Disclaimers: Earth: Final Conflict and its characters are copyrighted by Tribune Entertainment Company. [Da'an, Sandoval, Lili, Liam, Zo'or, Dr. Belman, Augur]
The Valdemar universe and its characters are copyrighted by Mercedes Lackey and the books (The Last Herald Mage series) are published by the DAW Fantasy publishing group. [Vanyel and Yfandes, Savil, Andrel, Moondance, Starwind and their respective bondbirds]
Rating: R
The song excert is taken from the song "I Will Pass This Way Again" written by Rich Prezioso and performed by Small Potatoes {Jacquie Manning and Rich Prezioso]. It is copyrighted by Tatertunes Music 91995). I have used this song before in one of my Da'an pieces and in truth I had no plans to use it [or any song] for this piece. That is until I was proofing and realized that the commong theme for this story is summarized in a verse of this song. So it once again found a home in my writing.
There should be some other warnings that go with this. It is without a doubt a slash piece. This is written off of Mercedes Lackey's stuff-and that includes her homosexual themes. You're warned right now. If you don't like it, don't read it. Just don't bother me about it. Obviously, I don't have a problem with it—or I wouldn't be writing this. If you do have a problem, I don't want to hear about it. That's what these warnings are for.
Spoilers: Up to and including 'Atavus.' Mercedes Lackey's Last Herald Mage series.
Summary: Gaiting continues to prove hazardous to one's plane of existence. Sequel to 'I Choose You.' Crossover [with Mercedes Lackey's Last Herald Mage series]. Slash.
Author notes, etc.: Some old, some new, please read them through. :)
You should probably read the first piece in this series ['I Choose You'] before you attempt this story. It's not required, but it is definitely going to give you some much needed background information.
Regarding a timeline…. For the EFC universe, this takes place sometime after 'Atavus.' For ML, it corresponds with the Last Herald Mage series, somewhere in between the first and second books. After Tylendel, but before Vanyel finds his second love.
Okay, this is an ALTERNATE universe. Very alternate. I have taken liberties with both sides. I've always written Sandoval loosely, this is no exception. And I've done things with ML's universe too. I know there are lots of things that are wrong—why complicate the story line with unneeded explanations? And I know there cannot be a kestra'chern at this time, but… I happen to like Sunlark, so he gets a place in my story.
To answer some questions and clarify some things, I consider this a complete AU. In other words, when I picked up the story line of EFC and LHM, I completely negated anything that might follow in the two original pieces. They don't come together again.
Unfortunately, this is the end of this series. I did not plan on writing a sequel in the first place. But after several people asked, I relented. As a result, this turned into a very slow process and I'm still not happy with the final results. Don't get me wrong, I loved writing certain parts of this piece and I have learned a lot in doing it. But my heart was not in it as I would have liked. I will apologize now…the scenes are lovely as stand alone pieces, the flow of the story is what is lacking. There won't be another one of these. As for what happens afterwards, you're on your own. Use your imagination!
Sunlark is originally created by Gwyn. I've completely revamped him to fit my needs.
Sundance and her respective bondbird, Silverstone, Serous, Moriganne, and her respective Companion, and Bud Kinsey all belong to myself. Please do not take them without permission.
Finally, thank you to Jakevi (my lovely new beta—as in the editor, not the fish :) ) and Ja'el for betareading this piece.
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"Life is not fair."
Augur glanced up at Liam, watching him pace back and forth across the room. Scoffing, he turned back to the computer screen before him. "I know you haven't been here long, Kid, but surely you've figured that one out by now."
"I can't believe Zo'or closed the file on Da'an's disappearance! He ended my investigation! How am I supposed to find Da'an now?!" Liam continued, starting to yell.
Augur jumped as he heard something hit the wall behind him. Hopefully it wasn't breakable…. "It's been a year; you had to expect them to close the investigation some time. I'm surprised the Synod's kept it going this long."
"He thinks that I'm his attaché now! Just because Sandoval disappeared with Da'an and he's out an assistant, he thinks he has a right to me." Liam plopped down into a nearby chair. "He thinks he's going to implant me."
"And?"
"What do you mean 'and'?" Liam snapped.
Augur shrugged, turning to face Liam once again. He was getting tired of this game. Liam had grown more and more testy since Lili, Da'an, and Sandoval had mysteriously vanished a year ago. Already the hybrid had racked up quite a bill—of things he'd damaged or destroyed in his fits of rage. And Augur intended to present it to him—as soon as Liam was in a better mood…. "You expect me to feel sorry for you? If you'll remember, you got yourself into this in the first place. As long as Zo'or isn't trying to use me as his lab rat again, he can do whatever the hell he wants with the rest of the populace. It's not my problem."
"Not your problem?!" Liam launched himself out of the chair. "It's going to be your problem shortly. If you had any idea what Zo'or intends to do…. He's going to annihilate the Resistance! We're talking martial law—and Thompson's going to endorse it!"
"He doesn't have any choice but to endorse it," Augur pointed out. "Would you go somewhere else? You're being depressing…."
Liam grumbled, heading towards the door.
***
"I can't believe it's come to this," Liam said as Belman entered the lab.
"Zo'or insists on complete loyalty from his assistants—and there's only one way to ensure complete loyalty," she said simply. "The only reason he's let you go this long without a CVI and skrill is because you were protecting Da'an. He felt that not having those enhancements compromised your position, and it was in his favor to compromise Da'an's security as much as possible."
"But I'm assigned to Da'an, not Zo'or!" Liam protested.
Belman shook her head. She truly felt sorry for Liam. Losing Da'an had been hard on him. Liam had prided himself on the quality of protection he had provided Da'an—to have the Companion just completely disappear…. She knew he wished every moment that he had been with Da'an that day instead of letting Sandoval accompany the Taelon. And now this…. "Liam," she said softly, "Da'an's been missing far too long to expect to recover him."
Liam nodded solemnly. "I know that, I was just hoping…. If Da'an was here, I wouldn't have to go through with the implantation."
"You could always refuse."
He hesitated, as if considering the possibility for a moment, but then shook his head. "Zo'or would have me killed on the spot."
She grimaced. "It's still a choice."
"Death might be preferable to living as Zo'or's slave." Sighing, he propped his head up with his hands.
Pulling a chair up in front of him, she hesitated. There were too many things she needed to say—none of which he would like. She hated having to do this, especially when it was someone she knew—and especially when she could spare them nothing. "You realize I don't have time to reengineer a CVI for you. It took months to remove the MI from the first one. And since they're partially biological in basis, each one is slightly different. Even having done it once, it would probably take near the same amount of time to locate and eliminate this particular MI."
"We don't have that long," he reminded her.
She took a deep breath. He seemed to be accepting this well. Maybe he'd resigned himself to the fact that death was the only way to escape the fate Zo'or had decreed for him. Or maybe it hadn't quite registered just exactly what this all meant. Considering Liam had worked with Sandoval, she decided the former was more likely. "No, we don't. Zo'or ordered it be done this afternoon. He's anxious about something."
"His project." Liam looked up at her. "He's moving on the Resistance…."
Belman nodded; she'd heard as much. She looked deep into his eyes. This was her fault, she should have been working on a new 'adapted' CVI since Boone's death. But she hadn't seen a reason to; Da'an would not have let Liam be implanted. And she hadn't expected to ever lose Da'an. "The human mind is stronger than the CVI, Liam. You can fight it."
"You forget that I'm not all human, Doctor."
She turned away from him. She hadn't forgotten, just chosen not to acknowledge it. "That's another thing, I'm not sure how the CVI will respond to the fact that you're part Chimera."
"I don't see that we have any other choice."
She shook her head.
Liam stood. "The let's not spend time worrying about things we can't control and get this over with before I change my mind."
***