Copyright ©1999, Delma RM.. 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. It's characters are used without permission, no infringement is intended.
Rating: PG

Title: 'Reflecting
Author: Delma RM
derema@hotmail.com

'Reflecting'

Liam

        He paced the length of his apartment. With Da'an on the Mothership the majority of the time, he had more time to himself... 'Ha! That was a joke.' He had spent all his extra time in leading the Resistance (his newly acquired position). Really, this was the first moment he'd had to himself in weeks, then again he had made sure he was busy ever since... No! He was not going to think about her. He couldn't believe he'd seen her with someone else after they had... especially with that particular someone else. Could not believe it! 'No! I won't think about it!' he rubbed his hands anxiously. She had been with his... no there was no way he could call that man his father. He felt no love or connection to Sandoval. Sometimes it was hard for him to believe that man had a part in his being. Of all people why did she pick his ... only living relation?
        Some of his anger subsided and he tried to rationalize. How could she have known? Next to nobody knew who his parents are... were. There was no way she could have known or guessed. She would have to be psychic or something. 'Aaarrggghhhh!! No, No, No! There was no excuse. Oh God! Why!' Why did the first woman that he had cared about have to the one who betrayed him... that explains it. That was why he couldn't let this go. He cared for her. Still, he had ensured that they had never been alone together since hen. She did try to talk to him, he would have to have her that. But he didn't have much to say to her. She knew something was wrong. He had barely spent anytime at home because he didn't want to see her. She did know where he lived after all.
        He remembered that night after he had left his apartment. He had wandered trying to sort this out. He didn't go far when he turned back. He wished he could say that it passed as a blur but he didn't have that luxury... his heritage wouldn't allow it. He had decided to talk to her. As he approached the entrance to the Flat Planet, Edana and Sandoval walked out. It was more than he could take. Their arms were wrapped around each other. He had spun around and walked off trying to suppress what he was feeling. He just walked all night and then decided he wouldn't think about it anymore and wouldn't talk to her. He felt like a doormat, like someone had just stomped all over him. Then he realized that Lili had tried to tell him when she had gotten there that night. That hurt too, she had known and hadn't come out and told him before he had seen it for himself. He decided to be angry at her too.
        Now there he was with no clue. He'd have to talk to Edana. He grabbed his jacket and went to look for her at the Embassy. It was gonna be a long walk. He had to think of what he would say to her when he saw her.

Edana

        She sat in her living quarters aboard the Mothership, meditating... or at least trying to. She had found it hard to concentrate lately. She was supposed to meet Ron in an hour at the Embassy. He had finally come around and they were friends again, but at his convenience. She should have felt grateful that he was willing to do this. He was such a bull at times and his job had not made things easier on him. They had always complemented each other. He was stubborn and she was easy going. His temper was always quick to flare up and she was the peace maker... most of the time. This wasn't what bothered her though. Liam. His name slipped into her mind as she concentrated harder on relaxing. Edana bit her lip to keep frustrated tears from falling. She didn't believe in crying. The one time she allowed herself to cry in public had been at Mark's funeral four years ago.
        Liam wouldn't speak to her, just a word or two when they worked and yet they had not been alone since... 'Oh God!' It had been weeks! She couldn't understand what had happened. Liam had just started avoiding her and it hurt. She felt very deeply for him. Had it been a mistake to sleep with him? The moment she had met him, she had known that they were meant for each other. Mom had always said she would marry a Sandoval. Ron was the only son and they had dated in high school. Then Ron had gone off to Harvard and she had rarely seen him since. Could Mom have been wrong? She had never been before but Edana didn't feel anything romantic for Ron. And even now she could not explain how she had such deep feelings for a man she had met only a few months ago.
        At the Flat Planet the night after her date with Liam, she had taken Ron there so she could loosen him up, and so she could see Liam again. When she couldn't find him, she started drinking. Her CVI had not fully set into her system yet and had nearly been overwhelmed. Ron had to support her on the walk home, there was no way she could have walked on her own. Ron had taken her to her living quarters aboard the Mothership and had stayed on her floor to watch over her. When she had come to, he griped her out for abusing her CVI, then he left. At least the CVI kept her from having a hang-over. Edana had tried to contact Liam all day on Sunday, but he never answered her calls. He drove her crazy. 'Oh God! I'm turning in to one of those weepy women that I hate.'
        She gave up. She could not rest properly until she knew what the problem was. She started getting ready to meet Ronald at the Embassy. A nice warm shower would do her a lot of good.

Sandoval

        Sandoval sat in his office at the Embassy. He was supposed to meet Edana in a little less than an hour. He had to admit that it felt good to have her back in his life. He had missed her. He just hoped that she didn't expect too much from him. He couldn't keep up this guise of being a loyal Implant if she wanted to pick up where they left off in high school. 'Ahh. The beauty of a CVI.' Even though his was somewhat non-functional, it still allowed him some of the finer points. He could go over his reports and think about other things without missing a beat.
        He allowed his mind to wander back to the night Edana had dragged him to the Flat Planet. She had hinted that she was looking for someone. Then again, he had also looked for someone. He had to been crazy, Isabel was dead, he had seen her dead body with his own eyes. Did he really expect her to be there?! <SIGH> He didn't want to open that can again. He shook his head. Edana wasn't visibly upset when whomever she was looking for didn't show up. She did proceed to drink everything set in front of her. He had warned her that her CVI wasn't fully functional and he didn't think she should overdo it. Of course, she ignored him. She had needed his help to get to her living quarters. He had stayed to make sure she was okay. When she woke, he reprimanded her abuse of her CVI and then he had left. He had looked up the files later, Edana had been given an altered CVI by Da'an's request. So when she overrode her Implant, she also lost some of the enhancements, which explains why she passed out. She could so damn stubborn.
        Lately, she had been distant at work. She wouldn't say why. Work. Lately, work had been joy for him. Major Kincaid had been nowhere in sight and he had been demoted. 'Thank God!' Usually when he worked with Marquette, Kincaid was also there. Now that he thought about it... something was strange. Sandoval and Edana had been working side by side in assisting Da'an, Marquette was always there when Sandoval needed her but Kincaid hadn't been there recently. He was Edana's personal assistant after all... 'Oh well, whatever gets him out of my hair.' That one was not cut out to be a Companion Agent. He was arrogant and naive, one would swear he was born yesterday. He annoyed Sandoval to no end. At least he wasn't around. <SIGH> Back to work. He needed to finish in half an hour or he'd be late to meet Edana at her office.

Half an hour later.

Edana was checking her mail in her office at the Embassy.
        "Where is Ron? He should've been here ten minutes ago." she said aloud to herself. Just then she saw him walking toward her office. She rose and grabbed her coat. He reached her door just as she was walking out of the office.
        "You ready?" he asked.
        "Yes. Let's go." she started walking down the corridor with him.
        "Edana!" Liam yelled from behind them. He jogged to catch up with them. Edana turned and stopped. She put her hand on Sandoval's arm to stop him well. Sandoval turned and saw Liam coming. 'Great!' Sandoval thought.
        "Edana... we have to talk..." Liam said as he grabbed her arm. Her other hand still rested on Sandoval.
        "Major Kincaid. That is no way to speak to your superior." Sandoval reprimanded.
        "Listen, I really need to talk to her so you can jus-" Liam said pointing his finger at Sandoval, who hit the hand out of his face. As Sandoval's hand touched Liam's it set off a chain reaction.            Edana had contact with both Liam and Sandoval. In her mind's eye she saw. She saw through Liam's eyes, she saw herself walking away from the Flat Planet with Sandoval. She felt the anger Liam had felt in that moment. That had looked bad on her part.
        In that same moment, Liam saw a young Sandoval and Edana playing in a yard, an older woman watched them. She looked up and seemed as if she was looking right at him, she smiled. Then he saw them on their first date and then again on the day Sandoval left for college. The last images were of the night at the Flat Planet.
        Edana looked from man to man and broke contact, ending the flood of images. She was speechless for a moment.
        "Oh my God." she murmured.
        "Is everything alright?" Sandoval said sounding once more like an Implant.
        "I'm fine... I'll have to take a rain-check on dinner though." She gave him a weak smile. "I need to speak with my assistant."
        Sandoval nodded and retreated down the corridor, glaring at Liam.
        "Alright." she said, "Let's fo somewhere and talk."
        They went into Edana's office, seeing how Edana now lived on the Mothership. Then they both started to talk at the same time.
        "Me first, Liam." she said. "I think you should know that I am upset that you have refused to talk to me for weeks. I just want to know why."
        Liam told her what had he had thought happened that following day.
        "You thought that, huh. Well Ron and I are old friends, we don't feel that way about each other anymore. At least, all this is cleared up."
        "Yeah. So what happens now?" Liam asked. Edana just looked at him.
        "Well... we could put this whole business bhind us and start over..."
        "I'd like that." Liam said. She smiled.
        "Alright. Would you mind taking me back to the Mothersip?"
        "Not at all." They exited the Embassy and Liam returned her to the Mothership. They parted with a kiss.

One day later

Sandoval's office

        Sandoval sat in his office thinking. All his work was done for the moment. He was somewhat puzzled by last night's happenings. This had been the third time he'd caught the end of a conversation between Kincaid and a woman Sandoval knew and cared about.
        The first time, Sandoval had been partially unconscious and Kincaid and Beckett were leaving his hospital room. He had figured they had come and left together. Later, he found out he had actually voiced his suspicions when they were leaving the room. When Beckett had asked what he meant by it, he claimed to have been coming in and out of consciousness and didn't know what he had said. The second time... Beckett had died in Kincaid's arms. Sandoval hadn't actually heard what they were saying, but any fool could've seen the love in that embrace. Then last night when he had returned to the Embassy, Edana and Kincaid, they were in her office. He heard something about Edana wanting to put some business behind them and Kincaid had agree. It was puzzling that they would have already had old business.

Weeks later

The Bridge

Edana and Sandoval stood before Da'an, their assistants behind them.
        "I have called you four in because we are in need of a change."
        "What type of change?" Sandoval asked warily.
        "Agent Sandoval, Major Kincaid shall assist you from this point forward, and likewise Agent Martinez, Captain Marquette will assist you." Da'an spoke as he stepped down from his chair.
        "May I speak Da'an?" Liam asked.
        "We will speak at a later time. You are all dismissed." the Taelon watched as the group left the bridge.

Sandoval's office

Sandoval walked into his office.
        "Dammit!" he said hitting the table. The reason for his upset walked into the office.
        "Anything wrong Agent Sandoval?"
        "No. Everything's great." he muttered. "What do you want?"
        "Reporting for duty. Do you need anything?"
        "No Major."
        "Then I will be in my office if you need anything."
        "Fine." Sandoval was in no mood to handle Liam at this point. Da'an had confronted him last week. Da'an knew that he had his own agenda and was no longer under the influence of his CVI. No one knew that he knew that except for... No. She wouldn't have... would she? In any case, no matter how Da'an found out, he had a babysitter. He knew this was why Liam had been reassigned.

Edana's office

Lili was typing something on the computer. She stops, curiosity had gotten the best of her.
        "Agent Martinez?"
        "Yes Capt."
        "Mind if I ask you why Liam and I were reassigned?"
        "Sure. Da'an is very perceptive and realized that Liam and I are involved. No doubt he was mimicking Human professionalism in his decision to reassign the two of you."

Lili was shocked at Edana's bluntness on the subject.

Liam's office

Liam had just sat at his desk when his videolink went off. It was Da'an.
        "Yes Da'an."
        "Liam, I wished to speak to you sooner but the bridge was no place for such a discussion."
        "Go on."
        "I am concerned for you and Agent Martinez. I realize the two of you have become involved. To preserve the professional relations, I have removed you to Agent Sandoval's supervision."
        "Well, I understand your reasoning but he doesn't seem too happy about this arrangement."
        "I shall require reports on his behavior. Nothing is as it seems where Agent Sandoval is concerned."
        "Alright, I'll try but he doesn't trust me too much."
        "I am more concerned for the path you and Agent Martinez seem to be on."
        "I don't understand."
        "Should this relationship develop further, there will certainly be complications. There are precautions to be taken."
        "I think it's a little late for the birds and the bees at this point." Liam smirked. Da'an seemed very annoyed by this.
        "We don't know that she would survive if you and she were to procreate."
        "It's a little soon to be discussing children, Da'an. We are enjoying one another's company for the moment."
        " I meant only to invoke caution. I would not wish to lose such a valuable asset as Agent Martinez."
        "What exactly does the Synod get out of her being here?" Da'an gives Liam a look.
Da'an gave him a look out of the corners of his eyes.

Revised 4.4.99