DISCLAIMER: Earth: Final Conflict and all of Earth: Final characters in this story are property of Tribune Entertainment. No infringement of rights is intended. Ariel is a creation of my own. Please don’t use her without my permission.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: After Lili’s death and Da’an’s betrayal, Liam finds himself all alone…or is he?

RATING: PG

IN MY DARKEST HOUR

By Roguemoon

“I believe that,

I will find you.

It’s written on the wind.

I will find you.

Where the journey ends,

Love will let me in.

I will know your face.

I’ll be home.”

Marc Anthony—I Will Find You

As long days went, this had been one of the longest Liam’d had in a long time because it seemed like every time he had turned around, he’d had to tap dance around either Zo’or, Sandoval, or Da’an. Ever since the crackdown on the Resistance, nothing between he and Da’an had been the same, and he missed their former closeness—more than he would ever admit. As much as he looked and acted like an adult, there was still a child inside of him who was scared to death. It was that child who had been having nightmares for the last two weeks...and it was that child who suffered because he had no one to turn to...not Lili, not Augur, not Da’an.

Liam sighed and pulled his jacket more tightly around himself. There was a nip in the air, and it almost smelled like snow. Not that he would be looking forward to snow this year... Last year had been very different though....

*“Hey Liam!” Lili’s voice carried through the crisp air and pulled him back to his senses. It was snowing...he’d never seen snow before—not with his own eyes anyway. He turned to face her only to get a ball of cold wet snow in his face. He wiped it off and looked at Lili who was smiling innocently.

“What was that for?” He asked.

“Oh come on. Don’t tell me Sandoval never was in a snowball fight when he was a kid,” she replied.

Liam eyed her hands, which where clasped behind her back. He was waiting for the next snowball to come. Yes, Sandoval had been in plenty of snowball fights when he was young. Her “attack” had caught him by surprise, though. He wasn’t going to let it happen again.

Lili’s smile widened, “Liam, you look like you are waiting for me to grow another head or something. What is it?”

“I’m not falling for that. The minute I take my eyes off you, you are going to hit me with the snowball that is behind your back.”

“What snowball Liam? I think Doors’ paranoia is rubbing off on you,” Lili laughed.

Liam glared at her, “What? Do you think I was born yesterday?”

“Yep, sure do,” Liam turned toward the sound of Augur’s voice and was again hit in the face with a snowball. It knocked him off balance and he slipped and fell into the snow

“Yep, born yesterday, hasn’t even gotten walking down yet,” Augur grinned at Lili. “Perhaps we should get him a walker for Christmas.”

Lili doubled over in laughter...laughter that stopped when Liam threw a snowball into her face.

Augur laughed at the surprise on her face. That laughter ended when the snowball that she had been hiding behind her back met his face.

Augur looked at her smiling face through the snow dripping off his, “This means war!” *

Liam stopped walking a moment to wipe away the tears that had formed in his eyes. Once he had gotten a grip on himself, he crossed the street to his apartment building (after the crackdown, it had been impossible for him to continue to live at his old one without raising suspicion), and pulled out the keys. As much as he missed his old place, the back entrance to this place made it easy for him to sneak in and out. He just hoped that the rickety old steps that lead up to his place didn’t give out someday. He started to climb them, being extra careful since the outside light seemed to have burnt out, leaving him to climb the stairs in pitch darkness. As he neared the top, he noticed there was a dark shape on top of the steps. At first he thought it was just a couple of the landlady’s cats. As he got closer, he realized that the shape was too big to be just a couple of cats. He got to the top and stepped carefully around it, at the same time unlocking his door and flipping on the inside light. It didn’t help a lot, but it was better than pitch darkness.

Liam knelt down by the shape and carefully removed the cloth that was laying over it. When he saw what was under the cloth his heart froze.

“Oh my God...” He whispered.

At the sound of his voice the shape moaned softly and then turned its face toward him. After a moment, Liam found himself looking into blue eyes so deep he knew they couldn’t be human.

“Please...help me...”she begged in a soft voice. “Don’t...don’t let them...find me.”

Liam pulled the girl’s slight form into his arms as an overwhelming need to protect her filled him, “Who? Who are they?”

“The Taelons,” she whispered and then slipped into a language few on earth or off it would recognize. Liam recognized it at once, though. It was a language he had never heard, except in his deepest memories. It was the language of the Kimera...

“Is that really necessary?” Liam asked, looking speculatively at the restraints that had been placed around the girl’s thin wrists.

Dr. Belman looked at him, “Yes, Liam. If she is really part Kimera, then we have no idea what she is capable of doing.”

“They didn’t restrain me, and they didn't know what I was capable of,” Liam stated.

Belman lightly touched a bruise on the side of the girl’s face, “You didn't come to us abused...beaten...Lord, I don’t even what to think of what they did to her.”

Liam’s voice lowered in concern, “That bad, hu?”

Belman nodded, “ Won’t know for sure until I do some tests, but yes.”

“How could they do something like that to her?” Liam’s face angered, “She’s only a child!”

Belman touched his arm, “Calm down. Being angry will get you nowhere.”

Liam looked at the floor a moment and then grabbed his jacket, “You’re right. There is only one thing that will get me anywhere.”

Belman’s face got concerned, “What?”

“I’m going to talk to Da’an,” Liam stated and then started from the room. He hadn’t even gotten to the elevator when a crash came from the room followed by a scream.

“Liam, get in here now!” Belman yelled.

Liam sprinted back to the room. Inside, the girl had broken loose of the restraints and was threatening Dr. Belman with her shaqarava. Liam crept up behind her and wrapped his own hands around hers, expecting his shaqarava to deflect any blast she fired. It would be painful, but better than her firing at Dr. Belman. What happened though, was not what Liam expected at all. A glow surrounded them both as she inadvertently pulled them both into a joining...

* Pain...fear...pain. That was all she had known since the moment she had been born. Her first conscious memory was of her human parents’ bloody bodies...her Kimera father...well he was dead too. She had felt it the moment she had been born. Her human father had been killed then too...but she didn’t want to think of that anymore...it only made her cry and when she cried...he hurt her more.

She heard someone enter the room. She recognized who it was by the light footsteps. That was good because if she had looked up and met his eyes, he would have kicked her or had someone else do worse. She just curled up into a tighter ball and tried to cover herself with her hair...it always come in handy for that. She just prayed he didn't carry through on his threat to have it cut.

“Ariel, look at me,” his arrogant voice caused her to shiver and curl more tightly into a ball.

“Ariel, do not make me tell you again,” he threatened.

She ignored him...she just wanted him to leave her alone...to stop hurting her. She should have known better.

Two Volunteers pulled her roughly to her knees and forced her head back so that she was looking at her captor. His eyes trapped hers. She was never so afraid as when he looked at her that way—with such smug arrogance, like he knew no one could stop him. Of course, he was the head of the Synod, so maybe no one could.

He smirked at her, “Are you going to fight today?”

She forced herself to look at him and answered in a horse voice, “Yes...”

He shook his head, “Why do you insist on hurting yourself?”

She lowered her eyes and muttered, “You hurt me.”

His voice angered, ‘What did you say?”

She looked back up at him and yelled, “You hurt me!”

His face angered and she immediately regretted what she had said...He was going to really hurt her now...

He stepped forward and motioned for the Volunteers to turn her hands face up. Panic built up inside of her...not that...anything but that....

“No!” She tired to pull away, but the Volunteers quickly pinned her down to the ground. One of them injected something into her arm, and after a few seconds she couldn’t move. As Zo'or moved to take her hands, she shut her eyes. She knew what would come next. No matter how many times he violated her by forcing a joining, he never got tired of it or the pain it cause her. She bite her tongue to keep herself from screaming, but it never worked. The fact that another stood watching and could have helped, but didn’t, only made her pain worse... *

Liam could hear screaming and for a minute he thought it was himself because he was still caught up in Ariel’s memories. Then he realized it was her. He pulled her tightly against himself and tried to get her to stop shaking and screaming. For a moment she fought him, and then she seemed to realize who he was and that he wouldn’t hurt her. She stopped screaming and buried her head against him, tears streaming from her eyes.

“I won’t let them find you. I swear I won’t let them hurt you,” he whispered into her ear.

She nodded slightly and began to calm down. Soon she fell asleep. Liam them helped Belman get her laid back down. After they were sure she was going to stay asleep, Liam left the room and walked into a back room. Once there he collapsed into a chair and started to cry...

* Liam’s eyes scanned the darkness. They were there, he knew they were. Lili.

Da’an. Augur. Beckett. Ha’gel. Even Sandoval. They where out there, but they were hiding from him. He didn’t know why. They just didn't want anything to do with him, so he was alone, painfully alone. Somewhere deep inside of him, an emptiness twisted and panic set in. He was only a child...he needed help...he needed a family...he wanted a family.

“Mother!” He cried out, “Father! Someone please, please talk to me....help me...”

There was no answer and the emptiness twisted even harder inside of him. He felt himself drop to his knees as tears dripped from his eyes. He raised his hands to wipe the tears from his eyes, and noticed that they were small...so small. He tried to talk, but all that came out were sounds, no words. He cried, cried as loudly as he could, but no one came. Then someone did. Someone with an arrogant smirk that made him cry all the harder—in fear, not loneliness—as he was picked up... *

Liam jerked awake from his nightmare so quickly he almost fell out of the chair he was sitting in. For a moment, he couldn’t understand why he wasn't in his own bed. Then he remembered. Ariel...another Kimeran hybrid. He wasn't alone...the only of his kind. There was another...one he could talk to...relate to. Liam started to get up, but stopped when his eyes fell on the small shape that was curled up in the chair facing him. He smiled slightly, walked over to the chair, and knelt by it. Then he gently touched her shoulder. She snapped awake and jumped so much that he lost his balance and fell onto his butt.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” She cried. “Please, don’t hurt me!’

Liam gently touched the arm she had thrown over her head, “I won’t hurt you. That was my fault not yours.”

Ariel peeped up from under her arm, “Really?”

Liam smiled, “Really.”

She shyly smiled back.

“Why are you out of bed?” He asked. “You should be resting.”

She looked down, “I was scared. They...they scare me... So many machines... It reminds me of there...of what they did...” She shut her eyes and started shaking.

“No one here is going to hurt you,” Liam said softly. “I promise that.”

Ariel opened her eyes, “I know. I trust you...”

They looked at each other for a moment and then Liam stood up, “I should take you back. Dr. Belman will be concerned.”

She shook her head and sent her long amber hair flying, “No, I don't want to go back there. Please...”

The fear in her voice tore at his heart. It reminded him too much of his pleas for help in his nightmare—the pleas that had been ignored. He knelt in front of her, and she threw herself into his arms.

‘Let me stay with you... Please, I’ll be good... I’ll do whatever you want me to,” her voice was muffled by his shoulder.

“Okay, okay,” he gave in.

She pulled away from him, “What, what do you want me to do?”

Liam looked confused, “What?”

“What do I have to do so I can stay? Do you...” she started.

Liam cut her off, “You don't have to do anything.”

“I don’t?” She was now the puzzled one, “But he always made me do something.”

“Well, I’m not going to make you do anything,” Liam stated, mentally cursing those—especially HIM—for having hurt her.

Suddenly she smiled widely, “Ha’gel would be proud of you.”

“You, you know my father’s name?” Liam was shocked.

“Yes,” She replied softly. “He knew my father well.”

“Really? What was his name?” Liam asked.

Suddenly her face got really serious and sad, “My father’s name was Ka’shel.”

Liam’s eyes went wide. This was Ka’shel’s daughter? He couldn’t believe it.

“You remember?” She asked.

Liam nodded. Not only where her father and his best friends, they were brothers, and that made Ariel his cousin...

Da’an shut his eyes. He couldn’t believe what had just happened. His Protector, his friend, had just come in and demanded an explanation about Ariel. Da’an had hoped that Ariel would not find him. It might have been selfish, but he didn't want Liam to know...to know what he had been a part of...what he hadn’t told him. He had good reasons for not telling Liam he wasn’t the only Kimeran hybrid, but in the face of the pain and hurt Liam had shown him, none of the reasons seemed any good any more. And now...how could he get Liam to tell him where Ariel was? She had to be returned to them. For the sake of the Taelon race, she had to die before anyone—especially Liam—found out the truth about the Kimera...

“Liam, you must return her to us. She is dangerous,” Da’an stated.

“Oh please,” Liam replied. “Why do you keep lying to me? She is no more dangerous than I am. Would you like to turn me over to Zo’or’s tender mercies too? Would you like to watch that as well?”

Da’an blushed, “Liam, you and she are different...”

“We are not! If she is a danger than I am too,” Liam stated. “Why are you so afraid of her?”

Da’an looked Liam in the eyes briefly and then looked away, “I am not afraid of her.”

“Another lie!” Liam shook his head, “Until you can tell me the truth I won’t tell you where she is.”

Da’an spun to face him, “You do not realize what you are doing!”

Liam was stopped short by the tone in Da’an’s voice; He had never heard Da’an sound angry before.

“You are a fool. Do you realize what you are doing? You are my Protector. You have to do what I tell you to,” Da’an continued.

Liam’s eyes widened. Da’an sounded like Zo’or!

Liam pulled himself together, “You seem to have forgotten that I am not my father. I have my free will, and I will use it.”

Da’an’s face suddenly filled with malice, “Perhaps I was wrong to allow you to remain un-implanted.”

Liam’s voice lowered, “Is that a threat, Da’an?”

“It is only the truth. I believe that is what you requested, was it not?” Da’an asked. “I must have a Protector I can trust to do what I order him to.”

“So, if I refuse to tell you where she is, you will have me implanted. That’s it. After all that has happened between us, it comes down to that,” Liam stated.

Da’an nodded, “I am sorry Liam. Those are your choices.”

Liam looked at the floor for a moment and then reached into his jacket and pulled out his Companion ID.

He looked at it a moment and then looked at Da’an, “You forgot one option.” Liam threw the ID to the floor in front of Da’an’s feet, “ I quit. Find yourself another slave.”

Da’an started to speak, but stopped and watched Liam walk out of his office. His eyes fell to the ID lying at his feet, and he stared at it.

“It looks as if you underestimated him again,” A voice from behind him stated. Da’an looked over at Zo’or.

“Why did you let him leave?” Zo’or asked.

Da’an looked at the floor again, remembering the time he and Liam had spent waiting for the Replicant. It had been then he had realized that Liam was more than just a hybrid...he was innocence, he was fear, but he was also bravery and courage. Now, now none of that mattered. Liam had made his choice, Da’an had to make his as well. He had to remain true to his race...

“Have a group of Volunteers follow him to where he has her hidden, then take them both,” Da’an stated to Zo’or who began to smirk in pleasure. “He...no one must find out that the Kimera is not a dead race...”

* The blows kept coming and Ariel wondered when she would finally fall unconscious. It seemed, though, that it took longer and longer each time—almost as if she was getting used to it—if one could get used to being beaten unconscious. Either that, or the monster beating her was just getting better at inflecting pain.

Ariel flinched as the rod connected with her back again. Tears entered her eyes. She didn't even know what she had done to cause this. She was just trying to sleep and HE walked in with his whip and rods. He never said much...just looked at her like a predator watching prey. He was a Volunteer—had been for a long time—but that was all she knew about him. That and he enjoyed causing pain. He was very good at it too.

Her eyes started to fall shut as she entered the fuzzy state she was used to feeling right before she passed out. A few more blows, and she would be out. In a funny way, she wanted those blows to come so that it would be over. But instead of those blows coming, they stopped.

After a few minutes, Ariel looked toward him out of the corner of her eye. Why had he stopped? He was watching her again and thinking. She didn’t want to know about what.

Suddenly he walked up to her, roughly pulled her to her feet, and shoved her back against the wall. It stunned her for a moment, but when he forced a kiss on her, the fuzziness quickly faded. She began to fight him, but he slammed her into the wall again, and her head cracked against it hard. Her sight blurred and she felt her body go numb. Unfortunately, it didn't stay numb, and she felt all of the sexual assault that followed. That was something she would never get used to—a violation so deep that only one thing came close to it—the daily joinings Zo’or forced on her...*

Ariel bolted upright with a cry. For a moment, the dream had such a grip in her that she thought she was still Zo’or’s prisoner. She almost expected to see HIS face starting at her in triumph. She took a deep breath and tried to calm her racing heartbeat. She wrapped her arms around herself and rocked back and forth. She wished Liam was there. Having him around made her feel safe—she knew she could trust him with everything. He was the only family she had—and she was the only family he had. The needed each other.

She got up out of bed, pulled on the robe that Liam had found for her and went into the main room of the complex. There were video cameras outside that would let her see when he came back. It would be better than laying in bed awake. Ariel knew she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep any time soon, so she would wait. Besides, she should tell him; He needed to know that they weren’t the only Kimera alive. There were others—others out in space and they would come for them someday...

A movement on the screen caught her attention, and she smiled. He was back. Now they could talk. She started to get up to go meet him and froze. There was someone following him. For a second, the man turned toward the camera, and she saw his face...and froze in terror.

Liam was tired and glad to be back. He just wanted to sleep—to forget what had just happened. None of it was right. He was adrift...betrayed, hurt, and alone. Just like in his dream. Liam shivered involuntarily at the memory of the dream as he reached for the scanner.

Suddenly the door flew open. For a minute, he was too shocked at seeing Ariel to react to the fact her hands were glowing. She fired at someone behind him, and he spun around in time to see a Volunteer go flying. He cursed. There were at least 20 Volunteers there, and he had led them straight to her!

Liam drew his weapon, but didn’t even get it fired before Ariel went down. He moved to cover her, but realized it was a mistake. A blast hit him between the shoulders and threw him to the ground. His weapon flew from his hands. Liam tried to pull himself to his feet, but stopped when a gun was pressed into his back.

“At ease, Major. It’s over,” a gruff voice snarled.

Liam shut his eyes. He wanted to fight back, but he could barely move, let alone fight.

“Zo’or and Da’an are gong to be very happy to see you two. They have great plans for you hybrid freaks. By the way, Major, thank you for taking care of my little toy so well. I am happy to see her in such good shape,” the Volunteer said.

“It was you, you bast***...” Liam started to get up, but the Volunteer cracked his gun against the back of Liam’s head and knocked him unconscious.

The Volunteer smirked at Liam's still form, “Oh it is going to be great fun breaking you—almost as much fun as breaking the bit** was.” He looked over at Ariel’s unconscious form and his smirk widened, “Almost.”

Ariel didn’t want to watch, but they were giving her no choice. Poor Liam... It was her fault. She had escaped and now, as her punishment, she was being forced to watch Liam being beaten. He had fought back—he was never one to let others control him—but after being forced into a joining with Zo’or, Liam hadn’t had the strength to fight. Now, Mike...she had finally found out HIS name...was having fun trying to break Liam.

Ariel shut her eyes, but they flew back open when her arm was grabbed. A Volunteer drug her toward the room where Mike and Liam were. She didn't want to go; she was scared that she would be the next to be beaten.

She was surprised when she was left alone in the room with Liam. He was only semi-conscious, but that was good since Mike rarely left anyone anywhere near conscious. Ariel ran to Liam's side and pulled him into her arms.

“Hold on...” she whispered to him. “Don’t let them break you. They will come for us soon. I can feel it.”

Liam rolled his eyes up at her, but the glazed, unfocused look he gave her made her realize he wasn’t seeing her.

“Liam?” She asked tentatively.

“Ariel? Are they gone? I...I can’t see anything...” he replied weakly.

She buried her head against his chest, “I’m so sorry. This is my fault.”

“No,” he whispered. “Not...your fault. Who...who is coming for us?”

Ariel’s head came up, “They...our kind....the rest of the Kimera.”

Liam looked confused, “The Kimera are a dead race. What are you talking about?”

Ariel looked around, expecting someone to come in and stop her. When no one did, she hurriedly continued, “We aren’t alone. There are others, Liam. They know we are here, and they are going to come for us.”

“How can that be? My father...he felt he was the last. He couldn’t sense any of the others,” Liam stated.

Ariel looked at him, “It’s a long story. There is a group of Kimera who are still alive, but mentally cut off...”

“That’s enough,” Ariel’s face went pale when she heard Mike reenter the room. “He doesn’t need to hear your lies.”

Ariel spun to face him, “They aren't lies and you know it!”

Mike narrowed his eyes, “Oh, I see someone got an attitude while she was away. It’s going to be fun beating it out of you.”

Ariel shook her head and backed away from him, “No... please, please leave me alone...”

Mike laughed, “You know, I like hearing you beg.”

As Mike neared him, Liam jumped at him. Unfortunately, because he couldn’t see, he missed. A blow to the back of the head knocked him out.

“No, stop it! Leave him alone!” Ariel cried out.

Mike looked at her, “Certainly, we have time to make up for...”

Her pain was intense. Her fellow human being was brutalizing her in ways she could not have ever imagined. She would be unconscious soon. He could feel that she would be happy when that happened. That angered him more than he had ever been angered before. No being should be treated so badly, but that idea never occurred to the Taelons it seemed. At least it had never occurred when they had attacked his family....

* The cabin was surrounded. He didn’t know what he was going to do. All he knew was that he had to protect his family. Jake, the human he had joined with agreed. Even if it meant his death, he would fight to keep his wife and child from the clutches of the Taelons. A cry from the bedroom tore at their souls. Laura was in labor. He should be with her, not here, not fighting.

He sensed the Volunteers near the cabin and made a decision. He shut his eyes and reached out with his mind until he encountered a void...a void he knew was only illusionary...and called to his ‘brothers’ for help. They awoke and replied....*We hear you, Ka’shel. The Sleepers come...*

He came out of his trance and went to the window. He knew he would not be alive when they arrived, but they didn't come for him. No, they came for his daughter and the other Kimeran hybrid—Ha’gel’s son—the one he hoped she would be able to find so he could guide her and protect her because he would be able to do neither...

Ka’shel moved to the door, kicked it open, and began firing his shaqarava at the Volunteers. He took out a good dozen and then a blast hit him in the chest and threw him to the floor. As things went fuzzy, he felt one last thing...his daughter’s birth... *

Ka’shel shut his eyes. Now he felt daughter’s pain as he had felt his own back then. Somehow he had survived the attack. Why he had not joined the Void, he did not know. There was a gap in his memory. He remembered his daughter’s birth and then nothing until he awoke on the Kimera Mast Ship. Now he and the rest of the Kimera were going to face their enemies to save their future and maybe, just maybe, find a place to call home again...

‘I didn’t always know,” Ariel whispered as she brushed the hair off Liam’s forehead. She was scared that he hadn’t woken up yet—scared the he might not wake up after such a savage blow to the head. Now she was just talking to try and calm herself, to keep herself from losing hope.

“Then he came to me...in a dream. Do you dream a lot, Lee?” She paused a minute to gaze at his pale face. “Let me tell you about my dreams...”

* Ariel fought to see though the mist but could see nothing, not even the people who she knew where there. Her mother, her father, Mike, the Taelons... They were watching her, as they always did.

“What do you want from me!” She cried out. “Haven’t I endured enough pain because of you! Leave me alone!” She turned and ran from them. She ran and she ran until the mist was left far behind her. Only then did she stop and collapse to the ground sobbing. For all her running, though, it still felt like they were following her...like they where only a few steps behind.

She wrapped her arms around her head, “Go away! Leave me alone! I don’t want to be hurt anymore!”

A hand touched her shoulder and she flinched away, but the hand did not leave. After a moment, she realized she and the person touching her were the only ones there. Suddenly, the person spoke.

“I will not harm you my child. Please look at me,” a soft voice said.

Ariel was afraid, but for some reason the voice took away that fear, so she looked toward it.

A kindly glowing face was looking at her, “Daddy?” She whispered.

Ka’shel knelt and smiled warmly at his daughter, “I am her Ari’el’lan. I will let no one harm you.”

“Daddy!” Ariel threw herself into his arms, and he held her.

As he did, he whispered in her ear, “Do not fear them, Ari’el’lan. We are coming for you. The Sleepers have awoken. They and I are coming for you... *

“See,” she whispered to Liam. “They are coming and then we won’t have to be afraid any more. They won’t be able to hurt us. Just hold on. Things will be okay.” She laid her head against his forehead, “Things will be the way they should have been...”

Only Da’an’s quickly moving fingers betrayed his agitation. Zo’or studied his fellow Taelon with detached interest. Da’an had made a mistake, but was up to him to rectify it. Zo’or no longer wished to “look after” Da’an.

“If you wished the Major to remain uninjured, you should have told Volunteer Addan to be more gentle,” Zo’or stated.

Da’an looked at him angrily, “Mike Addan was chosen because he had extensive experience in the field of getting information out of “reluctant”...”

Zo’or stood up, “Your lie is beneath you. You know very well that Addan was chosen because he specialized in torture. You ordered it yourself. Major Kincaid’s condition is your fault and yours alone.”

“That is enough! You have no right to speak to me like that” Da’an stated.

Zo’or stepped toward him, “As the leader of the Synod, I have every right to talk to you as I please. Your decisions have shown lack of thought and direction. Because of your foolishness, we may loose....

Suddenly, Zo’or’s words froze in his throat, and his head turned toward the window.

Da’an was angry that Zo’or seemed to be ignoring him, “Finish your words youngling. I do...” Da’an suddenly stopped talking as he felt what had caught Zo’or’s attention, and he too looked toward the window.

He blushed deeply when he saw the ship that had just come out of ID space. It was made of a similar organic material as the Mothership, but was at least twice the Mothership’s size.

Zo’or looked at Da’an, “And now you have doomed us all. The Sleepers have come...”

Ariel slowly raised her head and a smile crossed her face. She leaned down toward Liam and whispered, “They are here. I told you they would come.”

Ariel looked up at one of the walls of the cell. < There, > she thought to herself. < They are there. >

Ariel shut her eyes and reached out toward the wall with one hand. < Daddy, we are here! > After a moment, despite the drugs she had been given, her shaqarava started to glow. The glow expanded so that it surrounded both her and Liam. Then it flashed blindingly bright, and when the glow faded, they were both gone...

* Liam’s eyes scanned the darkness—it was the same, yet different than it usually was. They were all still there, he knew they were. Lili. Da’an. Augur. Beckett. Ha’gel. Even Sandoval. And now, a faint presence he didn't know. They where out there, but they were hiding from him. He didn’t know why. They just didn't want anything to do with him, so he was alone, painfully alone. Somewhere deep inside of him, an emptiness twisted and panic set in. He was only a child...he needed help...he needed a family...he wanted a family.

“Mother!” He cried out, “Father! Someone please, please talk to me....help me...”

There was no answer—not even from the mysterious presence, and the emptiness twisted even harder inside of him. He felt himself drop to his knees as tears dripped from his eyes. He raised his hands to wipe the tears from his eyes, and noticed that they were small...so small. He tried to talk, but all that came out were sounds, no words. He cried, cried as loudly as he could, but no one came. Then someone did. Only this someone didn't make him cry harder when she picked him up...this unknown presence, radiated only warmth, and happiness.

She held him close and rocked him until he completely stopped crying, then she leaned forward and whispered in his ear, “You are safe little lost one...you are safe and loved...” *

Liam sat up quickly in bed. He looked around and even though he couldn't see anything, he knew someone was there and it frightened him.

The presence sensed his fear and moved slowly toward him, “ I will not hurt you little lost one.”

Liam smiled as his fear suddenly evaporated, “It’s you, isn’t it. You’re the one who came into my dream.”

She moved to the side of the bed, “Yes, I am she.”

Liam blindly reached toward her. She sat on the bed next to him and took his hand. When he did, he felt a light charge of energy move up his arm.

“I know you,” he whispered. “My father knew you...”

“Yes,” she whispered in a tense voice.

“Who are you?” Liam asked.

“My name is Lak’shan,” she answered quietly gently touching his face. “I was Ha’gel’s wife. In a way...I would be your mother.”

Liam’s blank eyes studied her almost as if he could see. His look made Lak’shan nervous. Would he reject her? Would she be able to handle being rejected by the only remaining part of her beloved husband?

“You were Ha’gel’s wife?” Liam asked.

“Yes,” she replied n a voice choked with the Kimeran equivalent of tears.

Liam reached out for her, “Mother..”

She took him into her arms and rocked him as any mother would rock an upset child.

“Please don’t leave me. I don't want to be alone again,” Liam whispered.

She ran a hand lovingly over his hair, “ I will never leave you. Neither of us will ever be alone again.”

Ariel stared out of the window at he Earth below her. It was beautiful; it was mysterious; it was scary. Even now, the Kimera were doing their best to convince the powers that be on the blue planet below her that they were harmless, no matter what the Taelons said. It was rough going, but they hoped once Liam was strong enough to speak for them, he would be able to convince President Thompson to listen. At least for the moment, he had agreed not to attack the ship. That was a good thing.

“You seem to be thinking very hard, my daughter. Is it something I can help you with?” Ka’shel asked as he walked up to her.

She looked at the ground for a minute and then looked up at her father and smiled, “No, father. I was just thinking.”

Ka’shel noticed the sadness in his daughter’s eyes, “What is wrong my child?”

“It’s nothing father,” Ariel stated and then added. “I am thinking about Liam. Dad, is there really nothing they can do to save his sight?”

Ka’shel looked lovingly at his daughter, “I am afraid not, but before he returns to Earth we will make sure he can use his psychic senses well enough that the loss of his eye sight will have no effect on what he can and cannot do.”

Ariel signed, “ That is good, but not the same father. It will be hard on him.”

“Yes,” Ka’shel stated, “but he is strong. He will survive.”

Ariel sighed and turned back toward the window, “Yeah, I guess.”

It was silent a moment and then Ariel felt a gentle touch on her shoulder.

“Ari’el’lan,” Ka’shel said softly, “my child. Tell me what is really wrong.”

Tears entered her eyes. She didn't want to talk about what had happened to her during her captivity; she didn’t want her father to know that she was a failure and a whore....

Warmth suddenly wrapped around her as her father wrapped his arms around her, “You are none of those thing my child. You are strong; you are brave; you are a survivor. I love you no matter what they did to you.”

Ariel turned around and cried against her father’s shoulder. He held her and rocked her as any father would rock an upset child.

“They will never hurt you again my child. Nothing will ever separate us again,” Ka’shel whispered to her.

On the Mothership, Da’an stared out of one of the windows at the Kimera Mast Ship. His mind worked frantically to try and figure out how to get rid of their age-old enemies. Unfortunately, it was proving more and more difficult. Once President Thompson has seen that the Kimera weren’t terrorists as he and the other Taelons has claimed he was very willing to allow them to remain in orbit while they discussed what they should do—should they stay, should they leave, could they become friends to Humanity?

The last idea shocked Da’an to the core. There was no way he could allow it to happen. They had to be stopped. He just needed to figure out a way.

“You realize what you are plotting is hopeless?” Zo’or stated.

Da’an barely acknowledged the Taelon standing behind him, “I will not give up. The Kimera must not be allowed to form a friendship with humanity. For if they do, then we will truly become a dead race and humanity will rise in our place...”

THE END

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