Copyright 2000, Lyta. All rights reserved. No part of this story may be re-posted in part or in full without written permission from me.

Disclaimer: Gene Roddenberry’s Earth: Final Conflict is copyright 1998, Tribune Entertainment Co. Its characters are used without permission, no infringement is intended.

Rating: PG

Title: Echoes of Things to Come

Author: Lyta

Lyta_1028@yahoo.com

 

Summary: A shuttle crash threatens to expose hidden agendas and paves the way for important changes.

 

“Echoes of Things to Come”

 

            The shuttle had seen better days, it was fortunate that it had been able to make the long trip to Earth a second time at all considering the lack of spare parts that plagued Boone’s Resistance movement. It wobbled precariously as it entered the upper atmosphere, several systems threatening to go down too soon for anyone to emerge alive from the wreckage. The pilot, however, was skilled enough to control the crash.

            It would be possible to repair the shuttle to the condition that the Taelons had kept it in, but that was not to be. After grabbing his jacket and a scratched lightweight silver painted suitcase, the pilot armed a small cache of explosives that had been kept in special crates in the rear of the shuttle.

            Five minutes later, he was gone having melted effortlessly into the woods, and the shuttle exploded bursting into a rather spectacular fireball.

 

***

 

            Ronald Sandoval blinked at what the Volunteer showed him and felt a growing sense of dread that he was careful to camouflage. He knew that he must not show any recognition, much less apprehension, at the shuttle’s markings.

            “This shuttle was reported as being destroyed after failing rudimentary maintenance checks on its primary systems in such a way that it was deemed a dangerous vessel.” The Volunteer, Allyssa Briand, said confidently. At one time he might have demoted Volunteer Briand for the incident in Peru, but he had found himself impressed with her forbearance and tenacity. He almost smiled at the memory of how she glared at the camera crew with such intensity that they actually took a step back. After he returned to the Mothership he decided that she would become his new assistant, he had put off searching for another after the public revelation of Lili Marquette’s true loyalties, but Volunteer Briand quickly proved herself capable of filling the former Marine Captain’s shoes.

            “Who reported it destroyed?” Sandoval asked for form, though he already knew what the maintenance records would read. After the crackdown he had ordered one of his hackers to make a few alterations to some of the older records that would lay the blame in other directions should anything of this nature happen. He had yet to introduce Briand to his agenda, with both Zo’or and T’than hovering he had backed off from much of his direct involvement. This shuttle could either expose his plans, or handled correctly, it could draw attention away from him.

            “Volunteer Amanda Haynes.” Briand said in a voice that was almost a sneer. “The traitor.” Marquette’s loyalty to the Resistance had been a blow, but not quite as much as Haynes as she had been one of the Volunteers’ own.

            Sandoval nodded. This was perfect, if he could tie this into the Resistance then any future appearances by shuttles used in his agenda would be attributed to Doors group by default. “Very good, Ms. Briand, keep me informed.” He said and started to walk away.

            “There is one more thing, sir. We have yet to find any trace of remains and the Taelons have not reported any losses, so it is likely whoever was aboard the shuttle is still alive. The explosion destroyed any trace DNA evidence, but an eyewitness saw a tall man running from the shuttle and into the woods just prior to the explosion.”

            “A tall man? Could your eyewitness be more specific?”

            Briand shook her head. “It was dark and the man was in the woods before the explosion.”

            “Thank you, Ms. Briand.”

            A tall man? Sandoval had sent thousands to the hospital via the portals and a handful on shuttles, a convenient way to keep their small fleet up, and many would match that description. Those included William Boone and Liam Kincaid.

            If Boone or my son show up and are seen, everything could be lost, Sandoval thought. He glanced down at his new skrill, Peregrine, and swallowed hard. Boone he could kill, but Liam? He hoped it was not a situation that he would ever have to face.

            He walked to the shuttle and ordered the pilot to take him to the Mothership, unaware that he had been watched the entire time.

            “He is up to something.” Augur said, folding his arms over his chest and nodding slightly at the screen which was currently depicting a Taelon shuttle entering ID space.

            “Ronald Sandoval is always up to something, the question is what.” Doors said pacing the room. “I have a feeling that this is part of whatever agenda he has been running behind his Taelon master’s backs.”

            “If it does tie into his agenda, then Sandoval will do everything in his power to throw suspicion on someone else and let’s face it: the Resistance is the only real target for that suspicion.” Lili pointed out. “But we may have a way of finding out before Sandoval.”

            “How so?”

            “That explosion came after the crash, by several minutes, and Briand’s eyewitness saw someone walking away. From my read on his face, and I worked with the man for years so I know how to read him fairly well, this was a rather unwelcome surprise. He did not seem surprised at all when Briand mentioned Amanda.” Lili said.

            “He probably had the records fixed.” Augur commented. “I do it all the time, but Amanda doesn’t deserve to have her death used like this by the likes of Ronald Sandoval.”

            “Like it or not, using her is exactly what he has done and if the Taelons dig deep enough they might learn of our shuttle operations, which we cannot afford to have exposed.” Doors stated bluntly. “I’ve got more that just the person who planted this camera watching that site. We will be kept informed of recent developments and use them to find the pilot before Sandoval. I informed Renee just as soon as Solomon told me about the crash. We’ll find him.”

 

***

 

            “How is it that the shuttle was reported destroyed only to reappear as a wreck on Earth over a year later?” Zo’or demanded.

            Sandoval had an answer ready. “It was reported destroyed by Volunteer Amanda Haynes. During the Regulus campaign we learned that Haynes was a Resistance agent, indeed it was she who sabotaged the portals used in moving troops to the front.”

            “So,” Zo’or considered his protector’s words, “the Resistance has once again demonstrated their incompetence. This marks the second time they have absconded with one of our shuttles only to destroy it through their own stupidity. And what of the pilot?”

            “We have a witness who saw someone leaving the shuttle prior to its destruction.”

            “Find him. T’than seeks to use this incident to discredit me.”

            Sandoval was perplexed. “But the shuttle was reported destroyed when Quo’on was still the leader of the Synod.”

            “Yes, but I did not rectify or even notice his lapses in security. Use every resource available to you to find the pilot, suspend all over activities not directly related to my security until he is brought before me.”

            Damn, Sandoval thought, but he nodded and left the bridge to order the Volunteers to scour the area for the pilot.

 

***

 

            He had been walking for quite some time before he reached the car rental place.

            The manager noticed the tall man with the muscular build and startled at his bedraggled look before smiling sympathetically. “Your car break down?”

            The man shook his head in the negative, the man’s green eyes sparkled with reluctant humor at his situation. “Girlfriend and I had a fight…and it was her car. I was just glad she was willing to drop me off relatively close to your place.”

            “Where you heading?”

            “Well, we were on vacation, but right now I’ve had enough of the sites and want to get home. I live in Washington.”

            “Let’s see about fixing you up with something.”

 

***

 

            Da’an was tired.

            Zo’or and T’than seemed to have no qualms about pulling him into their powers struggles, things looked ever more grim for Earth each day, and Sandoval had been not at all forthcoming whenever he broached the subject of Liam. Had he not felt his protector’s continued presence in the Commonality he would actually have been inclined to believe the implant.

 

            He stared out the window at Washington, DC, and thus did not see the intruder slip into the office until he turned away from the view. When he at last saw his uninvited visitor he blushed and immediately clamped down on his connection to the Commonality lest the other Taelons wonder about his sudden shock and investigate. Fortunately they were too engrossed in the delicate building and crumbling of alliances around Zo’or and T’than to pay much heed to him.

            “You are believed to be dead.”

            “I know.”

            “How did you gain entrance to the embassy?” Da’an asked genuinely curious.

            “The underground tunnels. I did spend a year as your protector and know all the over ride codes on the security system.”

            “It is good to see you again, Liam.”

            Its good to be back Da’an.” Liam said surprising the Taelon by hugging him. “I missed you and do I have things to tell you!”

 

FIN