Disclaimer: Oh, you know.

Much doo-doo hits the fan this chapter.

Hey, when you're done reading this and after you review (please!), go check out anything by Dagmar Buse, ScarletDeva or Rach. Seriously great writers.



Legacy, part 20

"T-tom?" Jason's voice came out a harsh croak.

The Shadow-cloaked Tommy grasped the muzzle of the disruptor and tore it from the grasp of the unnerved soldier. "You're gonna hurt somebody with that, buddy." He tossed it impossibly high in the air where a dazzling white streak flashed by at incredible speed. The flash paused, its shape now discernable as that of a slender woman. She threw out her arm, from which a crescent-shaped sliver of light spun, cleaving the disruptor neatly, the two halves clearly visible before the whole thing exploded. Aji bent her attention to the company below, darting lower, finding and destroying any other disruptor she found with laser accuracy. Then she paused, her gaze resting gently on Jason.

Tommy gestured at the ring of soldiers surrounding himself and Jason; a dark sphere of energy enclosed them, expanding outward suddenly to throw the troops violently back. He chuckled, a self-satisfied grin on his dark face, bending to help Jason up. They looked at each other for a long moment, then Jason gave his best friend a grin and a nod before turning his attention back to their foe. Tommy laughed aloud and glanced upward to see Aji hovering overhead, all her attention squarely on the golden warrior below. "That's my girl," Tommy muttered under his breath as he looked from one to the other. "Don't be the fool I was."

One of the Citadel soldiers was alert; a silent yellow sphere of energy launched at the gleaming figure. Jason's throat closed off in panic as he recognized its target; but when the energy blast bloomed, Aji wasn't there. With a sudden burst of lightspeed she had joined Taia and Billy, lashing out at their assailants with lethal force, her weapons bright and sharp. Tommy, for his part, was laying into Jason's would-be captors with power- enhanced blows and kicks, his signature yell echoing through the desert air, his dark energy swinging wide and hitting hard, a shadowy warhammer. The Citadel forces finally scattered in unequivocal retreat when Aji took deadly aim at their disruptor cannon, destroying it and the transport it had been on.

Tommy's black armor slithered away; he slipped his shoulder under Jason's arm as the larger man threatened to collapse. "Geez," Tommy chided gently, "I leave you alone for a couple of days and you just can't stay out of trouble."

"I thought you were dead," Jason said baldly, his voice thick. "You – you're – ?"

"I'm okay, bro. We both are."

"Both…" Jason searched out Aji as his spirit roared to life. She was disentangling herself from an affectionate embrace with Taia when their gazes collided and he felt his world tilt. Everything receded, became a little unreal; he straightened, moved toward her purposefully, determined not to let her run this time. She merely stood, watching him, her expression unreadable, and with each step Jason became more aware of something trying to get his attention, around the thunder of his own Bloodsong… what was that? It was clean, clear, sweet, soothing… exciting. He stood in front of her, fists clenching and unclenching, certain and yet so unsure.

And then the corner of her mouth lifted in a half smile, and Jason suddenly knew what it was. She sang for him.

Oblivious to Tommy's shouted "Yes!" Jason pulled Aji to him without further ado, his mouth claiming hers just as surely as their spirits became one.

He came up for air, inspecting her flushed face, her breath coming in short gasps. Jason traced a gentle finger down the curve of one cheek. "Don't you EVER scare me like that again," he growled. Aji shook her head with an affectionate smile. "And you," he turned on Tommy, who was having his hand shaken practically off by Billy. "Where the hell have you been?"

******************

Beyond the walls of the Citadel, a figure stood brooding on a gray stone balcony. "Who are they?" His voice was deep and smooth, deceptively gentle. The soldier in front of him flinched slightly.

"We don't know, Master. The squadron leader described them just as I have told you."

"Hmm." So'Vran turned, pacing a few slow steps. His long ebony hair, neatly braided down his back, swung in the slight breeze. Long, supple fingers stroked his beard, split into two smaller braids reaching halfway to his belt. Heavy brows hid the fire of his gaze, which turned unsettlingly back on the soldier. "Ready your best men and bring the rebel traitor to me. When I have the information I seek, you will act on my orders." The soldier spun smartly on his heel and left.

So'Vran rested his hands on the cool stone of the balcony wall. "So," he murmured to himself. "Two new vessels. It matters not. I will soon have your secrets." He smiled, and it was not a pretty sight. "Tell me, little ones. What are your weaknesses? What do you hold most dear?" He closed his eyes and concentrated, waiting for the answer.

*******************

They'd found a secluded place to camp for the night, some distance from where the runabout had gone down; a small cave, out of the sight of the Citadel, halfway up the side of a rocky cliff face. Billy had salvaged what he could from the runabout and was tinkering with a damaged communicator, trying to get in touch with the base, but was constantly distracted by the story Aji and Tommy were taking turns telling them. Jason sat next to his lifebound, his arm firmly around her waist. Taia had curled up near Billy and handed him tools as he indicated them, her attention glued to the others.

"Incredible," was Billy's assessment as they wound it up, and the others echoed him.

Tommy chuckled. "Anyway, the Watcher wanted us to tell you he's sorry to have scared you like that. He got a little overexcited."

"I'll say," said Jason. "That was some flood." He shuddered. "I'll tell you, bro, I've never been so scared in my whole life, not even when I thought I was going to die from the whole Gold powers thing. Losing you – losing both of you… thank God Billy and Tai were with me or I don't know what I would have done."

Aji wordlessly put her palm along his jaw; he turned his face into it and pressed a kiss there. Tommy watched the exchange with a pleased smile, then turned to Billy. "How's it coming, Bill?"

"Almost," said Billy, concentrating on a finicky bit, his tongue caught between his teeth. "I think – if I can just –"

Whatever he was going to say was lost as all five clutched their heads in sudden, searing stab of pain, seeking, probing… finding; and then as soon as it came, it was gone again, leaving them light headed and slightly nauseated.

"What the hell is with this planet?" Tommy asked huskily. "Don't you people understand the concept of down time? What was that?"

"Felt like a mind probe," Aji said, shaking her head. "I've heard of them, but never been through one so I could be wrong. What did it make you think of?"

"You," Jason said. "And Tom and Bill."

"Father, Billy, Jason," supplied Taia.

"Jason and," Aji sighed in self-disgust, "my father."

Billy considered it. "Tai… and Jase. Tommy too. And my dad."

Tommy was quiet, then he spoke. "Kim."

"But what does it mean?" Taia wanted to know, looking at her lover for clarification, but he was staring at the cave mouth.

Something outside the cave caught Billy's attention, and he got to his feet laboriously, heading toward the entrance to take a closer look. "Uh oh. You better come see this, guys."

Taia was the first to join him; she slipped her arm around his waist as they watched the faint purple grid appear in the sky, then flicker and slowly fade. "The barrier," she breathed.

Aji took a deep breath. "My father has succeeded," she said, her voice hitching slightly. "So'Vran's free."

*****************

So'Vran swept past the massed squadrons who stood at attention in a large docking bay. "You have your orders. And recall my caution: they are of little use to me dead. Do what you must, but bring them to me alive." With that he nodded, dismissing them, and they split into two groups; one heading for a large troop hoverskid, heavily armed, the other for a gleaming black interstellar pod.

*****************

The rest of the night passed uneventfully on Xerya. Billy beguiled some time bringing Taia or Jason back to full strength, catching catnaps in between, while Aji flew to the runabout in search of water and rations. Eventually they were fed and watered, and more or less rested.

"Any ideas?" Jason asked the group at large. They looked at one another.

"I think we should stop reacting and start acting," Billy supplied.

"I agree," added Tommy. "So far we've been chasing around after them instead of going on the offensive. But we're going to need more than we have: food, water, some kind of transport. Problem is, do we have time to head back to the base, now that the barrier's down?"

"I don't see that we need to," said Aji. "Provided Billy gets that communicator working, we can have Deorth and some troops meet us. That way we can plan a strategy of attack while the things we need are on their way to us."

Billy grinned. "Then I'd better get to work, hadn't I?" He sat down with the commlink components and was quickly lost to any further conversation.

"In that case, I'm going to go look around, get my bearings." Jason stood, stretching. "I was pretty out of it last night when we got here. Anybody want to come?" The question was put generally, but his smile was just for Aji as he pulled her to her feet.

Tommy chuckled to himself, whistling tunelessly as he poked a stick in the glowing embers of their cooking fire.

Taia nudged him with her foot. "You're very cheerful."

He smiled at her. "Well, the situation sucks, but Jase and Aji are the way they're meant to be. Gotta take your happy where you find it, my mom always said."

She studied him. "You love Jason a lot, don't you?"

"Sure, both him and Bill." At that the blond scientist glanced up with a grin, then went back to his work. Tommy nodded. "They're family to me. Which I guess makes you and Aj family too."

Taia leaned forward and gave him a kiss on the cheek; Tommy slipped an arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. "Hands off my woman, bub," came a mock growl from the back of the cave.

"Oh, does that bother you?" Tommy asked, his voice laced with mischief. "Then you don't have to watch." With that he and Taia faded from view. Billy jumped to his feet.

"Tom? Tommy! What the –?"

"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows…" the invisible man intoned, accompanied by giggles from the unseen Taia.

Billy raked his fingers through his hair. "Useful power, but creepy as all get out. Come back, please." He exhaled a small sigh of relief as the pair reappeared. "So that's how you got to Jason yesterday."

Tommy opened his mouth to reply but Aji's voice cut through his consciousness. TOMMY! HELP! He snapped into warrior mode. "Come on; more trouble." The three sped from the cave.

Jason sat on the ground, knees pulled up, his head resting on his forearms. Aji squatted next to him, an arm over his back. She glanced up as the three ran to them. "We were talking, and all of a sudden he collapsed. I don't know why."

The dark-haired man shook his head slowly, as though shaking off a daze. He rolled his shoulders, his dark gaze seeking his sister. "It's Father, Tai. Something bad. I felt it through Paladin."

Taia clenched her jaw. "You have to get that commlink working, Billy."

"I just about had it. Come on." He ran ahead while the others helped Jason, who was still woozy. By the time they made it back to the cave, Billy had a channel open.

"Base, this is Sentinel. Base, come in." There was a long pause. Too long. "Base, this is Sentinel. Does anyone read me?"

They stared at each other, horror dawning on each of them. "My father must have figured out the location of the new base," whispered Aji, chewing on her thumb. Jason gripped her hand in silent support.

"Base! Base, do you read?"

A crackling sound. "Sentinel?"

Billy heaved a breath of relief. "This is Sentinel. Is everything all right?"

The voice on the other end suppressed a sound that could have been a sob. "All right?"

"Base – listen, who is this?"

"It's Deorth. We've been attacked, Billy. We picked them up on our long- range scans in time to evac most of us, but…"

Billy's lips thinned. "Casualties?"

There was another burst of static. "As many as two hundred; we're not sure yet. Billy… your father… they took P'Tyr. Iannos tried to stop them… and he's hurt, pretty badly, though they say he'll make it. Took two disruptor hits, dead on."

"Oh, God…" Billy stared at the others, his expression stark. But even under the fear they could see his mind at work. "When we were hit by that mental bolt, whatever it was… it made us think of those we loved best. Looking for leverage to use against us. But we thought mostly of each other, except for my dad, Iannos, Frid, and…"

Tommy went white. "Kim. And the barrier's down."