alex led Isabel across the room, and the two took seats on the floor next to Che’koth.
“Max would you care to tell us about your adventures?” Che’koth asked. His mouth quirked gently at the corners, and Liz had the impression that Che’koth already knew what Max was going to say. As Max recounted his tale to the others, Che’koth absently stroked Isabel’s hair in a comforting gesture. Liz watched her friend relax, bit by bit, as she was soothed by the Antarians gentle ministrations.
Everyone laughed at Max’s description of their panic he and Kyle felt when the symbol appeared on the throne.
“Why didn’t you tell us about that?” Max asked Che’koth, accusingly.
“Why did you sit in the throne?” countered Che’koth. “You keep saying you’re nobody’s king. Why sit in the throne of a king?”
“Well, I, uh,” said Max, feebly, and everybody laughed.
“Relax, Max, I’m only teasing you,” said Che’koth. “I don’t think anybody, when faced with that opportunity wouldn’t do the same thing.”
“Okay, let’s move this along, so we can get to the planning portion of our program. We’ve heard the happy Ava news, the upsetting Isabel news, the hysterical Max faux pas, what’s next?”
“Well, I pissed of General Kobodi in a huge way,” said Kyle. “That was kind of fun.”
“And I picked Kivar’s pocket and slipped him one of Maria and Alex’s communicators,” said Zan.
“I figured out how to kill us all,” said Liz. She looked around at the shocked and distraught looks on her friends faces and gave a wry smile.
“I guess I win.”
Chapter Fifty – Eight – Will the Real Che’koth Please Stand Up
Maria screams filled the room. Michael and Kyle spun to fire on the intruder, and only the quick thinking of Zan stopped them.
“Don’t!” he shouted. “It’s Liz!”
“Liz, what did you just do?” Maria asked in horror. “You just killed Che’koth.”
“Who says that’s Liz,” said Kyle, his voice hard with pain and anger. “Maybe it’s a shape shifter, like Nascedo.”
“I’m not a shape shifter, you idiot,” said the person in the doorway. “God, you guys, it’s me. Don’t you recognize me?”
“I don’t know who you are,” said Maria. “But our Liz would never kill the one friend we have on this God forsaken planet.”
“Will you just listen for a second? I am Liz, and that wasn’t Che’koth. He was an imposter.”
Without a word, Max crossed the room, and pulled Liz into his arms and kissed her. As they kissed, he got flashes of Liz as a child, and flashes of the life he and Liz had started to build together on Earth. He pulled away from Liz and looked at the others.
“She’s Liz,” he said. “Liz, why did you do it? Why did you kill Che’koth? He was just telling us that we had to mobilize, and get more posters out into the city.”
“I’m trying to tell you,” said Liz. “If you’d all just shut up and let me explain. That’s not Che’koth lying there.”
“Liz is right,” said a voice from the tunnel.
Everyone turned and watched as another Che’koth staggered into the room, blood dripping from a gash on his head.
“Che’koth!” Liz cried. She rushed across the room and led him to a chair. “Sit down, let me clean and bandage that for you. What happened?”
“I was attacked just as I entered the tunnel,” he said, falling heavily into the chair.
“Here, why don’t I heal that for you,” said Max, moving over to stand next to Liz.
“NO!” both of them shouted.
“You must not waste your powers on me, Max,” Che’koth said. “You will need them later I am sure.”
“Look, how do we know all of this is true?” asked Isabel, speaking for the first time. “I mean, I know Max said he got flashes when he kissed Liz, so that must be Liz, but how do we know you’re really Che’koth?”
“Liz said he was. She was certain that the other one was an imposter,” added Alex. “How can we be certain?”
“Simple,” said Liz. “Che’koth, what should we do now?”
“That’s not my decision to make, Majesty. If you look inside of you, you’ll find the answers. You only have to search.”
“That’s Che’koth,” said Liz.”
“What? I don’t get it,” said Alex.
“Look the other night, Che’koth and I had a conversation, and I pointed out that he never gives us orders. He may make suggestions, but he never tells us what to do. When I walked in, that guy over there,” she pointed to the body on the ground, “Was ordering all of you around like there was no tomorrow. That’s how I knew he wasn’t Che’koth.”
“Well, who’s that, then?” asked Kyle, pointing to the body.
“I don’t know,” admitted Che’koth. “He came up from behind me. I never saw him.”
“He isn’t dead,” said Liz. “I only stunned him.”
“Great, lets wake him up,” said Zan, grimly. He reached down and grabbed the man, and dumped some water on his face.
“What happened?” asked the fake Che’koth.
“We’ll do the questioning,” said Michael. “Starting with who the hell are you?”
“I am Che’koth, of course,” said the man. “Why aren’t any of you doing what I told you to do? We need to get those posters out there.”
“Ava?” said Michael. Ava stepped up and focused on the man, and gave his mind a small shove.
“Who are you?” demanded Michael.
“I am Chak N’ohr,” said the man. “I was recruited, along with many others, by General Kobodi to find out who is responsible for spreading the filthy lies about the royal family. I saw a man slip into a hidden tunnel, and I decided to follow him. I jumped him, and he fell, hitting his head. I found his identity papers, so I knew his name. I changed my appearance to look like him, and I left him for dead in the tunnel. I followed the tunnel until I came to this room. I hid in the darkness while I listened to you talk. I know you are the ones who are responsible for trying to turn people against Lord Kivar.”
“What are we going to do with him?” asked Isabel. “We can’t just kill him.”
“Isabel, we’re talking about waging a war,” said Zan. “Don’t you think we’ll be killing people then?”
“That’s different,” said Isabel. “If we kill him now, we’ll just be killing him in cold blood. We can’t do that. We’re not like that.”
“You’re right,” admitted Zan. “Damn, where are Lonnie and Rath when you really need them.”
“We don’t have to kill him,” said Alex. “If Ava and I warp the hell out of his mind, he won’t remember anything.”
“Unless he comes across some of the trideka we’ve modified,” said Ava.
“I think you’re plan is best,” said Che’koth from the chair. “We can worry about the trideka at a later date. I will however destroy that particular entrance to the tunnel. Please do not try to exit through there until I can arrange for another passage to be made.”
“I don’t know, Che’koth. You’re starting to sound kind of bossy,” said Liz with a smile.
“Ava, Alex, you know what to do, right?” Max asked. The two nodded, and proceeded to warp Chak N’ohr’s mind, convincing him that he had not seen or heard anything at all. When they were done, Isabel reached over and knocked him back out.
“We have some things to talk about,” she said by way of an explanation, “We can get rid of him after we’re done. I want to tell you all what happened today, and I just want to get it over with.”
Isabel related her encounter with Kivar and Kobodi, and Kivar’s invitation for her to visit the gallery at her leisure.
“I snuck back into the palace, and placed a few of the communicators around. Then I encountered my double. I knocked her out, and dressed in her clothes. I figured I have more access to areas of the palace that way.”
“Are you insane Isabel Amanda Evans Whitman!” shouted Alex. “What if Kivar had found you?”
“He did,” said Isabel. “Did you know that bastard is using our parents bed chamber for his own?”
“Bed chamber?” shouted Alex.
“Calm down, Alex,” said Isabel, the tremor in her voice discounting the calm expression on her face. “I knocked him out, and I got the hell out of there. I retrieved my duplicate, switched clothing, and sent her into him.”
“Liz, I cannot believe you put yourself in such danger,” said Alex. “He could have killed you.”
“So what,” Isabel shot back. “It’s not like that’s a new experience, he already did it once.”
Alex jumped up and walked across the room to where Isabel stood. He put his arms around Isabel in a comforting gesture, but she shook him off.
“Alex, you can’t take care of this with a hug. I’m not a child, and it’s not going to make me feel all better.”
“Maybe it’s supposed to make me feel better, Iz, did you ever think of that? I’m scared shitless at the thought of you anywhere near that son of a bitch, and you’re standing here glibly telling us he took you to his bedroom. How am I supposed to act?”
“I’m sorry,” cried Isabel, bursting into tears. “I don’t know why I’m acting this way.”
“Isabel, come sit by me,” said Che’koth. “Calm down, and let the others recount their adventures today.
Alex led Isabel across the room, and the two took seats on the floor next to Che’koth.
“Max would you care to tell us about your adventures?” Che’koth asked. His mouth quirked gently at the corners, and Liz had the impression that Che’koth already knew what Max was going to say. As Max recounted his tale to the others, Che’koth absently stroked Isabel’s hair in a comforting gesture. Liz watched her friend relax, bit by bit, as she was soothed by the Antarians gentle ministrations.
Everyone laughed at Max’s description of their panic he and Kyle felt when the symbol appeared on the throne.
“Why didn’t you tell us about that?” Max asked Che’koth, accusingly.
“Why did you sit in the throne?” countered Che’koth. “You keep saying you’re nobody’s king. Why sit in the throne of a king?”
“Well, I, uh,” said Max, feebly, and everybody laughed.
“Relax, Max, I’m only teasing you,” said Che’koth. “I don’t think anybody, when faced with that opportunity wouldn’t do the same thing.”
“Okay, let’s move this along, so we can get to the planning portion of our program. We’ve heard the happy Ava news, the upsetting Isabel news, the hysterical Max faux pas, what’s next?”
“Well, I pissed of General Kobodi in a huge way,” said Kyle. “That was kind of fun.”
“And I picked Kivar’s pocket and slipped him one of Maria and Alex’s communicators,” said Zan.
“I figured out how to kill us all,” said Liz. She looked around at the shocked and distraught looks on her friends faces and gave a wry smile.
“I guess I win.”
-
majiklmoon
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Chapter 59 added 10/3/04
Disclaimer: Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I’m simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD’s get released.
Chapter Fifty – Nine – Mourning
“Chica,” said Maria. “We just decided you were one of the good guys not thirty minutes ago. Are you telling me we made a mistake?”
“Maria!” Liz shouted. “Please tell me you’re kidding.”
“I think I should be saying that to you,” said Maria. “Why would you want to kill us?”
“I think she means she finalized the tracking system,” said Alex. “Am I right?”
“Yes, and no,” said Liz. “I finally realized that it’s not the weapon that needs the tracking system, it’s the bullet or whatever it fires. I figured out a way to make a sensor that can track our DNA.”
“That’s excellent, Liz. Way to go!” shouted Alex, excitedly.
“Excuse me for not understanding,” said Kyle. “But I guess I’m not quite following why we should be excited because it’s now easier to track and kill us.”
“Remedial science strikes again,” laughed Alex, not unkindly. “If Liz can code the sensors to track our DNA, she can also code it to block our DNA,” he explained.
“I always knew there was a reason why you were my best friend,” said Maria, reaching out to hug Liz. “Aren’t you just the smart one!”
“Well, I do have news that falls into the happy, happy category too,” said Liz, smiling shyly. I managed to get Varonia off our backs as well. She followed me to the lab, and I got in her face about it.”
“You got in somebody’s face?” asked Michael. “I’m having trouble with this concept for some reason.
“Hey, I went all Buffy on her!” said Liz.
“Right,” laughed Michael.
“I’m not quite sure what going all Buffy means,” said Che’koth, “But she did have the girl pinned against the wall.”
“How did you know?” she asked Che’koth.
“Plash Nevenia told me,” he laughed. “I saw her this afternoon, and she was very impressed with the way you handled the situation.”
“Way to go, Liz,” said Kyle.
“Are you okay?” Max asked softly. He was still shaken by the way Liz charged in and stunned their intruder. Finding out that she had virtually attacked Varonia had really freaked him out. She was acting like some Amazon princess or something.
“I’m fine, Max,” Liz answered. “Anyhow, the director showed up, and I turned the tables on her, and said, maybe she was a spy or something, and was trying to hide by throwing suspicion on me. The director fell for it and was going to bring her to her father to discuss the situation.”
“It was a masterful way to handle the situation, Liz,” said Che’koth. “I think if the director hadn’t approached, she still would have backed down. She needed to learn the hard way that she couldn’t intimidate you.”
“So, what’s next?” asked Alex. “When do we put the big plan into action?”
“I need a little more time to modify the sensors so that they don’t track our DNA,” said Liz. “Alex, maybe I can get you assigned to help me since you created the weapon.”
“Sounds like fun,” said Alex. “I always wanted to get you alone in a lab, Parker.”
“That’s Parker-Evans, thank you very much,” said Max, with a forced grin. He was worried. Liz had gone from being totally depressed and withdrawn into her self, to throwing herself completely into this project. He wasn’t sure if it was healthy or not.
“Hey Liz,” Isabel called. “That sensor you’re programming. Can you program it to go after Kivar?”
“Sure,” said Liz. “If we had a sample of his DNA. It wouldn’t be hard at all.”
“You can get it from hair, can’t you?” asked Isabel. “Not just from blood samples.”
“Yeah, why? You planning on going back and giving him a hair cut?”
“I already did,” said Isabel. She reached into her pouch and withdrew a small container with the strands of hair she removed from Kivar earlier in the day. “I guess I had the idea in the back of my mind without ever realizing it,” she continued. “So when the opportunity presented itself, I just couldn’t resist.”
“Well whatever motivated you, Isabel, who cares,” said Alex. “That was a phenomenal idea!”
While the rest of the group celebrated, Maria watched Max and Liz. Neither one of them seemed truly happy lately. Maria reached over and tapped Liz’s.
“Got a second, Chica?” she asked.
“Sure, what’s up?”
“Not here, lets go into the tunnel. I need to talk to you, and I don’t want anybody to overhear.”
The two girls slipped unnoticed into the tunnel and moved away from the small room.
“What’s the matter, Maria?” Liz asked, her voice filled with concern.
“No, I’m afraid you have it all wrong. That’s my line. What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing,” said Liz automatically. “Everything’s great.”
“Right, try telling it to somebody who doesn’t know you. Maybe they’ll believe you, but I don’t. Now spill.”
Liz leaned against the dirt wall, and slid down against it until she came to the floor. She pulled her knees up to her chin, and wrapped her arms around her legs, and sighed.
“I don’t know. I guess I really hate the thought of creating anything that could be used to hurt people. I’ve always wanted to be a scientist, but I never dreamed I’d make a weapon. Me, Liz Parker! I go out of my way not to step on bugs, for crying out loud. Today, I threatened a girl, and created a weapon that is supposed to kill all of us.”
“Liz this whole thing is changing all of us,” said Maria. “Okay, so you got violent today. That doesn’t mean you’re going turn around and start throwing everybody you meet up against walls, or anything.”
“But it’s just weird, you know. It’s so not like me.”
“So, it’s not like me to do well in any type of school, and I’m doing it here just to piss off that wench Jara Kobodi,” said Maria. “And as far as that stupid weapon thing goes, it was going to get made no matter what. At least with you involved, we know it’s not going to kill us. Now, how about telling Auntie Maria what’s really wrong. Max is worried about you.”
“Why? Did he say something to you?” asked Liz.
“He didn’t have to. He’s got a permanent worried frown thing going on every time he looks at you. If he doesn’t watch out, he’s going to get wrinkles.”
Liz laughed despite the sadness she was feeling. “I don’t think that’s a primary concern for him, Maria.”
“Well, you are a primary concern,” said Maria. “He’s worried about you.”
“If Max is worried, Max needs to talk to me about it himself,” said Liz. “That was part of our problem this past year. He wouldn’t talk to me about anything important. He just tried to pretend that nothing was wrong.”
“Well, I’m not pretending now,” Max’s voice came from the darkness. “We need to talk.”
“That’s my cue to book,” said Maria. She hugged her friend and walked through the darkness to the small room where the others sat.
“Talk to me, Liz. Tell me what’s wrong. And don’t give me that crap about the tracking system and you shoving that girl against the wall. It’s more than that. Let’s talk about it, please?”
“You listened to us,” Liz accused.
“You’re right, I did,” said Max. “I didn’t start out trying to eavesdrop, but when I heard what you were saying, I decided it was better for me to wait. Liz, I don’t want to go back to how we were a year ago. You were so quiet and withdrawn, and I didn’t do anything to help you with that. I know I didn’t. I just kept trying to pretend that everything was all better. It was easier than grieving over our child.”
Max sat down on the hard ground next to Liz and took her hand and held it against my chest.
“You’re in here, Liz. You, and our baby are locked in my heart. Part of me died when our baby died. Don’t destroy more of my heart by pulling away from me again.”
“I’m not trying to Max,” Liz whispered. “I – I just need to focus on something right now, because if I don’t, I start thinking about – about our baby. Oh Max, our baby is dead,” she cried.
Max wrapped his arms around her, and she sobbed brokenly into his chest. He held her tightly as her body shook in his arms, heaving as she tried to breath.
“Liz,” Max began, stopping when he felt the hot tears coursing down his cheeks. Giving in to the pain he had suppressed, Max cried along with Liz, grieving for the child they had loved, but never gotten to know.
Chapter Fifty – Nine – Mourning
“Chica,” said Maria. “We just decided you were one of the good guys not thirty minutes ago. Are you telling me we made a mistake?”
“Maria!” Liz shouted. “Please tell me you’re kidding.”
“I think I should be saying that to you,” said Maria. “Why would you want to kill us?”
“I think she means she finalized the tracking system,” said Alex. “Am I right?”
“Yes, and no,” said Liz. “I finally realized that it’s not the weapon that needs the tracking system, it’s the bullet or whatever it fires. I figured out a way to make a sensor that can track our DNA.”
“That’s excellent, Liz. Way to go!” shouted Alex, excitedly.
“Excuse me for not understanding,” said Kyle. “But I guess I’m not quite following why we should be excited because it’s now easier to track and kill us.”
“Remedial science strikes again,” laughed Alex, not unkindly. “If Liz can code the sensors to track our DNA, she can also code it to block our DNA,” he explained.
“I always knew there was a reason why you were my best friend,” said Maria, reaching out to hug Liz. “Aren’t you just the smart one!”
“Well, I do have news that falls into the happy, happy category too,” said Liz, smiling shyly. I managed to get Varonia off our backs as well. She followed me to the lab, and I got in her face about it.”
“You got in somebody’s face?” asked Michael. “I’m having trouble with this concept for some reason.
“Hey, I went all Buffy on her!” said Liz.
“Right,” laughed Michael.
“I’m not quite sure what going all Buffy means,” said Che’koth, “But she did have the girl pinned against the wall.”
“How did you know?” she asked Che’koth.
“Plash Nevenia told me,” he laughed. “I saw her this afternoon, and she was very impressed with the way you handled the situation.”
“Way to go, Liz,” said Kyle.
“Are you okay?” Max asked softly. He was still shaken by the way Liz charged in and stunned their intruder. Finding out that she had virtually attacked Varonia had really freaked him out. She was acting like some Amazon princess or something.
“I’m fine, Max,” Liz answered. “Anyhow, the director showed up, and I turned the tables on her, and said, maybe she was a spy or something, and was trying to hide by throwing suspicion on me. The director fell for it and was going to bring her to her father to discuss the situation.”
“It was a masterful way to handle the situation, Liz,” said Che’koth. “I think if the director hadn’t approached, she still would have backed down. She needed to learn the hard way that she couldn’t intimidate you.”
“So, what’s next?” asked Alex. “When do we put the big plan into action?”
“I need a little more time to modify the sensors so that they don’t track our DNA,” said Liz. “Alex, maybe I can get you assigned to help me since you created the weapon.”
“Sounds like fun,” said Alex. “I always wanted to get you alone in a lab, Parker.”
“That’s Parker-Evans, thank you very much,” said Max, with a forced grin. He was worried. Liz had gone from being totally depressed and withdrawn into her self, to throwing herself completely into this project. He wasn’t sure if it was healthy or not.
“Hey Liz,” Isabel called. “That sensor you’re programming. Can you program it to go after Kivar?”
“Sure,” said Liz. “If we had a sample of his DNA. It wouldn’t be hard at all.”
“You can get it from hair, can’t you?” asked Isabel. “Not just from blood samples.”
“Yeah, why? You planning on going back and giving him a hair cut?”
“I already did,” said Isabel. She reached into her pouch and withdrew a small container with the strands of hair she removed from Kivar earlier in the day. “I guess I had the idea in the back of my mind without ever realizing it,” she continued. “So when the opportunity presented itself, I just couldn’t resist.”
“Well whatever motivated you, Isabel, who cares,” said Alex. “That was a phenomenal idea!”
While the rest of the group celebrated, Maria watched Max and Liz. Neither one of them seemed truly happy lately. Maria reached over and tapped Liz’s.
“Got a second, Chica?” she asked.
“Sure, what’s up?”
“Not here, lets go into the tunnel. I need to talk to you, and I don’t want anybody to overhear.”
The two girls slipped unnoticed into the tunnel and moved away from the small room.
“What’s the matter, Maria?” Liz asked, her voice filled with concern.
“No, I’m afraid you have it all wrong. That’s my line. What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing,” said Liz automatically. “Everything’s great.”
“Right, try telling it to somebody who doesn’t know you. Maybe they’ll believe you, but I don’t. Now spill.”
Liz leaned against the dirt wall, and slid down against it until she came to the floor. She pulled her knees up to her chin, and wrapped her arms around her legs, and sighed.
“I don’t know. I guess I really hate the thought of creating anything that could be used to hurt people. I’ve always wanted to be a scientist, but I never dreamed I’d make a weapon. Me, Liz Parker! I go out of my way not to step on bugs, for crying out loud. Today, I threatened a girl, and created a weapon that is supposed to kill all of us.”
“Liz this whole thing is changing all of us,” said Maria. “Okay, so you got violent today. That doesn’t mean you’re going turn around and start throwing everybody you meet up against walls, or anything.”
“But it’s just weird, you know. It’s so not like me.”
“So, it’s not like me to do well in any type of school, and I’m doing it here just to piss off that wench Jara Kobodi,” said Maria. “And as far as that stupid weapon thing goes, it was going to get made no matter what. At least with you involved, we know it’s not going to kill us. Now, how about telling Auntie Maria what’s really wrong. Max is worried about you.”
“Why? Did he say something to you?” asked Liz.
“He didn’t have to. He’s got a permanent worried frown thing going on every time he looks at you. If he doesn’t watch out, he’s going to get wrinkles.”
Liz laughed despite the sadness she was feeling. “I don’t think that’s a primary concern for him, Maria.”
“Well, you are a primary concern,” said Maria. “He’s worried about you.”
“If Max is worried, Max needs to talk to me about it himself,” said Liz. “That was part of our problem this past year. He wouldn’t talk to me about anything important. He just tried to pretend that nothing was wrong.”
“Well, I’m not pretending now,” Max’s voice came from the darkness. “We need to talk.”
“That’s my cue to book,” said Maria. She hugged her friend and walked through the darkness to the small room where the others sat.
“Talk to me, Liz. Tell me what’s wrong. And don’t give me that crap about the tracking system and you shoving that girl against the wall. It’s more than that. Let’s talk about it, please?”
“You listened to us,” Liz accused.
“You’re right, I did,” said Max. “I didn’t start out trying to eavesdrop, but when I heard what you were saying, I decided it was better for me to wait. Liz, I don’t want to go back to how we were a year ago. You were so quiet and withdrawn, and I didn’t do anything to help you with that. I know I didn’t. I just kept trying to pretend that everything was all better. It was easier than grieving over our child.”
Max sat down on the hard ground next to Liz and took her hand and held it against my chest.
“You’re in here, Liz. You, and our baby are locked in my heart. Part of me died when our baby died. Don’t destroy more of my heart by pulling away from me again.”
“I’m not trying to Max,” Liz whispered. “I – I just need to focus on something right now, because if I don’t, I start thinking about – about our baby. Oh Max, our baby is dead,” she cried.
Max wrapped his arms around her, and she sobbed brokenly into his chest. He held her tightly as her body shook in his arms, heaving as she tried to breath.
“Liz,” Max began, stopping when he felt the hot tears coursing down his cheeks. Giving in to the pain he had suppressed, Max cried along with Liz, grieving for the child they had loved, but never gotten to know.