BOOK 12 DESTINY
DERIVED
(THE ROYAL FOUR
RECLAIMED)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ PART
4 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ (3.11.23692)
(Royal Palace) Rath was escorted into the throne room by a Captain Naire and
stopped before the KingÕs throne where Khivar was seated. With a glance, he noticed that the
QueenÕs throne was empty and vaguely wondered where Isabel was but pushed the
thought aside. ÒAlarath, how nice to see
you again,Ó Khivar greeted, as he dismissed everyone except Nicaron from the
room with a wave of his hand. Rath stood to his full
height and smiled. ÒIs it?Ó he
asked, all trace of accent gone from his voice. ÒI seem to remember that you were going to leave me on Earth
to rot.Ó Khivar shrugged. ÒYou were of no value to me. You had nothing to offer. ÒBut now I do,Ó Rath said. ÒYes,Ó Khivar agreed. ÒWhen you contacted me this morning,
you said you could deliver the human Liz to me, and that means you know where
Max and the others are as well. So
why donÕt we forgo the games and you just tell me where they are?Ó Rath shook his head. ÒNot so fast. I want to play letÕs make a deal, first.Ó ÒAnd why would I make a deal
with you?Ó Khivar asked. ÒI could
simply have the General take the information from your mind.Ó Rath glanced at General
Nicaron, standing at KhivarÕs right hand, noting that Nicholas was no longer in
the guise of a child. ÒYou could,Ó
Rath agreed, Òbut he canÕt get information out of me that I donÕt have.Ó A look of confusion crossed
KhivarÕs brow. ÒWhat do you mean?Ó ÒI took Liz, last night,Ó
Rath said. ÒI have her in a secure
place and you probably could get the location from me, but what IÕm asking is
so little for what I am prepared to give.Ó Khivar motioned for him to
continue. ÒBy now, IÕm sure Max has
discovered Liz and I are gone, and you know heÕll figure out that IÕm making a
deal with you. He will have moved
his people to another location, so I canÕt lead you to him.Ó Khivar nodded, agreeing. ÒI planned it that way to
give myself a little more leverage,Ó Rath explained. ÒSee, I know if I give you Liz, you can bring Max out of
hiding. He is so in love with her,
he would do anything to save her, including sacrificing himself.Ó Khivar sighed, ÒAnd while
you are here, he could be rescuing her.
They are bonded, he can find her.Ó Rath shook his head. ÒNot with the drugs I gave her. SheÕll be out cold for a few hours
yet.Ó Khivar nodded
approvingly. ÒSo what do you want
in exchange for Liz?Ó ÒI want the title and all
property and lands of my ancestral homeÉÓ Khivar interrupted, ÒBut
your father, the Duke, is still living.Ó Rath shrugged. ÒI donÕt really remember him
anyway.Ó He continued, ÒI want my
former rank as General reinstated and I want to be your second in command.Ó NicaronÕs eyebrows rose in
surprise and Rath laughed. ÒIÕm
not asking you to off Nicholas, but now that Max killed all of your troops on
Earth, I figured you could use a replacement. I am half Harcion, a distant cousin to your own family. I will swear fealty to you.Ó He motioned to Nicholas, ÒNicholas is
your right hand, so make me your
left. ÒAnd this is all you want?Ó
Khivar asked. Rath shook his head. ÒJust one other thing. When you are finished with her, I want
Liz, undamaged.Ó Khivar studied him
carefully. ÒWhy do you want a human?Ó Rath smiled. ÒYou can drop the act, Khivar. I know you were with them on Earth and
I know they told you who she used to be.Ó ÒAnd who is that?Ó Khivar
asked casually. ÒLiz is the reincarnation of
Ava, ZanÕs wife and the former Queen of Antar.Ó ÒMax told you that?Ó Khivar
asked. ÒHow very foolish of him to
reveal so much.Ó Rath shook his head. ÒThey do speak too freely, but Max
didnÕt have to tell me anything.
When I first met Liz, I made a pass at her, and when I kissed her I knew
she was familiar. It took me a
while to figure it out, but finally I remembered who she was. And while I donÕt remember a lot from
my other life, I do remember her.
I wanted her then and I still do.Ó
ÒAnd you didnÕt tell anyone
you knew the truth?Ó Khivar asked. ÒWhy would I?Ó Rath
asked. ÒThe information had no
value to me then but I knew it would eventually. So I simply bided my time.Ó Khivar nodded. ÒSo you made an alliance with Max. ThatÕs why they were ready for the
attack on Earth, because you warned them.Ó Rath nodded. ÒI was working with them for months,
keeping them informed of what was happening in Copper Summit. And I warned them about the attack
simply because I needed them alive.Ó Khivar smiled, ÒBut the
whole time, you intended to betray Max when you got what you wanted, a ride
home.Ó Rath shrugged, turning the
conversation back to the main point.
ÒI have no ambition other than to return to my life on my home
planet. And I know I donÕt have a
chance with Liz if Maxie is still around, so when you take him out, we all get
what we want.Ó He motioned to Khivar with a
bob of his head, ÒYou already possess Isabel and MaxÕs bastard son to secure
your position. Liz isnÕt pregnant
with an inconvenient, legitimate Tageonant heir, so after you kill Max, she is
of no further value to you.
Granted, Liz is of royal blood, but so are a lot of others, and she
isnÕt from the direct Tageonant line, so she is of no threat to you that way. And I donÕt know what her title would
be technically with her death and rebirth and whatnot, but according to
Antarian law, when I marry Liz, any former title she held will be forfeit. I will make Liz a Duchess and end
whatever speculation there may be about her title and status.Ó Khivar smiled wider.
ÒPerhaps I did underestimate your value.
You seem to have this all figured out.Ó Rath shrugged. ÒPeople have underestimated
me my entire life.Ó With a laugh, Khivar rose
from the throne and approached Rath, putting an arm around his shoulders. ÒBring Liz to me, and after Max is
dead, I will give you everything you requested.Ó He motioned to the door, opening it, and waved Captain Naire
inside to escort Rath out. Nicaron waited until they
were alone before turning to Khivar.
ÒYouÕre not serious? He
changes sides whenever it suits him.
Not to mention LizÕs father is the Governor of Telos, Duke Telnada. If he finds out that she was given to
Rath against her will, he could make a lot of trouble.Ó Khivar shrugged. ÒRath will have to stay loyal to us
until I return Liz to him. Make
him your aid and keep an eye on him.
In the mean time, we will get all of the information he has. As for LizÕs father, we will deal with
that if the time comes.Ó ÒSo you think Rath really
wants Liz?Ó Nicaron asked. ÒYes,Ó Khivar said. ÒHe wants her, all right. Now all we have to figure out is the
reason. Is it simply because he
loves her, or does he think it will be easier to maneuver for the throne with
the former Queen at his side?Ó ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ (Secret
Headquarters of the Resistance Loyal to the Tageonants) It had taken less then ten
minutes to vacate the compromised house, but several hours later, they were
still settling in to the new one. Max had overseen the
relocation of the Granolith but then he had gone into his room and shut himself
inside. Michael stepped in to help
direct, trying to take the burden off of Max. One of the guards approached
Michael. ÒGeneral Varros, all the
security has been double checked and we are staying on the highest alert.Ó Michael nodded. ÒReport to me with anything
suspicious.Ó The guard turned to leave
and then turned back. ÒOh, and
sir, I almost forgot, Ryden requested to see you. He is being held in his room.Ó ÒOkay,Ó Michael said. He walked to the room and dismissed the
guard outside, knocking on the door before entering. ÒSorry about the security,Ó he apologized to Ryden. Ryden shook his head. ÒItÕs like the Earth saying, locking
the barn door after the horse has bolted.
Obviously I am not working with Rath or I would have gone with him.Ó ÒI know,Ó Michael said. ÒThatÕs why I dismissed the guard. You gave us your oath. I trust you.Ó ÒBut Max doesnÕt,Ó Ryden
said. ÒThatÕs why he put a guard
on me.Ó Michael shook his head. ÒMax does trust you. But he just lost Liz, and he isnÕt
thinking straight.Ó ÒHeÕs losing it,Ó Ryden
said, shaking his head. ÒDonÕt get
me wrong. I like Max a lot. I think he is a nice guy, but since Liz
was taken, Max has withdrawn further and further into himself, until heÕs
stopped speaking. And the guard
said Max has been locked in his room for hours. HeÕs completely ineffectual.Ó ÒThatÕs not true,Ó Michael
said. ÒMax is the most stand up
guy IÕve ever known. He always
comes through. He just in shock
right now.Ó ÒIt looks to me like you are
the stand up guy,Ó Ryden said.
ÒYouÕre the one running the show, while Max cowers in his room. ThatÕs why you should be in charge. You are the one we need as our leader.Ó Michael sighed. ÒArenÕt you ever going to give up on
that?Ó He moved to the door. ÒThereÕs no guard, youÕre free to move
around the house.Ó ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ (Capitol city of Roistar
- formerly Tageonon) (Abandoned Building) Rath sat on a chair next to
the bed where Liz slept. He didnÕt
want to give her to Khivar but it was the best chance he had of getting what he
wanted. As it was, he had been
forced to take Liz before he had his entire plan worked out. Of course Rath had to wait until they
arrived on the planet before he could make a plan, because he didnÕt know what
to expect about MaxÕs headquarters or security or anything else. But heÕd been pleasantly surprised to
find that he had access to all kinds of information at MaxÕs headquarters
through a system similar to EarthÕs internet. And using that resource, he had figured out everything,
including how to turn off the security system, a hideout for himself and Liz,
and even the anesthesia to use, but he had still been working on the
transportation. He had devised an elaborate
plan to take Liz from her bedroom in the middle of the night, completely
bypassing the four bodyguards outside her door. First, he would feign illness, kill his guards and
deactivate the alarm. Then he
would make a hole in Max and LizÕs bedroom floor from the library below,
entering their room by a set of stairs he had practiced constructing. Finally, using a fast-acting
anesthesia, he would knock out both Max and Liz and then simply take Liz out
the way he had come, escaping through the library door into the garden and the
street beyond. Rath had considered simply
killing Max when he took Liz, but after a lot of reflection he had decided
against it. He wanted Liz to like
him, even love him, and she never would if he killed Max. Rath had decided to leave MaxÕs fate to
Khivar and simply concentrate on his plan to take Liz. But that afternoon, one of
MaxÕs chattier men, who Rath had made friends with specifically to gather
information, had told him that they were getting ready to rescue Isabel, and
Rath knew he was out of time. He
had acted that night, easily killing his guards and disabling the alarm system,
then he had headed to the library.
He had been surprised to see the two guards outside but he recognized
them as part of Max and LizÕs security force, and knew that either one or both
of them was within the library. Feigning illness again, he
had simultaneously dispatched the guards with blasts of energy to their chests,
when they rushed down the hall to help him. Then he had stuffed their bodies in a convenient closet and
moved silently toward the library.
Rath had been pleasantly surprised to find Liz alone in the library and
had used the anesthesia he had synthesized to knock her out. Then he had followed his plan, hefting
her small form over one shoulder and taking her out the library door, through
the garden and down the street. It had been easier than he
expected to find transportation.
There had been a curfew patrol passing, and he had simply flagged it
down, claiming Liz was deathly ill.
The soldier had obligingly stopped and rushed to examine Liz, and Rath
killed him. He had then changed
his clothes to match the soldierÕs uniform and loaded Liz and the soldierÕs
body into the transport, reaching the abandoned building he had chosen as a
hideout, in a matter of minutes. He had changed the
appearance of the transport and carried Liz and the soldier inside. Using his powers, Rath buried the
soldier beneath the floor and took Liz into a small back room. He formed a bed and gently placed her
on it before completely sealing the room.
Then he made a recliner and placed it facing the bed, where heÕd caught
a few hours sleep before going to see Khivar. HeÕd had to leave Liz alone,
while he went to the palace, but the anesthesia was powerful enough to keep her
unconscious for several more hours, possibly even a day. So Rath had simply locked her in the
room, altering the door to make it appear to be a wall. Then he had gone to a public place and
contacted Khivar. LizÕs soft sigh brought Rath
back to the present and he sat forward and took a tendril of her dark hair
between his fingers, inhaling the sweet fragrance. It was a risk handing her to Khivar, but he really wasnÕt
asking for much and he knew Khivar could be very generous. Rath was confident his plan would work. Taking a last look at the
sleeping Liz, he picked her up and strode out the door. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ (Royal Palace) Nicaron watched Isabel from
the window of his office as she walked in the palace gardens. He had watched her closely the last two
weeks for any sign that she was remembering the past. He knew that Khivar was helping her regain her memories and
Nicaron wondered when she would remember that he had killed her in her other
life. If she did remember and tell
Khivar, Nicaron knew it would be the end of him. Khivar would never accept that it had been an accident. Nicaron knew that none of his years of
loyal service would mean anything.
Khivar would blame him for the years he had been apart from Isabel and
take great pleasure in slowly killing him. On his more optimistic days
Nicaron thought that perhaps Isabel would never remember. Clones who regained their memories
rarely remembered the circumstances surrounding their deaths. But on his more realistic
days, Nicaron knew that Isabel would remember. She was a remarkable person and she had a lot of power. Yes, he told himself, she would
remember. It was only a matter of
time. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ (Secret Headquarters of
the Resistance Loyal to the Tageonants) Michael knocked softly on MaxÕs
bedroom door but after a handful of moments with no answer, he opened it and
went inside. The room was almost
completely dark and it took a minute for MichaelÕs eyes to adjust. ÒMax?Ó he called out, finally seeing
him on a chair. Max was seated with his eyes
closed and he didnÕt even seem to know Michael was there. ÒMax?Ó Michael said a little
louder, taking a couple of steps closer and turned on a light. With a quick glance, Michael noted the
necklace and book that had been recovered from the library next to Max on a
table and one of LizÕs shirts was draped across MaxÕs knees. Max still didnÕt respond and
Michael reached out and shook his shoulder. ÒMax, what are you doing?Ó Without opening his eyes Max
answered. ÒI can still feel her,
Michael. The bond is there, so I
know sheÕs alive but I canÕt make the connection work.Ó He sighed loudly and opened his eyes,
focusing on Michael. ÒI canÕt join
with her or feel her strength.Ó Michael sat across from
him. ÒMax we have the plan to
rescue Isabel and your son, weÕll just include Liz too.Ó ÒIt wonÕt work,Ó Max said,
tears gathering in his eyes. ÒWe
donÕt even know where Liz is. I
canÕt tell where she is.Ó ÒWeÕll figure it out,Ó
Michael assured him. ÒWeÕll get
that spy to give us more information and weÕll get them all back.Ó He motioned to the bed. ÒWhy donÕt you get some rest?Ó Max shook his head. ÒSheÕs never been in that bed. How can I sleep without her beside
me?Ó He picked up her shirt and brought
it to his nose, inhaling deeply to catch a whiff of her scent. ÒI feel so lost, so out of control,Ó he
said, his voice hollow and wooden.
ÒI donÕt know what to do without her.Ó ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ (Royal Palace) Isabel leaned back into
KhivarÕs arms as their daily memory retrieval session came to an end. Khivar had concentrated their sessions
on their past relationship because that is what she had asked him to do. But more and more often Isabel was
wondering about her family, and especially her mother. Isabel had never told Max
but she had always mourned the fact that they had been separated from their
mother. Even though she had no
memory of their mother she had always felt the void in her life. But she had been on the same planet as
her mother for almost a month and she had been too scared to even ask Khivar
about her. It was partly because
she was worried that her mother would be disappointed in her for agreeing to be
with Khivar, and partly because she was worried about KhivarÕs reaction. Gathering her courage,
Isabel took KhivarÕs hand in hers.
ÒKhivar will you tell me about my mother.Ó Khivar kissed the top of her
head. ÒI wondered when you would
ask about her.Ó Isabel turned in his arms to
look up into his face. ÒYou did?Ó ÒYou were very close to your
mother,Ó he said. ÒI thought you
might have remembered something about her.Ó ÒNo,Ó said Isabel, shaking
her head. ÒI canÕt remember
anything; what she looked like, even her name.Ó Khivar motioned with his
hand, creating a photograph, and he handed it to Isabel. ÒHer name is Nedra.Ó IsabelÕs eyes devoured every
detail of the golden-haired woman in the photo. ÒSheÕs beautiful.Ó ÒJust like her daughter,Ó
Khivar said. ÒI do kind of look like
her,Ó Isabel said. ÒI always
wondered.Ó Khivar nodded. ÒOf course this is how she appeared the
last time I saw her and it has been a long time. She has been in hiding since just after you were killed.Ó ÒAnd you have been looking
for her?Ó Isabel asked. ÒOnly because she is leading
the rebellion,Ó he said. ÒI would
have left her in peace otherwise.Ó Isabel met his eyes. ÒYou said you would give amnesty to
MaxÕs followers who agreed to pledge loyalty to you. Does that include my mother?Ó ÒYes,Ó Khivar said. ÒI would like her to come and live at
the palace, so you two could be close.Ó ÒAnd it wouldnÕt hurt your
position if the former Queen was supporting you, along with myself,Ó Isabel
said. Khivar smiled. ÒYou are correct, but I also want you
to be happy and I know you want your mother here.Ó ÒSo Khivar, why havenÕt you
announced that IÕm on the planet?Ó Khivar reached up to touch
her face. ÒI was waiting for you
to be ready. If it were up to me I
would announce your presence today and I would marry you tomorrow. But I donÕt want to rush you into
anything.Ó ÒYouÕve been very patient
with me,Ó Isabel said. ÒI am kind
of surprised. I thought you might
want to use the fact that I was with you to your advantage.Ó ÒI am practical,Ó Khivar
said, Òeven ruthlessly so, but I can also be infinitely patient. I waited for almost sixty years to get
you back,Ó he reminded her. ÒI
have Antar and now you are at my side.
There is only one more thing I desire and that is to make you my wife.Ó He leaned in and kissed her
gently and Isabel wrapped her arms around him, urging him closer. Khivar deepened the kiss as Isabel
wanted. When they were together,
all of her fears and doubts left her but when she was alone and had too much
time to think, she wondered if she had done the right thing in coming to Antar
with Khivar. She loved him. There was no doubt in her mind about
that. What did trouble her was the
barely disguised streak of ruthlessness she had seen in him. She knew that he was the reason they
were all dead but she had tried not to think too much about it. But the memories she had recovered only
reinforced her impressions about him.
Khivar was single-minded about ruling Antar. It was the only thing he had ever wanted beside herself, and
Isabel feared that he was willing to go to any lengths to stay in control. But, as the old saying went,
she had made her bed. Even if she
wanted to leave him, she knew there was nowhere to go. Khivar had found her after sixty years,
in another galaxy, he would find her no matter where she went. And even though she had doubts,
Isabel didnÕt want to leave him.
She broke the kiss and took his handsome face in her hands. ÒKhivar, letÕs get married.Ó ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Udac felt a familiar twinge
of jealously rise up within her as she watched the nanny caring for TessÕ son Zantas. Tess had ordered the shape shifter to
have no contact with the child, leaving his care to the nanny. As TessÕ handmaid it wasnÕt
technically UdacÕs duty to care for the child but she had raised Chanya, acting
almost as her mother. Chanya had always been a spoiled child, but she had
always shown great affection for Udac and they had been very close. Chanya had told her everything, her
hopes and dreams and plans for the future; but Tess didnÕt trust her. At first, Udac thought Tess
had accepted her, but as the days passed, the truth became painfully
obvious. Tess had allowed her to
stay and was eager to learn of the past, but she didnÕt allow Udac into her
life or into her confidence at all.
And TessÕ rejection of her
hurt Udac more than she had thought possible. She was simply a protector but she had been a big part of
ChanyaÕs life, almost like a member of the family. But Tess didnÕt want her anymore. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Nicaron answered the
late-night knock at his door and his new second in command, Colonel Talodan,
was in the hall with his adjutant Captain Naire. ÒSir, weÕve got an uprising
in one of the poor neighborhoods on the edge of the city,Ó Talodan reported. With a swipe of his hand
Nicaron dressed himself and quickly followed Talodan and Naire outside to a
waiting transport. Nicaron took
out his amplifier and switched to their most secure channel to call his servant
Idos. ÒWhen Khivar awakens, tell
him I have gone to see about a riot and I will call him when I have news.Ó ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ (Secret Headquarters of
the Resistance Loyal to the Tageonants) Song Playing: Sweet Dreams by Air Supply Max walked into the bedroom
and was relieved to see Liz waiting for him. It had been a long day and he wanted nothing more than to
lose himself in her. Without a word
he crossed to her, his attention only momentarily diverted as the shiny surface
of the pendant she wore caught the light. He enfolded her eager form
into his arms, kissing her hard, as he opened the connection between them. Their souls rushed together as he kissed
her thoroughly and he felt her hands go to the buttons on his shirt. Breaking the kiss, he traced his thumb
down the smooth column of her exposed throat, causing a golden glow to emanate
from her skin. He leaned in and kissed her
again, reveling in the perfect union of bodies, minds and souls. Even though his eyes were closed, Max
could see the golden light of LizÕs soul in his mind and he let it surround and
cover him, drawing strength and comfort from her. Suddenly the golden light
flickered and dimmed and then it extinguished. MaxÕs eyes snapped open and he tightened his grasp but his
hands met nothing. Liz was gone. He burst through the bedroom
door and ran down the corridor of the palace, desperately calling out for
her. ÒLIZ!!Ó It seemed like he ran
forever through the twisting, grey stone hallways, growing more desperate with
each step, but he saw no one. A doorway loomed ahead of
him and he rushed inside, stopping immediately when he saw Tess. But it wasnÕt Tess, Max realized, it was
her former self, Chanya. She turned to him with a
smile, seemingly unaware of his tumultuous state. ÒGood morning, Zan.Ó ÒChanya,Ó Max said, ignoring
her greeting, Òhave you seen Liz?Ó ÒNo,Ó she said shaking her
head. The motion caused the pendant
she was wearing to sway from side to side, catching MaxÕs eye. It was identical to the one Liz wore
but he noted immediately that it wasnÕt broken. Max awoke with a gasp,
practically jumping out of the chair where he had fallen asleep. His eyes darted to the nearby table
where he had laid the pendant he had given Liz, and he snatched it up, running
his fingers over the jagged edge. He had never really thought
about where the pendant had come from, but now the dream had reminded him that
Chanya had worn one that was identical.
She had worn it all the time, he remembered now. It hadnÕt seemed like something she
would wear because it wasnÕt made of precious stones or metals, and heÕd
wondered if it had been sentimental to her, perhaps given to her by a
lover. But that didnÕt explain how
it had gotten to Earth. Max rose from his chair and
crossed to the travel bag Liz had brought with her. He knew that she kept the broken piece of the pendant in the
small, leather, drawstring bag that Eddie had given her. He shook the piece into his
hand and placed the broken edge against the pendant, fitting it perfectly into
the jagged fracture. With a pass
of his other hand, Max repaired the pendant, but almost dropped it in surprise
as the center triangle illuminated with a red light. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ (3.12.23692) Liz awoke slowly, feeling strange and aware that something was
terribly wrong. Sitting up, she
saw the unfamiliar surroundings and then she remembered Rath grabbing her and
putting a cloth over her mouth. He
had kidnapped her, and even though she didnÕt recognize the room, she had
little doubt about where she was.
AntarÕs royal palace had only been her home for a few years, but the
elegant style of the room was familiar. A movement to her right caught LizÕs eye and she turned to see
someone seated in a chair against the far wall. She was unsurprised by his presence and acknowledged him
softly. ÒKhivar.Ó ÒIÕm glad to see youÕre finally awake,Ó he said. ÒI assume since you recognize me, that
you have recovered your memory. Or
was it simply an educated guess?Ó ÒI have my full memory back,Ó Liz confirmed. Khivar nodded. ÒThen
you remember there are certain substances that our powers will not
affect.Ó He motioned around
them. ÒThis room is comprised of
one of those materials, even the bars on the windows, so there is no use
attempting to escape by using your powers.Ó There was a fuzzy sensation in LizÕs head and she blinked a few
times attempting to clear her thoughts but it didnÕt help. Automatically she reached for the
connection with Max, but although the connection was still there, it wasnÕt
responding. She turned to Khivar
accusingly, ÒWhat did you do to me?Ó ÒI had your power of astral projection and your link to Max
blocked,Ó Khivar said, Òto discourage any ill-conceived rescue attempts. But I didnÕt tamper with your abilities
of empathy and prognostication.Ó ÒWhat about Max and the others? Are they okay?Ó Liz asked anxiously. Khivar studied her worried face for a moment, deciding if he
should tell her and then shrugged.
ÒRath only removed you from the house,Ó he said. ÒThe others are still in hiding, safe
from me, for now.Ó Liz breathed a sigh of relief and Khivar continued. ÒYou
didnÕt have the power of astral projection in your other life. It must be one of the benefits of your
half-human status.Ó Liz
didnÕt answer. ÒYour
original talents of empathy and prognostication have always been fascinating to
me,Ó Khivar admitted. ÒTo be able
to tell the future must be quite empowering.Ó Liz shook her head. ÒIt isnÕt all itÕs cracked up to
be.Ó She looked around, motioning
to the room. ÒI didnÕt see this coming
until it was too late. Often all I
get is a dream I canÕt remember and a feeling of impending dread.Ó She turned to face Khivar. ÒItÕs really frustrating to know
something is going to happen but not know what or when or if I could do
something to prevent it.Ó Khivar frowned. ÒIsabel said you had a premonition
about the skin soldersÕ attack on Earth.Ó Liz shrugged. ÒMaybe. All I know is that I had a nervous stomach and a feeling
that we should keep Cuerena near us.
If you remember though, that was the day Max and I were meeting his
parents to tell them we were planning to get engaged. I was pretty nervous about that, so an upset stomach didnÕt
really seem odd. I didnÕt think
anything else was wrong.Ó ÒBut you did follow your
feeling and keep Cuerena with you,Ó Khivar pointed out. ÒYeah,Ó Liz said. ÒIÕve learned not to question my
impressions.Ó ÒAnd what is your impression
about the current situation?Ó Khivar asked. Liz studied him for a moment
before speaking. ÒIsabel loves you
desperately but your continual betrayal of everything she believes in will turn
her from you.Ó KhivarÕs face tightened
momentarily before he could control it and when he spoke, his voice was too
calm. ÒNothing will come between
Isabel and myself.Ó ÒIt did before,Ó Liz
reminded him. ÒWhen she was
Vilondra, you forced her to choose between you and her family, and you are
making the same mistake of underestimating her now.Ó Liz looked away from him. ÒOn Earth, Max and Isabel were everything to each other for
so long. You have no idea
how close they are.Ó ÒSo close that Isabel kept
her true identity from Max, and he turned on her at the first opportunity,Ó
Khivar said. ÒIÕve seen it all in
IsabelÕs mind.Ó ÒBecause she isnÕt strong
enough to keep you out?Ó Liz asked.
ÒItÕs just one more betrayal Khivar, and one day Isabel will grow to
hate you for them.Ó ÒYou are mistaken,Ó Khivar
said. Liz turned to face him
again, meeting his eyes. ÒSo you
are impressed with my powers but you donÕt believe what they reveal?Ó ÒYou have seen Isabel turn
from me?Ó Khivar asked, with a look of uncertainty. ÒNo,Ó Liz admitted. ÒBut I know her pretty well.Ó Khivar smiled. ÒSo do I.Ó ÒIf you became the man you
could be, the good man you pretended to be on Earth, Isabel would never leave
you,Ó Liz said. ÒItÕs your choice,
Khivar.Ó ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ (Secret Headquarters of
the Resistance Loyal to the Tageonants) Alex entered the lab later
than usual that morning because of his late night of experiments the night
before, and he was surprised to see Max in earnest conversation with the head
scientist Kranon. They looked up at his
arrival and Alex stopped. ÒAm I
interrupting something?Ó ÒOf course not,Ó Max said,
motioning him inside. ÒI was just
telling Kranon that a couple of hours ago I had a dream where I remembered that
in her other life, Tess used to wear this pendant.Ó AlexÕs eyes narrowed. ÒThe one you found at AthertonÕs
house?Ó Max nodded. ÒYeah but it wasnÕt broken in my dream,
so I used my powers to fix it and the center triangle turned red.Ó Alex motioned to the
swirling pattern. ÒDoes the symbol
mean anything?Ó ÒItÕs the symbol of Antar,Ó
Max said, handing the pendant to Alex. ÒJust so it doesnÕt mean
radioactivity, or poison, or bomb,Ó Alex said, taking it. He turned it over in his hands as Max
continued. ÒI thought you could run
some tests on it and try to figure out if itÕs important,Ó Max said. Alex turned the pendant to
examine the front. ÒHas anyone
tried pushing the triangle?Ó he asked with a laugh. ÒIt kind of reminds me of this old answering machine we used
to have. You know, a red light
meant that you had a message.Ó He pressed the triangle and
jumped when a voice projected from the pendent. É things could have been
worse, Khivar. But with a show of
force we calmed the situation pretty quickly and weÕre holding the ringleaders. What started the riot,
Nicaron? The ringleaders were
spreading the rumor that Max is back on Antar and he is gathering an army to
take back the planet. Where did they hear this
rumor? They arenÕt talking, Sir. Well General, pry
whatever information you can from their minds and then execute them. Yes Sir, make an example
of them to the others. I know the
routine, unless things have changed while I was on Earth the last sixty years. Usually I would agree
with you, Nicaron, but Isabel has been asking a lot of questions lately, and
for now I would prefer to keep her in the dark. Take the prisoners somewhere secure and when youÕre finished
with them dispose of the bodies so we can keep this to ourselves. As you wish, your
Majesty. Alex looked at Max and
Kranon shaking his head. ÒI didnÕt
think it would really work.Ó MaxÕs eyes narrowed. ÒThat was a secret communication. Probably on an encoded frequency.Ó Kranon nodded, motioning to
the pendant. ÒObviously it is some
kind of transmitter. Khivar
obtained technology that allows him to send messages without us being able to
track them. For years we have been
trying to figure out how it works.
Maybe this device will finally help us figure it out.Ó ÒWe also learned that
Nicholas is back on the planet,Ó Max said. ÒThat certainly wasnÕt a shape shifter playing him. IÕd hoped weÕd gotten him with the rest
of the skins when we destroyed the busses.Ó Max shook his head and turned to Alex. ÒThanks, Alex. This could really be a big
breakthrough.Ó Alex shrugged. ÒIt was nothing really, but your
welcome.Ó ÒIt could help us get Liz
back,Ó Max said, his voice rough with emotion. Alex noticed the tired look
that came over Max suddenly.
ÒWeÕll get her back,Ó he assured Max, with a comforting hand on his
shoulder. Max nodded and turned to
leave but stopped when Alex cried out. ÒOh!Õ Alex exclaimed. ÒI almost forgot. I had an idea about Raltos and Hale.Ó ÒWhatÕs that?Ó Max asked
interested. ÒWell, we havenÕt been able
to get much information from them, trying to pry it from their minds but what
if someone possessed them like Khivar did. WouldnÕt that give them access to his stored memories?Ó Max looked to an obviously
surprised Kranon, who slowly nodded and smiled. ÒThat just might work,Ó
Kranon said. ÒThat just might work.Ó ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ (Royal
Palace) Even though Khivar had told her it would be impossible to escape,
Liz had been testing the room all afternoon. She had used her powers to check every surface of the
ceiling, floors, walls and windows without success. But she didnÕt give up. Liz sat in the middle of the floor and started to concentrate,
focusing on the thread of connection she shared with Max. Khivar had blocked the connection but
Liz had faith that she could break through and she knew Max would be attempting
to do the same thing from his end.
She let everything drop out of her mind and the golden thread
filled her consciousness. It felt
the same in her mind, like a piece of Max, but when she attempted to open it,
she was met only with silence. She
could still feel Max at the end of the connection, could tell that he was alive
but she couldnÕt feel his emotions or hear his thoughts. In her mind, the barrier was like a tangible object and Liz
concentrated harder, willing it to break.
She pushed harder and harder with her powers but the barrier was strong
and Liz started to get a headache.
She ignored the pain and continued to batter the barrier using surges of
power and she thought she sensed it give a little when she was interrupted by a
knock at the door. Liz rose quickly, not wanting her visitor to guess what she had
been doing and settled on the sofa before calling out. ÒCome in.Ó The pain in her head intensified because of her rapid action and
she put a hand to her temple. ÒYou have a headache?Ó Rath asked from the doorway. Surprised, Liz rose from the sofa and turned toward him. ÒRath? Khivar told me that you only took me, that you left the
others okay. Is that true?Ó Rath nodded. ÒI
didnÕt hurt any of your friends or Max.Ó Liz sighed in relief.
ÒWhat are you doing here?Ó He held out his hands placatingly. ÒI just came to see if you were all right.Ó ÒAll right?Ó Liz asked.
ÒYou took me away from Max, from my friends. How could you think I would be all right?Ó Rath came into the room, letting the door shut behind him. ÒI did it to save you.Ó ÒSave me?Ó Liz asked incredulously. Rath nodded, coming closer.
ÒYou know Max is on a suicide mission to save his sister and his
son. KhivarÕs forces outnumber him
by the thousands or more. There is
no way he is going to live through this and he is taking you all down with
him.Ó Liz shook her head, wincing in pain. ÒRath, it was my decision to stay with Max, no matter
what. And if we died, well at
least weÕd have been together. Ò He came a few steps closer.
ÒI made a deal with Khivar to guarantee your safety.Ó ÒMe for Max?Ó Liz guessed, pressing her hand to her head
again. ÒRath, you canÕt trust
Khivar.Ó Rath stepped forward, closing the distance between them and
grasped LizÕs head in his hands, one hand on her forehead and one on the back
of her head, and before Liz could protest, he eased her headache away. He released her and stepped back. ÒBetter?Ó Liz nodded gingerly.
ÒYeah, thanks. I havenÕt
quite gotten the hang of things like that.Ó Rath shrugged.
ÒYouÕre still pretty new to your powers and healing takes precise
control.Ó LizÕs eyes narrowed suddenly. ÒWhat happened to your accent? And your grammar has improved by about six grade levels.Ó Rath smiled. ÒIt pays
to let people think IÕm just the dumb muscle. I am often underestimated.Ó Liz nodded, knowing she fit into that category and studied him
more closely. She knew Michael was
a lot smarter than he let people see but she had assumed that Rath wasnÕt
blessed with his intelligence. Now
she knew Rath had a brain and she hoped she could appeal to him. ÒRath, you have got to help me get out
of here. Max will forgive you for
taking me if we go back.Ó ÒYou donÕt understand Liz,Ó Rath said. ÒI was made to be disposable but I donÕt feel like stepping
aside for the real thing. I am
claiming my life and my position on my home world.Ó ÒBut in your other life, you would have never turned against Max,Ó
Liz argued. ÒYou were his best
friend, his second in command, almost like brothers.Ó ÒEven with your memory restored,Ó Rath said, Òyou donÕt know
everything about my other life.Ó ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Isabel gripped KhivarÕs hand tightly as they walked into the
throne room. Khivar had told her
the room would be filled with reporters but Isabel was unprepared for the
number of people gathered. Khivar had called the press conference but he hadnÕt told
the reporters what he was announcing.
There had been much speculation in the media, but when the gathered
reporters saw Khivar enter the room with a woman on his arm, they naturally
expected him to announce his wedding and they pressed forward, eager to get a
glimpse of his fiancŽe. Khivar led Isabel slowly to an elaborate throne on the dais and
they took their seats, amid a flurry of questions called out from the
audience. ÒKhivar, are you finally announcing a betrothal?Ó ÒThere have been rumors of a woman living in the palace. Is this the same one?Ó ÒWhen is the ceremony?
Has a date been set? ÒKhivar, who is this woman? Where is she from?
Is she of Royal birth?Ó ÒWhere will you go for your wedding trip?Ó For a few moments, Khivar let the excitement in the room build by
remaining silent, but then he held up his hand, signaling for silence. The room went quiet immediately and
Khivar remained seated to make his announcement. ÒLadies and gentlemen, as you have speculated I have come here to
announce my betrothal to the beautiful lady at my side,Ó he said smoothly,
indicating Isabel by raising her hand to his lips. He kissed her hand softly, and as he had anticipated, Isabel
blushed prettily. He smiled with
satisfaction and kept her hand in his as he continued. ÒAnd yes she is of Royal birth, a
family second only to my own.
Allow me to introduce Isabel, the reborn Princess Vilondra Tageonant,
finally returned to me and Antar.Ó The room erupted into an immediate cacophony as every person
seemed to be talking at once.
Isabel swallowed nervously, looking at the eager faces in the crowd straining
to get closer to her. And for
maybe the first time in her life, she felt overwhelmed by the attention. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Nicaron went into his suite of rooms and was greeted by Idos. After all of the years on Earth he
found it difficult to call her by her proper name instead of Mom. She took his coat and handed him a drink, motioning to the
bedroom. ÒYou have a visitor,
Sir. Shall I retire for the
night?Ó Nicaron nodded, dismissing her and stalked to the bedroom door,
pushing it open with a burst of power.
He observed the blonde waiting in his bed with curiosity. He and Tess had become lovers a couple
of weeks ago and she often came to his room at night, but tonight he was
interested in something in addition to companionship. He took a seat at a table adjacent to the bed and swirled the
liquid around the glass. He knew
Tess had the ability to erase or alter memories and if she could help him with
IsabelÕs memories, all of his problems would be gone. Except for the fact that then Tess would know his secret,
but she would be easier to deal with than Isabel. ÒTell me about your powers.Ó TessÕ welcoming smile turned to surprise. ÒWhat?Ó ÒYour powers,Ó Nicaron said, motioning to her. ÒParticularly your power to erase
memories. How does it work?Ó Tess swallowed hard.
ÒWhy do you want to know?Ó Nicaron shrugged.
ÒEverything, it could be very useful.Ó ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ (Secret Headquarters of
the Resistance Loyal to the Tageonants) It was late and Michael entered his room quietly, hoping not to
wake Maria. He kicked his pants
and shoes aside and was about to pull his shirt over his head when MariaÕs soft
voice stopped him. ÒYou had a long day,Ó she said. Michael tossed his shirt on the pile. ÒSorry, I didnÕt mean to wake you.Ó ÒYou didnÕt,Ó Maria said.
ÒI couldnÕt sleep.Ó Michael got into bed next to her and took her in his arms. ÒYouÕre worried about Liz,Ó he said
with a sigh. ÒIÕm sorry I havenÕt
been around much since she was taken.Ó ÒYouÕre helping to find her,Ó Maria said. ÒThatÕs more important.Ó Michael pulled back from her, shaking his head. ÒNothing is more important to me than
you.Ó ÒBut youÕve been so distant lately, Michael,Ó Maria
protested. ÒSince you got your
memory back, I hardly see you.Ó
She looked away. ÒI thought
maybe you remembered a girlfriend from your other life.Ó He took her head in his hands. ÒI have been distant but itÕs only because IÕm trying to fit
all the pieces of my two lives together.Ó
Michael smiled but it turned out more like a grimace. The real reason he had been avoiding
her was that he was trying to decide whether to tell Maria about his crush on
Liz in their other life, but he had decided it wasnÕt important and the
information would only hurt her.
He continued. ÒAnd there
was no one, no girlfriend. I was
totally committed to my career, my King and Queen.Ó ÒBut you were engaged to Isabel,Ó Maria said. ÒIt was only a sham to make the people think she wasnÕt supporting
Khivar,Ó he said. ÒI never loved
her. You are the only one I have
ever loved. And I know I donÕt say
it often enough but with Max losing Liz and our future being so uncertain, I
wanted to make sure you knew.Ó Maria kissed him quickly.
ÒI know, Michael. I know.Ó ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Kyle angled his ship into a
dive, aiming for a large group of KhivarÕs troops. When he was over them, he fired the lasers, watching with
satisfaction as explosions destroyed the ground around them, sending bodies in
all directions. He pulled up and turned
sharply to go in for another pass, targeting another group of soldiers. He was almost in range when the
sickening whine of anti-aircraft laser erupted and Kyle saw a shaft of blue
light coming at him too late to avoid. The laser struck his ship
and crippled the controls and Kyle fought to bring the craft to a safe
landing. It hit the ground,
bouncing once before skidding to a stop.
Immediately he threw open the cockpit and leapt out, tossing aside his
helmet. He drew the blaster on his
hip and used his ship for cover as he looked for signs of approaching
soldiers. When he didnÕt see any,
he headed for the protection of the trees just a few yards away. Reaching them in a few strides, Kyle
dove and rolled into the cover, turning quickly around to look for
pursuers. There was still no sign
of KhivarÕs troops and Kyle jumped to his feet and jogged deeper into the
trees, heading back to MaxÕs headquarters. He ran for a few moments
before noticing that the trees were thinning and then they opened up forming a
wide path. Jogging a few minutes
more, Kyle was surprised to suddenly find himself in a gray, stone
corridor. He stopped and looked
behind him, but the forest was gone, replaced by a dark hallway. And even though he had never been there
before, Kyle knew he had somehow entered the palace where the Royal Four had
lived in their other lives, that was now in KhivarÕs possession. Ahead, the passageway was
lit with torches hanging from the walls and Kyle could see that the hall split
into two, and he approached it carefully, watchful for KhivarÕs men. He inched to the opening, with his back
pressed against the wall, drawn blaster ready. Quickly he peered down both corridors but he saw nothing to
indicate which way he should continue and he was about to choose the left path,
when a soft voice stopped him. ÒHelp. Please, can anyone hear me?Ó Kyle turned toward the right
corridor. ÒLiz?Ó ÒKyle, is that you?Ó she
called out. ÒYeah!Ó he said
excitedly. ÒWhere are you?Ó ÒI donÕt know exactly,Ó she
said. ÒI was drugged when they
brought me here. Can you follow my
voice?Ó ÒKeep talking and IÕll try,Ó
Kyle said. ÒOkay,Ó Liz said and
she started reciting. To be, or not
to be: that is the question Whether 'tis
nobler in the mindÉ ÒIs that
Shakespeare?Ó Kyle interrupted, as he hurried down the hall. ÒIt was the first
thing I could think of,Ó Liz said.
ÒWe had to learn a Shakespeare passage for my AP English class. ItÕs from Hamlet.Ó ÒWell keep going,Ó
Kyle said. Whether 'tis
nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and
arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms
against a sea of troubles, And by opposing
end them? To die: to sleep; No more; and by
a sleep to say we end The heart-ache
and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is
heir to, 'tis a consummation Devoutly to be
wish'd. To die, to sleep; To sleep:
perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of
death what dreams may come. Kyle had walked the entire
time Liz was reciting but he still couldnÕt tell if he was any closer to
her. He had passed several locked
doors and several more corridors but he couldnÕt pinpoint where Liz was, and
finally he stopped. ÒLiz, I canÕt
find you. Your voice seems to be
echoing from all directions.Ó ÒYou donÕt sound any closer
either,Ó Liz said sadly. ÒWhat are
we going to do?Ó ÒDonÕt give up,Ó Kyle
said. ÒIÕll keep looking until I
find you. Keep reciting and when
we get out of here you can tell me what it means.Ó To sleep:
perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of
death what dreams may comeÉ LizÕs voice grew suddenly
fainter until Kyle couldnÕt hear her any more. ÒLiz!Ó he called out.
ÒCan you hear me? Liz? Liz!Ó A gentle shaking on his arm
caused Kyle to spin around and suddenly he was in his own room, in bed, with
Ava beside him. ÒLiz!Ó he said
anxiously. ÒIÕve got to find her.Ó Ava put a soothing hand to
his cheek. ÒIt was only a dream
Kyle.Ó ÒA dream?Ó Kyle asked
incredulously. He shook his head,
knowing she was right. ÒIt seemed
so real.Ó ÒItÕs okay, weÕll find Liz,Ó
Ava assured him. ÒBut now itÕs the
middle of the night and you need to get some sleep.Ó Kyle lay back against the
cool pillow and closed his eyes as Ava soothingly stroked his brow. He sighed. ÒTo sleep; perchance to dream.Ó ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ TBC
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