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Chapter 5: Many Meetings

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The next morning Abby awoke to light streaming in her face. She turned away from the window and snuggled against Connor's chest. She felt his fingers running through her hair and knew he was awake.

"Morning," she said, reaching across his stomach to take his free hand in hers. "How long have you been up?"

"A while," he answered, kissing the top of her head gently. "I thought about waking you, but you looked so peaceful and I liked watching you sleep."

"I'm glad," Abby sighed contentedly, tracing tiny circles on his abdomen.

"Glad for what?" he asked, slightly confused. She lifted her head up and turned to look at him.

"Glad you didn't wake me," she answered. "I can be pretty evil when someone wakes me up... I'd hate to hurt you in an early morning rage." He laughed.

"I don't think you could hurt me," he joked, hoping to provoke her.

"Oh yeah," she replied, catching on quickly. "Just watch." With that she straddled him and began tickling him ferociously, happy to prove her point. The tide quickly turned, however, when Connor, the stronger of the two, rolled her off him and pinned her on the bed, returning the evil tickles.

"Ok, ok, I give up," Abby gasped. "You are way stronger than I am." Connor paused and then continued his tickling.

"I'd like to stop," he lied, "but I'm being controlled by aliens. They just keep telling me 'tickle her, tickle her.'" Abby tried without luck to end the relentless tickling.

"Please," she finally gasped. "I don't think I like this game anymore." Connor stopped and looked into her eyes.

"You only don't like it because you're losing." Abby nodded.

"That's right," she agreed. "And I hate to lose." Connor lay down on top of her.

"Well, maybe we should play a game that you know you can win," he suggested. She nodded happily and he leaned his head in and kissed her. His hands traveled across her body and they continued to kiss more passionately.

"What the hell is going on here!?" Nate shouted when he entered the room. Connor looked up and started to get up, but not quickly enough. Before he had pushed himself off Abby Nate had already thrown him off her, onto the floor. He stalked over, grabbed Connor up again, and punched him, hard. His hand reeled back to deliver a second blow when both Abby and Lane grabbed Nate and tried to pull him off Connor. Abby was furious.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she shouted at her brother as she shoved him on the couch. Nate was not about to sit there without a fight.

"Me!" he shouted, standing back up and looking her square in the eye. "What were you just doing? I leave you alone for one night and I find you half-naked with a stranger."

"He's not a stranger," Abby growled, "and you have no right being in our business."

"You're my sister," he retorted. "You bet your life it's my damn business." Abby backed away from him.

"Just don't even talk to me," she said, turning away. Nate looked at Lane for help, but she was busy tending to her brother's wounds. "Abby, don't be like this," he begged.

"Be like what, Nate?" she asked. "Huh? Cause I don't know what you want me to be like. Do you just want me to spend the rest of my life alone, watching you have all the fun, always being the odd man out? That's not what I want and that's not what I'm going to do." She stalked out of the room and down the hallway. Nate chased after her.

"Abby, don't walk away from me," he shouted as she stormed down the hall. She turned around, tears covering her face, and walked back to him.

"I'm sorry," she said, "but I can't live my life by your rules. Can't you just be happy for me?" She started to walk back away, but Nate stopped her, grabbing her shoulder and wheeling her back around.

"I can't be happy for you because I'm too busy being scared for you," he said. "I know you and Connor are close, and I know you've been lonely, but I don't want to see you get hurt, and I think you will."

"The only way I will is if you hurt me, Nate." He ran his hands through his hair and sighed.

"If this is what you want, fine," he finally conceded. "But please be careful. The last thing I want is for something bad to happen to you. I love you too much." Abby hugged him.

"I love you, too," she whispered, "and I WILL be fine. You'll see." He nodded.

"I hope so." She took his hand and they went back into the room together.

"Man, I'm sorry," Nate said sincerely to Connor when they arrived. Connor nodded.

"It's ok," he said, reaching up and healing the black eye that had begun to develop. "I guess I would have done the same thing if I had been in your situation."

"Well, either way, I'm sorry," Nate repeated. The four quickly dressed and headed out of the hotel and back home.

~*~

Later that day there was a meeting at Max and Liz's house. Max, Michael, Liz, Isabel, Maria, and Kyle were there to discuss the light the aliens had seen the night before.

"So basically, we know it was some kind of a sign, a signal or something," Isabel said, pacing across the room. "And that's it? I mean, what does it mean, why did it happen?"

"Unless someone contacts us we have no way of finding out what it means," Max stated.

"But why did we only see it, Max?" Michael asked. "Abby and Nate both said they didn't see anything, and if your kids had seen it, I'm sure they would have said something."

"Alex saw it," Isabel said, looking up. "He asked me this morning about the pretty light in the sky."

"Okay then," Michael said. "Maybe it could only be seen from our houses. The kids were in Boston last night, they wouldn't have seen it if that's the case."

"That's a possibility," Max said.

"Well, who do you think would be trying to contact you, and why?" Kyle asked.

"Maybe someone from our home planet," Max said. "I mean, according to what Tess said, things were in shambles when she was left. Maybe Kivar was overthrown and they want us to come back."

"Wait," Maria said, getting very angry very quickly. "They just let you sit here for 20 years and then, once you've established lives and are happy, they come to take you away. They can't do this!" Michael wrapped an arm around her, trying to calm her down. Isabel and Liz also looked hysterical, turning to their respective husbands for comfort.

"We don't know that, it's just a theory," Max quickly interjected. "Right now we don't know anything. We'll just have to wait and see."

"What about Ava?" Liz asked. "Has anyone managed to contact her yet?"

"Sean called our house this morning," Maria offered as an answer. "He said Ava got really disturbed in the middle of the night and took off, muttering something about a king or something. When she came in this morning she went straight to sleep and didn't say anything. He said he's bringing her home and they should be here in a few days."

"Good, good," Max said. "It sounds like she might know something. Until we can talk to her, we're pretty much clueless."

"Unless someone 'else' contacts us first," Michael mentioned.

"Well, that remains to be seen. For all we know this light wasn't anything. It could have just been a fluke or something. It might not mean anything." Everyone nodded and their meeting ended.

~*~

On another planet, in another galaxy, there was a great commotion in the Council Hall.

"What do you mean?" a voice shouted from the gallery, asking the question all wanted the answer to. Larek turned in the direction of the voice.

"I mean precisely what I say," he said with conviction. "The beacon has been sent, the signal received, and the High King and Queen have been found." At this an angry man stood and walked across the floor to Larek.

"Impossible," Kivar said angrily. "The story of the Royal Couple is a myth, a bedtime story for children and nothing more. Do not tell me you believe this."

"Yes," Larek said with assurance, "I do." Kivar muttered something under his breath. "What was that?" Larek asked, staring into Kivar's eyes.

"I said," Kivar answered, straightening up, "that there is no need for a High King. It would only bring disruption when we are balancing so precariously on an uncertain peace."

"Exactly," Larek shouted, turning to the members of the Council, "an uncertain peace. The legend foretold that the High King and Queen would come to us in the hour of our greatest need and bring peace to this troubled star system. That time is now!" Murmurs were sounded among the members of the gallery, as they quietly debated this new information among themselves.

"Quiet!" Kivar ordered. "This is ridiculous. Larek would have you put your faith in a fairy tale. Put your faith in me and in your leaders. That is where the peace will lie." Larek, who was listening to Kivar with a smirk, stepped forward.

"I believe, Kivar, that the only reason you object is because you fear for your crown," he said. Kivar began to protest but Larek stopped him. "No, don't try to deny this, for we all know it to be true. The signal was sent from Earth, meaning the High King and Queen are likely descended from one of the "Royal Four" of your planet. If this be the case, you have a reason to worry. You are sitting on an uncertain throne, Kivar, ruling in its rightful owner's absence. It is quite likely that, when the Royal Couple arrive, the owner of that throne will return with them. Then where will you be? At the mercy of your enemy, of course."

"The coming of the King and Queen would mean a loss of power for you as well, Larek," Kivar growled. "They would rule over us all, not just my planet."

"You mean Zan's planet," Larek corrected. "And I am well aware of this. The High King and Queen would take control over all five of our planets, be the supreme authority, an emperor of sorts. But we will still remain the rulers of our own planets, answering only to the Royal Couple. I will lose some power to their will, all of you will, but I am willing to accept this if it means a return to peace and prosperity." Kivar's anger was apparent on his face.

"I refuse to allow MY planet, as well as the others, to be ruled by a group of humans," Kivar shouted.

"That is enough!" Kathana, the Queen of the planet Jacobni stood and walked to Larek and Kivar. Her regal and commanding presence made the two men step down. "You two are acting like children. You speak of peace, yet argue over the way to it. Cease this persistent arguing now." Larek nodded.

"Kathana is right, we don't need arguing, we need a plan."

"Well what is your plan," Kivar sneered.

"I have a team prepared to leave for Earth immediately to bring us the High King and Queen... and the Royal Four, if they are involved. Also, I am prepared to make contact and confirm their location and that the Royal Couple is indeed with them." The members of the council nodded approvingly.

"Fine then," Kathana said. "Let us put it to a vote."

"No," Kivar said. "This is not a democracy, there will be no vote. I say they will not return. You need my planet's cooperation, and Antar will not cooperate."

"Silence!" Kathana roared, causing Kivar to quiver. "Our planets may not be democratic, but this council most certainly is. There will be a vote," she said, "and if you do not cooperate, we will make you cooperate."

"Thank you, Kathana," Larek said, nodding in her direction. He turned to the other members of the Council. "Now let's hear the votes of the other rulers, you know my mind." A page stood up and began reading the roll and marking the votes.

"King Larek of Fallor, yea for recovery of the Royal Couple. King Sero of Zallini, how vote you?" Sero paused and thought for a moment, a look of concern on his face. After a moment he spoke.

"I am uncertain if this is the best move for all, but action needs to be taken. Zallini votes for the mission."

"A vote of yea for King Sero. Lord Kivar, how votes Antar?"

"You know my vote," Kivar hissed. "A resounding no for Antar."

"Very well," the page continued, "a vote of nay for Antar. King Hanar of Daglomar, how vote you?"

"Yea," Hanar said with certainty.

"A vote of yea for Daglomar. And finally, Queen Katana, how vote you?" Katana looked at Larek and smiled.

"Jacobni will support Fallor in their endeavor." Larek smiled thankfully at Katana. She ruled the most powerful of the five planets in the star system. Without her support his plan would never survive. Katana turned towards Kivar.

"Well, Lord Kivar, it seems you are very lonely in your decision. Care to change it?"

"Never," Kivar growled menacingly, approaching Katana with a look of hatred. "Antar will have nothing to do with this."

"Very well," Katana said. "But remember, Kivar, you may not want anything to do with the High King and Queen, but the people of Antar do. The Council of Leaders has made its decision and, in opposing it, you have lost our support. Go back to your planet and see how long you last." Kivar turned and left the council hall. Larek stepped forward again.

"I will send a message to Fallor to send the emissaries to Earth at once and, at a time you deem appropriate, I will contact the Royal Four of Antar."

"Very well," Katana answered. "If there is no other business, then the council is dismissed. I ask all of you to return to your planets and prepare your people for the arrival of the High King and Queen."