The volcano had finally ceased it's violent rumbling, and the lava flows were beginning to cool somewhat. The Volunteers had been mapping the changed topography of the area, as well as scanning the interior for the changes there. There had been delay after delay, and William Boone was becoming impatient, ready to move into the volcano. Boone's only consolation was the knowlege that Da'an was alive. He could sense his mate; but Da'an's mind, while present, was not active, and this disturbed the Commander. As for the others, they had not been able to get close enough to get accurate energy readings.

Palmer, Street and Augur had joined Boone after shuttling out of the volcano, and Augur and Street were overseeing the communications and computer technology set up. After many days of searching and mapping, the rescue team had finally found a fissure into the volcano, that, while still hot, was passable with protective gear. A team would be fitted with trackers, and Augur and Street would guide them into the main chamber.

So, wearing protective suits and respirators, Boone and the rescue team entered the fissure and began making their way toward the center chamber.

^^^^^

Liam wished he could see better. He wished he could breath better. And walk better. As a matter of fact, nothing was really working very well. He wondered if this little stunt would get him into the Book of World Records as the first human to survive a volcanic eruption from the inside. Liam figured the wall of Atavan energy that was surrounding him at the time of the volcanic blast must have formed some kind of shield, protecting him from being killed.

How long had it been? Hours, days, weeks? He had no idea. What had happened to the Taelons and Jaridians? He didn't know that either, although his slight connection with the Commonality told him that there were still some alive.

He had awakened alone, in a tunnel of some sort, surrounded by smoke and ash, the floor and the walls burning hot. He was certain his shoes were melting, not to mention his lungs. Not having any idea where he was in relation to Ma'el's chamber, he was trying, step by painful step, to make his way toward the surface, and hopefully connect with Boone's rescue team. All he could do for anyone right now, was to try to make it out alive.

^^^^^

"All right, you should be coming up on a tunnel to your right. Do you see it?", Augur instructed, monitoring the GPS signals from his friends.

"Yeah. We got it."

"Okay. That should lead you into the main tunnel to Ma'el's chamber."

"Right. We're headed that way."

^^^^^
Liam searched for someplace relatively cool to sit. His brain was getting fuzzy from the lack of oxygen and the heat had scorched and dehydrated him. He didn't think he would be able to go on much longer. Finding a rock that burned less than the others, he stopped to close his eyes and concentrate on breathing.

He was wondering just what the heck Ma'el and Ha'gel were thinking, building this chamber of theirs in a volcano; when a noise penetrated the fog that obscured his mind. He opened his ash encrusted eyes and peered into the haze, trying to see what was happening. Three forms emerged out of the smoke, and to the confused mind of the young man, they certainly didn't look human. He stood up on wobbly feet, ready to confront whatever was coming his way.

"Great. More aliens", Kincaid said, as his legs refused to support him and he collapsed on the floor of the tunnel.

^^^^^
"Augur! We've got Kincaid, and he's alive, but just barely. Get a med team over to the entrance now!"

"You got it, Boone!"

^^^^^
Kincaid gasped as a breath of bracing air rushed into his lungs, awakening his dulled mind and senses. Opening his swollen and bloodshot eyes, he looked up to see himself surrounded by friends: Boone, Augur, Street, and Renee Palmer.

"Welcome back," Palmer said, smiling in a rather fetching way.

"Thanks. Glad to be here", the young man answered, as he closed his eyes and drifted off into blissful oblivion again.

*****

Liam Kincaid looked up from his bed at the strained face of Commander Boone. The young Companion protector had refused to allow the med team to transport him to a hospital, preferring to stay on the site until the Taelons were found. A makeshift medical unit had been constructed, and Kincaid had been made fairly comfortable. After several days rest, he was feeling much better. As a matter of fact, he looked more rested than Boone. He knew that the Commander was not going to stop for a second until Da'an had been delivered from that volcano, sentiments that echoed in his own heart.

"Did you see anything, Kincaid....anything that would tell us how he is?"

"Sorry, Boone. The last thing I remember is stepping into that pool, with the volcano erupting around me. But I can tell you that they are alive. I sense their presence through the Commonality. The Commonality is intact. If they weren't alive, there wouldn't be a Commonality. But what condition they're in, whether they've changed in some way, I don't know."

The rescue crew had managed to penetrate the tunnels up to the main tunnel junction, but at that point they had been stopped by debris blocking the main tunnel entrance. All parties were now debating how to proceed.

"It's too bad we don't have access to the Mothership's computers right now. If we could get a fix on the Taelon's energy signatures, we could determine where they are. Presuming of course, that, with the Commonality intact, the energy hasn't been completely changed. We don't want to blast out that tunnel until we know we won't be endangering anyone", Boone commented.

"Wait. We have those energy signatures," said Palmer. " I don't know why I didn't think of it before. After the Taelons left that time, the ANA put trackers on all of them. They should have that information."

"And who's going to convince the ANA to allow us access to their tracking information?", Boone asked, looking expectantly at a certain computer hacker.

"Hey", said Augur. "I'd love the opportunity to go round one with Hubble Urick."

^^^^^

The rescue team was looking intently at the information which Augur had brought up on his screen. He and Street had hacked into the ANA's files and recovered the signature information on all of the Taelons, and now had a fix on the their position in the volcano's caverns. Apparently, whatever had happened to the Taelons, their energy signatures had remained unchanged enough that they could still be tracked.

They identified five of the Taelons trapped in the main tunnel. Debris blocked the junction of the tunnels, but the Taelons had congregated at the far wall,near the entrance to Ma'el's chamber, which, for some reason, they did not seem able to access. One, Da'an, remained in the regeneration chamber.

Boone and the Volunteers were preparing to go back in with sonic detonators to blast a hole in the rubble, when Liam Kincaid arrived at the rendezvous point, dressed in protective gear.

"Where do you think you're going, Major?"

"With you, Commander Boone."

"You most certainly are not. Not in the condition you're in."

"I'm in pretty good shape, now, Commander, and I need to go."

"There's no reason..."

"Look, Boone. I know you were Da'an's protector, and I know you are not going to rest until you've found him. Well, I'm Da'an's protector, too. And I feel pretty strongly about this myself."

"Look, Liam, no one can accuse you of not doing your duty."

"It's not about duty. You're not going down because of duty. You're going down because of Da'an...your relationship. Well that's why I have to go, too. I have to do it ...I have to do it ...for Da'rhu'shee."

Boone studied the young protector and saw the determination in his eyes. There wasn't going to be any arguement.

"All right. But at the first sign of health problems or weakness, you're gone. Understood?"

"Understood."

So, together the two protectors made their way back into the heart of the volcano, in search of their Companion.

^^^^^

"Street, I'm going to back up here and give you a look at the placement of these detonators. See if it matches your plot", Boone instructed, as he held up his global to scan the pile of rubble.

"Looks good. Augur's calculated the intensity needed, and is sending that to you now."

"Got it. Setting intensity levels. Are we ready? Okay, take cover, everyone."

Boone pressed the remote button, and with a terrific rumble and roar, the mountain of debris that separated them from the main tunnel was reduced to powder. As the dust settled, the humans cautiously peered into the main tunnel, only to see their actions mirrored by five pairs of eyes...in brilliant Taelon blue.

*****
Boone was running down the main tunnel to Ma'el's chamber, with Liam Kincaid close behind. Volunteer Bailey and the others had stayed behind to check on the condition of the Taelons. Reaching the entrance, Boone could see the still form of his Companion, lying face down on the chamber floor. Without stopping, Boone charged headlong through the entrance.

"Boone ! Wait!", Kincaid shouted, trying to get the Commander to proceed with caution.

The big protector hit an energy field at top speed, which sent him hurtling across the room as if he had been hit by a truck. Kincaid rushed over and pulled him up off the rock floor.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. I should have thought about that. That's why none of the other Taelons were in the chamber."

"Looks like Ma'el was trying to lock things down."

"Or out."

Boone walked over to the entrance, and took a closer look at Da'an. The Taelon was lying face down by the Atavan pool, with one arm outstretched. Boone softly called to his mate, but received no answer.

"Augur, we need to deactivate an energy field. Can you help?"

"Give me a scan. Okay, got it. I'll send a series of sonic disrupters. Hopefully one will work."

Boone held his global up to the field while Augur sent down a series of signals. The energy field deactivated, and Boone and Kincaid cautiously entered the room. Kneeling down beside Da'an, Boone stretched out a shaking hand to check on the
Taelon's condition

"Please do not touch Da'an, Commander!", an authoritative, yet formal sounding voice informed. Turning around, Boone saw Ja'tan, Minister of the Synod, standing behind him.

"How badly is he hurt?", Boone asked, the strain showing in his voice.

"He is not hurt. He is just not completely present."

"You're going to have to explain that a little more, Ja'tan."

"Da'an's consciousness is suspended between two planes. He is neither fully here, nor there. If you touch him, you may break the point of contact, and he might not be able to return."

"Point of contact?" Looking down at Da'an's still form, Boone noticed that his outstretched hand was touching a large smudge of fluorescent blue energy. Energy that resembled a figure.

"Zo'or", Kincaid breathed. Boone sighed. His beloved's palm was resting on the energy left by his child's hand.

"The Atavan energy has trapped Zo'or's consciousness between two planes. Da'an is acting as a point of contact for this plane of existence", Ja'tan related.

"A bridge between two worlds", Boone whispered.

"So how do we bring him back?" Kincaid asked.

"You must bring back Zo'or. Da'an will follow."

"How do we do that?"

"Zo'or's consciousness must have a host. As you can see, there is not much left of his previous physical form. It is similar to...."

"I know what it's like, Ja'tan, I've been there. But can't one of you just absorb his consciousness?", Boone asked.

"We would, Commander Boone, but as you humans would say, the no vacancy sign is lit."

"Right. The triage. But one of us can't transfer a consciousness."

"Not on your own. But one with sufficient energies might be able, with assistance."

Everyone turned to look at Liam, questions rising in their eyes.

"Oh, no...not that...not Zo'or, of all Taelons...."

Boone looked Kincaid straight in the eye. "You're not doing it for Zo'or. You're doing it for Da'rhu'shee."

Liam Kincaid sighed in resignation. "Boy, I just know I'm going to live to regret this."

^^^^^

Liam and Boone sat beside Da'an's still, prostrate form, ready to begin the transfer. Ja'tan had given them fairly detailed instruction, but nothing was going to completely quell the apprehension the two men felt.

It was bad enough that they were about transfer a Taelon into a human host, but the Taelon in question was Zo'or. And if that wasn't unnerving enough, now they had drawn a crowd. All of the Taelons and Volunteers who had been in the tunnels were now in the chamber, creating an ambiance that was distinctly uncomfortable, especially to Liam.

Liam and Boone would begin by connecting with Da'an, with Boone acting as Liam's guide through Da'an's consciousness. Once there, Da'an would initiate the transfer by connecting Liam to Zo'or, then it was up to Liam to bring Zo'or's consciousness to himself, as Da'an, in his current state, would not be able to assist. Boone would then provide Da'an with a more solid point of contact to this reality.

Taking a deep breath, Liam looked at Boone. "You ready to do this?", he asked.

"It's your call, Kincaid."

"Let's go get the....let's go get him."

Simultaneously, Kincaid grasped Da'an's free hand, while Boone placed his hand on Da'an's forehead. Kincaid sighed, as his mind entered Da'an's, then all was silent.

Volunteer Bailey watched anxiously, ready in case medical assistance would be necessary. For a long moment, both men were perfectly still. Then, with a long, harsh gasp, Liam Kincaid jerked backwards, breaking contact with Da'an's hand. At the same moment, William Boone grabbed Da'an's hands, and pulling the Taelon up against himself, maintained contact with his Companion's mind.

Kincaid was lying, seemingly unconscious, on the cavern floor. Volunteer Bailey rushed over, and pulling him into a semi-reclined position, scanned his vital signs for any alarming changes.

"I'm okay, Bailey. You can put that thing away", Kincaid said, as he opened his eyes.

"Did it work?", Bailey asked, almost afraid to find out.

"Dun'no. I don't feel particularly different."

Kincaid pulled himself up to sit, a look of inward concentration on his face. "I think he's in here, but he's awfully quiet; for Zo'or, anyways."

Boone and Da'an, in unison, opened their eyes, and as Boone continued to hold the Taelon close, Da'an reached out a hand to touch the face of his younger protector.

"You, my child, have saved my child; and you have all my gratitude."

"Yeah, well, I'm giving him back if he starts causing problems."

"I do not believe that will happen. Zo'or is not as you knew him."

"What do you mean?"

Da'an tilted his head to look at Kincaid, and slowly blinked, a bittersweet smile curving his lips; but he offered no reply.