AN: Here I go...here there be heavy theory territory! I thank TheTesseractSeraph for pointing out theShion/Canaan connection theory to me(go check out her fic; As The Gunslinger Followed). Several discussions with her, and I finally got my act together for what probably is the first Canaan/Shion fic on this site (which is one of my personal favorites for alternate pairings).

The background for this story is mainly going to be set around Xenosaga Pied Piper, pre-Episode I, and Episode II, (not to mention the connection theory between Shion and Canaan). As usual, some minor spoiler warnings for Episode II...as for Pied Piper, if you want any info on that (it was a cellphone game released only in Japan) send me an e-mail and I'll tell you what I know. As for the character of Canaan, he's not much of a spoiler spoiler, information was released on him prior to the JP release of Episode II (so no worries on that front!)


TC 4667: Ancestor

86 years prior to the Miltian Conflict

Exhaustion crashed into him like a tidal wave, his body refusing to obey his mind's orders. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get up…blood matted his silver locks, staining his uniform black.

The minute I step in the lab, I'm dead meat… He thought wryly. They'll probably tie me down inside the bio-tank and keep me there until there's not a single scratch left. Lavender eyes narrowed in frustration. Jan…where are you?! Body shuddering, he coughed violently, hacking up blood that was collecting in his lungs.

"Need to…call…for backup…" He wheezed, a blood-stained hand reaching out and gripping the edge of a chair. "Get…help for Jan…" Another coughing fit came over as he pulled himself up to his knees and he clapped a hand over his mouth, his lifeforce seeping in-between his fingers. Behind him, a white-robed figure materialized out of nowhere.

"I thought I got rid of you, Lactis." A calm voice remarked. "You Realians really are quite hardy." Lactis's eyes narrowed and he used the chair to pull himself to his feet, turning around.

"You bastard." He spat out, loathing in his eyes. "I hope Jan kills you!" A sphere of red energy slammed into him and he was sent flying backwards, crashing through glass and out into the hallway.

"I thought you robots weren't supposed to show any emotion."

"I'm not a robot!" The Realian snarled, pushing himself up. "And I have more emotion than you…you cold-hearted monster!"

"The tin man has a heart, hmm?" Boots crunched on glass, coming to a stop not too far away from his position. "It's worthless…just like you and your kind are." The silver-haired Realian would haveshot back a reply, but the blood loss was starting to kick in, he wasn't going to make it…his head slowly fell onto the floor, his eyes closing, and a low moan escaping his lips.

"Ah, ahhh…"

Protect...him... The strained mental whisper had the Realian's eyes flying open.

...! Who is it? He thought.

Voyager can no longer be stopped. Lactis...at least protect...Canaan...with your strength! The voice cried with desperation in its tone. Lactis narrowed his eyes.

Who? Who's Canaan? He queried. There was silence, and he got the sensation of the mysterious voice grappling with something...above him, the white-robed figure stopped, looking down at it's crippled prey.

Canaan...is in you.... And with that, the voice was abruptly cut off, leaving Lactis alone with his soon-to-be murderer. The Realian closed his eyes.

Canaan…is inside me? Then he could feel nothing no longer…not the bits of glass biting into his skin, the pain from his numerous wounds…he was standing alone in darkness. What? And then an image came to his mind…one of a orange-haired Realian with gold eyes, a strange tattoo on the left side of his neck…despite his cold demeanor, he had a gentle aura.

Canaan? Lactis thought. On the heels of this another presence made itself known in his mind, malevolence all but oozing from it…

They say with death comes clarity of mind. It was then that Lactis realized what the voice had asked him to do…he closed his eyes, a small smile on his face.

"Get him for me, Jan." With those words, he hugged the image of the second Realian tightly to him as he could possibly could, as around him red energy formed. He'd protect this Canaan, keep him safe…

Then the red engulfed him, and the Realian known simply as Lactis was no more.