The
War – Chapter 6
*~*~*
Zo'or had his difficulties to cope with
his new surroundings. Rarely he had been in direct contact to Normal,
non-implant humans. For Da'an's sake he tried to put down his arrogant behavior
but failed sometimes.
Time and again he caught himself watching
Da'an. How was he able to trust these humans? That computer hacker, Augur, had
been the one who had caused Da'an's transformation into an atavus, that Zo'or
had found out accidentally during an overheard discussion. And Da'an knew about
it. Nevertheless he seemed to enjoy the presence of the eccentric human.
Da'an's relationship to Marquette looked
even more obscure. She was a loyal member of the resistance and had tried to
kill Da'an and the other Taelons by blowing up the mothership. During the
sharing with Da'an he had learned that Marquette had been playing a decisive
role in Da'an's escape on Jaridia. But that did not explain the closeness they
shared. They exchanged looks and touches time and again, smiled at each other
over the room and where seen together most of the time.
Zo'or really tried to understand his
parent but this attraction to humanity was still an insoluble mystery.
Humans. What had been the cause for that
volunteer, Dru, to help him? Embarrassed and annoyed about himself he wondered
why he had trusted her. He had touched her and clung to her hand like a baby.
He had pulled her along into the sharing before he became aware of what he was
doing. The thoughts and emotions he had received from her had been extremely
puzzling. He had tried to repress them but every now and then he had to pull
himself out of a train of thought about her. In her thoughts he had sensed fear
and the urge to run away but something else as well. Something he couldn't
quite define.
Zo'or had noticed that Dru was getting
out of his way but also watched him whenever it was possible. What had she
received from him? The whole thing was embarrassing and awkward for him. But
there was something pulling him towards her.
Da'an had noticed Zo'or's inner fight and
kept an eye on his child. He was proud of him. Zo'or tried to change himself
and to understand and that was a very hard task to do. To deal with humans
scared him. Although there was war the humans were able to crack jokes and be
cheerful. They were figuratively brimming over with strength and thirst for
action.
Da'an remembered how this tremendous will
to live and to enjoy this life had amazed him when he had come to Earth. By his
time with Boone this way of life had rubbed off on him. He had felt like born
again, young and full of energy. Zo'or had tried to kill this energy, had tried
to enslave humanity. But even Zo'or seemed to sense this energy now.
Lili had briefed him about Dru. She had
watched the volunteer and Zo'or and told him every new incident in the odd
relationship the two shared. They seemed to like each other but none of them
wanted to admit it to the other let alone to themselves. Any of the people
present had noticed their relationship and Da'an had overheard how bets on the
progress of the story had been made. He only hoped Zo'or would receive any
matchmaking attempt with humor.
The changes in his own relationship with
Lili had been noticed very quickly, too, and had been accepted be most of the
humans. Da'an still worried about how Zo'or would react to it but Lili said
that their bond was none of his business.
*~*~*
Fa'loth was frothing with rage about the
fact that once more a prisoner had escaped from him. Something was fishy about
this.
"Find out how these humans had discovered
what we had in mind with the Taelon. leader." He turned around to the person
who was standing behind him.
"I want to know who they are and what
they're going to do and that as soon as possible! I'm sure you had nothing to
do with that… incident, or had you, Agent?"
Sandoval shook his head.
"No general. I knew nothing about it.
There has to be a leak aboard the ship. I will find out who that is, take my
word for it."
"It's good to know you're cooperating
with us, Sandoval.
Sandoval didn't answer. Inwardly he
cursed Fa'loth. He had contacted the Jaridians to help him getting rid of the
Taelons. He had transmitted the necessary information the Jaridians needed to
come to Earth. He had sabotaged the mothership's systems so they would notice
the approaching ships much too late. His had been an alliance between humans
and Jaridians against the Taelons. But with Fa'loth he had jumped out of the
frying pan and into the fire. This Jaridian was clearly insane. And
power-hungry. Fa'loth wanted to subjugate Earth as well as the Taelons. And he
had the power to do it. Sandoval had to continue pretending he was siding with
Fa'loth. He had seen how the General was treating things and beings that did
not suit him.
Sandoval was glad Zo'or had managed to
escape. He didn't like this Taelon much but the kind of death Fa'loth had
planned for him would have been too cruel, even for Zo'or. Da'an's death had
had shaken Sandoval more than he would admit. Da'an had been… different. He had
been pretty much the only Taelon whom he had liked, even without the MI. After
Da'an's escape Fa'loth had suspected Sandoval of having helped him. Then he
remembered that Sandoval had been still unconscious when the Taelon got away,
as had the other Companion Agents. With a shiver, he remembered Fa'loth's
almost disappointed expression when he realized Sandoval wasn't the traitor.
Next on Fa'loth's list of suspects was
Ter'kozz, one of his high-ranked soldiers. Sandoval remembered him well. Some
months ago he had been held captive aboard the mothership. He had escaped and
been declared dead by Marquette and Kincaid. Why was back alive and healthy was
beyond his understanding. He had tried to contact Marquette but had not
succeeded. He had sent her to Jaridia to make first contacts. She had done so
but then her CVI had failed and he had lost contact to her. Da'an, who had been
on Jaridia hadn't mentioned her.
Ter'kozz had been in contact to Da'an
when the Taelon had managed to escape and now he had been one of the last
persons to see Da'an alive. But firstly he had an alibi from some of his
soldiers who had seen him the time in question and secondly Sandoval could not
imagine that he would help a being that had held him in captivity for such a
long time.
But whoever had helped Zo'or to escape,
he was siding with Sandoval. He only had to find these people, then he could
start playing his double game.