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, Lak’shan, Ka’shel, and Darin Flores are creations of my own. Please don’t use them without my permission.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This is the sequel to In My Darkest Hour. Liam has finally found a family in Ariel, Lak’shan and the Kimera, but there is still one family member he needs to make amends with.

RATING: PG

FIGHTING THE DARKNESS

By Roguemoon

Liam rolled over in bed and shut his eyes knowing he wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep. His old nightmare had disappeared only to be replaced by another—one that chilled him just as much as the original dream had.

After a few minutes, he sighed and sat up in bed. Reaching for his robe, he stood up, put it on, and tried to ignore the fact that he was surrounded by nothing but blackness. No color, no light, just darkness. Then, the darkness faded, replaced by a psychic image of the room. This image was nothing like that provided by regular sight, but it did keep Liam from running into things, and for that he was grateful.

He quietly walked into the sitting room connected to his room and sat so that he could look out the window at the earth below him. He couldn’t ‘see’ much with his psychic sight because the earth was so far away, but it was better than nothing was. Unwilling, his mind was pulled back to his dream, and he shivered as he began to relive it through his psychic abilities...

* Liam stood silently waiting for the man standing across the room to speak. He knew what he wanted the man to say, but deep down he was afraid of what his father was going to really say.

Sandoval slowly turned to face Liam; “Did I hear you correctly?”

Liam nodded yes.

Sandoval let a bitter laugh escape his lips, “When they told me I had a son, I never expected him to be part alien.”

Liam looked down and didn’t speak. He was too scared to.

Sandoval turned away from him again and looked out the window, “Tell me ‘son,’ why did you decide to tell me now of all times? Does the fact that I am supposed to be executed in the morning have anything to do with it?”

“No, well...” Liam started.

“Don’t lie to me Liam! You have done enough of that for both of us,” Sandoval said angrily.

Liam looked up at him, “What am I supposed to say? You can’t think that I like the fact that you are going to die tomorrow. There is so much we need to talk about...”

Sandoval’s eyes narrowed, “Then stop the execution. After all, it is the Kimera who made this possible.”

Liam winced at the accusation in his father’s voice. Yes, it was true that the Kimera were the reason he was going to be executed. As part of the peace agreement, Da’an, Zo’or, and Sandoval had all been slated for execution. Zo’or and Da’an had already voluntarily embraced the Void leaving only Sandoval to face the list of charges against those in the Taelon/Human hierarchy.

“What do you expect me to do?” Liam asked in a low voice.

Sandoval walked over to Liam until they were standing only a few inches apart, then Sandoval looked up and met Liam’s eyes with his own cold ones.

“Give me a way out,” Sandoval whispered in an emotionless voice.

“I don’t...” Liam started but stopped as he saw Sandoval suddenly move his arm toward him, a gray object in his hand flashing wickedly.

Liam reacted without thinking and raised his hands, shaqarava activated, to deflect the blast from the energy weapon that Sandoval had somehow gotten a hold of. The deflected blast bounced back and hit Sandoval full force, throwing him across the room and into the wall.

Liam raced to his father’s side, but when he got there the implant was already dead, a sly smile covering his face... *

Liam shivered again as he came out of the memory. He guessed he should have been grateful that this version of the dream had been the good one as opposed to the one where Sandoval cursed him and denounced him—refusing to accept him as his son. That version of the dream always caused Liam to wake up crying. He knew even if that did happen, he would not be alone. Lak’shan, Ha’gel’s wife, would always be there for him. But her acceptance was different. She had no blood tie to him. Sandoval, on the other hand, did and Liam felt that if he did denounce him, he would be so much more than alone. It was something he really didn't want to think about.

He sighed and looked again at the fuzzy image that was Earth to him. Tomorrow he would go there for the first time since the Kimera had come here. Tomorrow he would speak to the president, the press, and the people about who the Kimera really were, and tomorrow he would face his father. Liam knew that his dream couldn’t come true. After all, there had been no peace treaty signed and tensions between Humanity, the Taelons, and the Kimera were high. Still, Liam feared that even if the setting was not the same, his father’s response to him would be...

Ariel watched Liam wince as the crowd filed into the room. He had not even started the conference, but the look on his face made it look like he had already gone through the conference and then some. She slowly crossed the room and gently touched his arm. When he looked at her, she spoke.

“Are you all right Lee?” Her voice was filled with concern.

He winced, “There are so many of them. I feel like my mind is being overwhelmed with their thoughts and feelings. There is so much fear and anger and excitement, and...” his voice trailed off a moment.

Ariel nodded, understanding his pain, “And you can’t shut down your abilities any farther because if you do you won’t be able to see. I could lead you out if it would help.”

Liam shook his head, “No, I need to look strong. Da’an and Sandoval are going to be there. They and the world can’t be shown any weakness.”

Ariel sighed. She knew what he said was true, but she didn't have to like it. She stood by him a few minutes more, offering her support as she watched Da’an, Sandoval, and President Thompson take there places on stage. Once they were all ready, she felt Liam tense. It was time.

Liam took a deep breath and then walked, slowly, but with purpose and control in his step onto the stage. There were gasps from the crowd as he made his way unaided to the podium. Ariel had to hold back a chuckle at this because she knew all about the rumors that had spread around down here about Liam's eyesight or lack there of. None of those rumors, though, had prepared them to see someone walk out onto the stage with no hint whatsoever of having any problem with his eyesight.

“I am pleased to see everyone here today,” Liam began. “This is a momentous occasion for Earth, but I understand that everyone has their questions about what is going on. That is why Da’an, President Thompson, and myself have agreed to talk to you today. We have been in conference and have discussed the issue of who the Kimera are and if they pose any threat to Earth. We have also discussed a tentative treaty to allow the Kimera Mast ship to remain in orbit around the earth. President Thompson will handle any questions concerning that. I will take any questions concerning the Kimera, and Da’an will answer any questions concerning what the Taelons have said about the Kimera or their interactions with the them, so please address you questions accordingly. We will begin taking questions now.”

Ariel watched as time passed. Question after question was asked and answered—each one seeming to leave another line on Liam's face. After being forced to repeatedly defend the Kimera from Da’an’s attacks, Ariel knew that he would not be able to handle much more.

When Liam felt the light touch in the back of his mind signaling that Ariel wanted him to end the conference, he couldn’t have been happier. He answered one last question and then drew the conference to a close promising more information in the near future. He stayed at the podium as the others left the stage and then walked off it himself. Once he was out of sight, Ariel was at his side supporting him as his knees threatened to give out beneath him.

“Shut your abilities down. I will lead you back to the shuttle,” Ariel ordered. Liam could only nod and do what she said. His head was pounding and felt like it was going to explode. For once complete darkness would be a good thing.

Ariel waited until they were just about the only ones left and then led Liam toward where they had left the shuttle. She quickly got Liam strapped into the passenger seat and then got back out and looked around for their pilot. He should have been waiting with the shuttle. A sigh escaped her lips as time passed. She wanted to go and look for the pilot, but she didn't dare leave Liam, who was almost unconscious from the strain on his psychic abilities. Her sigh of frustration changed to a sigh of relief as a figure started to approach the shuttle. She froze when she realized he wasn't alone.

Ronald Sandoval watched as the girl standing outside of the shuttle balled her hands into fists. From those fists a faint light glowed, reminding him that even though she may have looked defenseless, she was anything but.

“What do you want Agent Sandoval?” She asked coldly.

Sandoval paused a moment, startled slightly by the ice in her voice, then he spoke, “I only want to ask a question and then I will be on my way.”

Ariel nodded and then waited for him to ask.

“Is it true, Major Kincaid cannot see?” Sandoval asked when he realized he wasn’t going to get anymore of an answer.

“Does it matter?” She answered quickly.

Sandoval shrugged, “Da’an is concerned.”

“Da’an is concerned?” Ariel laughed bitterly. “That is a joke. Da’an is the cause of all of this, and if you cannot see that then you are the blind one Agent.” Ariel looked to the man standing next Sandoval. “Lets go, I am tired of talking to this man.”

Sandoval sighed and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Then he turned to walk down the hill to where his shuttle awaited him. He froze when a scream pierced the air. In an instant he had turned and was on his way back to the shuttle. As he approached it, he was shocked to see the ‘pilot’ dragging Ariel’s limp body into the shuttle.

Sandoval raised his skrill and aimed at the man, “What the he** do you think you are doing?”

The man spun around and fried at Sandoval. Ronald ducked and fired a blast from his skrill as he ducked. The other man avoided the blast and then dove at Sandoval while he was off balance. They hit the ground hard; Sandoval’s head hit it harder. He fought to remain conscious, but realized he was fighting a losing battle.

He faintly saw his attacker raise a gun over his head and heard him whisper ‘I wondered if you were going to join us,’ then start to bring the weapon down to crack it against his head...

The man’s cold gray eyes looked over the three still forms in the room in front of him, and then settled on Sandoval. As he watched the implant, his eyes momentarily softened and then hardened again.

“I want to be the first to know when Sandoval wakes up, is that understood?” He ordered to the doctor standing beside him.

“Of course, Agent Flores. I will send someone to you as soon as he shows any sign of regaining consciousness,” the doctor replied.

“See that you do. That fool Wilson was supposed to stun him, not try to bash his brains out,” Flores growled.

The doctor nodded and then breathed a sigh of relief as the agent left the room. Agent Darin Flores was usually a fun man to be around, but when it came to his little brother, look out. You touched him, you were dead. He doubted Wilson would survive the night in one piece. The doctor looked at the room and prayed that Sandoval would wake up soon so he didn't end up being the next person on Flores’s hit list.

Da’an clinched his hands into fists as he stared out the window. He bearly heard Zo’or dismiss the Volunteer who had brought them the report. Ariel, Liam and Agent Sandoval were all missing—presumed kidnapped—and the Taelons were high on the list of suspects since they had been so adamantly against the Kimera. Of course, it didn’t seem to matter that Agent Sandoval was also among the missing. Actually, the media was making it look like it had been Sandoval who had done the kidnapping on orders from Zo’or or himself.

“Was he acting on your orders?” Zo’or accused softly.

Da’an angrily turned to face him, “How dare you accuse me of such a thing! I would never do something like that. This is a disaster for all Taelons.”

“You did not answer my question and do not play innocent with me. I know you far better than that. This is well within your realm of ability,” Zo’or replied.

Da’an sighed and turned back to the window, “This is none of my doing. Whoever has taken them is working on their own.”

That was not the answer that Zo’or wanted to here, “Then who took them and why?”

Da’an stared down at the earth, “I have no idea. If I did, then they would no longer be missing, and we would not still stand accused.”

Zo’or watched his father’s back. He could see the tension in his fellow Taelon, but it meant nothing to him. It was well known to all Taelons that the needs of the many overrode the needs of the few and if that meant that they had to sacrifice Da’an to return the Taelons to Humanity’s favor so they could continue to try to save their race, then so be it.

When Liam woke up, he cursed. First, because he knew he wasn’t where he was supposed to be, and second, because his psychic powers were not responding to his attempts to use them leaving him in complete darkness. For a moment, panic set in and then he forced himself to ignore the panic and see what he could learn about his setting through his other senses. After a few minutes, he realized he was not alone. There were at least two other people in the room with him. From their breathing, he thought they were most likely asleep or unconscious, but he couldn’t be sure. He was considering calling out to them, when he heard the door to the room slide open. Liam shut his eyes and went completely still as the footsteps approached where he was laying.

The owner of the footsteps knelt by the knelt in front of the cot and spoke softly, “Major Kincaid, I know you are awake. Believe me when I say you and your companions are in no danger from us. Would you please come with me?”

Liam sighed and opened his eyes—not that it helped him see who was speaking to him, “Who are you?”

“We are your friends,” the man’s voice was gentle. Liam felt the man touch his arm and help him to his feet. The man then led him from the room to another where he was sat in a chair. The man then left him alone only to have another man enter the room a few moments later.

Liam looked toward where he had heard the man enter and asked, “What the he** is going on here?”

“There is no need for hostility Major,” a slightly familiar voice stated. Liam tried to remember where he had heard the voice before and was rewarded when a memory popped into his mind...

* Ronald glared coldly at his dark-haired older brother.

“There is no need to be so hostile Ronnie. It’s not like I am denouncing you or anything; I am just denouncing dad. I can’t stand sharing the name of someone who left us like that. If you were older, you would understand,” Darin stated.

“Don’t say that. I am not a child! You make is sound like I am 10 not 15. I know my own mind, thank you very much!” Ronald replied.

Darin laughed, “I never said you didn't bro. Look at it this way, when you get to be my age, you can take mom’s maiden name too. You just have to be patient.”

Ronald sighed, “Why did he have to do that to mom? She never did anything to him.”

Darin’s face turned serious, “None of us did. I guess he just felt a woman half mom’s age would be better for him.”

“He’s a bast***! I don’t want to keep his name!” Ronald yelled.

“I know, I know. It’s only three years Ronnie,” Darin stated. “Just three years... *

“Major? Is everything okay?” The man’s voice pulled him from the memory.

Liam smiled, “Yes, I am fine. Just thinking. Is there a specific reason we are in FBI headquarters?”

For a moment, Agent Flores was shocked. How had he known? Then the shock turned to a grin. He had to remember not to underestimate this guy—especially if the blood tests turned out to support his theory.

“We just need to ask you a few questions. That is all. Then you and the girl will be free to go,” Flores stated.

“What about the other person? There were three of us in the room,” Liam said.

“Very observant,” Flores replied. “Don’t you worry about Agent Sandoval. He is in very capable hands...”

A low moan slipped involuntarily from Ronald’s mouth when he woke up. He tried to open his eyes only to quickly shut them again when the light made pain shoot through his head.

“Drink this. It will help with the pain,” a low, gentle voice said.

Ronald took the mug, but didn’t open his eyes. After all, he knew the voice better than he knew any other, and he knew its owner wouldn’t hurt him.

“Better?” The voice asked after Ronald had emptied the mug.

Ronald nodded, took a deep breath, and then opened his eyes to look at the crouched figure by his bed.

“You had me worried. I should have remembered that nothing gets through that thick head of yours,” Agent Flores stated.

“Thanks, I think,” Sandoval replied. “Did your man have to hit me so hard?”

Flores’s face hardened, “He wasn’t supposed to hit you are all.”

Ronald shook his head and couldn’t help feeling sorry for the agent who had ended up at the end of his brother’s wrath. “Are they ready for a report?”

“No, not this time. You are here for another reason,” Flores stated.

Sandoval looked confused, “I don’t understand, Darin. If I am not here to give a report, then why am I here?”

Darin stood up, “Come with me. You’ll understand when we get there.”

Sandoval nodded and started to stand up, only to have his knees give out under him. Darin reacted just in time to keep his brother from cracking his head on the floor.

Darin shook his head, “You are just bound and determined to break you head open, aren’t you?”

“Well, if I didn't need rescuing so much, what would you do in your spare time?” Ronald laughed.

“I don’t know! I really don’t!” Darin replied and looked at his brother. He wasn’t happy to see the bruises on his face, but what really made him angry was how old his brother looked. It was wrong. Ronnie shouldn’t be the one who should look like the eldest brother.

Ronald caught the change in his brother’s face, “What is it, Darin?”

“When are you going to get out?” Darin asked. “Do you know what staying so deep so long is doing to you?”

Ronald shut his eyes, “I know.” He whispered, “But it has to be done.”

“But why you? Let someone younger take over. Come back here and run things with me,” Darin stated.

“Darin, I can’t. Please understand. There is so much going on. No one could ever get in as deep as I am. You know that. Don’t make this any harder,” Ronald said and slowly stood up.

Darin sighed and also stood, “Just think about it. The FBI has been considering pulling you for a while. They have bigger things planned for you. This might give them a reason to do it.”

Ronald narrowed his eyes, ‘I don't understand.”

“Ronnie, do you remember what they told you about the blood you got when you were so sick?” Darin asked.

“Of course,” Ronald stated. ‘They told me I had a son.”

Darin gently touched his brother’s should, “Ronnie, we found him. We found your son...”

Liam sat and drummed his fingers against the tabletop. He usually found it annoying when people did that, but right now it was better than the silence and darkness he was left in. Liam didn’t blame the FBI for having him drugged since they didn’t know how dangerous he was, but now he was forced to rely only on his hearing and touch to tell him what was going on. It was unnerving to say the least.

Time passed, and as it did, Liam began to feel like he was being suffocated. The darkness and silence seemed to be closing in on him and even the drumming sound his fingers were making didn’t help any more. He really wanted to get up and pace, but since he didn’t know the room, doing that would only result in him running into something and looking like a fool.

* Who do they think they are? * Liam thought to himself. * If they want answers to their questions, driving me crazy is not that way to get them. * Liam sighed. He knew getting angry was not the way to go. It would cause him nothing but trouble in the long run. He decided to focus on something else and memory of his dreams popped unbidden into his mind. This little attack had thrown a monkey wrench into all the plans he had for talking to his father—or had it?

* We suspected that he was working against the Taelons, and it looks like this is the proof we needed. If Sandoval is working with the FBI against the Taelons, I wonder if I should tell him about the Resistance. It would be a risk, but at this point, we may gain more than we would loose—especially if President Thompson decides to allow the Kimera to stay.

* Ah, but maybe I am jumping to conclusions. Who knows how Sandoval is going to react to finding out I am his son? Why did I agree to let them tell him anyway? * Liam put his head in his hands. * This whole thing is a mistake. He’s tried to kill me more than once. Who’s to say that he won't skrill me on sight? Stupid Liam. Really stupid. He’s going to react just like he did in my dream, I know it! *

Tears entered Liam’s eyes. He really wished that Lak’shan was there right then to hold him and tell him that things were going to be okay. Even more than that, he wanted his father, his human father, to tell him that, but deep in his heart a dark fear make him want to curl up in a ball and hide because it told him that something really bad was going to happen. It was a fear so strong that he had never felt it while he had been awake. He had felt it in his dreams, though, many times—so many times.

Liam clinched his hands in an effort to stop them from shaking. He was an adult now, not a child. He didn't need Sandoval’s approval. He didn’t need anyone to tell him...

* Arrrg! Quite lying to yourself Liam, * He thought. * You need love and support and approval as much as anyone else does—even more possibly since you are so different from everyone else.*

“I don’t want to be alone any more,” he whispered aloud as he set his head on the table and shut his eyes. “I don’t want to be scared...”

Ronald Sandoval placed his hand against the glass that separated him from his son. Only one thing pierced the fog of shock that surrounded him and that was the pain and fear in his son’s voice and face. He couldn’t believe what his brother had told him; He knew it had to be some kind of mistake. Yet, now that he had seen Liam—really seen him—he knew there was no mistake. Everything suddenly seemed so clear, so right.

* But how do I tell him? How do I begin to say I am sorry for what I have done? How do I make him understand? * Ronald thought and let his eyes fall shut. * How do I know he will not reject me once I have asked his forgiveness? *

Liam didn't realize that he had fallen asleep until the dream started again. Once he realized what was happening he fought to escape it only to be dragged deeper into the blackness that seemed to be all he knew...

[ Liam stood silently waiting for the man standing across the room to speak. He knew what he wanted the man to say, but deep down he was afraid of what his father was going to really say.

Sandoval slowly turned to face Liam; “Did I hear you correctly?”

Liam nodded yes.

Sandoval let a bitter laugh escape his lips, “When they told me I had a son, I never expected him to be part alien.”

Liam looked down and didn’t speak. He was too scared to.

Sandoval turned away from him again and looked out the window for a moment then turned back to Liam with a hard look on his face, “You are not my son.”

Liam’s face filled with shock, “But...”

Sandoval’s eyes narrowed, “I don’t care what you say. You are not my son. You are some alien freak who should be in a lab not running loose.”

“Dad,” Liam’s voice was tight with tears, “Please don’t...”

“I am not you father!” Sandoval yelled. “Do not call me that!”

The tears moved to Liam’s eyes, “Why?”

Sandoval’s only answer was a hard stare.

Liam turned his back on his father. Fine! If that was how he was going to be he didn’t care. Not at all. Let the Kimera execute him—Liam would stand by and laugh.

Liam turned back to Sandoval, meaning to say that he was leaving, but never got the words out. Sandoval had a laser pointed at him and was just about to fire.

“Dad, no!” Liam screamed as he felt the laser blast burned into his body.... ]

Liam bolted awake screaming. He sat back so hard that the chair he was in tipped backward spilling him on the floor. He just sat there a few seconds and tried to get his senses back around him.

As he was sitting there he heard the door to the room open. He sighed and got ready to hear some smart a**ed FBI agent laugh at him. He was shocked when no laugher came. Instead the person knelt beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Liam stiffened, fear blocking his throat, when he realized who it was.

“Liam?” A soft voice, full of concern, asked.

Liam looked up at the person, “Dad...”

Liam wished above anything at that moment that he could see the look on his father’s face. After helping him back into the chair, Sandoval had taken a seat across the table from him and silence had descended on the room. Liam balled his hands into fists and then forced himself to flatten them. He wanted to scream—not being able to judge his father’s emotions by looking at his face was driving him crazy. The silence wasn't helping either.

Finally Liam gave in and broke the silence, “Whatever you are thinking, just say it.”

Sandoval smiled, “What I am thinking is, why didn’t I see it sooner? Being stubborn seems to run in my family.”

Liam was unsure of how to take that statement, “I don’t understand.”

Liam heard his father stand up and take a few steps away from the table, “Never mind, it’s nothing. Tell me, Liam. What do you think of having me as your father?”

Liam shut his eyes. What kind of question was that? What did he expect him to say? That he didn’t care what he had done? That he hated him for what he had done?

“You are my father, what has happened in the past is...” Liam started.

“Tell the truth Liam!” Sandoval’s voice was angry. Liam winced, remembering the anger his father had shown him in his dream. When Sandoval saw him wince, his voice softened, “Liam, I don’t want you to tell me want you think I want to hear. I want to know the truth.”

Liam was silent a few moments, and then he looked up at his father. The look in his sightless eyes made Sandoval shiver because they were so filled with emotion.

“I won’t deny that there were times that I hated what you did. I didn't understand. It was, it seemed, so heartless. But deep inside of me I was afraid. I’m not sure of what. Maybe that there was something I should have done or tired to do...” Liam stated.

“It would have only gotten you killed,” Sandoval said quietly.

Liam tilted his head slightly, “Do you think so? I have survived your attempts before.”

Sandoval looked at the floor and didn’t reply.

After a moment of silence, Liam continued, “I may have hated what you did, but I never hated you. I hoped...I knew, deep in my heart, that there was a reason. There had to be a reason that you did what you did.”

Sandoval shut his eyes and slowly sank back into the chair where he had been sitting before.

“There was a reason,” his voice was a low strained whisper. “There was a reason, but it got lost. When I first started, I wanted to do whatever I could to help my country, but in that quest, I lost everything that meant anything to me.” Ronald took a deep shuddered breath, “ For a long time, vengeance became my motivation. I would make them pay for what they had done to my family and me. Only later did I realize that I was wrong—my blame was misplaced. By that time though, it was too late; I was too deep and there was nothing for me to go back to...”

Liam didn't say anything when his father’s voice dropped off. He didn’t know what to say exactly, and when he realized that Ronald was crying, his indecision got worse.

Several minutes passed and finally Sandoval spoke, “I don’t know why you don’t hate me. I hate myself. There is no excuse for what I have done...for what I have become.”

Liam shook his head, “That’s not true.”

“It is!” Sandoval hit his hand against the table. “You can’t begin to understand what I am feeling.”

Liam’s calm voice finally angered, “Yes I can! I have your memories in my head. I may not know everything, but I know how you blame yourself for Deedee’s death, and I am willing to bet you blame yourself for Siobhan’s death too.”

“I should have told her,” All the anger was suddenly gone from his voice. “Maybe if I had told her I was undercover she wouldn’t have run. We could have saved her.”

“No you couldn’t have. Not even if the FBI had found a way too takeout the CVI. It was too far gone,” Liam said softly.

The room was again blanketed in silence and it again made Liam want to scream. He hated not knowing what to say and as long as he had to rely only on what his father said to him, he was more than blind—he was helpless.

His feeling of helplessness intensified when he heard his father break out sobbing. Liam wasn't sure how he did it, but he made his way around the table and took his father into his arms.

“I don't want to be alone. I am so tired...” Ronald whispered.

“You aren’t alone,” Liam replied. “What about your brother?”

“He doesn’t understand,” Ronald replied. “He cares, but he doesn't understand.”

Liam gently pushed brushed back his father’s hair, “Tell me Daddy. Tell me and I will understand...”

The moment his brother had broken down, Darin had wanted to run into the room and comfort him like he had when they were little. He wanted to tell him everything was all right and everything was the same, but he knew it wasn’t. They had gone down different roads and even though he had tried his best to protect his brother, Darin knew he had changed and that it was now time for them to part ways. He just hoped that Ronnie would take one last bit of advice from him before he went...

“And to repeat the breaking news for those just joining us,” the news anchor stated. “ FBI Special Agent Ronald Sandoval has just announced his resignation as Companion Protector to Zo’or. He has also announced that he has never actually worked for the Taelons, but been working undercover to gather information about the Taelons. The FBI—thanks to his work—now has undeniable information proving that the Taelons are actually the ones we need to fear, not the Jaridians, or the Kimera. We go now to a video tape shot of Agent Sandoval as he made his announcement...”

“As you all well know, I have been employed by the Taelons ever since they came to Earth, first for Da’an and then for Zo’or,” Sandoval started. “Over that period of time there were many things that I did that I was not proud of, but I did them for one reason. I did them for the knowledge to destroy them. Over time, because of my rank in their hierarchy I had access to things that most people would never see; I had access to the truth. Now I am passing that truth onto you. Even as I am speaking, the FBI and the president are looking over the information I have turned over to them. With the cooperation of the Kimera....”

Zo’or angrily waved his hand and turned off the view screen. Once he had, he shut his eyes and leaned back into his chair. How could they stop the foolishness Da’an’s vendetta had set in motion? There had to be something they could do.

“There is only one thing we can do to solve this dilemma,” Zo’or's eyes flew open as his enemy’s voice cut threw the air.

“And that would be?” Zo’or challenged.

“ I think it would be clear to you,” T’than narrowed his eyes. “The damage has been done. Your and Da’an’s ‘misguided’ attempts to save our race have only caused us more trouble. Now someone must take the fall for it.”

For a moment, a look of fear crossed Zo’or’s face. Certainly T’than did not mean him. He was the leader of the Synod!

T’than smirked, “It could be you or it could be Da’an. I do believe though,” T’than paused a moment so he could watch Zo’or squirm, “that it would be easier to frame Da’an. He has been here the longest.”

Zo’or sunk into his chair in relief.

“There is a stipulation to this plan. You will turn over leadership of the Synod to me. It will look as if you are abdicating in shame and will make it look like we are trying to make a fresh start—to repair the damage done by the mistaken,” T’than stated.

Zo’or stood up angrily, “That is not acceptable. I refuse to turn over leadership of the Synod to you!”

T’than’s smirk widened, “There is another way. Please, bring your view screen back up. It has just been announced that all Taelons on Earth must return to the Mothership and remain there until this matter is settled. Da’an is just leaving the Embassy.”

Zo’or stared at T’than for a moment and then brought up the view screen with an angry sweep of his hand. He was just in time to watch Da’an’s shuttle leave the launch pad. It made ready to enter ID space, but just as it did, it exploded.

For a long time after the shock of Da’an’s death had faded from the Commonality, Zo’or just started at the place where the shuttle had been.

“Now,” T’than’s voice cut through the shock in Zo’or’s mind, “you can step down from your position and accept one under me, or you can go the route that Da’an did. It is your choice.”

Zo’or dropped his eyes. Things were in chaos and he didn’t know what to do about it. Finally he came to a decision.

He looked T’than in the eyes, “You have won...for now. Believe me when I say that this is not over.”

T’than only smiled in reply and then turned to leave, “I will make the announcement to the Synod and the public. Perhaps I can salvage what is left of the Taelon name, so we have some type of future to look forward to.”

“This has truly been a 24 hours for the history books,” the blond news anchor looked tired but excited. “On the heels of the revelation that the Taelons have been using Humanity for their own needs, and the death of Da’an in an apparent murder-suicide related to the fact that he seems to have been the main one behind all of the things the Taelons have done against Humanity, it has now been announced that the new leader of the Synod, T’than the former War Minster, has signed a peace treaty with Humanity and the Kimera. This treaty will place restrictions on the Taelons, but will allow them to remain on Earth...”

THE END

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