Liam leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes. It had been a long day. Zo'or had insisted that Liam accompany the Synod representatives as they visited several joint human and Taelon facilities. He rubbed his temples, trying to get rid of a pounding headache. Sighing, he stopped. It was useless; he should know that by now. Belman had implanted him nearly a month ago and not a day went by that he didn't have a headache. He had complained to her, but even after a barrage of tests, she'd been unable to find anything wrong.
A clap of thunder broke him from his thoughts. Dark clouds had blown in, blocking the sun. Rain had begun to fall and was collecting on the balcony. Liam glanced around the office. It was the same office Sandoval had occupied before he disappeared, and it was just as sparse as he had kept it. Liam shook his head. It wasn't as if he had any personal items to add to the room—no family photos, no awards, no mementos. The stark Taelon-human décor seemed all too appropriate.
"Mr. Kincaid?"
Liam spun at the voice. One of the numerous Embassy security officers stood at the door. He could have easily searched personnel records with his CVI and found the man's name, but he didn't bother. It truly didn't matter. "Yes."
"One of the ID monitoring stations has reported a fairly major anomaly. They would like you to take a look at it," the man said.
Picking up his jacket from the arm of the chair, he nodded. "Tell them I'll be there shortly."
***
Cold rain soaked Liam's clothing. He shivered, pulling his coat more tightly around him though it didn't make much difference. The main ID technician walked a few paces in front of him. The man stopped, turning his face to the cloud darkened sky.
"Quite a storm we're gettin' tonight?" he commented with a thick Midwestern drawl. "A strange signal started comin' in about an hour ago and it's just been steadily gettin' worse. Not really a…rift in ID, just…broken up. Kinda fuzzy. Didn't know quite what to do about it. Called the Embassy and figured they'd know what to do." He looked at Liam. "Since it looks like we're gonna be trompin' around in the rain for a while, I suppose I should introduce myself. Bud Kinsey."
"Major Liam Kincaid." Liam smiled, reaching out to shake Bud's hand.
"As I was sayin', Sir…" he started again.
"Just Liam."
Bud nodded. "As I was sayin', Liam, it was unexpected. ID space is usually fairly smooth. But then it started breakin' up like. Never seen anything like it—at least not on my shift. They tell me about a year ago one of them other stations picked up a similar signal, but it disappeared about as quickly as it came." He shrugged. "Strange things happen, I suppose; 'specially around these Companions."
Liam laughed. "Unfortunately, you're right."
"Yep. I remember hearin' from one of my friends back home about one of those new Taelon enhanced crops. Darn wheat was ready for harvest one whole month early. Really threw his neighbors. Here he was haulin' it in to the co-op long before they were. He made a killin' that year, jumpin' on the market like that. And they'd laughed at him for gamblin' his farm in that crop program. Now he's better off than the lot of 'em." He pulled a sampling device from his coat. "Here it is."
Coming to stand next to him, Liam glanced around. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. They were standing in a clearing about twenty miles outside of DC along the outskirts of a suburb. The lights of the city lit the horizon. Bolts of lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating scraggly trees and the remains of a brick building that had obviously burnt and no one had bothered to tear down.
"See, look at these readings. Somethin's not right." Bud held the device out towards him.
Liam hardly even looked at it as something caught his eye near the building ruins. Not quite movement…. He turned around, studying the area. There it was again—a light in the still standing doorway of the building. He searched the sky, looking for any gaps in the clouds that could let enough evening sunlight through to cause such an illusion. Nothing. Looking back to the debris, he noticed the light was no longer a passing occurrence. It was a steady, white light, filling the door—pulsating.
"What in heavens is that?" Bud asked
"Wish I knew." Liam shook his head.
A violent clap of thunder shook the earth and the light from the door…exploded outwards.
***
Sandoval cringed at a sickening feeling of falling. He knew exactly how much building this Gate had cost Vanyel; he was the one person the mage couldn't hide his feelings of worry and exhaustion from. Sandoval longed to reach out to him and ask what was wrong, but he knew the last thing Vanyel needed was such a distraction.
Suddenly, a scene opened up in front of him. Not the place Vanyel had described to him—the Temple Grove with its lush, green meadows and grey, stone memorial temple. But a dark area of sparse, weedy vegetation and harsh, bright artificial lights. Rain poured from the sky, plastering his light robe to his skin. Sandoval paused. Artificial lights? Not the comforting glow of magelights, but the harsh beams of artificial lights. He spun around, disoriented, and caught sight of the city on the horizon. It was unmistakably DC.
"Raven?" Vanyel asked quietly.
Sandoval turned to find Vanyel leaving heavily on Sunlark's shoulder. He rushed to their sides, helping the kestra'chern support Vanyel's form. "Please tell me you know where we are," Vanyel continued.
"Close to home." Sandoval nodded. "Close to my home."
Vanyel looked back to the doorway they'd just come through. "I am never Gating again."
"Now is not the time to discuss it," Sandoval reprimanded him. He tilted his head and studied Vanyel closely, with the training of a Healer that Moondance had patiently drilled into him. "Right now, we need to get you out of this weather and into a warm, dry bed. You're going to have a serious case of backlash."
"Ah, my friends…." Sunlark started hesitantly. He motioned off to the right. "We have company."
Sandoval looked up. Da'an was standing about ten feet away, face to face with two other people—one of which he recognized. Liam.
***
Liam stared at the Taelon before him. "Da'an?" he stuttered, hardly believing his eyes.
"Quite a surprise, Major," Da'an said softly, tilting his head and blushing.
"Da'an?!" Bud asked, looking wide eyed at Liam. He turned to face Da'an immediately, clumsily offering a Taelon salute. "I thought you were dead."
"We all thought you were dead. Where…where…" Liam shook his head, giving up. The words just weren't there. So many questions, but…. "Where the hell have you been?!"
"It's a long story."
"Sandoval?" Liam glanced up from Da'an. Sandoval was approaching slowly. He was dressed in a loose, midnight blue robe accented in stark black and white. Rain had drenched the garment, making it cling to him. A small falcon huddled against his shoulder. His hair was longer than it had been, with a feather braided in at one temple. Liam blinked. Sandoval? Surely not.
Two other people approached with him. One was tall and dark with long, black hair. The other was shorter, near Sandoval's height, with silver hair falling slightly below his shoulders. Both were dressed in a similar manner to Sandoval.
"Damn. Whole Taelon convention," Bud laughed sarcastically.
Liam nodded. Things were beginning to get more than a little confusing. Da'an, Sandoval…. Suddenly, he jumped. Lili. Lili had been with them when they had disappeared. "Lili? What happened to Lili?"
"She didn't come with us," Sandoval said.
"What do you mean she didn't come with you?!"
Sandoval sighed. "She didn't want to leave. She…. It's a long story, Liam. Do you think it can wait until we get out of the rain?"
Liam shrugged, unsatisfied. He met Sandoval's eyes. Could he detect a hint of weariness? It wasn't like Sandoval to let on that he suffered from any weakness.
"Please, Liam, all your questions will be answered as soon as there is a chance to do so," Sandoval continued, this time visibly tired.
This couldn't be the Sandoval he knew. Getting a grip on himself, he nodded. "Of course. We won't all fit in the shuttle."
"Well, y'all are in luck," Bud interjected. "We installed a portal in the monitoring station a couple weeks ago. Just short term, mind ya, for the purpose of transporting some equipment outta the Embassy. ID's gonna take over commercial truckin', just you wait an' see. But it'll take you right to the Embassy. The station's not far that way."
"Then let's go." Liam headed off in the direction Bud pointed. "Before we get any wetter."
"Yfandes? Where's 'Fandes?" the silver haired man asked, in a panic, resisting being guided after Liam.
Liam watched as Sandoval tried to calm him. "Shhh…she's not far." Sandoval looked up, scanning the area. His movement were calm and controlled, but his eyes betrayed his concern. Something white flashed through the rain near one of the trees in the clearing. Seconds later a pure white horse stood at Sandoval's side, bumping the man he was supporting with its nose. The silver haired man relaxed.
The dark haired man looked to Liam. "Now, we can go."
Bud started off again. "I'm just not gonna ask. Sometimes it's best not ta know. Reminds me of the time when…."
***
"How are you feeling?" Sandoval asked in Tayledras, kneeling beside the couch Vanyel was laying on.
"Tired. And sore."
"I would expect so, considering the energy you channeled through that Gate." He picked up a cloth from a bowl of water at his feet and wrung it out. Vanyel flinched as Sandoval placed it on his forehead. "You just need some rest." He brushed several loose strands of hair from Vanyel's face. "If you'll let me, I can help you sleep."
Vanyel shook his head, grimacing in pain. "No."
Nodding, Sandoval tucked the blanket tighter around Vanyel's form. He'd been lucky it was still here. Though it was obvious Liam had been using the office, little had changed since it had been his. The Major had left the couch untouched, along with the heavy blanket that had been draped over the back. "Are you still cold?" he asked softly.
"A little." Vanyel closed his eyes.
Sandoval sighed, placing a hand on the mage's shoulder. Vanyel did not look good. He was ghastly pale and exhausted. Sandoval had been lending him energy, helping him replace what he had lost in the Gate. But when they'd gotten to the Embassy, Vanyel had refused any more help. And while Sandoval had managed to remove the wettest of Vanyel's clothing and wrap him in a blanket, he still shivered violently.
"You're dripping water everywhere," Vanyel said some time later, opening his eyes.
Sandoval laughed slightly. "I did not even realize it."
"That's okay," Vanyel studied him closely. "I think the drenched look is quite flattering."
"Then perhaps I will have to take walks in the rain more often." A hurt look passed across Vanyel's face. "Something is bothering you besides your backlash. Tell me," Sandoval prodded him, worried.
"You, ke'chara."
"I don't understand."
Vanyel averted his eyes, a tear rolling down his cheek. Very gently, Sandoval wiped it away. He opened his mind, reaching out towards Vanyel's. A wall of shields met him.
"I do not want to lose you," Vanyel explained.
"How would you lose me?" Sandoval studied the shields, finding a weak point. They'd played this game often; Vanyel challenging him to break through his mental shields. Over time, he'd gotten fairly good. But this time it wasn't a game. Pushing lightly, Sandoval began to crumble the barriers. Vanyel didn't resist.
"This is your world, my Raven. I fear you will want to return to how you were. You said once that my kind is not accepted here. That shay'a'chern have no place."
The shields fell and Sandoval took a sharp breath as he was flooded with pain—physical and mental. He focused, forcing it through his body and away from Vanyel. As the pain receeded, he felt a nagging at the edge of his mind. Vanyel's words…. He pushed the thought to one side; it could be dealt with later. Right now, he needed to calm Vanyel. "Shhh…I would never leave you. Vanyel, this world has done little more than hurt me. Deedee was my only joy, and even if I managed to find her, she would never accept me back into her life. I couldn't ask her to—not after what I've done to destroy her life. I love you, shaydra, and coming back here does not change that. I ruined my life once because of what other people thought; I won't do it again."
"If you wish, we can hide it—pretend that we are not a couple. I would understand."
Through their link, Sandoval could feel him tense. "No," he said simply.
"It would be easier for you," Vanyel added.
"It would not be easier," he said. "Being apart from you would be worse than anything this world could do to me."
Vanyel sighed, beginning to relax. "Thank you."
"You need not have worried," Sandoval assured him. "Now, get some sleep."
***
"How is he?"
Liam looked up as the man who had introduced himself as Sunlark spoke. Sandoval had come into the room. He sighed mentally, perhaps now he'd get some answers. While he had been sitting here with Sunlark, waiting for Sandoval to rejoin them, he'd attempted to force the other man to start explaining. But Sunlark had refused, doing no more than introducing all the members of the party.
Liam shook his head as Sandoval answered Sunlark in a language he didn't understand.
Sunlark raised a hand, stopping him. "In English, my friend. I have a decent command of the language and," Liam jumped as Sunlark motioned in his direction, "it will make him more comfortable."
Nodding, Sandoval apologized.
"No reason to be sorry. It has been sometime since you have used your native tongue, I am certain. But now, I feel it is appropriate. We all know enough to communicate effectively. It will serve as a common ground." Sunlark dismissed the topic. "Now, what were you saying about Vanyel?"
Remembering Sunlark's introductions, Liam placed a face with the name. The silver haired man. That was Vanyel.
"He worries me," Sandoval answered.
"How so?"
"When we first arrived, he did not know Yfandes. I do not even think he realized she was near." Sitting down in one of the empty chairs, Sandoval joined them around the meeting table. The horse, Liam reminded himself. Yfandes was the…horse.
"I would not worry too much about Vanyel. He was disoriented by the backlash, nothing more."
Liam glanced to Sandoval. The man before him hardly resembled the person he remembered. Sandoval had been proud and arrogant, he had cared nothing for others.
"Perhaps," Sandoval said, breaking Liam from his thoughts.
"Will you be alright?" Sunlark asked, concerned.
"I'm just tired."
"No doubt. You used much of your personal energy to support Vanyel." Sunlark rose, going to stand behind Sandoval. Very gently, he began to massage his shoulders. Sandoval closed his eyes, leaning back into Sunlark's touch. "Just don't go to sleep," Sunlark warned. "You promised to answer all his questions."
"And I have plenty," Liam assured them. Finally, someone was going to explain.
"Where would you like to start?" Sandoval asked.
"The beginning."
Liam stood at the virtual glass window, looking out over the gardens. Dawn was just beginning to break, all traces of yesterday evening's storm gone, pale pink light hanging over everything. They'd talked all night. It hadn't surprised him. Anything to explain why they had disappeared then miraculously show up again was bound to take a while to relate.
He shook his head; it was impossible. Sandoval had explained about Gates and how one Vanyel created pulled them into his world. Still, it was impossible. He flinched as memories of Maiya and Jason flooded his mind. Perhaps not impossible. Improbable, but not impossible.
Sandoval had done a nice job of explaining, he had to give the man that. Liam glanced at him from the corner of his eye. Both of them were asleep, curled up in their chairs. He couldn't help but feel that Sandoval had left something out of his story. He'd told of how they couldn't get back. He'd explained exactly who and what Vanyel, Sunlark, and Yfandes were. He'd then given an overview of the world's concept of energy and how they harnessed it. Finally, he'd told about Lili, how Lili had fallen in love and chosen to stay behind. Little did she know that they would end up back home. Still, something seemed missing. There had been times Sandoval hesitated, as if wondering how much he should say. More often than not, it happened when he mentioned Vanyel. Then, when he'd spoken of the energies—Mage Gift, he called it—he'd stopped for quite some time, uncertain as whether to go on. Liam sighed, what could Sandoval be hiding?
He reached up, rubbing his temples. His headache had gotten worse, much worse. And now he was going to have to explain all this to Zo'or…. In the garden below, he could see Da'an sitting on a bench to one side. Next to him, the horse lay down on a patch of grass. Sandoval had said she was more than a horse—a Companion. The sight of Da'an calmed him. Surely everything would be alright now. With Da'an back, Zo'or couldn't expect his continued service. He would return to Da'an, Sandoval to Zo'or. Things could finally return to normal. Da'an looked up, fixing Liam in his gaze. Liam met his eyes. It was almost as if Da'an knew…. Forcing the thought from his mind, he turned from the window.
"Da'an and 'Fandes in the garden?" Sandoval asked, yawning and stretching.
Liam nodded. An awkward silence descended over the room.
Sandoval didn't seem to notice. He raised his right arm, whistling sharply. A brown-feathered mass in one corner of the room suddenly perked up, taking the form of a falcon. The same that had been perched on Sandoval's shoulder when they appeared. The bird took to the air, alighting on Sandoval's arm, its talons digging into a thick leather gauntlet there for exactly that purpose. The bird screeched, flapping its wings once more before settling.
"Shhh…" Sandoval chided him. "You'll wake Sunlark." He reached up, scratching the falcon's neck feathers. Turning to Liam, he smiled. "There is one which I did not introduce you to last night. This is Serous."
The bird was larger than a normal falcon. Its dark brown and black feathers shone in the light. A majority of those feathers were tipped in white. Liam let his eyes linger on the bird's sharp beak and talons.
Something caught his attention. A flash of bare skin at Sandoval's wrist. That wasn't right….
Sandoval followed his gaze. "I wondered when you were going to notice."
"What happened?" Sandoval without his skrill?! That was something he thought he would never see. The skrill represented his position with the Taelons, the power he had been given. Sandoval would rather die than give that up.
"It's fine," Sandoval replied. "Just has another host." He shrugged, dismissing the topic.
Liam wasn't ready to let it drop. For Sandoval not to have a skrill…. Something had definitely happened while they were gone. "How did you lose it?"
Sandoval turned away from him, focusing his attention back on Serous. "I didn't lose it; I had it removed."
Removed? It made no sense. Sandoval prided himself on his work serving the Taelons, protecting them. He'd had his skrill removed? How had he intended to protect Da'an? Anger flooded Liam's being, focusing itself on Sandoval's form. Sandoval had endangered Da'an! "And how did you intend to protect Da'an? You swore to protect the Taelons!"
"Da'an was in no danger. You…you…" Sandoval stopped.
"How do you know?" This time Liam yelled. He tried to check the unbridled anger that drove his words, but it was useless. Blinding white pain ripped through his mind as he futilely fought against the fury. Grabbing the side of the desk, he steadied himself. There was no use fighting; it was stronger than he. "I suppose you had your CVI removed too."
Sandoval flinched, turning to face Liam. "Yes," he said simply, "I did." It was obvious that Sandoval was fighting as much an internal battle as he was. Sandoval hesitated. "You cannot know," he snapped finally. "You cannot know what it is like. To have them control your every thought, every action. They used me. I was nothing to them. Nothing."
Liam watched as Sandoval turned and walked into the office where Vanyel was still sleeping.
***