Preview: All of the great diplomats know how to play the waiting game. Meanwhile, Zo'or's latest experiments alienate him further from those who share the Embassy with him.

Rated PG-13 due to some adult themes.

Disclaimer: Earth - Final Conflict, all characters and images therein, as well as story elements put forth in the series are the property of the Tribune Entertainment Company. Several characters appearing in this story are my own creation. Any similarity with anyone living or dead is purely coincidental.

Authors notes: Some of this story refers back to and builds upon events in the second season episode, "Moonscape", written by Gerald Sanford and Jean Marc De Matteis. If you have not yet viewed this episode, be aware that there are major spoilers ahead!
    <"Text appearing like this denotes mental communication."> I owe much of the flavor of this story to the comments, suggestions and ideas given me by my fabulous Beta reader, Janet Spruill White. She deserves a great deal of credit for the work she's put into it. Please feel free to drop her a line, at this address: (lablanche@yahoo.com). As always, I am in no way receiving 'privileged information'. Any advice, criticism and kudos are always welcomed. Please contact me at the above e-mail address.

The Waiting Game
Part 1

 Image is the Property of Tribune Entertainment

        Boone stood at attention beside Da'an's audience chamber chair and watched as the Companion held court while a large part of his mind flew elsewhere.
        It had been just one week since his reimplantation and reunion with his companion.
        Just one week!
        Yet, in that time, a great deal had occurred, most import of which, was that he was back in service to the Companions.
        He was Da'an's implant once more, her attaché, her body guard and somehow, he felt that he was back where he belonged.
        One thing was certain, she needed him now more than ever. With a child on the way, despite the odds against it even existing and catching up on her duties as the North American Companion, Da'an was, in his opinion, doing way too much.
        Even now, as his eyes slid over to take in her profile, he could see the weariness visible on her face. True, that others probably wouldn't notice, but he knew the blue tinged complexion for what it was. He could literally feel the strain her form was under, especially when they were in close proximity.
        As he discreetly observed her, the meeting she was holding with the Secretary of State came to an end and he instantly, but politely moved forward to escort their guest to the door. That done, he turned and quickly made his way back to Da'an.
        As she rose, he stepped forward to give her a hand down.
        She moved slowly and more hesitantly than usual.
        "Da'an..."
        "I shall be fine," she interrupted, making light of his concern. "I must eat now and rest in my energy stream. Then I shall be myself again."
        He felt himself tensing up with worry. "Da'an, you're spending several hours a day in the energy stream now," he observed gently. "Perhaps it's time that you started planning for a transference."
        "I have already begun preparations for just such an eventuality," she responded, as those large eyes searched his face. "It is not yet near the time that such an intervention is required," she explained, as she began moving towards the ramp which led up to their chamber.
        He walked silently next to her until they reached the ramp, but then replied, worriedly, "In the last few days you've gone from feeling well to feeling tired all the time. Last night you could hardly force yourself to eat. I really think that..."
        She turned to face him and suddenly interrupted. "I shall decide when the time has come," she said, with a finality to her words which stung him. "I require you to drop the subject and go on with your assigned tasks."
        She watched him in a cold, unblinking fashion which again reminded him that she was no human being, that she was a Taelon Companion, and apparently at this moment in time, she was his boss.
        Feeling his face burn with both humiliation and indignation that she would suddenly become so formal with him, he instantly went into 'Implant' mode, and bowing slightly, departed.

        "I don't understand," Lili huffed as she plopped down on the sofa. "Why do you have to go to Moscow?"
        "I told you. I have a sweet deal with an old friend," he replied, picking his briefcase up. "I'll be back by tonight. Don't worry!"
        Bending down, he kissed her quickly and let himself out.
        She tucked her feet under her and stared at the closed door for quite a while after he had departed.
        It had only been a week ago that Augur had scared her very badly by disappearing with Liam while in interdimension. Somehow, someone had sabotaged their shuttle and the two had nearly been lost for good. If it hadn't been for Augur's know-how, Liam's inventiveness, and some help from Da'an's alternate dimension counterpart, they never would have returned.
        To complicate matters, they had brought back a woman - a woman named Maiya, who claimed that Lili was her sister's counterpart in this dimension!
        Leaning forward, she vigorously rubbed her face with her hands.
        Everything seemed upside down lately, nothing made any sense anymore and she had a bad feeling about his little meeting of Augur's.
        A very bad feeling.

        "You cannot do this!" Zo'or exclaimed, as he turned towards Nivian, looking more upset than she had ever seen him. "What were you thinking when you agreed to carry the child?"
        Nivian remained where she was - half way across her room from him. They had started out in the same location, but his outraged pacing had since taken him to the windows and then half way back towards her.
        "I was thinking of saving the baby's life," she replied dryly.
        "There are other means of doing so! A hybrid slave could be used." He stood his ground and glared at her.
        "Oh, now you're being ridiculous!" she replied. "I owe Da'an my life. Are you forgetting that she's the one who reunited us?"
        His nose seemed to go straight up in the air and his chest began expanding - a sure sign that he was deeply offended. Nivian quickly crossed the room to him and placing her hands on his chest, looked up at him.
        He wouldn't meet her eyes.
        "Zo'or, what kind of person would I be if I refused her my help? She saved my life! She's my friend!"
        He still wouldn't meet her eyes and stood stiffly, with his arms by his sides. "And you are my consort, in practice, if not in name," he hissed. "You should be carrying my offspring, not the child of those two!"
        Taking a step back, she stared at him. "Is that what this is about?" she asked. "Are you jealous?"
        His eyes flared brilliant blue and finally snapped down to meet her own. "Jealous? Of Da'an? You excel at wounding me!"
        "Zo'or?" she said softly. "You know that I love you, but..." She moved forward a step so that they were nearly nose to nose. "...I am doing this with or without your support. I would much rather have it."
        He turned his face away then and blushed a deep blue.
        Nivian moved to place a hand on his shoulder, but he quickly slapped it away.
        Then he marched out without looking back.

        Striding up the ramp to his new chambers, Boone paused in the doorway and took a deep breath. The news he was bringing to the North American Companion was of the utmost urgency and could not wait until after she had rested.
        Crossing the room, he made his way over to a very comfortable, Taelon style reclining chair, which had been installed in their chamber along with an energy stream so that Da'an could relax with a bit more privacy.
        She was sleeping in it now, as the swirling blue energy danced about her form.
        Approaching her, he didn't hesitate to step inside the blue field, already knowing from past experience that it wouldn't harm him. At worst it merely caused him a mild tingling.
        Reaching out, he placed a hand on her shoulder and very gently shook her.
        She immediately sat up, as the energy stream deactivated. One look at his grim expression was enough to communicate the seriousness of the situation to her.
        "What has occurred?" she asked, coming to her feet.
        "The Secretary of State never arrived back at his office," he replied, not bothering to sugar coat the news. "In fact, he hasn't been seen since he left his meeting here with you. The President is, of course, deeply concerned."
        Da'an's own expression became grim. "Surely he does not believe that the Taelons had something to do with this disappearance?" she asked.
        Boone shuffled his feet uneasily and glanced away for a moment before again meeting her gaze. "I'm afraid that this has been set up to make it look as though that is precisely what has happened," he ground out. "I've contacted Sandoval and begun the investigation. I need to also inform Zo'or."
        "I shall do so." She led the way back in the direction of the audience chamber as he followed behind.

         Zo'or wandered about the bowels of the Embassy's lower levels and brooded. He was well aware of what the human staff thought of his meandering, for he had oftentimes come upon them while they were conversing. They thought him quite different than Da'an, for while the North American Companion was most likely to be found in her garden, chamber or audience room, they could never predict where Zo'or would show up. The humans even referred to him as 'that sneaky alien' and seemed quite displeased at the fact that he moved about so often and so randomly. They never knew where or when he'd suddenly come upon them.
        It was a situation which thrilled Zo'or no end. Normally the anticipation of startling a human or overhearing a private
conversation was enough to keep him in a good mood, but tonight nothing could penetrate the black cloud which had descended upon him.
        Nivian was to host Da'an's child.
        How could she humiliate him like this? How could she form so strong an attachment to his rival? She was bonded to him!
        Once again he forced himself to relive their last conversation and once again he felt himself sink further into a black mood. He had waited in his own chamber for several hours in the hope that she would seek him out, that she would tell him that she had changed her mind.
        She had never moved from her own chamber and in utter frustration, he had soon gone wandering.
        As he pondered the idea of going to her, he rounded a darkened corner and found Boone standing at attention before him, apparently blocking his path.
        He forced himself to bury his anger, to appear like one of his calm and emotionless brethren.
        "What is it, Commander Boone?" he asked imperiously.
        "There's been an incident," the Implant responded. "Da'an awaits you within the audience chamber."
        Almost grateful for the distraction, Zo'or straightened up, and walking past the Implant, led the way back towards the North American Companion's place of power.

        Boone followed the Synod Leader back to the audience room and was not surprised to see both Sandoval and Liam had arrived. Of course Da'an would have summoned them.
        "What has happened?" Zo'or snapped, as soon as they arrived.
        Da'an remained seated but her face looked troubled. "The Secretary of State has vanished following his visit here," she said. "President Thompson requires an explanation for the occurrence."
        Zo'or's look was chilly. "Of course. What have you discovered?"
        "Agent Sandoval and Liam Kincaid have only just arrived, however, Boone's preliminary investigation has turned up evidence from our own surveillance system which shows the Secretary entering his limousine and driving off."
        "Then we have proof that we did not detain our guest," Zo'or replied. Moving to step up beside Da'an's chair, he leaned closer. "I fail to see the problem," he smirked.
        Blinking slowly, the North American Companion nodded towards Boone, who stepped forward and cleared his throat.
        "I'm afraid that a security camera located across the street from the Embassy entrance shows that the man who entered the limo is not the Secretary of State at all," he explained. "To complicate matters, not one of the men who accompanied him inside, was present when he departed. They were all somehow replaced between this doorway and the front door."
        Zo'or, Sandoval and Liam stared at him in shock, appearing completely dumbfounded.
        "They had to have been taken through the underground tunnels," Liam finally responded.
        "Our security in that area is extremely tight," Sandoval shot back. "However, I do agree that we'd best start our investigations there."
        "I've already checked," Boone told them. "All our security is in place and the guards have seen nothing. In addition, the cameras have registered nothing unusual. I suggest that a search of the tunnel system be initiated nonetheless."
        "Sandoval," Zo'or snapped, causing the Implant to instantly come to attention. "See to it."
        With a bow, the FBI agent left the room as Zo'or swung his head back around and glared at Da'an. "We must discover the truth behind this!" He hissed. "Those responsible must be made an example of! To think that anyone would have the audacity to attempt to frame us... It is almost beyond belief!"
        Seeing the annoyed look which appeared on Da'an's face, Boone stepped forward.
        "It's worse than that," he said evenly, instantly claiming the Synod Leader's attention. "Our security has been breached and
we've no idea how. This Embassy is no longer safe... for any of us."
        Zo'or looked stunned as the truth sank in. With a final glare at Da'an, he turned and headed back in the direction of his chamber, as Liam fell into step behind him.

        Ignoring the speculative look Kincaid was giving him, Zo'or halted outside Nivian's door, and after a moment's hesitation, entered the room.
        She was sitting in a chair at a small table, brushing her hair while looking at her image in the mirror on the wall before her.
        He slowly moved to stand behind her and gently relieving her of the brush, began working it through her silver hair himself. As she leaned back and seemed to melt, he lifted some of her hair with his left hand and admired the way it slipped through his fingers. It still had not yet reached the base of her neck.
        "A pity that you felt the need to shear your hair," he sighed. "I feel as though it will never reach its former length."
        Her reflection met his gaze. "I didn't really know what I was doing then, " she replied softly. "It will grow out though."
        He continued running his fingers through her hair. "There has been a security breach," he informed her.
        She turned to face him then. "What's happened?"
        "We are still not certain," he said, refusing to elaborate. "However, I would feel better if you spent the night with me."
        One of Nivian's eyebrows inched upward on her face. "Then you're no longer angry about my hosting Da'an's child?"
        He could feel his mouth tightening and forced himself not to snap out the first thing which came to mind. "I will never stop caring for you," he eventually managed. "but that does not mean that I accept your decision."
        She stood then and moving around the chair, embraced him. "I still don't understand why you're so upset about this."
        Despite himself, he felt his arms encircling her. "Nivian... why will you not consider the hybridization program? It would allow us to have a child of our own..."
        She looked up at him then. "I told you... I can't think about having another child. I've already lost one." Her eyes began to fill with tears. "If only you could have seen how beautiful she was... and what she went through... Things are too dangerous now. It would be foolish to try raising such a child under our circumstances!"
        He wiped away one of her tears with the back of his hand. "The child would come to no harm. We could even move to the home ship, if you are in such fear for its life."
        She shook her head. "No. I can't. Besides, I don't believe in such tampering with nature. Best that I carry this child for Da'an. Once it's born, I can hand it over to her and Boone. It'll be like being an aunt..."
        He held her close and remained silent, but oh, how her words wounded him! There would be no joining child for them, apparently and yet his obligation to reproduce remained. Somehow she would have to be made aware that a child WOULD, fate willing, be born. The question remained, how would she react to the possibility of raising a fully Taelon child?
        "You are capable of carrying a child for Da'an and then turning it over to her once it is born?" he asked.
        "Yes. I just have to keep reminding myself that it's not really mine. Besides, I've been told that it will be a very short pregnancy." She looked up at him, but frowned at his expression. "What's wrong?"
        He stared back. "I could never do such a thing," he replied. "Although my own parent gave me up to others to raise, I could never hand away a child I birthed."
        She smiled. "Of course you..." Her mouth suddenly slammed shut and her eyes widened. "I... I forgot," she stammered. "Your people... you can..."
        He smiled as a sudden amusement warmed him. "Exactly," he answered. "You have forgotten that I too may bear young."
        She continued to gape at him and he found his mood quickly degrading to irritation. "Are you coming next door with me or not?" he huffed, changing the subject.
        Turning, she grabbed her robe and shrugged it on over her nightgown. "Ready."
        With a small smile, he took her hand and led her back out into the corridor.
        "What is it which so amuses you, Agent Kincaid?" he snapped, causing the smirk to instantly vanish off the annoying hybrid's face.
        "Nothing Zo'or!"
        "Good. You are to stand guard outside my chamber this night." That said, he led Nivian into his room, and secured the portal behind them.

        Hours ticked by and eventually Augur stopped trying to gain the attention of his guards. He sank onto his cot and buried his head in his hands as he tried to understand how this could have happened to him.
        In the cell across from his own, Smerdyakov sat and laughed quietly at his predicament.
        Augur reflected that he'd rather have salt rubbed in his already open wounds.
        Things most certainly did not look good. What would Lili think when he failed to return? What would she do?
        "I'm probably safer in this prison than I'll be when she gets a hold of me..." he muttered.
        Covering his face with a pillow, he tried to drown out Smerdyakov's snickering in the hopes of catching some sleep.

        It was extremely late by the time Boone made his way back to his chambers and accustomed as he was to going without sleep, he could swear his legs had somehow turned to rubber.
        He would be working still, save for Liam's tactful delivery of a message from Da'an. His Companion had suggested that he rest while Sandoval continued the investigation and Liam had pointed out that the Asian Implant was growing more and more frustrated at having to share command of the situation. A quick glance in Sandoval's direction had shown him the truth and he had solemnly handed command over to his fellow attaché before departing.
        With a groan, he stopped on the landing outside his chamber door and placing his hands on the small of his back, flexed.
        He was still recovering from his implantation and could definitely use some sleep.
        Entering the room, he trudged his way past the bed where Da'an lay upon her back, apparently dead to the world, and shedding his clothes as he went, made it to the bathroom, where he listlessly brushed his teeth.
        A few minutes later, he shuffled his way back to the bed, where he collapsed heavily onto his back beside Da'an and reaching out, took her hand in his own.
        He had barely completed the motion before sleep claimed him.

        "I don't believe this..." Augur mumbled, still dazed by the sudden turn his life had taken. Standing, he flung himself at the cell bars and clung there desperately. "I-DO-NOT-BELIEVE-THIS!!"
        In his cell across the way, Smerdyakov began laughing softly again.
        Augur wilted against the bars and tried not to panic.
        High treason!
        They had convicted him of high treason!
        He would hang...
        "I've gotten out of bad situations before..." he whispered under his breath. "There has to be a way! Augur, Augur, Augur... Think! Think! Think!"
        "Look on the bright side," Smerdyakov offered. "We'll be dying together!"
        "You may not be dying at all," came a pleasant voice from down the corridor.
        Augur's head snapped to the right to find a stranger approaching his cell. The man was of medium height and build, with short cropped platinum hair. Something about the way he carried himself whispered 'leadership', but more than that, his gait and demeanor seemed strangely familiar.
        "The cavalry," Augur found himself grunting, suddenly certain that Lili had called out some operatives on his behalf.
        "Not exactly," the man replied, with a measuring look.
        "You're from the Embassy, right?"
        Blondie shrugged noncommittally.
        "Look, I don't give a damn if you're the Devil himself," he found himself snapping. " as long as you've got the juice to get me out of here!"
        Blondie inspected him as though he were a fascinating bug beneath a magnifying glass. "As a matter of fact," he finally responded. "I'm the only one who HAS the 'juice' to get you out of here."
        I'm all ears!"
        "You have two options; death or cooperation."
        "Oh well... Then I'll take cooperation," Augur replied sarcastically.
        "Good choice!" Smerdyakov smirked from across the way.
        Blondie allowed the smallest of smiles to tug at the corners of his mouth. "Then we'll see if you have what we're looking for..." he deadpanned, as he unlocked the cell.
        Augur followed him out. He didn't know what he had just agreed to, but it couldn't be any worse than the alternative.
        Besides... He was biding his time until a new escape plan came to him...

        The sound of a global beeping roused Boone from a deep and dreamless sleep. As he reached groggily for it, he noted through nearly closed lids that Da'an was already up and out of the room.
        "Yeah... Sandoval," he muttered, trying to do his best to focus on the global's screen.
        "You losing your edge, Boone?" the Asian attaché smirked. "It's nearly zero eight hundred hours. I'd like to catch a few hours sleep myself."
        He bolted into a sitting position, only then noticing how brightly the sun lit the room. "Give me ten minutes!"
        Sandoval nodded and cut the transmission as Boone all but threw his global on the bed and bolted toward the shower.

        Ten minutes later he entered the audience chamber washed, clean shaven and ready for duty. With some surprise he noted that although Sandoval awaited him, Da'an was not present.
        "Where's Da'an?' he asked, worried that he had not yet seen her that morning.
        "He... Sorry. SHE had another appointment at Belman's clinic." Sandoval's brow wrinkled slightly. "Boone, is there something I should know? Da'an's been seeing a lot of Belman lately and today Ban'hn was there when I dropped her off."
        Boone shifted uneasily on his feet. "Then, Da'an hasn't told you?"
        "Told me what?!" The other attaché's patience was clearly wearing thin.
        Boone felt a smirk taking control of his mouth. This was just too good to rush... Clearing his throat, he placed a hand on Sandoval's shoulder and steered him toward the windows.
        "First of all, Da'an, though not exactly herself, is not in any immediate danger..."
        Sandoval's frown deepened. "What AREN'T you telling me?"
        Boone continued. "As you know, Da'an recently regressed into a more matter-based form..."
        "Look, Boone. You're wasting my time. Just spit it out. I have things I need to do, not the least important of which is sleeping!"
        "OK. You asked for it."  Boone fixed his eyes on Sandoval's own. He didn't want to miss this reaction for all the world. "Da'an is carrying my child. Yes, she's pregnant. Yes, I am the father, and yes Zo'or knows about it."
        Sandoval froze. Then his mouth dropped open as his complexion became waxy. He managed to stutter out a few sounds and then, taking a few steps backward, looked Boone up and down as though he were some sort of murderer.
        "I do not find this in the least bit funny!" he finally managed to hiss.
        "Neither do I, " Boone deadpanned. "But you're welcome to ask Zo'or if you don't believe me."
        Sandoval shook his head as though trying to clear it, and turning, began to make his way slowly from the chamber.
        "Wait a minute!" Boone caught up to him. "You were going to brief me on your progress last night, weren't you?" he reminded the other attaché.
        "What progress?" Sandoval responded sullenly. "Ask Williams for the details. He was here all night assisting me." Without looking back, he continued out of the chamber and on his way.
        With a satisfied grin on his face, Boone headed for the security office in search of Anthony Williams.

        "What is it that I'm not seeing?"
        "Sir?"
        Boone sighed. "It's OK, Tony. I'm just talking to myself. You might as well go about your other duties while I puzzle this out."
        With a nod, Williams left the security office, which allowed Boone the quiet he required to pursue several different possible threads in the disappearance mystery.
        He had gone over every surveillance tape from every building in the area, as well as all the internal monitors. Nothing, but nothing which might shed light on the situation could be found.
        One thing was certain; Either the Taelons had somehow engineered his disappearance - which made no sense given the bad publicity it was creating for them, or someone else had orchestrated the abduction for precisely that reason - to severely damage the Taelon's credibility.
        "Not to mention the negative feelings the whole thing would generate in the American people," he whispered under his breath.
        He began to mentally compile a list of those groups who would benefit the most from such an occurrence and then eliminated those which did not possess the resources to pull off a job of this caliber.
        Without a doubt, the Liberation was at the top of his 'could and would' list.
        Now all he needed was the freedom to travel unobserved.
        Rising from his chair, he grabbed his jacket off the back of it and headed out to find Da'an. He had a great deal to investigate and it was best that he get to it right away - once his Taelon masters cleared him to do so.

        "Of course it's his signature," Liam huffed, as he handed the virtual pad back to Da'an. "You're aware of the circumstances - he had no choice! Now we need to get him out of there before it's too late."
        "I understand," she replied, softly. "but you are forgetting that Augur was sentenced to death by a human court."
        "All I care about is getting Augur out of there!" Liam felt himself beginning to lose control of his temper and forced himself to breath deeply. "Lili is going out of her mind with worry. You don't know what I went through just to convince her to stay in Hawaii, rather than taking matters into her own hands!"
        "Yes. You were wise to involve Dro'vha. He will see to it that she does nothing... rash."
        "Be that as it may, Augur also happens to be my best friend and all I care about right now is getting him back. I'm not going to allow Zo'or to use him in his experiments!" Liam moved closer to the Companion and stared intently at her. "Can you get me into the Earth Defense Facility aboard the home ship?"
        She walked slowly around him, pausing to make eye contact as their left shoulders brushed together. "As a member of the Synod, it is my right to inspect all Taelon facilities," she said, as a mischievous grin threatened to take over her features. "I shall see to it that we arrive for the inspection later this afternoon."
        Liam was about to bow and depart when she unexpectedly spoke again.
        "Do not trouble Boone with this as yet." She raised a finger as though cautioning him. "I prefer to gather more information before bringing it to his attention."
        Liam suppressed a smile at the Companion's concern for her consort. "Of course," he responded, just as the man in question entered the room.
        Approaching Da'an's chair, Boone bowed slightly and held his hands out in a gesture of greeting which was quickly returned.
        Despite the dire circumstances which had prompted his own visit, Liam found himself amused by the Companion's and Implant's efforts to suppress their obvious affection during the course of their 'working day'. He stood by and silently observed the exchange.
        "What news have you brought me?" Da'an asked after their formal greeting was concluded.
        "I've compiled a list of the groups who are most likely to have both the desire and resources necessary to have pulled off this kidnapping," Boone responded. "I'm working on gathering more information, however, it has occurred to me that I would be more effective in my efforts if I could procure an outside office similar to the one I once possessed."
        The Companion stared at him for a few seconds before responding. "I take it that you can provide a detailed written explanation for why you find your office here unsuitable?"
        Boone smirked slightly. "I can."
        "Very well. Submit your proposal and I shall take care of the details. In the meantime you may use Agent Lassiter's old office. Please feel free to arrange it as you see fit."
        The Implant bowed and, with a small smile lighting his face, turned and left the chamber.
        Liam watched him go and then turned back around to address Da'an. "You spoil him terribly," he teased.
        To his surprise Da'an seemed to recognize the teasing for what it was.
        "I do indeed," she breathed with a small smile of her own.

        Shortly after her meeting with Liam, Da'an made her way to the small kitchen area on one of the Embassy's upper levels.
        She was tired - and hungry! In fact, there was no way in which to describe the sudden intense need to eat something - not just anything, but something in particular.
        The need was driving her to distraction.
        Moving to the area which housed the pantry, cabinets and cooking appliances, she began rummaging through the larder, realizing what a peculiar sight she must make, she sighed.
        Whatever would her fellow Taelons think of her if they saw her now?
        Finding nothing of appeal in the pantry, she moved on to the cabinets, and then finally to the refrigerator.
        She was closing the door with another sigh, this time one of disappointment, when Nivian happened to enter the room.
        "Food cravings?" she asked, after a brief, but startled reaction to Da'an's unexpected presence.
        She thought for a moment. "Yes! I believe that is precisely what I am experiencing."
        Nivian moved to a cabinet and removed two bowls. Then she rummaged in a drawer and came up with two spoons. Placing the bowls and utensils on the small, round table which stood nearby, she grabbed two napkins and then reached around Da'an and opened the freezer.
        This time she came up with a quart of French vanilla ice cream.
        Da'an could feel her mouth curling slightly as she realized that the ice cream was exactly what she wanted. Without a word, she followed Nivian to the table and sitting, watched as she proceeded to scoop the frozen treat into the bowls.
        "I take it that this is acceptable?" the scientist asked, as she finished her task and also had a seat.
        Da'an, who was already working on her first spoonful of the treat, merely nodded her approval and the two of them ate in silence for a while.
        It was the North American Companion who broke the silence first. "Is all well between you and Zo'or?" she asked, as she pushed her half eaten bowl away.
        Nivian continued to attack her ice cream with a vengeance. "Things could be better..." she admitted.
        "Would this have something to do with your offer to host my child?"
        Nivian shrugged. "Of course. Zo'or is dead set against it. He wants me to enter the hybrid program so that I can bear his child."
        "And you are unwilling to do so?"
        Nivian stopped eating and lowered her spoon. "I don't want another child. I can't justify risking another child's life by bringing them into this world when things are so uncertain. For all we know, the Jaridians could show up next week and lay waste to this planet!"
        Da'an noted the tears gathering in her eyes and leaned forward to lay her hand atop the human's. "All of life is uncertain, Nivian," she said. "Tomorrow I could be gone, or Zo'or... or you. What matters is the present. What you do now. If you refuse to take the risk, then you must also realize that you are already at a loss. The child might have one year or ninety years of life. Either way, is it not better than never existing?"
        "I don't know..."
        Da'an withdrew her hand. "I think that you do. You feel guilt over the death of your daughter. That is why you fear to try again."
        Nivian ate another spoonful of ice cream and stared morosely at her bowl. "You may be right..." she finally admitted. "But, it doesn't matter. I'm simply not ready to face the idea of being a parent again yet."
        Nodding, Da'an offered her bowl to Nivian, who had just polished off her own. "Time then, will decide your course," she replied, as Zo'or's voice was suddenly heard out in the corridor.
        "You! Guard!" came his piercing tone. "Have you seen Nivian Ibraham recently?"
        "I believe she is in the kitchen area," the guard answered.
        With barely a second's hesitation, Nivian took Da'an's bowl and pushed her own empty dish in front of the startled Companion.
        When Zo'or entered the room, it looked as though she had barely touched her ice cream, while Da'an had polished off a huge serving.
        The Synod Leader made his way over to Nivian's chair. "There you are!" he greeted her.
        She smiled up at him as he suddenly took an interest in what she was eating. Reaching down, he lifted the ice cream carton and read it. Then he set it back down and stared at their bowls.
        "It cannot be good for you to eat such sugary, high fat foods..." He sniffed, as he threw her a very suspicious look. Then he turned his gaze toward Da'an. "You, especially should not be eating such things! Think of your infant!"
        Noting Nivian's alarmed glance, Da'an decided not to respond to the Synod Leader and was about to dismiss herself when Boone entered the room.
        "There you are!" her consort greeted her, as he approached her chair. He shot Zo'or a guarded look and nodded before turning his attention back to her. Leaning down, he raised an eyebrow at the ice cream and then placed a hand on her belly and rubbed the taunt roundness which was hidden by her caftan. "Sugar got him doing somersaults yet?" he asked.
        She couldn't help but smile. "He hasn't form enough for such maneuvers yet," she reminded him.
        He straightened up and shot Nivian a bright look. "Guess you'll have to deal with that, then," he laughed. Then he shot a pointed look at the Da'an's empty bowl and her own partially filled one. "Actually, I suspect you'll have to deal with it in spades," he smirked, causing Nivian to blush as Zo'or shot her an even more suspicious look. Then he turned back to Da'an.
        "I'm on my way out. I just wanted to stop by and see you first."
        She stood up. "Let us take a stroll through the garden before your departure, then," she offered.
        Together they made their way out of the room.

        Nivian took another spoonful of ice cream and was raising it to her lips when Zo'or smoothly intercepted it, spoon and all. Turning in her chair, she watched as he lifted it to his nose and peered at it. He then inserted a finger dead center of the cold mass and bringing it to his mouth, touched it to his tongue.
        Her anticipation turned to disappointment as he failed to react in any manner other than to hand the spoon back to her.
        "Well?" she finally asked, accepting the utensil.
        He looked at her as though he failed to understand what she was asking.
        "How was it?" she prompted.
        "How would I know? I have no sense of taste," he finally sneered.
        Her eyes snapped back to her ice cream bowl. Dropping the spoon into the rapidly melting mass, she rose and, picking up the rest of the dirty dishes, headed for the sink, where she began washing them.
        Apparently realizing that he had hurt her feelings, Zo'or moved to stand close behind her and placing his hands on her shoulders, brought his lips close to her left ear. "I am sorry for my tone," he whispered, sending a thrill through her. "It is only that I worry about you. You should not be eating such things. I wish you to remain with me for many years to come..."
        Slipping his arms around her, he plopped his hands into the warm, soapy water of the sink and began running them over her own hands as she finished cleaning the last few accumulated dishes.
        She felt herself coming up in goose bumps at the sensuous feel and forced herself to speak. "I am still going to host Da'an's child..." she managed.
        "I know you will," he murmured as he began to nibble at her neck.
        "Forgive me for asking, but what is the catch?" she managed to gasp.
        "Catch?" he breathed.
        She rinsed their hands off and reaching for a dishtowel, dried her own before turning to face him. "What is it you want from me this time?" she asked, twining her arms about his neck.
        Some warmth actually made it into his smile. "Only for us to spend more time together," he replied innocently. "...I enjoyed having you near me last night and I do not wish you to keep your distance."
        Nivian found herself smiling as a sense of relief ran through her.
        "Are you saying that you want to share a private chamber?" she asked.
        "It is the arrangement favored by Da'an and Boone, therefore there must be some merit in it," he responded.
        "Mmm Hmmm," she breathed. "This has nothing to do with keeping up with the Joneses'?"
        To her amazement, he seemed to understand the phrase. "My position as Synod Leader places a great demand upon my time. Quite often I only see you for a short time in the evenings. This arrangement would allow us more time together, something which I find pleasing." He began running a hand through her hair again. "I also believe that it would be safer for you in the long run given our current security problem."
        She kissed him then, and was amazed at how quickly, how eagerly, he responded to her. By the time she pulled back, she was having trouble standing on her suddenly rubbery legs. "If we fight, you get the sofa," she managed to tease.
        A smile lit his face as he realized that she had acceded to his request. "Very well," he nearly laughed. "You may keep the bed."

        Boone spent a grand total of ten minutes in the deserted office which had once been Lassiter's before making a bee line for St. Michael's church. Once there, he descended to the base hidden deep beneath it and quickly zeroed in on Jonathan Doors.
        He found him in his office going over some reports.
        Doors snorted as he sank into a chair opposite his desk. "Boone. Long time no see. Why don't you come on in and have a seat?" he asked sarcastically.
        "Don't mind if I do," he replied with a smile. Then he leaned forward and placed his elbows on the desk. "Jonathan, did you have anything to do with the Secretary of State's disappearance INSIDE the Companion's DC Embassy?"
        Doors' head snapped up and his eyes widened even as his pen slipped out of his fingers. He snatched it up immediately, but the damage was done.
        Boone's smile widened.
        "I see that you didn't," he smirked. "Thanks. That's all I needed to know." Standing, he headed for the office door.
        Jonathan was up and around the desk in a moment, but he was a second too slow to block the door.
        "Boone! Wait a minute!" he called after the rapidly retreating Implant. "Why don't you tell me a little more about the situation?"
        "Sorry Jonathan," he called back, over his shoulder. "I've got things I need to be doing!"
        It was one of the few times he had ever gotten the last word with the Resistance leader and he relished the feeling all the way back to Lassiter's office. Unfortunately, despite his brief satisfaction, he was left with an even bigger problem. His number one suspect had just been eliminated...
        So who HAD been behind the disappearance?

        Confronted by one of Zo'or's Taelon assistants at the entrance to the Earth Defense Facility, Da'an had attempted to verbally bully her way inside, only to be met by the Synod Leader himself. After a brief battle of wills, Zo'or had allowed them within, insisting upon giving them a tour of the facility himself.
        The two of them found themselves following Zo'or down a corridor and into a chamber which was part of the complex. There they came upon a human male strapped to a procedure table.
        Zo'or and Liam moved to stand beside the volunteer, while Da'an found her attention turning to a second human male who was floating within a stasis tank.
        "Shortly after arrival," Zo'or explained. "all volunteers are subjected to aggressive gene therapy to stimulate the limbic centers of their brains."
        Liam examined the unfortunate volunteer. "In an attempt to arouse their buried killer instincts?" he asked.
        "Buried?" Zo'or shot him a superior look. "Humanity has barely climbed out of the primordial ooze, Agent Kincaid. Your animal ancestors are closer than you realize."
        Da'an listened to them, but her attention continued to be held by the man in the tank. Moving closer, she could pick up on his fear and discomfort. His body was in stasis and cut off from almost all sensory input, but his mind was still aware. The agony of extended time gripped him and he was nearly mad from isolation. The victim's thoughts fairly screamed out in Da'an's mind as he cried out for someone to deliver him from his hell.
        Absolute horror crept over the North American Companion then, for it was not the unfortunate man's form she was seeing in the tank. In her her mind's eye, it was Boone who floated there suffering. A strange weakness seemed to come over her, making her feel as though she would collapse.
        Behind her, Liam was speaking.
        "So, you take innocent men and women and turn them into murderers?" he asked the Synod Leader.
        "We take the outcasts of human society and offer them a future, offer them and your world... hope," Zo'or responded.
        Da'an could bear it no longer. "Hope?" she asked, turning to face them. "This is a chamber of horrors! A disgrace to all we are!"
        Zo'or began walking towards her. "The disgrace will be when this planet falls helpless before the Jaridian invaders. The disgrace will be that we stood by and did nothing." He stopped directly before her. "The disgrace will be the extinction of the Taelon race!"
        Horrified by the situation and overcome with guilt over her own ineffectiveness, Da'an dropped her gaze to the floor and remained silent beneath Zo'or's contemptuous gaze.

        By thirteen hundred hours, Boone's frustration had reached the breaking point - "breaking" being the operative word.
        Standing, he put both hands behind his neck and arched backward, trying to work the spasms out of his neck and back. Then, reaching for his coat, he shrugged it on and headed out, on foot, to a nearby neighborhood which boasted some good restaurants.
        As he walked, he enjoyed the sunshine, which warmed his back and face despite the frosty air, and pondered several of the different topics which weighed his mind.

        Liam didn't have a chance to actually see Augur until several hours later.
        While Da'an and Zo'or were holed up in the command chamber, he went looking for him, eventually discovering him in one of the larger examination/experimentation room. His friend lay still upon the central table, his eyes fixed unblinkingly upon the ceiling. Taelons and their human helpers moved in and out of the chamber, shooting him suspicious glances, annoyed by his intrusion.
        One person remained next to the table, however. A tall man with cropped platinum hair, he spoke without even turning to look behind him.
        "You better have a damn good reason for being in here," he informed Liam in an even tone.
        "Agent Liam Kincaid, Protector to Da'an, the American Companion," he responded.
        That caught the other man's attention. He turned then, so that they were face to face and Liam was immediately struck by the strange serenity of his hooded, blue eyes.
        "Yes," the blond man said. "I imagine Da'an would have appointed a new protector by now." He began looking Liam up and down, as though judging him in some way.
        A bit unnerved, but his curiosity roused by the other man's sudden interest, Liam decided to try making small talk in the hopes he could learn more. "Were you involved in the search for a replacement?" he asked.
        "No." The man moved closer still, so that their noses were only inches apart. "but, I'm acquainted with Da'an and his former Protector," he explained, as his large eyes took in the entirety of Liam's face, from his hair down to his chin.
        Feeling extremely uncomfortable, Liam stepped back and walked around him, coming to a stop right beside Augur's still form.
        "Da'an requested that I observe the new implant procedure," he stated.
        Blondie smirked. "Too late - The procedure's complete." Just then, Augur began to move, raising up shaky arms. "... but you're just in time for the recovery," the other man continued, hardly losing a beat.
        "Aaahhh! The power!" Augur growled. "It's running through every part of my body!" The newly implanted cyber-wizard sat up and hopped off the table, pausing for only a second to look at Liam. "The clarity!" he continued, before shifting his gaze to the blond man. "I know now why you volunteered, Lazarus! I have no fear! Nothing can stop me!"
        Liam's gaze shifted back to the other man. Lazarus? The name of the man who had been risen from his grave. Surely it wasn't the stranger's real name, but it implied things which made Liam's skin crawl. Out of the corner of his eye, he noted Sandoval's entrance.
        Lazarus gripped Augur by an arm and led him back to the table, where the new Implant obediently sat. A Taelon entered and handed a device to the blond man, who then used it to examine Augur's eyes.
        "Are you acquainted with the subject?" Sandoval asked from near the doorway where he had stopped.
        "Only by reputation. I've studied the dossiers of all the volunteers," he responded.
        Sandoval looked him up and down. "Zo'or wants us to report to him - In the chamber."
        Zo'or's Implant turned and departed as Liam looked at Lazarus.
        "Chamber?"
        "The moment of truth," the blond man replied. "...when we find out if Augur, here, is all that we hoped for."
        Alarmed, Liam could do little more than follow Lazarus and Augur out.

        Da'an next saw Liam when he was shepherded into an observation area which overlooked a small sparring arena. The young hybrid's eyes were troubled and she knew immediately that he had much he wished to communicate to her.
        Unfortunately, a verbal exchange was out of the question, for Zo'or and Sandoval stood beside her.
        Instead, she waited for him to stand between herself and Zo'or and then reached out slowly, offering him her hand.
        Liam unobtrusively gripped her offered hand, while Zo'or and Sandoval were occupied with the preparations taking place within the arena.
        Almost instantly, thanks to Liam's hybrid background, Da'an was made aware of what he had learned within the experimentation room. She dropped his hand and turned to look into the arena just as the man called Lazarus positioned Augur at one end and turned to approach the gallery. Should Liam sense her struggle to maintain her facade, here? Because she is upset?
        He looked up then and their eyes met. Something startling... unnerving, passed between them.
        She knew Lazarus and seeing the way he paused and his own eyes widened, she knew that he recognized and knew her too. Almost in a state of numb shock, she lowered her gaze until he had taken his place off to her right side and turned to face the arena as well. Then she fixed her own gaze upon Augur and attempted to pay close attention to the demonstration at hand.
        As his opponent was led into the room, Augur reacted violently, baring his teeth in instant rage. A moment later, they were all over each other, viciously lashing out with fists, feet, elbows and even their heads.
        The competition was wickedly fast and amazingly brutal.
        "To be effective, a fighter has to be able to reason!" Liam exclaimed. "You've induced such a high level of rage in these men that they can't possibly think straight!"
        Lazarus continued to stare straight ahead. "This program is our only hope of defeating the Jaridians," he answered. "Those of us who have completed the training, understand this."
        "You've endured this process and remain convinced of its necessity?" Da'an asked, amazed that Lazarus could retain so calm a demeanor, despite such conditioning.
        Lazarus still refused to meet her eyes, keeping his own firmly fixed upon Augur. "Yes. I do," he replied, just before he twitched violently.
        Instantly, Da'an felt it - a CVI intrusion! Even more startling, she saw what he saw as her link with Boone was suddenly invaded!
        Within seconds, it was over, but looking at the back of Lazarus' head, she felt a tremor pass through her.
        He dared? Zo'or dared to do... this?!
        As suddenly as the anger appeared, it was overridden by sorrow. This man - Lazarus... had truly been raised from the dead. Who and what he had been... had been destroyed. Killed. His former self lost for all time and replaced instead with the memories and personality of William Boone. It was perhaps fortunate that he seemed not to remember much about their relationship.
        In the arena, Augur had taken his opponent down and was slowly throttling him to death.
        "That will be enough," Zo'or commanded.
        Lazarus seemed not to hear him. The Implant instead stood as though in a state of shock, staring unseeingly at the battling combatants before him.
        Zo'or's head turned to look directly at the blond man, who seemed almost to be swaying unsteadily on his feet.
        "Lazarus!"
        Lazarus started and seemed to become aware of his surroundings. Raising a device of some sort, he pointed it at the fighting men and pushed a button.
        In the arena, Augur blinked and stared at his opponent in surprise as the illusion that he was a Jaridian enemy suddenly faded away, revealing instead a stocky man of average height.
        He instantly released him and sprang back as the man rose to his feet and began to laugh.
        "Not bad for a vodka swilling old man, eh, tovarich?" he said in a very familiar voice.
        "Smerdyakov!" Augur looked him up and down in horrified fascination.
        The rest of the onlookers were equally horrified when the man who called himself Smerdyakov collapsed only seconds later. Although Lazarus rushed to his side, there was nothing he could do for him.
        "The body's rejecting the implant," he calmly announced to Zo'or.
        The Synod Leader looked deeply troubled by the loss, even as Augur began pleading with him to help his Russian friend.
        There was nothing to be done. The man died within minutes and Augur, in a frightening rage, had to be dragged out by two larger, implanted men.

        Da'an found Lazarus in one of the empty lab rooms. The disoriented implant was examining the equipment as though he had only just noticed it. His confusion and pain called out, compelling the North American Companion to approach him. They had a link, a tentative one, but a link nonetheless. Lazarus' mind was Boone's and it enabled him to reach the Companion in ways he was not aware of.
        "Your implants are failing, aren't they?" she asked.
        He fixed large, confused blue eyes upon her and asked, "Who am I?"
        "You don't know?" Da'an moved to stand directly before him.
        "Only that we have a connection..."
        Lifting his right hand, she joined it to her left, palm to palm and initiated a sharing.
        What she found shocked her to the core. She knew that in many ways, Lazarus was now Boone, however she never dreamed... Lazarus WAS Boone in every way. Nothing remained of the original personality which had inhabited the body.
        Through their link, some of the unfortunate man's missing memories - memories of Boone - were restored to him and when their hands separated, Da'an knew that Boone was truly looking back at her.
        "Zo'or had no right to do this," she murmured. "No one should have to suffer the way you have."
        "But, I have suffered," he replied, his eyes drinking her in.
        "And I feel your pain as if it were my own."
        His gaze seemed to pin her in place. "That doesn't change anything," he said, as candidly as Boone had always spoken with her.
        She felt as though she had been slapped. "Can you ever forgive us?"
        "Us?" He stared at her sadly. "No. Only YOU." His eyes filled with pain, he moved past her and left the room.
        She remained where she was, paralyzed with the knowledge that he might not be the only version of Boone living a cruel, pain- filled existence aboard the vessel she once called home. A shudder wracked her form.
        Somehow, she would help Lazarus to find peace before his failing implants claimed his life.
        Turning, she went in search of Liam.

        It was Liam who found Da'an. Without a word, he gripped her upper arm and began steering her quickly in the direction of the nearest shuttle.
        "Come on. We have to find Augur before Zo'or does," he exclaimed.
        She freed  her arm. "And Lazarus. We must find him as well."
        "It's too late for him," Liam said softly, his eyes sympathetic.
        Da'an felt an unspeakably large weight begin to press down upon her. "You are certain that he has died?"
        "Fairly certain. Sandoval hit him with a skrill blast," he replied. "He wanted me to make certain that you were safe..."
        She shook her head. "A skrill blast is by no means a certain death. We have no way of knowing how much power Agent Sandoval unleashed upon him. Unless you felt his essence leave his form, we must assume him to be alive. If there is any chance at all, we must save him! He is... Boone..."
        Liam rounded a corner and stopped. "I know. Somehow, his fear for your safety finally made the pieces of the puzzle come together. Still, it's too late. By now Zo'or has returned to the command center. We'd never be able to get him out of there, even if he is alive."
        She wilted. "Very well. We shall find Augur and return, however, I expect you to follow up on Lazarus' plight."
        "I promise you that I will."
        They split up and headed off in different directions.

        Re-entering the command center, Zo'or came to a stop with his feet only inches away from Lazarus' head. He took in the fallen Implant's appearance before his cold blue gaze slid over to Sandoval.
        "Does he yet live?" he asked, as his attaché went down on a knee beside the body.
        Sandoval felt the man's neck and looked up. "He's still alive," he answered. "but just barely."
        Zo'or walked around Lazarus and turned so that he could view him better. What a nightmare the situation had turned into! Bad enough for Da'an to have shown up, poking her way into his project, but to have his prize creation turn on him, nearly destroying the ship in the process!
        Still, Lazarus was far too valuable to give up without a fight.
        "Agent Sandoval. Gather as many people as you require and transport Lazarus back to the Earth Defense Facility. Contact Ban'hn. I want every effort made to save this one's life."
        "And if we're successful?" Sandoval pressed.
        He smiled in anticipation. "Then he is to undergo the entire procedure again from the beginning," he answered. "I want him restored."

        Nivian wandered through the Embassy, instinctively knowing that something was very wrong. Not long after Da'an and Liam had departed for the home ship, she had begun to pick up a very uneasy feeling - one which she soon traced back to her link to Zo'or. That feeling had continued to grow until she had finally felt her 'other' clamp down on it, cutting off her access to his feelings.
        He must have noted her growing alarm.
        Now Da'an and Liam were back. They had returned several hours ago, and yet Zo'or himself was still aboard the home ship. He had not even bothered to contact her - to let her know when to expect him.
        Somehow, she knew that her best chance for figuring out this latest little mystery lay with Boone and it was he whom she wandered about hoping to discover.
        As she made her way past a row of lower level windows, she spied him outside in the garden and stopped to observe him for a moment.
        He was seated on a stone bench and he appeared as confused and worried as she was.
        Backtracking to her chamber, she threw on a sweater and her coat and quickly made her way out to the garden, hoping that Da'an's consort would still be there.
        He was.
        As she approached, he turned to face her and seemed to relax somewhat after seeing her expression.
        "Misery loves company," she said softly as he patted the bench beside him in an invitation for her to have a seat.
        "I take it that you have no idea what's going on either," he grumbled as she sat.
        "I was hoping that you did..."
        "Da'an is holed up in our chamber. She refuses to allow me in."
        "Zo'or hasn't returned. He's dampened our link," she breathed.
        "I think it's safe to say that something damning must have happened during Da'an's visit to the ship." He looked over at her then, his eyebrows raised briefly.
        "Have you talked with Liam?"
        "I tried, but he swears that he's not allowed to say anything to me - yet."
        "So that implies that you will be filled in..."
        Boone sighed. "I know Da'an well enough to know that she's keeping me at a distance while she tries to decide how best to break some 'news' to me."
        Nivian shuddered, looking straight ahead. "It has something to do with Zo'or," she stated. "I know it. He's done something... distasteful..."
        She felt Boone's eyes on her a moment before he threw an arm around her shoulders and pulled closer.
        "Let's not even think about that yet," he said, trying to comfort her. "We'll know the truth soon enough."
        "It couldn't possibly be soon enough..."
        Boone rubbed her back and leaned closer. "Da'an's watching us," he whispered. "She's going to send for me in a second - I can feel it."
        As she met his eyes, she saw his face change slightly as his attention seemed to shift to an inward cue and she knew that he was communicating with Da'an. In a second, his eyes focused on her once more and he gave her a brief squeeze before releasing her and standing.
        "She's ready to see me," he explained, quite unnecessarily. "She also wants you to await her in the audience chamber. She says she'll explain everything to you once she's filled me in."
        Nivian nodded and standing, followed him inside. When they reached the audience chamber, Boone continued up the back ramp as she removed her coat and set it on the window ledge. Seating herself atop it, she nervously waited her turn.
        It was going to be a long wait...

        Boone entered the upper chamber to find Da'an still standing before the windows which looked out over the garden. Uncertain, he stopped just inside the doorway and remained where he was until she turned to look at him. For a second their eyes met... and then she looked away.
        Something was very wrong.
        Knowing that she was finding it difficult to tell him whatever it was that she had discovered, he approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
        "It's always best to simply say it," he encouraged.
        Again she looked at him. "No. Not always," she said softly. Seemingly coming to a decision, she turned to face him and held up her left hand. "I fear that in this case, it is best that you experience that which I find so difficult to accept."
        Without hesitation, he brought his palm up to meet her own...
        ...And suddenly found himself back aboard the home ship...

        Nivian rose quickly to her feet when she saw Da'an slowly moving down the ramp from the upper chamber. The Companion made her way over to stand beside the nervous scientist and motioned for her to resume her seat on the small window ledge.
        Da'an took a seat beside her and was just about to speak when her head suddenly turned in the direction of the ramp which led to her private chamber. A mere second later, Boone, who was shrugging on his coat, all but ran down the ramp and exited the chamber.
        The Companion's mouth settled into a shaky line and several more minutes passed while she seemed to compose herself.
        There was little doubt in Nivian's mind that what she had told her redheaded consort was deeply disturbing in some way, for, never had she seen the normally stoic Implant take flight in such a manner.
        "I know that this has something to do with Zo'or," she told the Taelon, hoping to ease her into the subject she sought to broach. "Please, tell me straight out. Don't keep me in such a state of dread any longer."
        Da'an seemed to nod and reaching for her hand, held it tightly.
        "This does indeed have to do with Zo'or..." she began.

        Breaking into a jog as he hit the open air, Boone moved quickly down the street. He was only vaguely aware of his surroundings and didn't much care where he was going.
        All that mattered was cold air on his face, the feel of his legs chugging under him and the thoughts which swirled nightmarishly through his head.
        He ran until the cold air had numbed his nose and began to sting his throat. By then he found himself passing a small public garden situated in a busy square and stopped before its empty central fountain.
        Up on the home ship one or more versions of him possibly moved about, slaves to Zo'or. He could only imagine their anguish at finding themselves so cut off from all they had once known and cared for.
        Did this mean that parts of his soul was divided out amongst them?
        Worse yet, was he himself nothing more than such a downloaded memory?!
        Round and round his thoughts went as he tried to come to terms with the situation and far colder than the wind was the chill which now gripped his heart.
        He had to do something!
        He had to know whether Lazarus still lived and if there were any others like him.
        Still deeply disturbed and shocked to his very core, he began wander in the direction of Lassiter's old office as he began to solve an entirely new series of problems which had begun to present themselves.

        "What do you mean, he's missing?" Liam asked, as he steered his shuttle into a dock on the home ship. Da'an had just contacted him via data stream.
        "Boone left the Embassy shortly after learning of the experiments being carried on in the Earth Defense Facility," the Companion explained.
        "Then, I assume that you told him about Lazarus?"
        Da'an glared at him.
        "Of course you did," he quickly responded. "If he's not back when I return, I promise I'll go look for him."
        "I thank you." Without further ado, the data stream faded.
        Liam shook his head. "Great," he muttered. "Two Boones to deal with in one night!"
        Slowly making his way into the ship's interior, he paused in a doorway and activated his holo device. Instantly he took on the appearance of Agent Ronald Sandoval. What better disguise could he use? Sandoval had free access to every part of the ship - including Zo'or's quarters and he happened to know that the attaché was at home sleeping and would probably remain there for several hours to come.
        Now, to find out Lazarus' fate...

        It was well past one in the morning when Zo'or finally made his way into his personal chamber within the DC complex. Nivian watched from the chair in which she sat, as the Synod Leader moved across the darkened room and stopped before the windows.
        The light from the moon and the garden lights illuminated his silhouette, revealing his posture to be somewhat hunched, as though he were feeling a great weight upon his shoulders.
        It didn't matter.
        All that mattered to her right now was that he had engineered some horrible new human experiments which had resulted in great losses.
        All that mattered was that Boone had gone out into the cold night and not yet returned.
        All that mattered was that Zo'or occupied the most powerful position in all the solar system, and that he could not be trusted.
        Reaching out, she flicked on the reading light.
        Slowly he turned to face her, his face blank, but his mind betraying his sudden agitation at seeing her there.
        Nivian stood and walked across the room, stopping right before him.
        "Where is Lazarus now?" she asked.
        He looked at her from the corners of his eyes. "This project does not concern you," he said evenly.
        "I have to disagree. It involves something my own consort is doing to my fellow human beings," she responded just as calmly.
        He glared at her then. "Being my consort does not automatically make you privy to anything I do as Synod Leader. I fear that I may I have misled you in this by sharing much of what I have done in the past."
        "You must end this project!" she nearly wailed, as visions of what was occurring aboard the home ship threatened to overcome her.
        Zo'or's eyes flared indignantly. "I shall do no such thing. This is our only chance to create an army which can defeat the Jaridians." He began to pace the floor around her. "Downloading the minds of those whom we know to be capable of surviving the entire conditioning process is the only way to keep losses to an acceptable level."
        "Acceptable level? You're mind wiping all of them! Isn't that the same as execution?" she cried.
        He stopped directly before her and reached out to grasp her upper arms. "They would have died anyway. All of them are volunteers who were sentenced to death. Besides, we do not mind wipe them all. Some of those with the strongest wills and greatest intellect are conditioned as they are."
        "In the hopes that they will survive and provide you with another template!"
        He leaned forward and tried to kiss her then, but she quickly pulled back.
        "Nivian, you must try to understand my position," he pleaded. "I am responsible for the survival of my people! More than that, there is little hope that the Jaridians will ignore your own people. You too will die, or live on as slaves. I must pursue every means available to prevent this from occurring."
        "Is Lazarus alive?" she asked, suddenly calm and determined.
        He glared at her and didn't answer, which in itself gave her her answer.
        Pulling free of his grip, she walked around him, stopping before she reached the door.
        "I'll be keeping my own room," she announced. "I cannot and will never condone what you are doing. Your so-called volunteers are not volunteers at all. They've been maneuvered into making their decisions. Once again I say that it would be best to simply share the truth with my people. Then you would have your volunteers."
        She glanced back over her shoulder when he remained silent and saw that his face was turned away from her. He appeared to be staring out the window.
        She left the room then and made her way nest door, to her own chamber. There, she spent a sleepless night sitting up in an arm chair, contemplating the future.

        "Damn him! I hate it when he does this to me!" Lili hissed, as she nervously waited in the deserted corridor and tried to look like she belonged there. Glancing at her watch, she saw that she had only been there eight minutes, rather than the hour it had felt like.
        With a sigh, she turned to her left and nearly jumped out of her shoes when she found herself facing Ronald Sandoval. He must have stepped out of the doorway a few yards down the hall!
        "Captain," he snapped. "What are you doing here?"
        "I could ask the same thing of you."
        He glared at her and remained silent.
        She thought fast. "I'm with major Kincaid."
        He looked startled, but then grinned. "You are?"
        "Yes. He was sent up to run some sort of errand for Da'an."
        "This close to the security center?"
        Lili froze and tried to come up with an explanation, but Sandoval actually began to chuckle!
        "Relax, Lili. It's me - Liam."
        She stared at him, amazed. "Wow," she said, in a low tone. "Even the voice is perfect!"
        "Yeah. The Taelons have really gotten good with these. Now, are you going to tell me what you're really doing here? I would have thought that you'd be back in Honolulu baby-sitting Augur."
        "I'm still angry at him for putting himself in that kind of danger to begin with!" she sniffed. "Anyway, he's pretty out of it. I don't think they let him sleep and you should see some of his bruises!"
        "I'll bet! Now, why are you here?"
        "I'm with Boone," she blurted.
        "Boone!" He jumped at the loudness of his own voice and lowered it to a whisper. "Boone? Don't you know that Da'an is going crazy looking for him?"
        "I figured as much, but I owe him a favor or two."
        "Let me guess - he's here to find Lazarus."
        "Of course. Now let me guess - that's why you're here as well," she said with a smile.
        Liam/Sandoval frowned. "He's gonna get himself captured! Security is at it's tightest right now!"
        "Oh, I wouldn't worry about that," she laughed.
        "Why not?"
        "This is Boone we're talking about. Let's just say that he has all bases covered."

        Shortly after leaving Lili behind in a nearby corridor, Boone entered the main security center of the ship and paused to look around. There was a terminal free on the wall at the rear of the chamber.
        Without hesitation, he stepped forward and made his way straight towards it as the humans who manned the area scrambled to get out of his way. A sole Taelon passed directly in front of him at one point, throwing him an odd look.
        <"Out of my way!"> he snapped at the curious alien in his own language. That seemed to instantly convince the fellow that he was indeed Zo'or, for the Taelon jumped and quickly moved out of the way.
        Deriving a grim pleasure out of impersonating the Synod Leader, Boone was still careful to remain cautious. He may look and sound like Zo'or, he may even speak fluent Eunoia, but despite his own fragile tie to the Commonality, he lacked the powerful presence within the link which the true Synod Leader possessed. All it would take to blow his cover was one Taelon mentally contacting Zo'or.
        Moving to the terminal and glancing over his shoulder to assure himself that the other Taelon had lost interest, he accessed it using a copy of Zo'or's palm print which Sandoval had procured a while back. Scrolling through the screens, he found what he was looking for and smiled.
        Turning, he left the security chamber and headed off in the direction of the diplomatic quarters.
        Zo'or had instructed that Lazarus be confined to Da'an's old chamber under guard until such time that he was recovered enough to be returned to the Earth Defense Facility. He had apparently reasoned that any attempt at freeing the Implant would be doomed to failure, if he could not be located. After all, who would think of looking in the diplomatic quarters for the man?
        Boone had to work hard to suppress the smile which threatened to split his face. Ducking into a small chamber, he pulled out his global and contacted Lili.
        "Is everything OK?" she whispered anxiously over the link.
        "Yes. Do you know where Da'an's quarters are located?"
        "No, but Liam does."
        "Liam? Is he there?"
        "Yeah, and you'll never guess who he's disguised as!"
        Suddenly Sandoval's voice was heard over the link. "Well, well, well Zo'or," he said, apparently amused by the situation. "Are you telling me that our boy is stashed away in Da'an's chamber?"
        Boone grinned from ear to ear. "Why don't you meet me there? I think that between the two of us, we can get him out without a fight."
        "On my way!"
        Lili's voice was heard next, as she again took control of the global. "What about me?"
        "Get back to our shuttle and have it ready to go," he said. "I don't think we'll be long, but I want him out of here ASAP."
        "See you there!" She closed the link.
        Boone pocketed the global and stepping back out into the corridor, continued on towards Da'an's shipboard chamber.

        "Thompson, what is the meaning of disturbing me at his time of the morning?" Zo'or frowned into the data stream. He had received word of an incoming call from the President and agreed to take it in his private chamber. Truth was that he needed a distraction from his last conversation with Nivian anyway.
        President Thompson smiled. "I didn't think that you'd mind," he replied. "Not after the show you've made of the fact that Taelons do not sleep."
        "I still consider such a disturbance to be unconscionable, coming as it does during my own private hours."
        "Then I apologize," Thompson said, giving a slight bow. "Still, this is a matter of one of my top people disappearing within your Embassy. I was promised an update, which I have not yet received."
        Zo'or tried to put on a charming smile. "I fear that I had an emergency situation to attend to upon the home ship," he explained. "It has caused a delay in our investigation, but is nothing to concern yourself about."
        "I have to differ. If it has delayed the investigation into MY little problem about MY missing Secretary of State, then it is of great concern. Now what are you going to do to remedy this situation... or must I leak word of this to the press?"
        Zo'or felt his facade slipping as he realized that the President had threatened him. Deciding not to resume his human appearance, he let go of the illusionary skin and rounded on Thompson in his true form. Well did he know the advantage his true countenance gave him, for it reminded the human that he was not of his world.
        "How dare you threaten me," he hissed. "You retain your position because of me! Reveal this to the press and I shall see to it that this is your last term of office."
        Thompson visibly recoiled, but then straightened and smiled.
        It was a reaction which truly alarmed Zo'or.
        "I expect a report tomorrow," the President said. "Or I WILL go to the press on this. Oh, and I don't believe that you'll be able to hurt me in the next election when all the world's people think that you had something to do with Mr. Beal's disappearance. Who knows? They may even believe that it was your way of threatening me!"
        As Zo'or stared at him in shock, the President himself cut the transmission.

        Just before Boone took the final turn which would lead him into the corridor which housed Da'an's quarters, he met up with Sandoval - aka Liam.
        The two of them looked each other up and down and ended up suppressing similar smirks.
        "So, how many guards are we looking at?" Liam whispered.
        "Two outside the room and another inside with the medic," he replied. "Relieve the guards for a while. I'll get Lazarus out and then you have them resume their watch."
        He blinked as the phony Sandoval winked at him and then the two of them were around the corner and approaching the guards, who instantly looked sharp.
        "I'll take over for now," Sandoval snapped. "You two go wait around the corner until I summon you."
        "Yes sir!" The guards quickly high tailed it down the hall and out of sight.
        Boone opened the chamber door and stepped inside to find Lazarus laid out on a meditation mat. The guard snapped to attention as the medic rose to his feet and bowed.
        "How is he?" the phony Zo'or asked.
        "He's making progress," the medic reported.
        "Is he still unconscious?"
        "He's merely sleeping now."
        Boone moved to stand beside the meditation mat and stared down at the sleeping Implant's face as intense sympathy for his plight threatened to overcome him. he then looked him over carefully, searching for something to use as a distraction. Deeply relieved, he found it.
        "What is this upon the mat?" he asked.
        The medic paled. "He spilled some juice earlier..."
        "Then why did you not clean it up?" he snapped.
        "I... uh... forgot about it. I was busy..." the poor man studdered.
        "Perhaps you'd best see to it now."
        "I'll have to fetch some towels..."
        "Then do so!" Zo'or's image hissed.
        The medic quickly departed the room.
        "Guard, come here!"
        "Sir?" The guard moved to stand before him at attention.
        Boone slowly walked about him, the second holo device he had brought with him set in record mode ans pointed at the man. By the time he had returned to face the man, he had what he needed. Raising the arm which hosted his currently hidden skrill, he hit the man with a blast which would keep him unconscious a good hour or more. The man crumpled at his feet even as he deactivated his own holo device and kneeling beside Lazarus, began shaking him.
        Finally, Lazarus opened his eyes and saw him. "Boone?"
        "Shhhh! Can you stand?"
        The man nodded. "They gave me something to make me sleep, but if this is a rescue, believe me, I can manage."
        With Boone's help, he got to his feet, where he stared in surprise at the unconscious guard.
        "Hold still," Boone instructed, as he set his own holo device on record and moved in a circle around Lazarus.
        "What are you doing?"
        "We haven't much time. Just watch!" Dragging the guard onto the meditation mat, Boone placed the holo device on him and activated it.
        Suddenly Lazarus appeared to be lying there.
        Carefully arranging his position and blanket, Boone made certain that the switch was undetectable and then rose and placed the other holo device on Lazarus, who suddenly became the guard.
        A huge grin split the Implant's face then. "You really are going to get away with this, aren't you?"
        "You just watch me."
        "Don't get too cocky," the disguised Implant huffed. "I could have come up with the same plan myself... given the resources that is."
        Boone had to suppress a laugh. "Straighten up and follow me out," he instructed. "And don't talk. I didn't get the guard's vocal pattern recorded."
        Together, they stepped outside.
        "Tell the medic that Zo'or left and that the guard became ill and had to be replaced," Boone told the phony Sandoval as Lazarus looked on in surprise. "Then have one of the door guards take his place. Give me time to return to the shuttle and then global me."
        Sandoval nodded. "Get out of here already!"

        Arriving at the shuttle, Boone helped settle Lazarus in a seat and then took his holo device.
        "Get him to Liam's place," he told Lili as he prepared to return to the home ship.
        "Wait!" she grabbed his arm. "Where are you going?"
        "I have one more thing to take care of," he explained. "Don't worry. I'm going to meet up with Liam and I'll catch a ride back with him. Just stay with our new friend there until Liam shows up."
        "Be careful."
        He smiled at her before disembarking.
        As the shuttle pulled away, he made his way back in the direction of the diplomatic quarters. Liam beeped him when he was a short distance away and he stepped into a doorway to answer.
        "Where are you?" he asked the hybrid Protector.
        "In a doorway just off the main diplomatic corridor," came the answer. "What now?"
        "I'm disguised as the missing guard. I want you to meet up with me at that spot we paused in last time. I'll explain it all then."
        "On my way."
        Less than a minute later he met up with the phony Sandoval and quickly relayed the final part of his plan. Together they made their way back to Da'an's old quarters and stepped inside.
        Liam did all the talking. "Mr. Avery here is feeling much better," he told the inner guard. "We have new orders from Zo'or. You and your partner are relieved of duty, as we are to transfer the prisoner back to the Earth Defense Facility."
        "Yes sir!" The guard snapped to attention and then stepped out.
        "What about me?" the medic asked.
        "You may return to your normal duties," Sandoval snapped.
        Gathering his things, the medic likewise departed.
        Liam waited a few minutes and then glanced outside. "They're gone," he announced.
        "Good, help me with this guy."
        Between the two of them, they managed to get the unconscious guard up between them, with one of his arms thrown over each of their shoulders.
        A half hour later, they laid the phony Lazarus out on an exam table in a secure procedure room and Sandoval/Liam made a show of having to leave just before the Taelon in charge left the room to summon an assitant. Liam then handed his own holo device off to Boone, who was able to depart the area disguised as Sandoval.
        Liam then removed the holo device from the unconscious guard and spilled him to the floor, before carefully making his way down a series of back corridors. He slowly backtracked to the room once he heard the alarm sounded.
        To the confused Taelon, it appeared as though his patient had overpowered the guard and escaped.
        Liam quickly organized a search and during the confusion, rendezvoused with Boone back at his own shuttle.
        "You kill me sometimes," he smirked as he powered up the shuttle and punched it into I.D. space.
        Boone grinned broadly. "Believe me, this was my pleasure," he sighed.

        Liam landed the shuttle near his apartment complex and together the two of them went inside. They found Lili sitting on the floor next to the sofa where she had settled Lazarus.
        The Implant appeared to be out cold again.
        "Best to let him sleep off the drugs," she councilled as she rose to her feet. "How'd it go?"
        Liam grinned broadly. "It couldn't have gone any better!"
        "Well? Are you going to tell me about it or not?" she huffed, placing her hands on her hips. "You know how much I hate missing out on a good operation."
        "I'd love to fill you in, but if you don't get Boone here back to the Embassy soon, Da'an's going to call out the reserves."
        Boone looked at his watch. "Come on Lili. I can tell you about it on the way," he offered.
        Turning, she snatched her leather jacket off the nearby chair and led the way out. "Later, Liam!"
        "Yeah, don't be a stranger!" he called out as the door swung shut behind them.

        Boone wasn't surprise to find Da'an waiting for him in the shuttle bay, but he was surprised by the glare she pinned him with when he stepped out of the shuttle.
        Apparently realizing that now was not the time to say hello, Lili wasted little time in backing up the shuttle and departing.
        "Did Liam tell you I was on my way back?" he asked, falling into step beside her as she led the way back inside.
        She glared at him again, but remained silent.
        Realizing that she was angry at him for having disappeared, he took his cue and remained silent all the way back to their chamber.
        If he was expecting a scene of some sort once they had arrived, he got a big surprise when she instead turned to face him and clasped her hands to his own. The resulting sharing was dizzying in its intensity and ended with him freeing his hands and pulling her against him for a passionate kiss.
        No appologies or explainations were necessary. He lived her anxiety and fear at his disappearance and she his exhileration at Lasarus' rescue.
        Almost before he realized what was happening, he had pushed her onto the bed and moved to join her there.

        Zo'or paced the area in front of his chamber window anxiously as he awaited William Boone's arrival.
        It was shortly before nine in the morning. Around eight, he had moved through the audience chamber and several other rooms in search of either Da'an or Boone and had finally discovered from one of the security guards that neither had been seen yet that morning. Unwilling to risk running into Nivian, he had returned to his own chamber where he had mulled over Lazarus' disappearance.
        Surely Da'an had something to do with it.
        It had to be Da'an who had issued the order to return Lazarus to the facility! If it wasn't, then something else far more dire was afoot. That, after the Secretary of State's disappearance, would seriously undermine his position as Synod Leader! He needed to discover who was behind this and he needed to do so quickly.
        To that end he had summoned Boone, going so far as to have a guard go to the NAC's chamber door and awaken him.
        Just then there was a chime at his own door.
        "Enter," he called out, as he turned to face the entranceway.
        Boone entered, freshly showered and shaved. Impeccably dressed, he bowed and waited for Zo'or to address him.
        "Commander Boone, has Da'an asked you to perform any tasks for him aboard the home ship recently?" he asked.
        "No, he has not."
        "Are you aware of him issuing any such request to Liam or Agent Sandoval?"
        "No, Zo'or."
        Zo'or strode around the Implant and thought things out.
        "Have you made any progress in your investigation into Andrew Beal's disappearance?"
        Boone looked uncomfortable. "Not yet, however I cannot help thinking that there is something going on there that I'm just on the verge of seeing."
        "Indeed?" he sniffed. "Then perhaps it would be best for you to spend more time working on the problem and less time lounging in bed with your consort." He had the satisfaction of watching the Implant blush a brilliant red. "Get back to work," he snapped.
        Boone bowed and quickly departed.
        Deciding that he was better off investigating Lazarus' disappearance aboard the home ship, Zo'or departed his chamber and was just passing Nivian's doorway when she emerged.
        They both froze and stared at each other awkwardly.
        "Lazarus is missing," he finally blurted.
        Her eyes widened. "When? Where is he?"
        "Sometime early this morning. We have not determined who took him or his whereabouts." He saw the suspicious look she gave him then and felt an unexpected hurt flare up inside him. Reaching out, he gripped her hand and tugged her after him down the corridor.
        "Zo'or! What are you doing?" she hissed, startled.
        "You are going to accompany me to the home ship to see for yourself that I had nothing to do with this," he snapped.
        Surprisingly, she stopped struggling and kept up with him. Her eagerness to accompany him was in itself an insult, for didn't it imply that she truly did not believe his word?
        His face set in a scowl which caused his own shuttle pilot to cringe, he pushed her ahead of him into the craft and instructed the man to take off.

        Despite the fact that he had glued himself to his office chair for the better part of the afternoon, Boone made no further progress in solving the disappearance of Andrew Beal and his men.
        Leaning back, he rubbed at his aching head and closed his eyes as he breathed deeply.
        He was running out of time!
        "Then we shall play the waiting game," came Da'an's voice behind him.
        Sitting up and turning quickly in his chair, he saw that she had just entered the office and was motioning her guards to wait outside.
        He stood and met her half way to the door. "I don't understand..."
        "The waiting game, Boone. It is something my species has perfected, although your own people also play it quite well.
        Boone stared at her. "Are you suggesting that we do nothing?"
        "No. I am suggesting that we stall both the government and the press until the solution presents itself," she said, punctuating her words with a few graceful hand gestures.
        "How can you be certain that a solution WILL present itself?"
        "This entire incident is too complex to have been flawlessly staged." She walked past him to the windows and looked out across the way to where her Embassy was clearly visible. "Somewhere, somehow, an error was made or something was overlooked. Eventually we shall find this mistake and everything shall fall into place."
        "I wish I could be as confident as you are," he sighed.
        She turned to stare at him as a slight smile tugged at her mouth. "Have faith, William," she chided him.

        True to his word, President Thompson called a press conference later that afternoon to announce the suspicious disappearance of the Secretary of State. Zo'or, who was still aboard the home ship at the time, could not be reached for comment, however Da'an did issue a brief statement which was read by Boone himself.
        In it the Companion denied that she or any other Taelon had anything at all to do with the disappearance and vowed that all possible means of finding who was truly responsible were being followed.
        His obligation at the conference concluded, Boone saw to it that security at the Embassy was doubled even as he canceled all further audiences with the North American Companion with the explanation that they were looking out for their guests' safety.
        He returned to the audience chamber to find Da'an seated in her chair watching the various news accounts and moved to stand beside her.
        "What a nightmare," he breathed.
        "William... who is currently benefiting from this news?" she asked him pensively.
        He shook his head. "As far as I can tell, no one."
        She turned her head to look directly at him. "I am not convinced that is the case..."
        He waited for her to share her suspicions with him, but she merely waved off the data stream, stood and headed back towards their chamber.
        "No hints?" he called after her, causing her to pause momentarily.
        "If you see it as well, then I know that I am not... as they say - 'jumping to conclusions'."
        That said, she withdrew.
        He waited a moment and then waved the data stream back on in the hopes that it would provide him with a clue as to what she was thinking.

        It was late when Nivian and Zo'or finally returned to the Embassy.
        The Synod leader had failed to uncover much in his investigation of Lazarus' disappearance, or rather, Agent Sandoval had failed to do so. Zo'or had put the investigation in his hands, little suspecting that the Implant had free will.
        She had managed to corner the handsome Implant while Zo'or was at an emergency Synod meeting and he had verified that Zo'or had nothing to do with Lazarus' disappearance and that the unfortunate Implant had indeed been 'rescued' by two people who would remain nameless.
        "And you're not going to be making much progress in uncovering how this happened, are you?" she had smirked.
        "Of course not." Sandoval had responded and then turned a dazzling smile on her. "By the way, please give Boone and Liam my warmest regards."
        She had squeezed his arm affectionately and returned to the command center to await Zo'or.
        He had eventually re-entered the command chamber and it was quickly evident that his mood had gone from bad to worse.
        Hours had dragged by as he all but ignored her, instead seeing to his responsibilities and watching the various news reports from across the globe.
        Nivian had remained quiet and observant until nearly nine, when she had expressed her need to eat and sleep.
        With no apology for having kept her so late, Zo'or had merely nodded and had her escorted her back to a shuttle. She had returned alone, without so much as a good night from him.
        She made her way dejectedly to her own chamber while fighting the urge to cry. True, that Zo'or had much on his mind today, that he had reason to be distracted, but so much had changed between them since yesterday.
        She felt almost as though he were a stranger and despaired of ever feeling close to him again.
        Entering her room, she waved on the lights and was startled to see Da'an standing by the windows.
        "Da'an... What are you doing here?" she mumbled.
        "Waiting for you," the Companion replied. "Zo'or asked me to check in on you and offer his apologies that he could not accompany you back."
        "Thank you. I..." That was it. She began to cry softly. "I'm sorry... It's just that I thought that he didn't care..."
        She heard Da'an approach her and then felt the Taelon's hand on her shoulder.
        "You are his consort, and a human one at that. You must never doubt his love for you," she admonished her. "Now then, I have also come to bring you some news."
        "Is it time?" Nivian sniffed as her heart skipped a beat.
        Da'an smiled softly. "Tomorrow, I believe," she answered. "Will you be able to proceed then?"
        Nivian smiled, despite her fear. "You can count on me."
        Then she found herself wrapped in Da'an's embrace and all her fears faded away.

        "K'veh?" Da'an asked. "It means, Ancient Hero..."
        Boone wrinkled up his nose and rummaged through the pile of books on the bed. "Nah. Too much for anyone to have to live up to," he replied, as he plucked up the name book he was looking for.
        The two of them were lounging on the bed and trying yet again to find a mutually agreeable name for their son.
        Boone opened the retrieved book to a marked page. "How about Braedan?" he asked.
        Da'an showed some interest, a pleasant surprise in itself. "What is the meaning?" she asked, leaning over to look at the page.
        "Dweller near a broad valley," he replied. "Look, the meaning isn't all that important... Don't you think it sounds good?"
        "Braedan Boone..." She tried it out. "What about Braedan Flynn Boone?"
        "I thought you didn't like the name Flynn."
        "I did not care for it to be used as the child's calling name," she replied. "however I do like it's meaning and it sounds pleasing when used as a middle name."
        "What was the meaning again?"
        "Heir to the red-headed."
        He groaned. "You know... we do dwell near a broad valley."
        "Yes. We do." Her eyes twinkled mischievously. "I believe that I find the name pleasing."
        He grinned broadly. "Thank goodness!" Knocking all of the books off the bed and onto the floor, he pushed her onto her back, and leaning over, kissed her nose. "I didn't think we'd ever find a name!" He placed a hand on her abdomen, which was becoming noticeably round. It felt taut as a drum skin. "What does he think about it?" he asked.
        "He understands the concept of name, but not the concept of the definitions," she replied. "I believe that he finds the name acceptable."
        Moving down lower, Boone placed his other hand on her belly as well and lowering his head, initiated a sharing. Immediately, he felt the touch of his son's mind, and was again awestruck at the strange, rudimentary thoughts which he sensed. It was amazing to think that this new being could already be so aware...
        <"Well, for better or worse you're stuck with the name now, Braedan.">
        He felt a trill of pleasure echo back at him as he thought the name and repeated it again, this time aloud. His reward was a mental coo of contentment. Raising his head, he looked into Da'an's amused eyes. "Hey! He really likes it!"
        "Indeed," she replied, as she reached down and pulled him up to her.
        They kissed for a while and then he rolled onto his back, pulling her atop him. "It's going to be very soon now, isn't it?" he asked, as he rubbed her back. "Don't be evasive. I can feel your exhaustion, and it's really beginning to show. You can hardly maintain your human appearance."
        "It is difficult..."
        He was uncertain whether she meant her appearance or giving up their child. "Drop the disguise," he said. "There's no sense in working so hard to maintain it in front of me."
        She did so with a sigh.
        Reaching up, he cupped her face between his hands and drew her down for another kiss. When they parted, he stroked her cheek with a thumb and drank in the sight of her. He never tired of seeing her like this. Even after all this time together, her real form astounded him.
        "You are so beautiful..." he breathed.
        She looked confused, but also pleased. "As are you," she replied.
        He stared into those huge, phosphorescent blue patches which were her eyes. "Tell me the truth now. When will our child be transferred?"
        Her eyes glowed brighter still, betraying her agitation. "Tomorrow, I am fairly certain. All this day he has been testing me, trying to snatch away my very substance. Each try, he was far more sure of himself, and pushed me further. He rests now, however, once a Taelon child begins this, its birth is imminent."
        Boone felt panicky. "Imminent?"
        She smiled. "Braedan is not a full Taelon. He cannot succeed in his efforts unless I actively aid him. Tomorrow, I think, will be the day."
        "Shouldn't you be making arrangements?" he asked nervously.
        "Tomorrow morning is soon enough to do so," she replied, as she squirmed sideways off him and curled against his side.
        Within a few minutes, she was fast asleep, leaving him wide awake and far too full of anticipation to follow suit. Instead, he contented himself with watching the stars through the virtual glass dome and gently rubbing her back.
        Forty minutes and a shooting star later, his eyes drifted slowly closed and he finally slept.

        Early the next morning Nivian managed to catch Zo'or in the corridor outside their chambers. He gave her an irritated, but leery look as she blocked his way.
        "What is it?" he asked cautiously.
        "Today's the day."
        He stared at her.
        "The day of the transfer," she elaborated.
        Still he merely stared.
        She wilted. "I was hoping that you would be there..."
        "Why ever so?" He drew himself up to his full height. "You have made it quite clear that you do not approve of the things I must do as Synod Leader. You give me no countenance whatsoever. In fact, I do not believe that you even approve of ME!" Despite himself, his hurt was showing. "Why should you expect me to support you at an event which I do not approve of?"
        "Because I'm scared," she admitted. "What if something goes wrong?"
        "You have always been aware of the danger involved in this undertaking," he reminded her. "Now, I am afraid that I am needed aboard the home ship."  Stepping past her, he continued on down the ramp without looking back.
        Nivian stared after him and shivered uncontrollably.

        Several hours later, in the corridor outside the procedure room where Nivian was being prepared, Boone waited with Da'an. The companion was visibly nervous and upset, pacing before the doorway.
        "Are you all right?" he finally got up the nerve to ask.
        She ignored him.
        "Da'an!" Moving to stand beside her, he reached out and gathered her close, holding her gently against him. "Everything's going to by all right," he soothed. "You're not getting ahead of us yet, are you?"
        "No. I can control when the separation happens," she explained as she twined her arms around his waist and sagged against him. "I do not wish to do this," she whispered brokenly after another moment. "I cannot bear... "
        He kissed the top of her head as a lump rose in his throat. The situation was difficult at best. To part with the child and let another carry it for her, was like giving it up for adoption, for her own mind was accustomed to the infant's presence. Because of the mental linkage, it was not at all the same as a human pregnancy. It was as though the child were already born, already held and loved by her. For her to hand their newborn over to another... was hard. Very hard.
        Noting that her hands were curled into fists, Boone gently took them in his own and uncurled them.
        "You can't put it off any longer," he continued, refusing to keep silent this time. "Your life is being endangered now. Besides, you've already said that the infant is crying out for it's own form. You have to do this now, or our child will not survive."
        "I know..."
        "And if it were a normal Taelon child, you would have done this a long time ago," he reasoned. "The child will still be here. You can go to Nivian and make contact with him whenever you wish to do so. She's already told you that. Besides, you're becoming weaker by the hour. How will you be able to give up the part of yourself the child requires to live if you wait any longer?"
        She began to shake as the truth of his words forced her to see that she must go through with it and it took him a moment to recognize the shuddering for what it was.
        She was crying.
        Unable to shed tears, or weep as a human did, her form shook with the grief she could no longer hold inside.
        "Oh, hey! Hey!" he murmured near the spot where one of her ears would be, if she possessed them. "I know. I know..." Holding her tightly, he rocked her until she calmed and then lifted her chin so that she would look at him.
        Her eyes were actually damp and he kissed her gently before whispering. "You'll feel better once everything is ready to go."
        She lifted shaking fingers to wipe at the moisture on her lids, seemingly surprised by its presence. "I shall not 'feel better' until our child is once more back in my care," she protested.
        He steered her towards the door. "Come on," he encouraged her. "You've faced worse situations."
        Her eyes glowed faintly at his challenge. "And so have you, but are YOU ready for what is about to occur?" she responded, brightening a bit.
        "Touché!" he laughed. "That's my girl."
        That got a strange look out of her. "Hardly, but if it pleases you to keep believing so..."
        With a snort he draped an arm over her shoulders and opened the door.

        Twenty minutes later, with Nivian on an exam table and fully prepped for the procedure which lay ahead, Boone, now gowned up in sterile surgical scrubs, led Da'an into the room.
        The first thing which caught his eye was that two exam tables now occupied the center of the small room. The second was that Nivian, draped from her neck to her feet, but for her lower abdomen, lay motionless on one of the tables. She was awake, aware of everything occurring around her, for her head turned and she smiled at them as they approached, but her body seemed eerily motionless.
        Da'an moved to her side and uncovering her hand, held it tightly for a moment. "Can you feel my hand?" she asked.
        "I can't feel anything from the chest down," Nivian whispered. "But I'm so glad that you're here!"
        Da'an tucked her hand back under the covers and stroked her forehead.
        "Do not fear," she soothed. "Ban'hn and Dr. Belman shall take the greatest care of all of us."
        "I know," Nivian squeaked. "But I can't help feeling... nervous..."
        The Companion smiled then. "I too fear what is about to occur. However, we shall get through it together."
        Dr. Belman finished checking all her equipment as the Taelon scientist positioned a strange looking device so that it was pointing towards the empty table.
        Boone instantly felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. The device looked like a huge, ray gun - something Marvin the Martian might use!
        "Whoa! What is that thing?" he asked, nervously.
        Ban'hn stepped forward. This device shall project a stasis field about the infant once Da'an delivers it forth. It will hold the infant in a state of suspended animation while we induce it to grow an umbilicus, placenta the usual accompanying membranes." Apparently reading Boone's alarmed look correctly, he added, "It is a procedure we have used many times before. All shall be well."
        "You're holding part of the baby in suspended animation, while accelerating growth in a different part?" he asked, completely unnerved at this point. "It seems... very dangerous..."
        "Boone."
        He swung around to look at Da'an, who was now seated upon the other table.
        "It is too late to reconsider. You must trust in Ban'hn and Belman now."
        With a nod, he moved to stand by her side. He had many more questions, but a glance back at Nivian was enough to make him realize the importance of keeping them to himself. She was pale, terrified apparently and desperately looking towards the door.
        He knew she was hoping Zo'or would relent and make an appearance, something which both saddened and angered him. The poor woman was doing this despite her fear and the son of a bitch didn't even have the guts to hold her hand!

        On the roof above, Zo'or gracefully exited his shuttle and made his way to the private elevator which would take him directly to the secure floor of Belman's clinic.
        "Remain here!" he snapped at his security as he stepped into the waiting elevator car and allowed the doors to close between them.
        He had not intended to come. He had not intended to support this... this... insult in any way! Still, Nivian's terror was excruciating and had been building for over an hour. He couldn't block it from his mind any more than he could ignore her piteous mental cries for him.
        Neither could he hold her coercion against her.
        She didn't even realize that she was summoning him! Thank goodness she was still ignorant of the power of her own mind!
        In her terror, she had simply given in to her deepest wish - that he be present, her mind returning over and over to that hope until it became a projected command which he could not ignore.
        He sighed as she again called out to him.
        He had to go to her.
        He had to stop this horrid sensation of terror which had gripped him, and most of all -
        He had to make certain that she was all right!

        Boone felt Da'an take his hand and squeeze it even as he heard her voice in his head.
        <"Go stand by Nivian. She requires your support even more than I...">
        Before the thought could be completed, the door opened and Zo'or himself entered the room.
        Even as they all gaped at him, he moved to stand beside Nivian and began stroking back her hair as he whispered something near her ear.
        Nivian smiled as a tear rolled down her cheek, and finally relaxed, giving in to a shuddering sigh.
        Even as a sense of relief began to calm him, Boone felt Da'an's grip on his hand tighten just before it was withdrawn. When he swung around to look at her, he could see that she had gone into some sort of trance and was beginning to glow brightly, her human appearance completely gone.
        "It has begun," Ban'hn explained to the humans. "Da'an seeks to begin duplicating, then dividing those pathways the infant will require."
        "How long will that take?" Boone asked.
        "Difficult to predict. Usually anywhere from a few seconds to fifteen minutes, depending upon the previous experience of the Taelon in question," the scientist answered. "Do not touch or distract her unless she asks you to do so."

        Something's wrong! Boone thought to himself, after over thirty minutes had ticked by.
        Da'an had not moved or changed position in any way, but the bright flaring of her pathways had long since reached a crescendo and then slowed again to their normal pulsing.
        Tearing his eyes away to look about him, he could see a worried look upon Ban'hn's face. Even Zo'or seemed to be on edge.
        Still, fearful of distracting her, he took his cue from the Talons and remained quiet.
        Another eight minutes ticked by before Ban'hn stepped forward and spoke. "Da'an, what is wrong?" he asked. "I feel your struggle."
        When she failed to reply, the scientist moved even closer and took one of her hands. His eyes widened and then he addressed them.
        "There is a difficulty. All is in readiness. The division itself is all which is required, yet it will not progress."
        "What do you mean, it won't progress?" Belman asked, as she stepped closer. "It has to! Why won't the infant seize the substance it's being offered?"
        "The child must be extruded at the same time it takes control of the duplicated pathways." Ban'hn appeared to be struggling to explain the process.
        Zo'or enlightened them. "The child must grip at the flesh which is to clothe him so that he may be extruded. Like pulling the candy you humans call taffy, the flesh will be stretched between them and slowly separated. If the infant will not or cannot do this, Da'an cannot 'birth' it."
        "The child is in part human," Ban'hn reminded them. "It might lack the instinct needed to aid in it's own birth."
        "That's not true," Boone informed him. "Da'an has said on several occasions that she felt the baby grasping for it's own form. It has the instinct, so something else is creating a problem."
        Just then Da'an grunted and her eyes widened slightly.
        Boone reached for her hands, taking them both in his own. "What's wrong? You have to tell us!"
        "I cannot extrude the child! It will not go!" she seemed almost panicked. "Each time I push it towards my abdomen, it insists upon sinking lower!"
        "Lower?" Belman said, even as Boone and Nivian echoed her word.
        Belman went running towards another monitor. "Oh my goodness!" She exclaimed an instant later.
        Boone, who was unwilling to leave Da'an's side, called over his shoulder. "Spit it out Doctor!"
        "This baby is not going to be extruded through Da'an's abdomen in the usual Taelon fashion," she exclaimed.
        He kept his eyes on Da'an as he talked to Belman. "I figured that's what you were going to say."
        Belman moved to stand on the Companion's other side and hesitated as she sought to find the right words to break the news to her.
        "Tell me Belman," the straining Companion practically hissed. "I have little patience left for such delays!"
        "All those odd structures that we were seeing on your scans would seem to be a series of membranes encasing the infant. Although they've broken down enough to allow the child access to your own substance, the baby has somehow ended up channeled downward toward that portion of your anatomy that... uh... has..."
        "You're saying that the child is going to make it's appearance in the human fashion," Da'an groaned.
        Belman looked uncomfortable. "Apparently, there's some sort of human birthing instinct at work here as well."
        Boone felt himself nearly recoiling as his Companion shot him a look of such malevolence that it would have done Medusa proud.
       Unwilling to turn to stone or accept the blame for the sudden, bizarre twist, he countered in the only way he could, "Hey! Don't look at me like that," he admonished her. "This was all your idea in the first place!"
        Across the room, a glorious smirk lit Zo'or's face, even as Da'an seemed to wilt and slide down onto the table.
        Belman pushed a pillow under her head and threw a sheet over her, even as the Companion turned her suddenly resigned gaze on her consort.
        Instantly, he took her hands again and leaning close, kissed her on the cheek. "You can do this," he encouraged her.
        "I am so tired," she whispered back.
        "I know, but you're more than half way there now. It'll be over soon enough." He stopped talking and lost his train of thought as a sudden pain shot through him, courtesy of their link.
        Da'an closed her eyes and trembled as infant moved lower still.
        "Oh God," he breathed, as he realized what lay ahead for him as well.
        "Indeed," she responded, refusing to release his hands.

        "I cannot do this!" Da'an exclaimed fifteen minutes later.
        Although she vaguely objected to sounding so... helpless, she could not help but feel deeply humiliated by her current situation. Still, it was too much to expect a high ranking Companion such as herself to graciously endure such torture and humiliation! It was little wonder that human females bore their offspring behind closed doors, rather than share what should be a joyous event with the rest of their community!
        Holding tightly to Boone's hands and taking a perverse pleasure in the fact that he was sharing her current misery, she briefly wondered at her own slip of character, for she knew that she was thinking thoughts which would normally leave her feeling shamed and ill.
        "How can I be feeling such discomfort!?" she wondered. Such sensation was, for the most part, unknown to her people. It had to have something to do with her regression.
        Then another pain rolled over her and her doubts dissolved as she fiercely pushed in what seemed an impossible task - ridding herself of the cause of her current discomfort. She had been straining for what seemed an eternity and despite Dr. Belman's encouragement, doubted that she had made any leeway.
        The pain slacked off for a moment and she found herself looking up into Boone's pale and sweaty face as another wave of self loathing hit her. How could she do this to him? Bad enough that anyone should suffer so!
        While she could still think clearly, she thrust his hands from her and instead gripped at the sides of the table.
        His sudden indrawn breath of relief was a bittersweet reward for her action, but in the next minute, she felt his hand grasp her own, and opened her eyes to see him determinedly groping for her other hand as well.
        "William... No. You do not have to..."
        "Yes. I do," he said firmly. We're going to get through this together. Just don't give up now!"
        Another wave of pain began to build, a worse one by far than any which had gone before.
        "This is impossible!" she gasped as she felt as though she would surely suffer some form of permanent damage.
        "It's not even full term!" Nivian shot back from across the room. "Just think what it'll be like for me later on! You CAN do this!"
        "But I am not a human! I was not made to...." She shuddered violently as something seemed to give in her pelvic area. Vaguely, she knew that she needed to concentrate and do something important...
        Suddenly Zo'or was beside her, nearly elbowing Boone away. "I cannot stand by and watch such ineptitude a moment longer!" he snapped, reaching out to lay his hands over Boone's where they held her own. "Like this, fool!" the Synod Leader told the startled Implant.
        Within seconds the pain lessened considerably as Zo'or used his own energies to dampen it down. Da'an had a sudden flashback to the time she, Eh'har and Quo'on had worked to save a poor, dying creature back on the home world. Then, it had been her friends who had lessened the birthing mother's pain even as Zo'or was now lessening her own.
        As she was able to think clearly again, she realized that she could control her situation. Concentrating, she willed the separation of her form and instantly felt the infant pulling on those duplicated pathways which were to be his. As the pressure built to a peak, she began cleaving her own substance and pulling back along her own pathways even as she pushed.
        "Da'an!" Belman cried. "I have the baby's head! Push again!"
        With a final effort, the infant and it's new substance were delivered into the doctor's waiting hands.
        Da'an collapsed heavily back onto the table and watched as the nearly shapeless blob with a very well defined head began reforming itself in Belman's arms. By the time the doctor had placed it on the the end of the table, it had become a small, but perfectly formed fetus of no more than two pounds. A larger mass of Taelon substance was attached to it at the point where a human umbilicus should be.
        Zo'or removed his hands from Boone's and moved back a step to watch as Ban'hn turned the stasis device on the child.
        Within seconds the baby was held suspended in the air between them as a soft glow surrounded it. Ban'hn then trained another device on the child, this time aimed for the large, shapeless substance attached to it.
        "What is that thing?" Nivian asked, indicting the extra flesh, as she got her first good look at the infant.
        "It will, in part, become the infant's placenta. The rest will be absorbed as it completes its development."
        Boone turned back to Da'an and ran a hand over her head as he leaned in close and praised her. Still, she nervously clutched at his hands, for the infant was not out of danger yet...

        Thirty minutes slowly ticked by as Boone held on to Da'an and anxiously watched what was occurring in the stasis field.
        Da'an, who seemed to have made a full recovery, was now seated on the edge of her own table with a blanket around her shoulders. Through their link, he could feel her exhaustion and yearning for an energy stream, but even more importantly, her fear for both the infant and Nivian.
        "How much longer?" Zo'or asked, looking more nervous than Boone had ever before seen him.
        Ban'hn looked up. "Not more than five minutes," he announced.
        Boone again struggled to make out the form of his child, now hidden by a nearly completed set of membranes, as well as the blue glow given off by the stasis and acceleration fields.
        "How do you prevent the one field from canceling the other?" he couldn't help but ask.
        Ban'hn nodded as though pleased by the question. The beams are carefully configured not to occupy the same space at the same time," he responded. They may come mere molecules away from each other, but they will never touch."
        Again Boone's attention was drawn to Zo'or, who was now stroking Nivian's hair and talking quietly with her. He doubted he would ever forgive the Synod Leader for what he had done to Lazarus or any of the other humans he had skillfully 'reprogramed', but he had to admit that he had been very grateful for the Taelon's help earlier. If he hadn't eased Da'an's pain..."
        Da'an squeezed his hand. <"We owe him much,"> the Companion's thoughts rang out in his mind.<"However, it does not excuse the atrocities he has once more committed.">
        With a shake of his head, Boone agreed.
  "It is time." Ban'hn announced, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
        With a nod, Belman moved to stand beside yet another unfamiliar control panel, this one set up on a cart which she rolled over beside Nivian's table.
        "Zo'or, you'd better move over. Best that you stand near her head for now," the doctor said, as she flipped some switches on.
        Looking up, she saw that all was ready, and after receiving a nod from Zo'or, flipped yet another switch to the 'on' position.
        There was a loud whir above them as a large piece of equipment which Boone had mistaken for an x-ray machine, moved on two separate tracks to position itself directly over Nivian's lower abdomen. Once lined up, it lowered what looked like a piece of three inch diameter PVC tubing so that it remained suspended only three feet above her flesh.
        "OK Nivian," Belman said in a soothing voice. "I want you to close your eyes and relax. You might feel some tugging in a moment, but I promise you it won't hurt."
        Nivian fixed Boone and Da'an with a frightened look, before looking up at Zo'or and doing as she had been asked. As soon as her eyes were closed, the Synod Leader placed his hands gently atop her face and stroked it lightly in an effort to soothe her.
        Belman hit another switch and a strange vortex seemed to descend from the instrument above Nivian. Slowly, it moved downward, looking for all the world like a miniature tornado. When it touched her flesh, there was a strange ripple and a tunnel opened up right through her abdominal wall.
        Unable to tear his eyes away from the incredible sight before him, Boone hunted for Da'an's hand and grasped it tightly, suddenly more nervous than he had been during anything which had happened up until now.
        The opening in Nivian's flesh slowly seemed to expand until a vortex like tunnel was nearly a foot across.
        On the table, Nivian grunted as Zo'or lost control of his appearance and reverted back to his true Taelon state.
        "Are you all right?" Belman asked quickly.
        "Yes. I just feel like someone's trying to yank me off the table," Nivian replied.
        "The device is slowly stretching your uterus and abdomen," the doctor explained. "It won't be much longer before we can perform the implantation."
        Boone felt his knees shaking and deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, slid up to have a seat on the table beside Da'an.
        Just five minutes later, Ban'hn looked over the readings on Belman's instrument and declared that they were ready to proceed. Reaching out to gently grasp the force field - encased infant, he guided it directly to the opening in Nivian's abdomen where he slowly moved the newly formed placenta into place within her uterus. The acceleration beam was then focused into the cavity so that it bathed the place where the placenta now lay against Nivian's uterine lining, a lining which had been formed and maintained through the use of a pregnancy imitating cocktail of hormones she had been taking. As the stasis beam continued to hold the baby suspended in the air above it's surrogate mother, the life-giving physical bond between them was cemented.
        Belman touched a pleth device to the infant's umbilical cord. Within thirty seconds the readout came back ninety five percent O2 saturation. "That's it!" she exclaimed with a huge smile.
        "Can I look yet?" Nivian asked.
        "Not yet, but soon," Zo'or soothed as he regained his human appearance.
        Belman moved away from her own instrument and moved over to man the controls of the stasis field as Ban'hn once more grasped the infant. He nodded to her and she shut down the field.
        Instantly the blue glow faded, leaving the Taelon scientist with his hands full of an infant in his surrounding fluid filled membranes. The extra substance which had come from Da'an was encased within the fluid, and joined at the baby's abdomen. As Ban'hn carefully maneuvered the package into the cavity formed by the vortex, the baby could actually be glimpsed kicking! In fact, his sudden energetic display made the entire procedure frustratingly difficult for Ban'hn, who actually let lose with a string of Taelon words!
        Boone laughed loudly, even as Da'an and Zo'or both showed their own amusement.
        "What's happening?" Nivian asked anxiously.
        "Braedan Flynn Boone has decided to show off before being retired to bed," he replied. "Ban'hn was telling him to calm down and cut him a break!"
        Nivian smiled. "Braedan? Is that his name?"
        "Yes," Da'an replied. "Does it please you?"
        "Very much. I love it!"
        At that point, Ban'hn had finally finished properly positioning the infant. Removing his hands, he leaned over and turned a knob on the 'vortex' control panel, causing the vortex to begin withdrawing.
        They all watched, fascinated, as Nivian's womb sealed up snugly around the membranes which contained the child, followed by the muscles and skin of her belly. As the instrument was finally turned off, they all stared at her abdomen, which bore no sign of outward intervention.
        "You can open your eyes now," Belman gently told her patient, even as she discontinued Nivian's pain relief.
        Nivian stared in amazement at her belly. "Wow! I look like I'm five months along!"
        "Try moving your legs a bit," Belman encouraged her. "You should be getting all the feeling back in a minute or two."
        She managed to jerk her legs a little, but stopped as her abdomen rippled suddenly.
        "I felt that!" she laughed. "I felt the baby move!"
        In a moment, Da'an was off the table and standing beside Nivian, where her hands hovered anxiously over the woman's abdomen as she awaited permission to make contact. The look on her face was one of such longing, that Boone felt his own heart lurching painfully.
        Reaching out with shakey arms, Nivian took the Companion's hands and brought them into contact with the skin of her belly. "I know what it is to lose a child," she said gently. "You are always welcome to visit with your child, as is Boone."
         "I thank you." Da'an's voice was hardly a whisper. "For everything." Her hands slid over Nivian's abdomen until they came to rest on her left side. Then she smiled as her link to the child was restored.
        Boone moved to stand beside her and placed his hands atop Nivian's and Da'an's, which allowed him, too, to connect with the child.
        The three of them stood there, silently listening in to the infant and offering what seemed to be a sort of blessing at this, the beginning of yet another phase of its developement.
        To their emmense surprise, Zo'or himself stepped forward and joined his hands with theirs, even as he shot Boone a look which dared him to comment upon it.
        Belman moved to stand beside Ban'hn and the two of them watched the happy spectacle before them.
        "Another job well done," Belman murmured.
        Ban'hn smiled. "Indeed."

        Much later in the day, Boone made his way to Liam's appartment. Da'an had already resumed her responsibilities as North American Companion and was holding audiences with various Government officials as she stalled them with regard to Andrew Beal's disapperance.
        He himself had again reviewed all the video evidence and still finding nothing which shed light upon the mystery, decided it would be best to look in on his counterpart before trying to make sense of the situation again.
        Liam and Dr. Park had been caring for the injured Implant, but they had both been called away to their respective duties. Although Liam's last call to him had reported that Lazarus was doing much better, Boone did not feel comfortable leaving him alone for an extended period of time.
        Arriving at the apartment door, he froze. When he entered, he would be confronting himself. How strange was that? Would his duplicate resent the fact that he was leading a life which by rights should be his as well?
        He shook his head, and lifting his hand, knocked on the door before letting himslf in with the spare key. Best not to think about it. It was the kind of thing that could drive you crazy.
        Lazarus was propped into a sitting position on the sofa, his hand hidden under the blankets which had formed his make shift bed. When he saw that his visitor was Boone, he visibly relaxed, and withdrawing the gun he had been hiding, carefully locked it and pushed it under the couch where it was out of sight.
        Boone felt his eyebrow lifting.
        "A gift from Park," the platinum haired man explained. He motioned to the foot of the couch. "Please. have a seat."
        He did so and remained silent as Lazarus' calm eyes looked him over.
        "I never had the chance to thank you for the rescue," his duplicate said. "I guess I was still pretty out of it."
        "You ought to have known that I would come once I learned of your existence."
        Lazarus's blue gaze dropped to where his hands nervously played with the blanket. "Yes. I knew you would, but I didn't know if you knew I still lived... or if you'd get there before they put me back through the process..."
        Boone nodded. "How are you feeling?"
        "Physically? Better."
        "And emotionally?"
        Those amazing blue eyes seemed to pin Boone in place. "I miss my... life. I miss Da'an, Sarah... and yet I know that they aren't really a part of me - that all that I am is a copy of you which has replaced the REAL me. It's very hard to come to terms with."
        "You can't think about it that way," Boone sighed. "In every way that matters, you are William Boone. We both are. As far as I'm concerned, you have every right to see Sarah... and Da'an. Once you've recovered fully, we'll have Dr. Belman finish removing your defective implants and we'll find you a job close to both the Companions and the Liberation - if that's what you want."
        For the first time, Lazarus' expression brightened. "You'd be willing to do that for me?"
        "What are brothers for?" he replied seriously.
        The duplicate laughed and reached out to take his hand. "You know, Liam tells me that my rescue has completely unnerved the Taelons. I can't help but be amused by it."
        "How so?"
        "They're running around in a state of panic, unable to figure out how I just simply vanished."
        Boone nearly fell off the sofa.
        "What's wrong?"
        "Two heads really are better than one," he breathed as he rose to his feet. "Nothing - now!" he added in a louder tone. "I have some important things to take care of, but I'll be back soon. Is there anything you need?"
        "You have to be kidding. Compared to where I was, this is paradise."
        Boone shook his hand. "Later then."
        "You know where to find me," Lazarus called out as he left.

        Returning to his temporary office, Boone viewed the internal surveillence tapes one more time and then sat back with a satisfied smile.  Da'an had been right when she said that time would eventually provide an answer.
        He knew where the missing Secretary of State was.
        Grabbing his coat, he called for a shuttle and looked forward to the trap he was about to spring.