Copyright 1999,  Lyta. All rights reserved. No part of this story may be re-posted in part or in full without written permission from the author.
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-13
Title: An Unexpected Occurrence: Part Four
Author: Lyta
Lyta_1028@yahoo.com
Summary: A REALLY unusual relationship begins to develop
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"An Unexpected Occurrence"
Part Four
   

           "So, uh, do we join here or someplace else?" Liam finally asked, gesturing at the wilderness around them and trying very hard to be nonchalant. Liam was finding himself extremely nervous. Zo'or's proposal had triggered very responses from his Human and Kimeran sides. His Human side worried about the Resistance and the very real possibility of Zo'or discovering damaging information. That part of him also realized that he could easily find himself coerced into a joining by a CVI or some other Taelon device, and that agreeing to Zo'or's proposal allowed him the opportunity to try to shield what he knew. Liam vividly remembered Zo'or telling Sandoval with regards to Paul Chandler's likely lack of cooperation that the Taelons had methods of coercing Humans to do their bidding that made a CVI seem positively benign in comparison. His Kimeran side, however, was eager for the joining. Ha'gel's memories reminded him that he was the last of the Kimera, but simultaneously urged him to distrust Zo'or.  
    Zo'or fixed him with a withering stare.
    Liam continued on talking to cover the extremely awkward silence. "I mean at least out here there's not much of a worry about breaking anything. Joinings are hell on furniture."
    "I would prefer to conduct the joining here." Zo'or said in an almost prim tone. "But not for the reasons you described."
    "Reasons as in wanting to get it over with, or that the Synod might not approve, but if its already a done deal…"
    "Correct on both accounts."
    "Have you ever done this before?" Liam asked softly.
    "Numerous times, in failed attempts with my own kind to create life, but I have never joined with a being not a Taelon before."
    "Then lets get this over with, shall we?" Liam said. He held up his hands toward Zo'or, palms outward. After only a moment of hesitation, Zo'or pressed his palms to Liam's and they were swept up in the maelstrom of energy that characterized the joining.
    Liam found himself reacting out of his father's memories. His previous experience with Joyce Belman was nothing compared to a full joining. He saw Zo'or's life, lived it even through the Taelon's eyes.
    Liam witnessed the destruction of the Taelon homeworld, beholding the horror of a young Taelon witnessing the conflagration from a shuttle high above the surface. The Commonality was a cataphony of the deaths of those Taelons not fortunate enough to escape. He also was stunned to discover that Da'an was in fact Zo'or's parent! The future Synod leader had been primarily raised by his other parent and felt great resentment at being abandoned, and again when Da'an reversed his position on Humanity.
   Gradually he became aware of another entity present in the joining, and with a shock he realized it was the child that he had entered into the joining to create. He focused on the child, and to his surprise and joy the child tried to reach out to him in the mental equivalent of taking his hand.

To be continued..