Alec's War
By Shikasta
Spoilers: Anything's fair game in my view although this is an AU
Disclaimer: The characters of Dark Angel are owned by Twentieth Century Fox Television and Cameron Eglee productions. In laymen's terms: Don't own them but by god I wish I did.
A/N I'm back!
Italics = flashback
Chapter Eight – Emotion Reigns SupremeCecelia was pacing, it helped her to think. Last night she had celebrated her thirtieth birthday reliving her achievements, today she was considering the transgenic cause. Senator Druitt had offered her a job, one she would either relive as an achievement at her fortieth or regret for the rest of her life if she accepted. Pacing wasn't helping, the only thing she could agree on with herself was that it would be a challenge something she relished but would it also be an acceptable risk to her career.
Having grown up with her grandparents she had been instilled with exceptional morals from a very young age, taught not to be ignorant and to accept people's beliefs, origins and culture. She was a poster child for humanity but transgenics weren't in the limelight when these morals were being learnt and now she wondered if they fell under the shadow of her grandparents' guidance.
She had followed Senator Druitt's cause with keen attention her curiosity longing to know if the Senator would succeed. Now she had an opportunity to help but her information was limited and hence not willing to commit to a decision. She needed more understanding on the transgenic cause and now busied her brain with figuring out how to get it.
Senator Druitt was looking at the big white board that listed the names of all the Senators they would be targeting, so far she had two guaranteed votes in her favour. She looked around at her staff, most were on the phones trying to secure appointments with Senators to discuss the vote, with little success. Her only hope rested on Cecelia joining them, she had the ability to secure them a win but at this point the Senator was less than optimistic about Cecelia's impending response to her proposal.
Life in Seattle was quiet no new round of bombings to shatter it, yet. The city resembled that of any war zone and the transgenics acted like other people who had lived under siege. The quiet time was spent preparing for the next round and grasping at a brief flicker of normality, with children playing and learning, adults working, gossiping, loving and living before it would be put on hold once more. In the facilities transgenics weren't allowed to explore emotion making them somewhat stunted, now they experienced it with all its joy, anger, heartbreak and remorse. The onslaught to their senses was overwhelming as new emotions were discovered learning that they could weep at the smallest things and smile at the smallest things. The transgenic nation had become more human than humans themselves, they had discovered what humanity had lost.
Layla was smiling as she watched over a prancing Toby, he loved to run, leap and skip the confines of the shelter being too small for him. She also felt closed in by the siege and by her life, she wasn't happy and she hadn't been in a long time. She felt she was stuck being a wife without all the perks, a mother to a child that wasn't hers and still in the shadow of the woman she couldn't bring herself to hate. Layla was tired of smiling through it all, she wanted to scream to be recognised she wanted her own freedom from the ties that bind her.
The sun was setting giving the landscape of Seattle a twisted beauty, it was time for Layla and Toby to return back to the shelter, neither wanting to for different reasons. Dread engulfed Layla with each step reaffirming her return to limbo as the shelter got closer and closer. One day she knew she wouldn't return that she would have the courage to run and never look back.
"Daddy" Toby cried.
Alec leaned down and picked his son up holding him close, giving him a rough kiss on his cheek.
"Hey Layla, where have you both been?"
"Toby wanted to run and with things being so quiet I didn't think it would hurt."
"Hope will be staying with Max," Alec informed.
"I know the routine Alec" she bit out.
"No need to snap" looking slightly hurt.
"I'm just tired" she sighed taking Toby back from Alec "will it ever end?"
"Of course it will," he said fondly touching her cheek, which she pulled away from.
"Don't"
"Don't what"
"Act so familiar with me"
"You said we wouldn't become strangers"
"I don't need your comfort"
"I want us to be friends"
"One day we will just not today, you ask too much of me Alec"
"I know this isn't easy for you"
"You have no idea, you're not alone"
"Neither are you"
"I'm more alone than you realise" her parting words before entering the shelter leaving Alec to think over what she had said. With that conversation he knew he had lost her affection, and his heart constricted slightly at the thought of her one-day finding love with another man. Absurd really considering he didn't want her that way anymore but it was his territorial animal side talking, Layla was the mother of his son and no man would ever get in the way of that.
Alec slammed the wall of the building that housed his other family before marching off to Sandeman's house that served as his and Max's home when she was there. When she wasn't he lived in command, Max was his life and he avoided temptation not sure whether he was strong enough to walk away from it, his past actions a living reminder.
General Farr sat in conference with one of the finest SEAL teams that had ever been trained. He refused to sit back and let the Senator have her way, he was co-ordinating a mission that would ensure the transgenics take up arms and fight with all the killer instincts they possessed. He would win his war if he had to sentence his own men to death to achieve it.
Faith looked around to make sure George or Mary weren't nearby, she had put the finishing touches on her transmission to Seattle and was waiting for the computer to finish setting up the encryption and mapping the route, which the message would be bounced off. The seconds felt like hours to the little girl, knowing that once she hit the enter key she would be rescued. The computer beeped that the message was ready to send and with a small smile and mental pat on the back she hit enter sending her message to an unsuspecting Luke.
With a smug look she left the study of her fake parents to return to the life she wouldn't have to live much longer and she allowed herself to feel the tiniest bit of joy.
Alec had spent a brief hour with Max and Hope acting like a normal family before once more returning to leading a nation. He longed for the day when he could just be a mate and father only having to be concerned for his immediate family, but something told him that he would never be given that luxury. Leadership wasn't a hobby you could just pick up and then drop again this was a committment that would overshadow him for the rest of his life.
The war council had assembled at Alec's request and the six members were all shouting allowing their emotions to dictate their words.
"We can't continue this way" Mole threw into the entangled mess of voices.
"What would you suggest we do" Alec responded, rising and motioning for the others to silence.
"This pacifist rubbish you have us doing isn't working" Lucas interjected.
"Recent communication with Senator Druitt suggests it is" Alec knowing this card really wasn't going to help.
"Who is this Senator woman anyway, how do we know it's not just a misdirection" Flint questioned.
Luke chose to answer that question "All reports indicate that she is a strong supporter of the transgenic cause."
"Alec, we have trusted your leadership but perhaps it is time to take a different approach," Case suggested.
"Killing is not an option"
"It'd would be more effective than the approach we're taking now," Flint shouted.
"I agree that in one respect it would be effective but we want freedom, killing would only hinder it, making the humans fear us would serve no purpose."
"Then you feel we should sit and wait it out" Flint stated.
"We should at least wait and see if the Senator can bring about the resolution she has put into motion."
"What if that fails" Mole spat around his stogie.
"We consider doing it another way," Alec conceded.
"I still don't trust this Senator" Flint added.
"Then perhaps it is time the Senator and I met"
"That is not an option pretty boy, you could be walking into a trap" Mole gruffed.
"Flint has a point though, I have been putting a lot of faith in a woman who could betray us" he turned to Luke "set up a meet, let her no I'll be bringing one other."
"And might that be" Mole asked.
Cecelia had spent the day trying to access information on the transgenics with little joy and she knew time was not on her side. With every hour that passed was an hour she could be securing votes if she accepted the job. It was time to search her soul and allow it to answer the questions information hadn't been able to provide. 'They deserve a chance' her mind kept saying and for the first time she would accept a challenge not because it would further her career but because it was the right thing to do. She picked up the phone and dialled.
"Senator Druitt please"
Who shall I say is calling?
"Cecelia"
Transferring you now
Cecelia waited.
Cecelia thank you for phoning back, have you made a decision
"Yes, I'll do it"
Thank you
"I'm driving to your office once I hang up, I want to start straight away"
The sooner the better, I look forward to meeting you in person
"Bye" and she hung up the phone, bundled her laptop into a bag and left her small apartment to take up her latest assignment.
General Farr had finished briefing the SEALs. Over the past two years the General had been sending in individuals to get as much information as possible on the infrastructure of Seattle and all had gone undetected, being sent in during the bombings when the transgenics were in reasonable disarray.
He was about to instigate an atrocity that according to the Geneva Convention (although redundant) would classify a war crime. The General's moral compass had become skewed, in his madness convincing himself that this action would make him a hero amongst his people and see a deflated America on its path to glory once more. He only had one obstacle left, the dear Senator.
TBC
