"Failure or success seem to have been allotted to men by their stars. But they retain the power of wriggling, of fighting with their star or against it, and in the whole universe the only really interesting movement is this wriggle."

- E.M. Forster, Our Diversions, 1936

Augur dropped into his shuttle seat with a scowl. "You had to destroy it, didn't you? Do you know what the Resistance could have done with that little gadget?"

"Or how much money you could have made off of it?" said Liam, fastening the restraints of the pilot's seat.

"I have to recoup my expenses somehow," replied Augur. "It's not like you pay me for my work."

"You said it yourself--blowing up the reducer was the only way to prevent it from destroying half of Detroit." Liam slid a hand along the controls, launching the shuttle into the sky. "At least we have some idea of what they were trying to do there, and we'll know what to look for if they try it again." He paused to make an adjustment to the controls. "We're entering ID space now."

"We'd know more if you'd given me a few minutes with it," grumbled Augur. "I would have figured it out."

"Accept it," said Liam lightly. "It wasn't your destiny, Augur."

"Destiny," said the other man darkly, "is a term used by people who are too afraid to reach out and shape their own fates. I don't believe in destiny."

"Really?" said Liam, swiveling his head to look at his passenger.

"Absolutely. This is a universe of chance and willpower, Liam. We are whatever we want to be."

"You don't think that sometimes an individual can be created with certain...intentions?"

"Created by who? Their parents? Sure, every parent has dreams for their kid. Doesn't mean the kid has to play along. Why? Do you think..." Augur gasped as the shuttle began to rock violently, throwing him against the restraints. "Whoa, what was that?"

"I don't know," said Liam, fingers dancing desperately over a holographic panel. "Some sort of disturbance in the ID slipstream. I'm trying to compensate." He slid one hand upwards, trying to bring the shuttle under control. The rocking gradually slowed and then stopped.

"This feels suspiciously like that time we took a little side trip courtesy of Jonathan Doors."

"I don't think Doors is responsible for this," said Liam. "Could the reducer somehow have affected the shuttle?"

"I don't know," said Augur. "I didn't get much of a chance to study the thing. Maybe the energy from its destruction interacted with the shuttle's ID drive. You don't think we're going to end up back in Maiya's dimension?"

"Well, there's only one way to find out. Exiting ID space now."

As the shuttle made the transition to normal space, Liam and Augur found themselves over the familiar D.C. landscape, the late afternoon sun giving the city a warm golden glow.

"Looks good," said Augur. "No wilderness, no armed brigades...just home sweet home."

"Great," said Liam. "I'll drop you off, then I have to get the shuttle back to the embassy." He frowned as he looked down at the controls. "I think that little trip may have done some damage." The craft lurched as he set it down, despite his attempt at a gentle landing.

"I'm sure it's nothing serious," said Augur, climbing out of the shuttle. He stretched and looked around with a wide smile. The smile slowly faded as he caught sight of the church. "Uh, Liam? I think we might have a problem."

Liam contemplated the large statue in front of St. Michael's Church and fought the dread slowly twisting in his stomach. The statue was a ten-foot-high, white marble depiction of a Taelon. The Companion wore a beatific expression, with one hand reaching down, as if to elevate those below. It was a beautiful piece of work, if somewhat patronizing for his taste. It was also completely unfamiliar. Looking around, Liam began to see other subtle differences that he hadn't noticed when they first arrived. The area had the right feel, but a few buildings were slightly off, signs were the wrong colour or shape, and a few of the trees were in the wrong places.

"What's going on here, Liam?" asked Augur from behind him. "Did we miss the unveiling ceremony for this thing or something?"

"I don't think so," he replied distractedly. "It doesn't look like Taelon work. Besides, this isn't the only thing that's changed. We'd better go inside and see what's there."

The two men cautiously made their way into the church. Liam noted in relief that the DNA scanner was still located where it was supposed to be. Augur ran his finger along it, and the elevator doors obediently opened.

"That's a good sign," he suggested hopefully, stepping inside.

"Maybe," said Liam doubtfully. He followed Augur into the elevator. It looked like the elevator he was familiar with, but he couldn't shake off a feeling of apprehension. His hand came up to hover near his gun as the elevator eased to a stop and the doors smoothly slid open.

The first thing they noticed were the multiple weapons aimed in their direction. The second was that one of those guns was in the hands of Ronald Sandoval. Liam reacted automatically, reaching for his own weapon, and then stopping almost immediately as something else registered. Instead of firing, he raised his hands. After a moment, Augur slowly followed suit.

"Who are you?" snapped Sandoval. "And how did you get in here?"

Before either could respond, someone else, also armed, stepped forward.

"Augur?" she asked tentatively.

Liam inhaled sharply at the familiar voice, while Augur simply stared, frozen.

"Lili?" said Augur at last. "But...you're dead!"

"So are you," she replied. Her voice trembled a little, but her aim remained steady.

"I'm still waiting for an answer," said another voice.

"Jonathan," said Liam resignedly, turning to face the speaker. He pushed aside his surprise and joy at seeing Lili alive and well. It's an alternate dimension, he reminded himself sternly. She may not be anything like the person you knew. He hoped Augur realized that as well.

"Apparently you know me," said Doors. "I have no idea who you are."

"We can explain this," said Augur, reluctantly pulling his gaze away from Lili.

"This should be interesting," said a calm voice from the other side of the room. Augur spun around.

"Boone?"

"You seem surprised to see me, Augur. Am I dead too?" Boone sounded amused.

"Actually, you are," said Augur. "At least in our dimension."

"Your dimension?" asked Sandoval skeptically. "And what dimension is that?"

"A dimension where you're working for the Taelons instead of the Resistance," said Liam.

"Speaking of which, what makes you think he's not working for the Taelons here?" asked Augur.

"No skrill," said Liam succinctly.

"I want to know what's going on," said Doors sharply, looking at Liam. "Who are you?" He turned to Augur. "How are you still alive? And what are the two of you doing in my headquarters?"

Augur and Liam exchanged a look. "This could be a long story," said Augur. "Mind if we put our hands down, maybe come in and sit down?"

"I haven't decided yet if you're going to make out of the elevator," said Doors. They ignored him to the extent of lowering their hands.

"Jonathan," began Lili.

"You stay out of this," he said without looking at her. "This isn't Augur. He's gone, Captain, remember? We watched him die."

"There's dead and then there's dead," said Liam. "You should know that better than anyone, Jonathan. Or did you not fake your own death here?"

"Here as opposed to where?" asked Boone.

"Here as opposed to the alternate dimension that we come from," said Augur. "The one where I'm alive and you and Lili are dead."

"And I work for the Taelons," said Sandoval.

"Right," said Augur.

"Alternate dimensions," said Lili. "What are you talking about?"

"Liam and I made a discovery about a year ago--certain factors can affect a shuttle during ID flight, causing it to go out of control and slip from one dimension to another. The first time we did it, we ended up on a version of Earth completely different from ours or yours. On that world, you were the one working for the Taelons, Lili. Only you weren't Lili there--you were Kayla."

"Kayla?" she repeated disbelievingly.

"It was a completely different world," said Liam. "The culture had developed along different lines. But the people were essentially the same, although they had sometimes chosen different courses."

"And so what happened? You went back to your own dimension, took another trip through ID space, and ended up here?" asked Lili.

"Basically," said Liam.

"Then why don't you just get into your shuttle and go back to your own dimension?" asked Doors.

"The shuttle was damaged on our trip here," said Liam. "We have to repair it before we try returning. If we even can return. The cause of the initial inter-dimensional travel was different from last time. We don't know how that will affect things."

"Is any of this even possible?" Boone asked Lili.

"Well, in theory," said Lili. "We don't completely understand the technology the shuttles are based on, but I suppose if you posit the existence of alternate dimensions, the shuttles might, under the right circumstances, allow you to slide from one to another."

"There you go," said Augur. He took a step forward. "Now can we please come in and discuss this like civilized people?"

"I haven't heard yet who he is," said Doors, looking at Liam. "And I have no way of knowing which side either of you is on in your own dimension. As you said, people can choose different paths."

"Do you really think we would have walked into Liberation headquarters alone if we were working for the Taelons?" asked Liam. "If we were on their side, we would have come down here with a full raiding party."

"Unless you're Taelon spies hoping to establish yourselves in the Resistance," said Sandoval.

"Commander Boone," said Liam, "I notice you still have a skrill. And, I assume, a not-entirely functional CVI to go with it. Have you heard anything about a Taelon plot to insert double agents into the Resistance?"

"No," said Boone pragmatically. "But Da'an doesn't tell me everything and Zo'or tells Da'an even less."

"But you are in charge of security," said Liam logically. "And this would be a security operation." He hoped Boone wouldn't point out the number of times Zo'or had undoubtedly breached the chain of command to implement his own plans. He didn't fancy spending the next couple of days trying to prove that they weren't Taelon spies.

"Look," said Augur impatiently. "All we want to do is get back to our own dimension. If you aren't prepared to help us do that, we'll leave now."

"Why are you in such a hurry?" asked Lili. "You don't want to catch up with your old, dead friends?"

"We've found that spending too much time in an alternate dimension can have a poor effect on one's health," said Augur.

"You aren't leaving until I know whose side you're on," said Doors. "Who's he?"

"This is Liam..." Augur faltered as he looked over at Boone.

"The name I normally use is Major Liam Kincaid," said Liam calmly. "But as Commander Boone undoubtedly realizes, that's not who I really am. My real name is Liam, however, and I have permission from the real Liam Kincaid to use his name."

"Why are you using Kincaid's name?" asked Boone.

"Because my own would draw too many questions," replied Liam. "And because I needed Kincaid's military record--and his ties to you--in order to achieve my goal."

"Which was?" demanded Doors.

"To become a Companion protector, of course," said Liam with a lopsided smile. He nodded towards Boone. "I'm your replacement, Commander."

"You're Da'an's protector?"

"Yes."

Boone studied him carefully. "You don't seem to have a skrill, Major."

"No," agreed Liam. "And I don't have a CVI either."

"How did you manage that?" asked Sandoval suspiciously.

"Da'an had begun to question the value and necessity of CVIs by the time I entered his service,so he acceded to my request not to be implanted. And I think that Zo'or believed that he might stand to benefit if Da'an's protector was...less effective than normal. The balance of power was a little unstable at the time."

"And you're a double-agent for the Resistance," said Lili.

"Yes."

Doors looked calculatingly at the two men. "You'll stay here until we've had time to discuss things, and verify your story," he said after a moment. "Don't explore and don't touch anything. If you do anything that's even slightly suspicious, we will kill you. Am I clear?"

"Crystal," said Liam dryly.

"In that case," said Doors with a sardonic smile, "welcome to Liberation Headquarters."

Liam sat on a couch in the middle of the hideout and watched Sandoval as the other man worked diligently at a computer station, analyzing data. Memories surfaced of Sandoval's intelligence work during the S.I. War. Apparently he was now lending those same skills to the Resistance. Assuming, of course, that this Sandoval shared that part of his past with the other Sandoval. It was possible that this Sandoval had fought on the ground and proven himself there, as Liam remembered the other Sandoval longing to. Or he might have avoided the war altogether. One of those changes might even have been the difference that had led this Sandoval to the Resistance, while the other more-or-less faithfully served the Taelons.

It was an odd thought, working on the same side as Sandoval. Really on the same side, not just allying for the odd mission and then separating again, with all the lies between them. A chance to see his father as he might have been, to form a relationship less clouded by secrecy, though not completely free of it. Of course, this Sandoval was not the other Sandoval. But he was close. Certainly closer than Jason had been. Another side of the same man, another might-have-been version of his father. Perhaps a better man than the other had had the opportunity to be.

Liam turned his attention to Lili, who sat in a corner quietly cleaning her gun and casting the occasional glances in their direction. Well, in Augur's direction. She seemed to be quite shaken by Augur's unexpected return from the dead, a feeling Liam understood well. In some ways her presence was even more unsettling than Sandoval's. His relationship with Sandoval--a relationship he wasn't at all sure he really wanted--existed primarily in his head. His relationship with Lili, however, had been real and it had been important to him. Lili had been one of the few people who had known the truth about him and hadn't flinched because of it. She had cared about Liam the person as well as Liam the Companion protector and Liam the Resistance fighter. His first glimpse of the alternate Lili had brought the memory of her death into sharp relief, and with it the first potent rush of grief. Now, watching her sit there, he began to find her presence comforting. It meant that Lili Marquette's courage and kindness lived on somewhere, though he could no longer claim them for himself.

His reverie was broken by the beep of a global echoing loudly in the strangely quiet room. His attention returned to Sandoval as the man reached down to answer. Sandoval spoke quickly to the caller, then slid his global shut with a worried look. Curious, Liam got up and walked over to where Sandoval was working. Augur, who had been doing his own survey of Liberation headquarters from the next seat, followed.

Sandoval barely glanced at them as they approached, turning instead to Doors and Boone, who had also approached when they heard the global.

"That was Ryan's nanny. She went to his school to pick him this afternoon, and he wasn't there. The school said that that he was present for his morning classes, but not his afternoon classes."

Augur turned to Liam and silently mouthed "Ryan"? Liam shook his head, puzzled, and turned his attention back at Sandoval.

"Could he have decided to skip school in the afternoon?" asked Lili. "Maybe he went to visit a friend?"

"That doesn't sound like Ryan," said Sandoval. "And Rosita has already checked with his friends. They call claim they don't know where he is."

"You'd better call the police," said Boone. "Have them question the teachers and students to see if anyone saw anything unusual. Use your contacts at the FBI if you need to. In the meantime, I'll try to do some investigating of my own. I think I can justify it on the grounds that you're a former Companion agent and therefore entitled to some help from us."

"You worked for the Taelons?" asked Augur in surprise. "I thought you were a Resistance supporter, Sandoval?"

"I am," said the man sharply. "I resigned my position with the Taelons when they requested that I become an implant. They indicated that they would be...very reluctant to entrust their safety to a non-implant."

"So you joined the Resistance instead?" asked Liam curiously.

"That came later," said Sandoval. He scowled. "I don't have time for your questions right now, Major. I need to find my son." He picked up his global and asked for the police.

Liam watched Sandoval silently, unable to tear his eyes away as the man paced from one side of the room to the other and back again, waiting for word from the police. Word about his son. My brother, thought Liam. Not really, of course, though they shared some of the same genes minus the subtle changes wrought by dimensional divides. This Sandoval was not his father, his family not Liam's family. Augur was still recovering from his shock at the revelation that Sandoval had a child. Liam, possessor of the other Sandoval's memories, was less surprised. Sandoval had never felt particularly strongly about children one way or the other, but DeeDee had desperately wanted a baby, and pre-CVI Sandoval had been willing to do almost anything to keep his wife happy. Assuming, of course, that DeeDee had married Sandoval in this dimension. Liam rather suspected she had, Jason and Maiya notwithstanding. The universe seemed to draw certain people together, regardless of Augur's comments on fate and the other choices people might make. How else to explain the existence of identical individuals in dimensions that held nothing else in common?

At last the global beeped and the pacing stopped. Sandoval spoke for a few minutes, then slid his global shut with an angry snap.

"Any news?" asked Doors.

"One of the children reported seeing a Taelon shuttle near the school just before lunch. The police originally thought he was making it up, because no Taelons or Taelon agents were scheduled to be in the area at that time, but several other children supported the original story."

"I'm sorry," said Doors.

"I'll go to the embassy and update Boone," offered Lili. "If the Taelons are involved, we'll find out."

Sandoval resumed his pacing, and Liam resumed his musing, fighting a strange urge to offer comfort where none could be had. It was over an hour before Lili finally contacted them.

"Da'an doesn't know anything, but there's definitely something going on," she said. "Boone hasn't been able to find out much, but he did manage to download this month's passwords for the mothership's computers. We thought maybe Augur could hack in and get more information while we try other avenues. I have to go. I'll send you the info." The passwords scrolled down the screen and Lili disappeared.

Doors frowned and looked at Augur. "Can you do it without getting caught?"

Augur looked insulted. "What do you think, Jonathan?"

"I don't know," said Doors. "That's why I asked. I know the other Augur could have done it. I don't know you."

"I assure you, I'm at least as good as he was. Probably better. After all, I'm still alive."

"Is that because you're better? Or because you traded your allies for your life?"

"I'm not a traitor," said Augur, leaning in close to Doors.

Doors stared silently at him for a moment. "Then get to it. I want to know what the Taelons are up to."

"There's definitely something going on up there," said Augur a couple of hours later. Sandoval walked over to look at the screen. He had spent the past hour fruitlessly demanding updates from the police and his FBI colleagues while his frustration mounted. It had been all they could do to keep him from leaving headquarters to look for his son himself. At one point, only Doors' explicit orders to the pair of armed fighters by the exit had kept him inside.

"Look at this," said Augur, gesturing towards the screen. "Over two dozen extra Volunteers have been reassigned to the mothership in the past week. And it looks like they've been doing some security modifications in a few places. There's definitely something happening."

"Is it related to the boy?" asked Doors.

Augur shrugged expressively. "Hard to say. There's nothing explicitly on file. Whatever they're doing, they're keeping it quiet."

"But a Taelon shuttle near his school around the time he disappeared is pretty suspicious," said Liam, rubbing one palm absentmindedly.

"Don't you think two dozen guards for one boy is overkill?" asked Augur.

"The guards aren't for Ryan," said Sandoval quietly. "I've known for some time that some of my colleagues have entertained suspicion about my activities. One of them must have finally tipped off the Taelons."

"And they grabbed Ryan as bait," said Liam.

"Well, it isn't going to work," said Doors. "You aren't going after him."

"How do you plan on stopping me?" asked Sandoval flatly.

"Anyway I have to," snapped Doors. "We can't afford to lose you--you're too valuable to this organization. As of now, you're underground. You will not be returning to your house or job, and you will not be going after your son."

"So you're just going to leave a child in the hands of the Taelons?" said Liam disgustedly. Doors glared at him.

"I'll order Boone and Marquette to investigate further. If they can devise a plan to safely get the boy off the mothership with minimal risk to this organization, we'll implement it. In the meantime, no one is doing anything that risks the lives and security of the people here." He paused, and his tone softened a little as he turned back to Sandoval. "Ron, they're not interested in Ryan. They only grabbed him to get to you. He'll be fine for a few days. He probably thinks it's a treat, getting to see the mothership."

Sandoval looked at him impassively. "It doesn't look like I have much say in the matter."

"I'm sorry," said Doors, looking away. Sandoval stared at him a moment longer, then stalked away. Liam regarded him thoughtfully as he left the room.

The two guards collapsed soundlessly as the gas hit them. Their weapons clattered a little as they struck the floor, but no one was close enough to notice. With a quick backward glance, Sandoval stepped carefully over the unconscious men and into the elevator.

The church above was nearly empty. Only the most devoted—or most troubled—remained to seek solace this late into the night. Silently, Sandoval made his way out of the concealed elevator and into the main church. He was almost at the doors when a hand clamped down on his shoulder. Instinctively he lashed out with an elbow, missed, and spun to deliver another blow. This time his fist made contact. His attacker let go and stumbled back, giving Sandoval a clear view of his face in the dim light.

“Major Kincaid,” hissed Sandoval. “You were instructed not to leave headquarters.”

“So were you,” gasped Liam. He rubbed his ribs gingerly as he straightened up. “I assume you’re on your way up to the mothership.”

“I’m not leaving Ryan in the hands of the Taelons.”

“I know,” said Liam. “I’m going to help you.”

“Why?” demanded Sandoval.

“Because I know what the Taelons are capable of. And I don’t think anyone, least of all a child, deserves to be subject to that.”

“And you think you can be of use.”

“It’ll be easier if you have someone to watch your back, Sandoval. Someone the Taelons aren’t looking for, who won’t immediately be recognized as Resistance. And I know my way around the mothership.”

“Assuming it’s the same here.”

“It is,” said Liam confidently. “I had Augur pull the layout.”

“That’s very convenient,” said Sandoval coldly. “There’s just one problem. I don’t trust you, Major. I don’t trust that you’re not working for the Taelons. I don’t trust you to watch my back. And I don’t trust you near my son.”

“Then escort me back inside,” said Liam. “Of course, once you do, you’ll probably have trouble getting out again and Ryan will be left helpless on the mothership.”

“You know I won’t do that,” said Sandoval. He drew his gun. “But I could kill you here.”

“And draw all sorts of attention to the location of the Resistance Headquarters? I don’t think you’ll do that either.”

“You’d be amazed by what I’m willing to do for my son, Major,” said Sandoval ominously.

“Like trust a stranger? You might be able to pull this off alone, Sandoval, but your chances are much better with help. How are you going to get off the mothership once you find your son? This is intended as a trap. They’ll be watching Ryan. They’ll be watching the portals. They might let you on the ship, but I can almost guarantee you’ll never make it off again.”

“And what do you suggest?”

“Take me with you. I’ll distract the guards at the portal while you find Ryan. Then we’ll steal a shuttle to get away. They know you’re not a pilot, so the shuttles won’t be heavily guarded. With a little luck, we’ll make it. And the Resistance will gain a new piece of Taelon technology, which might hold off Doors’ wrath a little once he finds out what we’ve done.”

Sandoval considered him thoughtfully, and then lowered his gun. “All right, Major. But I’m warning you, if I find out that you are a Taelon agent, I will find a way to kill you before they capture me.”

“I know,” said Liam calmly.

“Then let’s go.”

Getting onto the ship proved surprisingly easy. Only two Volunteers were posted at the portal, and neither of them was looking in the right direction when it activated.

“Careless,” commented Sandoval as he once again stepped over an unconscious body.

“Very,” agreed Liam. The two men fell silent as they slipped past the portal into the corridor beyond.

“I don’t suppose you know where we’re going?” asked Liam in a low voice.

Sandoval shook his head. “Your friend Augur wasn’t that specific. We’ll just have to look around until we see something suspicious.”

“Hell of a plan, Sandoval.”

“Do you have a better idea, Major?”

Liam started to reply, then held up his hand as a distant sound caught his attention. A moment later he and Sandoval both ducked pack into the portal room as two Taelons walked past, speaking lyrical Eunoia.

“Could you understand them?” asked Sandoval when they were past.

“We need to get to deck six,” said Liam quietly. He didn’t add what else he’d learned from the snippet of conversation he’d overheard. One thing at a time, he thought. He just hoped Sandoval didn’t decide to take out the whole ship when he found out that they’d done to his son.

Sandoval nodded in acknowledgement and led the way down the corridor. The two men moved swiftly across decks and through the ship, avoiding detection with skill—or luck—bordering on the miraculous, until they hit the deck they were looking for.

“Now what?” asked Liam, nodding towards the barricade manned by Volunteers around the corner. “This is the only way through.”

“No doubt that’s intentional,” said Sandoval grimly. “We need a distraction.” He pulled a grenade off of his belt.

“Wait,” said Liam. He looked around and spotted a terminal. Sandoval followed curiously.

“You won’t be able to access…” he began as Liam waved his hand across it. Liam tapped a couple of buttons; the terminal lit up and requested instructions. Liam looked up with a brief grin.

“Little trick I picked up from Auger,” he said. He began entering commands rapidly. “I’m going to trigger an alarm elsewhere on the deck. That should get rid of most of the Volunteers. We can take care of whoever’s left. Non-fatally if possible.”

“Your concern is misplaced, Major,” said Sandoval coolly. “Everyone on board this ship works for the Taelons.”

“So did you at one time,” observed Liam. “Most of them don’t know the full extent of the Taelons’ activities on Earth. They’re just kids, doing their job. They shouldn’t have to die for it.”

“Death is part of war.”

“Yeah, but they didn’t volunteer for a war, Agent Sandoval. Let’s go.”

The alarm had apparently been effective; the barricade was nearly abandoned.

“Got any knockout gas?” whispered Liam.

“No.”

“I guess we do it the old fashioned way, then.” He pasted on his most disarming smile and strolled around the corner. “Excuse me, I seem to be lost.”

The two remaining Volunteers spun to face him, weapons ready. “You’re not supposed to be here,” said one sharply.

Liam held up his hands reassuringly and stepped closer. “I know, I know, they told us not to wander. But I really, really needed…” he dropped his voice at the end of last sentence and leaned in closer to one of the Volunteers. Startled, the man lowered his weapon a little. As he did, Liam grabbed his shoulders and drove a knee into his stomach. The other Volunteer swung her weapon around, but Sandoval was already behind her. A minute later, both Volunteers were out cold.

“Nicely done, Major,” said Sandoval approvingly. “Where did you get your training?”

“Long story,” said Liam, glancing down at the Volunteers. “I had a couple of good teachers. We need to go before the rest figure out the alarm was false and return.”

Sandoval nodded in agreement and started to walk forward, but stumbled as his vision momentarily turned black.

“Are you all right?” asked Liam with concern.

“Fine,” said Sandoval curtly. “I took a hit before I knocked her out. Let’s go.” The two men fell into step and hurried down the corridor.

“So why’d you refuse to get a CVI?” asked Liam.

“Why do you want to know?” asked Sandoval.

“That seems to be where you and the Sandoval in my dimension diverged. He got the CVI, you didn’t. I guess I’m curious about what led to the difference.”

“Ryan,” said Sandoval simply.

“You were worried about what the motivational imperative would cause you to do to your son?”

“I didn’t know about the MI then. The Taelons didn’t see fit to inform us about that aspect. What they did tell us is that there were risks. I would have been among the first group of humans implanted; they weren’t entirely sure how the human brain would respond to the CVI. I would have accepted the risk for myself, but Ryan was barely a year old at the time. I didn’t want him growing up without a father.”

“So that’s the difference,” said Liam softly. “Ryan doesn’t exist in my dimension.”

“Your Sandoval has no children?”

Liam hesitated. “No. He’s not really the parental type.”

“I can’t imagine life without him.”

“I hope you won’t have to,” said Liam.

Deathly silence pervaded the section of the ship where Ryan was being held. There were no guards or Volunteers visible here; apparently they hadn’t been expected to get this far. As they watched from a safe distance, a single Taelon left Ryan’s cell and walked in the opposite direction. They took the opportunity to move closer. When he caught sight of his son, Sandoval gasped. Ryan lay strapped to a bed with tubes in both arms. The boy was unconscious and very frail looking. Sandoval rushed forward and pulled the child into his arms, heedless of his safety. Liam cast a careful glance around and followed.

“What have they done to him?” raged Sandoval quietly. In his arms, Ryan stirred a little and woke. Jet black eyes emphasized the unnatural paleness of his skin.

“Daddy?” he murmured weakly.

“It’s all right, Ryan,” he said reassuringly. “We’re going to get you out of here. You’re going to be fine.” Ryan’s eyes flickered anxiously to Liam. Sandoval caught the expression.

“It’s okay. This is my friend, Major Kincaid.”

“Liam.”

“Liam,” repeated Sandoval. “He’s going to help us. You’ll be safe soon, Ryan. Go back to sleep now.” The child nodded trustingly and closed his eyes. Sandoval looked up at Liam, his fury now transparent. “They’ll pay for this,” he spat fiercely.

“Later,” said Liam firmly. He moved closer to the bed and carefully pulled the needles from Ryan’s arms. As Sandoval unstrapped his son, Liam looked around the small room. He managed to scavenge a blanket, which Sandoval gently wrapped the child in before lifting him up, frightened by the weightlessness of his burden. He couldn’t have lost that much weight in a few hours, he told himself.

Liam stuck his head out of the door and scanned the corridor. “There’s no one in sight,” he said. “Let’s go.”

They left the room and began to retrace their route.

“They must have found the Volunteers at the barricade by now,” said Liam. “They’ll be waiting for us.”

“They should have already sent someone for us,” said Sandoval.

“Unless they have something else planned.”

“You think they have a trap waiting.”

“It makes sense,” said Liam.

“Then we’d better not get caught.”

“Good plan. A little short on specifics, though.”

“We’ll work it out when we get there.”

They reached the barricade quickly, aided by the eerie emptiness of the corridors. Pulling out some binoculars, Liam scrutinized the area from a distance.

“I don’t remember seeing you with those when you arrived, Major.”

Liam smirked. “I liberated a few things from the Resistance,” he said. “There’s about twenty Volunteers ahead. No sign of what they’re planning, though.”

“I don’t think we’ll be able to lure them away with another false alarm,” said Sandoval. “Any other brilliant ideas, Major? Or are you willing to use force this time?” He nodded towards the explosives he still carried on his belt.

“It can’t be that easy,” said Liam. “They have to be expecting that kind of violence. They’ll be prepared for it.”

“What do you suggest, then?”

“I don’t know. There’s too many for me to lure them all away by myself.”

“That wouldn’t help anyway,” said Sandoval pointedly. “We need you to pilot the shuttle.”

“Then we need to find another way to the shuttle bay.”

“You already said this is the only way.”

“The only way the ship’s designers planned, yeah. So I guess we’ll have to make our own path.” Liam reached out and grabbed the grenade off Sandoval’s belt. He pulled the pin, counted, and threw it down the corridor in the direction they had come from. Dimly he heard yelling behind him as the Volunteers responded to the explosion, but he and Sandoval were already running through the newly created opening, carrying Ryan with them. Behind them, the ship healed the gap in its wall, leaving the Volunteers frustrated on the other side.

“We have to get to the shuttles,” said Liam. Liam took the lead, as they raced down the corridors. It was obvious that all hopes of a stealthy escape were gone; their presence had been clearly announced. They were going to have to rely on speed and surprise instead.

Liam was concentrating so hard on possible pursuit from behind he didn’t notice the figure ahead until it was too late. He crashed headlong into the Taelon, knocking him to the floor. Sandoval skidded to a stop behind them and reached with one hand for his gun while supporting his son with the other.

“No!” yelled Liam as he saw who he had knocked down. He rose to his knees, blocking Sandoval’s shot. “Keep going! I’ll meet you in the shuttle bay.”

Sandoval stared for a moment, then reluctantly let go of his gun and resumed running. Liam stood up and turned around, offering a hand to the Taelon still sprawled on the floor. Uncertainly, the Taelon accepted Liam’s help and rose to his feet, staring down at their hands as if puzzled by something.

“Da’an,” said Liam quietly. The Companion looked up at him, confused, and let go of Liam’s hand.

“Have we met?” he asked.

“Not in this universe,” said Liam. He looked down the corridor where Sandoval was almost out of sight. “I have to go.”

Da’an looked at him reflectively. “Good luck,” he said. “Give my regards to Agent Sandoval, and tell him…tell him that I would have intervened had I known.” Liam backed away, then turned and began to chase after Sandoval and Ryan.

He caught up to them just outside of the shuttle bay.

“So far, so good,” he said. “Now we just have to hope they hold off until I can prep a shuttle.”

“I’m afraid that isn’t going to happen,” said a soft, achingly familiar lilt. Liam’s breath caught in his throat at the sound. It was a possibility he hadn’t considered, even with all the other differences here. But of course, it made sense.

Siobhan Beckett stepped out from behind one of the shuttles, skrill carefully aimed. “None of you are going anywhere, except to Zo’or.” She walked around them, placing herself between them and the exit, and pulled out a global. “They’re in the shuttle bay. I need reinforcements here now.”

“I’ll stay, but let my son go,” pleaded Sandoval.

“That’s not my decision,” said Beckett.

Liam took a step forward. “Look at him. Look at what they’ve done to him. He’s a child, Agent Beckett. He doesn’t deserve this.”

“You should be concerned about yourself,” she said. “Zo’or will have some questions for you.”

“You joined the military to protect the children of Ireland,” said Liam. “To make the world safe for your own children, when you had them. You chose to serve the Taelons because you felt it was your duty, because they brought peace. Look at what they’re doing! How you can justify serving a race that would treat children like this? They aren’t helping children; they’re using them.”

Beckett’s expression wavered for a moment. “We’ve never met. How do you know so much about me?” she demanded.

“Let him go,” said Liam persuasively. “Keep Sandoval, keep me if you need to. Fulfill your duty to the Taelons. But don’t use that duty as an excuse to allow them to harm this child.”

Two Volunteers appeared behind in the doorway. Beckett allowed an impassive mask to slip over her features.

“Take them all into custody,” she ordered.

“No!” yelled Sandoval. He turned towards the Volunteers and pulled out his gun. One of the Volunteers responded by raising his arm, skrill aimed directly at Sandoval. Instinctively Liam stepped in front of Sandoval and Ryan, raising his hands as he did. As the Volunteer fired, he felt his shaqarava flare, forming a shield to catch the blast. He stood braced for the next shot, but it never came. As the light from his shaqarava faded, he saw the two Volunteers sprawled on the ground. Behind them stood William Boone, staring.

“My god,” said Boone softly. “What did the Taelons do to you?”

Liam looked down at his hands, still lit by a brilliant, swirling light, as if a miniature galaxy were embedded in each palm. The light shrank and disappeared as he flexed his fingers. He lifted his head, seeing the wide-eyed astonishment on Beckett’s face, and shock tempered by compassion on Boone’s.

“Thanks for the help, Commander,” he said. As if that broke a spell, Beckett raised her arm again to attack. Boone caught it before she could fire and restrained the agent. She struggled halfheartedly for a moment, then stood quiescent, still shocked by what she had seen and by the unexpected betrayal.

“Get them out of here,” said Boone. “I’ll take care of things here.”

“How can you do this?” asked Beckett, twisting to look at him. “You’re an implant.”

“Then I must be working for the benefit of the Commonality,” said Boone. He looked towards Liam. “You’ll have to take her with you. We’ll sort it out later. Watch out for the skrill.” His lips curled into a wry smile. “Although that’s apparently less of a problem for you than for most.”

“Yeah,” said Liam. He prepped one of the shuttles as quickly as he could, then gestured for Sandoval to board it. Sandoval said nothing about what he had seen, only cast a guarded look in Liam’s direction as he climbed into shuttle, staggering a little under the weight of his son. As Sandoval and Ryan settled into their seat, Liam walked over to Boone.

“Doors is furious,” said Boone.

“I didn’t expect otherwise.”

Boone nodded. “I want the full story later.”

“You’ll have it,” promised Liam. He added, “It’s not what you think.”

“Should be an interesting tale,” said Beckett. “It’s not every day that you see a human catch a skrill blast and survive.”

Liam looked at her, savouring—just for an instant—the feeling of seeing his mother alive again. Even if she would just as soon shoot him as talk to him right now.

“You’d better go,” said Boone. Liam reached out and took Beckett’s arm, gently guiding her towards the shuttle. Boone kept his skrill targeted on her until they were safely inside. Liam secured her to the one of the passenger seats, then took his place in the pilot’s position. Boone watched silently from the bay as the shuttle lifted off and safely exited the ship.

Siobhan Beckett looked across the shuttle at the man in the next seat. He was ignoring her, his attention focused on the sleeping child in his arms, which enabled her to observe him undisturbed. She felt an odd disquiet watching him cradle his child, a disquiet that did not stem solely from the guilt over the child himself. Her fellow passenger was unsettling in a way she couldn’t quite pin down. She knew who he was, of course, though she had never actually met him: Ronald Sandoval, former top Companion agent turned Resistance collaborator. With her CVI-enhanced memory she could call up every detail of his service record. But the odd attraction she felt now wasn’t a matter of matching face to paper or man to record; it went deeper than that, anchored somewhere in nerves and blood and bone. Siobhan trusted her body, trusted her instincts, but this bond to a man she had never before met troubled her. Almost as much as the man who sat in the pilot’s seat. He was another enigma. Probably Resistance, if he was helping Sandoval. One more misguided human, frightened by the future and unable to see the potential inherent in what the Taelons had promised the people of Earth. Except that the display in the shuttle bay had left her pondering how strong his claim to humanity was, and his earlier words to her had left her wondering if she was the one who had been blind.

A cry escaped from Ryan, drawing her attention back to Sandoval.

“How is he?” she asked, leaning a little closer to him.

Sandoval looked at her with undisguised contempt. “What do you care, Agent Beckett?” he asked. “It was your Taelon masters who did this to him.”

Beckett took a deep breath and slowly released it. “I knew nothing about this, Sandoval. Do you honestly think I would do anything to harm a child?”

“I think you’d do anything the Taelons told you to. Isn’t that what your motivational imperative requires?” He gave the phrase an aversive twist, condemning her entire life, all of her choices, with a single sentence.

She took another deep breath, letting a comment about his betrayal providing the perfect demonstration of the reason for CVIs die on her lips. “I don’t know,” she said softly. He was right, of course. Her motivational imperative did require that she place the interests of the Synod above all else. But she did not believe that she could find it anywhere in herself to harm a child; could not conceive of a situation in which that would be in the best interests of the Companions. “I never expected I would have to make such a choice. I never thought…they did so much good.”

“They lied,” said Sandoval flatly. She heard a hint of hurt betrayal in his voice and found herself wondering suddenly what had turned him against his former employers.

“How long have you had a CVI?” The question startled her. Before this, the pilot had remained silent. He turned now in his seat, regarding her calmly, waiting for an answer. She used the moment to scrutinize him—young, perhaps a couple of years younger than her, with spiked, sandy-brown hair and green eyes startling in their clarity. A strong, determined face, studying her as she studied him, examining her not with judgement, but with…compassion. She wasn't sure what they planned on doing with her, but she didn't think this man would harm her.

“Almost five years,” she replied. “I was among the first to be implanted.”

“Five years,” he repeated thoughtfully. “That’s a long time.”

“Yes,” she agreed, “it is.” A long time to serve the wrong masters, if that’s what she had been doing. A long, slow betrayal of her own race. She truly hoped that was not the case.

“Did you ever doubt them before today?” Another surprise question. Implants weren’t supposed to doubt; this man must know that. Her answer surprised her even more.

“Yes. I did.”

He nodded, as if satisfied, and turned back to the shuttle controls. She watched him for a moment, admiring the competence with which he maneuvered the shuttle.

“How long have you been flying shuttles?”

He twisted his head, flashing a quick, daredevil grin. Siobhan gasped as a sudden sense of recognition washed over her, as if she should know the man in front of her, though she was certain she had never seen him before. “Just over a year,” he said.

“You do it very well.”

“I had a good instructor,” he replied. He turned back to his controls. “We’re exiting ID space now. ETA three minutes.”

“You’re saying he’s not human,” said Lili.

“I don’t know what he is,” replied Boone, gaze fixed on the flickering purple of the shuttle’s virtual glass. “But I doubt Sandoval would have gotten Ryan off the mothership without his help.”

“Sandoval might have been better off being captured by the Taelons than facing Doors in the mood he’s in now,” observed Lili dryly. “At least Da’an has shown that he’s capable of some mercy.”

Boone laughed. “Sandoval will be okay. Doors needs him. Kincaid on the other hand…”

“Who was Kincaid?” asked Lili curiously. “The real Kincaid? They implied he had some sort of link to you.”

Boone nodded soberly. “He was my lieutenant for three years during the S.I. War. He disappeared afterwards; I don’t know what happened to him. Liam was one of the best soldiers I ever worked with, and one of the best men I’ve ever known. He could also read people’s intentions better than anyone I’ve ever met. I don’t think the man ever lost a poker game. If this Kincaid really has Liam’s permission to use his name—and if that Liam Kincaid is anything like the man I served with—I’d be inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt.”

“Even after what you saw?” asked Lili, glancing backwards from the pilot’s seat.

“What I saw? I saw a man defend a child against an attack.”

“You saw a man who looks human use a shaqarava-generated shield to block a skrill blast. The Taelons can’t even use their shaqarava any more. How did Kincaid manage it?”

“I’ve been thinking about that,” said Boone slowly. “Do you remember Rho-ha?”

“The only Taelon to directly murder a human? That’s not something you forget.”

“The Taelons were experimenting with de-evolution with Rho-ha. Turning him into something they had once been. But Rho-ha couldn’t control the violence of the shaqarava. According to Da’an, none of the Taelons can. That’s one of the reasons they established the Commonality.”

“So?”

“So what if they decided to go about things the other way? Rather than granting a capacity for violence to an essentially non-violent being, why not increase the capacity for violence of an already violent person, someone who has experience in controlling that violence?”

“You think Kincaid was the subject in some sort of Taelon experiment in …accelerated evolution?” asked Lili doubtfully.

“Think about it. What’s the Taelons biggest fear?”

“The Jaridians.”

“Right. They came to Earth because they think we can help them fight their war. We already know that they have no problem with the idea of bioengineering humans to become more effective tools—look at what they did to Johnson and the Volunteers. Hell, look at me and the rest of the Companion protectors. Skrills and CVIs and implants everywhere. Why not take it one step further—instead of altering humans with Taelon technology, why not alter us with Taelon genes?”

Lili put the shuttle on autopilot and slid into the other passenger seat. “Even if you’re right, wouldn’t they be taking an awfully big risk giving that kind of power to a human? Shaqarava are one of the few weapons that can kill a Taelon. Why would they take the risk? Especially with a non-implant?”

“Maybe a CVI would have been incompatible with the other genetic restructuring,” suggested Boone.

“Or maybe he’s lying about not having a CVI,” said Lili. “In which case we’ve endangered the whole Resistance by bring him in. There’s another problem too. If he was really a Taelon experiment, why would he have to assume a false identity to go work for the Taelons?”

“I don’t know,” admitted Boone, shifting in his seat. “All I know is that Kincaid told me it wasn’t what I thought.”

“Could he be working for the Jaridians?” asked Lili. “They have shaqarava too. He could even be a Jaridian himself.”

“Maybe. But according to the Volunteer reports, Kincaid and Sandoval went out of their way to avoid inflicting serious injury on any of the Volunteers. We both know Sandoval wouldn’t have hesitated to kill whoever he had to in order to reach Ryan, so that must have been Kincaid’s influence.”

“And the Jaridians aren’t known for the high value they place on human life,” agreed Lili.

“Exactly.”

“So what is he?”

“I think we’re going to have to ask him,” said Boone.

“Well, we’ll be able to do that in a few minutes,” said Lili, returning to the pilot’s seat. “We’re almost there.”

“Lili,” began Boone.

“Yeah?”

“How are you handling all of this?”

“What? Kincaid? I’m a little worried, but…”

“Not Kincaid,” interrupted Boone. “Augur.”

Lili looked down and inhaled deeply. “I’m okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay. I just have to keep reminding myself that it’s not really him. Augur—our Augur—is dead.”

“But he’s pretty close,” said Boone gently.

“I know,” she said quietly, calling up a panel. “I know. I miss him, Will.”

“So do I,” he replied. “If you need to talk…”

She looked at silently him for a long moment, then nodded and turned back to the shuttle controls and the emptiness beyond. “We’re coming out of ID space now.”

They could hear Doors’ voice before the elevator doors opened. Kincaid and Sandoval stood silently in the center of the main room, still clad in the black clothing they’d donned earlier in the night for their raid. Doors was pacing in front of them, voice raised in what seemed to be a lengthy tirade. Boone frowned at the scene. Every good officer—or good corporate leader—knew better than to dress down a senior office in front of his subordinates. The junior Resistance members knew it too. The handful of operatives who Doors had apparently dragged out of bed were scattered at workstations around the edges of the room, carefully ignoring the show in the centre of the room. Only Augur remained to observe. He looked more troubled than either of the targets of Doors’ wrath, both of whom wore identical impassive expressions.

“I expected better from you,” Doors was saying to Sandoval. “Of all the people here, I thought that you would understand better than anyone the need to put aside personal considerations in our work.”

Boone’s frown deepened. He strode out of the elevator with Lili close behind him, ready to intervene, but Kincaid beat him to it.

“If it had been Joshua on that ship, would you have stood by and waited for a risk assessment?” he interrupted bitingly.

Doors stopped mid-stride and turned to face Kincaid, assuming an expression as impassive as Sandoval’s.

“What do you know about my son?” he asked in a quiet, deadly voice. Boone winced at the tone.

“I know that he’s a good man,” replied Kincaid evenly. “I know that you care about him a great deal. And I know that you wouldn’t let him rot on the mothership when you had the power to save him.”

Doors’ mouth twitched almost imperceptibly. Lili stepped around Boone to stand beside Doors.

“Josh is alive in your world?” she asked tentatively. Kincaid and Augur both swung to look at her.

“He’s not alive here?” asked Augur in surprise. She shook her head.

“He was killed by a Taelon supporter while prosecuting a Taelon named Rho-ha for murder,” explained Boone.

“I’m sorry,” said Kincaid gently to Doors, who nodded stiffly. Kincaid reached out hesitantly, as if to bridge the distance between them, then dropped his hand back to his side without quite making contact. “I didn’t know. Joshua survived the trial in our world.” His irritation from a moment ago seemed to have been entirely replaced by sympathy. Boone watched the concern that played across the younger man’s face and marveled at the Kincaid’s ability to broadcast sincerity. What a fantastic leader he would make.

Kincaid’s question had served to temporarily halt Doors’ diatribe. Boone decided to intercede before it could start again.

“Speaking of Rho-ha,” he said with deliberate casualness, “you promised me an explanation, Major.” He was successful in catching Doors’ attention, distracting him from his earlier rant.

“Explanation about what?” he demanded sharply.

“It seems the Major has some abilities he didn’t see fit to inform us of earlier,” said Sandoval.

“What kind of abilities?” asked Doors suspiciously.

“The ability to deflect a skrill blast barehanded, for one,” said Lili.

“He has shaqarava,” explained Boone. “Like Rho-ha had. Possibly as a result of genetic manipulation by either the Taelons or the Jaridians.”

“And you didn’t think to mention this earlier?” Doors asked Sandoval angrily.

“You didn’t offer me a chance to say much of anything,” replied Sandoval coldly.

Doors paced a few steps, then stopped in front of Kincaid. He leaned towards the man until their faces were only inches apart.

“What are you?” he asked abruptly. “Are you human?”

“Among other things,” replied Kincaid. His voice was steady, but Boone caught a hint of nervousness in his eyes.

“What other things?” demanded Doors, pulling away.

“Have you ever encountered a being called Ha’gel? Or heard of a race called the Kimera?”

Doors glanced over at Boone and Marquette, both of whom shook their heads in bafflement.

“Ha’gel is a Kimera?” asked Boone.

“He was the last of the Kimera,” said Kincaid. “The rest were slaughtered millions of years ago by the Taelons.”

“Millions of years?” said Lili. Kincaid nodded.

“The Kimera were a long-lived race. Ha’gel was spared by the Taelons so that they could exact revenge. He was imprisoned in a capsule and set adrift in space. The Taelons knew he’d have a long time to dwell on the loss of the others.”

“Revenge for what?” asked Doors.

Kincaid hesitated for a moment. “For providing salvation without first informing the Taelons of the cost,” he replied at last. His expression was distant, as if he were remembering something from long ago.

“And what does Ha’gel have to do with you?” asked Sandoval.

“Ha’gel’s capsule eventually landed on Earth,” he replied. “It sat on the bottom of the ocean for millennia, until it was finally found by a salvage team. When the capsule was opened, Ha’gel was freed. The Taelons immediately sensed his presence and dispatched agents to eliminate him, but before they succeeded he managed to create a child to carry on the race.”

“You,” said Lili.

“Yes,” confirmed Kincaid. “I’m one-third Kimera, and two-thirds human.”

Boone raised an eyebrow. “Two-thirds?”

Kincaid nodded. “I have, or had, three parents. Ha’gel, and the two humans he used to create me.”

“How is that possible?” asked Lili. “The odds against a member of a race millions of years old being genetically compatible with humans must be astronomical.”

“The Kimera had a lot of experience with genetic manipulation,” replied Kincaid. “It was…one of their gifts.”

“I don’t suppose that has anything to do with why the Taelons destroyed them?” asked Boone.

“That was part of it,” agreed Kincaid. “The Taelons achieved their current incarnation—and their separation from the Jaridians—partly as a result of Kimera intervention.”

“So you’re saying it was actually the Kimera who are responsible for all of our current problems,” said Doors caustically.

“Jonathan,” began Boone warningly, but Kincaid held him off with a sad half-smile.

“It’s all right, Commander,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “He’s not entirely wrong. If the Kimera hadn’t intervened, the split and subsequent war between the Taelons and Jaridians would never have occurred and the hundreds of races that have been destroyed as a result would still exist.”

“That’s not fair,” said Boone. “The Taelons and the Jaridians are both responsible for their own choices and their own actions. Unless you’re going to tell me the Kimera started the war.”

“Not directly,” said Kincaid. “But the original race was peaceful. It was the Kimera who gave them the shaqarava and all of the potential for violence that implies. We may not have realized they would have such trouble controlling it, but we’re still responsible for the consequences.”

Boone shook his head. “Any race with a physical form has the potential for violence. Controlling that potential is part of living. It’s their responsibility.”

“If you handed a loaded gun to a child,” said Kincaid quietly, “who would be responsible when he shot someone?”

“The Taelons aren’t children,” said Boone firmly. “Maybe they were, when the Kimera first intervened, but as you yourself said, that was millions of years ago. They’ve had time to grow up since then. Time to learn self-control. If they refuse to do so, that’s their decision and they’re responsible for the consequences. Besides, the Taelons no longer have shaqarava, and they’ve still proven themselves quite adept at engaging in destructive behavior when it suits them.”

Kincaid looked unconvinced. Boone opened his mouth to pursue the argument, but was interrupted by the emergence of Dr. Park. Sandoval looked at her with a worried expression.

“How is he?”

“I couldn’t find anything wrong with him other than mild dehydration and exhaustion,” she replied cautiously. “I think he should be fine with a little rest.”

“You think?” said Sandoval witheringly.

The doctor sighed. “I haven’t been able to figure out what the Taelons were trying to do to him. There were traces of…something…in his blood, but I don’t know what it is or what it was intended to do. There’s nothing obviously wrong with him.”

“Perhaps we interrupted the procedure before it could have an effect,” suggested Kincaid.

“Maybe,” she agreed. “We’ll keep him here for a few days for observation just in case.”

“He needs to stay here anyway,” said Boone. “If we send him home, the Taelons may come after him again.”

“All the more reason to get him out of here as soon as possible,” said Doors. “Who knows what the Taelons did to him? They may have implanted some sort of tracking device. They could be using him to find us right now.”

“We didn’t find any tracking or surveillance implants,” said Park. “And he’s not going anywhere for at least two days.”

“He was pretty well guarded,” said Kincaid. “I don’t think it was a set-up for us.”

“The question,” said Augur, “is why did they really take him. Was it to lure in Sandoval? Or did they want Ryan himself?”

“Possibly both,” said Boone. “Kill two birds with one stone.”

“Zo’or would appreciate that,” agreed Kincaid.

“What makes you think it was Zo’or and not Da’an?” asked Sandoval. “Da’an is the North American Companion.”

“Da’an told me he had nothing to do with it,” replied Kincaid.

“You stopped and talked to Da’an in the middle of a rescue mission?” exclaimed Lili. “Are you crazy?”

“We sort of ran into him,” replied Kincaid with a lopsided smile. “He sends his apologizes for what happened to Ryan.”

“Da’an is a diplomat,” said Sandoval. “He’ll say whatever is convenient.”

“Da’an is certainly capable of ruthlessness,” said Boone, “but I agree with Major Kincaid. I don’t think Da’an had anything to do with this. It seems more like something Zo’or would do.”

“You agree with Major Kincaid,” said Doors sarcastically. “Major Kincaid is not human. And neither are Da’an or Zo’or. You can’t assume you know how any of them think.”

“I spend more time with Da’an and Zo’or than you,” replied Boone, “which I believe puts me in a better position to know what they’re likely to do than you.”

“No human can ever hope to understand an alien, anymore than aliens will ever understand humans,” insisted Doors.

“What about hybrids?” asked Lili, nodding towards Kincaid.

“Hybrid?” inquired Dr. Park, looking at him a gleam of interest. Boone felt a twinge of sympathy for the man. Melissa Park was a good doctor, but her interest in the pursuit of science could sometimes be a bit…extreme.

“I’m a Kimera-human hybrid,” Kincaid was saying. “One-third Kimera, two-thirds human.”

“And do you think like a human?” asked Park curiously. “Or a Kimera?”

“My thought processes are not entirely like yours,” replied Kincaid cautiously. “But neither do I think entirely like a Kimera. It often depends on the context.”

“How do you know how humans and Kimera think?” asked Doors.

“The Kimera have genetically-encoded memory. All Kimera are born with the complete knowledge of their parents.”

“Saves time on schooling,” added Augur.

“Da’an told me Taelons have the same ability,” observed Park.

“There’s a genetic relationship between the Kimera and the Taelons,” said Kincaid.

“Dr. Park,” interrupted Sandoval, “I’d like to see my son now.”

“Of course,” she said, reluctantly turning away from Kincaid. “He’s still asleep, but I’m sure it will be comforting to him to have you nearby when he wakes up. I’ll take you to him.” She led Sandoval out of the room.

“What happened to Beckett?” asked Boone.

“We have her under guard,” replied Doors. “What were you thinking, sending her with them?”

“She saw too much,” said Boone. “If she had remained on the mothership, she would have reported me.”

“Well that’s great,” said Doors. “And what are we supposed to do with her now? Do you have any idea what kind of attention the death of a Companion protector will attract?”

“You’re not going to kill her,” said Kincaid.

“What do you suggest we do with her, then?” asked Doors. “Hold her prisoner here for the rest of her life?”

“I think she can be persuaded to join the Resistance.”

“Are you kidding?” asked Lili. “Do you know what that woman is like?”

“Better than you can imagine,” replied Kincaid cryptically. “She’s had a CVI for five years. Her immune system has to have begun rejecting the motivational imperative by now. I think that with the right arguments, she’ll join us.”

“What makes you so sure?” asked Doors.

“I talked to her on the shuttle.”

“You talked to her,” said Doors incredulously. “You’re willing to risk all of our lives based on one conversation. But of course, it’s not your life that’s at risk.”

“If the Taelons find out I exist, they’ll kill me,” said Kincaid. “In any dimension. I’m at just as much at risk as everyone else.”

“And you think you can get through to her?” asked Boone.

“I do.”

“I should lock you up with her,” muttered Doors. “You’re just as much a threat to us as she is.”

“Let him try,” said Boone. “If anyone can get through to her, it’s him.”

“Boone!” objected Lili.

“Do you want to be the one to pull the trigger?” he asked her. She frowned, but backed down.

“All right,” said Doors slowly. “You can try and get her to change sides. But I reserve the right to determine her fate. If I think she’s a threat to us, she will be eliminated. Do you understand?” Kincaid nodded.

“Now that we’ve got that settled,” said Boone, “I’m going to try and catch a couple of hours of sleep before I have to return to the embassy.”

“I think we could all use some sleep,” noted Lili.

“No argument here,” said Augur.

“Fine,” said Doors. “But we’re going to have a longer discussion tomorrow about just who and what you are, Major.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” said Kincaid sarcastically. Boone didn’t envy the younger man’s position at all.

“Tell me more about Ha’gel,” ordered Doors. “What’s his attitude towards the Taelons?”

Liam suppressed a sigh. At least we’re not dead center of headquarters again, he thought. He cast a longing look towards the door out of the small, cramped room and resisted the temptation to tap his fingers on the table. “I already told you,” he repeated, summoning a patient tone. “Ha’gel—the Ha’gel of my world—was primarily concerned with ensuring Taelon while preventing them from doing any more damage to other races. I don’t know how the Ha’gel of this world thinks. If he exists here at all.”

“He wanted to protect the Taelons. Not get revenge,” said Doors disbelievingly.

“You’re the one who keeps pointing out that the fallacy of assigning human motivations to aliens."

Sandoval took over. “You implied that Ha’gel died shortly after your birth.”

“Actually, he died before I was born.”

“Indeed,” said Sandoval with a shrewd smile. “Then how do you know what he wanted?”

Liam shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “As I said yesterday, Kimera have genetic memory,” he replied. “I already possessed all of my parents’ knowledge when I was born.”

“Your human parents as well as Ha’gel?” asked Doors, studying him intently.

“Yes.” What are they after? he wondered.

“If you have all of Ha’gel’s knowledge, then you must have some knowledge of Kimera technology,” said Sandoval meaningfully. “Ships, weapons…”

Liam cringed internally at the implications of the statement. “Ha’gel was more of an anthropologist than an engineer,” he temporized. He studied the expressions of the two men seated across from him. Sandoval was as deadpan as always, while disbelief was openly visible on Doors’ face. Not a promising response, he decided.

“But it’s not just Ha’gel’s memories you carry, Major,” said Sandoval. “It’s all of his ancestors as well, isn’t it?”

“My ability to consciously access those memories is very limited.”

“You must be able to remember something,” insisted Doors.

“The Kimera were generally a peaceful race,” said Liam. “They didn’t devote much time to weapons design.”

“Even a peaceful race needs to defend itself sometimes,” observed Doors. “Or is that how the Taelons managed to kill them off?”

“You said before that the Kimera’s genetic manipulation of the Taelons was part of the reason the Taelons killed the Kimera,” inserted Sandoval smoothly. “What was the rest of the reason?”

“What do you mean?” asked Liam uneasily.

“I worked for the Taelons for only a short time,” said Sandoval. “But I did manage to learn a few things about how they think.” He leaned forward into Liam’s personal space and lowered his voice. “The Taelons are…greatly concerned with their own survival. A race they perceived as a threat would tend to attract a certain amount of negative attention.”

“And you don’t think the ability to genetically restructure an entire race is enough of a threat?”

“Maybe,” said Sandoval. He rose to his feet and began slowly circling Liam’s chair, going into what Liam recognized as full interrogation/intimidation mode. “Maybe not. I suspect that the Kimera were capable of doing more damage to the Taelons than you’re letting on. I think there may have been a more…overt threat. You’re hiding things, Major, and I want to know what they are.” He halted directly in front of Liam and stared down at him unblinkingly. “Why, exactly, did the Taelons destroy the Kimera?”

“I already told you,” said Liam. “The Kimera saved them, and the Taelons didn’t like the results.”

Sandoval shook his head. “There’s more to it than that,” he said. “Try again.”

“If you know anything that might help us stop the Taelons, you have a duty to share it with us,” added Doors sharply.

“Even if I could recall how Kimera weapons worked, humans don’t have the necessary technology to construct them,” said Liam. He found himself hoping that Boone returned from the embassy sooner rather than later. Someone who wasn’t entirely anti-Taelon would be welcome about now.

“Not good enough,” snapped Sandoval. “You…” He stopped and doubled over, gasping. Liam sprang to his feet and grabbed Sandoval’s arm.

“Are you all right?” he asked, concerned.

Sandoval looked up at him, his face ghostly pale. “I…” he began uncertainly.

Liam caught him as he collapsed.

Siobhan looked around her small cell for about the five hundredth time. The spherical force field they’d activated to hold her extended along the floor as well as the walls and ceiling, as she’d discovered on her first escape attempt shortly after they placed her here. Multiple and creative exercises had since banished any doubts about her skrill’s inability to penetrate the field and left her exhausted and ravenous. The only things inside the field were a cot, a chair, a small table, a toilet, and a sink, none of which had yielded any parts that might prove helpful in effecting an escape. Nor were they much good for providing a distraction, which meant that she had plenty of time to contemplate her situation. So far the Resistance had neither questioned her nor killed her. She’d been escorted to this room when they first arrived, and had been effectively ignored since then, save for periodic checks by assorted Resistance agents. The lack of attention had left her rather curious. She would have assumed that it was an interrogation technique—she had a great deal of experience with the power of fear prompted by a captive’s own imagination—but she knew that they were aware of her CVI, and thus necessarily aware that straight questioning would be futile. It was possible that they planned to try and draw information directly from the CVI, but in that case, why hadn’t they already done so? They had to know that the longer they held her here, the greater the risk to them. And they had to have something planned for her or they would have already killed her. As they would no doubt do once they were done with her. She studied the control panel again. It would have been within easy arm's reach if it weren’t for the field in between. As it was, the panel might as well have been on the other side of the planet. She scowled at the thought and muttered a vivid curse in Irish.

“Imagine if your mother heard you speaking like that,” said a cheerful voice, also in Irish. She looked up, startled. The Resistance pilot from the shuttle had entered the room, and stood in the doorway holding a tray of food. Her mouth began to water at the sight.

“You must be hungry,” he said, switching to English. “I asked around and apparently they forgot to feed you after locking you up in here.” She swallowed hard and fixed her expression into a tight glare. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing she was suffering.

“Who are you?” she demanded.

“My name is Liam Kincaid,” he said. He ignored the look she sent towards him.

“An Irish name,” she said, “but you sound American. How did you come to speak Irish?”

“My mother was very proud of her Irish heritage,” he replied with an odd smile. “She saw to it that I learned the language.”

“Ah. And how would she feel, seeing you know?” Her gesture encompassed the room and the building beyond.

“I don’t know,” he replied. “She died when I was a few months old.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, noting the wistful expression in his eyes. He’s the enemy, she reminded herself, trying to summon her anger of a moment ago. A terrorist, like all the others.

“Thanks,” he said. He looked down at the tray in his hands. “If I bring down the force field for a minute, will you promise not to zap me? Or do I need to call in some extra guns?”

“From what I saw on the ship, it wouldn’t do me much good to attack you,” she said dryly.

“I’m going to take that as an assurance that you won’t,” he said, moving closer. He balanced the tray on one had and tapped the control panel with the other. The field buzzed and disappeared. She watched as he stepped inside the cell and carefully set the tray on the table, keeping his eyes fixed on her the entire time. He backed out of the cage slowly and reactivated the field. She waited for him to leave, but instead he pulled up a chair and sat down. She hesitated for a moment, then sat down at the table.

“How are you holding up?” he asked.

“Not as well as I would be if you let me go.”

“Sorry. I don’t think we can do that quite yet.” He nodded towards the tray. “You should eat before it gets cold.”

“The Taelons will kill you when they find out what you’ve done,” she noted. She pulled the bowl of soup closer to herself and tried a spoonful. The soup was thick and smooth and sweet, and quelled her hunger nicely. She began to eat it at a faster pace.

“They have to find me first,” Kincaid said. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, legs stretched out in front of him.

“You know that you’ll have to kill me to prevent me from telling them.”

“I hope not,” he replied seriously.

“What do you care?” she asked. “I’m the enemy.” She cursed herself as she realized she was softening towards him again.

Kincaid uncrossed his arms and rubbed his left palm absently. “You’re not my enemy, Agent Beckett,” he said gently.

“Then you’re a fool,” she said with as much ice as she could muster.

“Maybe,” he agreed with a small smile. She took another spoonful of soup and looked over at him. He disarms me, she thought. With no effort at all, he renders me defenseless. As if he could read my soul. She shivered at the thought.

“What are you?” she asked abruptly. “I saw you on the mothership…no human should have been able to do what you did.”

“Very observant, Agent Beckett,” he said teasingly. “I’m not human. At least not entirely. I’m a human-alien hybrid.” She caught a hint of self-aversion in the last statement.

“Alien,” she repeated. “Taelon?”

“Not exactly. The Taelons aren’t the only other race in the universe.”

“I realize that,” she said impatiently. “So should we be preparing for more arrivals?” He shook his head.

“I’m the last of my kind,” he replied with an odd mix of nonchalance and sorrow. “There won’t be any others.”

“What happened to the rest?”

“The alien who created me was the last of his kind. He died before I was born.”

“How did he die?”

“He was killed by the Taelons,” he replied. “As were the rest of his people.”

“So that’s why you’re trying to destroy them now,” she said. She swallowed the last mouthful of soup and reached for a sandwich.

“I’m not trying to destroy them at all,” he replied. “I just want to make sure that they don’t destroy us. The human race is all I have left.”

“And you think the best way to protect us is through the Liberation?” she asked doubtfully.

He shrugged. “I have to work with what’s available, Agent Beckett.”

“What does your human family think of all this? You said that your mother is dead. What about the rest?”

“They don’t know,” he replied. “My mother didn’t really get a chance to tell her family about me, and my human father isn’t currently aware of my existence.”

“Don’t you think you ought to tell him?” she asked. Liam shook his head.

“I don’t think he’d be very happy about it,” he said. “Ha’gel, my alien father, used him without his knowledge or consent. He had no say in my creation.”

“You don’t think he deserves a chance to decide for himself how he feels?”

“It’s too much of a risk,” said Liam. “My father works for the Taelons. If he were to tell them about me, they’d kill me.”

“Because they’d assume you want revenge?”

“Something like that.”

“Couldn’t you go to your mother’s people, then?” He shook his head again.

“That’s too much of a risk for them. Knowledge of my existence would be dangerous for everyone.”

“Three parents and no family. That’s very sad,” she said. “We all need family. They provide us with roots.”

“Maybe someday,” he said. He changed the subject. “How do you feel about the Taelons now?”

“What do you mean?” she asked, feeling light eyes lock onto her with sudden intensity. She looked away from him to escape. “How do I feel about what they did to your people?”

“No,” he replied. “How do you feel about what they’ve done here? You’ve worked for them almost since their arrival. You’ve been on the frontlines. You’ve seen most of the good they’ve done—peace treaties, feeding the hungry, medical advancements. You’ve also seen some of the worst, like the Resistance crackdowns, and what they did to Ryan. When you add it all up, what do you think of them?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted slowly. “When they first came, I thought…”

“You thought that any beings who could end the bloodshed and unite Ireland deserved respect.”

“Yes,” she agreed. “I looked to that, and I looked to their promises. Promises they kept,” she added with more confidence. “How many people live because of Taelon technology and Taelon medical advancements?”

“And how many people are dead because of Taelon experiments?” he asked. He sat up straight and leaned towards her. “How many lives saved make up for the loss of a child? How many people would have made up for Ryan.”

She paused. “You know my weaknesses,” she said. She raised her head and met his gaze. “I don’t know how to weigh the good against the bad anymore,” she admitted.

“I can’t help you there,” he said. “That’s something we each have to decide for ourselves. But when you’re trying to decide, think about not only what the Taelons have already done, but what they plan to do.” He stood up and deactivated the force field. “Maybe this will help,” he said, setting something on the table beside her. She picked it up as he activated the field again.

“Raido,” she said, fingering the stone. “Inner journeys. Communication.” She looked up. “You know the runes.”

“It was my mother’s,” he said. “One of the few things I have left of her.”

She looked at him thoughtfully. “What you said on the mothership, about why I joined the military, why I chose to serve the Taelons…how do you know so much about me? There aren’t many people in this world who know those things.”

“Well, I’m not exactly from this world.” He paused, and she waited for him to continue.

“I’m from a parallel dimension. A world very like this one, save for a few key differences. Such as the fact that I don’t exist here.”

“And how does that explain you knowing my reasons for serving the Companions?” she asked.

“I knew your counterpart in my world,” he said.

“Knew?”

He nodded slowly. “She died a few months ago,” he said quietly. “A climbing accident.”

She looked at him silently for a moment. “Was she Resistance too?” He shook his head.

“No, she was a Companion protector, the same as you.”

“Then how did you come to know her?”

“In that world, I’m also a Companion protector. I work as a deep cover operative for the Resistance.”

“And how did you get around the motivational imperative?”

“I managed to avoid getting implanted,” he replied. He extended his arm for her to see. “I think Da’an had become a little disillusioned with the effect of CVIs by that point.”

“You’re Da’an’s protector? What about Commander Boone?”

“In my world, Boone died in service to the Companions just over a year ago,” he replied. “I was his replacement.”

“One operative replaced by another. How fortunate for the Resistance.” She paused. “How does Boone manage to get around his motivational imperative, since he actually has a CVI?”

“The MI component was removed from his CVI before it was implanted.”

“So he was with the Liberation from the start,” she said. “I had the wrong target all along. Or is Captain Marquette also Resistance?”

He shrugged. “You’d have to ask her that.”

“Why did you become a Companion protector? Doesn’t that increase the risk to you?”

“I told you,” he said, “I have to work with what’s available. And I don’t think I can effectively protect either the humans or the Taelons unless I have direct access to both sides.”

“So you’re both a faithful protector and a loyal Resistance agent? That must be a challenge.”

“It’s not as hard as you think,” he said. “Da’an is one of the few Taelons with a genuine respect for humanity. In protecting him, I believe I’m serving the interests of both humans and Taelons.” He took a step back from the force field. “I have to go. I’ll be back later on to see if you need anything.” He turned to leave.

“Mr. Kincaid,” she called. He looked at her inquiringly. “How are Agent Sandoval and his son?”

“Ryan seems to be fine,” he replied, “although the doctors still aren’t sure what the Taelons were doing to him. Agent Sandoval is a little worse off.”

“I didn’t think he’d been injured on the mothership.”

“He wasn’t. He collapsed after we got back. They’re running tests now.”

“I see,” she said slowly, recalling the odd attraction she’d felt towards the man on the shuttle.

Kincaid started towards the door, then paused and twisted his head in her direction, springing that oddly familiar grin on her once again. “Agent Beckett? Call me Liam.” He was out the door before she could respond.

With a sigh, Boone shut off the display of the newly revised security plans for Da’an’s next public appearance and leaned back in his seat. It had been a long night followed by a longer day, and he didn’t expect that tonight would be any better. Too bad my CVI doesn’t eliminated the need for sleep, he lamented dryly, and then laughed softly at himself. For someone who had once been so disturbed by the thought of letting someone—anyone—shove something into his brain, he was coming to rely on that bit of alien technology to a sometimes-frightening degree. If nothing else, he decided, the Taelons know something about efficiency.

His mind wandered to the source of his long, sleepless night. He still wasn’t quite sure what to make of the two visitors. Augur…well, Augur still seemed to be Augur. A ghost clothed in flesh and blood that disconcertingly refused to acknowledge its own demise. He found himself instinctively trusting the man—at least as far as he had ever trusted the real Augur—but that trust was tempered by an awareness of the unreliability of his instincts in this matter. It was difficult for him to gauge how much of his trust stemmed from an accurate reading of the man now here, and how much was based on that same man’s ability to capture the gestures and the intonations of his counterpart so precisely. Truthfully, the only one who could vouch for the alternate Augur’s politics was Kincaid, and Kincaid was even more troubling in his way than Augur. The incident from the mothership flashed effortlessly before Boone’s eyes, every detail standing out with CVI-enhanced clarity: rounding the corner into the shuttlebay just in time to watch the Volunteer fire at Kincaid, the brief purple-white glimmer as Kincaid caught the blast, Kincaid’s look of muted surprise as he stared down at his own hands. And later, the hidden flash of apprehension when he told them what he was. Not to mention all the things he undoubtedly hadn’t told them yet. Kincaid was an enigma if ever there was one: an alien who walked and talked like a man, driven by some mix of human and alien instincts and impulses, serving the destroyers of his people out of a sense of racial duty. Boone wasn’t sure whether or not he trusted the man; too much of the story was yet unknown. But in the short time he had known Kincaid, he had come to like the man. He respected Kincaid’s willingness to defy Jonathan Doors, and admired the dedication to preventing unnecessary deaths that he had demonstrated on the mothership. If only he knew for certain what motivated the man…

Boone’s reverie was interrupted by the entry of a Volunteer.

“Da’an would like to see you.”

“I’ll be right there,” he replied. He stood and stretched out the kinks acquired from sitting for far too long. As he made his way to Da’an’s audience chamber, he puzzled over Da’an’s reasons for sending an intermediary rather than contacting him directly. Convenience, or something else? he wondered.

Da’an was staring through the virtual glass at the city below when Boone entered the room. Without turning, the Taelon spoke.

“There was an incident on the mothership last night.”

“I know,” replied Boone. He walked over to Da’an’s chair and slowly ran a hand along the arm.

“Yes, you were the first to find the Volunteers in the shuttlebay.” Da’an turned away from the window to look directly at him. “I was not aware that your duties required your presence on the mothership last night.”

“I needed to talk to Agent Samuels about next week’s hospital opening,” replied Boone calmly, pulling his hand away from the chair.

“Were you able to find him?”

“No, the alarm sounded before I got a chance to talk to him.” As always, there was a half-second of heart stopping terror while he waited to see if Da’an accepted his excuse. Apparently it satisfied him; he nodded once and turned back to the window. Boone released a small sigh of relief. Da’an had been growing increasingly suspicious of late, leading Boone to wonder how much he knew about his protector’s other activities. Boone walked across the room to join the Companion at the window.

“Zo’or has requested that I assign you to aid Agent Samuels in investigating the incident. He wants both Ryan Sandoval and his father captured and returned to the mothership.”

“I’ll do what I can,” said Boone. He hesitated, then added, “Da’an, what were you doing to him?”

“The child?”

“Yes.”

“His presence was intended to lure Agent Sandoval onto the mothership. Zo’or believes that Agent Sandoval will be able to provide us with extensive information about the Resistance.”

“If Ryan was intended solely as bait, why does he need to be returned to the mothership?”

“I do not know,” admitted Da’an. “Zo’or has not seen fit to inform me of his reasons.”

“If it becomes general knowledge that the Taelons were using children as bait, the public will be very unhappy,” noted Boone.

Da’an’s gaze slid from the window to the man beside him. “Ryan Sandoval was in no danger from us,” he said.

“He could have been injured in the rescue.”

“The responsibility for that rests with his father, not with us. It was his father who chose to undertake the rescue. And to betray us in the first place.”

Calm, he reminded himself. You’re an Implant—no judgement, just mild curiosity. “And you’re not at all troubled by any of this?”

Da’an stared at him silently for a moment. “I am glad that the child was apparently uninjured,” he replied at last. “He is not responsible for his father’s choices, and should not have to suffer for them.”

“As he suffered with the death of his mother?”

“That was…unfortunate.”

Unfortunate indeed, thought Boone. It drove Sandoval straight to us. “I don’t suppose Sandoval’s betrayal is the reason Zo’or is so fixed on him?”

“I believe Zo’or thinks it reflects badly on us that one of our former agents now fights so assiduously against us.”

“According to the Volunteers, he had help escaping from the ship.”

“Yes,” agreed Da’an. He waved one hand thoughtfully. “I encountered the man who helped him.”

“You saw him?” said Boone with feigned surprise. “What happened?”

“It was a brief encounter,” said Da’an. “But most interesting. He seemed very…unusual for a human.”

“What makes you think that?”

“A feeling,” replied Da’an. He tilted his head, examining his protector. “Instinct, if you will. I would appreciate it if you would pass along to me any information you recover concerning this man.”

“Taelon instincts,” said Boone with a wry smile. “I’ll tell you anything I learn, Da’an. But I suspect that he was just another Resistance fighter.”

“Perhaps you are right,” said Da’an. “At any rate, Zo’or has not requested further action concerning this individual. Therefore, there is no need to include information about him in any reports Zo’or receives.”

“Of course,” said Boone. “If you don’t need me for anything else, I…” He was interrupted by the opening of a data stream. It was Zo’or, looking as close to worried as Boone had ever seen him.

“A ship has been spotted approaching Earth,” said the Taelon abruptly.

“What type of ship?” asked Da’an with concern.

“We have not been able to identify it,” said Zo’or. “The technicians believe that they may be unaware of our presence as they have not yet attempted to communicate with us. I will send you the data.”

“I understand,” said Da’an. “Please keep me informed of further developments.” He waved his hand to close the data stream.

“What does that mean?” asked Boone.

“I do not know,” said Da’an. “We have not encountered a new race in this fashion in a very long time. You may leave now, Boone. Begin your investigation. I will examine the data from the ship and see what I can learn.”

“I’ll report back as soon as I learn anything,” said Boone. Da’an was already examining the data as he left the room.

“Enough!” exclaimed Sandoval sharply.

“You should be in bed,” insisted Dr. Park.

“How is my remaining in bed going to help you find a treatment any faster?” he demanded.

“That’s not the point,” she replied in exasperation. “You need rest. Look at you! You can barely stand. Ron, that wasn’t just a blackout. You suffered a total metabolic collapse. It could happen again at any time, and you might not survive the next attack.”

“And I’m more likely to survive if I’m lying down?” he asked dryly.

“You’re more likely to survive if I have equipment on hand to help you,” she replied persistently.

“Melissa, headquarters isn’t that big, and you have enough monitoring equipment attached to me to run a small hospital. I have every faith in your ability to respond promptly if something goes wrong. But right now, I need to work.”

“You won’t be of much use to the Resistance if you’re dead!”

“Which is why I need to get as much done as possible before that happens,” he snapped.

The doctor was silent for a moment. When she spoke again, her tone was gentle “All right, Ron. You can stay here and work. But take it easy. Don’t over-exert yourself; you need to conserve your strength.”

“I understand.”

“I’m going to go check on some of those test results. If I can narrow down what kind of blood disorder you’ve got, I’ll be able to investigate the treatment options.”

“Let me know when you find something,” said Sandoval. He watched Dr. Park leave, and then sat down at his workstation. He sensed rather than saw the presence at his elbow a moment later.

“Is there something I can do for you, Major?”

“Funny,” said Kincaid, “I was just going to ask you the same thing.”

Sandoval reluctantly twisted his head to look at the other man. “I’m fine,” he said stiffly, wishing Kincaid would leave him alone.

“That’s not the impression I got from your conversation with Dr. Park,” said Kincaid. He dropped into the chair beside Sandoval. “She seems a bit concerned about you.”

“And what difference does that make to you, Major?” he asked coldly.

“I can’t be concerned about a colleague, Agent Sandoval?”

“Oh, spare me,” said Sandoval angrily. “We aren’t colleagues, Kincaid, and we certainly aren’t friends. We’re not even from the same universe. You don’t exist in my world; we’re on opposite sides in yours.”

Kincaid regarded him silently for a moment. “For as long as I’m in this universe, Sandoval, we’re on the same side.

“And who says I want you on my side, Major?” Kincaid looked surprised at that. Encouraged, Sandoval carried on, suddenly tired of this man who insisted on helping him for no discernable reason and fought to protect the lives of allies and enemies alike with equal ferocity. “You seem to think that you can work for both sides at the same time, trying to bind humans and Taelons into one equal, glorious partnership. I have news for you, Kincaid: it’s not going to work. We’re on a collision course, and only one race is going to survive. One race will determine the future. What you need to decide is which one you want it to be. And until you’ve made that decision—and are prepared to do whatever it takes to see it through—I don’t want to fight beside you.” He stopped and waited for the inevitable outburst of righteous rage. This time, it was Sandoval who was surprised. There was no anger on Kincaid’s face, only thoughtfulness, and a hint of sorrow.

“He really hurt you, didn’t he?” he asked softly.

“Who?”

“Da’an. You trusted him, served him faithfully…believed in him. And then when you tried to preserve something for yourself, he cast you aside. He repaid your loyalty with betrayal, your devotion with negligence.”

Sandoval stared into the compelling green eyes in front of him. There was something oddly personal about the litany…something painful. “He betrayed you too?” he asked tentatively.

Kincaid nodded silently. Around them, the room fell still, as if everyone had simultaneously run out of words.

“It wasn’t just being asked to leave the Companion service,” said Sandoval after a moment. “I could have lived with that. I would have understood. But they couldn’t leave it alone. Couldn’t leave me alone. They knew what my family meant to me, and they took…” He paused to take a deep breath and choked back a sob. “They took her away from me. Another damn Taelon experiment. Da’an knew, and he let them do it. When I found out, I begged him to let her go. He told me he couldn’t endanger his position in the Synod by helping someone who had so clearly demonstrated his lack of loyalty to the Taelons.”

“He used me to take out most of the Resistance cell leaders,” said Liam. “He claimed he needed to reestablish his position with Zo’or. For the survival of his species. I would have helped him if I’d known, found another way. It’s my job to protect him. But he didn’t trust me enough to tell me. Instead, he used me.”

“And yet you still work for him.”

Liam shrugged. “I still believe that Da’an is humanity’s best chance at an equal partnership with the Taelons, and I’m not yet ready to believe that that’s impossible. Humans and Taelons are bound together; we have to find a way to make the relationship work.”

Sandoval shook his head. “It can’t be done,” he said. “At least not now. Maybe in a few million years, when we can meet them on equal footing and demand our rights, but not now.”

“It has to be now,” insisted Liam. “The Taelons don’t have a few million years. They need us now.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know, exactly. It’s a feeling I have, a sense of urgency. Something I inherited from Ha’gel.”

Sandoval stared at him. “They slaughtered your race, betrayed you personally…and still you want to help them? You really aren’t human, are you, Liam?”

“Why? Humans aren’t capable of forgiveness?”

“Humans have more of a survival instinct.”

“Sandoval!” came a voice from across the room. Doors strode towards them, followed closely by Augur. “Boone just contacted us. He said he has important news. He and Marquette are on their way back now.”

“What kind of news?” asked Liam.

“He didn’t say,” said Augur, rubbing his hands excitedly. “Just that it was big.”

“They’ll be here in a few minutes,” said Doors. “I want all of you there.”

“So you’ve finally decided to trust us, Jonathan?” asked Liam.

“For now,” said Doors. “I’ll let you know my final decision later on.”

“Final decision…like a bullet through the back of the head if you don’t?”

“Whatever it takes, Major.”

Liam greeted the return of Boone and Lili with relief. An entire day of forced inaction inside the Liberation lair had left him restless, jittery, and verging on mildly claustrophobic. And to think that a few days ago I was telling Augur how much I wanted a vacation, he thought ruefully. Of course, a vacation probably wouldn’t include a four-hour interrogation session.

Doors had apparently decided to invoke the rarely-enforced need-to-know rule. He assembled his selected agents in a room partitioned off from the main headquarters, out of earshot of the rest of the Resistance members. Liam watched with concern as Sandoval settled into a chair with a wince, unable to entirely conceal his discomfort. The hybrid chose a seat nearby for himself, just in case. Just in case what? he asked himself mockingly as he sank into the chair. There’s only one thing you can do for him, and after your little discussion today, I’m not sure he’ll ever forgive you for it.

“First,” said Boone, “Da’an has assigned me to work with Agent Samuels in investigating the raid on the mothership.”

“Good,” grunted Doors. “You can keep Samuels off our backs.”

“Wait," said Augur, holding up a hand. "Who’s Samuels?”

“Zo’or’s protector,” replied Lili with a sideways glance towards him. “The Taelons recruited him from the FBI after Sandoval left. He’s one of the main reasons the Taelons have been so effective in implementing their plans on Earth.”

“Da’an also denies any knowledge of what was being done to Ryan on the mothership,” continued Boone.

“Of course he does,” snorted Doors.

“We’ve already been through that once; there’s no point in rehashing it.” said Liam. “I assume that’s not your big news, Commander.”

“No, it’s not,” agreed Boone. He pulled out his global and handed it to Lili. “While I was meeting with Da’an today, Zo’or interrupted us.” He nodded towards Lili, who had been downloading something from the global. Now she touched a control, and the screen on the wall lit up, bring a star field into view. “The Taelons detected this a few hours ago. It’s on its way to Earth.” The room fell silent as the group digested the sight of the dull red ship moving swiftly through the dark of space.

“Jaridian?” asked Sandoval.

“No,” said Boone. “The Taelons have no idea what it is. Zo’or called Da’an to ask for help.”

“Wonderful,” said Doors. “So we’ve got yet another alien race to deal with.”

“The question is,” said Lili, “what are their intentions? If they aren’t already allies of the Taelons, they might be willing to ally themselves with us. They could be just what we need to get rid of the Taelons. If we manage to reach them first.”

“And if they aren’t worse than the Taelons,” said Sandoval. “If we invite them in, we could be inviting an open conquest, rather than the veiled domination we currently face.”

“Well, there’s only one way to find out,” said Lili.

“So far the Taelons haven’t managed to establish communications,” said Boone. “They’re not even sure the vessel is aware of the presence of the mothership.”

Doors turned to Augur. “Do you think you can establish communications with the ship before the Taelons?”

Augur frowned. “Hmm, could be tricky. Especially with the Taelons monitoring the situation. But…I did learn a few tricks from an incident with a Jaridian probe a few months back. I might be able to use something from that. If Liam…hey, Liam!” He looked over at the hybrid, whose attention was still fixed on the screen. “What’s wrong?”

“That ship’s familiar,” replied Liam distantly, only half-aware of the conversation going on around him.

“You’ve seen one like it before?” asked Sandoval.

“Not me,” replied Liam. “And nothing exactly like it. But there’s something about the design…”

“Don’t tell me it’s another Kimera ship,” said Augur.

“No.”

“I thought the Kimera were extinct,” said Lili. “Apart from you, of course.”

“They are,” said Liam. “But some of their ships are still floating around, abandoned.”

“Really? It would be nice to get our hands on one of those,” said Lili. Liam shook his head.

“Kimera ships are all equipped with advanced AI programs. They’re designed to defend the ships, and they wouldn’t respond well to a non-Kimera trying to take control.”

“You’re Kimera,” pointed out Sandoval.

“Not Kimera enough for them,” said Liam. “Anyway, this ship’s not Kimera, I’m sure of that. I’m just not quite sure what it is.”

“We’re millions of years and a dimension away from your most recent ancestral memories,” said Augur. “Lots of things could have changed.”

“True,” said Liam, looking away from the screen. “Do you have any more information about the ship, Commander?” Boone shook his head.

“The Taelons are staying pretty tightlipped about the whole thing. I had to download this image covertly. I’ll try to get more out of Da’an the next time I see him, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. I think we’re going to have to do most of this on our own.”

“Then we’d better get started,” said Doors. “Augur, what do you need?”

Augur’s reply was cut short by the appearance of Dr. Park.

“What have you got?” asked Sandoval. His voice was restrained, but eagerness shone in his eyes.

“You’re supposed to be taking it easy,” Park scolded him. “Not engaging in high pressure meetings.”

“Whoa,” said Boone. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” said Sandoval shortly.

“If you call nearly dying in Liam’s arms earlier today nothing,” said Augur expressively.

“Dying?” asked Lili incredulously. “What happened?”

Sandoval sighed. “It appears that I’m suffering from a genetic blood disorder. Dr. Park is here to inform me of the treatment options.”

“And what are the options, Melissa?” asked Doors.

“Well, the goods news is that there is a treatment,” she said. “It’s a new one, based on experimental Taelon technology. They’ve gotten some good results so far.”

“And you can do it here,” said Doors.

“Yes,” she agreed. “Normally I’d prefer to bring in a few specialists and carry out the procedure in the hospital, but given the situation…”

“You’ll do it here.”

“I’ll do it here. The only problem is that in order for the treatment to work, I need a sample of undamaged hematologic factor.”

“So get it,” said Sandoval impatiently. “Use whatever Resistance resources you need. Hell, use Taelon resources if you have to.”

“For someone who hates the Taelons so much, you’re awfully willing to use their technology when it’s convenient,” observed Lili.

“Captain, with all I’ve suffered at the hands of the Taelons, I think I’ve paid my dues. I might as well benefit from their presence where and when I can.”

“The problem is, the cure for the disorder involves gene therapy, not medication,” said Park. “In order to perform the procedure, I need blood—two pints of it—from a first degree relative. Either a parent or a child. Now, normally, we could use Ryan’s blood. But given his current condition, I’m a little worried about taking that much blood from him.”

“I won’t allow you to endanger my son,” said Sandoval quickly.

“I agree,” she replied. “But the question is, what are we going to do instead? Your parents…”

“Are both dead,” said Sandoval. “And I have no other children.”

“Then without Ryan’s blood, you’ll be dead in a few days.”

“You can’t extend it any longer than that?” asked Boone.

“Maybe a week or two, with care and luck.”

“And how long will it take Ryan to recover enough to donate the blood?” asked Lili.

“I don’t know,” admitted Park. “I’m still not exactly sure what they did to him, and that makes it difficult to judge. He might be well enough in two weeks to consider it…”

“If Sandoval’s still alive then,” said Doors. “Melissa, the Resistance can’t afford to lose him.”

“I know,” she sighed. “But I don’t know what else to do.”

“I’ll take the chance,” said Sandoval resolutely. “I’m not going to risk harming Ryan.”

Liam felt Augur’s eyes on him, watching him expectantly. You knew it was coming, he reminded himself. Now you get to deal with the consequences. This is going to be a bit of a shock... He took a deep breath and cleared this throat.

“There might be another way.”

Four heads turned simultaneously towards him in the suddenly deafening silence. Doors was the first to speak.

“What do you mean?”

“A couple of weeks ago,” began Liam, choosing his words with care, “the Sandoval of our dimension was diagnosed with the same condition. He was successfully treated using the methods Dr. Park has referred to.”

“But you said my counterpart had no children, Major,” said Sandoval slowly. “Where did they get the hematologic factor from? Are my—his—parents still alive in your dimension?”

“No,” said Liam.

“Then how…?” asked Park.

“I haven’t been…entirely forthcoming about some of the details of our universe.”

“There’s a surprise,” said Doors derisively. Liam ignored him and continued, speaking directly to Sandoval.

“I mentioned yesterday that Ha’gel used two humans to create me. What I didn’t tell you then was that your counterpart was one of those humans. He is, essentially, my father. Or one of them, anyway.” Liam was watching Sandoval intently as he spoke, trying to gauge the other man’s reaction. He almost laughed at what he saw. Would have laughed, if the situation had been a little less serious or a little less delicate. For once the mask had fractured, and the shock that shone through the cracks completely eclipsed whatever mild surprise Sandoval might have earlier exhibited at the sight of Liam’s shaqarava. The astonishment had rendered him frozen and speechless, a first in Liam’s experience. Good to know in case I ever have to have this conversation with the other Sandoval, thought Liam wryly. At least I might have a chance to run before he can call the Volunteers. He realized abruptly that he was holding his breath, and released it slowly, glad the scrutiny hadn’t gone both ways. He didn’t need Sandoval to know how deep into himself he’d had to reach to make this confession.

The initial shock seemed to have faded quickly. Now Sandoval looked like he was teetering on the edge, wavering somewhere between complete rejection of the situation and…something else. Liam called on Sandoval’s memories to try and interpret what he saw. Curiosity? Excitement? Concern? Fear? Disgust? It was gone before he could nail it down, replaced once more by the mask, and the inevitable onslaught of questions.

“How is that possible?” asked Lili. “I mean, both Sandovals are the same age, right? And you’re…”

“A lot younger than he looks,” inserted Augur emphatically.

“How young?” asked Boone.

“I was born a little over a year ago,” replied Liam matter-of-factly.

“A year,” said Dr. Park disbelievingly. “I know that Taelon-human hybrids grow up quickly, but…your growth rate must have been remarkably accelerated.”

“I grew into this body in less than half-an-hour.”

“That’s not much of a childhood,” observed Boone.

Liam smiled a little. “When you’re born with millions of sets of memories floating around your head, a childhood is pretty much out of the question,” he said. “My rapid growth simply gave me a body to match my mind.”

“Why Sandoval?” asked Lili. “Why would Ha’gel pick an agent of the race that destroyed his as a parent to his child?”

“What better way to hide from the Taelons than by posing as one of their trusted servants?” said Augur.

“There was also the matter of Sandoval’s CVI,” said Liam. His tone turned grim. “Ha’gel…didn’t realize how frail humans are. His first attempt at reproduction killed the woman involved and nearly killed his host. When he found out about the physiological enhancements provided by the implants, he decided that might be a solution. The actual choice of Sandoval was pure luck. He just happened to be the first implant Ha’gel stumbled across.”

“And the woman…your mother…she was an implant as well?” asked Sandoval. He stumbled over the words a little, as if he was having trouble remembering how to speak. A small part of Liam’s mind registered relief that Sandoval was able to speak at all.

“Yes.”

“And my counterpart knows none of this.”

“I doubt I’d still be alive if he did,” said Liam. “A Kimera’s host never remembers the experience.”

“What about your mother?” asked Doors. “If she’s an implant and she remembers…”

“The Resistance took care of that,” said Augur. “Reprogrammed her CVI to wipe out certain memories and self-destruct if those memories broke through.”

“So neither of your human parents know you exist,” said Boone. “That must be tough.”

“In some ways,” Liam said thoughtfully. “I never needed my parents the way human children do. The dependency wasn’t there. But…I have them in my head. Their experiences helped make me into who I am, just as any human parent influences their child, and it was sometimes difficult not being able to tell them. It was especially hard dealing with my mother, when I knew how badly she wanted a child.”

“Wanted?” asked Lili.

“She died a few months after I was born,” he said quietly. “Her CVI broke down…they couldn’t remove it.”

“I’m sorry,” said Boone sincerely.

“I managed to reach her before she died,” said Liam. “I told her…everything. I think it comforted her a little.”

“Fascinating,” said Park. “So you donated the blood for your Sandoval’s treatment.”

“Yeah.”

“How did you manage that without him finding out about you?” asked Lili.

“I had a friend draw the blood and drop if off at the hospital, anonymously,” said Liam. “They recognized it as coming from Sandoval’s son, of course, but they didn’t know the identity of the donor.”

“And the alien DNA didn’t present any problems in the treatment,” said Park.

“No,” said Liam. “They didn’t even realize that there was alien DNA involved. They didn’t look that closely.”

“Why didn’t Sandoval try to match the sample afterwards?” asked Doors.

“He did,” replied Augur. “But he didn’t come up with anything. You don’t really think I used Liam’s real DNA when I made his records, do you? The Taelons would have been banging on his door faster than you can blink.”

“So if your blood worked in your dimension…” said Lili.

“The two Agent Sandovals are carbon copies of each other,” said Liam, “genetically speaking. And that means that my DNA should qualify me as a first degree relative here as well as there.”

“I’ll have to run some tests,” said Park. “But it does seem promising. I assume this is the route you want to pursue, Ron.”

“It doesn’t look like I have much choice,” said Sandoval with a grimace. He looked over at Liam. “It appears that I’m going to be in your debt yet again, Major.”

“I’m sure you’ll pay me back eventually,” replied Liam. “I know how much you hate owing anyone anything.” He delivered the last line with a deliberate smirk. Let him be angry with me. That’ll be easier for him than thinking I pity him. Sandoval stared at him for a moment with an unreadable expression, then silently turned away.

“Major, I need to get started as soon as possible if this is to work,” said Park. “If you’ll just come with me…” Liam nodded and stood up. “Ron, I’ll be back for you soon,” added Park as she led Liam out of the room. Sandoval, seemingly lost in thought, didn’t respond.

Liam watched through the observation window as Dr. Park worked within, fiddling with IV lines and monitors. After a few minutes she emerged and smiled reassuringly at him.

“He seems to be responding well to the treatment.” She brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face. “He should make a full recovery, thanks to you.”

“Too bad he doesn’t feel the same way.”

Park yawned. “Oh, I think he does. I know he can be a little cold at times, but he’s a good man underneath.”

“I know,” said Liam. He tilted his head, examining the doctor more closely. Dark circles marked her eyes, and her skin seemed pale beneath the harsh florescent lights. “Were you up all night with him?”

“Not quite all night.” She sighed. “It shows, doesn’t it? It never fails. A few hours of lost sleep and I turn into a raccoon.”

“Minus the striped tail.”

She smiled at that. “Fortunately. How about you, Liam? Did you get any sleep?”

“Some.”

“You shouldn’t worry so much. The treatment worked in your world; there’s no reason to think it won’t work here.”

“That’s not it.”

“What, then?”

“Just…some odd dreams.” An alien world…endless expanses of shifting white sand flowing towards the horizon beneath a hot, burning sun. Gnarled, twisting plants with deep-reaching roots, blossoming in the brief rain with a swirl of colours no human eye could detect. Lazy hours spent lying on sun-warmed rocks, watching small lizards hop rhythmically to and fro. And threaded through it all, a pulsing stream of urgency, pushing…

She touched his arm sympathetically. “If the problem persists, let me know. You need more than ‘some’ sleep. You’ve given a lot of blood over the past few weeks; your body needs a chance to recover. In fact, if I’d had a choice, I wouldn’t have used you at all for this.”

“Don’t worry. My Kimera heritage does afford me a few advantages.”

“So you’ve said. I’m curious about that. I’d really like to run a few tests on you. Establish a baseline, in case something happens to you while you’re here.”

Liam laughed.

“What’s so funny?”

“Some things stay the same no matter what universe I’m in.”

“Ah. I suppose you have gone through this before.”

“A few times. But if you want to take yet more blood, go ahead.”

“I think it can wait.” She jerked her chin towards the door. “You can go in if you want to. He won’t wake up until at least this afternoon. I’m going catch a couple of hours of sleep.”

“Thanks, Melissa.”

He turned back to the window, listening to the brisk clicking of Dr. Park’s footsteps as she retreated down the corridor. The room beyond was a sterile, relentless white broken only by the silver bed and the blinking, beeping equipment that surrounded it. In the bed lay the room’s sole occupant, motionless save for the regular rise and fall of his chest. Liam noted with satisfaction that Sandoval was breathing easily, apparently free of the pain that had afflicted him earlier.

His train of thought was interrupted by the sound of soft, shuffling footsteps approaching from behind. He turned, expecting to see one of Park’s aides. Instead, he found a small figure dressed in pale blue pajamas and oversized slippers.

“Ryan. Aren’t you supposed to be in bed?”

The boy froze, dark eyes wide and startled. Slowly, so as not to frighten him further, Liam knelt down so that he was face-to-face with the child.

“Are you here to see your dad?” he asked gently.

The boy nodded solemnly. “He’s sick.”

“I know,” said Liam. “But Dr. Park is going to make him better. Do you know Dr. Park?”

“She was here when I woke up.” Ryan studied him with all the fierce concentration a six-year-old could muster. “You were on the ship with my dad,” he announced.

“That’s right. My name’s Liam. I’m a friend of your dad’s. He and I went up together to get you.”

“You flew the shuttle.”

“I did,” agreed Liam. “I didn’t think you would remember that. Do you like flying?”

“Sometimes.” The boy’s eyes flitted to the door. “Is my dad in there?”

“Yes, he is. Do you want to go inside?”

The boy nodded again. Liam stood and walked over to the door.

“Dr. Park gave him some medicine to make him sleep. He won’t wake up when we go in, okay?”

“Why?”

“Because he needs to sleep so that he can get better. Just like you slept when you first came here.”

“He’ll wake up when he’s better?”

“That’s right.”

“Okay,” said Ryan. Liam pushed the door open, gently ushering the child inside and over to the bed. Ryan stared at his father for a long soundless minute, then reached out slowly to finger the crisp white sheets. Liam touched his shoulder comfortingly.

“What’s wrong with him?”

“He had a problem with his blood,” said Liam. “But Dr. Park fixed it.”

“Did he get sick from being on the ship?”

“No. That had nothing to do with it. He was already a little sick before we went up to the ship.” Liam smiled encouragingly. “He’ll be okay.” Ryan returned the smile shyly, shivering in his thin pajamas. “I think it’s time you went back to your room, kiddo.”

Ryan looked up at him pleadingly. “Can’t I stay here?”

Liam frowned, taking in the boy’s still-ashen skin and sunken eyes. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea, Ryan.”

“Please, Liam?” The appeal showed clearly on his face.

He’s not at all like his father... “All right,” he said reluctantly. “Just for a little while.” He pulled up the room’s lone chair—also white—and sat down, lifting Ryan into his lap. Ryan sat stiffly, eyes fixed on the bed in front of them. Hesitantly, Liam brought up his hand and began lightly stroking the child’s head. After a moment, he felt the boy relax and nestle against him. Quietly, the two settled in for their long vigil.

Dr. Park found herself yawning again as she wandered through the hall towards the barracks. Her mind drifted back to the patient who had kept her up during the night. When we first made that diagnosis, I really thought we were going to lose him. If Liam hadn’t been here…Liam’s right, though. Ron’s not going to be happy about owing his life to someone else. Especially someone’s he’s already indebted to. He’s gotten harder this past year, hiding beneath his shell…

“Melissa!”

Park stopped mid-step and turned in the direction of the voice, waiting for the speaker to catch up to her. “Jonathan.”

“How is he?”

“Better. He responded well to the treatment. He should be completely out of danger in a couple of days.” She thought she caught a flash of relief beneath the habitually grim expression, but Doors was a past master at hiding his feelings. Along with nearly every other person here. she thought. There’s not a lot of room for healthy emotional outlets in an underground resistance movement.

“So Kincaid really is Sandoval’s son,” Doors muttered dourly.

“On a genetic level, yes.”

“And the fact that he’s from another dimension had no effect on the treatment?”

“None that I could find. All the tests came back normal.”

Doors paused as an operative squeezed past them and headed into a nearby room, then asked in a quieter tone, “Did you run the other tests I requested?”

“Yes, I did a full DNA work-up on Liam. His DNA has a triple helix with two human strands and one alien strand. Just as he described.”

“Alien,” said Doors thoughtfully. “Is there any chance that the third strand is Taelon?”

“No. There are a few similarities, but Liam’s DNA contains elements not present in Taelon DNA. It’s much more densely packed than either human or Taelon DNA. Possibly because of the need to encode so many memories.”

And what I wouldn’t give to have access to some of those memories …the level of knowledge needed to produce a hybrid like Liam must have been astounding. The things we could do with that…

Doors glowered. “I thought that the Taelons had genetic knowledge as well.”

“They do. But from what Liam told me, the Kimera are—or were—a much older species than the Taelons. They would have had more time to accumulate a stock of racial knowledge.”

Doors grunted in acknowledgement. “Could the Taelons have modified their own DNA somehow, and then combined it with his?”

“That still wouldn’t explain Liam’s relationship to Sandoval.”

“Sandoval works for the Taelons in their world. If they have a hybrid program…”

“No,” she said confidently, shaking her head. “What we know of Taelon-human hybrids indicates that they mature faster than humans, but not that fast.”

“Could the Taelons have faked the relationship?”

“I really don’t think so, Jonathan. There’s a limit to how much genetic restructuring you perform on an adult Minor changes are sometimes possible, but replacing an entire strand of DNA? There’s just no way.”

“So you’re saying he might actually be telling the truth.”

And that bugs the hell out of you, Jonathan. Why?

“Based on the evidence we have, I’d say that’s likely. He’s not Taelon and he’s not human. What else is left?”

“The Jaridians.”

“Do you really think he’s Jaridian?” she asked dryly, crossing her arms.

“The Taelons have withheld most of their information about the Jaridians from us,” said Doors deliberatively. “We have no way of knowing what they’re capable of.”

“We know they don’t have ID technology,” she pointed out.

“And that they’ve sent probes to Earth which have analyzed our DNA and constructed human-looking replicants.”

“And after Rayna, we screen everyone who comes here for the genetic abnormalities that would indicate the use of replicant technology.”

“I didn’t say that he was a replicant,” said Doors impatiently. “Only that the Jaridians are capable of advanced bioengineering. I’m sure there are other things they can do with it.”

“I did comparison of Liam’s DNA with the sample of Jaridian DNA Julianne sent me. I got the same results as when I ran the comparison with Taelon DNA: there are some similarities, but Liam’s DNA is a lot more complex and includes elements not found in either species.”

“Hmm.” Doors stared into space with a scowl.

“Jonathan…”

“Have you identified the mother?” he interrupted.

She sighed. “Not yet. I’m running it through the medical database, as you asked. If she exists in this universe, we’ll find her.” She rubbed her eyes tiredly and cast a yearning thought towards the soft, warm bed only a few meters away. “What are you going to do with him?”

“Send him back to his own universe as fast as possible.”

“Are you sure? He could be useful.”

Doors shook his head. “It’s too dangerous. He’s too dangerous. He’s still hiding things from us; none of us know what he can do or where his loyalties lie.” His frown deepened. “Has he been to see Beckett yet?”

“Not today, but he was in there yesterday. Do you think he’ll actually manage to win her over?”

“It doesn’t matter,” said Doors flatly. “Even if he does, we have no way of verifying it. We can’t afford the risk.”

“Then why…?”

“Because right now, she’s the only leverage I’ve got over him. What about what we discussed?”

She nodded. “It can be done. But if that’s what we’re going to do, we’d better do it soon. The longer we hold her here, the more suspicious the Taelons will become and the more thoroughly they’ll investigate her disappearance.”

“One more reason we need to get rid of Augur and Kincaid as soon as possible.”

“If that’s what you want, then yes.”

“And you’re sure they won’t figure it out.”

“I can guarantee it.”

“Good. Keep me updated. And Melissa.” He offered a quick, unexpected smile. “Get some rest.”

“What happened? Did you lose a fight with a traffic light?” asked Lili, eyeing Augur’s loud, red-and-amber patterned shirt dubiously.

“Please, no insults. It’s not like there’s a huge selection down here, you know. Coveralls aren’t really my style.”

“So where’d you find that thing?”

“In a box of extra clothing in a storage room.” Augur entered a few commands into the panel in front of him. “Lucky for me, there were a few things that fit. I don’t think Jonathan would be too happy if I started having my purchases delivered to the Liberation hideout.”

Lili bent down and examined the shirt more closely. “I don’t think it was luck.”

“What do you mean?” He caught her expression and looked down at the newfound clothes. “Oh,” he said with sudden comprehension. He swallowed hard.

“Yeah.” She looked away from him, towards the elaborate computer system he had rigged. “What are you working on?”

“Uh, fixing a few security bugs the Resistance has let slide, and monitoring the Taelon channels for any more news on the ship Boone showed us.”

She stepped around him and leaned back casually against the table, arms crossed. “And?”

“Nada on the ship, but security’s looking up. You people really shouldn’t neglect these things. Next thing you know, people will be cracking Resistance files as easily as, oh, the Taelon archives.”

“Well, I’m sure your genius will keep us all safe, Augur,” she said teasingly.

“Count on it.” He sniffed the air appreciatively. “Nice perfume. Is it new? I don’t remember you…” He trailed off and looked down. “Sorry. Old patterns…”

“Right.” She shifted uncomfortably. “So, uh, in your universe, before, were we…?”

“No, no,” he said quickly. “Not that I didn’t…but you weren’t…let’s just say it didn’t work out.”

“How about Liam and I? Was I—my counterpart—involved with him?”

“Liam? Nah, the two of you were just friends. You were sort of like a big sister to him. I mean, you were there when he was born.”

“Yeah, I suppose that would be kind of weird. Not to mention illegal…sort of…” She frowned.

“I’m not sure you can really apply human standards to Liam. At least not consent laws. Wouldn’t exactly be fair to him. Not that he has time to go out much anyway.” He changed tracks abruptly. “So why all the questions? Were you thinking of trying to start something with Liam here?”

“No. I think it’s probably a bad idea to get involved with a guy from another universe.”

He smiled broadly and twisted his chair to face her directly. “Lili, Lili, Lili. Just because an idea’s bad doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pursue it.”

“There’s a limit to how far I’m willing to travel for a date, and breaking dimensional barriers definitely exceeds that limit.” She gave him an odd look. “Why are you encouraging this?”

“I’m not,” he protested. “I’m just saying, Liam’s an attractive man, and it would be…natural if you wanted to pursue something.” He shrugged expressively.

“And you don’t think it might traumatize Liam a little to have his ‘big sister’ make a pass at him?”

“Liam’s a big boy now. I’m sure he’ll recover. He might even enjoy it.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Why not? You don’t find him attractive?”

“It’s not that…” She shook her head in exasperation. “No. I am not going to discuss my personal life with you, and I am not going to pursue a relationship with a year-old alien hybrid from another dimension. God, just saying that makes it sound like a bad science fiction film.”

“Lili, I’m disappointed. I never expected that kind of bias from you.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be working?”

“I’m done with the security. Now it’s just a matter of waiting on more information from the Taelons.

“Like that?” She pointed to a flashing light on one of the screens.

Augur spun around quickly. “That’s it! We’ve got a hit.” He pulled up the message and read it, concern growing on his face. “Lili? I think you’d better call everyone together. Now.”

The room they'd chosen for the meeting was an odd juxtaposition of unfinished gray stone and expensive art. Staring at the Van Gogh on the opposite wall, Liam wondered idly if there'd been a room like this somewhere five years ago, full of somber people debating possibilities and contingency plans as an alien ship drew steadily closer. A little more cigarette smoke and it could play like a scene from "The X-Files": the small, self-selected group secretly negotiating the fate of humanity while the rest of the planet carried on in merry ignorance. Of course, we all know what happened to that group. Sort of. He caught himself rubbing his palm and dropped his hands into his lap.

Boone was doing the best job of projecting an impression of imperturbability--skills developed while pretending to be an implant, Liam surmised. Only his eyes betrayed his trepidation; they were a little too alert, as if he were preparing to spring into action with a moment's notice. Lili was more obviously restless, tapping her fingers on her chair and casting the occasional impatient glare in the direction of Augur, who had made it clear that he wasn't going to say anything until Doors got there. Liam studied the hacker, trying to get some sense of what he had found. All he could discern was a heady mix of fear and excitement. Augur lived for the rush and apparently this was a major one.

Doors arrived at last, perpetual scowl firmly in place, and took his seat at the table. With a last look around the room, Augur dimmed the lights and brought up an image of the red ship.

Liam was struck again by that odd sense of familiarity. He stared at the ship, trying to coax out the memories it summoned. Long discussions in cool, dim caves; firelight flickering on metal as dancers leapt joyously through the dark while two moons looked down from on high; twisting strands of DNA separated so that each element could be examined…a flaw… And the memories slipped away. With a grimace of frustration, Liam returned his attention to Augur.

"Using the passwords supplied by Boone, I managed to hack into the mothership's communications network. It was, I might add, a fairly impressive feat, if I do say so myself. They've really tightened security since this all began. Apparently the Taelons don't want word to spread."

"The point," interrupted Doors.

"The point," said Augur, "is this." He gestured towards the screen.

"We've seen that before," objected Lili.

"No, you saw this one." Another button and the screen split in half, displaying two identical ships moving through distinctly different star fields.

"There's another one," said Boone.

"Actually," said Augur, reaching for the panel, "there are about eleven other ones." The screen split into a dozen small squares, each with its own ship.

"Where are the rest of the ships located?" asked Liam.

"As far as I can tell, they're all heading directly towards different outposts scattered throughout Taelon-controlled territory."

"Why did they choose these particular outposts?" asked Lili.

"I haven't been able to find a pattern. It could be that they're each aiming for the first Taelon outpost they stumbled across. Or the outposts could have some value we don't know about. Either way, this is definitely a coordinated effort. They're all going to arrive at exactly the same time."

"Which is when?" asked Doors.

"In thirteen days."

"Wonderful," said Doors sarcastically. "So we have less than two weeks to decide how to deal with what yet another threat to our planet."

"Or our salvation from the Taelons," said Lili.

Liam looked back to Augur. "Have you managed to find a way to communicate with them?"

Augur shook his head. "The Taelons are monitoring the ships too closely to risk it. However, the ships have been in touch with the Taelons."

"What did they say?" asked Boone.

"The Taelons aren't quite sure," said Augur. "All of the ships have been sending out identical messages, but the Taelons haven't been able to translate them yet."

"Did you download the message?" asked Liam.

"Of course. But translating an alien language isn't exactly like cracking an encrypted file. I haven't had time to…"

"Play it."

"Liam, how many millions of years has it been? Even if the Kimera knew this race, their language has probably changed so much that…"

"Play it."

"All right," said Augur doubtfully. He touched the panel, letting loose a torrent of squeaks, hisses and clicks that bore no resemblance to any language heard on Earth.

"That's a message?" asked Lili dubiously.

Liam closed his eyes. "Again." He listened intently to the clicks and hisses. A bright, burning sun…flashing colours…slow death spreading through the land… The memories clicked into place. He opened his eyes. "That's not the whole message."

"You can understand it?" asked Boone.

"No," said Liam. "Augur's right; the language has changed too much. I'd need a larger sample if I wanted to translate it. But they had a visual component to their language, and this message is missing that."

"This is all I could find," said Augur.

"Who's 'they'?" demanded Doors.

"The Ti'kklak." The name had a harsh, throat-twisting sound.

"The Kimera knew them?" asked Boone.

"Yeah. A Kimera exploration ship discovered their planet and established contact about a century before the Kimera died out." He scanned the room, trying to gauge their reactions. Curiosity, some fear…but not, he noted with relief, directed towards him.

"So it was the Kimera who found the Ti'k…Ti'kklak," said Lili. "Not the other way around."

"Yeah. The Ti'kklak were an old race, but not a technologically advanced one. They certainly didn't have anything like that," Liam nodded towards the screen. "They didn't think that way. They were philosophers and artists, not engineers."

"Apparently they learned," said Doors. "Why are they here?"

Liam looked down, struggling to assemble his perceptions into an order and language comprehensible to the people present. "When the Kimera first encountered the Ti'kklak, they were suffering from a plague that had already wiped out half of the planet's population. The Kimera supplied them with a cure."

"And the Ti'kklak were grateful?" asked Boone.

"More than grateful. The whole Ti'kklak society was built around a complex system of ties and obligations. Honouring their debts is one of the most basic tenets of Ti'kklak society."

"And when the Kimera saved their species, the Ti'kklak incurred the mother of all debts," said Augur.

"Okay," said Lili. "But that still doesn't explain why they're here. There are no Kimera at those outposts. Just Taelons."

"Because there are no Kimera," said Augur.

"Because the Taelons destroyed them," said Boone.

Silence descended for a moment.

"What would the Ti'kklak consider an appropriate response to the annihilation of the race that saved them?" asked Boone slowly.

"You said they were mostly philosophers and artists," said Lili. "Do you really think that they're capable of…?"

A shout of victory; sunlight glinting on a long, curved blade; blood soaking into the hot white sand… He raised his eyes to look at her. "Yes."

"Then this is our chance," said Doors.

"Our chance to do what?" asked Boone.

"Our chance to get rid of the Taelons."

"You can't be serious," said Boone.

"Hold on a minute," said Augur. "We don't even know if these new aliens will be able to take the Taelons. I mean, you heard Liam, they aren't the most technically-adept race around. The Taelons have been fighting Jaridians for millions of years and they're still here. They'll probably blow those ships out of the sky."

"Not if we help them," said Doors.

"Help them?" said Lili.

"We've been studying Taelon technology for five years. We know its capabilities and its weaknesses. All we have to do it find a way to communicate that information to the Ti'kklak."

"No!" said Boone fiercely.

Doors glared at him. "Commander, this is a Resistance movement. Our purpose is to get rid of the Taelons."

"Get rid of them. Not kill them all off."

"We wouldn't be the ones doing the killing," said Doors. "You have to admit, there's a certain justice to be found in the Taelons dying because they exterminated another race."

Lili cocked her head thoughtfully. "He does have a point."

Boone turned on her angrily. "And do you want to be the one to explain to Da'an why we're letting his whole race die? Why we're helping to destroy them?"

"Listen, Will, I like Da'an. But he's the exception. Most of the Taelons couldn't care less whether our race lives or dies, except insofar as it might affect their survival. Why should we be any more concerned about them?"

Time to intervene.

"What makes you think the Ti'kklak would stop with the Taelons?" asked Liam quietly. All four fell silent and looked towards him.

"What do you mean?" demanded Doors.

"The Jaridians are prepared to slaughter us because they believe that we've been contaminated by our contact with the Taelons. What makes you think the Ti'kklak wouldn't do the same?" He paused for a moment. "And more importantly, what makes you think that I would let you destroy the Taelons?"

"I didn't ask for your permission," said Doors coldly.

Liam's smile could have frozen the sun. "You can't do it without me. I'm on the only one who has any chance of figuring out their language in the time available. No language, no communication."

"And what do you think we should do?" asked Lili. "Sit back and wait to see what happens? Warn the Taelons?"

"First, we need to find out if the Ti'kklak really are here to kill the Taelons. To do that, we need to establish a channel of communication."

"We can't do it," insisted Augur. "Not without the Taelons tracing it."

"Even if we do, then what?" asked Lili.

"You're Kimera," said Boone. "If you tell the Ti'kklak to call off their vendetta, will they listen to you?"

Liam sighed. "I don't know," he said, running a hand through his hair. "I'm not sure how much credence they'll give to a Kimera hybrid. For that matter, I'm not sure that anything I've said is applicable here. Everything I know about the Ti'kklak is based on my own dimension."

"So the Ti'kklak might not be coming to destroy the Taelons at all," said Augur. "They could be coming to congratulate them."

"Possibly," admitted Liam. "But I don't think so."

"We need more information before we try to establish contact," said Doors. "If we don't approach them from a position of strength, we'll be inviting another invasion."

"And how do you suggest we manage that?" asked Augur. "Liam's information is unreliable and the Taelons don't have any."

"There is someone else we could ask," said Boone.

"Who?" asked Doors.

"Ha'gel."

"Absolutely not!" exploded Doors.

"Why not?" asked Boone.

"What makes you think Ha'gel even exists in this universe?" asked Lili. "Wouldn't we have found him by now if he were here?"

"I don't know." Boone looked expectantly Liam and Augur. "Would we?"

"Tough call," said Augur. "Ha'gel's capsule was buried beneath the hull of a wreck--not exactly the middle of D.C. An underwater salvage team accidentally stumbled across it while going after the ship. What's the market like here for recovered wrecks?"

"Maybe not as good as on your world," said Boone.

"It doesn't matter!" snarled Doors. "We're not going to free Ha'gel even if he is here. The last thing we need is yet another alien presence on this planet."

"If Ha'gel is here, it's only a matter of time before someone finds him," argued Liam. "Wouldn't you rather have the opportunity to recruit him for the Resistance than leave him wandering the planet unattended?"

"Do you expect me to believe that's really what you're concerned about?" snorted Doors.

"What other concerns do you think I have?" asked Liam acidly.

"You're an alien. So is Ha'gel. Same species. You figure it out."

"Yeah, the two of us are going to team up to take over the planet," said Liam derisively.

"How do you know that won't be what Ha'gel decides to do?" asked Lili. "You may know the Ha'gel of your universe, but as you keep pointing out, things--and people--change between dimensions. Look at Sandoval."

"Oh, Sandoval's still Sandoval," said Augur. "Same rules, just a different team."

"And if Ha'gel decides to play for the other team?"

"If Ha'gel is on Earth, it's because the Taelons sent him here after annihilating his entire race," said Liam. "I don't think he's going to cooperate with them now. And if he does try to take over the planet, I'll kill him myself."

"You said before that Ha'gel wasn't interested in vengeance," said Doors. "If that's true, what makes you think he wouldn't run straight to the Taelons?"

"Because they'll try to kill him as soon as they find out he's free. Along with anyone who tries to help him."

"That's a comforting thought," said Lili.

Liam looked confidently towards Doors, who scowled.

"Assuming I'm crazy enough to go along with this, what are we going to need?"

"An underwater salvage team," said Augur. "And the usual associated equipment."

"That's it?"

"I have to be there when they open the pod," said Liam.

"I'm not sure I want the two of you together."

"We have to be together. Otherwise the Taelons will detect him as soon as you open the pod."

"How?" asked Boone.

"They'll sense his presence in the Commonality."

"Wait a minute, you're saying the Kimera are part of the Commonality?" said Lili. "You're part of the Commonality?"

"Great," muttered Doors. "It's a miracle the Taelons haven't tracked us down already."

Liam shook his head. "I'm not part of the Commonality. The Kimera have a very strong psychic presence; it projects into the Commonality even though they aren't members of it. Releasing Ha'gel will be like tossing a stone in a pond; the ripples will be felt everywhere."

"So why don't they detect you?" asked Boone.

"My human heritage masks me as long as I don't make an effort to link into the Commonality."

"You just said that you're not part of the Commonality," said Doors.

"I'm not dependent on it like the Taelons are, but I can join it if I want to."

"So how are you going to prevent the Taelons from sensing Ha'gel?" asked Boone. "He won't have the benefit of a human heritage."

"No, but I should be able to shield him from detection."

"Should be able to," said Doors. "What happens if you can't?"

Liam leaned forward and offered him the barest hint of a smirk. "Then we're all in trouble."

Boone looked at Doors. "We should start this as soon as possible. We're working with a limited time frame."

"I'm still not convinced that this is the best option," said Doors.

"What other option do we have?" asked Lili. "You're the one who said we need more information."

"I didn't say we should get it by setting another alien loose."

"At the moment we've got three choices," said Augur, counting them off on his fingers. "We can sit and wait to see what happens thirteen days from now. We can try contacting the Ti'kklak directly without any verified information about their culture or purpose and hope that Liam manages to figure out their language before the Taelons catch us. Or we can bring up Ha'gel and see what he can tell us."

"We can also turn over all of this information to Da'an," said Boone.

"And tell him what?" asked Augur. "That the Resistance has a Kimera hybrid stashed away in its hideout?"

"I'll let you know when I've decided," said Doors, rising from his seat.

"Jonathan!" protested Lili, half standing.

He glowered down at her. "Do you have a problem with my leadership, Captain?"

"Only when you let your prejudices get in the way of making the right decision."

"Jonathan," said Liam, "I've always put humanity's interests first. But at the end of the day, I'll do whatever it takes to make sure that both we and the Taelons survive."

"That's what I'm afraid of, Kincaid."

The beep of a global pierced the room.

"Quiet," said Boone automatically, sliding it open. "Boone. Go."

"You're needed on the mothership immediately, Commander."

"What's the problem?"

"Companion protector Siobhan Beckett has vanished."

"On my way."

He slid the global shut and raised his head. "It looks like this conversation is going to have to wait. Captain?"

"Took them long enough to notice she was gone," said Lili. She stood up and grabbed her jacket from the back of her chair. "Let's go."

Boone paused on his way out. "We aren't done, Jonathan."

"We're done when I say we're done, Commander."

"We'll see about that." He nodded towards Liam and Augur, then strode after Lili.

Da'an was waiting with Zo'or, attempting unsuccessfully to soothe his child's impatience with his own calmness.

"This is intolerable," ranted Zo'or. "Companion protectors cannot be permitted to just disappear!"

"I am certain there is an explanation for Lieutenant Beckett's absence," said Da'an.

"Either Lieutenant Beckett has deserted her Companion, or she has in some way been incapacitated. Neither is acceptable."

Da'an looked at Zo'or with concern. "We cannot determine an appropriate course of action until we know what has happened."

"Indeed," said Zo'or frostily. "And where are the protectors who are supposed to uncover this information?"

"We're here, Zo'or," said Samuels, entering the bridge of the mothership. Boone followed closely behind him.

Da'an gazed on his protector with barely disguised relief. "Commander Boone, what have you learned about Lieutenant Beckett's disappearance?"

"I talked to the Volunteers who witnessed Sandoval's escape from the mothership two nights ago. They indicated that the Lieutenant was the one who called them to the shuttle bay."

"Then she has been taken by the Resistance," said Zo'or.

"That doesn't make sense," said Boone evenly. "Why take her and leave the Volunteers?"

"Why take her at all?" asked Samuels. "They have to know that a Companion protector would die before revealing Companion secrets. Our CVIs make it impossible to do otherwise."

"So they do," said Zo'or. He paced around the two protectors. "If you don't believe the Resistance is responsible for the Lieutenant's disappearance, who do you believe is?" He stopped directly in front of Samuels and stared up at him threateningly.

"We're still investigating, Zo'or. We only learned about her disappearance an hour ago, when the U.K. Companion contacted the mothership to ask why she'd been detained."

"Yes," hissed Zo'or. "How did her absence go unnoted for so long?"

"Lieutenant Beckett was on the mothership to investigate a potential security breach," said Samuels. "She informed her Companion that it could be up to a week until she returned. However, she filed her report shortly before disappearing, so we simply assumed that she had finished her investigation and returned to Earth."

"Poor judgment on your part," said Zo'or.

Samuels looked down in a show of subservience. "Yes, Zo'or."

"Then you must rectify this by pursuing an investigation now," said Da'an. "We are counting on you to learn the fate of Lieutenant Beckett as quickly as possible." He watched carefully for Samuels' reaction to his words. Yes, there was definite relief there. And below the relief, resentment. Which should be impossible for an implant. It seems that the healers were correct. The humans have begun to overcome their implants. Intriguing, but potentially dangerous.

"We'll get started immediately, Da'an," said Boone.

"Very well," said Zo'or carelessly. "Report back when you have learned something useful." Da'an marveled again at his child's ability to change his mood so rapidly. Perhaps a side effect of holding such strong emotions within. If only he would release them to the Commonality…Taelons are not designed to contain such emotion. We lack the necessary control, as I fear Zo'or may yet demonstrate.

"Since we have no way of knowing where on the planet she is, we'll split the search, Commander," said Samuels. "I'll upload the search grid to your global. There are a limited number of ways she could have gotten off of the ship. We'll start with those."

"Fine," said Boone. He looked at his Companion. "Da'an, can I speak with you for a moment?"

"Of course," said Da'an. "Excuse us, Zo'or." The Taelon nodded shortly and turned away from them. Da'an led Boone off of the bridge.

"What is it you wish to speak of, Commander?"

"I'm confused about a term I came across while going through the Taelon archives."

Da'an tilted his head curiously. "What is the term?"

"Kimera. I couldn't find any information about what it meant."

Da'an blushed blue and turned abruptly away from him. "Where did you see this word?"

"It was mentioned in a historical document," lied Boone. "Ancient Taelon history."

"Very ancient," agreed Da'an, turning back to him. "The word dates back to our earliest recorded history. It refers to…a great shame of my people. The mention of it is troubling."

"I'm sorry," said Boone. "I didn't mean to upset you, Da'an. But if the word is that old, then surely you have no cause to be ashamed. You can't be held responsible for the actions of your ancestors."

"On the contrary," said Da'an. "The Commonality links us not only across space, but also across time. Even death cannot break a Taelon's bond to the Commonality. All Taelons, living and dead, share a common purpose…and a common responsibility. Is that all, Commander?"

"Yes," said Boone. "Thank you for satisfying my curiosity."

"You had better proceed with the search for Lieutenant Beckett." Da'an turned away from his protector once more to gaze out at the stars, troubling memories running through his mind.

Liam approached the door to his mother's cell with a mixture of anticipation and dread. Doors hadn't given him an explicit deadline, but he knew he was working under a time limit, especially now that Boone had been assigned to look for her. The Resistance couldn't afford to hold a Companion protector prisoner forever; nor could they afford to allow a loyal Companion agent to leave.

Beckett was sitting in her chair facing the door. Liam smiled widely at her, hoping for a favourable response. An expression--confusion?--flickered across her face and vanished, replaced by an implant's stony mask. He sighed inwardly and pulled up the hard wooden chair he'd used before.

"Have you finally decided to interrogate me, Kincaid?" There was no fear in her voice, he noted. Maybe a hint of mockery, but that might have been the accent.

"It wouldn't do any good, would it?" he replied, still smiling. "Your CVI wouldn't let you answer any important questions."

"If you already know that, why do you keep coming back? Why not just kill me, or let me go?"

He dropped the smile and focused on her eyes, broadcasting sincerity with as much intensity as he could. "Maybe the questions I think are important aren't the same as the ones the Taelons think are important."

"And what questions are those?" she asked, meeting his gaze challengingly.

"To start with, the one you didn't answer before." He turned up the intensity a notch further. "At what point does the harm done by the Taelons outweigh the good?"

Beckett looked away abruptly. Satisfied that he was having an effect, Liam leaned back and studied her carefully, watching for clues about what she felt, hints about how to proceed. Comparing her reactions to his memories of those reactions. It was an odd double view, watching her from the outside as his mind fed him memories of how it felt to be her--to sit straight with shoulders back like that, to frown in frustration, to tilt his (her?) head just so. He'd grown somewhat accustomed to the experience while working with Sandoval--had learned not to react when a sudden movement or familiar pose unexpectedly triggered sympathetic muscle reactions and an intuitive, bone-deep understanding of how it felt to stand that way, see that way--but it was still disconcerting. Most of the time, he tried to avoid the experience. Now he embraced it, trying to extract what information he could…and getting very little. Beckett was nearly as inscrutable as the Taelon statue outside of the church.

"Have you ever been to Ireland, Kincaid?" she asked at last. He hesitated. That was not the response he had expected.

"Once," he replied quietly. He couldn't quite stem the sudden rush of sorrow. When she looked up, it was with the shock of comprehension.

"For my funeral."

He nodded silent assent. Beckett studied him with curiosity. He could see her shifting tactics. His answer wasn't what she had been expecting either.

"Why do you associate yourself with these terrorists, Liam?" she asked softly. "Do you really believe they are the best chance at a peaceful solution to the conflict?"

He didn't miss the calculated use of his first name. Obviously perceptiveness could go both ways.

"Why do you think that all Resistance members are necessarily terrorists, Agent Beckett?"

"Why else would they hide underground?"

Liam leaned forward and smiled confidingly. "Because the Taelons have a tendency to take action against anyone who voices dissent, however mild. As you've now seen for yourself."

"And how is Agent Sandoval?" she asked.

"Better," said Liam. "He was found to be suffering from a genetic disorder, but the doctors have managed to repair it."

"Genetics," she said thoughtfully. "Did they use Taelon technology?"

"Yes, they did."

"So the Resistance isn't above using Taelon technology when it's convenient."

"It's not the Taelons' technology we object to; it's how they use it on us."

"You want the benefits without the price."

"I'd be willing to sacrifice the benefits if it meant humanity would survive," said Liam evenly.

"The Taelons aren't trying to kill us, Liam," she insisted.

"But they don't care whether we live or die." She shook her head, unconvinced. Liam cast around helplessly, trying to find the right thing to say, the secret code that would overcome the motivational imperative and restore his mother to him.

"Prove it," she challenged.

"Prove it?"

"You've sat here and told me that the Taelons are monsters who are ruthlessly using humanity for their own benefit and that everything I've seen and heard about them is a lie. Prove it. Show me your evidence."

"What kind of evidence will you accept? You saw what they did to Ryan, you've seen what they do to people who disagree with them. If you don't trust what you've seen with your own eyes, what am I supposed to come up with?"

"I've seen the Taelons defend themselves against people who would undermine them so that the Taelons can continue to help us. Show me proof that they aren't interested in helping us. That they are here solely for themselves."

"Proof," repeated Liam. An idea began to form--inspiration seeping through the cracks of memory. He stood up and deactivated the force field that kept the protector prisoner, then crouched down beside and held up his hand, palm towards her. Beckett's eyes widened as she realized what he was suggesting. Hesitantly, with an almost defiant look, she reached out, matching her palm to his. Then he showed her.

In another universe, Ha'gel had overcome by the motivational imperative by flooding Siobhan Beckett's brain with Kimeran energy, but the process had nearly killed her. Would have killed her if Dr. Park hadn't repaired the CVI shortly afterwards. Liam couldn't repeat that process--couldn't override the implant directly. He had to rely on Beckett's own will for that. What he could do, however, was provide her with the evidence she had asked for. He held back the worst of it, blocking out most of what the Taelons had done to the Kimera, what the Kimera had seen them starting to do to other races, far in the past. Instead, he focused on the things he had borne witness to as protector and resistance leader, on the reports that had trickled to the lair beneath the church, and on what he learned through his own tentative, infrequent probing of the Commonality. She was pale when he was done.

"I'm sorry," he said, pulling back his hand.

"You didn't create the truth," she responded absently, staring into the distance. After a moment, she shivered and seemed to pull herself into focus.

"Liam, my counterpart…did she have any children?"

He hesitated for a moment, and then nodded. "She had a son."

"Good," she said. "Family's important."

"I know," he said.

"I always wanted…but I suppose it doesn't matter now."

"It matters."

She laughed resignedly. "Between my position as a protector and my current status as a prisoner of the Resistance, I don't think my chances for having a family are very good."

"You can't predict the future," he said. "Protector and prisoner could both be temporary phases."

"I shouldn't even be able to think this way," she said. She sprang to her feet and began pacing restlessly around the small room. "What did you do to my CVI?"

"Nothing," he said, watching from beside her chair. "It's all you. The Resistance has tracked signs that, given sufficient time, the brain can overcome the motivational imperative of the CVI."

"That's a frightening thought," she said. She added, "I wanted the CVI, you know."

He nodded.

"I wanted to be a better soldier, to serve them better."

"They don't deserve you," he said. "They don't deserve your loyalty. They'll make Earth into a killing field if they're not stopped."

"Maybe," she agreed bleakly, sitting down again. "I don't know what's right and what's wrong anymore, Liam. You say that they'll harm us and I feel like I should trust you, but I don't know why. Every time I look at you, I feel as if…"

"What?"

"I don't know," she said. "As if I should know you, perhaps. An alien hybrid from another dimension and I feel as if there's a bond between us. If I feel that way, and if I was wrong about the Taelons--I don't know if I can even trust my instincts anymore. One way or another, they've failed me."

"Everything breaks down at some point," he said. "But your counterpart had good instincts and I think you do too."

"Maybe," she said, bowing her head. "I need time to think. If I'm going to die here, I want to die knowing the truth."

"I won't let you die."

She looked up at him and smiled a little. "I know what desperation does, Liam. And I know now how desperate the Resistance is. I chose my own lot when I accepted the CVI."

"It wasn't your fault."

"Fault's irrelevant. It's fate."

"I refuse to accept that."

"We don't always have a choice," she said. "Will you give me some time alone?"

"Of course." He stood up and stretched his stiff legs. "I'll be back later to see how you're doing."

"I'll look forward to it."

He reactivated the force field and walked slowly towards the door. Before leaving, he turned to look at her once more. "I will get you out of here."

"If the fates allow."

He stared a moment longer and left.

The same scene was playing on every channel: the cheering crowd, the stern soldiers, the South American Companion waving gracefully before boarding his shuttle, and the bright, blinding light of a midair explosion. In between viewings, the anchors repeated the same news: everyone on board the shuttle had been killed along with several people in the crowd, the injured were being treated at the Hospital Universitário de Brasília, and the protector service was investigating the incident which was believed to have been caused by a shuttle malfunction. Augur flipped between stations, but nothing new came up. After his sixth useless viewing of the explosion, he turned away in disgust and caught sight of a pensive-looking Liam exiting the hall leading to the containment facilities. Augur waved to him, and Liam came over.

"How'd it go in there with Beckett?"

"I think I may have broken through to her," said Liam.

Augur leaned back in his chair and smiled. "Good for you, kid."

Liam shook his head. "That was the easy part. Now I have to convince one of the most paranoid men on the planet that an implanted Companion protector doesn't pose a threat to his resistance movement."

"And how are you going to do that?"

"I don't know yet." Liam nodded toward the screen in front of Augur, still endlessly replaying the explosion. "What's going on?"

"The South American Companion was killed this morning. Shuttle explosion."

"An accident? Or an attack?"

"They're saying accident for now, but that could just be a cover to keep people calm. One thing I've learned from watching the news--this world is a lot more violent than ours. At least where the Taelons are concerned."

"Violence by the Taelons or violence against the Taelons?"

"Both. I did a little digging into the archives. A couple of years ago, there was a major attack on the Taelons--bigger than the assassination attempt Doors staged in our world. The Taelons responded, the crackdowns led to more violence, and the violence led to more force from the Taelons."

"A self-perpetuating cycle."

"Exactly," agreed Augur.

"Was the first attack a Resistance operation?"

"It's hard to say without knowing the details of how the Resistance operates in this world. But it wouldn't surprise me."

"Why's that?"

"Doors had a little chat with me while you were in with Beckett. He wanted to know what kind of information our Resistance had about Taelon weaknesses. He was particularly interested in any information we had about how to penetrate virtual glass."

"That sounds normal for Doors."

"The questions? Sure. The way he asked them…things work differently here."

Liam smiled wryly. "I've noticed."

"I bet you have. So what's it like?"

"What's what like?"

"Finally getting to know your parents. You've got Sandoval, Beckett, and if we bring up Ha'gel, that'll be all three."

Liam frowned. "I already know my parents, Augur."

"No, you know what they knew," said Augur. "That's not the same as interacting with them."

Liam leaned back against the table, arms crossed. "The people here aren't my parents."

"Maybe not, but they're close. Sandoval's close, and Beckett."

"Yeah," said Liam, an expression of pain flashing across his face. Augur watched him quietly for a moment.

"Have you thought about staying?"

"Staying?"

"Staying here. Permanently."

"You know I can't do that. The dimensional phasing..."

"Only kicked in because Maiya and Isabel were in the same dimension. Maiya was fine once Isabel…once they combined. You don't exist here, so, no phasing."

"I have responsibilities back home."

"What? The Resistance? We got along before you, kid. I'm not saying you're not useful, but we'll get by."

"Not just the Resistance. There's Da'an."

"He hired an amoralist to betray you! What do you owe him?"

"An amoralist you helped," snapped Liam.

Augur glanced down guiltily.

"I'm sorry," Liam sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know you thought you were protecting me. The situation with Da'an is…complicated."

"Is it? Or is that just what you want to think?"

"Are you really that eager to get rid of me, Augur?"

"Of course not. That's not what this is about," said Augur.

"Then what is it about?"

"You're barely a year old. You started working for the Taelons when you were only a couple of days old."

"So?"

"You've lived your whole life for other people. That hasn't exactly given you a lot of opportunities for exploring the lighter side of life. Maybe you should grab this one while you have the chance."

Liam laughed bitterly. "Living underground, surrounded by people who are terrified that I'm going to betray them. Quite the life you've got planned for me, Augur."

"Life's what you make it."

"Not mine. I was made for a purpose."

"To hell with why you were created, Liam. Just because Ha'gel had plans for you doesn't mean you have to follow through with them."

"Yes, I do."

"Why?"

"Because I'm the only one who can."

"No one's indispensable."

Liam smiled sadly. "I'm the last of my kind, Augur. My fate's decided."

"I told you, I don't believe in fate," said Augur. He sighed. "Just think about it, okay?"

"Sure."

"I mean it."

"I'll think about it."

"All right. And speaking of thinking…" he was interrupted by the sound of light, rapid footsteps.

"There you are," said Lili. "I've been looking all over for you."

"What's wrong?" asked Liam, straightening up.

She took a deep breath. "Doors has decided to go after Ha'gel."

Memory was an ocean wrought vast by millions of years, fed deep by thousands of lifetimes gushing into it. Shifting and flowing, it tossed him mercilessly about. He'd long since surrendered himself to the roaring waves, resigned to an endless descent. The inner observer still surfaced occasionally, seeking order in the chaos of the memories that circled round him, but the observer came less and less frequently and in his rare moments of lucidity, he recognized that soon the observer would be consumed and only the ocean would remain.

He'd given up paying attention to the passage of time--an illusion at the best of times and meaningless to one in his position--so he couldn't mark how long it had been when the crack appeared in the pod. Bobbing beneath the ocean, he barely noticed the light that streamed over him for the first time in eight million years. Then a hand extended towards him, and behind it he detected a mind, solid and Kimera-bright. An almost forgotten sense of self-preservation led him to reach out and grasp the waiting hand. For a moment he thought the ocean might overpower the other mind too, but the other was buoyant and held firm. Ha'gel felt his fragmented self rushing towards the new presence. When enough of the whole was present for the mind-matrix to reestablish itself, Ha'gel looked outwards.

Liam walked up to the recovered pod, painfully aware of the alert eyes that tracked his movements and the hands that hovered near barely-holstered weapons. He paused in front of the pod, reaching out to reverently trace the smooth Kimeran characters marking the prison, then slid his hand down to rest lightly on the lever below. Taking a deep breath, he pulled down. The lever moved smoothly, unaffected by time or water, and the pod began to open. Liam ignored the gasp from behind and reached out for the glowing green tentacle that had emerged, thrashing, from the widening crack. He stiffened as he made contact and Ha'gel's mind descended on his with the anticipated, crushing agony.

Fear, sorrow, hate. Green planets bursting outward white in the night sky before coalescing into charred darkness. Children paraded before him, falling and fading, dissipating as they were struck by the energy blasts of Taelon weapons, Taelon servants holding him fast as he was forced to watch. Songmates and soulmates all gone. Eight millions years of loneliness, overwhelming...

The memories precisely echoed those that Liam already carried and for a moment he had to struggle to hold onto his self. Then long nights of experience fighting back the nightmares came to his aid, restoring his equilibrium. He felt Ha'gel beginning to emerge from the morass, drawing on Liam's strength to tame the memories that had threatened to drown him. Long minutes passed marked only by the sound of Liam's steady breathing, and then a silent query surfaced. Liam opened himself to Ha'gel, allowing the Kimera access to his understanding of the situation. The examination was brief and then Liam felt Ha'gel begin to transform. Still holding Liam's hand, the last of the Kimera arose from his prison.

"Thank you for freeing me," said Ha'gel, looking past Liam to the audience behind. His voice was oddly textured, deeper than a Taelon voice, but still clearly inhuman.

"Do you know why we did it?" asked Boone.

"Yes. Liam has explained the situation to me. I will assist you in establishing contact with the Ti'kklak."

Lili stepped forward cautiously. "Do the Taelons know you're free?"

"No," said Ha'gel. He favoured her with a warm smile. "Liam is shielding me from detection."

"Then we need to get you out of here as quickly as possible," said Boone.

"Certainly," agreed Ha'gel. "I must meet with Jonathan Doors."

Doors stared across the room to where Ha'gel stood chatting with Liam and Augur. "What do you think?" he asked in a low voice.

"He's a master manipulator," said Boone. "He knows how to act to get people to respond positively. Look at the form he's taken. That wasn't how he looked when we first saw him."

"It's a façade, like the Taelons use?"

"Better than the Taelons," said Lili. "More human."

"He still looks like an alien to me," said Doors grimly.

"An alien…or a god," said Boone, gazing at the white nimbus that surrounded the Kimera. He crossed his arms in a warding gesture.

"And you think that's intentional," stated Doors.

"Absolutely," agreed Boone. "He knows what he's doing."

"You don't trust him," said Lili.

"No," said Boone. "But I trust Kincaid. He was in Ha'gel's mind. If he believes that Ha'gel is genuinely willing to help us, then I'll accept his word."

"Kincaid was created by Ha'gel," observed Doors skeptically.

"You should know better than anyone that children don't always follow in their parents' footsteps," said Lili.

Doors scowled at her, then turned away and strode across the room. Boone and Lili exchanged a look and followed.

"Ha'gel, I'm Jonathan Doors."

The Kimera inclined his head regally. "Mr. Doors. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"I doubt that," said Doors dryly. "I've been told you know why we brought you here, and that you're willing to help. What I want to know is exactly what you need to contact these aliens, and what you plan on telling them once you do."

"I need to see them," said Ha'gel. "I imagine a spacecraft of some sort will be necessary for that; probably a Taelon shuttle. As for what I will say to them-that will depend on why they're here."

"We have a theory about that," said Boone.

"I know," said Ha'gel. "I believe your theory is plausible, but I would like to hear it from the Ti'kklak themselves."

"And if we're correct?" said Boone. "What then?"

"I will attempt to persuade them that their actions are misguided."

"You won't help them destroy the Taelons?" asked Lili.

"No."

"Why not?" asked Doors. "They wiped out your entire species."

"Revenge is not our way," said Ha'gel serenely.

"You don't feel the desire for it?" asked Boone. "Or you don't practice it?"

"Revenge is not a Kimera impulse," said Liam.

"You're saying that you've never wanted revenge?" asked Lili skeptically.

"I'm not entirely Kimera."

"What happens if your efforts at persuasion fail?" asked Doors. "What will you do if they decide to destroy our planet?"

"I don't know," said Ha'gel. "That will depend on the precise nature of their response."

"That's unacceptable," said Doors.

"It's our only chance," said Liam firmly.

Doors glared at him. Liam met the angry gaze steadily. After a moment, Doors looked away and sighed. "All right," he said reluctantly. He turned to Lili. "Can you get a shuttle?"

"Gaining access to a shuttle isn't a problem," she said. "The trick is going to be getting off-planet. The Taelons changed the encryption on the navigational block after the Paul's trip. I don't think even Augur is good enough to crack those codes now…at least not in the time we have available."

"Augur?" said Boone.

"As much as I hate to say it, she's right," admitted Augur. "I took a look at the navigation system earlier. There's no way I can break that block in time."

"Then we need to get help from someone who has deep-space authorization," said Liam.

"Only the Taelons have that kind of authorization," said Doors. "Are you suggesting that we just go ask the first Taelon we meet to help us steal a shuttle in order to facilitate a meeting between their mortal enemies?"

"Not the first Taelon we meet," said Liam. "One particular Taelon."

"No," said Lili.

"Liam, this isn't the Da'an you know," said Augur. "He's completely different here."

"Not completely different," said Liam thoughtfully, "or the Taelons would dominate earth far more than they do." He looked around. "On our last trip to a parallel universe, it was Da'an who helped us to return home. I think he's our best shot here."

"And what if he's not? What if he turns us in?" asked Lili. "The whole thing fails, and we lose an operative."

"I'll ask him myself," said Liam. "That way, if something goes wrong, you won't lose anyone valuable to the Resistance. None of my knowledge if verifiable."

"Except for the location of our main hideout," said Doors darkly.

"Kincaid's right," said Boone. "We need a Taelon to pull this off and Da'an is the best candidate."

"What makes you think Da'an will help us?" asked Lili.

"I asked Da'an about the Kimera. He seemed…ashamed of what the Taelons had done. And he was very interested in Liam after their encounter on the mothership."

"Probably wants to dissect him," said Augur.

"I don't think so," said Boone.

"What do you think?" Doors asked, looking at Ha'gel. "If we bring the Taelons into this, you're at as much risk as we are."

"Perhaps more," said Ha'gel. "But Da'an did act to protect Liam from detection in his universe. If it is indeed the only way, then I believe it is worth the risk. I would advise against informing Da'an of my presence, however, until after we have secured the shuttle. That way, if he does act to betray us, I'll be able to talk to the Ti'kklak before the Taelons kill me."

"All right," said Boone. "We can talk to Da'an tomorrow."

"I still don't like it," said Lili.

"Lili gets the shuttle," said Doors. "Kincaid talks to Da'an. Boone, you stand ready to get him out of there if things go wrong."

"Yeah," agreed Boone.

Doors looked dourly at Liam and Ha'gel. "I'd better not regret this."

Liam examined the door critically, taking in the grey metallic paint, chipped a little around the edges, and the general wear-and-tear. Poor upkeep, he thought. Observing, not disapproving. It was a sturdy door. Solid. His eyes strayed to the doorknob, where his hand rested lightly. He stared at it as if it belonged to someone else. Last chance, he told himself. He wasn't quite sure what he hoped to gain from this conversation. The man on the other side was not, despite all appearances, his father. He was a might-have-been; a shadow of sorts. There are, Liam reminded himself sternly, no magic words. And even if there had been, it was unfair to expect this man to know them. That's not what I want. I just want insight. The more I know about the man, the more effectively I can resist him in my world. He straightened his shoulders and turned the knob.

Sandoval lay in the bed, still pale, but alert. His eyes flickered from the ceiling to Liam as he heard the quiet creak of the door. Liam stepped inside.

"How are you doing?"

"I'll be well in no time," replied Sandoval, pulling himself up. He leaned back against the pillow casually, as if sitting hadn't required a major effort. "I've been getting reports from Captain Marquette. It sounds like you've been busy."

"A little," agreed Liam. He pulled up the straight-backed chair beside the bed and crouched on the edge, bringing himself down to eye level with Sandoval. "I think Jonathan Doors would be happier if I'd been a little less industrious."

Sandoval's mouth twisted in a half-smile. "Jonathan would be happier if you and the Taelons had never shown up here."

"We can't always get what we want."

"But sometimes we do," said Sandoval. He reached back and adjusted his pillow. "It must be a little odd, seeing your father again."

"Seeing both of my fathers," corrected Liam.

"Of course," said Sandoval without inflection.

"This has to be uncomfortable for you, too," said Liam carefully, watching him. "It was a lot easier when I did it anonymously."

"Uncomfortable is a good word. So is unexpected. And impossible."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't waste time feeling sorry for things you can't help," replied Sandoval, waving away the apology. "Besides, if you hadn't shown up, I'd be dead. And Ryan might be too. I think our lives are worth a little discomfort."

Liam smiled and settled back in the chair.

"I heard from Melissa that you've been watching out for him," Sandoval continued.

"He's a great kid."

"Yes, he is," said Sandoval. "Thank you. This has been hard on him."

"I'm glad I can help him," said Liam. "I've enjoyed getting to know him. Getting to know both of you."

"The way you'd like to know my counterpart?"

"It's not something I ever considered," said Liam honestly. "I knew from before I was born that it was impossible."

"Before…" mused Sandoval, glancing down. His hand traced a pattern on the thin blanket. "How much of my life do you remember?"

"Bits and pieces," replied Liam cautiously. "Most of my knowledge is implicit, but sometimes memories surface. Usually they're prompted by the situation."

Dark, inscrutable eyes caught his. "It's odd to think that someone who I only met a few days ago knows me so well."

"Not you, necessarily," said Liam, holding the gaze. "You made different choices, after all. Chose a different path. I don't really know how much of my knowledge applies to you."

"Enough to get under my skin when you want to," said Sandoval dryly.

Liam laughed, a little harshly, and looked away. "I've had a lot of practice."

Sandoval raised a brow. "Intentionally setting out to irritate me can be a dangerous proposition, Kincaid."

"Not as dangerous as giving the other Sandoval time to think about who I really am."

"You think he'd turn you over to the Taelons if he knew."

Liam rubbed his palm absently. "I don't think his CVI would give him any choice."

"This from the man who believes he can override Beckett's implant?"

Liam shrugged. "I wouldn't have tried it if she weren't already in Resistance custody," he said lightly

"Why make the effort at all?"

"She's a good person. She doesn't deserve to die for doing her duty."

Sandoval began coughing. "Her duty was to betray humanity," he said hoarsely.

"She didn't know that when she accepted the CVI," replied Liam. He leaned forward and handed Sandoval a glass of water from the nightstand. "I should let you get some rest," he said, standing. He started towards the door.

"Liam," called Sandoval. Liam paused in the doorway and half-turned. Sandoval looked at him for a moment.

"I'm proud of you."

Liam smiled shyly and nodded. The door clicked gently behind him.

His internal clock placed it at around 3 am. With a muffled groan, Liam opened his eyes to see what had awoken him. A small figure stood shivering in the dark beside him, tears gleaming on his cheeks.

"Ryan," said Liam, pushing himself up on one arm. "What's wrong?"

The boy shuddered. "I was dreaming."

"Yeah? Was it a bad dream?"

Ryan nodded.

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

"I was back on the ship," he said softly. "The Taelons were there. They were doing things to me…it hurt. I'm scared of them, Liam."

"I know," said Liam. He sat up and pulled the boy into his arms. "I won't let them take you back there."

"They're bad," said Ryan, burying his head in Liam's shoulder.

"Some of them," agreed Liam. "And some of them aren't. Just like humans."

Ryan shook his head rebelliously. "I don't like the Taelons."

"Maybe someday you'll get a chance to meet some nicer ones."

"I don't want to."

"Okay," said Liam soothingly. He rubbed Ryan's back gently. "Then you can stay here on Earth."

"What if they come back for me?"

"I won't let anything happen to you."

Ryan was a silent for a moment.

"Liam? Are you a Taelon?"

Liam tensed. He'd wondered if Ryan would remember. He forced himself to relax. "I'm a little bit Taelon, Ryan. And a little human, and a bunch of other things as well."

"But you fought them."

"I wanted to help you, and I had to fight to do that. Not all aliens are bad, Ryan."

Ryan lifted his head. "Can I stay here with you tonight?"

"Sure," said Liam. He released the boy and lifted the blankets in invitation. Ryan crawled in and curled up beside him on the narrow bed. Liam rested a hand protectively on the child's shoulder, and hoped he wouldn't have any nightmares of his own.

"Commander Boone," greeted Ha'gel. He rose from the computer terminal, shifting from energy-blue to solid-white. "You're up early."

"Do you ever sleep?" asked Boone sourly, striding towards the kitchen.

"I have no need of sleep." Ha'gel turned and watched him.

"Lucky you," said Boone, filling the coffeemaker. "I notice that Kincaid does."

"He is two-thirds human," replied Ha'gel. "And at the moment, his human physiology dominates."

"At the moment?" said Boone inquisitively, turning.

"We are shape shifters by nature," said Ha'gel. "Our physiology is subject to change."

"Does Kincaid know that?"

"On some level," said Ha'gel. "He possesses all of my alternate's knowledge, after all. I do not think that fact is accessible at the moment, however. And you, Commander? Why are you not still asleep?"

"Condor was restless," said Boone, gesturing with his skrill. "So I don't get to sleep either."

"Ah yes," said Ha'gel. "Liam told me of those. An interesting innovation by the Taelons."

"If you say so," said Boone, focusing on the coffeepot. "Manipulating another species for their own purpose struck me as a bit unethical."

"In doing so, they achieved greater harmony and integration between their two races. And with yours."

"At the cost of the independence and self-determination of the skrills."

"I've noticed that humans greatly value independence," said Ha'gel. "Even Liam. Perhaps because he cannot freely access the Taelon Commonality without risking detection."

"Perhaps your alternate's work wasn't as well done as you'd like." Boone tapped his fingers impatiently on the counter and glared at the coffeemaker.

"Does your implant not reduce the amount of sleep you require?" asked Ha'gel.

"It does," sighed Boone. "But it doesn't make waking up any easier." He grabbed a mug from the cupboard and set it down.

"Interesting," said Ha'gel.

"So tell me," said Boone, turning to face the Kimera, "doesn't it bother you to be helping the race that destroyed yours?"

Ha'gel looked at him seriously. "It was the Kimera who created the Taelons, and in doing so sowed the seeds of our own destruction. We are as responsible for our fate as the Taelons. And as long as I exist, the Kimera have not been destroyed."

"In this universe," agreed Boone. "But in Augur and Kincaid's universe, you're dead. All of the Kimera are dead."

"Except for Liam," said Ha'gel. The faint white glow surrounding him fluctuated.

"Right," said Boone. He poured the coffee and reached for the milk. "That's a lot for one person to carry."

"I believe that Liam is capable of handling it," said Ha'gel. "My counterpart did a good job with him."

"Yes, he did." Boone moved back to the computer and leaned against the desk, sipping his coffee. "Have you talked to Liam since you got here? You're the only living Kimera he's ever likely to meet. I think he might like a chance to discuss his heritage."

"Liam will receive sufficient guidance towards his destiny."

"Destiny?" asked Boone skeptically.

Ha'gel smiled. "Everything happens for a reason, Commander. Including our meeting." The white glow grew brighter, encompassing them both as Ha'gel reached out. The carpet muffled the clatter as the mug fell to the ground, coffee splashing brown on the ground.

To be continued...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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