Author's Note: Hello all! Apologies for the length of time since the last update. This is a new version of the chapter, as the old one didn't work anymore. Look for the next chapter later this weekend.


Present day

Apparently, Helena's mind is never supposed to be at rest.

In her first life, she thought constantly, turning over ideas for inventions and stories. Even once she began working at the Warehouse, her mind never slowed down. If anything, Caturanga encouraged her to think more.

In her second life, her mind was occupied with several tasks. First and foremost had been insinuating herself back into the workings of Warehouse 13. That accomplished, she began to finish piecing together the puzzle of accessing Warehouse 2. Her relationship with Myka was yet another track, one that took considerable time and energy to keep separate from her plans for the Trident, and even life as a regular Warehouse agent.

Now in her third life, she feels that she should be used to this state. After all, Michael Jenkins de-Bronzed her specifically to track down the "thieves" that had been troubling him for months, no small task when humanity now occupied dozens of planets and moons. The fact that he didn't feel the need to inform her of the existence of a second Warehouse only confirms her earlier judgments of the man as a manipulative, power-hungry little rodent. Since waking up, Helena has often had the distinct feeling that Jenkins knew more about the situation than he let on. Then there are the things that just never added up, like the fact that Jenkins never felt the need to assign Helena a partner/watchdog. Or the fact that, before today, Helena has never met a Regent, or the current Caretaker.

Well, she finally has an explanation for that last item, anyway, Helena thinks as Claudia leads the group into the Warehouse office. Helena's mind is whirling with too many questions to pay much attention to introductions; even so, a small part of her rejoices when the tall, blonde Agent Amanda Carter is acknowledged as head of 16. But that only brings her back to the most pressing question at hand: How are there two Warehouses?

A hand touches her arm, and Helena jumps slightly, startled. Carter, Dennis, and Jeff are leading Captain Reynolds and his crew to a sitting area; the hand on her arm belongs to an amused-looking Caretaker. Before Helena can say anything, Claudia motions to the door. "Come with me."

Helena follows the girl—no, not girl, woman—back out of the office and down a spiral staircase to the main floor of the Warehouse. "Amanda needs to debrief Reynolds and his crew," Claudia explains as they start walking, "but you don't need to be part of that conversation. I imagine you have a few questions."

"More than a few." Helena gestures around herself. "The very existence of two Warehouses at the same time…." She catches the pleased look on Claudia's face. "You had something to do with this, didn't you?"

"Maybe," Claudia teases, and once again she is the eager child who followed Helena around Warehouse 13, demanding to know how things worked and creating incredible solutions of her own. Helena quirks an eyebrow invitingly, and Claudia grins. "Got time for a history lesson?"

Helena levels a mildly exasperated look at the Caretaker, who knows full well that Helena will have no peace until she gets answers to these questions.

Claudia merely grins wider. "Well, you know by now that humanity managed to outgrow Earth…" The story Claudia tells matches up with what Helena has learned about the history of the last five hundred years, with some important points added. Humanity left Earth when the planet was tapped out, heading for the stars. Warehouse 14 occupied several levels of one "generation ship", but according to Claudia, "There were agents with access to secure artifact storage on all of the ships."

Out in space, the race found a solar system with planets and moons suitable for terraforming, which they did, beginning with the Central Planets. "Warehouse Fifteen opened for business as soon as Osiris was deemed safe," Claudia continues, leading Helena deeper into the stacks. "But as humanity continued to spread, it became pretty clear that one Warehouse wouldn't be enough. So I changed the rules."

"How?"

"Let's just say that being Caretaker gives you a certain amount of leverage." She smiles an enigmatic smile, the one that seems to go hand in hand with the position of Caretaker. "Anyway, the two Warehouses have been up and running for over a century now, with very few problems."

Helena arches an eyebrow at her. "By 'problems' I assume that you mean the fact that the two Warehouses appear to be at war with one another over artifacts?"

Claudia touches her nose, a gesture that Helena last saw during a late-night game of charades at the bed and breakfast half a millennium ago. The light-hearted nature of the gesture is absent from the Caretaker's voice. "I won't lie to you, HG, it hasn't been a pretty time. Things were a bit rough last century, and then when the U War broke out…" She trails off, shaking her head. In silence, she leads Helena down one more aisle, this one ending in a door. A combination is entered in a keypad, and the door swings open to reveal a workshop much like that which Helena once had. Several large tables occupy the majority of the room, strewn with tools and bits and pieces of machinery. One wall is covered in what looks like detailed plans of various buildings and other devices; among other things, Helena thinks she sees the schematics for the old Farnsworths. A door in the back stands ajar, giving Helena a glimpse of the corner of a bed. Claudia's living area, perhaps?

Helena shakes her head, turning her attention back to Claudia's story, her mind working at top speed, rearranging the new details until they make some sort of sense. It's no good; she doesn't have enough information. "What aren't you telling me?" Her voice sounds harsh, but she's only a little sorry. She's been operating half-blind for months now, and she's had enough.

Claudia must sense this, because she reverts from mystical Caretaker to the blunt young adult Helena remembers so well. "I need your help, HG. Michael Jenkins has found some way to keep me out of Warehouse Fifteen. You know the Warehouse better than just about anyone, and it likes you. If anyone can help me figure out what he's done, it's you."

Her words set Helena's mind whirling once more. Part of her starts chewing over the puzzle Claudia has just handed her, but that is quickly overwhelmed by anger. And she snaps. "And why should I want to do that?" Helena holds up a hand to cut off Claudia's reply. "No, it is your turn to listen. Do you remember why I bothered to find the Trident? Why I went to Yellowstone?" Claudia nods. "Ever since I woke up in this century," Helena continues, "I have been searching for proof that humanity has finally matured. Maybe we couldn't stay on Earth, but the fact that we now have the technology to travel through space and terraform new worlds gave me hope that maybe, just maybe we had finally gotten past all of the arguing and fighting and dying over things that in the grand scheme of things don't matter much at all. But no." Although she manages to keep her volume low, Helena's voice now shakes with her rage. "Instead I find that humans are continuing as they always have: Coveting what someone else has and doing whatever is necessary to get it. Starting wars over trifles. Tampering with things that they don't understand."

Claudia's eyes flash at that last, but she doesn't take the bait. When she does speak, her voice is still measured, calm. "What do you intend to do about it?"

"Absolutely nothing." Helena smiles at the undisguised confusion on the other woman's face. "I will pay Captain Reynolds for his trouble, and then I will find a place of my own, whether on a planet, moon, or station. Perhaps I shall take a leaf out of Reynolds' book and buy a ship of my own. Either way, I am done with the Warehouse."

An uneasy silence follows this last statement. Helena can feel the tension in her body, the way her muscles tighten in response to the perceived threat. With an effort of will, she forces herself to take a deep breath, calm down, loosen up. She may be angry, but she still needs a clear head to deal with the situation, to be ready for any counter-argument Claudia may make.

An indeterminate time later, Claudia finally speaks. "That's your choice, HG." There is an undertone of anger in her voice, so subtle that someone who doesn't know her would likely miss it. "But before you go, I have something to show you." She motions for Helena to turn around.

Reluctantly, the time-traveller does so. Partially hidden by the still open door is a statue.

A bronze statue.

A bronze statue that looks heartbreakingly familiar….

Helena is not aware of walking the intervening distance. All she knows is that she is suddenly standing in front of the statue, admiring striking features that even the cold metal cannot dull. And even though she knows it's impossible, Helena could almost swear that Myka Bering is studying her, as well.

Well that's a bloody unfair tactic. Who did this to her? Why did she allow it? She is just as beautiful as I remember. Not sporting at all. What happened to her? Why is she here? How did this happen?

"That's a bit of a long story," Claudia replies. With a jolt, Helena realizes she asked that last question aloud. Sounds behind her indicate the Caretaker's movement; when Claudia speaks again, her voice is closer, almost directly behind Helena. "I don't think I'm the one to tell it."

The statement sends another jolt through Helena. Surely Claudia can't mean…. Helena finally tears her eyes away from Myka's face and sees the headphones that cover the bronze statue's ears, and the wire that leads to a boxy device sitting on a table close by. Claudia moves past her to stand by the device. "This is-"

"Barry Seal's aviation radio," Helena breathes. Memories rush up, overwhelming… A voice in the darkness, a small bright spot in the otherwise enveloping black…. She blinks, forcing the memories down. Claudia faces her, one eyebrow raised in question. Helena merely returns the look, giving nothing away. They hold that pose for a long moment before Claudia's attention suddenly shifts. Her head tilts to one side and her eyes focus on something Helena can't see. "Is something wrong?"

"Excuse me for a bit," the Caretaker replies, her eyes focusing briefly on Helena before pushing past and exiting the room.

For a microsecond, Helena is tempted to follow. Then her eyes return to the radio, and the urge disappears as quickly as it appeared. She's never been on this side of the artifact's use, but it's not hard to figure out. Flipping the appropriate switches only takes moments. Willing her hands to stop shaking, Helena picks up the handset and brings it to her mouth. "Myka?" Silence. "Myka?" More silence. Helena looks at the artifact, wondering if she's flipped an incorrect switch. "Myka?" she tries again.

"Helena?"