Part Eight: Not Dead Yet

Chapter One:

"The sudden rise of Colonel Riley was hard to explain, without knowledge of his background,. All we knew is that an upstart young pilot managed to depose his two commanders, yet remain in their graces; then he started manipulating the Plenipotentiary Council. It just didn't make sense..."

-Lisa Hayes Hunter, Recollections

29 May, 2023*

The cleanup in Glike and the rest of Haydon IV, began literally as the dust was settling. Some celebrated, others mourned, while discussions began on the direction of the Sentinels mission after this victory. Karen Penn and Jack Baker were watching over Rem, whom they had rescued an hour before, in his treatment room. They were joined by Karen Freeman and Janice Em, both of them plainly showing their concern for the fallen clone, confusing Penn and Baker thoroughly, as there seemed to be no jealousy in their relationship. If anything, Karen and Janice seemed to be supporting each other in this time of crisis. Penn and Baker had just left the others alone in the room, when the sounds of an emergency came through the door. Jean Grant came through the door, half out of breath.

"Karen; I know it's a bad time, but I need some assistance. Miriya Sterling's just been brought back in, in a coma. I'm hoping you might hold some knowledge that could help us in this situation."

"I'm not sure if Janice or I'll be of much help, but we'll try."

They were led across the hall, where Miriya's old treatment room was now reoccupied. Max looked terrible, the way he had looked to Scott and the others in their universe, Karen thought. She was thankful that the prolonged exposure of her parents and the others had kept them unconscious during the battle and aftermath on that other Haydon IV, as they couldn't have handled the stress so soon after recovery that the less-exposed Hunters and Karen Penn had undergone.

"Jean, the best I can tell you is to treat the symptoms. I've already mentally checked her over. Both mother and daughter are doing fine. I can give you one piece of advice; reread my prenatal files. You can expect a lot of the same from baby Sterling. I don't know if she'll have any powers or not - this pregnancy is further along than I was when Kayra was exposed, and may have been out of the adaptability range, but be prepared for a short full-term pregnancy."

"How short?"

"Longer than Mom's, but it won't be anywhere near 9 months, so keep a close eye on her as well. Even though you were her doctor in both dimensions, neither you or your doppleganger ever realized how close to dying Mom came a number of times. It was only due to my becoming aware of the danger to my unborn self that I instinctively used my powers to save her life a dozen different times. Miriya may have the same problem, without help from the baby."

"And you are positive your diagnosis is correct?"

"As far as it goes. It was only due to MY powers that Kayra survived long enough to leave Haydon IV, let alone return to this universe."

"Very well, then. I guess that means that regardless of the Sentinels' council's decisions, Max, Miriya, and I will be left here."

"As it was elsewhere; at least Cabell will remain behind as well. He had always heard stories from Zor about this world, but had never actually set foot here before. Now that he's here, he wants to learn more. Take care of them all for me."

"Where are you going?"

"I have seen the near future. Tomorrow, it will be decided that Vince, Jon, Breetai, and Scott go back to Tyrol to answer the charges against us. I will be with them. Janice and Rem will go with the Sentinels on their mission to Spheris, as he will regain consciousness tonight. Don't worry about Vince. He will be safe the whole time, until you are reunited with him before Optera. I have foreseen it."

"Thank you for telling me, Karen. You go get some rest now, and get Jack to get some, too. It's been over a day since either of you had any sleep."

"Yes, ma'am. I just hope he can be pried away from Lt. Penn before they realize they're being nice to each other and kill each other."

"Rem?" a feminine voice called to him in the Haydonite night.

"Who is it?"

"Someone who is very glad to see you alive," she said, climbing onto his bed and kissing him. The next few minutes found him falling asleep in her arms after a quick bout of lovemaking.

He awoke in the morning, and she was gone. He first thought it was only a dream, then he looked under the sheet and found his hospital pajama bottoms wadded up near the foot of the bed. He quickly got redressed before breakfast arrived.

The council meeting resulted the way Karen had foreseen, and all the while the same old memories kept haunting Scott. It was like having someone's name on the tip of the tongue, only on a much vaster and frustrating scale. He sat in the Valivarre's small Micronian-sized area, reviewing the tapes brought along from Tyrol on the situation there. Something seemed to be screaming at him but he couldn't place it. As the Valivarre left orbit, he received a call from Rick.

"Scott, I thought I'd call you up and wish you good luck, but I've been too busy until now. Are you still studying Riley?"

"Yeah," Scott replied, one eye on Rick, the other on the record monitor." There's something about him that gives me the creeps -" Suddenly, Scott saw a rare clip of Colonel Riley smiling. "Oh God, no!"

"Scott, what is it? What's wrong?" Rick asked almost being drowned out by the announcement that the ship would go superluminal.

"Why didn't we see it before? Thomas Riley, indeed."

"Scott?"

"It's worse than we ever have ever imagined, Rick. Thomas Riley is short for Thomas Riley EDWARDS. We were such fools! We practically handed him the REF on a silver platter, and we've only ourselves to blame. I'd recognize that smile anywhere. Damn!"

The ship engaged superluminal drives, leaving both men to mull over this latest turn of events. Once again, a specter from the past had returned to haunt them.

Chapter Two:

"This last incarnation of Edwards acted just like his dimensional counterpart. But, I was still, slowly, remembering events as they occurred, which was no help. We should have never assumed that just because one Edwards had died on the Moon prior to the mission, that there wasn't another insinuated into our mission. Things could have been so different." - Cmdr. Scott Freeman, interview by Susan Graham for Protoculture's Privateers: SDF-3, Farrago, Ark Angel, Sentinels and the REF

8 September, 2023*

Scott sat in the area reserved for the defendants; it might as well have been a real trial, but the situation should have been reversed. Currently, Riley/Edwards was dragging the Sentinels' names through the mud. Karen was by Emil Lang's side, technically under trial herself but not as a main conspirator. She knew it was time for the truth to be revealed, although there was nothing she could do to him with any of her myriad powers, not without disrupting her visions. He had to escape, to allow the Sentinels their ultimate victory.

"...But right is right, and treason is treason," Riley said to the council, in his conclusion. He was quite the charismatic, type, the kind that had plagued mankind throughout history. "And these people you see here... are guilty."

Lang stood, along with Karen, and they approached the podium before the rest of the council while Edward's supporters still cheered on. Lang spoke to them in his best reporting voice. "Hereby submitted under my seal as council member, the following recorded data, pertinent to these proceedings, and the testimony of Lieutenant Karen Ellison, my research assistant who served as my information gatherer on the Sentinels' mission."

The screens lit up with the images of Lang and Riley, in Lang's quarters, in the meeting Riley thought could not be recorded or monitored. As it ended, Riley stood up, objecting to the videos.

"Council members, this is a sham, a elaborate forgery on the part of Lang to save his traitorous associates -"

"I beg to differ, sir," Karen said, then addressed the council. "Other evidence has also come to light, as well. First I assure you that the tapes are authentic. The originals are being brought to you as I speak." She looked back over to Riley. "You know, you were correct earlier when you said right is right, and treason is treason! But then, who else would know better than you, Colonel Thomas Riley;" she paused for a second, then continued. "- Or should I call you by your full name, Colonel Thomas Riley... Edwards." All hell broke loose in the hall, as everyone's gaze turned to the prosecutors' table, as Edwards and Adams bolted for the exit. Both Wolfe and Lang's godson, Scott Bernard, attempted to stop the escaping leader of the Ghost Riders, but Bernard got in the way, got in the way, Edwards using the teenage to slow Wolfe down. Edwards manhandled one of the door guards, taking her weapon, and shot the other guard as well as anyone else that got in the way. The limousine was waiting for them, and they sped away before anyone could stop them.

"Attention, everyone," Justine Huxley announced to the crowd, attempting to quell the chaos in the hall." We have been asked by the head of security to evacuate the building. Civilians are to go to the nearest shelters. All military personnel and council members are to board the security force armored vehicles for transport to headquarters." The crowd filed out cooperatively, but it was a bit harder to convince some of the council it was safer outside than inside.

"Justice Huxley, if I may," Scott said approaching the council members. "You all know I was the commander of the mission that accidentally jumped dimensions in 2016. I was here on Tyrol in that other dimension when Edwards was discovered to be a traitor by your counterparts, with the same results as tonight. More memories of that night, this night, return as I speak. Edwards attacked that night with the Inorganics he had stored in the lower levels of this very building. I don't know about you, but I don't plan to be in here when those things come out of the catacombs like a swarm of killer bees." His point made, he turned and double-time toward the exit. The council members looked at each other for a second, then followed his lead.

He climbed into the same APC as Lang and Karen, where he soon had his memories verified. He reminded himself to put the security chief up for the highest award he could find. A call was forwarded to him from the Valivarre, and he used the APC's communications equipment to answer it.

"Scott, this is Jan; how are you and Karen?"

"We're fine, sis. How are the others?"

"Champing at the bit. They don't like that you two left the rest of us up here. Scott, I - Minmei!"

"What?"

"Scott, you've got to save Minmei and Lynn-Kyle! Don't you remember? They're in Edwards' HQ. You and the other Scott were the only thing that stopped Edwards from kidnaping her and killing Kyle back then!"

"I'm cut off, Jan, I'm sorry. I just now remembered, myself. There's no way I can reach them."

"But I can, Scott," Karen said. "Wish me luck." With that, Karen faded out on them.

"Damn! Janet, tell our brother that his daughter's at it again. I pray to God she knows what she's doing."

Karen teleported to the area she had sensed before as being Minmei's location, but no one was there, at least no one alive. Adam's body was sprawled by an exit, blood leaking from his mouth. There wasn't any other damage apparent, so it was safe to assume Kyle was responsible. Kyle himself was laying on his back, his abdomen blown open by an energy weapon of some sort, probably a pistol from the limited area of damage. She knelt beside his body.

"Kyle, how many times did I tell you never to turn your back on Riley," she said to herself, picking up the corpse. "You know, one of these days, I'm gonna have to stop playing God. At least you'll be out of my hair until Optera." Karen stopped, thinking about her vision of the night before. On Optera, she would die, at least that was the only way the vision could be interpreted. Beyond that, there was nothing. It was strange, one of the few times in her life she didn't have complete confidence, wavering in her beliefs about herself. Who was more important, herself or the life of another? She pushed the thought from her mind, and focused her mind on Marie, who was still on the Valivarre. Body over her shoulder, she teleported back to the Zentraedi ship. As she arrived, she sensed that Edwards' stolen SDF-7 was on its way to Optera. The end was drawing near. She sensed something about herself. It wasn't fair! The decision was even harder now.

No longer was it just her life, but those of her unborn children as well. Did she have the right to kill them as well to save the life of a friend?

"We're losing him;" Breetai rumbled, looking at Edwards' ship, just out of weapon range and gaining speed.

"Not really, Breetai," Scott said to him, standing on the 'Micronian' balcony. We know where he's heading; I've known for years. He's heading for his one ally, the Regent."

"Breetai, let me try to speak to him," Wolfe pleaded, his infatuation with Minmei still strong. "He'll talk to me, I know!

Breetai agreed to let it be done, but all that resulted was Edwards showing off the farce of a wedding he was conducting as the ship went superluminal. They had to turn back.

Chapter Three:

"She can't be dead! I would have felt it if she died!"

- Marie Freeman

26 September, 2023*

Upon returning to Tyrol, they were appraised of Lang's plans. Wolfe was to leave for Earth in January aboard the fold-capable Jutland (due to be completed in three months), to warn Rolf Emerson of the danger from Edwards. If the xenophobe faction had fully taken over Earth, then his mission was to contact Tisiphone Base. Vince Grant was to return to Haydon IV aboard the Tokugawa to meet with a Karbarran force, then together the two ships would head for Peryton to join the Sentinels. Lastly, Breetai and Scott Freeman were to be the leaders of the first attack wave on Optera, hopefully to be followed by the Sentinels and Grant, as soon as Peryton was liberated. Meanwhile, Karen and Marie were talking to each other, trying to ready themselves for the upcoming mission.

"Karen, Scott saw his other self die on Optera. I'm not sure how he's going to react once he's really there."

"Don't worry about how he'll act. He should be fine, as long as you are. Worry instead about how he'll handle my-" Karen cut herself off, sensing something light years away." Marie, it's time."

"Time for what?"

"No time, to answer. Hold on." Karen grabbed Marie in an embrace and concentrated on Haydon IV. She had never tried a teleport over even interplanetary distances before, yet somehow she knew she would make it. When the light cleared from their eyes, they were in the prep room outside Miriya's hospital room in Glike. Groans of pain came from the next room.

"Quickly, put a robe and mask on," Karen instructed Marie, while doing the same." Your sister's being born as we speak."

"My sister?" Marie heard her mother scream in pain." We've got to get in there. Something's wrong!"

Jean took their appearance in stride, although on retrospect she was probably too scared for Miriya to care where the two, had come from.

"Mir! Mir! Don't do this! Please, Please, stay with me!" Max cried.

"Mom, it's Marie!" Marie called, running to her mother's other side, opposite her father. "Please, Mommy, don't leave me!"

"Jean do something!"

"I'm trying, Max," Jean said, her voice giving away the fact that there was nothing she could do.

"Don't worry, Mother; I am with you," a voice seemed to say in their heads.

"Wh-What did you say, Jean?"

"It wasn't me. Karen?"

"It's the child."

"Put your minds at rest. All will be well; you'll see." Miriya began to stabilize, and her hemorrhaging stopped. There even seemed to be a smile on her face. Soon, the baby was born and Miriya became conscious. As Jean clipped the cord, she noticed that, while the girl was not quite as developed as Karen had been, she was very close. As she held the baby in her arms, she heard the telepathic voice again.

"Thank you, Jean."

"Little girl, I should be thanking you. It was you who stopped the bleeding."

"Jean," Karen asked. "Can Marie and I hold her?"

"Why not? She probably likes you two better than me."

After receiving the newborn in her arms, Karen opened up a three-way link between them with her telepathy.

"Hello there." Marie thought/said. "I'm your big sister, Marie. What's your name?"

"Aurora. Mommy thought of you and Dana a lot."

"Aurora, this is Karen. I'm sorry, but Marie and I have to leave. We have to go after a bad person."

"Be careful, Karen. We are a lot alike. I want you to teach me to do the things that you can do."

"I'm not sure I can, Aurora. But I'll try, someday" Karen broke the contact, not wanting to lie to the child The major reason she had come had been to see Aurora before she died. "Come on, Marie. Let's go."

"But -"

"Jean, take Aurora. We have to go back to Tyrol."

"How did you know what Max and Miriya named her?"

"The baby told us. By the way, Vince is on his way here. I thought you would want to know."

"Thank you, Karen. Tell your family we miss them."

"I will." Karen grasped Marie's arm. And the faded out once again to reappear in Tiresia outside the council chamber. Exedore was exiting the room, to go up to say good bye to Breetai, and they rode back to the Valivarre with him. After the goodbyes were said, Exedore left, and the Valivarre began its journey to Optera.

19 November, 2023*

Both Scott and Karen were sulking on the way to Optera, and it was driving Marie crazy. After talking with Janet and Shannon, she understood Scott's problem. He saw his counterpart die on the other Optera and was afraid the same thing would happen to him. Karen was different, more stand offish. The most she could do was get Karen to admit it had something to do with Scott's problem, and Breetai as well. Finally they arrived in the Tzuptum system.

Scott had remained on the bridge almost until launch time, and had to fight back his fears even then to leave Once in his Alpha, he calmed down, especially after Marie reminded him that his counterpart had died alone, whereas she would be beside him the whole way.

"Yeah, but who's going to save me from you?" Scott tried laughing it off, but it didn't work. He thrust the throttle forward and released the brakes, and the Legios soared off toward the atmosphere below, followed by the other four Legios of Highlander, Karen's with an unmanned Beta. Breetai and his troops had already engaged the Invid planet side, and it was planned for the VTs to attack the hive, if possible.

Breetai and the Regent were squaring off, as Scott had seen them do also when. He and Marie had been separated for about a minute, providing air support for the Male armors fighting against the Inorganics. He abandoned his position, heading at full thrust in Jet mode toward the dueling racial leaders. Suddenly, a Legios screamed over his head, smoke pouring out of the port and lower Beta engines, on a collision course with the Regent. He stared for a moment, then heard his wife scream.

"Karen! Bail Out! Bail Out!"

"Oh God, no!" He pushed the VT past 100%, but could not catch the runaway Legios. It exploded on impact with the Regent, the blast throwing Breetai back over a hundred meters. Scott had to mechamorph into Battloid and roll to a stop on the ground, as the blast knocked him out of the air. He ran, tears streaming, to Breetai, conceding Karen's death. There was a twenty meter crater where the Regent had stood, and not enough left to identify the former Invid leader, let alone the mecha that had vaporized him in its self-destruction. Marie went Battloid and landed beside him.

"Scott... Karen's gone."

"I - I know. No one could have survived that blast, even if she had ejected at the last moment."

"No, she's not dead. She can't be dead! I would have felt it if she died!"

"Marie, she's dead. You have to accept it! Help me with Breetai. He doesn't look too good."

"Okay," she replied weakly. "We have to get him back to the dropship. I'll take his shoulders, and you take his legs. As long as his armor's immobile like this, he shouldn't be injured by the flight."

"All right, I've got them. Lift off in three... one, two, three!" They rose, slowly at first but picked up speed as their direction changed from vertical to a sloping climb. They boarded the reentry pod as it left the lower atmosphere, where they were relieved of their burden. The retreat was on. All they could do now is wait; wait for the reentry pod to return to the ship, the retreat and wait for the Sentinels. He would also have to break the bad news to Shannon and Kayra, who had come up last from the surface and hadn't heard about Karen.

Chapter Four:

"The strangest things can happen when your aren't expecting them. Take a look at the log of the Korra'ti, if you don't believe me."

- Jack Baker, Upwardly Mobile.

Marie finally worked up enough courage to go into Karen's quarters, a week after the battle. It looked as if the last time she had been there, the night before Karen... died!?

"No, I mustn't think that," Marie said to herself. She was sure that the empathic link she had with Karen would have told her that Karen was dead. Instead of the pain she would have felt, the link just... disappeared. She turned to leave then noticed an envelope on the stand by the door. It was addressed to her. She opened it and sat down on the bed, then began to read.

"Marie," it began. "Ever since Garuda, I have sensed my upcoming death on Optera. I will try to escape somehow, but if you are reading this, I guess I didn't make it. I had no choice in the matter. If I hadn't done it, Scott would have. If neither of us had, then Breetai would have died. I hope that you and Scott understand. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, and I couldn't bear seeing you or Aunt Kazi as widows. Take good care of him, Marie. I will always be with you in your hearts. Tell Rem, Janice, Mom, Dad, and Noel that I love them. With Love, Karen."

"P.S. There is a brain recording and cell sample container in the top dresser drawer. It holds a sample I took from Lynn-Kyle on Tyrol. Bring him back, for Minmei's sake."

"But how, Karen?" Marie asked to her absent friend. The SDF-3's Protoculture chamber had been burnt out by the enlarging of the Zentraedi over three years ago. The only chambers left were on the factory satellite, the Korra'ti, and the long-lost cloning chambers that supposedly existed somewhere under Tiresia, where the Master's clone population was created. She wasn't going to get to any of them in the near future. But it was Karen's last wish, and she would find a way to do it for her, if she had to build a chamber with her bare hands.

2 February, 2024*

The Sentinels were in a conference aboard the Tokugawa, the Ark Angel and Tracialle having converged to this point to minimize travel time. The conference had been called to discuss the Terran council at Tyrol's proposal for a peace settlement with the Regent. Then the message from the Valivarre was relayed to them by the SDF-3. A comm tech brought the transcribed message to Vince Grant, the Tokugawa's captain, who went pale as he read it to himself.

"Vince, what is it?" Rick asked.

"The Zentraedi ship, Valivarre, has reported to the SDF-3 that ... the, Invid Regent is dead." A few cheers erupted, only to die quickly when Vince gave the Sentinels who had made them a look that indicated that there was bad news as well. "Furthermore, Valivarre reports that sixty-four casualties resulted from the raid on Optera's Home Hive. Listed as killed are sixty-two Zentraedi and Lieutenant Karen Freeman." Janice and Rem embraced each other at that news. Janice audibly crying. "The sixty-fourth casualty is Commander Breetai. He is listed as being in serious but stable condition, and comatose as a result of being too close to an explosion. The explosion was the result of Lieutenant Freeman doing a Kamikaze attack on the Regent with her crippled Legios."

Lisa was shaken by this news, as were the Praxians and Garudans who had gotten to know Karen in her time with the group. It hard to believe, but it had to be true. The seemingly omnipotent Karen Freeman was dead.

"And one more thing," Vince said. "The Valivarre, has retreated to the outer reaches of the Tzuptum system, to wait reinforcements. Thomas Riley Edwards is apparently in control of the Invid forces on Optera."

A rumbling passed through the representatives, only to be interrupted by the alert klaxon.

"Captain," a tech reported over the room's main vidscreen. "We have picked up a fold reaction 4.2 light minutes to our starboard. Do you wish to investigate?"

"I'll be right there." He turned to Rick and Lisa. "I guess you'll want to come along as well. We don't have time to transfer you back to your command."

"We understand."

"Bridge, this is Grant. Close on the bogie at point oh five light speed. The admirals and I are on our way to the bridge."

"Yes, sir."

"Sensors identify the ship as Zentraedi; a scout class ship, sir."

"Hail it."

"Sir, it's the Korra'ti, from Earth! Commander R'ykandar want's to speak with you."

"Put it on the main screen... Greetings, R'ykandar. What brings you so far from Earth, and how did you find us?"

"I didn't try to find you. The Masters arrived in the Solar System yesterday, and opened fire on my ship. If I hadn't made a blind fold, we would have been destroyed."

"The Masters? They weren't due to arrive there until 2028 at the earliest."

"What do you mean? It's 2029! At least, it was when I left. I'm afraid the Korra'ti may have time jumped again, although it didn't world jump this time, I hope."

"Did Carpenter or Wolfe inform you of our situation when they arrived on Earth?"

"Excuse me? When did they leave?"

"It's currently 2024. Carpenter left almost a year ago, and Wolfe last month."

"They hadn't got back when we left. The worst part of the Master's arrival, at least from a personal viewpoint, is that it happened during the telecast of the Southern Cross Academy's first graduation ceremony. Dana, Bowie and Noel made quite a trio in their ATAC uniforms."

"Bowie's a Hovertanker?"

"He sure is, Vince. In fact, the kids are all in the same squad. Dana's been named the new exec of the 15th ATAC. By the way, where are Max, Miriya, and the Freeman clan?"

"I'll tell you about them on the way. Set course for Optera. Breetai and Scott need us."

"Now I remember. Max and Miriya stayed behind on Haydon IV to have their kid. How are they?"

"Doing fine, although their daughter is kinda strange."

"Like Karen and Noel?"

"How did you know about them?"

"Let's just say I kept tabs on the kids, and put two and two together. How is Karen?"

"Dar, she... She died a few days ago taking the Regent with her," Rick answered.

"I'm sorry; I didn't know. It was Scott who did the suicide plunge in the other universe. I assumed that they would figure out a way to get around that method."

"Dar, come over to the Tokugawa, and we'll get you caught up as you catch us up on Earth events. It'll be a long trip at superluminal speeds."

"Sounds like a good idea. I'll have my first mate fly me over as soon as I'm micronized."

"You have a working chamber?"

"Of course."

"There are only about three dozen Zentraedi left on the Valivarre. You just may have solved our problem of how to re-man it."

Chapter Five:

"Never took this road before, Destination unknown..."

- 20th century song lyrics

Karen woke up on her back, a blue sky overhead. She sat up, then bent over and vomited off to the side. Much like Miriya on Garuda, she'd discovered just how much a liability that being sick from a pregnancy could be to flying in combat. Granted, she had taken on a bit much even by her own standards, but the Beta got damaged way too easily, and her attempt to use its speed as a booster to get to Breetai and the Regent quickly only ended up giving her a bigger bang when she hit the latter.

"And I thought morning sickness was bad from the inside. Morning sickness? I must have made it, then," She said to herself. "But where am I? This sure doesn't look like Optera, or any other world I've ever been to before."

She wiped her mouth, then stood up, taking in the view. A yellow sun was in the sky, and she was in a small clearing in a stand of pines. Pines! Could she be back on Earth? No, She was pushing it when she teleported herself and Marie to Haydon IV and back, what was it, a couple of months ago, real time? Then where was she?

She heard movement to her left, and turned toward it. "Who's there?" She saw a cloaked figure turn and run. She reached out with her telepathy, and got a surprise. "An elf? I'm really lost! At least I know what direction the nearest town is now." She concentrated on the image of the keep from the elf's mind, and teleported.

She reappeared in the middle of an outdoor market, but no one paid her any mind; they looked up at her when she arrived then went back to their business. "Must be used to teleporters," she muttered to herself. She hadn't gone far from her arrival point when a guard yelled at her.

"Hey, you! Come here!"

"You speak English?" she asked him, surprised.

"Not really. All guards are issued translation rings."

"Translation rings?"

"You're really confused. Is this your first time in Avalon?"

"Yes; in fact, this is my first time on this world."

"Ho, a dimensional traveler. Did you get lost? What am I saying? Of course, you're lost. You wouldn't be so confused if you had come here willingly. Come, I'll take you to the queen. Maybe she can help you get home."

He led her through the gate, and into a grand hall, reminiscent of those in Tiresia. Banners and shields adorned the walls, along with the occasional battle trophy. Two thrones were against the far wall, with a mural of six interlocked gold rings in a circle on a scarlet field above them.

"Wait here," the guard said, passing through a door behind one of the thrones. Soon, the queen entered the hall. She was about Karen's height, very beautiful, very young, and very black. Not Negroid, BLACK. A dark elf.

"How can I help you, Miss Freeman?"

"How do you know my name?"

"As you once told a friend, it's hard keeping things from a telepath. By the way, I am speaking English, not using magical means to communicate. I have been on worlds similar to your own Earth, but not your specific Earth. I've done quite a bit of traveling in my first century."

"Century? That's right, you're an elf. About our talking since we're both telepathic, couldn't we communicate a lot quicker mind-to-mind?"

"Like a Vulcan mind-meld?"

"Huh? How do you-"

"My husband and I are experienced dimensional travelers, as I implied earlier. Come on down to our study and I'll explain." She led Karen down the hall, to a set of brass doors, which swung open at her touch. Karen gasped at the room's contents.

"We have an electrical generator on an underground river below the castle," the queen, Melynda, was saying. "The gold coins our economy is based on are worth a small fortune on the technological worlds, so it was easy to acquire such amenities as these."

The room was about 15 meters square, with a hot tub, a big screen television, and a huge sound system. "The stereo belongs to my husband. He's a bard, by trade, and music is his life; after me, of course. Take a look around for a while; Yodelyn - that's his name - just called me. He's back from one his little excursions; I think he went to a concert that we missed first time around. I believe it was called Woodstock."

"Woodstock?"

"You've heard of it?"

"Yes. It took place in 1969, almost a half-century before I was born."

"Well, feel free to play anything you want. We have about 10,000 music discs on the left wall; we don't trust digital storage all that much, since we don't have easy access to computer networks and, well, energy spells could accidentally wipe a hard drive a lot easier than a power surge. Our video collection is on the right wall. There are three different selections in each behind the ones visible. Just push the buttons by the shelves to switch selections." Melynda teleported out, leaving Karen staring at the racks of discs, ranging from Laserdiscs and VCDs to DVDs and later formats that never existed on her world.

Karen walked over to the selection labeled 'R-T', and started to scan the cases, looking for the Star Trek titles when she came to an abrupt stop while still in the "R's". "What's this?" she said, pulling one of the twenty cases labeled 'Robotech' from the shelf. She put it into the player, and sat back on the couch that was in front to the TV. As one of the episodes began, she heard Melynda return, but was too entranced by the show to turn around, episode number 60. She saw Zor Prime put Dana Sterling into the escape pod, then destroy the ship, compounding Earth's problems.

"OH, MY GOD!" Karen cried out.

"What is it, Karen?" Melynda asked, pausing the videotape.

"That's... that's my Earth!"

Chapter Six:

"I didn't want to leave Avalon at first, but after viewing the entire series up to Edwards' defeat, I know I had to return. Of course, it was the history of the primal Robotech universe that I saw, not my own, but they were similar enough for my purposes. One other thing; many have accused me of not caring about Earth, because I refused to watch the so called 'Mospeada' (Invid Invasion of Earth) episodes. It is the furthest from the truth. I did not watch because it had been made clear to me by my hosts that within these episodes was the one path to true peace between human and Invid. Tinkering with it too much could cause only more bloodshed." - Karen Freeman, The Plane Truth

"How are they?"

"Beautiful. A boy and a girl. And to think that you weren't even showing when you showed up, three months ago. Are short pregnancies common on your Earth?"

"No, but I'm an uncommon person. I'm half-Zentraedi, like Dana and Aurora Sterling from your videotapes. And the father is Rem, the Zor-clone."

"So the videos aren't correct."

"No, they're correct, as a history of a time line that my world diverged from sometime back, the events preceding my birth being the catalyst. I was conceived in the non-space between dimensions, so I effectively sidestepped normal casualty."

"We did a little exploration for you while you've been unable to travel. We've got a general idea of where your universe is located. We think you should wait a couple of weeks, at least, before you try to return to regain your strength."

"Yeah. Also, if my abbreviated childhood is any indication, they'll be weaned by that time."

"Are you sure you should be returning to a war zone with two infants?"

"They'll be safe, as long as I don't take them back to the Tokugawa. I sense they're hungry. Bring them back in, if you've got them bathed."

"They're on their way. What have you decided to name them?"

"I've thought it over as long as I've known that I was pregnant. I'm naming them Zor and Musica, after their father's cell donor and my genetic grandmother, his lover."

"That was quite an interesting story you told us about them. Maybe you ought to make it into a television series."

"You're joking, right?"

"Not necessarily. We've had our allied magi develop spells that allow us to monitor the sights, sounds and even the thoughts of people in another universe. It would be fairly easy to modify the spells to transfer their input to video media, if we had someone professional in those areas to assist us."

"I'll think about it. If anything, I could make a unique anniversary present for the Hunters."

Three weeks later, her two children were weaned and walking, although they showed no evidence of any powers other than empathy and a somewhat limited vocabulary inherited from their mother. They were the size of two-year-olds, but most of that growth had taken place in the first two weeks. Karen had put her flight suit back on, and was holding one child in each arm. She looked at the paused frame from the Sentinels TV series, a frame of Rem and Janice together in Rem's quarters aboard the Ark Angel just prior to the attack on Optera.

"Come back soon," Melynda called to her.

"I will, when the war is over. Of course, the way dimensional travel works, I can come back here tomorrow, after spending a few years back home. I might even bring a friend or two."

Karen faded out, and Melynda got back to royal business, such as what to name her next child, due in six months. "Well, there's no doubt what I'll name it if it's a girl. That girl is one of the bravest people I've ever met."

5 May, 2024*

"Ahoy, Valivarre!"

"Dar, is that you?" Scott called back over the audio net.

"In the flesh. My men and women are anxious to get into combat. Put Kazianna on."

"Wilco, Dar. I'm switching you to video as well."

"How is Lord Breetai?"

"Still comatose; how did you know he was hurt?"

"I folded ahead of the Tokugawa, Tracialle, and Ark Angel. They were about six hours out when I folded. We heard you were understaffed, so I was wondering if you wouldn't mind accepting a few transfers, say about 200?

"Two hundred? Won't that leave you short-handed?"

"No. Ever since Zentraedi were forbidden Earthside stations by Leonard in 2023, most of my men haven't had anything better to do with their time off than cold sleep. The 200 have been on their time off for about a month. Besides, the Korra'ti still has the capability to create new personnel."

"Dar?" Marie interrupted.

"Yes, Marie?"

"Speaking of your cloning chamber, I was wondering if I could 'borrow' it for about an hour. It was Karen's last wish that I clone someone."

"Sure. Fly on over. Have I got some stories to tell you about your little sister. Now, don't act stupid; as I told Vince and Admiral Hunter, I was able to figure it out by watching the two girls grow up. If it will make you feel any better everyone else paid so much attention to the 'little sisters' they didn't notice the resemblance to you, not even Rolf."

Dar, still micronized, and Marie talked for over two hours, while the clone of Lynn-Kyle was growing. He told her of the rise of Anatole Leonard's faction in the RDF, to the point they'd all but renamed it back into the Armies of the Southern Cross and caused all kinds of friction with the colonies, and the many misadventures of teen Dana Sterling and company. Finally, the actual cloning was complete. Now came the hard part.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

"Yes, and I'm putting in as part of the regular procedure from now on. These software and hardware modifications were developed by Karen and me to bring out inherited memories and sync them with existing personality recordings."

"Have they ever been tested?"

"Yes, though the version I'm using is actually more of the Masters' version than the version we developed on Earth. We brought back all the SDF-1 bridge crew except Gloval this way, as well as Roy Fokker - getting usable brain scans from cryonic storage would have been a lot easier had we had the Tyrolean software, but we managed. We left the clones in charge of the secret backup facility we set up to serve as an alternate to Fortress Gloval."

"How long will it take?"

"About an hour, this time, but on future cloning it won't take any longer than a normal cloning."

An hour later, Lynn-Kyle staggered out of the cloning chamber, appearing not much older than he had been when Karen and Marie first met him in 2017.

"Where am I?"

"Would you believe, back from the dead?"

"Minmei! Where is she?"

"Edwards still has her, in the Home Hive on Optera. We're waiting for the Sentinels to arrive to back us up. You're on the Korra'ti. It folded here from Earth, albeit indirectly, and it's the only reason you're not still a cell sample in a test tube. You might want to get some clothes on before you catch cold."

"Clothes? I'm sorry. I was so confused coming out of the chamber like that, I wasn't totally aware of my surroundings." He walked over to the screen and put on the REF uniform waiting for him.

"Don't sweat it. Both 'Uncle Dar' and I can vouch for that. I was so confused when Karen cloned me that I thought she was my mother for a few minutes."

"You're a clone?"

"Yeah. Karen cloned me from Dana Sterling back in 2017. It was her last wish for me to bring you back, to help rescue Minmei and defeat Edwards once and for all."

"Last wish? You mean she's dead?"

"Everybody else seems to think so, but I've had my doubts. We shared a mental link, and it was broken cleanly, not with the pain feedback that would have resulted from her death."

"How long until the Hunters arrive?"

"Within the hour. After that we start making plans for our attack. Will you be with us?"

"For Minmei, I would do anything to save her from that monster."

"I guess that's an affirmative."

"Captain R'ykandar!" a voice boomed over the intra ship system.

"What is it, Gamaliel?"

"The other ships have arrived."

"Have my shuttle prepared. I'll be departing for the Ark Angel immediately with my two guests to begin plans for the assault."

Chapter Seven:

"Colonel T. R. Edwards' actions with the `Special Children' has been said to prove how the `Nintendo Generation's' minds were rotted by the meaningless garbage (mostly superficial fighting games with excessive violence) that dominated the game market between 1986 and 1999. The old video game market out-grew its technology until the Global War, and very few pre-war games survived the transition to fully interactive, lifelike gaming enabled by the first computer tech spin-offs from the SDF-3. Ironically, a 'retro-game' wave of primitive graphic games and re-releases of decades old games resulted as almost a backlash in 2008, since so many peace groups campaigned that the immersive simulator systems (almost all combat games) were 'recruiting tools for the fascist world government'. One has to wonder what those activists thought as the sky above them filled with alien ships in 2011, moments before their deaths."

- Tracy Hite, From Bushnell to Nichols: a History of Video Gaming 1972-2030

6 May, 2024*

Karen teleported in, interrupting a tender moment between her two friends. It had been quite a strain, more than she expected, and she staggered back and fell onto Rem's bed.

"Rem, I - Karen!" Janice was caught short.

"Huh? She's supposed to be dead!"

"So was Edwards. Get Jean, quick!"

"I'm on my way!" He tore out the door, heading for the sick bay.

"Karen, can you hear me?"

"Jan, how are the children?

"They look fine. Here, let me get them out of the way." She picked them up and put them on the couch in the living room area of the suite. Despite being teleported, then being in the arms of someone who fainted, they were still asleep. Janice went back to Karen's side and turned her around on the bed into a more natural position.

"Karen, where have you been, and where did you get the children? Where are their parents?

"I can't describe where it was; it was quite different from here. I'll tell you after the battle. As for Zor and Musica, their mine, mine and Rem's. I want you two to raise them."

"You've got to be kidding. I don't know the first thing about child-rearing -"

"And you never will, unless you take me up on this. Sure, I love Rem, but not as much as you two love each other. This will be your one chance to be a real family. We didn't plan it this way, but think of me of just being a surrogate mother. Those children are as much yours as mine, and I don't want to hurt you by take Rem away from you."

"What about the children? What if they ask where there mother went to?"

"Jan, They're only three weeks old, despite their appearance. They know who I am, and what I want to do; they are genetically similar to me, so they were born aware. I've discussed it with them. They want a family. It's something I can't give time."

"I'll have to talk with Rem about this."

"Fine. I'm sure he'll agree with me. But please, if anyone asks, I found them. The last thing I need is Scott or Dad to butt into my life again, at least in this manner."

Jean and Scott burst into the room, Scott running up and hugging Karen. "We thought we'd lost you!" he cried.

"I wasn't sure I was going to make it, myself. How's Marie?"

"She's on her way back over from the Korra'ti, where she just cloned Lynn-Kyle."

"I knew Dar would come. It was the one thing I sensed past what I thought would be my death. Jean, all I need is a good meal."

"As best as I can tell, Karen, you're right."

"Good. Help me to my feet. I'm still a little unstable, but that'll change once I eat. I'll even be able to go planet-side with the landing party."

"Now, I wouldn't be so sure about that. We'll see before they launch."

Scott had been meeting with the Sentinels who had volunteered for a possible insertion attempt into the hive, when all hell broke loose. Technically, they were still trying to negotiate for Edwards' surrender but Scott, of all people, knew what that would result in - wasted time. So, he held the meeting while Rick was trying to contact Edwards. They exited the sit room onto the bridge as the conversation was beginning to get interesting.

"-four vessels coming around the dark side. Three troopships; one Robotech fortress," a tech was reporting.

"Ready, all Stations," Lisa said, looking as if she was about to rip the arm rests of the command chair off and throw them at the vidscreen.

"Ready, sir."

"Veritechs standing by," Lynn Armana called to the ridge over the tac net. "Sure you won't join us, Skull Leader?"

"I've got more exciting things planned, cousin," Scott replied. One thing Scott had overlooked about the Sterlings 'retirement' was, that as their third-in-command, he would become only the fourth person in history to hold that title.

"So, Freeman, you and your wife have joined the party too. Let me be the first to tell you; you're no Roy Fokker," Edwards remarked snidely from the vidscreen.

"Well, that's true, but then you're no Benedict Arnold. He didn't betray all of humanity."

A tech interrupted. "Enemy closing to engage. We've got multiple paint signals."

Rick screamed at the gloating Edwards. "We're coming for you, you bastard!"

"I'm waiting for you, Hunter! Bring your wife and those pathetic Freemans too! Minmei and I have been dying to have you over."

"Edwards, you -"

"Nothing but us ghosts down here, Hunter! My past, your past, all wrapped up in one tidy bundle."

"What's going on our there?" Lisa called out. "These aren't Invid or REF tactical formations."

"They look like - video games?" a bridge officer, one of the 30 year veterans of the fleet, put forth haltingly.

"Give me a closeup of the lead mecha," Rick called out. "Oh my God!"

"Destroy that THING!" Lisa was screaming. It was a grotesque parody of Lisa, with guns for breasts.

"I wasn't sure I got the measurements right, Admiral. Are the proportions correct?"

The scanners were picking up other types now, obscene versions of Rick, the Sterlings, Grants, and the Freemans, Dr. Lang and Minmei.

"You're insane, Edwards!"

"And loving you for it. Welcome home, Hunter. Welcome to your worst nightmare!" Edwards signed off.

"Lynn, keep Skull back!" Scott called out. "Destroy those monstrosities rom a distance. Fall back as you fight if you have to. Relay the order to the other squadrons!"

"Admiral, the Tracialle has launched its dropships. The Valivarre and Korra'ti are launching pods and power armors, to protect the Tokugawa. The enemy ships are all on a collision course with General Grant's ship!"

"Keep us updated on the conditions on the surface. Skull Leader, How is the mecha situation?" Scott was stationed in front of the threat board now, keeping watch on the battle.

"The Invid have taken 70% losses and we've lost 23 Alphas and 8 Betas. The battle is winding down; it should be over in the next five minutes, with minimal further losses."

"Thank you, Scott. Lisa, I request a pass by the ship over the hive complex, to drop off Commander Freeman's insertion team."

"Will you be going with it?"

"Yes."

"Then permission granted, if I go as well. After all, T. R. did invite us down."

"I'm going, too," Karen said aloud, no one having notice her arrival on the bridge.

"The hell you are," Scott snapped at her.

"Why? Admiral, I'm fully capable of going into combat. All I needed after my reappearance was a little recovery time and I've had more than enough. Dr. Grant can vouch for me."

"Rick, I'm receiving a message from the Tokugawa. Jean confirms Karen's story."

"Thank you. Scott, you're overruled. She goes. Besides, how could we stop her if she really wants to go planet-side?"

"You're right. Welcome aboard, Lieutenant."

Chapter Eight:

"Yes, I am the warrior, and victory is mine!"

- 20th century song lyrics

Karen and Lynn-Kyle had stayed with Rick, Lisa, Scott, Marie, Rem, and Janice on the initial penetration of the hive. After a battle against what could best be described as 'Fokker-Things', they continued until they caught the tail end of a battle between a group of Ghost Riders and most of the other members of the insertion squad. Only the Spherisians were absent. The Praxians had to be evacuated, so Kami volunteered to take charge of that detail. Baker and Penn had been describing their short period of captivity to Rick and Scott, who listened intently.

"You're certain it was Minmei?" Rick and Kyle asked simultaneously.

"Yes, and she didn't look too thrilled to be there, either. Edwards is holding her prisoner."

"My guess is that her behavior since the departure from Tyrol has been the result of a form of mind control," Karen added. "It's quite possible that his power over Invid, coming from one of their brains, could also be focused on humans but at a great cost. Minmei was blind to his motivations until it was too late, and she became a weapon."

"Save the speculation," Rick said. Thinking back, Rick thought about the fact that Minmei had been used as a weapon before; both willingly against Dolza, and unwillingly by those responsible for the Lorelei project. Why is it that the most innocent are the first to be dragged into violence? "Let's get organized. Scott, Marie, Lisa, and I will continue on with Learna. Maybe we can beat Edwards to the Genesis Pit and surprise him there. Penn, Baker; we'll have to assume that Baldan and Teal are still on track. See if you can catch up with them."

"But how are we going to find them?" Jack asked.

"Use this," Rem said, removing and handing over his direction-finder backpack. "I have a feeling I won't be needing it."

"The rest of you, go after Minmei. Karen, have you gotten a fix on her yet?"

"Yes, Admiral. We should have no problem."

"Good. Let's go." The group split up once again.

The three Invid clamships were little more than space debris, falling to the guns and mecha of the Korra'ti. REF Zentraedi Pods, Power Armors, and the Korra'ti's ASC Cosmic Assault Unit squad in their Battloids all made their marks, each group playing a major part in the destruction of the vehicles. Edwards' SDF-7 wasn't as easy to stop, however. Vince Grant's ship, the Tokugawa, couldn't shake the death ship, and had to be abandoned before the faster and more powerful Kamikaze ship reached it.

The Tokugawa's crew had relocated to the Valivarre, where they watched their ship's destruction.

"Lady Kazianna, General Grant;" R'ykandar called from the Korra'ti. "Do have any further orders?"

"The insertion was successful, but Kami and the three Praxians were being evacuated. Arla-non is listed as dead, Gnea as wounded. Excuse me; there's been an update. Learna has been wounded, and is retreating to the evac point as well."

"Go down and assist the Karbarran assault teams with your mecha squads. The Invid will do a double-take!"

"Yes, sir, General. By the way, how is Lord Breetai?"

"He's still drifting in and out of consciousness," Jean replied. "He's improving, but I can't say exactly when he'll recover enough to resume his duties."

"I'll be up to see him when I get back. I'll see all of you them."

"You want us to WHAT?" Scott asked Rick.

"Just a minute of the hin won't hurt you."

"Rick, I went through hell the last time I breathed that stuff. I'm not sure I want to risk that again."

"Same here; but with Learna having to go back, it's our only chance."

"Please, Scott; it's the only way," Marie pleaded.

"For you, I will. Rick, hand me that breathing mask. I might as well be the first."

"Good. I wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea of going first myself."

"Now you tell me."

Karen, Kyle, Rem, and Janice made it to what was once the Regent's quarters, now Edwards', as Minmei pulled herself out of the Regent's old nutrient pool. Then, something that had once been human bobbed to the surface, to be vaporized by Janice and Kyle's sidearms. Kyle ran to Minmei as the remnants of the mutated Benson started falling.

"Minmei, are you okay?"

"K-Kyle? Is that you?"

"Yes, Minmei, it's me. I came back for you."

"Promise me you won't leave me again."

"I won't, Minmei. I'll never leave you again. I promise."

"Minmei?" Janice interrupted, handing them Rem's jacket and her pants, creating a hologram to make up for the lack of uniform. Where did Edwards say he was going?"

"H-he went to s-somewhere called the p-pit."

"Then Rick and the others are going to run right into him," Rem said.

"No! We have to save Rick! It's my fault he's in danger!

"No, no, Minmei," Kyle told her, holding her to him. "There's nothing you could have done. I have a feeling this conflict is much older than it appears."

"Correct, Kyle," Karen replied. "It goes back to that dark night in 2011, when Dolza's fleet devastated the Earth. Now, through, it must end."

"Karen," Rem said hurriedly. "While you were talking, Jan left. I don't know what she has planned, but I have a feeling that I won't like it."

"Don't worry, Rem," Karen replied. "I'll stop her. No more lives should be wasted on senseless heroics." With that, Karen teleported out of the room.

The Hunters and Freemans fought their way toward the Genesis Pit, the hin guiding them around the traps laid by Edwards. But the hin was failing now, as they neared their objective. They entered the Pit area, where Edwards was waiting for them.

"It's over," Rick called out, weapon leveled at Edwards. "Call it off and you'll walk out of here alive."

"I want to congratulate you fools on making it this far," Edwards replied, sounding like a diabolic game show host. "But as they say back home, 'the fat lady has yet to sing.' See how you like her." A hellish parody of a Wagnerian soprano rose out of the pit, only to be shot down as it began to sing a horrific version of "Stagefright".

"Didn't like that one, huh?" Edwards frowned. "How about this instead, Lovebirds?" A demonic Cupid rose out of the pit, firing bolts of energy from its bow. Rick dropped it, but soon the pit was spewing creatures of all sorts from the warped imagination of T. R. Edwards.

"Scott!" Marie called out.

"Marie, what's wrong?"

"These creatures; they're not really here!"

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure -Hey!" She was grabbed from behind by two Ghost Riders. It was only then that both she and Scott realized that her side of the conversation had been on a telepathic nature. Scott was subdued quickly as well.

Marie, can you hear me?" Scott thought to himself.

"Yes, I can! Scott. The exposure to the hin opened up something in my mind. However, it seems to be limited to reaching you and Karen. Rick and Lisa can't seem to hear it."

Edwards was currently confronting Rick and Lisa, who had been grabbed the same time as Scott and Marie.

"Marie, where is Karen? Can she help us?"

"She's on her way. That's all she would say."

Suddenly, things started going weird around them.

"Something's wrong," Edwards said to himself(?). "What's going on?"

"The shields have failed," a Ghost Rider reported from a nearby Invid commsphere, his image breaking up. "Looks like we got a bunch of damn grizzlies in the hive, General."

"Karbarrans. Get me Benson."

"He's not responding sir."

"Damn!"

"What's the matter, T. R.?" Scott called out. "Your goons abandoning you? They say the best laid plans of rats and men often go astray."

"Lieutenant," Edwards called to his goon squad, "It might be best if you and your men readied our shuttle for departure."

"What about these four?"

"We'll get along famously. Just see to it that you secure us a way out of here."

"Will they be coming along, sir?"

"No, I don't think so; at least not intact. I may keep a souvenir or two."

The Ghost Riders left, leaving Edwards alone with them, his gun leveled at the Hunters. A quick message from the Brain distracted Edwards for a split second, and both Rick and Lisa dove towards him. However, Edwards was waiting from them, having expected a move like this.

"Marie, let's help them!" Scott cried out, having been taken by surprise by the move. But Marie held him back.

"No. This is their fight, an we'd only get in the way."

The fight went against the Hunters, Edwards grabbing Lisa by the neck using her to keep Rick back as he recovered his pistol. He then threw Lisa back to Rick.

"I can't tell you how long I've waited for this."

"Why, Edwards? What's it all been about? Is it Fokker? You have more than enough reason to hate the Freemans; they've killed you twice. But why single Lisa and me out? Is it some kind of revenge against Roy that the Zentraedi! Denied you, so you decided to get it through me?"

"It was Fokker in the beginning, Hunter. I'll grant that. Fokker and all you SDF-1 heroes. You and your Zentraedi pals almost ended things for all of us."

"Come on, Edwards. It was the UEDC, you know that. Russo and..."

"Go ahead, say it: Russo and who?"

"I'm sorry, Lisa."

"Russo and HAYES," Edwards finished Rick's sentence. "Let's not forget your wife's old man, Hunter. It was his idea as much as anyone else's to use the cannon."

"Then why blame us? Gloval was against it - we all were."

"You really don't know, do you?" Edwards said, wincing in pain from feedback over the headband that was resulting from Baldan and Teal's assault on the Invid Brain. He held in his other hand a piece of charred metal, the faceplate his original self had worn and that had been recovered by the first clone as a gift to the second. "This is why I hate the two of you. Didn't you ever wonder why I had to wear this? Probably not, but maybe if I told you how it happened you'd begin to get the picture. You see, I was there that terrible day in 2011. I was at Alaska Base."

"But... but that's impossible," Lisa gasped.

"Oh no. Not impossible. You remember where you were, isolated from the rest of the base. I was there; I was in the command center when you and your father said your last good-byes."

"But I thought... I saw the screen go dark. I was sure -"

"But you never bothered to check! Neither of you!"

"Edwards, I -"

"You what, Hunter? I saw the two of you leave... She was on your lap, wasn't she? Such a cute pair; meant for each other." The head band evidently was causing him a great pain, and he pulled it off into his free hands. "I called out to you, Hunter... I crawled across that molten glass terrain on my belly praying for you to hear me. You left me in hell up there, and I'm going to do the same for you. First, I'm going to make you watch your friends die, then you will follow, ladies first. Now move."

"Don't do this, Edwards," Rick pleaded. "I'm the one who left you behind. Let them go."

"The hero right to the end, huh? Well, save it. The only thing that has kept me alive was thinking about how I was going to pay you back. There's nothing you can say that can change that."

"Maybe there's something I can say, T.R." Everyone turned and saw Minmei standing there, battered and in torn clothing. "Let them go, T.R. You've lost everything you worked for. But you can still have me, if you let them live. I'll do whatever you ask."

"Minmei, no!" Lisa screamed.

"Oh what a day for heroism! And what a sweet thing is revenge! Come to me, my pet."

Minmei stood there looking at him. "You'll let them go, then?"

"Sorry, love but you know how it is: I have to do what I have to do."

"And so do I, T.R. I had to give you one last chance, and you blew it." Her voice changed as did her image. Before them stood Karen, a look on her face that neither Scott nor Marie had ever seen before, nor did they ever wish to see it again. "Look into my eyes, Edwards. Look into my eyes and know that Karen Noel Freeman is the one sending you to the deepest pits of Hell."

"Noel Freeman? How?" he cried.

"Your ally Zand never knew the truth. The child on Earth is but a clone of myself, cloned by me to hide my unnatural growth. He will not live long enough to feel my wrath. That wrath will be the last thing you will ever know." The two's eyes were locked on each other, neither bending. Suddenly, though, Edwards started convulsing.

"Hunter, Save me!" he screamed, but everyone else seemed to be in shock from the battle. Edwards' flesh began to shimmer, then run like melted wax, followed by his musculature. And organs, him screaming all the while. Then the screaming echoed and died, and the scorched bones of what had been humanity's greatest traitor collapsed into its uniform and the greasy substance that had been his flesh.

Karen slumped to one knee, the horrified Hunters and Freemans staring at her and what was left of Edwards. They were still staring, speechless, a minute later when R'ykandar's REF-style officer's pod burst through the far walls.

"It is over," Karen said, standing. "We have won. The tides of darkness have been stemmed once more."

But all the others could do is stare at her.

Chapter Nine:

"The journey home is always filled with thoughts of what could have been and what is yet to be."

- Marie Freeman

Rem, Minmei and Kyle came across Janice in the hallway outside the Genesis Pit area, shut down. They carried her the rest of the way to the Pit, where Karen reactivated her, then they were picked up by a shuttle craft from the Korra'ti. Scott and the others were dropped off aboard the Ark Angel, but Karen gathered her equipment from it and the Valivarre and moved permanently to R'ykandar's ship. As the story of the last events in the hive circulated, people started giving Karen more and more room, often actively avoiding her. Her family, while trying to understand what had happened was still shaken badly by her actions. Marie, her best friend, couldn't gather up enough confidence to speak with her until just before the ships left on the return journey to Tyrol, two months after the battle.

From Skull, Highlander, and the Sentinels: Prelude to Light

By Marie Sterling Freeman.

"Breetai was released from the Valivarre's sickbay a week before the scheduled departure for Tyrol. It was at this time that it was made known that Kazianna Hesh was pregnant with his child, and much rejoicing took place on both the Korra'ti and Valivarre. By the time we reached Tyrol, there were over a dozen confirmed pregnancies among the Zentraedi, as well as at least another dozen that weren't apparent until after arrival. I had been feeling under the weather as well, and I almost fainted when Jean told me that I was pregnant! Scott did faint, as he realized that I had been pregnant when we had breathed the hin in the assault on the Home Hive.

"The Korra'ti, Valivarre, and Ark Angel limped out of the Tzuptum system together. The two REF ships had suffered damage to their drives in the battle, and were barely capable of superluminal speeds, whereas no one trusted the Korra'ti's fold engines. Three of the last five folds had been totally unasked for, at least in results, and nobody even wanted to THINK about pushing those odds. Rem and Janice moved over to the Korra'ti for the trip, so that Karen could help them with the two children she had 'rescued' (It wasn't until 2035 that we were told by Rem of the children's true origins, though we obviously suspected at least who their mother was). It would take us nearly six months to reach Tyrol.

"I was very large by the time, five months later, that Kazianna gave birth to Drannin. Scott was getting worried that another Karen was on the way, but those fears were eased by a visit with Jean Grant. Sonograms indicated that I was going to have twins! Of course Scott fainted again! (You'd think he'd be used to bombshells like those by now!) Lisa Marie Freeman and Miriya Parino Freeman were born six weeks after Drannin, and were perfectly normal identical twins, as far as we knew. That they shared the same powers as the other "SDF-Brats" wasn't apparent until after the Sterlings returned to Earth, and they met their aunt Aurora.

"Emil Lang had a few surprises for us when we finally reached Tyrol. The main one was that it was four years later than we thought it was. Scott, Karen and Dar got into a long discussion with Lang, Burke and Cabell, and they came up with an incredible plan. They would use the Korra'ti's strangeness to our advantage, to have a chance to get back to Earth right after the Korra'ti had left. The Korra'ti had already proven that the old theory about being two places at the same time wrong, so they thought they might be able to get away with it. The Korra'ti would fold to the exact coordinates it had left, with a Veritech wing and a full complement of Zentraedi aboard.

"Scott handed the reins of Skull back over to Rick, and reformed Highlander Squad. Volunteers were taken from the other squadrons on Tyrol, to boost Highlander to squadron status. Even a couple of former Ghost Riders, who had refused to follow Edwards to Optera, joined our group to have a chance to erase the stigma of their former squadron. Also, 300 Destroid pilots joined us, not with their bulky mecha but with 3000 cyclones which Lang had finally managed to duplicate and mass-produce. The cyclones were to be for the Southern Cross, and the Destroiders were to be instructors in the use of the cyclones. Also bright along were prototype 'Shadow devices', based on the Korra'ti's own systems. Those would prove to be our most important cargo."

"Scott and I moved into the quarters recently vacated by Rem and Janice, the day after Roy Hunter was born. The next day, with uncertainty ahead and dear friends behind, we left for Earth.

End, Book Two

An explanation of the Asterisks on the dates:

To get the real dates for the Sentinels mission, add 3 years and 315 days to the listed dates.

Part: Apparent: Real

Part 5: Day of arrival 12/12/2021 10/23/2025

Part 5 & 6: Sentinels arrival 12/31/2021 11/11/2025

Part 6: Battle of Karbarra 2/15-17/2022 12/27-29/2025

Part 6: The Praxis Massacre 10/08/2022 08/28/2026

Part 7: Ark Angel departure 03/12/2023 01/21/2027

Part 7: Arrival at Garuda 04/16/2023 02/25/2027

Part 7: Arrival at Haydon IV 05/27/2023 04/07/2027

Part 8: Exposure of Edwards 09/08/2023 07/20/2027

Part 8: First Battle of Optera 11/19/2023 09/30/2027

Part 8: Second Battle of Optera 05/06/2024 03/17/2028

Part 8: Return from Optera (10/20/2024) 08/31/2028

Part 8: Vulcan Division Launch 01/04/2029