PAGE CREATED: February 12, 2000
LAST UPDATED: July 4, 2000
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But they never even got down the hall or a chance to open the vortex to Pern, because Rogar burst out of his quarters and yelled, ?Wait, Robin! I don?t think you should go back to Pern, not right now, at least.?
Robin turned around. His eyes flashed, ?Rogar? What are you saying??
?It would not be pertinent to go back down to Pern, since things are developing...? Robin walked back down the hallway to the central cavern where Rogar was; the others had already departed. ?I think it is time that I cleared the air, since I no longer have the rights to Stasha,? Rogar smiled at Stasha, who glowered at him while Robin just watched as Rogar walked around the table.
?So what, Rogar??
?I think this will be a lesson for all,? and he snickered, ?Don?t you know why you can?t go back??
?No!? Robin?s voice trembled, as he felt something was about to surface.
?And it all has to do with you, me, and Stasha, and that little tiff we had earlier?? he trailed off.
?So, it was you who started this, and you who left me to die,? said Robin, ?And I was?? he stopped. Stasha watched as Robin glanced from her to Rogar.
?Don?t blame me, Robin. I was only following the timeline; you know that, I was doing my job, what were you doing. We know what is and what will be, that is the Way,? Rogar looked indignant. ?That is the way of our people,? he smiled, staring at robin and then moving to Stasha. ?We are the Watchers! We are not the sniveling cowards who run away and try to forget that there is a job to be done.?
?But, aren?t we supposed to watch and protect these people? That is the Way, Rogar. It isn't just a matter of what the timeline is, it's the people of Pern who we are to protect. There is no excuse for the fact that you went on a murderous rampage, sacked holds, rape women, and tried to over throw Pernese order,? stated Robin. "We are the ones to make sure that these people survive, because our own people didn't."
?Well, I don?t think that that is the point, Robin, besides what?s it to you whether I did my job or not? Jaris is the one to tell me if there was a problem or not.?
Stasha watched as Robin spoke directly to Rogar, ?It is important, Rogar, to me, Stasha, and all of us. Remember, what we are to do??? he trailed off.
?Excuse me, excuse me, but I have to say something. I am not the only one who has supposedly broken the rules. You, you, Robin have broken the rules?as well??
?Wh..what?? Robin stuttered.
?As I pointed out before you were the one that ran from the fight.?
?What? No! You?re a liar, Rogar.?
?Oh, Robin, don?t you recall how you left Crom after the fight, because you were too cowardly to admit that you lost and return to fight. See, after I ?killed? you, I left, because I thought that ?Lord Ardrich? was dead, but what I didn?t realize was that ?Lord Ardrich? wasn?t dead, so I left to continue my business.
"You after having some drudge find you and help dress your wounds and allow you a place to stay while you heal decide that you couldn?t handle me, so you ran, you ran away and hide in the lower hold of Crom, to avoid the job that you failed to do. Robin looked disgusted. ?I don't care what job you had, Robin, but you were supposed to finish it and you didn't, and that leads me to the next order of business, that of your family after you left."
Robin stared at Rogar. ?You see, Robin, first, Jaxom is not my son. Gemma (Stasha) was pregnant before I took her, but I claimed it was my own?as I couldn?t produce my own male heir, I had to rely on you for that one, so, Jaxom became mine?? Rogar smiled a devilish smile. A breeze suddenly blew through the cavern as a vortex opened and out popped Jaris, Jaxom, and?Piemur.
?Hello there everyone,? Jaris said. ? I hope that we haven?t interrupted anything,? he laughed sardonically.
?Oh no, Jaris. We, Robin and I, were just talking about our little tiff back before Thread returned.?
?Oh! Well, Rogar I thought that might happen so I just ran into a couple of people and realized that they might be able to help .?
?Well, Jaris, I think that I?ll fill these young lads on the story of their father.
"You see, boys,? Rogar smirked at Jaxom who only stared back, roughly. Piemur, who stared around at the walls and tapestries didn't notice what was transpired.
?Wait!? Jaxom blurted out, ?I have something to said before the truth comes out. That I knew of something well before this... my mind was filled with thoughts of my father, Fax, but I couldn?t see how I was related, there was more to my history. Not only that, but I had had a dream about Fax, he was singing to me, though I was in my bed, I still felt that there was a connection. It was only sometime later that I realized that in the dream Fax turned into the MasterHarper. This weight down my thoughts even more, and I wanted to know about my father and since my mother was dead...? he trailed off.
Jaxom looked at Stasha for a moment, ?Since she was gone I tried to find Lord Lytol for some answers, who after I discovered him in the library, but it wasn't Lytol, I then realized that something was going on.
?As I entered the library, I heard his voice talking about a man named Robin who really was my father...
?But, I thought Fax was my father. It didn?t make sense, so I asked, I had to know the truth and why Lytol was really Jaris, as I could see that Lytol no longer looked like Lytol, but a younger and taller man, with brown hair, where Lytol had greying.
?That?s why I found Jaris here, because he was the one whose mind was fuller than anyone else?s, and I asked him if he knew my real father. He grinned and said, ?So, you know that I know the truth about your father, well do you want to know the truth??
?Well, Jaxom, Rogar will now tell you a story,? said Jaris sniggering softly.
?Jaxom...Piemur,? Piemur stood at attention for the first time and watched Rogar, with his eyes glancing at Robin. ?The reason why you are here is, because you are descendants of the race known as the ?Watchers,?[*]? and this is your father, Robin, also know as Admiral Benden, Lord Ardrich, and MasterHarper Robinton. You see, Jaxom, I, who was Fax on Pern took Lady Gemma of Crom from her husband Lord Ardrich. I tried to kill him, and take Lady Gemma, but I didn?t know that she was already pregnant with you, Jaxom, by Ardrich. Well, she died giving birth to you and I was killed, while Ardrich who was left for dead was taken by a drudge to safety and allowed to heal.
"After he was healed, he failed at he job and went against the timeline and left the drudge to set up with a weaver as an apprentice and he fell in love with his daughter. From that marriage Piemur, you were born.? Piemur smiled at the idea, he knew that somehow he was connected with the MasterHarper.
The young men were quiet, but in a way satisfied, ?Well, if you are our father, who is our mother??
Robin spoke for the first time, ?Piemur, you know your mother, for she is the one who out lived me, but Jaxom, your mother, the Lady Gemma, is Stasha here,? as Robin put his arm around her and pushed her forward to Jaxom.
?My son?? she babbled querulously, not realizing what was happening.
?Mother?? and Jaxom started to cry.
?Oh, Jaxom, don?t?? and she put her arms around him and let him cry, as she cried.
?Sorry, to break up a family moment, but I have one last accusation against, Robin.? Everyone looked at Rogar and then at Robin.
?What now, Rogar, can?t we just leave it rest and get on with our lives?? asked Stasha.
?Don?t you want to know how Robin was Lord Ardrich and the MasterHarper of Pern if they both were alive at the same point, because they were.? Everyone stopped; they stared at Robin, eyes wide, the truth was exposed. ?To make it clear, Robin has violated another law, that of living two lives at once.?
?Oh now what, Rogar. Would you just give it up? You had your fun torment Robin and his sons, just leave them alone,? Jaris said plainly.
?No, I won?t. I won?t leave it alone, because Robin changed the history and no one even knows, except Robin, himself.? ?Well, how do you know, Rogar?? asked Jaxom, ?if nobody else knows that this change occurred.?
?Because, I was given the foresight that Robin had two choices??
?Wait!? someone shouted.
?He broke the law,? screamed Rogar.
?I did not,? countered Robin, whose eyes were blazing dark grey, now.
?Yes, Robin, you did. You messed with the timeline, more than I could?ve, because you let Robinton live,? Rogar was furious now, with force in his words, ?He wasn?t supposed to live.?
Wait! Can?t I say something?? asked Jaxom.
?No!? Robin stated exasperated.
?Wait, Jaxom,? Rogar said calmly, ?Let me finish.? Jaxom looked dejected, but back down out of consideration.
?Well, Robin?? asked Rogar.
?I didn?t mess with the timeline, instead, wait, instead I was given two choices, as Rogar said before. Rogar, you can?t deny that we are given prior knowledge to the future, and you were also given two choices about that little tiff in Crom. Correct.? Rogar nodded slowly, ready to protest.
?No, I can?t deny it, but you saved his life, but he wasn?t supposed live, then how can you claim you did right??
?But, Rogar all I did was follow the timeline, just as you did with Fax,? and Robin grinned, Rogar shifted uneasily in his chair. "I saw two choices for Robinton, how was I supposed to know which was right..."
?That?s not the point!?
?Your right, that is not the point! The point is that I didn?t break the law. You see, because I saw Robinton die at Ruatha, and because I knew about the future of Pern and this man, which one was right? Could I choose Pern or the man, I didn't know. So, I took his body to where it would have been disposed of and there I switched his for mine. I took his memories and made them my own. I then switched clothes and became MasterHarper Robinton. I left it up to time to tell me if by choosing Robinton's life or Pern's was the right one.
"My point in all of this, Rogar, is that my job is top protect Pern,? Jaxom stared at his father, eyes welling up in tears, ?If Robinton died, then, well, Pern would be lost under the control of Fax. That was what I saw with the death a Robinton. Maybe without Robinton, Pern could've found the strength in Jaxom or F'lar or whoever, but I couldn't take the chance that any of those would fail Pern." Jaxom and Piemur both looked a little dejected at this.
?I couldn?t fight you as Ardrich, so I thought I?d fight you as Robinton, where it would be a fair fight, mind to mind.?
?Robin is right, Rogar,? chimed Jaris, ?And I think we really should get back to our lives,? as Jaris got up and walked past Jaxom, whom he patted on the shoulder, ?Remember, you should go back to Pern, where you are needed.? Jaxom nodded, ?same to you, Piemur.?
?But, I just found the MasterHarper and my father,? he cried piteously.
?Your place is on Pern, with your brother, Jaxom, trust me, Piemur, that is where you belong.?
?But?? Piemur muttered.
?No, trust me,? and Jaris? eyes twinkled merrily. ?But, Jaxom, you will take your place among us at your time.?
?Yes, Sir, Lord Lytol,? and it was his turn to smile now.
?But, why does Jaxom get to stay?? asked Piemur.
?Because, Piemur, he is a true Blood of the Watchers and that is his place,? said Jaris softly, ?Don?t worry, you?ll see Jaxom again, back on Pern, as well as you father, since you know what he looks like, you?ll be able to spot him when he?s on Pern again in the future?? Jaris replied.
Piemur was quiet; everyone sat still, as Jaris coughed slightly and walked onward down the hall to his quarters. ?Well, I guess that?s it,? said Jaxom. ?Maybe it?s time to go home,? he walked over to Robin and stared at him, smiling, ?Thank you,? and he hugged him hard.
Piemur ran over to Robin and Jaxom, arms wide. Stasha joined in the group hug. ?I love you, Father.? Tears were spilling down the youthful face, ?I?ll be waiting to talk to you again, and have a real conversation.?
?And I cannot wait, dear boy,? tears flowed down Robin?s cheek, ?now why don?t you head back, I?ll catch up later, when I can,? and he winked. ?And you take care of Piemur, got it.?
?Yes, Sir!? He smiled as he pulled Piemur towards the hallway they had come from. Suddenly a vortex opened and the young men disappeared through it.
Now there was only three. Rogar huffed about the cavern, ?I won?t take it that badly, Rogar, it was only a small tiff away.? Rogar huffed and stomped off down the hallway, towards his quarters, ?Well, Stasha, I suggest you stay away from Rogar for a while.?
She winked at him and they walked down the hallway, past Rogar?s door, they heard shouts, but they ignored, as they continued onwards to their quarters.
*=The Watchers are refered to my story titled "Divide and Conquer" more will be writtened about them at a later date.
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I am very fond of the stories of Ann McCaffrey. This story was writtned recently and follows the story "Pern-An Alternate History."
PAGE CREATED: February 12, 2000
LAST UPDATED: July 4, 2000
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© 2000 dragonstar14@hotmail.com
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