Death

by Adnesle

Major character death. Be warned. Note: the english language is also primitive in that one. Plot: Someone dies and the whole story is about what this death has triggered, I still did 36 .doc pages with it. AU. Immensely so. I don't know in which season it

DEATH

Liam had not seen Da'an since three days. The last things the Taelon told him before disapear was that he went to the mothership for a meeting with Zo'or and president Thompson. Liam had flied him to the ship and then Da'an had told him to take the afternoon for himself, that he did not requested his services for teh rest of the day.

At first Liam was happy to have a free afternoon. But the Taelon had not returned or even called since three days, he could be dead and Liam would know nothing of it.

He had called the embassy the next morning and Lassiter had told him that Da'an had not yet returned the embassy. Liam took a free day again.

Finally he had the time to take care of resistance business. Renée and him had sheduled many meetings with others resistants in the whole world. It would be a long week.

The new resistance leader enter in his function today, he said to himself.

But he was still worry for Da'an. Despite the Taelon had betrayed him, the resistance and the humanity, Da'an was his mentor, the only parent figure he ever had, his friend...and the only humanity advocate within the Synod.

He was worry, he admitted it freely. Even Sandoval did not know when Da'an was.

He get up from his chair, in thirty minutes he had a meeting with the canadian resistance leader at augur's place. But before go he wanted to be sure Da'an was safe. He had a bad omen with that situation. Da'an had the habit to be mysterious but not like that.

He took his global nad called Zo'or.

The always non-emotional face of the Synod leader appeared on the screen.

"Major Kincaid, today was not your day of rest?" It was clear that Zo'or was unhappy to see him. Well like always, Liam thought.

"Yes Zo'or but I'm worry for Da'an. He is on the mothership since three days and had not called me. I have no news about him."

Zo'or lowered the head he seemed to thought.

"Major there is something you should know about Da'an..." The Synod leader was hesitating. "He's dead."

*

The words escaped Zo'or's mouth quickly, almost in a blew. Then the Synod Leader turned his gaze away and blushed blue deeply, longly. As if just the words had reminded him a painful moment.

After several try, Liam was finally able to pronouce distincly some words :
"What?" he asked in total disbelief. Zo'or had never know humans eyes could be so large.

For the first time in his short life, Liam saw Zo'or without his icy mask.
"Please Major, it's such a sad event within the Taelons people." It was apparent that Zo'or wished not to speak of it.

Liam thought for fifteen seconds and then replied :
"I'm coming." Zo'or opened the mouth for answer but Liam cut off the link before the Taelon could place a word.

He leaned back in his chair and covered his face with his hands. Actually he was trying hard not to cry. Like his memory just wanted him to suffer more, it brought back all the pleasants memories Liam and Da'an had had together. When they were playing foovlasha together before the replicant arrival in the embassy, the beautiful joining they had when Liam had reconnected Da'an in the Commonality, the only time they had shared, in the parrallel world..

Tears came to the corners of his eyes. He wiped them away quickly with the back of his hand. It was an error, Zo'or just wanted to make him betraying himself, maybe Da'an was a prisonner.

"No, it cannot be!" he whispered angrily.

He grabbed his coat and hurried out of the room.

Augur's place, two minutes later

Liam appeared in the interdimentional portal. Renée was sat at a table with Augur, eating something which, with a little imagination, can pass for food.

They were laughing together. Augur was in his fully seduction mode, as always.

They both stoped laughing when they saw the awful look on Liam's face.

"Mon Dieu, Liam! Where have you spent the night?" Renée said half-laughing, thinking that something funny had occured. She than remarked the sadness in his green eyes. "What happened?" she asked, seriously now, full of concern in her eyes.

Liam took a big, long breath. "Apparently Da'an is dead. I'm on my way to the mothership right now."

Augur lowered the head. He knew what Da'an represented for Liam. Despite the Taelon had betrayed the hybrid, never Liam had talked bad of him. Never, as long as Augur could remember. Liam was always defending this Taelon.

Renée seemed on the edge to burst in laugh. "Well where is the Champagne bottle, Augur! This need to be celebrate!" A minute to late, she realized she had said the most wrong thing she could said now to Liam.
"Liam, listen. I know you liked him a lot, but he betrayde you and...thing of the opportunity for the mouvement. Now all their services are a little destabilized by this so we could tempt something during it." She said softly, attempting to comforts him.

"I'm sorry Renée but I don't think I'm in the good mood for that." With a flash of white light, he disappeared again into the interdimentional world.

Augur shot a sharp glance at Renée. "I heard once Liam told to Lili that he considered me like his big brother or his best friend, same for Lili or for you I think, but Da'an was the only thing he could truly call a parent."

Augur left the table without a word more. Renée shook her head in despair and let out a very bad french word.

Mothership, Da'an privates quarters, one day ago

Da'an opened the door of his private chamber and let himself fall on the bed. He curled in a small ball and let his head on his knees. He was tired, so, so tired. By all. By the constant battle of words with Zo'or. By the always diplomatic facade he wore. By the charge of American Companion. By this stupid war between the Taelons and the Humans.

Why they don't understand, he thought despaired. I can't make them understand. Why they can't. Taelons will die if the humanity don't join with us. What's they don't understand in that. I'm so tired.

He was dying. He knew it from several days. If he could choose the place to die, he would have chose the Embassy in Washington. But now he had no more time to do so. The Void was coming he knew it. He sensed it.

Cold. Everything was cold around him, himself was cold. I'm cold, he thought. How, the Taelons don't feel the temperature changes.

He remember the only time he had sense that cold around him. Now nobody was here to hold his hand.

With all his last force, he get up and goes to his chair. Liam, he thought softly, I need to let something to Liam. He took a little blue energy sphere and englobed it with his hands. It began. All his thought. All what he thought of right now, went in that small bowl.

When he retired his hands, he collapsed on the floor on his knees. The sphere was now larger and glowing briter than ever. Like a spirit was inside.

All the energy which composed him began to swirl in the air. A cloud of littles particles of energy. Slowly each blue energy thing disappeared into th Void.

No, he thought deperatly, no it's not my time. Let me here. I don't want to go. Please. Don't bring me with you. I have things I need to do before. Please. It's not finished. They will not be capable of do it without me. Please.

But no one answered him, of course. His voice was just a whisper. All his body was in a energy cloud now.

The last time Boone had brought him back. But now nobody was there to do so and he was not able to do it himslef, alone. There the point of non-return.

And suddenly, all the blues bubbles of energy disappeared at the same time. Da'an... Taelon... American Companion... Parent... Child... Friend... was dead.

the bridge

Zo'or sensed something was wrong with his parent. He began to turn alarmed. His fingers were moving nervously on the chair arms.

He closed the eyes and let his mind leave his body. It had been years since he had not did that. In the Commonality, he went to Da'an.

The shock of the truth left him trembling. He was lucky to be sat. If he had been on his legs, he would surely have collapsed. The thought emanating of Da'an were confused.

His parent knew he was dying. It was horrible. Zo'or was here, assisting to his own parent agony!

He came back to his physical form.

"Sandoval. Go to Da'an's chamber there's a problem with him." Sandoval nodded and left the bridge.

Zo'or concentrated again and lost his human form. He went to his parent. He sensed his panic. Da'an was deeply afraid. No Taelons have done that in the past. No Taelons had gone in the Commonality to help a dying mind.

Now Zo'or knew how it was futile to pretend to don't fear the death. Like Capitain Marquette have said once, all living being have an instinctive fear of death.

His parent was too far, he could do nothing for him. Or comfort him.

Da'an, he thought toward him, answer me please. Stay with me Da'an. Don't go. Don't left me alone. I will no be able to do it alone. I love you. Please. Stay.

It was too late. Da'an did not heard him. Or at least he did not answer.

Zo'or lost conscienceness when he felt Da'an disappear into the Void.

somewhere, sometime

It was dark. All was dark around him. He blinked the eyes once and when he re-opened them, he saw something very familiar. He looked around him. A wide smile came to his lips.

He knew this place, he knew it very well. Taelon. The hot colors everywhere. The so familiar purple sky. The flowers. Nothing had changed. He knew that Taelon had been destroyed long ago. But he did not care.

He had grown here, in this garden. With Mi'as and Ne'eg. It was like he was the little Da'an of before. Before the Jaridians came.

It was exactly the same. He turned and in front of him was the big purple sphere where he lived. It was floating in the air. It not touched the ground.

Everything was perfect. No. No he did not want to go back. Zo'or would do it alone. He was enough old for that.

He started to walk toward the tree where he had the habits to sat in when he was young. But he heard someone pace behind him and a very familiar voice called him.

"Da'an."

He turned to see who it was. His smile deepened when he recognized the one who have spoke.

"Boone," he whispered.

Without a word, his friend opened his arms. Da'an did not hesitate a second. He went to the man and hugged him.

"It's good to see you again," murmured Will while stroking Da'an's back. The Taelon hold him thight as if he feared to lose him again.

They broke the hug, eventually. Da'an looked at all the things again.

"I am dead." It was not a question. He knew it. He felt it with all the parts of himself. He could felt the Commonality but it was not the same as the one it was when he was...alive.

"Yes you are," answered Boone softly. "Come with me Da'an. There has some people waiting for you." Without waiting for Da'an answer Boone turned and started walk toward the purple sphere.

Da'an managed to ran after him. Arrived under the sphere, Boone closed his eyes and his form started to be more indistinct, transparent. But he seemed to stop the processus.

"You remember how?" he asked Da'an.

Da'an nodded, amazed."Yes...yes. I remember." It was simple. The sphere was alive, like all the Taelons building. You just needed to think about being inside it and it would do the rest. It took a little effort at first but after it was just a simple thought.

Da'an closed his eyes. When he re-opened them he saw the familiar Taelons structure around him. It was very much like the Taelon Embassy in Washington. The only differences were the colors, it was more pink and orange in there, showing that this was younger.

All was the exactly same thing as far as Da'an could remember.

Boone was looking at him, smiling.

"How can you know?" Da'an asked. It was impossible that Boone could know of this place.

Boone smile grow even larger. "It's not me Da'an, it's you. It was the way you imagined heaven."

"But how can you be inside it, if it's my thoughts..."

"I can change it if I want. Look." Around them, all went black. Da'an could not resist to let out a gasp. After, all went back in place, like how it was before.

"Wow..." was the only thing Da'an managed to say.

"Come my friend. We have much people to see."

They climbed at the upper level, in the Round Chamber. It was at the middle of the sphere. Like the name said, it was a round room. In there had some peoples Da'an knew or had known.

Boone took him by the hand and lead him toward a corner of the room. There was a sofa with two women sat in. They turned their back to them, looking outside by the virtual glass, which let in a soft cool wind. They were speaking quietly with much laughs.

Will let go of Da'an's hand and go toward the two girls. He leaned over one of her a gave her a kiss on her neck.

"Hey!" she exclaimed surprised. "You scared me, Will." She turned the head completly for give him a sweet kiss on the mouth.

Da'an watched them, smiling. The women with blond-golden hairs was Kate Boone, his implant deceased wife and the other who turned too was Katya Petrenko, the russian medium Zo'or had had killed by Agent Sandoval.

Will finally broke the kiss and turned to Da'an. He took Kate's hand and helped her to get up.

"Da'an, my wife, Kate." She advanced the hand and Da'an shook it, giving her a small smile.

"And I think you know Katya."

"Good to see you again, Da'an," she said with her little russian, so delightful, accent.

"Da'an," a voice called by behind. A soft, Taelon voice. Da'an turned quickly.

"Ma'el," he whispered, overhelmed by joy and happiness.

They went to each other and joined their palms. After some seconds, they understood that the others were curious. Da'an smiled toward the other Taelon. They were almost physically identical. Ma'el looked most masculine, he was taller and seemed more male in shape that Da'an, despite the long dress he wore.

always somewhere, sometime

To everyone surprise Ma'el passed his arm around Da'an waist. The Companion let his head fall on Ma'el shoulder.

"Before Ma'el left for Earth, we were...lovers," Da'an answered to their curious look.

Suddenly Da'an's face seemed to become harder.

"What, my soft," asked Ma'el.

"Don't worry," Da'an said smiling "I'm just worry for Liam. He's just a child. I don't know if he will be able to save both our people. Zo'or is very...like you." Da'an continued still smiling to Ma'el.

"They will do good, Da'an," said Boone.

"I hope, Boone, I hope..." the Taelon whispered let his head fall on Ma'el's chest.

Liam jumped down from his shuttle. The docking bay was unusually calm and quiet. He quickly went to the bridge. He made absolutly nothing for hide in what mood he was. Everyone who crossed his way stared at him surprisingly, but don't say anything.
He entered the bridge and slowed his pace. The whole room was empty, apparently, and it was in a complete silence. A fly could have been heard. Even Zo'or was not there. He made a move for exit but a well known voice stoped him.

"Major." It was Zo'or voice. Liam had not seen him. He was hidden by the form of his throne. The Taelon was in front of the window, his gaze lost in the stars. Zo'or wore a strange long gray dress with long, large sleeve. But he seemed to wore just that. His usual purple jumpsuit was nowhere to be seen. If it was not Zo'or, Liam would have said that it was beautiful.

"Is it true?" asked Liam made his way toward the Taelon. He stoped only some inches away from Zo'or. Strangely the Taelon did not draw back like he did always.

"Why I would have lied to you, Major?"

"Permission to speak freely?"

"Of course."

"Because you hated Da'an and that you try to kill him many times. I thought you might have arrested him for another stupid reason, put him in a cell and, by I way I ignore, disconnect him from the Commonality while keeping him alive for everyone believe him dead," he shooted acidly. When he saw Zo'or's icy stare on him, he whshed he had said nothing.

Zo'or approached him so near that he could sense the breath of the Synod Leader on his neck.

"I did not hate Da'an, Major. Our politics opinions were different, yes. We often had argumentations, also true. I tried to kill him many times, maybe. But never, I hated him." Zo'or finished in a whisper, his head turned away, looking in the stars.

"If I understand correctly he's dead, it's true?" Liam asked, surprised.

"Yes." Zo'or's voice was just a blew. "Major I wish to continue this conversation in private. Please follow me."

Without attempting to receive an answer, the Synod Leader turned and made his way toward his private chamber. Liam followed him. It was the only chance he had to learn more about what had occured. Zo'or was walking faster Liam had ever seen a Taelon walk. His dress was long and large. It stroked the floor, making a soft noise. He's looking more like a female like that, Liam thought. After what Zo'or had said him, he thought he could not be surprising by anything.

Zo'or entered in his chamber. On the door step, Liam hesitated. What if the Taelon just wanted to kill him? Stop thinking about stupidities Liam, he thought to himself, we were alone on the bridge, he would have killed me there if he wanted to.

He took a deep breath and entered after Zo'or. This one closed the door after them.

Liam had never seen Taelons quarters. He had even never seen Da'an's ones. The room was relativly small and it was much cooler than on the rest of the mothership. To his surprise it had a bed in a corner and a very human looking chair. Also Taelon furniture, like the chair with the energy stream.

He turned for seeing Zo'or who looked at him curiously. "You said you wanted to speak." Liam said.

"I feel that you want to ask me questions Major. Go first." Zo'or seemed tired. He sat on the bed and Liam sat on the chair, in front of him.

"How?"

No more words were necessary. Zo'or sighed. The thing the Major Kincaid asked him to speak of was such a difficult subject for him. For the xillionth time in two days, he wished he could do what the humans called crying.

"Maybe you did not know Major, but Da'an was very old. The older of us in fact. He died naturally, this I can promise you. His connection to the Commonality was weaker day after day. Finally it broke. Not like when he redverted in an atavus. This time the physical envelop also left this world."

"Why he did not told me?" Liam asked softly. Zo'or knew not of his Kimera heritage but still Da'an should have told him, he would have at least make his last days happy.

"You must understand that for a Taelon, losing his connecion to the Commonality his terribly ashaming. All of us knew it for a while but we also knew we could do nothing for him. Nobody could have done something for him. It was his time."

Both of them stayed in silence for a while. Liam was the next to speak.

"Zo'or can I ask you a personal question?" Liam whispered, holding his breath.

"It depends of which question." answered the Synod Leader much to the young man surprise. He had expected...all but this.

"Why, suddenly, do you...well...seem to like Da'an or at less you look like his death have done something to you?" Liam's voice was timid like he feared what might be the Taelon's reaction.

Zo'or smiled sadly and turned his head toward Liam. "He have not said to you yet." he murmured like for himself.

"Said me what?"

"That I was, that I'm still, his child."

Liam stayed a long time just in silence. Zo'or's affirmation did not surprised him a lot. He had remarked often the physicals similarities between Da'an and Zo'or. Same mouvements, same eyes, same kindness, sometimes. Since what had happened at the Cloister he doubted that something particular was beetween the two Taelons.

"I doubted but I was not sure." Liam answered softly.

"You doubted? I fear I don't understand," Zo'or asked, he seemed confused by the Major statement. Liam smiled. How Zo'or was alike Da'an like this. Even the move of his hands remembered him of his late master.

"After what happened at the Cloister. I was almost sure that you two were related by something, but I did not know you were this close." Liam whispered.

In his chamber, the Synod Leader did not need to keep the facade. Without anyone, without Da'an, without Sandoval, he could swept off the mask. He seemed on the edge to cry. Zo'or's usuals icy blue eyes were soft, sad.

Zo'or did not answer, he simply nodded. The Taelon went to a small sphere, made of a purple-blueish Taelon material.

"Major," he called. "Come here, I cannot touch it myself."

Intrigued Liam took a step toward the strange object. "What's that?" he asked to Zo'or.

"For be absolutly honest with you Major, I don't know. It was in Da'an chamber. I tried to open it and it did not work so I supposed it was for you. After all, Da'an and you were very close for what I've understood." Zo'or approached him and took his hands. The Taelon's hands were cooler than human's.

He placed Liam's palm to two pinker spots on the blue sphere and draw back a little. Liam shaked as he sensed something in his mind. After everything wentblack.

not a flashback but same sound, Liam's point of view

It's dark and cold. All around me is dark and cold. I hear his voice clearly in my mind. He is there, with me.

Liam...

It's like the blew of the wind. I do not truly hear his voice. I feel his voice. I feel him around me. I'm with him.

Da'an...

Yes Liam...

How can I speak to him. He's dead. It's not possible.

Da'an what is that...

You are with me Liam. This is a sort of copy of my mind I did before die. I have something to tell you...

What Da'an...

The voice, the presence begin to disapear. I feel it. Da'an was almost gone. When he speaks again, the tone is softer, the voice begin to lower. He goes slowly but he does.

Liam go in my chamber...in the...wall...on the left...you can...open it...I know...For you...and for Zo'or...I need to go now...I can't stay much longer...with you...good bye...Liam...

Zo'or watched in amazement as Liam put his hands on the sphere. The contact of Kincaid's hands had been...fabulous. He had never felt something like that. He raised the head when he heard Liam's painful moaning.

His eyes fixed on the most incredible thing he had ever seen of his life.

Kincaid had his hands like glued on the sphere. His fingers were crisped, his nails were entered in the purple material.

The young human's face was not painful, just surprising. His eyes were closed deeply.

Liam's body slowly began to raise in the air, surronded by a blue energy particles mist. Zo'or draw back a little, but the wall stoped him.

He leaned against it. And it happened. Liam smiled and...blushed blue. Smalls pink and orange energy nerves were visible under his skin. Fast all his body began just energy. Not pale blue energy like Taelons but a dark gray, blue and purple fantastic mist. His eyes hurted by it was too beautiful. He could just not took his eyes of the Major's floating body.

Himself lost his human facade. He knew what was the strange thing he had sensed when Major's hands and his had touched. It was what human called attraction.

Liam Kincaid was Kimera. The truth hit him suddenly. It was that. Liam's secret. Now all things started working in his head. Ha'gel. Disapearing of Agent Beckett. Agent Sandoval strange acting since this. Da'an's desire to have this young man as his protector. How Kincaid could have destroyed the replicant. How he might have reconnect Da'an to the Commonality.

He murmured a old Taelon exclamation of surprise and approached more to see if the young one was well.

The man fell on the ground, abruptly.

Kincaid whispered something about hell and get up slowly. He seemed to did not know of what have happened to him. He was still holding the sphere in his hands. Suddenly the object turned into a little blue powder which fell between the human's fingers.

Kincaid looked, amazingly, at Zo'or. The Synod Leader quickly put his facade on. Liam stared at his hands, full of blue-gray energy lines.

"What..." he started to say before crumpling on the floor, with a painful moaning.

Liam's sight became hazy suddenly. He collapsed to his knees. He felt warm, so warm, too warm to be normal, he thought. He tried to say something but the sounds did not want to exit his mouth.

Suddenly, a point on his arms exploded to be remplaced by a bright light. All the other cells of his body suffered the same treatment. Himself was just composed of light, a bright white light. The last conscient thought he had was that he would have seen Zo'or's face.

Zo'or had no other choices but to close his eyes. With a light of this intensity, even a Taelon could go blind within seconds. When he sensed the temperature return to normal as the light, he opened his eyes, slowly.

The Major Kincaid, or what had been the Major Kincaid, was on the ground before him. It was surely not anymore a human. The young...man body was all in energy form, under his clothes. A dark purple energy form. Zo'or was amazed. He walked toward the hybrid, or the maybe complete Kimera, he did not know. The young one still have a pulse. It was weak but it was there.

The young Taelon was about to call Sandoval and a security team, when he realized what an advantage this...person could be.

The Kimera were able to reproduct with every, or almost, species who existed in the Universe. Have some Kimera DNA could just help his own barren specie. Be saved by a race we have ourself destroyed, Zo'or thought coldly. He was again the cold, heartless, who just think of his specie Synod Leader.

Before all, Liam Kincaid was precious to him. His decision was taken. He would not give the young one to Sandoval.

He was took out of his thoughts by Liam's gasping for air. He was soon kneeled by the hybrid side. He helped him to get up.

"Wha...What happened?" Kincaid asked to him with wide open eyes. After the human looked at his glowing energy form. "Whoa..." he said, in a total disbelief.

"Concentrate on your form, the form you want to show. It's relatively easy, you will see." the Taelon said to him. Liam just did so. He bowed his head, closed his eyes, concentrate on the image of Liam Kincaid, him, and slowly his human facade began to appear, under his Kimera skin. Soon he was looking completly human again.

He raised his eyes toward Zo'or. The Taelon had expected to see much things sadness, anger, even hate against him or the Taelons in general. But Liam's eyes were full of fear. The hybrid, it was one obviously, quickly took a step back and unvoluntary his sha'ka'ra'va began to glow furiously in his palm. The Taelon was totally frightened by this. He feared Liam right now. He would never admit it, but it was very scared by the being in front of him. The expression on Liam's face was one of despair. Who could know what someone despaired can do. He had the sha'ka'ra'va after all. It was easy for him to kill him in one shot almost without thinking to it. By instinct Liam must saw him as an ennemy.

"I will not call security Kincaid. Calm yourself. Don't make a big mistake." How I sound like a doctor like that, Zo'or thought, despite the gravity of the situation.

Zo'or had no time to place a word more. Liam collapsed to the ground, his sha'ka'ra'va still golwing. Zo'or went to him and helped him to sat on the edge of his bed.

Liam was confused. The sha'ka'ra'va disapeared as his human facade. He was lying in Zo'or's bed. What kind of day is it? he thought.

"What happened?" he asked again.

"You know more about that than me, Major." an apparently surprised Zo'or was looking at him. "You are Kimera?"

"Yes. I am."

"You cannot be whole Kimera. Who was the human?" Zo'or was very curious about him, he could see that.

"The humans. I'm only one third Kimera," he sighed and turned is head and his eyes away."My mother was Agent Siobhan Beckett and my father is...Agent Ronald Sandoval." The words escaped his mouth reluctantly. He did not wish to speak of that.

Zo'or lowered the head. Him, too, had had some problems with his parents. "I'm sorry." the Synod Leader whispered.

Liam stared at him with wide green eyes. "You are sure you are well Zo'or? The Zo'or I know would never be sorry for anyone."

"Like a lot of people, you are mistaken about me apprently." asnswered the Taelon with his usual smirk. Strangely, Liam seemed satisfied by this.

"Why are you keeping me alive Zo'or? I should be in the cell by the time. It was easy for you to call. Why you did not?" Zo'or turned to him, his eyes were filled with...hope. I must be dreaming, Liam thought.

"You surely know Major, that my specie is sterile." A nod from Liam. "The Kimera genes you have could save all my specie from instinction." Liam's eyes were locked on the floor. "And you know very well what Sandoval will do to you. Even I could do nothing against him now. He's totally free from his implant." Zo'or would have said more but another wave of pain traveled in Liam's nerves. He tried to avoid it, but the young hybrid let out a moan of pain.

"What's happening to me?" His face convulsed again with suffer.

"I believe that you have entered another state of your development." Zo'or answered. The Taelon seemed not surprised. "I know it's hurting," the young Taelon said a moment later. "The Taelons too grow like that, by...shot. Am I correct to believe that you have reached a human adult appearance in less that one day?"

"Two hours in fact." Liam managed to said sarcastically. He then turned his gaze on Zo'or beside the bed. "You have known this too?" A nod.

"You are experiencing what Taelons call Ka'atha'am. For us it's more like a reproduction time, but it also mean the complete physical maturity." He stopped as Liam's face showed again pain and fear. "I think that Da'an's...death should have been the emotional factor. You were so...shocked by his disapearance that your body began transforming. Maybe the strange thing he let to you is for something too in it."

"And...what...the Taelons...do against it?" The hybrid whispered painfully.

"Your human DNA interefere I believe, with the whole processus. For us it's much longer, it's during years that we suffer this."

"The life must be fun," said Liam, with his usual dark humor. Zo'or smiled, despite himself.

"Indeed," he responded on the same tone. Suddenly Liam's form began glowing again. The Kimera lost his human appearance. He was whispering words unknown to Zo'or. Kimeran language for sure. In the convulsion, Liam extend his hand to him, begging for some help. He did not care it was Zo'or, he just needed help.

"Please..." he was able to pronounce.

The Synod Leader was visibly anxious about what may happen.

He slowly appraoch his hands and hold Liam's one thight, between his.

During all the night, Liam was in crisis. Zo'or just stayed with him, holding his hand, welcoming the sharing. He saw all Liam's life from his eyes. When he had cradled his mother dead body in his arms. His first meeting with Da'an. His anger when he had learned Da'an's betrayal.

Feelings he did not know. Feelings that the deadly state of his specie did not allow him to sense.

Liam suffered much. Zo'or knew of that. When you enter Ka'atha'am, you feel that your own energy is burning inside of you. But the young man case was different. The human part inside of him was a problem. His body needed to change. It was biological. If he did not change, Liam would die.

The hybrid fought his human part with his kimera mind. The human inside of him constantly wanted to rebring him to his completly human appearance and condition. But his kimera part needed to change.

If Liam wanted to live, he needed to hide the human part deeply inside him for a while at least. For that he might reach kimera physical maturity state. When he would be there, his mind would be enough strong to deal between the two part of himself. The Kimera and Human races were not supposed to match somewhere in the universe.

He watched the young man painful face, in the convulsion. Almost all of his human physiology had disapeared. His body was the most strange mix Zo'or have ever seen of energy and matter. The perfect mix. It would be if Liam survived to this.

In the taelon society, it was not everyone who passed to adult state. Only the strongers survived. He remembered. When the doctors believed he was dead in the passing, his vitals signs had suddenly reappeared.

As he recalled the most painful moment of his life, Liam moaned. He understood that all his thoughts went directly into the hybrid mind. He ceased immediatly. He sensed Liam fingers hold his hand forcefully. He put his other hand on the hybrid forehead and sent soft, calming energy spasms in his aching body. Liam relaxed for a while and then the convulsions again.

How much time he will suffer like this? he thought. He had felt how painful Liam's life had been. He had suffered from the first second of his life. Always the same dilemna. The Taelons had killed all members of his specie but, with his galactic knowledge, he knew that the Taelons were the only key to the humanity survival. One could not survive without the other.

It continued like this, during all the night. Zo'or was supposed to be on the bridge in the early morning. But he knew that he wanted more to rest in this chamber, helping someone, that on the bridge, destroying a specie.

A couple of hours after, the convulsions stopped. Liam still seemed to suffer but the most part of it was done. He fast fell asleep, an habits he would keep despite his need for an energy stream somtimes. Zo'or was tired too, he was in need of energy. He had given a good part of his own to Liam allowing him to live. He started to undo Liam strong grip on his white hand. When he pulled his hand away, Liam whipered something in his sleep. He did not want Zo'or to go away.

Zo'or took his hands back in his. He did the only thing he could do. He let his body put himself in the sa'ama'ad. Fast he was completly unconscious. He was kneeled on the floor, his dress in a large circle around him, the head on the edge of the bed, his hand still in Liam's one.

***

What's happening to me, Liam thought. It was a useless questio. He knew perfectly what happened to him. He changed. Since his birth, he had never felt whole. Part human, like said Renée or part Kimera like said Da'an. He had ever be on the edge of two differents worlds. Today he needed to choose. Die as a human, or live as the last hope of three races...

Another convulsion of pain, stronger that the last ran, through his body. He could not hide the painful which followed it. It draw Zo'or's attention back to him.

Da'an, your last gife, it was that. You knew that I could not evolve to this stade of maturity by myself. You have accelerate the processus.

Zo'or. Dans son délire, ce nom, tournait sans cesse dans son esprit. Zo'or avait agi si étrangement. Giving confidence after confidence to him, a little, disgustful human. It seemed like the Taelon pulled off the mask for the first time. Through his closed eyeslids, he looked at Zo'or leaned over him, with concern in his eyes.

It's now the convulsions started. A wave of pain traveled in all his aching body. His eyes revulsed and his back arched. His fingers moved on the sheets, searching for something which could bring him back in this reality.

Suffer. Pain. Hope. Suffer

"Please..." he whispered as his shaking fingers had find Zo'or's hand.

The last thing I hoped from him was this. He could let me there, dying. He could call Snadoval, the Volunteers, the Security. I would spent the rest of my life in a little cell or, worst, as one of their experiments subjects. I would have think to all, but not that. From him, never that.

He held out, slowly, his hand to mine. Before our two glowing palms met, he raised the eyes. Two big blue eyes, blue like water...or ice. He brought his stare back on the floor when he saw my green eyes locked in his. This second we shared had allowed to me to see understanding and hope in this stare. Maybe even compassion...

Our fingers touched. He took my hand in his owns. He closed his eyes and allowed to me to see him truly for the first time. His icy, hard mask vanished and his face became softer. It was the last thing I would remember. It was at this moment that I felt the shadows surrounder me on every sides. I could not escape. My grip tightened on his small hand when I fell in a dark delirium.

Liam was delirious till the morning. He whispered names of things he did not know of, in an unknown language.

I was in deep unconscience, but I felt when he took off his hand. My body seemed to ache even more if he went away. Zo'or. I never liked him. I never trusted him. But I did not want him to go away.

My body and my mind were not mine. I said words I did not even know of. I'm pain. My mind hurts. Every cells of my body hurt. Please don't go. Don't go Da'an. Don't go Zo'or. Don't let me alone. Please. I need someone. I cannot do it alone. Please. Fast it was not words I said just whispering something. Each times a breath escaped my lips, I said myself I was lucky to be alive.

All his hot around me. No. No it's cold. The cold of death. I sensed his mind near to mine. Please. Zo'or. I don't want you to go. Stay with me. I believed it was words. But no it was just thoughts. And he was away. He was about to go away. He let me alone. Alone in the dark. I extended my hand to him, begging for his support, for his help. I could not do it. I concentrated only on on fixed idea.

"Don't go...Stay...with me..." I knew it was nothing but a whisper.

He turned to me. His stare fixed on my form. I was not able to keep my eyes open much longer. My sight vanished. All I saw was shadows, around me. I felt his hand slip into mine. I was so weak I could do nothing but send him, trough my mind, joy and thanks. He responded to me but very...weakly.

I understood. He was in need of energy. It was because that he had went away. If not he would have stayed with me.

I felt him put himself in the sa'ama'ad state. Good. Like this he coulds stay with me and rest. Despite the convulsions, I sighed in relief. He was going to rest.

-- Thank you --

-- No. You don't need to. I thank you. --

The delirium again...and again. No.

***

The "night" ended. Strangely, the Earth form revealed the sun rays just when Liam woke up. The room was enlightened by the orange and golden rays.

The young...we will say Kimera, put his hand before his eyes for prevent himself of the light. He opened his eyes slowly and raised his head up. He was in Zo'or's chamber.

He remebered all of the past night. The delirium, the change, the pain. After, Zo'or had slipped in the sa'ama'ad state for rest. Liam was amazed by the trust the Taelon had placed in him. He would have been easy to him to kill Zo'or right now. But he did not wanted to. The Synod Leader had helped him. In fact he had saved his life. Without Zo'or's help he would have died while passing from the human to the completly Kimeran form.

Zo'or seemed asleep. He was sat on the ground, his head reposed on the edge of the bed, like that his cheek was on Liam's arm. He had a typically human posture, his knees on his chest, his other arm passed around them. He looked so pityful like that. His hand was still in Liam's. But the young hybrid did not felt the mind of the Taelon melted with his. Zo'or was the equivalent of asleep. Zo'or was not able to keep his human appearance while resting. His body was made of blue, pink and orange energy lines. A beautiful mix, Liam thought.

Liam had now more access to his galatical Kimeran knowledge. He knew that for the Taelons these colors meant that the being was very young.

More he thought about it, more he found many...similarities between him and the Taelon. Zo'or was alike him in some ways. They were both orphans.

Liam had always considered Da'an like his parent. Since the first day, while every humans he knew had rejected him and said of him he was a dangerous alien, Da'an had took care of him. Da'an considered him like his own child. Liam was mistaken about Da'an's trust but it was not because of that, he was going to reject the real true parent he had ever had. Beckett had been his mother during his birth and her death. His human father, Sandoval, knew not of him and actually Liam was not very happy to have him as his father. Ha'gel. What say of Ha'gel. They had never truly met.

He shook his head and stopped think of dead person. He looked down at his chest. Wow. How he had changed. He was not human anymore, this was sure! His body was all in energy now, like the Taelons. But not a pale purple-blue. More like the Kimera form of Ha'gel he had seen once. A dark blue-green, almost gray. He did not need to look at the mirror. He knew his eyes would be a deep green, like his mother's.

He turned on his side, taking care not to un-do the grip of the Taelons hand on his. He went into his memory. When he was younger, he had needed to learn how control the formidable energy he had. But now it was not necessary. He sent just enough energy in Zo'or's body to awake him. A sharing was immediatly initiated between the link of their hands.

The Taelon blinked his eyes a couple of times and opened them finally. When he saw Liam amused stare fixed on him, he quickly took his human facade back. Liam squeezed Zo'or hand in his.

"Thank you...for helping me, Zo'or," he whispered. His voice had changed a little. More alien. Lesser human. He had the soft voice of the Taelons. With the always present soft eunoia accent on the tongue.

Zo'or simply closed his eyes in aknowledgement. The Synod Leader let out a long sigh. The reality was there again. He needed to be on the gridge, even if he did not want to. For the first time in his life, he wished to not be the Synod Leader, he wished not to have all his people fate on his young shoulders. Liam. Liam was the key to his specie survivance. But if he did not wanted to help...

"You need to rest," stated the Kimera, while taking back his human appearance.

Zo'or was about to protest, but Liam did not let him the time to do so. He felt the young "man" arms slip under his back and legs. He was almost unconsciencious again. If he was fully awake, he would have go away from this human. But he was tired. Both physically and mentally. The past few days, for not say weeks, had been quite stressful for him. He was to tired to resist.

Liam put the weak Zo'or in his chair and waved his right arm for start the energy stream. He stepped down the chair and put his coat on. He was about to exit when he heard Zo'or voice behind him.

"Where are you going?" His voice was softer. Surely the Taelon did not had enough force to keep the usually icy voice. Liam turned toward Zo'or.

"The sphere Da'an left to me...It had a message inside. It was Da'an. He said that he left something in his chamber for me...and for you. I'm just going take it." He hesitate a little then continue. "Don't worry. I will come back here after. Rest till this okay?"

The Taelon shooked his head slowly. "You are sure you'll be able to hide your...form." Liam smiled.

"Yes. Don't worry for me. Rest now, you know you need it." Zo'or reclined in his chair and Liam exited the room to go to Da'an private quarters in the Washington Embassy.

Liam saw the bright light of the interdimentional world disappear around him, remplaced by Da'an's office. It was no more Da'an's office he remembered. Shortly another companion would be sent from the mother planet. He could be serve no one other than Da'an, he knew it.

He banished all those dark thoughts from his mind. He had so new powers to explore. It was so different. He was still human. He could sense the human DNA inside of him. He knew he could stop his vital fonction if he wanted to. The Kimeras had such fantastic power. As he walked trough the room toward Da'an's chamber, he felt the purple Taelon construction sigh around him. He had never been able to hear them before. He just felt a presence, something, but he knew not it was this.

The construction was in fact a Taelon creature. It was alive, more like a human animal than a plant. When a Taelon came to an Embassy they...impregnated it with their minds. The structure and the Taelon who lived in it were almost always in mental communication. The creature sighed because of her lost, hte lost of Da'an.

Liam stoped and placed his hands on a wall. He felt the structure mind vividly in his. It was a very basic intelligence. The thought were even not words just feelings. He sent them comfort, hoping that they would survive without Da'an.

Liam climbed to Da'an's private quarters. The Embassy was dark. He did not know if, when the new companion would arrive, the Building would change. The pale purple had changed to a dark indigo blue. He met several volunteers on his way. None of them seemed to felt the sadness which, for Liam, emanated from everywhere, from the whole creature.

The volunteers knew he was not like Sandoval, always just-the-job and emotionless. He received a few smile and compassion looks. They did not seemed to see the change in him. He wore his human appearance but his green eyes were glowing in his face. Da'an's office was dark, here the walls were even darker, like in grief.

He entered, slowing his pace as he feared to trouble the dead silence in here.

He stoped before the chair. He almost did the Taelon salute. He climbed on the chair and touched it, felling again the creature in his mind. He jumped down.

A single tear was rolling down his cheek. He blushed...green and wiped the tears away.

He make his way toward a part of the wall he knew for the door of Da'an's chamber, but he stoped when he heard Sandoval's step behind him.

"Major, what are you doing here?" the man asked in his usual icy tone.

"The last time I checked Sandoval, I worked here," he replied sarcastically.

Sandoval stroked the abdomen of his skrill, who became a bright blue at the touch, apparently lost in thoughts. But Liam knew he was not, absolutly not. Poor creature, he though, sharing body with Sandoval.

He no longer considered Sandoval as his father. Biologically maybe, but not other thing than that. The only parent he ever had, was Beckett and Da'an. Sandoval was no longer implanted and he still did everything Zo'or told him to do, even kill innocents persons in cold blood, for a yes or a no. He had bio-enginered Lili, as an experiment rat, not as a human. Liam had thought often that the cvi could make a normal human go crazy. It was the only explanation he could thought of for explaining his father actions.

"So," said Sandoval still caressing his glowing skrill, "you have reached another step of your Kimeran evolution, I think."

"I don't know what you speak of Sandoval," said Liam. He could not hide the slight amazed look which passed in his greens eyes.

"You should have followed the advice Zo'or gave you, Major. You don't control your appearance perfectly..." Without warning he raised his skrill and fired at Liam.

Liam saw it coming but did not had time to avoid it. The blast was not enough hard to hurt him or even make him move. But it was not waht Sandoval wanted to see. The energy blast caused him to lost his human appearance for several seconds.

It was enough for that Sandoval saw his gray-green energy body. He understood too late for brace himself from the impact. He regained his human facade and an angry look appeared in his eyes. Zo'or, he thought angrily. Zo'or told him. He seemed to good for be true.

"How can you know?" asked Liam, not trying to hide his eunoia accent anymore.

"I have my informations, as you have yours Kincaid. Since many years, I don't have my implant working anymore. I did not trust the Taelons. I have..." he smiled badly "well...covered my back. I spy Zo'or from long ago. You know Major, despite our technology and all, some old methods are still working, like listening behind the door." His smile grew on his face. Liam could see his white teeth in the shadows.

"You'll kill me," Liam stated calmly.

"Yes," answered Sandoval simply, raising slowly his skrill glowing a furious pink-blue now.

"I suppose you've already heard that I'm your son," objected Liam.

"Yes. And don't worry I'll kill you even if you're related to me in anyway, Kincaid." Sandoval said in a cold voice.

"You're crazy." Liam realized it plainly now. Da'an had told him once that the cvi effects were still unknown. Sandoval had been the first human to be implanted, the longer to survive.

"Maybe...or maybe I'm just the more lucid here." Sandoval tone of voice was hard. This man was no more to be considered like a member of the human race. He had defended him often against Jonathan, against Lili, against Augur, against Renée...And now, he discovered they were all right about him. His mind had been destroyed by the cvi. Or altered at least.

At the moment Sandoval was going to fire a deadly skrill blast, a amazing thing happened.

Something like octopus tentacles sprang out around Sandoval, who was, unfortunatly, against the blue wall. They seemed animated by a proper life. It seemed more like living water than energy tentacles. They pinned Sandoval against the wall, like iron arms. One tentacle devided in smaller arms and unlaced, like unlacing a boot, his skrill from his right arm. The alien creature glowed a little, before being absorbed in the wall.

Sandoval's skrill was now part of the Embassy creature. The tentacles retracted, releasing the human body, who slid without noise on the floor. His father was uncounscious, the arm in blood, because of the skrill lost.

The tentacles grew a little longer for stroke Liam's cheek tenderly, like a sweet, loving hand. The Kimera felt clearly the creature last thoughts in his mind. She was angry, very angry against the man.

Liam raised his palm up. The creature, in return, mirrored the form of a human hand and joined palms with him. He initiated a sharing, opening his mind to the poor, tortured, creature. She was more intelligent he had thought at first. She shared with him, only emotions for a while, then understood that he was looking for something in particular. She shared a last spasm of hate with him and sent a succession of image in his mind.

-- Welcome within us, Being. --

-- Why you call me being? My name's Liam. --

-- Being Liam. Are different. Are not Being. Not Entity. Different. --

-- What is it you call beings and entities? Is that your word for Humans and Taelons? --

-- Humans. Taelons. Don't understand. --

-- Does not matter. --

-- We will call you Being/Entity Liam. Welcome within us. --

Liam saw a succession of image just like an old movie. The creature was a sort of
archivist of all what had happened at the Embassy. She knew all, every move of
everyone within the walls. He saw what the creature saw, he thgought what she
thought, he heard what she heard this day.

Being Sandoval enters Da'an's office. It's late. It's dark outside the walls. Entity Da'an
seems nervous. Nervous and weak. His fingers are moving vividly before him. Being/entity
Liam is gone outside the walls.

Being Sandoval does the salute. Entity Da'an is worry while being in Being Sandoval
presence. Being Sandoval is bad. We scanned him. Being Sandoval brings bad things with
him. In his pocket. Bad things. Things that Entity Da'an wants but...not. Don't
understand.

Being Sandoval goes to the part of us he names chair. Where Entity Da'an is sat. Entity
Da'an tries to go away from Being Sandoval. He jumps down from the chair. He tries to
escape. But Being Sandoval goes after him.

Entity Da'an cannot goes in his room. Being Sandoval is between him and the enter.
Entity Da'an fears Being Sandoval now. He wants help from Being/Entity Liam.

Entity Da'an turn his back to the virtual glass. He cannot escape from Being Sandoval.
We want to help but Entity Da'an told us to not show ourself in Being's presence. The
rule is that. We cannot broke it.

Being Sandoval takes something from his pocket. The bad thing. The bad thing Entity
Da'an want and want not. It glow. It's bad. Bad for Entity Da'an.

Entity Da'an reaches his hand for take it. But he thinks of Being/Entity Liam and takes his
hand back behind his back.

"Please... go away."

Entity Da'an's voice is weak. He shakes hard. We sense that he tries to hide something
to us. We sense that his body aches inside. He wants it more. The conflict is stronger
within him. He wants it. The weak side will wins.

"You need it Da'an, you know that the substitute is not stronger enough for keep you
alive much longer. Let me help you Da'an. I can help you."

Being Sandoval voice soften. But his duplicity grows at the same time. He wants to do
bad things. He approaches Entity Da'an slowly. Entity Da'an tries to draw back but the
virtual glass is behind him. He cannot go away from Being Sandoval.

Being Sandoval approaches his hand of Entity Da'an's face. The hand with the glowing
orb inside. It glow a few centimeters away from Entity Da'an's face.

He fights against himself. For not accept it. His eyes are wide open with fear.

Being Sandoval takes a step back. Entity Da'an sigh in relief. But Being Sandoval puts his fingertips in the bad glowing thing. Entity Da'an understands and tries to withdraw from Being Sandoval grip. His fingertips are glowing with the Kryss energy.

Being Sandoval approach Entity Da'an once more. Their face almost touch.

"Taelons cannot know how much they are attractives for the Humans."

Being Sandoval has a sadistic expression on his face. He raises his glowing fingers to stroke Entity Da'an's cheek.

Entity Da'an flinched as Being Sandoval's fingers touche his face. He absorbs the energy before our eyes. We were on the edge of betray the Rule for the first time.

It was a fight in Entity Da'an's mind. We sensed it. He raises his hand for touche Being Sandoval one. Entity Da'an suffers. We suffer if Entity Da'an suffers.

We don't like to suffer.

Being Sandoval retires his hand from Entity Da'an's face. Entity Da'an shakes and leans forward to meet Being Sandoval's hand again.

Strange. Entity Da'an hates Being Sandoval, but accepts the bad things. Never completly understood the Entities.

"No Da'an." Being Sandoval takes his hand away from Entity Da'an's face.

"No...you truly don't know how attractive YOU are." Being Sandoval has a bad smile on his lips. We know what he will do to Entity Da'an. Stop it.

Being Sandoval puts his fingertips in the glowing thing again. But don't approaches Entity Da'an's face.

"I'm your Master Da'an. You're not ruled by Kryss but by ME."

Being Sandoval puts his fingertips to his lips, which are now covered by glowing substance. He leans forward now. Entity Da'an knows what he wants to do. He tries to draw back, to push him away with his hands and arms.

Being Sandoval presses his lips to Entity Da'an's neck. He starts kissing his neck. Entity Da'an suffers much, emotionnally.

The glowing thing enter Entity Da'an body. His face shows much pleasure, but the expression in his eyes is fear and a deep hate.

Entity Da'an is now totally catches by his attraction to Kryss, the glowing substance. He leans against Being Sandoval, pressing his neck against Being Sandoval's mouth.

"You learn quickly."

Being Sandoval will die. We will kill him. For what he does to Entity Da'an.

Being Sandoval covered his lips with the glowing substance. Entity Da'an reaches an hand for touche it. But Being Sandoval catches his hand cause Entity Da'an to moans in suffer.

"You need more Da'an. You need Kryss. You need me."

Entity Da'an mind wants to draw back. But his body is totally dependant of Kryss. Another move from Entity Da'an for catch the glowing bad thing.

"No, my dear, with your lips."

Being Sandoval leans forward and kisses Entity Da'an violently on the mouth. Entity Da'an absorbs all the Kryss. Being Sandoval continues kissing him, he tries to undo Entity Da'an's jumpsuit.

But he was stoped by Being Lassiter who comes in us. Being Sandoval slid the Kryss fast into his pocket.

Being Lassiter is surprised by Being Sandoval acting. Entity Da'an collapses on the floor.

"All is well Lassiter, you may leave." Being Sandoval is lying.

"Zo'or requested you on the mothership, Agent Sandoval."

Being Sandoval hesitates. Leave. Leave Being Sandoval. We broke the Rule and send Being Sandoval feelings of hate and fear.

Being Sandoval undo his tie a little. He feels hot. Good. He will depart then.

Indeed.
Entity Da'an is breathing hard.

"I will come Lassiter."

Being Lassiter leaves the room. He is worry. Worry for Entity Da'an. He is good. We like him. He cares for Entity Da'an. Good.

Being Sandoval returns to Entity Da'an. He kisses him roughly on the lips. Entity Da'an is fully conscious now.

"Get out," Entity Da'an whisper.

"Get out," Entity Da'an screams.

Being Sandoval smiled badly.

"One day or another Da'an, you'll need it. You'll call me. You'll beg for me, for it."

Being Sandoval reaches his hand for gently stroke Entity Da'an's cheek. Entity Da'an draw away from his hand. Being Sandoval leaves the room. It was about time. Almost all of us were agreeing to broke the Rule if Being Sandoval did not left NOW.

He finally leaves.

Before the outsiders walls tell us that he was outside, we reache out our arms for catch Entity Da'an's shaking body. He's uncouscious. We cradle him in our arms. He needs comfort. He is poisonned by the glowing Kryss. His body is dying. No...

Being Sandoval made him die.

We will kill Being Sandoval.

We gently put Entity Da'an in our chair. We let the energy fload toward his painful body. He will be okay, for now. Where is Being/Entity Liam?

The flashback/sharing ended. For the first time of his life, Liam felt that killing someone would be great and undoubtly so satisfying...His face was a mask of hate. Toward his father. This being was not his father. It was a crazy man. A monster.

He thanked briefly the creature, mentally.

-- We can kill him. Disapear. Becom a part of us. No one would know. --

-- He's still my father. I can't do that to him. He's crazy. He's becoming insane because of it's cvi. Let me do please. --

-- As you want Being/Entity Liam. cvi? --

Liam smiled at the innocence of the creature. It was like a child. Sandoval was beginning to regain conscienceness.

Liam went to him and took him by his tie, lifted the man feet away from the ground.

"In french it exist a word for what you are Sandoval. Une ordure. It's that what you are," Liam whispered. The french was from Renée. She had said that to Zo'or once...

He took his global and called a volunteer. Not thirty seconds after they were here. Three of the most loyal, to him, volunteers he had ever met.

"Bring him to a detention cell immediatly."

The volunteers seemed to hesitate a little. "But Sir, Why?" asked one of them.

"He's the responsible for Da'an's death. He's delirious and totally insane. His cvi have break down. Is that enough for you?"

"Yes Sir."

"Great. Don't hurt him in anyway. Is it understood?" he said in a commanding tone of voice.

"Yes Sir."

Liam looked at Sandoval, dragged by the volunteers to the lower levels of the Washington Embassy. He sighed as he heard Sandoval whipering something and being, violently, silenced by the volunteers. Pity. It was that he felt for the man. It was not his fault. But Liam hoped he would join the Void soon. Poor man. Liam shooked the head, went to Da'an private chamber door and opened it trying to forgot what just happened. But the image of Sandoval giving Kryss to Da'an in this...disgustful manner, refused to vanish from his mind...

The door of Da'an's chamber was unlocked, as always. The Taelon never locked it, despite all risks for his security. He entered, trying hard not to cry another time. The chamber was totally empty. Apparently a new companion would arrive soon.

He used his Kimeran perfect memory and remembered what Da'an had said him. In the wall...on the left. He turned to leave. The purple-blueish wall seemed different, but he could not put his finger on what.

He placed his hand on the soft surface and stroke it gently, feeling again the creature's mind.

-- We will open us for you. Entity Da'an told us you would come. --

-- Thank you --

Not three seconds later when Liam re-opened his eyes, a the place of the wall was a little cavity. Just enough for that he could put his hand in it.

He advanced his hand tentativly. His fingertips touched something. Soft. Paper, he thought. He grasped the papers between his shaking fingers. He had the impression of disturbing something important. Very unpleasant sensation.

When he brought his hand back before his eyes, he saw two letters. I did not know he knew write in the human way, Liam thought. Then he turned on paper and saw the writing. He opened his eyes wide. Definitivly not human writing. Kimera or maybe an ancient Taelon dialect, traced with a fine plume.

He saw his name on one paper, but an unknown sort of complicated drawing on the other. For you...and for Zo'or, Da'an had said to him. Must be Zo'or name, he thought.

He heard a noise which sounded very much like someone step. He quickly put the two letters in one pocket of his coat. Indeed a young woman, a volunteer, entered in Da'an's deserted office. She saw the door of the Taelon private quarters open and took a step in.

"Major Kincaid," she asked as she recongnized the intruder. Liam jumped and almost lost his human facade.

"What are you doing here volunteer?" he snapped. He did want to be intimidating with her, but she had just came while a very bad moment.

"I'm sorry Sir." She apologized, "Mi'ef told me to see that everything was ready for the next American Companion, who will arrive tomorrow." He knew her to be one of the first implanted volunteers. She was very young at her implantation. She was one of Da'an personal choose for the project. She controlled her implant totally and perfectly. Liam suspected Da'an to had disanguaged her MI but he never had the proof of it...and never would, he thought sadly.

"Who will be the new American Companion?" asked Liam softly. The young woman was behind the door step but he could see the sadness on her face.

"I don't know Sir. The rumor tell it will be a Taelon from the mother planet, but it's just a rumor." she said.

"Stupid. A Taelon who don't know of the humans. Even Zo'or would have been better. The American people will not accept him as they accepted Da'an." Liam whipered. The volunteers knew he had no implant and that he had trues opinions about the Taelons. He was not controlled by anything so it was usual that he said something against the Taelons.

Liam turned toward the volunteer. He had excpected all but that. A long tear rolled down her cheek.

"Hey, I'm sorry Idid not mean to hurt you." Liam said apologicatly.

"No it's not that...Sir it's just..." another long tear "...that....he was....he saved me from the street. If not of him I would have died in starving. He....I owed him my life. I...I just can't believe he's dead."

Liam did not needed to ask of who she spoke. He felt the same.

Tears rolled down freely on the young woman's cheeks now. Liam did not suspect such....demonstration of her feelings toward the companion. Suddenly he realized that usually the volunteers did not had feelings for a Taelon. They were forced to protect them, to give their life for them if must, because of their implants. But the cvi also prevented them for sadness at the death of a Human or a Taelon. Renée said once that they had pulled out all things that made them human.

The volunteer wiped away her tears quickly.

"I'm sorry Sir. I think I need to do a check up of my cvi," the girl told him in her most little voice.

"No, no volunteer, don't. Everyone will miss him." Even Zo'or, he thought to himself. "By the way, I'm not going to call you 'volunteer' all the time. What's your name?" he asked for broke the deadly silence which planned in the air.

She smiled, relieved of the change in the conversation. "Volunteer Lank, Sir. Mélinda Lank."

"Mélinda, you become my assistant on tomorrow morning. Please be at my office on the mothership at nine A.M." said Liam with a small smile. He turned on his heels, letting the amazed volunteer in the doorway of Da'an's chamber. I don't even know if I will work for the Taelons tomorrow, he thought sadly.

Just when he turned the corner of Da'an's office, he pulled out his global and called Zo'or private number. He knew it for years but never used it. Zo'or responded almost instantally. He was supposed to rest, Liam thought a little surprised.

The Synod Leader looked still weak. His human facade did not hide his Taelon energy form completly. It made him look like sick.

"What Major?" the Taelon asked surprised that the young man had used his private number.

"I found the things Da'an...said he let for us, Zo'or." He stoped here and hesitated a little. " Aren't you suppose to be resting?" he asked gently.

The Taelon looked confused by the question. Obviously, he did not expect the Kimera to...care for him.

"Yes. I was supposed indeed. But my duty call me on the bridge." The Taelon had now difficulties to keep his human facade, even partly, on.

"Zo'or you cannot go like that. You're too weak. The Synod Leader cannot tell that he's resting in his quarters for the day?" asked Liam sarcastically.

The corners of Zo'or's lips formed an, almost unnoticabale, smile. "I fear not, Major. I have duties to do."

Liam sighed in despair. "I also found something...about Da'an's death here."

"What?" demanded the Taelon, his eyes going wide.

"I think I'm better tell you on the mothership. I have other things to do down here for now. Please, at least wait for me, before going on the bridge okay?" Liam asked. He did not believe he had enough guts to ask this to Zo'or. The Synod Leader blinked and nodded reluctantly, before cut the line.

Liam put the gloabl back into his pocket and followed the way the other volunteers had took with Sandoval.

The volunteers dragged Sandoval to a cell in a lower level of the Embassy, which had never been used, in all Da'an time. The man was unconscious. They just let him fall on the purple floor and get out, locking the virtual glass door, behind them. Blood was floading down his ear, wetting his hairs. His arm was covered with thins red marks, where the skrill tentacles had been.

His implant was not totally gone when the creature had freed him from his skrill. And it would never disapear. During the second the creature had freed him from his skrill but not totally released him, he knew what was liberty for the first time since almost 5 complete years.

He was now returned in the fully implanted Sandoval form. His skrill was the thing which freed him from his MI and from a good part of his cvi. The Taelons were right about the Human mind, but they forgot in all their calculs the Skrill minds. The skrills had been slaved once, they would not be twice. Trapped in a human body. The cvi could control one mind, even strong as the human one was, but not two. After two years the skrill had managed to free himself, and Sandoval at the same time.

The skrill had hated him from the first minute they were trapped in the same body. It was forced to obey him, because of the cvi. When he sensed the MI go away, he also felt the losing of control toward his skrill.

The Taelons believed that the skrills were an almost non-intelligent specie, because, maybe, of the weak resistance they showed to the invasion of their planet by them. But they were very intelligent. Much more than humans Sandoval knew. Taelons considered them like animals, like little pets. No. They had a conscience and a fully, totally developped one.

It was true they had no form of language and no true society or hierarchy. They talked telepathically. Never a Taelon had touched a skrill in the intention of 'speak' with him. They had never know of this talent.

The human had ever felt the MI was not truly destroyed but just inactive, stoped by something stronger.

When the familiar companion left his body and his mind, Sandoval sensed his reason escape from him again. The same pain like when he was implanted. He felt this thing, this mechanical thing, take control of every thoughts he had, of every of his brain energy for establish himself, in his head. He had not fallen uncounscious because of the building creature but more because of the pain, the sadness and the anger of being manipulated again.

The Sandoval, perfect implant, Zo'or favorite puppet, emotionless human, a shame to the humanity...was returned.

He awoke, slowly, painfully. What the hell am I doing here? he thought angrily. If he was not mistaken this was Da'an's Embassy cell. Da'an....he smiled badly as he remembered the Taelon. He knew perfectly how and why the Taelon died. Because of him. How he was happy when Zo'or had told him.

He knew for long that the Taelon had some ties with the resistance. Just the fact that he was protecting Boone, despite his implant had never entirely functionned, was enough to him. A loyal Taelon would have told Zo'or the second he had learned of this. And the arrival, the appearance, of Liam Kincaid had made him more sure than ever of the hidden intentions of the Taelon.

His MI was inactive when he had learned officially of Da'an's ties with Jonathan Doors. He did not told Zo'or, keeping it a secret, for later, for himself. Even now he believed that he took the right decision. Da'an was truly attractive. Every Taelons were for simples humans like them. But Da'an was much more attractive. He understood fully why Boone or Kincaid had wanted to stay to his service enouhg if they were not forced to. Why don't use of this Taelon for a time at least? At first he had just blackmail him, menacing him to tell all to Zo'or if he did not did what Sandoval wanted him to do. It's how he had known how contacted the Jaridians, it's how he had know of the need of Zo'or's handprints, it's how he knew, before spying Zo'or, of Liam's kimera heritage. He remembered clearly Da'an's expression when he had asked him what Liam was. How satisfying...

Then he had learned of the Kryss...and of Da'an addiction to it. He took the chance when it passed.

Before he had never asked to Da'an more than information, but when he saw the Taelon in the rays of the sunrise, he could not resist.

Flashback

Da'an was in front of the virtual glass, as usual at this time of the day. Sandoval approached him silenciously, like a cat waiting for a mouse.

"What do you want Sandoval?" asked the Taelon sharply. Da'an knew that when Sandoval was coming alone in his chamber at this hour it was not for Taelon buisness.

Sandoval did not responded but looked at Da'an from the feet to the head, like scanning him. He then came very close to the Companion, closer for Da'an who tried to draw back but was stoped by the edge of the purple floor. It was a 15 meters falling if he fell from it.

Da'an turned toward him, their chest almost touched. Sandoval reached out an hand and touched Da'an's cheek gently, running his finger from his eye to his lips.

"I had never seen how beautiful you were Da'an." he stated simply. The Companion locked his eyes with Sandoval's one. They were filled with hate.

The agent took a step back and pulled out his global.

"What is it you want, Agent?" asked Da'an more nervously now. Sandoval started to compose the number of Zo'or on the bridge, under the eyes of a near to death scared Da'an. He stoped before touch the last number.

"What is it you want?" repeated the Taelon shakly. "If it's information I assured you that I knew no..."

The human interrupted him sharply. "No Da'an. This time it's not information I want. Nooo..." he whispered in a soft tone which made shivers go down Da'an's back.

"What I want." Sandoval came closer and stroked Da'an's cheek again with the back of his fingers. "I want you Da'an." He leaned forward and brushed his lips to the ones of the disgusted Taelon. He liked...No... He loved the feeling which went down his back and body as he kissed Da'an. He prolonged the kiss and entered in Da'an's mouth with his tongue.

Da'an was truly disgusted. He was trying to escape from Sandoval, each seconds stronger and possessive, embrace. But he could not fight.

"Don't even try. I'm a human Da'an and you are just a Taelon not enough strong to fight me. You know it." Sandoval said between his kisses. He reached an hand behind Da'an's neck and slowly undo the Taelon jumpsuit.

He looked at the Taelon form. "You need a little initiation I think." he whispered badly.

End of flashback

Sandoval's delightful, for him, flashback ended when he felt a tight grip around his neck. He opened his eyes tentatively, for see Kincaid angry face looking over him.

He had never seen the young man so angry since the past two years. He began really scaring when he lost totally the control of his human facade. Sandoval eyes widened when he saw the real kimera face of Kincaid.

"Another of our Kimeran gifts Sandoval : when we touch anyone we can sense everything he thinks of." Liam said with a look in his eye like he was going to kill him without thinking. Sandoval just smiled badly.

"What Kincaid? You did not like it?" he asked just to be pulled even more harder to the wall by Liam.

"I don't know how you call it Sandoval but I call it a rape. You raped him. You dared rape him, you bastard." Liam hissed hardened again his grip on Sandoval throat almost throttled him by the way.

"How many times?" Liam whispered releasing his grip a little.

"You really wanna know, Kincaid....Four." Sandoval said apparently satisfied of himself, an hard smile on the lips.

Liam let his father fall to the ground, just to kick him hard in the stomach...four times. He took Sandoval up again for look at him in the eyes. "This was for him."

Sandoval managed to find enough air for speak another time. "You'll not have the guts to kill me Kincaid. I know you want but you will not. You cannot...kill your....own...father."

Liam thought for a moment and let Sandoval fall to the ground again. The implant moaned in pain but could smile despite it.

"No you're right Sandoval I'll not kill you. I cannot kill my own father. But nothing more link us. Nothing more than blood. I saved you once. I thought you were on the humanity side. But I don't consider you as a human anymore." Liam exited the cell with a disdainful look toward his former father and went toward the portal at the other end of the corridor. "Adieu"

The familiar flash of light illuminated Sandoval's cell. The man laughed in satisfaction. "No Kincaid you'll never have the guts of killing me, you're too kind. It's the breach in your shell." He whispered for himself and...the walls.

Suddnely he felt like something observed him. The sensation you have when you know that you're watched but you cannot tell by who and where this who is. Sandoval felt a chill go down his back. He felt hot...and cold three second later. It was like someone played with temperature control within the Embassy. He felt like a stranger. He felt surrounded by hate and anger.

He seemed that the walls were brighter, more pink. They seemed alive, he thought with some fear. He remember what once Da'an had told him, that the Embassy had a true conscience within. It was that the look in Liam eyes. The satisfied look. Kincaid wanted to kill him. HE would not but the CREATURE would. He saw the walls slowly began to reduct the space of the cell. He went in the center. Déjà he had just enough space to be lying on the ground. The surface had diminued of twice, the next time he opened the eyes. He saw the glowing walls, the glowing creature, came closer and closer to him.

The whole wall morphed in about hundred tentacles, like the ones which had catched him first. The energy arms took him and slowly covered all his body. They dissolved their own forms for cover all inch of his body, letting pain where skin hda been. He did not felt something, he was clinically dead for a while. They totally incorporated him like they had done with his skrill. With a last spasm of conscience and a despaired scream, Agent Ronald Sandoval disapeared forever.

They included him in them. He began a part of them as the walls took back their normal form, letting nothing but Sandoval's global which starting buzzing circonstantially. Nothing had happened, or no one would know.

Liam pressed his hand on the Embassy wall a last time, as a good bye for the creature.

-- We thank you Being/Entity Liam. Permited us to honor Entity Da'an's memory. Being Sandoval has been punished for his actings. --

-- It's truly nothing. Da'an was my friend. --

Liam paused the thoughts emission and asked his question after many deliberation with himself.

-- Will you survive if another Entity come for take the place of Da'an? --

There was also a pause in the creature mind. Liam 'felt' many voices in the backround like a meeting. Maybe what they called Us.

-- We don't understand your question Being/Entity Liam. We will live. We are Us. All of us are with the Entities We will never die. --

Liam almost withdraw his hand in surprise.

-- Are you saying you are within the Taleon Commonality? --

-- Don't understand. --

-- You said you lived with the Entities. Whatdo you do with/for them? --

Again the voices whisper somewhere...

-- The Entities tell us to bring their thoughts and we do. --

-- Thanks. Joy. Happiness. --

Liam broke the contact between their two minds. With the help of his sharing, or kinda, with Zo'or, he could easily communicate mentally. He honestly found it easier than normal speaking. You could not lie. It was faster and demanded less energy. Don't need to ask why the Taelons utilisated this manner.

He had discovered another of the Taelon's secrets. They were not psychics beings. They had some capacities, surely. But all the mentals communications and powers were not specific to their specie. It was the creature who linked them. Through the Commonality. The creatures were the base of their whole civilization. They could not survive without. Not surprising that they integreted them in all fragments of their society. Their shuttles, their Embassies, the Mothership...They base of all they were. Who would have known.

He wondered briefly what would happen if someone like Renée or Jonathan learned this. A disaster. They would surely imagine plans for kill all the creatures at the same time, for that the links between the Taelons would go weaker and weaker. And finally they would all die. No. No one would learn this.

Liam knew now, with all he had seen, felt and found with his Kimera heritage, that the Taelons were truly a weak race. They truly needed the humanity help. They were truly on the edge of extinction as a entire race.

He understood now why Zo'or had done all what he did. His race was dying. What would you do if you were the last hope of your race. As I am, Liam thought. He was too the last hope of the Taelon, and probaly the Human, race. He was the only one with enough genetic knowledge for save them both from extinction.

Liam was broght back to reality by the flash of light around him. He saw the Embassy walls become less clear. Before being catched byt eh interdimentional ray, he saw the tentacles which agitated itself in a good bye gesture. This was suddenly remplaced by the deeper purple walls of the Taelons mothership.

Liam turned toward the window. The Earth was visible beyond it. Hidden to everyone sight, the Kimera blushed when he felt Sandoval's soul slip into the Void.

"Good bye, father," he whispered tenderly. He quickly turned away and putting back in place the emotionless protector (with no one to protect) mask, he walked to Zo'or's quarters.

He raised the hand and waved open the door of Zo'or chamber. The Taelon was still in his energy stream, resting. He seemed to not saw Liam's enter. The young Kimera ran his fingers on the soft surface of the paper in his pocket.

He felt invading Zo'or's privacy by not knock on the door or tell him he was coming. He approached closer of the chair. The Taelon was lying in the reclined chair, surrounded by a mist of blue-white energy. Liam advanced an hand and putted it in the energy stream. He felt a curious shiver ran through his body. He was Kimera, fully and totally now. The energy had the same influence on him than on the Taelons.

He felt the energy travel in every cells of his body, still aching from his transformation. He could not resist and stepped in the energy stream, letting the delicious feeling continue. He had reagined his greenish Kimera form. It formed a strange mix with the pink one of Zo'or. His burst in his energy stream seemed to brought the Synod Leader back to reality.

Liam pulled off his coat and kneeled beside Zo'or lying body. The Taelon was still weak. The energy patern were slow, unusually slow. He had dispenced a great amount of energy when he had helped Liam by a sharing. Liam almost smiled at the memory.

Zo'or began to agitate in his sleep, like doing a nightmare. His hand clunched on the armchairs. His fingers were crisped and he was whispering Taelon words in his sleep. Liam understood Da'an name a couple of time.

Liam hesitated a while and finally took Zo'or hand between his own. It seemed to brought Zo'or back to reality but not enough to awake him. His hand was crisped on Liam's, almost hurting him. What a night mare can make you act like this in your sleep, Liam thought. He was wondering if it was just for Da'an's death or if Zo'or had constantly those dreams. Poor child, the Kimera thought again. He raised his other hand slowly and brushed Zo'or's cheek.

The touch made Zo'or jerk in his sleep. He awoke violently, breathing fastly. He tried to pull away from Liam.

"Hey it's me, Zo'or. Calm yourself." Liam whispered in the Taelon's ear. Zo'or relaxed and leaned back in his chair, sighing longly.

He suddenly realized that Liam's hand was on his cheek, stroking it gently. Liam too seemed to realize what he was doing. He regain his human appearance quickly and stepped down from Zo'or's chair, blushing slightly.

"I'm sorry. I did not mean to awake you." Liam whispered, confused.

"But you did..." Zo'or tone was angry, "...and I thank you." The tone was charged with the same coldness as before but not anger anymore. Zo'or had a reputation to preserve, after all. The thought almost made Liam smiling again. His hand was still in the Taelon's one. Zo'or stopped the energy emission with one wave of his graceful white hand.

Zo'or still wore the long gray dress he was wearing the last time Liam had seen him. The graceful form of the alien was visible beneath it. Liam liked it better than the usual purple jumpsuit. It made Zo'or looking more feminine. Liam finally spoke, breaking a cold silence.

"I found what Da'an had let for...us," he stopped, carefully pulled out his hand out of Zo'or's "but not just that." Liam added, breaking the stare of hope in the Taelon's eyes.

"What happened?" asked Zo'or moving his fingers nervously.

"You said that Da'an was dead naturally," a look of fear started to appear in Zo'or's eyes, "You were wrong. He died from a Kryss overdose." Liam whispered.

Zo'or lowered the head and sighed angrily :

"I had told him that his next dose would kill him."

"He knew it Zo'or. He did not do it by himself. You know who his pusher was?" Zo'or shooked the head. He did not understand what Liam meant. "It was Sandoval. He gave him the Kryss. His last dose. The dose which killed him."

"I will see his dead body." Zo'or said in an almost unhearable tone. Liam never told him how Sandoval gave Kryss to Da'an, it was better like this. Who know what Zo'or would have done.

"It's already done, the creature of the Embassy killed him." Zo'or looked at Liam doubtly. "You don't know?" asked a surprised Liam. He smiled and took Zo'or hand, he approached the mothership wall and pressed Zo'or's hand against it.

-- Entity Zo'or. We recognize but never speak. Being/Entity Liam. --

-- Hi --

Zo'or undo Liam's grip on his hand abruptly and took a step back, truly amazed.

Liam had still one hand on the wall, eyes closed. He smiled a last time and turned to Zo'or. "You did not know they were everywhere? I thought you would know."

"I don't. I did not till today." Zo'or stopped and thought for a second, "But I remember what Da'an told me once, that they were everywhere, that they would protect us. I know for sure that my race is linked to them. I feel somewhat like an accustumance to them..." Zo'or was amazed. He touched tentatively the wall with his hand and sensed once again the faint presence at the edge of his mind. When he tried to go toward it, it vanished.

-- Don't be too aventurous with them. They are still scared. --

-- Entity Zo'or, welcome within us. --

When Zo'or stopped the contact he had a smile on his lips, the first true smile Liam would remember. Not a bad smile like always. No. A true smile. Liam thought how many he was like Da'an, for a second time.

"They took care of Sandoval. They considered Da'an as a part of them. And they were...chocked by his death and by Sandoval participation in it."

"He was still your own father, Major." Zo'or whispered, he did not finished his statement. The meaning was very clear.

"The only thing we had in common was blood, nothing more. I did not considered him as my father anymore. Not after what he did to Da'an." Liam whispered slowly.

Neither Zo'or than him spoke for a while.

"I suppose that your true identity is not Major Liam Kincaid. Do you have a name at least?" Zo'or asked totally out subject. Liam smiled and lowered the eyes.

"No you're all right. I'm not the Major Liam Kincaid but Liam is still my name. It's the only one I have. You can call me like that." Liam said while pulling out the two letters of his coat pocket. "I found that at the Embassy," he said handing the two letters to Zo'or. "You can read it?"

Zo'or looked attentively at the two papers, longly. "I don't think I can," he said after a moment of studying, "It's the Kimeran language, like the latin of the Humans. I learned it, like all the others Taelons, long ago. I suppose you can read it."

Liam sighed and sat, fell, in a near chair. Zo'or sat beside him, the closer the Taelon could sat of a Human. The Kimera opened the letter with his name in human character on it. It was handwriting, graceful and soft like Da'an was. It was very much like chinese writing or something like that. He had often seen Taelon language, on a computer screen. But he had never seen Kimeran language, on paper. He discovered he could read it with a minimum of efforts with Ha'gel's memory. It was a part of him, since his morphing into a total Kimera being. He read entirely, blushing often, and then turned to stare at Zo'or. "He wanted you to read it, if I could show you..." he sighed softly. He turned his palm toward the alien, in a offer to share. Zo'or looked at him gravely and finally put his palm on Liam's. He saw with Liam's eyes, he read what he read. It was short.

Liam,

I apologize Liam. I'm sorry for all I have done to you. I have betrayed your trust more than one time. I apologize. You trusted me. You put life of your friends, of person you cared for, in my hands. And I've betrayed you.

I would have stayed longer with you if I could. I feel my death. I feel it coming. Day after day, I'm much weak. I'm more and more dependant of Kryss. It will kill me. I wish I could have done differently. But what is don... is done, like the Humans say.

I wish for you to continue what I've started Liam. I had a friend once. He believed in me. Him, too, misplaced his trust. I'm sure you believe now that I hate humanity and that I fight only for my race's survival. But I know, and I know you too know it, that the Taelons cannot survive without humanity's help. Neither than you without the Taelons. You must try Liam. Try to convince them. You can change mentality. Now that I'm dead, only you can change things, you're the only one who can save both our species Liam. Please I'm asking this a last time. I ask you to believe me a last time Liam

Maybe I ask too much to you. Do what you believe is right for both our people Liam. And...please, I know that Sandoval is not to be trusted. I hate him. Please take him away from Zo'or. If you read this, both of you then you know all. I want you to protect Zo'or Liam. Please. A last favor. I have always considered and loved you like my own child. Protect my other child please Liam.

Your are not fully matured, Liam. When you will, you'll understand. When you will have a child, you'll understand. I hope you'll understand my actions, one day.

Sinaui Enhura Liam,
My child

Zo'or withdraw his palm from Liam, shocked. He did not believe that the young one and his parent were so close of each others. He lowered the head looking down at his feet. He, understood entirely why Da'an had did what he did. He knew perfectly his parent motives. Da'an had changed a lot since they had crossed humanity's fate, but Zo'or was still his child and they were not so different at all.

"Please...Liam can I see the other one." the Synod Leader whispered, with like sobs in his voice.

Liam hesitated a little than handed him the letter. The Taelon read it fastly, it was shorter than the one for Liam. Before the young hybrid could place one word, Zo'or raised up his own palm to share the contains of the letter. Liam hesitated "You're sure. You're not forced to do this."

"He wished it." said Zo'or gently, still staring down at the paper.

Liam's brought his own palm up for meet Zo'or's.

Zo'or, I'm dying and I know it. If you find this it's because I'm dead. And that you had Liam's help. Only him could take it. Please. I ask you to trust him. He's the only hope for our survival. He would change into a new form soon, if I'm right. I ask you to take him as your protector. He will protect you well. He can understand and help us.

I have done many things to you and my other in the past. I'm sure that now, as yourself a leader, you could understand what my motives were. We are more alike that what you might think Zo'or. Remember this. It's the only thing I ask from you. You're still and will ever be my child Zo'or, my beloved child.

Sinaui Enhura my child,
I let the fate of our race in your hands Zo'or, do what you must for save our race...

Zo'or pulled his hand away from Liam's one. The Taelon went to the window, let his forehead against it. His shoulders were shaking slightly, like if he was crying. Liam knew Taelons could not cry. He put back the paper in the pocket of his coat. Zo'or had his own letter in his hand. He just closed his hand into fist. The paper broke with a soft noise. He let it fall to the ground and crossed his arms on his chest. Just when he was the most tired to be what he was, Da'an let him with the burden of all his people on his shoulders.

"I will not be able to do it Da'an, I will not, I'm so sorry, I'm too weak for do it..." he whispered. He had completly forgotten Liam's presence. The hybrid eyes were filled with sadness. It was hard to him to see Zo'or like this. Broken. Zo'or was totally broken by his parent's death. He had always seen Zo'or as a leader, a true leader, cold and heartless, ready to do anything for the survival of his race. But he could not handle to see him like this.

"Yes, yes you'll be able." The words escaped Liam's mouth almost despite himself. Zo'or almost jumped in surprise. He believed he was alone, Liam thought. The Taelon turned to him. Liam had never seen a Taelon to seems so near to cry.

Zo'or shooked the head despairedly. Liam went to him and gave a little squeeze to Zo'or's shoulder. The Taelon covered the human's hand with his white own.

"Do you accept to be my protector?" Zo'or asked tentatively. Nothing to do with the usual hearthless, cold Synod Leader.

"Of course Zo'or. My job was to protect Da'an...I have no one to protect now." replied Liam amused a little.

Zo'or turned toward him, smiled lightly. He was returned in his cold usual facade.

"He have shown us the way Liam. The only thing we need to do now is to follow it." Zo'or turned toward the window, losing his gaze in the stars. Liam pulled his hand off the Taelon's shoulder.

Liam's global buzzed. "Kincaid here." he said automatically.

Mélinda face appeared on the screen. "Zo'or and you are requested on the bridge, Major."

He shot a look to Zo'or. The Taelon nodded in agreement. "We're coming." he said before cutting the line.

He turned toward Zo'or. "You will keep this on?" he asked to the Taelon.

"I simply honor the traditions. I understood that the Humans was dressed in black when they were remembering someone's death. The Taelons wear this." he said showing his gray dress. "You're better accostumate to it Liam, I will wear it for the next thirty a'eks." the Synod Leader added, shooting Liam a strange look.

"Hummm..." Liam said, a smile on the lips. "For the next thrity a'eks. For the next 50 terran years..."

Zo'or raised non-existants eyesbrows.

"It's good. You're not bad in it at all..." Liam whispered, in a totally human manner. Zo'or shot him a serious cold look. Liam flushed a bright green under his false human skin and turned to leave. "I'll wait for you on the bridge I think." he added.

"Liam," the young man stopped when he heard the Taelon voice, "Thank you."

Taelon mothership, Exactly 100 human years after Da'an's death or 64 A.C. (After Council)

Where to start, there are so many things to tell. Let's start by the beginning then.

After the death of Da'an and their discovering of the circumstance of it, Liam officially became Zo'or's protector. Liam was a fully matured Kimera at this time. After the discovery of an old Kimeran colony, he became the Kimeran Embassador on Earth. Zo'or stayed Synod Leader. Vorjak and Arial spoke for the Jaridian people. And the President Joshua Doors was the representative of the Human race.

I said I would start from the beginning.

35 Terran years after Da'an's death, the Jaridian people came to Earth. Vorjak was their Leader now with his daughter Arial first Jaridian, Human, Taelon hybrid. They came not with war intention, but pleading for help. Their race was dying too, like the Taelons were. They despairedly needed Human plasma for stabilize the fiew Jaridian children who have been born a couple of month ago, in a special project started by Lili just before her death.

The Taelons had ever thought the Jaridians were many and stronger than them. But when they arrived to Earth, they were not more than about ten thousand. All the survivors of a dying people. The Taelons were almost the same number.

Finally after many deliberations, the Humans accepted to give them a chance to survive.

But it was not the same for the Taelon race. They needed energy for survive. The only ones who were able to give them that were the Kimeras. They also accepted. Both the Taelon, the Jaridian, the Kimera and the Human race lived in peace now. They had many times need to become ally for face a common enemy.

Generations after generations the Human race became more and more advanced, they started space exploration. The Taelons let them do. They had want they wanted. They did not need to hide or lie for preserve themself anymore.

But still after that the four races lived in a relative conflict state. 64 years after Da'an's death, the Council began. They decided to do a last attempt of instoring the peace between their people.

Four representative were chose for each people. Zo'or, the Synod Leader; Vorjak, the Jaridian Leader; Liam La'gel Beckett, was designed as the Kimera representative and finally Joshua Doors, oldest American President. They reunited on a neutral place, on the MoonBase Human-Taelon complex. All the personal was evacuated for the occasion. They stayed two Terran months locked in a room, discussing, arguing, making the peace.

When they finally exited from it, all was okay. The conflict was no longer existing. All aspects had been talked of, and an arrangement had been took for all little things.

Taelons concealed territory to Jaridian, the Jaridians apologized for the attacks they had sent on Taelons base etc...

After this all their people lived in a total peace. Surely it had still some politicals conflict, Embassador vs Embassador, but no longer people against people.

More personnally now.

Renée Palmer and Joshua Doors got married. Augur vanished suddenly and some rumors told he had restarted his life in a Human colony on a planet far away from Earth. It was amazed like how the things couls change in some years.

Liam and Zo'or became closer and closer. No one was surprised when they officially announced that they were lovers.

Zo'or is still Synod Leader. Liam is no longer is protector. But his mate. It had shocked some people, within the Humans mostly, at first when they had learned of this first union between species which had been separated since century if it's not millinium. After the Council, Liam officially dismissed from his Kimera representative post. Stayed as an Embassador would contribute to start rumors about political corruption and favoritism...

But let's see what's going on.

Zo'or and Lar'mal were walking down the mothership corridors. They were just returned from a meeting with the new Kimera representative Om'sea. Lar'mal was one of the many Human-Taelon hybrids who was created many years ago. The Taelons were not steriles anymore grace to the human DNA, but a generation of hybrids had still be born. Zo'or was the one who had carried Lar'mal. They were very close.

Zo'or was his adoptive parent at the same time of his kind of sister. Lar'mal was the result of the mix of Ma'el, Da'an and Boone DNA. They were close friends.

"It's hard to see someone other than Liam as Kimeran Embassador on Earth." said Lar'mal softly. He was much alike Da'an.

"I must agree." replied Zo'or in the same tone. She had never stopped wearing the long gray dress, for honor her parent memory. She too found it quite annoying to think to the Kimeran representative as another one of Liam.

How clearly she remembered how all this had started. She remembered every moves, every words she had said or done this day, this fatal day. The feelings were the most vivids in her memory. What she had felt the first time when Liam had touched her hand with his, the feelings of their first sharing or their first joining, and of their first kiss. She smiled at this memory. How surprised she was when he had kissed her for the first time. And her feelings at Lar'mal birth. The pain mixed with joy and extasy when she had brought him in this world. She always needed to remember that he was not her child. That it was Da'an's child, like she was and is still. She had still carried him during two years within her and born him. He considered himself as her child anyway.

"Zo'or?" The voice of Lar'mal rebrought her to reality. "You're all right?"

"Yes. Yes I am. I was just lost in thoughts." she responded with a tender smile.

The younger Taelon was hesitating as if he wanted to speak of someone but unsure of what may happen if he did. Zo'or was still very alike she was before Da'an's death, cold and ruthless sometimes. It was a personal matter probably.

"I wish to speak of something personal with you, Zo'or." he finished by saying slowly. The Synod Leader made his way toward her personal chamber. Again this remained her of the discovery of Liam's heritage.

She knew her pupil spoke with that serious tone only when it was truly and very important.

Once the door was locked behind them, Lar'mal spoke :

"I've sensed something different in you those times Zo'or. Your energy paterns are slightly modified since two weeks and it's getting worst day after day." Lar'mal said nervously.

Zo'or just smiled. "I know. You don't need to worry for me. I'm well," she slipped an hand on her lower abdomen. "We are both."

Lar'mal jaw looked about to fall on the ground. "You...are carrying a child?" he asked finally.

Zo'or nodded. "Yes, Liam's the other parent." Lar'mal came to Zo'or slowly.

"May I...?" he asked softly. Zo'or don't let him finish his sentence. She catched his hand between hers and placed it on her abdomen. Lar'mal blushed a deep shade of blue as he entered in contact with the child's mind. The child was young, very young. He had been conceived only two or three days before. But his strong Kimeran qualities were undoubtable. His mind was one of a one year old complete Taelon child.

Lar'mal broke the contact. He looked up to Zo'or. "I congratulate you Zo'or. Does Liam know?" he asked a smile on the corner of his lips.

Zo'or shooked her head. No Liam knew not of the existence of their child. Despite the fact that Zo'or knew it for the first second which follow the moment of his conception.

Lar'mal made the Taelon salute and exited the room. Zo'or sat back in her chair. She let her head fall between her hands. If she were younger, she woulds have ridiculised the human women who suffer anxiety when they are pregnant. But now she understood totally. How stressful it was. She did not know why, but she was stressed by the idea of announcing that to Liam. She jumped down, carefully. The child development was faster than a normal Taelon child. There was not the only difference. The child would also have a gender, unlike the Taelons, it was from the Kimera and the human part. He, male gender, would be the first Taelon-Kimera-Human hybrid. Strangely the human part of Liam was vivid in the child body. He would still have a energy body but his human appearance would be more stable.

Anyway Zo'or could not have hide it much longer. Her lower abdomen started to round a little, and despite her dress, it was getting evident. She also walked more slowly than usual. She was prudent. She needed to protect her child now.

Something buzzed in the room, interrupting her thoughts. She waved open the energy stream with her right hand, keeping her left one in contact with her abdomen, with the child.

Liam's face appeared on the screen. He smiled kindly to her. "I will return the mothership in five minutes Zo'or." he said with his usual soft voice.

She smiled back "I'll be waiting for you Liam." Liam bowed and cut the line. She took a deep breath and left her chamber for the principal bridge, returning to her Synod Leader buisness.

Liam boarded his shuttle. He went directly toward the main bridge. He knew that Zo'or would be here. He was worry for her. She was hiding something from him. He could sense through their link that something was different with her.

He passed quickly the volunteers who guarded the bridge entrance, dropping his human facade for let no doubt about his identity. The y let him pass without asking anymore proof.

He entered the bridge. Zo'or was sat in her throne speaking of Taelon buisnees with a Jaridian scientist. She was speaking in her usual harshly tone, she used with everyone for her political things. If only they could knew how different she truly is, he thought amused. But this was a part of her personality, of her attractive personality. She would not be a so much good Synod Leader if she was not like that. He sent her a small comforting smile from the other side of the room. She could not do anything but sent him back a tender look and greet him mentally through their private link.

The Jaridian scientist interceptate the exchange of greetings and with a smile said : "I will call you back later." He cut the line. Everyone who had once buisness with Zo'or or Liam or both of the two knew of their special relation. Zo'or was cold in public and everyone found amusing that she had a so special relationship with Liam. Zo'or waved off the energy stream and stepped down of her chair. Like of an collective decision all the volunteers had vanished from the bridge. They went toward each others.

Liam opened his arms and hugged Zo'or to his chest longly. The Taelon let her head fall on her mate's shoulder. Liam rubbed her back gently.

"Where were you?" asked Zo'or still pressed against Liam.

"On Earth. A Jaridian scientist, Kir'ort, have disapear in a portal accident. I have gone for help them a bit. " he said, responding her. She extended her arms and clutched her hands behind his neck. She raised the head for look in his deep green eyes. He had a smile she knew too well on his lips. "I suppose that you truly have nothing to do with this mysterious disapearance?" he asked her, apparently don't believing what he had just said.

She sent him a look from the corners of her eyes. "I think I'm not going to answer this question Major Kincaid," she said absolutly not serious. He let his forehead against hers.

"You organize this 'portal accident' Zo'or don't you?" he asked not more serious than she was.

"He was truly annoying Liam. He spoke of ending our hybridation project and I could not let him do so. I'm still the Taelon Synod Leader, remember Kincaid?" she had spoke in a faked harsh tone and insisted on the name Kincaid. She often called him like that. He leaned forward and kissed her softly on the lips, feeling the usual link opening between them.

"You're bad Zo'or," she smiled like if he had just complimented her "And I love you like that," he finished fixing a tender gaze on her.

She hesitated a long moment and then finally decided to tell him. "I've something to tell you Liam," she said. She took a step back, broking his embrace but still holding his hands in hers.

"Our last...joining, had unexpected consequence," she started. A look of worry appeared in Liam's eyes. "I'm well, don't fear Liam." She smiled and put his hands on her lower abdomen, letting him enter in contact with the child's mind. She opened her mind freely to him, showing the events of the past days.

He took off his hands from her and looked at her gravely "Zo'or I...". She simply put a finger on his lips, silenced all his words. He covered her hand with his own and brought it to his lips, he kissed it softly. "I love you," he whispered.

They kissed passionatly, shared their love for each others with their child.

"You did well my child...both of you..." said Da'an looking at the two energy gren-blue forms on the bridge. He could not stay here a long time. He concentrated a little and returned where he needed to be.

FIN