Tyr began to concentrate again, something told him it was important. 'No not something' he chided himself at his thoughts, he didn't want to admit what he knew to be true but it was necessary to do it. He knew this in the core of his being, anything else might lead to the death of his family and that was something he would not allow.

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Trance struggled with herself as she moved to Harper's side. She had to get him conscious again or the canal to the other universe would collapse perhaps trapping the others there forever. As she reached down to lift him to a sitting position Andromeda popped into existance beside her concern clearly evident in her face. "You have to wake him!" she said urgently to Trance.

"Harper!" Trance shook him gently at first but getting no response and noticing the maelstorm in front of them starting to collapse into itself she shook him vigorously and shouted "HARPER!" The engineer stirred beneath her hands and his eyes fluttered open confusion clear in them as he looked from Trance to Andromeda. "The tunnel" Trance continued, urgently pointing to the still collapsing maelstorm in front of them.

Harper reached up to the port on his neck and readjusted the jack, closing his eyes as he did so. Beside him Andromeda popped out of existance again, only beating him to the matrix by seconds. As he arrived the pain was clear on his face and she reached out to steady him. He brushed her aside and turned again to reach for the colors closing his eyes as at first contact the pain radiated through his reaching hands. Ever so slowly the maelstorm calmed and the canal started to once again expand.

Trance sat silently beside Harper, her eyes closed, her hand resting on his cheek. As she felt the pain once again rise within him she opened her eyes to see the tunnel calming before her.

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Tyr turned to the others and whispered only as loudly as necessary for them all to hear, "Harper has lost control of the way back it would appear, it's not stable." Dylan winced and Beka dropped her eyes to the floor. Only Rommie seemed unaffected.

"Give Harper time," she said quietly struggling to keep the turmoil inside herself from making itself present in her voice, "he'll come through." Beka and Dylan looked at her, hope still present in their eyes as Tyr carefully crept toward the corridor entrance again. He glanced out briefly. Their route home seemed to be steadying up and he noted one other thing that might be in their favor. The striking head of the serpent had cleared most of the occupants of the chamber. Those who remained appeared to be gathered diagonally across from him engrossed in some type of frenzied activity. He turned to the others, making his decision quickly, it would be now or never.

"We need to go!" he shouted to the others.

"Cover me!" shouted Dylan as he lept to take the lead. Tyr provided cover as Dylan moved across the chamber, dodging back and forth so he would not be an easy target. As Dylan safely reached the other side Tyr looked at Rommie,

"Ship bring up the rear!" Tyr ordered Rommie as he took Beka's arm and helped her to her feet. Placing her to his side away from the activity in the other section of the chamber,and slightly behind him, he started across sheilding Beka and the babies as he swept his eyes around him in search of any danger. Roomie brought up the rear, also closely shielding Beka and the babies.

Blasts began to fall around them as they neared the other side but soon stopped as Dylan provided cover and the others made it safely to the corridor where the canal opening now waited calmly.

An eerie silence descended as they started toward the entrance and then a voice rang out from the chamber. "Mother and Father of the Universe! You may think you have won, but you have lost more and all hope is dashed for you and yours." Confusion showed on the face of all the others but there was no confusion on Tyr's as he stood unmoving, his eyes closed for a second. He then sprang into action moving to Dylan. "Weapons." was all he said reaching out toward Dylan.

"Send Beka and the children back, Rommie and I will stay with you" said Dylan. Tyr held out his hand again saying, "We can't expect the Little Proffesor to hold this route open forever. Take care of them for me, they will need you." Taking the proffered pouch from Dylan and adding the supply to his own.

"Tyr?" It was Beka, shock and confusion in her voice. He turned to her deep pain on his face. "You are the Mother of the Universe and all four of my children will need you now." The confusion in Beka's face grew even stronger as Tyr continued, "Dylan knows, and Trance knows more then she has ever revealed." A rueful look came over his face and his head shook negatively as his eyes met hers. "We can't leave the potential for others here." It was barely a whisper and Beka's face registered understanding shock.

Dylan quickly grabbed Tyr's hand, nodded to him and then turned to the others taking hold of Beka's arm. "Let's go!" he said leading Beka toward the tunnel. Rommie watched Tyr for a moment then quickly followed the others.

Tyr turned and moved to the chamber entrance again, standing boldly at the center of the corridor exit he faced his enemy. The new Breakwraite stood before the father, a large container in his hands. There was no doubt in Tyr's mind as to what was in the container. He sprang into action moving toward his enemy with lightening speed and wrenched it away from him, kicking out against his opponent's legs, dropping the Breakwraite to his knees. He had no chance however, as he was felled by a mortal shot that tore into his back and dropped him onto it on the floor of the chamber.

Hugging the container to his side as he fell he reached into the weapon's pouch and pulled out a plasma grenade. He closed his eyes and saw for the last time the faces of all four of his children. "Tamerlane," he whispered with his dying breath, "you have your allies. Live well my children." Tyr Anasazi's last act was the activation of the plasma grenade that destroyed the chamber and everything in it.

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In the canal the others moved carefully through the swirling colors, slowly making their way back to the Andromeda. The emerged back to her decks to see Trance carefully supporting an obviously weakened Harper. Trance looked to Dylan with confusion when Tyr did not appear. "There's something else that had to be done," Dylan explained quickly, "can Harper hold out a bit longer? I'm going back to help Tyr."

Trance had started to tell Dylan she wasn't certain Harper could hold out much longer when a look of utter pain and devastation appeared on her face. "Tyr's gone." she whispered quietly raising already tearing eyes to Dylan.

Behind Dylan, Beka sank to the deck mumbling no repeatedly as she closed her eyes. Behind her the canal snapped shut as Harper reached the limit of his endurance.

All that was heard in the chamber for a long time were the sound of tears and the cooing of the babies in Beka's lap.

Fin