Point Of No Return
He sat there, quietly, contemplating life. Or so it seemed. To the casual observer, he was there, like countless others, to admire the beauty of the caves. However, he was not "like the countless others". He was different -- unique. For he had a CVI and a skrill. He was a companion protector --the companion protector. He was Agent Ronald Sandoval, Protector to Zo'or, Head of synod.
Sandoval had learnt to appreciate the beauty and complexity of the caves after Siobhan's death. The caves provided him with sanctuary. The oxide in the caves shielded him from scans. That gave him some extent to privacy. For the first time since he became an implant, he felt a semblance of peace. It was perfect.
The peace in the cave was a stark contrast to the raging war that was taking part in his mind and soul. When he saw Siobhan die, he felt his whole world crashing down on him. He lost his focus and so he came here -- to find his balance again.
There were numerous questions in his mind and nameless emotions. Why was Kincaid there? How did he find her in the first place? From day one Major Liam Kincaid had been an enigma -- one that Sandoval was determined to unravel.
Sandoval closed his eyes and let out a small sigh. So much had changed. First his reassignment to Zo'or then Boone's death and now this.
He allowed his CVI to access all the images and memories of Siobhan Beckette. The images were so vivid that for that moment, he let himself believe that she was real. That she was standing beside him, so close that he could smell her perfume.
His eyes snapped open and he forced those images and feelings out of his mind. He was here to make an important decision. One that involved the fate of both humanity and Taelons.
He was no longer controlled by the motivational imperative, that much he knew. That was the crux of the matter. He now had free will, what was he intending to do with it?
Should he tell the world about the atrocities that the Taelons had him commit? The countless experiments carried out on human beings? Or should he stay on with the Taelons serving as Zo'or's protector. What should he do?
The Taelons were not all that bad. There were those that shared Da'an's sentiments. There were those that balked at the idea of enslaving humanity. The Taelons were very much like humans. Some had good intentions and there were those who simply saw humans as inferior.
He could not join the Resistance. He did not want to drive the Taelons away from Earth. They would never trust him enough to take him in. Like he told Boone, the fate of humans and taelons alike were intertwined. Besides there was also the impending Jaridian attack to think about. Humanity could not stand a chance with the Jaridians without Taelon technology. Besides, humanity could learn so much from the Tealons. He knew that humans had great potential and the Companions were the key to unlocking the many great mysteries of the universe. He would not let this chance for humanity to better improve themselves be taken away by a group of people that refused to trust anything. The Resistance just could not understand the importance of the Taelons.
The motives of the Taelons were pure. They wanted to survive. It was only natural. However, could you use that line of reasoning to justify the horrendous acts performed on innocent humans?
What should he do? He knew more than anyone that the world was not as simple as white and black. The line dividing good and evil had blurred so much so that it was difficult to distinguish the two.
He silently contemplated his previous actions and his future. Weighing the pros and cons, Ronald Sandoval came to a decision. First and foremost, he was a human and he would do anything to ensure the survival of his species. His position as head protector was prefect for keeping track of what was going on - primarily Zo'or's plan for humanity.
He had passed the point of no return. What he had done, humanity cannot forgive. He had come this far. It was too late to go back. The resistance labelled him as a traitor yet here he was vowing to protect his people as best he can in his own way. How ironic.
But that was what life was all about wasn't it? One big irony.