Two Taelons were conferring in a laboratory on the Taelon mother ship. A dozen incubation chambers surrounded them, each holding a developing fetus.
        The elder of the two activated the data stream to summon Zo'or. He knew that the progress would greatly please the head of the Synod.
        "Have you made progress?" Zo'or demanded without preamble.
        "Yes," answered the younger one, "The fetuses will be ready to begin their existence within the next cycle."
        Zo'or was so pleased at the report that had been made that he blushed a deeper blue upon hearing the news that his pet project was proceeding on schedule.
        "Summon me when it is time." He said. The senior scientist bowed his head in acknowledgement as Zo'or cut the data stream.

        Captain Lili Marquette searched the gardens at the Taelon embassy for Da'an. She was unsure why he had requested that she meet him here after her duties to Sandoval were completed for the day. Not that she felt that he really needed a reason. She had missed the Taelon and had not had a chance to speak with him since Will's passing.
        "Ah, Lili, there you are." Da'an said, in his soft, musical voice.
        "Please, walk with me for awhile."
        She fell in beside him and they strolled leisurely down the paths in the spacious garden. Soon she relaxed and began to enjoy the day. She drank in the sunshine, the fragrance of the plants, and the presence of the Taelon beside her. Just being with him gave her such peace. She had many things she wanted to talk to him about, but it could wait. Such moments of quiet comfort should be made to last as long as possible.
        They walked through the garden for several minutes and Lili's mind began to wander. She thought of Will and all the times they had had, good and bad. She even allowed herself to think on her most secret thoughts about him, the fantasies of them one-day getting together in the most intimate of ways. At first it had been a natural attraction to a handsome man and, of course, compassion for the loss of his wife. But when she really got to know him, when she realized how complex and kind he really was, she had actually begun to fall in love with the protector. If only…
        "You were thinking of Commander Boone?"
        She was suddenly brought back to reality by Da'an's words and she realized they had come to a stop. To her surprise Da'an was facing her with his right hand on her shoulder and a subtle, knowing smile on his face.
        Lili blushed a deep crimson red when she realized that Da'an had picked up on her thoughts. "Yes, yes I was." she managed to fumble out, Now she was totally embarrassed and her cheeks became even redder. She could see the amusement in Da'an's eyes at her reaction to his question.
        "Please…" as he indicated a bench near a fountain a few feet away. They both seated themselves and watched a little bird bathe in the fountain. It chirped a cheery melody and splashed playfully about for a few moments, until it finally flew away and settled in nearby branch to groom the water from its feathers. Lili was glad to have the distraction but it wasn't long before she again felt the Taelon's gaze on her.
        "Captain…" Da'an began, then paused as if gathering his thoughts "Lili, it has been some time since we last saw one another, it is my hope that we could discuss Commander Boone's passing."
        Lili could not bring herself to look up at Da'an as tears welled up in her eyes. She clenched her teeth, refusing to let them spill over and show her weakness. She still had not cried in the weeks since his death. "I…I…" but she could not bring herself to speak more. The tears she so tenuously held back blurred her vision.
        Seeing her reaction, Da'an gently took her hand in an attempt to console her. When he touched her, he felt the true depth of her depression and denial over Boone's death. It mirrored his own. Lili forced herself to up look at him. When she saw the compassion and pain in his face, she could hold back no longer. The tears overflowed and streamed down her face. She had never felt such pain, except for when Andy had... No, she couldn't think about that right now. She could deal with any level of physical pain, the Marines had taught her that. But they hadn't taught her the one thing she had wanted to know most: how to banish emotional pain, to fill the hole that was left when someone you loved was ripped away.           Da'an sensed her inner struggle and immediately did the most human thing he had ever done in his long life. He pulled her to him in a tight embrace and continued to hold her as tears of grief wracked her body. Neither knew or cared how long they sat there. Even when her tears were spent, he continued to hold her in his arms, as though trying to protect her from her pain.
        After a time, she looked up and wiped her eyes, trying to compose herself. Never had she so completely let down her guard and exposed herself to anyone, much less a member of a species she was supposed to be fighting. But rather than feeling vulnerable, as she had expected, she felt as though a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
        Slowly, Da'an brought his right hand up, palm outward, in an offering to share with her. Just as slowly she reached out and brought her palm to meet his. Instantly they felt each other's grief and sorrow over Boone's loss, and together they shared their memories of their times with him, the laughter and the tears, they touched and consoled each other in a way that neither could ever describe to another. It was amazingly healing, like a cool salve spread on a painful wound, one that healed and renewed, rather than simply numbing the hurt. Lili felt she could've happily stayed like that forever.

Six months later….

Zo'or gazed down on a dozen or so figures practicing hand to hand combat in a training arena aboard the home ship.
        "When will they reach full maturity?" He inquired of the two scientists in his presence.
        "We estimate another two to three earth months." Replied So'el the senior of the two scientist.
        "Why so long?" Zo'or demanded irritably. "Your original estimates were three months! It has already been twice that, you are both proving to be a disgrace to your caste." He hissed in anger.
        La'ol, the younger of the two stared at his feet for a moment before carefully answering Zo'or's question. "We had to slow their growth so that their mental capabilities could catch up to their physical bodies… we felt it would not be wise to allow them to develop shaqarava when they do not yet have they mental maturity to control it."
        "We felt the danger was to great," finished So'el.
        "Why was I was a not told of this sooner?"
        Looking down at his feet again the younger Taelon replied, "We felt that it was such a minor setback that we did not need to concern you with."
        "This," Zo'or said, as he waved his hand in an indication of the room, the arena, and the people it contained, "Is my project, therefore anything concerning it also concerns me. What else have you failed to report to me?" He demanded.
        "There has been nothing else," La'ol reported as he hung his head in shame. The head of the Synod completely intimidated him.
        Just then, there was a flash of light that demanded everyone's attention. Zo'or glared at the two scientists before him, his displeasure evident as he blushed several shades of fluorescent blue. "You lie," he accused them. "They are ready now."
        "This should not be possible, we examined them this morning, there were no signs of any of the subjects developing or possessing shaqarava." So'el explained hurriedly.
        "I will see this impossibility for myself." He motioned for two of guards below to bring him the individual responsible for the blast.
    Several seconds later the individual in question was brought into view, it caused Zo'or to gasp "Ma'kel..." he exclaimed.
        "Father." He replied softly, as Zo'or blushed a deep shade of blue.
        "I am not your father," Zo'or spoke harshly, "I merely provided the second half of the genetic material required to bring you into existence. Perhaps, from a technical aspect I am, as you so quaintly put it, your 'father'. But nothing more." All emotion appeared to be banished from his face.
        Looking morose Ma'kel simply stared at Zo'or in confusion and shrugging his shoulders, asked mournfully, "Why do you try to hide?"
        "What are you talking about? I hide from nothing." Zo'or said angrily.
        "I know you come to see me when you think I'm sleeping, and I can feel you watching me at the training sessions." Ma'kel answered honestly. Zo'or blushed several shades of blue, almost losing control of his human façade, after a few moments he appeared to recover. "Don't you feel a connection to me as I do to you?" Ma'kel continued.
        "You are not capable of using psychic abilities, we engineered that aspect of your biology out," Zo'or's shock was palpable.
        Ma'kel's face twisted in hurt. "Then I am an aberration, a mistake," He said bitterly. "But I am here and you have to deal with that fact. I am your offspring. You can deny me no longer. Caring for me only when it is convenient, throwing me aside when others are near, abandoning me to fend for myself when I fit in nowhere, leaving me alone when I have questions only you can answer. Why won't you admit that I am your son, whether you like it or not! You have no choice to but to accept me as such, and by any standard, Human or Taelon you are required to do so."
        "I am required to do…" Zo'or repeated in wonder at his impertinence, but before he could finish he was bombarded by words not spoken aloud.
        *I AM HERE, AND I WILL NO LONGER BE IGNORED* A voice boomed inside his mind. Ma'kel was speaking to him though the Commonality!
        Reeling in shock, Zo'or, completely lost his human façade. He could feel the others in the Commonality, their agitation and confusion that someone had invaded it. In fear and pain from the mental assault, Zo'or shouted at the guards without thinking. "Kill him! He is a threat to all Taelons!"
        As the two guards present keyed their skrills to fire, Ma'kel raised his hands in automatic response and fired his shaqarava, knocking out both guards, and the two Taelon scientists. He quickly turned to face his father. "I am sorry." He said, and fired once again, knocking Zo'or to the ground and into unconsciousness. Looking around, he quickly left the room in search of a way off the ship.

        Da'an sat in his audience chamber awaiting the arrival of his protector, Liam Kincaid. His twitching fingers were the only sign that something was deeply troubling him. Explaining this to Liam would not be easy. He had just discovered it himself, and it had taken an alarming amount of time to calm down.
        His young protector arrived shortly and greeted him in the traditional Taelon fashion, one hand brought up facing the chest the other hand held out open to the other party.
        "You needed me?" He inquired politely.
        Da'an sighed. "Yes, there has been a problem with one of Zo'or's experimental projects."
        "Experimental project?" Liam's eyebrows shot up. He had plenty of cause for concern when mention was made of one of the myriad projects the Taelons were working on. "Which one?"
        "The Synod approved an experiment in Human/Taelon hybrids." He stepped down from his chair and began towards the balcony overlooking Washington, D.C.
        "Hybrids!" That was a rather touchy subject for Liam. "Da'an, how could you let something like this go on? I mean, do you know what could happen? And the very idea of creating a living, sentient being simply to be nothing more than a lab animal, or just do your bidding…" He trailed off in disgust.
        "You must calm yourself Liam," Da'an ordered. "Do you think I had anything to do with this?" He demanded sharply. Liam looked down in embarrassment. "I only found out about this today. And even if I had known there was nothing I could do to stop it. I require your help to deal with this. The experiment was a success to some extent."
        "How much of a success?" Liam asked immediately.
        "Approximately a dozen were conceived and born on the home ship."
        "A dozen! Are they mature?"
        "Yes, they are, they carry a mark as you do." Da'an explained as he lifted Liam's palm to reveal a light red mark within it.
Liam's eyes widened as he realized the full implications of Da'an's words. "Shaqarava …"
        "Yes…" The Companion whispered.
        "My God! That could mean…" Liam was suddenly afraid to ask his next question but did anyway. "What exactly is the problem with them that has you so worried?"
        "One of the hybrids has escaped to earth… he was one of the best and most advanced."
        "He?"
        "Yes, The hybrid is male."
        "What do you mean by the most advanced?"
        Da'an paused for a moment as if trying to compose what he was going to say. "He was the first to learn what we taught… he excelled in every exercise…and was the first and only hybrid, so far, to have developed shaqarava."
        "Then the others haven't yet?" Liam asked with relief.
        "No, their growth was slowed so that their mental capabilities may catch up to their physical ones."
        "So what went wrong with this one?" Liam forced himself to be all business.
        "I do not know…but I suspect it may have something to do with his Taelon parent."
        "And who is that?"
        Da'an lowered his eyes as he replied "Zo'or…"
        "Zo'or?!" now his head was reeling. He couldn't believe that Zo'or would consider joining with a Human female in ANY fashion, least of all to produce a child! After a few moments his thoughts calmed enough that he was able to ask his next question. "What was the purpose of creating these hybrids?"
        "It was believed that they would be able to help fight the coming Jaridian invasion."
        "So they were already doomed to death before they were even born, it is slavery, and you know it Da'an!"
        "I know…" Da'an replied as turned away. "But you must know I had nothing to do with this project, as I have already stated. I just learned of it today." He finished as he looked up to Liam.
        "What else have you learned about this project?"
        "Something even more distressing then the creation of the hybrids themselves…." At Liam's inquisitive look he continued "The hybrids have two genetic parents, one Human and one Taelon… a female was also necessary to carry the fetus for the first 3 weeks of gestation," he paused to look Liam in the eyes.
        "Who is the human parent?" He inquired, feeling his stomach turn fearing who it was.
        "Do not fear, it is not your mother, Lieutenant Beckett" Da'an said in an attempt to calm him. It had its desired effect as Liam visibly relaxed.
        "Then who is it?"
Da'an turned away to face the window his attempt to keep his human façade from failing.
        "Da'an?"

        "You can't be serious!" laughed Lili Marquette.
        "I can assure you I'm quite serious, Captain," replied Sandoval
        "You ok? I thought your CVI was supposed to prevent this kind of thing"
        "Captain, I'm merely interested in her well being, besides I think its important to know those I work with on a personal level."
        "Yeah, right" thought Lili.
        "So can you have the arrangements I requested ready?" He inquired
        "Maybe. Has Beckett agreed to the date?" Lili just couldn't resist adding the last part.
        "No, not yet. But I know she will."
        "Pretty confidant there, Sandoval." He glared at her. "All right, all right, I'll make the arrangements."
        "Thank you" Sandoval smiled insincerely. He left his assistant's office and went to his own to call Beckett and invite her to dinner. Once there, he started to call her but suddenly stopped. His hands were starting to sweat and his stomach tightened. Why should I be nervous? he wondered It's just dinner. He summoned up his courage and placed the call. A few seconds later she appeared on the screen.
        "Agent Sandoval, What a surprise to hear from you. What can I do for you?"
        "Agent Beckett…Siobhan, would you join me for dinner tomorrow night?" He asked her rather tenderly. He held his breath as he waited for her reply.
        "I…I would love to Agent Sandoval. Is something wrong?
        "No, nothing is wrong" he smiled. "I just simply thought it would be nice to have dinner together."
        "Why is it everyone thinks there always has to be something wrong when I want to see them?" he wondered. "Is 1800 hours ok?" he asked.
        "1800 hours is fine. See you then."
With that, he smiled again and cut the link. Next he called his assistant Lili.
        "Captain," He greeted her with an incredibly triumphant grin on his face. "Beckett has agreed to have dinner with me."
        Lili sat there with a look of shock on her face. I knew she was attracted to him, but I always thought she was bonding with Kha'rha. This ought to be interesting, she thought.
        "Don't look so surprised Captain, did you really think she would turn me down?" he asked.
        "Ah… well…actually… yes," she replied.
        "Why"? For a moment he wondered if perhaps Beckett was seeing someone that he was unaware of. "It's just dinner Captain, she would have no reason to refuse my offer that I am aware of, unless you have some information that I don't?"
        "Ah, no, none that I know of" She quickly replied.
        "Good" With that he smiled and cut the transmission.
        "This is going to be very interesting." Lili thought as she shook her head and set about making all the arrangements Sandoval had requested.
        Just before 1700 hours Sandoval checked the room which would be Beckett's for the night to ensure Lili had done exactly he had requested. To his surprise she had not only done what he had asked, but more! It was perfect. I really owe her for this one, he thought.
        At 1800 hours Sandoval anxiously awaited Beckett's arrival at the landing pad of the New York embassy. He needn't have waited long; he was soon greeted by the sound of a shuttle coming out of interdimensional.
        For some reason he was beginning to feel very nervous again but didn't quite know why…

        As soon as the shuttle landed Beckett emerged wearing a flowing emerald green dress that highlighted her eyes beautifully, with her auburn hair worn loosely about her shoulders. Sandoval gasped at what he saw, she looked absolutely stunning! By the time she was at arm's length from him he was speechless. She was quite amused by his reaction to her.
        "Are you just going to stand there, or are we going to eat? She asked with an amused smile.
        Finally Sandoval found his voice again and replied, "Yes, yes of course, right this way" He led her to her guest quarters, unable to take his eyes off her the entire way.
        As they arrived at what would be Beckett's quarters for the evening Sandoval held his breath in anticipation as she opened the portal to her room and stepped inside. It was now her turn to gasp. Inside had been placed a setting for two amidst a candle-lit room looking over the city, complete with the sounds of violins drifting in from outside. Beckett was stunned that Sandoval would make such ornate arrangements for dinner, especially after he had ignored all her physical overtures back in Ireland when they had uncovered Ma'el's tomb. He certainly has changed since Ha'gel's possession of him, a change for the better, she thought.
        "Please…" He asked indicating her coat and overnight bag, which she handed to him. While he placed them in a corner of the room Beckett wandered over to the balcony for a better view of the city. A moment later Sandoval joined her. It's quite beautiful… although Ireland is better she said with a twinkle in her eyes and a smile on her face.
        "Sandoval..."
        "Please… call me Ron"
        "Ron…What's all this about?" she asked in her lilting tones.
        "It's nothing… I just thought we could have dinner together, that's all." She didn't quite believe him but decided to leave it at that….For now.
        "Please…have a seat," he asked as he indicated the chair he had pulled out for her. With an amused smile she took her seat, at which point he took his own.
        "So what are we eating?" she inquired.
        "It's a surprise." He smiled, in truth he didn't know what his assistant had gotten for them. He only hoped it was as good as the rest of the room looked. With that he lifted the covers off their meals and was greeted by the wonderful smell of poached quail with rose petals. Although he wasn't quite sure what the other two side dishes were, he didn't much care, it smelled great. With that, they dug in. Half an hour later when their plates were almost clean and their hunger for the most part being satisfied they began a polite conversation.
        "How have things been with you and Kha'rha?" Sandoval inquired. Caught more than a little off guard she replied "Ah, just fine, I'm lucky to have such a generous companion. And you and Zo'or? How is he doing?" With a slight frown he decided to take another path, he had the distinct impression his particular companion knew everything he said, and as of late Zo'or had not been in a good mood. But was he ever? he thought to himself.
"He's himself," he said in answer to her question. "I think that's about as safe as I'm going to get with Zo'or," he thought again. With that, she gave him an understanding smile.
        "I understand." She told him, and he knew that she did. She slid her hand across the table and placed it tenderly over his. He in turn took her other hand and looked deeply into her eyes.
        "Siobhan…I've been wrong about a lot of things…done things that I deeply regret… But I'd like to fix one of those mistakes if you'll allow me…" With that, still clasping her hands he gently led her over to the balcony. From there they stood looking out and watching the lights of the city, the music enveloping them like a cloud.
        "It really is quite beautiful in its own way." She mentioned absently, speaking of the city.
        "Yes it is." Sandoval agreed, speaking of something entirely different.
        She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye to discover he was staring at her rather intently. "Sando…Ron… Why the sudden change?" she asked turning to face him.
        "I just… I don't know… Ever since Ha'gel… I've been seeing things in a different light. Seeing you in a different light."
        Still holding her right hand gently, he raised his left to her cheek and caressed it carefully, afraid she would pull away. He savored the look in her eyes for a moment then leaned over to kiss her ever so lightly… when he broke away her eyes were closed and she had a small smile on her face. He waited for a moment and to his surprise she leaned over and kissed him back, much more deeply though. Their kissing quickly escalated and after a few minutes Sandoval thought he heard someone enter the room in the back of his mind but paid it no attention as he was getting rather distracted by Beckett's wandering hands… "Sandoval! Beckett!" An enraged voice shouted. They both stood in shock as they realized that it was none other then Zo'or himself standing there watching them with a look of disdain on his face.           "Have you nothing better to do then waste your time with such useless pursuits?" He spat with obvious disgust clear in his voice. Sandoval and Beckett stole a quick look at each other still in shock. Scratching the side of his neck and shifting his footing side to side Sandoval attempted to come up with an acceptable answer.
        "Zo'or...We…ah…" Finally getting up the courage he stated almost as an accusation "I was under the impression we had the night off to do as we choose Zo'or." The Taelon gave him a stunned look at which point Sandoval added "Or was I under the wrong impression?" More of a statement then a question really, but he didn't care. He was too irritated at the Taelon for interrupting them.
        "No matter" replied the Taelon. "I have need of both of you, be in my audience chamber and ready to leave in 5 minutes." With that Zo'or turned on his heel and left the room, secretly smiling at the distress his had caused the two implants.
        When Zo'or left the room the two shocked protectors stood there for another full minute still not believing what had just happened. "So much for tonight," the two thought in unison. Beckett grabbed her overnight bag and quickly went to change into something more suitable for work as Sandoval straightened up his own appearance in the mirror. Seven minutes later they made there their appearance in Zo'or's audience chamber.
"You are late," Zo'or sneered, "Had you not been so 'engaged' you would have been here as soon as I required you" Both Beckett and Sandoval started fidgeting even though they tried not to. Zo'or continued "You are implants and I expect you to act as such. You are here to serve my kind and me. Not your primitive animal instincts."
        "Of course, Zo'or," they both replied in unison.
        "Now…" Both Sandoval and Beckett cringed.
        "Are you aware of our latest experimentation's with human/Taelon hybrids?" Zo'or asked looking in Beckett's direction.
She was stunned "I had no idea such a thing was even possible."
        "We've been working on the project for sometime." Sandoval informed her "The hybrids should be near adult in stature by now" as he looked to Zo'or for confirmation. At Zo'or's nod he continued "The hybrids were created in an attempt to create a race that could fight the Jaridians and save both humanity and the Taelon race."
        "The Jaridians?" she inquired.
        Sandoval continued "There a race of beings that have conquered star systems throughout the universe, the Taelons are the only race evolved enough to offer true resistance against them."
        "But how do we know the Jaridians even know humanity exists?" she inquired.
        "We discovered a Jaridian probe here on earth sometime ago, but were unable to capture it before it sent two transmissions into deep space, so they are undoubtedly aware of our presence."
        "So we created the hybrids to help fight the invasion that is sure to follow, do you now understand the urgency of the situation, Lt. Beckett?" Zo'or finished.
        "I believe I do, has the first wave arrived?"
        "No… but something that may be just as dire has…" Zo'or paused before continuing "One of the hybrids has escaped the home ship and made it to earth. They were engineered to be highly aggressive and survive at all costs."
        "There's one other thing," Sandoval added. After a look of acknowledgement from Zo'or he continued. "The hybrids possess shaqarava."
"Shaqarava?" she asked looking confused.
        "It is a vestigial organ that has lain dormant in the Taelon race since the formation of the Commonality... A time beyond memory," Zo'or offered to help relieve some of her confusion.
        "I still don't understand," she said as she shook her head.
        "Think of shaqarava as a kind of skrill, it has the same capabilities for destruction as a skrill except you can't see it till until it's fired. Those with shaqarava carry a mark, a light red triangle in the palms of their hands." Sandoval explained.
        "Now do you understand, Lieutenant?" Zo'or once again inquired.
        "Yes, I believe I do," She paused for a moment then continued. "Are we to hunt down and kill the hybrid or do we return it to the home ship?"
        "You are to do whatever is necessary to stop it, should that include killing it… then so be it." Beckett felt a chill at the words Zo'or spoke. He continued "I expect this 'problem' to be remedied quickly. Do you understand?"
        "Yes sir." they both replied in unison.
        "Then you are dismissed."