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.

Italics = flashback

Chapter Nine – Finding Faith

Luke sat at his computer terminal monitoring transmissions, amazingly he was bored allowing a small yawn to escape his lips. It was quiet in command, the graveyard shift, entertaining himself had proved unsuccessful so when Mole stomped in he was relieved for a bit of company. He removed the headset, and got up from his computer making his way over to the lizard to discuss something. As he left he didn't see the flashing incoming message.

"Hey Mole, all quiet outside?"

"Too quiet"

"We should be thankful for the break"

"Nah, those humans are up to something"

"Maybe they ran out of ammo"

"Always the optimist hey Luke"

"Alec knows what he's doing"

"Shouldn't you be monitoring something" chomping on his stogie.

"As you said before its quiet, anyway I really need a coffee"

"A luxury we don't have my friend"

"Well actually Max brought some in from the outside, its stashed in the pseudo kitchen"

Mole licked his lips "black strong coffee, I knew we kept her round for a reason. Lead the way my man."

Mole and Luke left for the adjoining room abandoning the computer and its flashing message.

Alec was wide awake in the bed he shared with Max, she strangely enough was sound asleep 'probably catching up on what she missed in six months' he mused. Hope was snuggled into Max's chest, where she always slept when her mother was home, for all the little girl's bravery she still was suffering issues of abandonment even though technically Max hadn't abandoned her.

Sleeping wasn't happening for the transgenic leader and after watching his peaceful family for a while he was starting to fidget, he never could keep still for long. Not wanting to wake them he got up and got dressed 'may as well go and visit Luke in command' then he heard a whisper.

"Daddy?"

Alec crossed over to where Hope was nestled and bent down "go to sleep sweetie" he whispered caressing her hair not wanting to wake Max.

"Where are you going?"

"Command" he answered while Hope pulled herself up and clung to her father's neck.

"Come on baby girl go back to sleep" hugging her close.

"I wanna go with you"

"Wouldn't you rather stay with mummy all nice and warm?" he encouraged his demanding 5 year old. Hope looked from her mummy to her daddy confusion on her face unable to decide the best course of action. She gave her father a quick kiss on the cheek in the hopes it would appease her decision and then she curled back up in mummy's arms and went back to sleep.

Alec leaned over to kiss Max and her eyes staggered open.

"Going to command I see"

"I can't sleep"

"You can always sleep"

"God I don't need both my girls giving me a hard time"

"Just be back for breakfast," she muttered before closing her eyes once more knowing it was pointless to argue.

Alec tiptoed out of their basement room and in the dark walked the several blocks to command remembering the stashed coffee. When Alec reached command he could already smell the contraband and smiled wickedly 'someone's beat me to it'. He entered the small kitchen to see Luke and Mole with overwhelming love sipping the coffee, a gift from Max.

"You know stealing is an offence" Alec grinned while Luke and Mole jumped almost spilling their luxury.

"Anything in command is fair game in my view" Mole gruffed his stogie sitting on the table 'a first' thought Alec.

"Well did you at least make enough for me?"

"We made enough for six although we hadn't intended on any extra pretty boy."

"Want me to pour you a glass boss" Luke chorused.

"I may be the leader but I'm not above pouring my own coffee" he quipped as he took a mug and filled it to almost over flowing then sat on the floor relishing the sin the three of them were committing.

"So anything to report?"

"Nah, just that it's too quiet"

"You always think it's too quiet" Alec chuckled.

"Nothing worth mentioning" Luke added.

"So it's all quiet on the transgenic front" he took a sip "its all rather boring at the moment"

"Yeah" Luke and Mole both responded.

"Maybe we should plan a sabotage run or something"

"You could always get that journalist to amuse you" Mole smirked.

"I'm a one woman man, my friend" Alec slapped Mole on the back.

"Sure"

"Another issue is morale's dropping, we should do something to raise it a little"

"Well a musical performance is outta the question, pretty boy"

"How about a contest" Luke suggested.

"What type of contest?"

"A sparring contest, if we can't fight the humans then fighting each other may work off some steam"

"Problem with that is we're probably going to have all 40 odd thousand transgenics wanting to participate."

"Have the sectors hold individual competitions and then the winners from each sector battle it out for overall champion"

"How long have you been tossing this around Luke" Alec asked quizzical.

"Well it would solve the morale problem, giving us all something else to focus on for a change."

"Seeing as you've put so much thought into it I'll leave it in your capable hands to get the ball rolling." Alec had finished his coffee and was getting up to pour himself another.

"Should probably check to see if there are any transmissions, still haven't heard back from the Senator with regards to the meet."

Luke scuttled out leaving just Mole and Alec to enjoy the luxury of the black nectar.

"We've come a long way friend" Mole gruffed "who'd a thought this far"

"Mole you're not going all sentimental on me are ya?"

"Nah, just reminiscing" Mole sipped his coffee "you're a real good friend, just thought I should tell ya that is all."

"Duly noted and likewise."

Luke sat at his computer terminal placing the headset back on and his eyes were assaulted with the flashing incoming message 'probably from the Senator' he thought as he opened it. It was encrypted so he ran the encryption software that would hopefully decipher the message. As he waited he hollered "Incoming message probably from the Senator" which brought Alec and Mole in with their contraband and an extra mug for Luke.

"Hmm" Luke said as the message decrypted.

"Hmm what" Alec asked.

"Well it's not from the Senator"

"Well who then" and the three of them leaned towards the screen and read the message from Faith.

S.O.S

Need extraction from 52 Blain Avenue, Kelso, Washington

4521

The three of them reread the message trying to figure out who needed extraction.

"Where have I seen that number combination before" and then it hit him as quickly as he said it "Oh my God its Faith."

"Your daughter Faith" Mole gruffed.

"She's only five" Luke added.

Alec simply smirked "what can I say she's got my brains."

Max was awoken quite abruptly by an over zealous Alec shaking her.

"What the hell" she yelled.

"You are not going to believe this"

"Just spit it out"

"We got a message from Faith"

"Our Faith?"

"Yes"

"She's five"

"That's what Luke said, what can I say intelligence runs in the family" Alec was babbling while Max threw on her clothes and grabbed a sleeping Hope.

"I want to see it" and Alec followed his family out the door to command.

Five now stood in front of the computer screen reading the message, Hope bouncing up and down in Max's arms joyously crying "It's Faith, It's Faith."

Max tired of the jostling handed an overactive Hope to her equally overactive Father possibly a disaster move but Max couldn't stand the kicking of Hope's little legs any more.

"Where's Thaddeus?"

"Sector Six if I'm not mistaken, apparently he's shacked up with a redhead." Mole answered.

"Just get him, scrap that I'll go to him"

"Now" Alec exclaimed.

"She's in the bloody state Alec, she's so close"

"I wanna go mummy, I wanna see Faith" Hope bounced.

"Stay here with daddy, I'm bringing her home" kissing her daughter hastily but tenderly.

"Max be safe" Alec whispered after he kissed her and she nodded her understanding.

"Mole I'm going to need you to show me a back door, and the bloody whereabouts of Thaddeus."

"Sure, anything for the provider of coffee" he chuckled as both he and Max bolted off leaving only three to re-read the message again.

TBC