Da'an felt molten fire flow through his pathways as his child's pain flooded the Commonality, soon followed by the agony of other members of the Taelon Synod executed to Vorjak's command. The pain paralyzed every single particle of his being, breaking through all mental barriers he instinctively strove to create. As it dulled his senses, a longing to join this song of misery welled up inside him since death appeared to be the only way to feel relief and reunite with his brethren and beloved child.

With the last scrap of conscious thought he strove to soothe their suffering, yet his mental strength was too weak when compared against so many thoughts of anguish, despair and fear. He closed his eyes, opening his mind to accompany them on their final journey. Silently hoping to stand at the threshold of the Void alongside his brethren…

Until a familiar presence sneaked into his mind. The voices of the Commonality became quieter, somewhat distant as if some unknown power had shielded him from the world outside. Once the pain diminished to a level where it was somewhat bearable, the presence within him slowly unfolded its power, gently repairing the damage he suffered by healing both his body and his mind. The energy signature seemed familiar, yet much more intense and vibrant than what he remembered it to be…

'Liam?' he whispered faintly, still dazed by the emotional turmoil of the Taelon Commonality.

Instead of an answer, however, he received a warm feeling of reassurance. The Taelon closed his eyes, concluding the young hybrid's mental capabilities had not yet evolved to a point where he could telepathically communicate in a verbal manner.

Although he found himself unable to prevent further interference, he did not feel endangered by his Protector's presence. Still, as a young man with a Kimera heritage, his power was overwhelming and almost impossible to resist – as would any Kimera energy signature be perceived by a Taelon. Extremely fatigued, Da'an eventually let his mental barriers dissolve and nested his consciousness in its warm embrace, accepting it as one would accept the inevitable.

And then he gasped.

Unexpectedly, bright light erupted in his thoughts as the young hybrid's energy flared to a point where the contact between their palms was sealed with a burning sensation of fire. Da'an's eyes widened. Sensing Liam's distress as well, he tried to break the contact, yet all his attempts were futile.

A haze of doubt flurried through his mind as his Protector's consciousness drifted away, chased away by a presence far more authoritative. It was still Liam, but it seemed that in this one moment his Kimera legacy eventually prevailed over the weaker, human part. The young hybrid's mental power advanced further, revitalizing the diplomat's energy pathways and tempting his senses with a purifying kind of bliss. Resisting it grew more difficult with every passing moment.

Allow it, Da'an…

Da'an's apprehension only grew. The voice was persuasive; clearly beneath Liam's soothing, familiar tone lay something much more powerful and ancient. With great confusion the diplomat realized his own energy pattern responded to the alien presence with a vibrant, oscillating flow, unveiling to him the truth he had been avoiding ever since he had left the Jaridian spaceship. Unable to defy the call of ka'atham, he did not resist when the young hybrid drew him closer, enclosing him in a tight embrace.

The luminescent warmth which spread through the Taelon's body blanketed his thoughts before a wave of light submerged his awareness. The particles of his own energy began to mingle with a stronger, more dominant energy pattern. Dimming the last sensation he could feel before his consciousness plunged into darkness…

The creation of a new life.


Agent Sandoval reluctantly stepped onto the Bridge of the Jaridian warship. To his discontent the new, bright future he had been promised was slowly turning out to be anything but. There was some wicked irony in the way he was always looking for solutions and ended up with a handful of new dilemmas instead. Now that he contemplated his life from a distance, he began to regret his decision to leave Da'an's service.

And it did feel as awkward as it sounded after he had betrayed the Taelons.

What else could be expected? Nothing corrupted a man more than desire for power; it seemed so dreadfully plain and simple now. It was a shame that once he stepped onto that uncertain path, there was no turning back. Even when he had realized that Zo'or had nothing but his own interest in mind, any outwardly expressed desire to leave his service would have most likely resulted in the man's obligatory reimplantation. Walking the fine line between life and death above an endless abyss of uncertainty day by day , he had grown tired of his pitiful existence.

At the point of no return, the only way to get rid of Zo'or was to ally with his greatest enemy; and so he did.

Successfully.

The news of the Synod Leader's death had spread across the ship at the speed of light, but somehow the Implant did not feel relieved. He had hoped that once he had finally allied himself with a race capable of annihilating the Taelons, he would regain his freedom; but he could not have been more wrong. Vorjak effectively eliminated the threat posed by the Taelons, but himself embodied a much more formidable danger.

Da'an had warned him more than once. At that point in time he had not cared to listen, and now the chance to avoid unwanted complications had long been gone. God knew he felt the truth chill him to the bone when Vorjak's ruthless, green eyes met his.

'You bring me nothing,' the Jaridian commented, lacing his voice with contempt.

Sandoval lowered his gaze. It could have gone much worse, after all…

'I regret, I –'

'Nothing!' Vorjak rumbled, hitting the wall with his fist.

The Implant felt himself cringe inwardly at the sight of the dented surface, which remained in the wall after the warrior withdrew his hand. 'The ANA and the American government have been informed of your demands, and accordingly issued an arrest warrant for Major Liam Kincaid,' he said, trying to maintain his composure.

'And Da'an?' the Jaridian's eyes narrowed.

'They claim they have no reason to pursue the Taelon. He has been…' Sandoval swallowed hard, clearly aware what kind of reaction his justification would bring, '… helpful when Earth faced difficult times.'

Vorjak looked like he was going to burst into flames. 'Difficult times he himself caused!'

'If Major Kincaid is located, it is certain Da'an will be with him,' the Implant reasoned. 'Patience may be essential in this case. Such endeavours need time to produce expected results.'

In utter fury, the Jaridian leader ran a hand through his face to the accompaniment of several scornful chuckles which echoed at the opposite end of the Bridge, where the guards stood.

'Agent Sandoval,' he began in a threatening tone, approaching the man like a perfect predator readying itself to attack. 'Do I look like I have time to spare?'

Sandoval did not dare to answer.

'Allow me to make you a generous offer then,' Vorjak's shaquarava flared to life, emanating its deadly, bright radiance into the shadows. He extended his hand, almost touching the chest of his human servant, who suddenly turned pale. 'I give you seventy-two Earth hours. Once that time is over and my captive has not been returned to me, you have my word I will fry your pitiful planet. Literally.'

This said, the warrior manifestly turned around and fired his shaquarava at a nearby monitor, melting it to dust. All that the Implant was able to do was stare at him wide-eyed.


In the darkness something flickered. An oddly familiar presence lingered at the back of his mind, clearly concealing itself from his inquisitive thoughts. Da'an was too exhausted to be capable of investigating its identity, but for some reason it did not intrude upon his thoughts more than was required to lay the foundation for a basic telepathic contact. Whatever it was, it was powerful… but had a peculiar, soothing quality. The diplomat's awareness strove to resurface from the shadows only to realize he was too weak to open his eyes. He feared the darkness would pull him down again before he felt a steady flow of alien energy revitalize his pathways. As his consciousness began to emerge from the abyss, he sensed another presence; so small that it was barely perceptible, yet it was there…

The child…

Da'an flinched, suddenly feeling a warm touch on his cheek. The soft fingers on his face withdrew, assuring him that no more would be done unless he allowed it.

'You need not fear,' a velvety, masculine voice sounded next to him. 'I will not harm you. The joining has nearly depleted your energy reserve; without assistance, it would be difficult for you to sustain your child.'

Lost in darkness, Da'an could hardly concentrate, but the explanation seemed coherent. He relaxed somewhat, soon feeling a sensation of warmth spreading through his body as the flow of alien energy resumed. Before long the determination to learn the visitor's identity prevailed; the Taelon's perfectly blue eyes opened.

The room was brightly illuminated, almost submerged by dazzling rays of light. He concluded he was lying on a cold surface and slowly discerned Liam's silhouette splayed across the floor next to him, silent and unmoving. The desperate attempt to check his pulse turned out to be futile when Da'an realized that he lacked energy for the slightest movement.

'There is no reason for distress,' the same masculine voice assured. 'He is in no immediate danger. In fact, he shall recover fully within several hours.'

Striving to see through the light, Da'an saw the luminescence unveil a barely discernible humanoid shape kneeling on the floor by his side.

'Ha'gel.' The moment he pronounced the name, anxiety permeated his thoughts. Could it be that the last of the Kimera had returned from the Void to seek revenge for the ultimate annihilation of his species?

With an inviting gesture, the being of light placed its hand upon the Taelon's smaller one, allowing him to touch its mind. Looking into the calm, green eyes, Da'an did not sense ill will. To the contrary – robed in a soothing aura of superior calm, the Kimera did not seem to portray danger. Obviously, he would not hurt Liam – he was his son, and it was extremely unlikely he would choose revenge if it meant hurting his unborn grandchild.

'I am glad you understand,' Ha'gel tilted his head as a faint smile brightened his features.

'I do not…' the Taelon whispered. 'I am deeply… fatigued.'

The Kimera slowly withdrew his hand and turned his gaze to the young hybrid's prone form. 'The conception of a child requires the energy of both parents. My son lacks the knowledge and experience he would possess if he were a trueborn Kimera. Being a hybrid, his control of the inherited powers is yet limited. He has clearly failed to provide the child sired within you with a sufficient amount of energy.' Ha'gel paused, sensing deep sorrow cast a shadow on Da'an's thoughts. 'Fear not, the child is unharmed,' he answered the unspoken question as he gently ran his fingers across the Taelon's lower abdomen, sending thin streaks of light into his system. 'I am here to replenish your energy reserve.'

Da'an closed his eyes. The warmth rapidly spread through his energy pathways, making him feel faint. Driven by curiosity, the infant's emerging awareness sent a quiet inquiry to his parent's mind.

Fear not, my child, the diplomat answered through their telepathic link. All is well…

At first it appeared confused by the presence of an alien being, but as Ha'gel's thoughts of reassurance filled its mind, the Taelon perceived his unborn child begin to curiously nibble at the Kimera energy pattern. A dreamy smile curved Da'an's lips. He had not witnessed the presence of a Taelon child for centuries, and had long lost hope to reproduce again. It was an unexpected gift of fate… in dreadful times.

However, as soon as the infant lapsed into silence, the smile on his pale face vanished. 'My species is responsible for the destruction of yours,' he said tightly as he turned to Ha'gel. 'Since your resentment is not misdirected… you certainly disapprove of Liam's choice…'

'To the contrary,' the Kimera seemed amused. 'I am proud he has chosen you.'

Da'an looked at him, visibly bewildered.

'Despite being born to a civilization which hardly cared for those around them, you have learned to love and defend a species which other members of your kind considered… primitive.'

'I have betrayed my species… and humanity as well,' a note of shame sounded in the diplomat's voice. 'I have failed in every possible way.'

'No,' Ha'gel shook his head. 'Although you were raised to be blind to the truth, you strove to find the answers which lay beyond the surface. You did everything you could to protect this planet from destruction... which makes me regret my son acts like a human when he bases his judgements on fleeting emotions.'

Da'an winced as the memories of his endless arguments with his Protector entered his mind. The never-ending accusations, doubts, mistrust and fear… A toxic blend that seemed to poison every single day of his tenure on Earth. Until Liam had finally betrayed him and surrendered the Embassy before handing him over to the Jaridians.

'His only intention was to save your life,' Ha'gel remarked, having witnessed the Taelon's thoughts. 'Despite his unwillingness to acknowledge it, he is deeply linked to you on an emotional level. The very thought of losing you evokes fear that overwhelms him.'

Da'an seemed confused by the idea. 'Why?'

'Is denial truly so contagious?' Ha'gel's smile widened as he realized that human emotions still remained an unsolved riddle for a being guided primarily by logic. 'Know this. My son shall care for you and your child, and protect you even if it means putting his own life in peril. He shall fulfil his duty to you both as a parent of your child, and your khali'sha,' he softly stroked his fingers across Da'an's cheek, sensing his anxiety over a future that seemed frightful and uncertain.

'I know your doubts, yet they shall soon fade,' he continued. 'A different fate was to await your species, yet neither the Jaridians nor the humans were ready to fulfil their destiny. You are now the last one of your kind… as Liam is the first one of his. The end… and the beginning have reunited.'

The Taelon seemed increasingly doubtful about Ha'gel's vision. 'I am unsure whether the existence of any Taelon is possible without the support of the Commonality.'

'Although the task shall prove difficult, you shall learn to value your new life.'

'My world is gone…' the diplomat felt darkness creep in the corners of his mind as the child began to draw energy from his pathways again, 'and the human world is… alien to me…'

After a moment of consideration, Ha'gel placed both his hands on Da'an's palms and watched his shaquarava gradually brighten into two faint whorls of light. 'Without telepathic skills, humans are limited to words. You need to learn to formulate and express your thoughts, so that those around you may have a chance to understand the beautiful and complex being that you are,' he whispered reassuringly as his energy illuminated the Taelon's pathways.

Unable to resist the darkness creeping at the edge of his vision, Da'an closed his eyes, trying to memorize the last words echoing in his mind before his consciousness slipped away into a fathomless void.

Life is a challenge. Accept it, and live it to the fullest…