Thanx to all those who reviewed my story and encouraged me to finfish it, (Jamieson, Scent of a Rose, Tidmag, Taya – I'll fix that repetitive thing in chap 7 if I get time, thanx, I'd managed to miss it!) Sorry if I missed anyone. Thanx.


Chapter 8

            She was crazy. She had to be, she was actually starting to believe him. Could she take the risk of this being true and still giving him to the Taelon's. Granted another person would take over the post of leader, and the resistance would go on, but it would be a big blow, and if they did have people on the inside as he had implied, what would happen to them. All because of her.

            "It's too late." She said quietly, they're already on their way here. She looked into his eyes, and saw that he was determined.

            "Where are we?"

            "It doesn't matter. No one could get here in time." She insisted.

            It would be a fight then, he should try and clear the place first though. "Get every one out, you too. They won't take me, they can't." He said resigned. "If they find you hear, you'll be taken back to the Mother Ship, and trust me, if you're not on their side, that's not a place you want to be. Promise me one thing, that you'll team up with the resistance, we can use all the help we can get. You could still remain an independent cell, just back us up when we need it, and vice-versa." He asked.

            "And how would I explain to them that I turned their leader over to the Taelon's?"

            "You don't, don't say anything about them or me." He said quietly. He knew that neither Lili nor Augur would forgive them for something like this. And Lili was the best person to take over.

            "Done." She nodded.

            "Good, now go." He insisted. It was now for the first time that he realised his hands were free. Good, he would need them. He didn't want to be taken alive, dead he couldn't tell them anything. Kathryn had run off to organise her people.

            She was back now.

            "What are you doing? I thought I told you to clear out?"

            "You did, but you can't give me orders yet, I'm not part of your group." She pointed out. "I've given your instructions to my second, he'll do what you ask. I'm not leaving, I'm staying. Your the head of the resistance, you have to be protected." She insisted.

            But Liam shook his head, "wrong, the resistance has to be protected, it's more important than any one person, even me." He explained, and as he spoke it he knew it was true.

            "Tuff. Like I said, you're not my boss yet."

            "And I never will be if you don't get out of here." He pointed out.

            "They'll kill you." She said evenly.

            "Yes they will." He agreed. "But I might still be able to make a break for it at some point, so you should leave."

            "No." She was determined to stay, and she could tell he knew that.

            "Fine." He sighed. Then he heard the blast of a shuttle entering normal space. It was time. "Stay out of sight." He ordered her, "you can't help me if they take you out as well." He reasoned.

            He left her in the room, and moved silently down the hall. He knew it would be Sandoval Zo'or sent after him. Liam didn't want to shoot him, but he didn't mind shooting at him, he would just miss by a very long way.

            Then he heard Sandoval shouting him.

            "Major are you in their? It's all right, you've been cleared." He announced.

            Did he really expect him to fall for that?

            Sandoval continued, "Captain Marquette has finished a more in depth examination of the scene, it looks as if we overlooked a few things."

            Liam heard what in his voice? Embarrassment? He'd made a mistake, although he hadn't actually used the words "I was wrong", that would have been too much for him.

            Liam believed him. He shouted from one of the rooms, "In here."

            Sandoval walked towards the room, alone, no troops with him. "It's good to see you Major." He was not smiling, but then, when was he?

            "Are there any members of the resistance still here?"

            Liam turned round and looked back behind him. "No. They all took off just before you got here, they cleaned the place out before they left, I doubt we'll find anything." He lied.

            "I have been instructed by Zo'or to inform you that you have been reinstated as Da'an's protector."

            That must have hurt, Liam thought, but then ...

            "Welcome back Major." Sandoval offered his hand. As close to a friendly gesture as Liam had ever seen.

Epilogue

Liam stood on the Mother Ship next to Da'an. Everything was back to normal again he reflected. Sandoval had not found Kathryn or her people, they were now members of the resistance. He had not realised just how many people she had! Although they'd had a talk about Se'el's death. It turned out Se'el had been working on some kind of germ-warfare type weapon. The Taelons would have been able to wipe out entire continents without firing a shot! They had also found some reference to a more "aggressive" CVI. Liam was already looking into that but so far neither he nor Lili nor Augur had found anything.

            He was now fully recovered, though he never did find out what had happened to that blood sample Kathryn had taken, she said she had lost it in the rush to pack up and get out, but somehow he hadn't believed her. Not to worry, she wouldn't find anything too unusual. He was a little worried over his confession to her, had he been in his right mind he would never have told her he was the resistance leader. He was lucky this time. Next time he would have to be more careful, more in control.

            Da'an was quiet as always, though Liam thought he was glad to have him back.

            "Tell me Major," Da'an requested. "What was going through your mind when you ran from us?"

            "Was I running from you?" He asked boldly.

            "No." Da'an admitted. "I know where you were when Se'el died, just as I knew where you were when you were sick, you tried to reach me." He explained.

            "I think I did." Liam agreed. Then, in answer to Da'an's question, "fear. I was afraid I would never find out who I really was."

            "I understand." Da'an said sympathetically.

            He probably did too, Liam reflected. Yes everything was definitely back to normal.

                                                                   ~The End~

Thank you all again.

Love, nevermore