Copyright ©1999, Tracey
Harnack. All rights reserved. No part of this story may be
re-posted in part or in full without written permission from me. It's characters
are used without permission, no infringement is intended.
Disclaimer: Gene Roddenberry's Earth: Final
Conflict is copyright 1999, Tribune Entertainment Co.
Title: Rain, Rain
Author: Tracy Harnack
Rain, Rain
Liam stared out the window of
his small but cozy apartment at the pouring rain. It was raining buckets. He had never
seen it rain so hard in his short life. He fuzzily recalled something from Sandoval's
memories, a child's song. What had it been? Rain, rain, go away. Don't come back no other
day.
What a horrible song, Liam thought. He loved
the rain. Absolutely adored every single raindrop that fell from the sky. He always had,
for as long as he could remember.
Mother loved the rain, too, he remembered, with
a bittersweet pang. He missed her more than ever. There's something so calming about the
rain, he thought. Something so natural and cleansing. Liam sighed contentedly and settled
back in his chair.
It was dark outside, but it wasn't all that
windy. The rain was coming down steadily, punctuated by flashes of lightening and claps of
thunder. It was a summer thunderstorm, which meant it was warm outside, despite the rain.
After a few more moments of happy
stormwatching, something began to bother Liam. It had been bothering him for several
weeks, and he'd thought he had finally gotten it out of his head. He had gotten the day
off, and had pushed all worrisome thoughts out of his mind. He wanted to let the rain wash
away all of his doubts and hesitations. Fears about the Resistance, problems with
Sandoval, conflicts with Julia. But one thing stubbornly refused let itself be purged.
In fact, not only did it not go away, but it
grew like the thunderheads. At first he tried to ignore it, then he tried to deal with it.
Neither worked particularly well. I have to get out of here, he told himself. Maybe then
I'll be able to think. With that thought Liam was up out of his chair. Without bothering
to grab a coat, he walked out the door and into the wet.
Liam was drenched to the skin within a few
seconds. His T-shirt stuck to him and his dark hair plastered itself to his forehead. He
slicked it back, but a little piece slipped forward and dripped in his eyes. He ignored
it. The streets were pretty much deserted. There weren't even very many cars on the roads.
Here and there people ducked quickly from one building to another, trying to stay dry.
He set out in a random direction, rubbing his
palms together. He idly wondered what would happen if he fired his Shaqarava in the rain.
He chuckled a little to himself and then sobered, remembering the reason he was out here
in the first place.
Nearly three weeks ago Ba'el had come to Earth and told him all sorts of things. Things
that he hadn't wanted to hear, things that he had, and things that he wouldn't let himself
believe. Among the third category was that Da'an would betray him. That Liam simply could
not accept. Da'an had been a friend, and a mentor to Liam for as long as Liam had been
alive.
More than that, he had been a friend to
humanity, from the moment he arrived on earth. Everything he had ever done or said had
shown that Da'an cared deeply about what happened to the humans, second only to his
concern for his own people. Liam could not, would not, believe that Da'an had committed
such acts of cruelty that Ba'el had detailed, and that he was planning to do the same to
Earth. It was impossible. Wasn't it?
Liam turned down a street and headed for the
small park near the Taelon Embassy, still lost in thought. There's no way that Da'an could
be leading the assault again Earth. I would know. Lili would know.
But?
There was that lingering doubt. That nagging
feeling that he could be wrong. After all, hadn't Da'an as much as told him that the
Taelons came first? He had said that nothing could change the fact that he was a Taelon,
and that he would never betray his people. Liam felt the same way about humanity, of
course, but he would never to anything to harm the Taelons either.
But if what Ba'el had told him was true, then that meant that Da'an would not only put
Taelon interests first, but was intent upon using humanity only as pawn to defeat the
Jaridians. Could that be true? Da'an had refused to give him an answer when Liam had
asked right out if he would betray him. But only a few days ago, Da'an had seemingly been
willing to sacrifice his life for the sake of Earth.
Liam reached the park and sat down on a wooden
bench. It's all so confusing, he thought. Mixed signals and conflicting information. Who
do I believe when things get tight? I'm too young to have to make these decisions, and I
know it. But there's no one else who can do it.
Liam looked around him. He saw trees drinking
in the rain through their roots and flowers turning their faces up towards the sky.
Several cars drove slowly by, and a man gallantly shared his umbrella with and elderly
lady who was trying to cross the street with a bag full of groceries.
The same train of thought ran itself through
his head in an endless circle. He needed to talk with Da'an, but lately things had been
cold between them. The only person who seemed to be close to Da'an in recent weeks was
Lili.
Liam started at the coincidence as Lili Marquette came out of the embassy. She sprinted
towards the bus stop, but ground to a halt as she spotted the lone figure sitting
forlornly in the pouring rain. She squinted through the raindrops and walked tentatively
towards the park bench.
"Liam?" She called through the rain.
"Liam, is that you?" She moved a little closer. "It is you! What are doing
out here in the rain?" Liam opened his mouth to explain but she cut him off.
"Come on, let's get you inside. You'll catch cold out here. Well, maybe not, but it
can't be good for even a Kimera to get this wet. I don't want you getting sick." Lili
said firmly. "Or drowning." She added as an after thought, looking at the deep
puddles all around, which were only getting deeper. "I'll take you to my place until
the rain lets up. It's closer."
Nearly before Liam knew what was happening Lili
had dragged him the six blocks to her apartment. By the time they reached it, they were
both soaked to the bone. Liam was even wetter than before, if that was possible.
"Now go into the bathroom and get out of
those wet clothes." She told him sternly as she let him in. He started to protest,
but she pushed him down the hall. "No arguments. Here." She tossed him two
towels and a large fleece blanket, shoved him into the bathroom, and shut the door in his
bewildered face.
Lili went quickly to her bedroom, stripped,
dried off, and changed into jeans and an old oversized sweatshirt. She towel dried her
hair as well as she could. Just as she was finishing up, she heard the bathroom door open.
Lili left the bedroom and went to find Liam.
She found him standing in the dining room,
wrapped snugly in the blanket. He turned when he heard her enter the room. She smiled at
the picture he presented, all bundled up like a little boy, with his damp hair sticking up
every which way.
"I'm sorry I don't have any clothes for
you, but I'm fresh out of men's pants."
Liam grinned at her and then sneezed, loudly.
"Bless you." Lili said.
"What was that?" Liam asked.
"A sneeze." Lili explained patiently.
"Oh." He said, thoughtfully. "It
felt like my head was going to explode."
"Well, that's what you get for sitting out
in the rain like a dope." Lili chided, gently. "You mean you've never sneezed
before?"
Liam shook his head.
Lili raised her eyebrows. "Why don't you go sit down in the living room. I'll throw
your clothes in the drier and make us some hot chocolate."
Liam's face brightened at the word
"chocolate" and he shuffled without complaint into the other room. Lili watched
him go with a smile on her face. It was times like this that you were reminded how young
he really was. It was so easy to forget that he was just a baby when he was leading the
Resistance and giving orders. But there were still plenty of moments when he proved that
he was still a kid, despite his grown appearance.
Lili gathered up Liam's wet things and put them
in the drier, and then padded in to the kitchen for the hot chocolate. As she heated the
milk, Lili reflected that sometimes she thought of Liam as her own child. Well, maybe not
hers exactly. More like a little brother or a nephew.
In any case, Lili had sworn "no matter
what" that she would take care of Beckett's baby. It didn't matter that he now
appeared to be a grown man who seemed perfectly capable of taking care of himself. If Liam
needed her help, she had an obligation to be there. Whether it was hot chocolate and
sympathy, or something more. Besides, she had a hunch that there was a reason why Liam had
been sitting out in the rain, a reason other than simple curiosity or a child-like
attraction to water.
The milk began to boil, and Lili poured it into
two large mugs, along with the powered chocolate mix. She dropped a marshmallow in each
and headed into the living room.
Liam was curled up in the windowseat, looking
out Lili's large bay window over the city. She handed him the steaming mug and hopped up
next to him.
"Thanks." He said absently, still
staring at the rain.
They both sat in silence for several moments, sipping their hot chocolate. Liam sighed, a
sound that sounded more like repressed whimper than anything else. Lili put down her mug
and put her hand lightly on Liam's arm.
"Liam, what's wrong?" She asked
quietly.
He looked sadly at her. "I miss my mother." He said simply.
Lili put her arm around him in a maternal manner. "I know." She said. "I
know." After a moment she asked. "What else is it?"
"I don't know who to trust." He said
after a long moment. "Da'an has been acting strangely of late, and I can't help but
wonder if
" He trailed off.
"If Ba'el was right." Lili finished
for him, reading his mind.
He nodded.
"Liam, look at me." She said.
"Do you really think that Da'an is the one heading the attack on Earth. Really?"
"No." He said slowly. "I don't.
But what if I'm wrong. What if I've misjudged him? What if it's all an act?"
Lili snorted. "If you can't trust your instincts, no one can."
"Maybe."
"Liam, Da'an knows about your Shaqarava.
If he were really going to condemn all of humanity to death, do you think he'd have any
qualms about turning you over to Zo'or scientist to see what makes you tick?"
"I guess not." Liam said, still
uncertain. "But there's no doubt that he used to be more than willing to slaughter
whole civilizations for the Taelons."
"He's certainly had a change of
heart." Lili commented.
"Yeah. But what if that's only temporary.
I mean, he may be perfectly sincere in his concern for Earth now, but when the Jaridian
invasion fleet shows up at our doorstep will he still be so worried about us. If he has to
push Earth in front of the invasion fleet in order to save his people, he may not feel so
protective of humanity then.
"True." Lili said thoughtfully.
"But when that Jaridian ship was heading for us, Da'an seemed perfectly willing to
die to keep it from getting through. Didn't you tell me that you both took that shuttle
out expecting never to come back?"
"Yes, but if the Jaridian had made it
though, the Mothership would've been in more danger than Earth herself. Besides, that was
his life alone, not thousands of other Taelons' that he was risking. When it comes down to
it, will he really stand by us? We both know that time is coming, and coming soon from the
way Zo'or's been acting. So, can we trust Da'an we need to most?" Liam looked
earnestly at Lili.
Lili shook her head. "I don't know. But
I've Shared with him, Liam. You know that's nothing to be taken lightly. And I didn't see
anything that would say that Da'an would be willing to see Earth destroyed." Lili
took a deep breath. "Although, to be fair, I have to say I did see somethings in his
past that indicate that he used to be less like the Da'an we know and more like
Zo'or." Liam was starting to look worried again. "But I feel that he's genuinely
changed." Lili continued. "I didn't feel anything in him that would suggest that
he could even stand by and do nothing, much less actively participate in the destruction
of our species.
"You know he believes the only way for the
Taelon race to be saved is through joining with humanity. How could he destroy us,
then?"
"I know he wouldn't do it lightly."
Liam replied. "But if he hasn't found a way to bring our two races together by the
time the Jaridian's get here, mightn't he decide to cut their losses and find another race
with our potential?"
Lili sighed. "These are all questions that we just have no way of knowing the answers
to. I've been running these same thoughts through my head since Ba'el showed up. My gut
tells me that we can trust Da'an through thick and thin, and I've always gone with my gut.
Da'an's getting farther away from the Commonality every day. But I really think you should
talk to him about this."
"I know, but lately he seems so distant.
Ever since Ba'el came
"
"Which only reinforces your suspicion that
he may not be all that he seems."
Liam nodded.
"Liam, did you ever consider that he's
been acting strangely because maybe he feeling guilty for his past actions? Or because he
was hurt that you would ask if he would betray you?"
"Or maybe he's been acting odd because I'm
right." Liam said sullenly.
"There's no sure way to know." Lili
told him. "Go talk to him."
"What do I say?"
"Whatever you think you need to."
Liam said nothing and looked back out the window. "I wish
" He began. I
wish Mother were here. I wish the Taelons had never come. I wish I knew who I was. I wish
I'd never heard of the Jaridians. But he didn't say all that. "I wish Da'an could see
the world like this."
"You mean in the rain?" Lili had
never liked the rain.
"Yeah. I mean, the Taelon homeworld was
devastated thousands of years ago. How long has it been since any Taelon has been able to
look out the window of a building on his world and know that as the water fell from the
sky, things were being rejuvenated and given new life? That things were still growing.
That his world was being healed"
Lili had to admit he had a point. "It must
be hard for them to watch us on our planet, which is still whole, while their own is
barren."
"That's it!!" Liam shouted, and
jumped up, barely remembering to keep his blanket around him.
"What's what?" Lili asked, confused.
"I have an idea! I have to go see
Da'an!" Liam drained his hot chocolate and headed out the door. Lili followed him
into the other room. Just before he reached the door to the outside Lili shouted.
"Liam!"
"What is it?" Liam asked, concerned
and eager to get his plan into action.
"Do you think that Da'an really wants you
to show up at his doorstep clad only in a soaking wet fleece blanket?"
"Oh. Um, Lili? Do you think my clothes are
dry yet?"
"I'll go check." Lili said with a
grin. His clothes were dry, and he quickly changed and darted out the door.
"Don't you want a jacket or an umbrella
or
something." Lili called after him, but he was already gone. "Good
luck." She added belatedly.
Liam ran all the way to the Embassy, which
wasn't all that far for a Kimera. He bounded up the steps, flashing his ID at the guards
as he passed, and skidded through the hallways, ignoring attempts at conversation from
some of the female Volunteers. He burst, dripping and panting, into Da'an's office.
"Liam, I did not expect to see you here
today. And in such
condition." Da'an's face portrayed more than a little
surprise."
"Da'an, I apologize for coming in like
this, but there's something I want you to see."
"Is it urgent? I have much work to
do." Da'an said, a little stiffly.
"Yes, I think it is." Liam said.
"Very well." The Companion said.
"Good. This way. Um, do you know where we
could get a couple of ponchos?"
A Volunteer had found them a couple of
umbrellas and Liam and Da'an both sat on the park bench, well protected from the rain.
"What is it that was so important?"
Da'an queried.
"Just look at the world." Liam said.
"Look how fresh and clean it is."
They both gazed around them. They saw the trees
soaking up the water, and the flowers turning their faces skyward. They saw people
standing together in a bus stop for shelter, crowded together but not snapping at each
other or staring distrustfully at each other as they normally would've done, but rather
making friendly conversation and jokes about the weather. They saw a bird swoop down and
pick a worm off the sidewalk, and they saw three children come out in full rainy day
regalia to jump gleefully into puddles, just for the fun of it.
Liam wasn't sure if Da'an would understand what
he was trying to show him, if the Taelon would understand what he was trying to say.
He wanted to say: "How could you destroy
something this fresh and wonderful?"
He wanted to say: "Wasn't your world once
like this?"
He wanted to say: "Isn't it
glorious?"
He wanted to say: "How can you condemn all
this to the same fate as your world?"
He wanted to say: "Now you are seeing the
best side of humanity."
He wanted to say: "I trust you with my
race. Don't let me down."
He wanted to say: "All Zo'or sees is
numbers. Here's what's behind them."
He wanted to say all that and more. But then he
looked at Da'an's face and saw that he didn't have to.
Just then, the rain stopped. The clouds cleared away and the sun came out. Birds began to
chirp, people began to emerge from their hiding places, talking and laughing like old
friends, and the streets finally began to drain. Liam put down the umbrella and saw that
over the city arched a vivid rainbow. And he knew, deep inside, that everything was going
to be all right.
Fin