Disclaimer: Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

Tomorrow's Yet to Come

Chapter Thirty – Four We Rock, We Roll, We Rule

Kyle looked at Liz, trying to contain his excitement as he laid down his idea for them to find out what in the platinum made the platinum break a mind warp. "So what do you think?" he asked. "Can you do it?"

"It can't be done," Liz said. "Platinum is an element. Basically, it is what it is, in its simplest form. There is no breaking it apart into components. If there is, I can't do it." She turned to Max and pulled his head down to hers. "You know I can't do that," she whispered. "Why did you let Kyle get all excited?"

"Well, it's just that he was so excited about coming up with a scientific theory," said Max. "I just didn't have the heart to shoot him down. He really put a lot of thought into it, and for someone who took remedial science, it's a pretty sound idea. Besides, after he thought of that, he did come up with a viable idea. If the information about the platinum was in the destiny book, that means someone here on Antar must know how it works. We need to find him or her, and figure out how to use it to our benefit."

"You know, maybe Kyle was on to something," mused Liz, opening a jar of peanut butter. "But instead of isolating a component, maybe we just need to amplify it somehow. Of course, I don't know what it is," she added.

"Okay, okay, break it up," said Maria, walking into the room. "Other people are joining you, all activity of a sexual nature must hereby cease and desist. So, what's going on?" she asked, sitting down next to Liz. "Any more care packages from the parental units? Cause I'm telling you, in the next one, Mom had better send some cd's to listen to. I'm going nuts without any music."

"Excuse me, I am here, there can't be anything too sexual going on unless Max and Liz are into the kinky things," said Kyle.

"Maria, can you be serious," laughed Liz. "We're trying to plan here. And Kyle, don't encourage her! "

"Plan, shman," said Maria. "It's time for some chicken noodle soup, and a pb&j sandwich." She jumped up and walked over to their food supply and started rummaging around. "No bread. How could they not send any bread? I've got my p, I've got my j, but I don't have any b."

"Here, use these," said Max. He tossed Maria a package of the saltines Liz had been snacking on.

"You know Max. I always thought that out of you and Michael, you were the more refined one, the one with a bit of class," said Maria. "But now I see just how wrong I was. You're a cretin. Saltines? One does not make a pb&j using saltines!"

"One does if one gets hungry enough," said Max, fighting to keep the smile off his face.

"Beast," said Maria with a sniff, while she opened the peanut butter. "Okay, all kidding aside, do you think we could send a list back with Che'koth next time? Because there are a few things I really need to have."

"Yeah, I think so," said Max. "There are a few things I want, too, like our translations of the book and stuff."

"Why, what can you find in the book that you can't find here, the home of the book?" asked Maria, her mouth full of crackers.

"Look who's calling whom a cretin," said Max. "I want to find out more about the platinum, and how it throws off the mind warp," he explained. "We never did really read the entire book, we just kept going back to it to find the answers that we need."

"You won't find that knowledge in the book," said Che'koth, entering from the tunnel.

"Damn, we need it," said Max. "Why isn't it there? I mean, it told us that it would work, why won't it tell us how it works?"

"Max, that book was not intended to be a complete set of instructions for you. When you emerged from the pods, you were supposed to have all your memories, and the knowledge you acquired on Antar intact. The ability to mind warp, belongs only to members of the royal family."

"That means," Liz said slowly, "That Kivar, and that General Kobodi are both members of the royal family?"

"Very distant, but members never the less," admitted Che'koth.

"We were killed by members of our own family?" Max asked, incredulously.

"I guess there are just some things that evolution doesn't change," said Liz. "Man's lust for power being one of them."

"Buddha always says 'All beings tremble before violence. All fear death, all love life. See yourself in others. Then whom can you hurt? What harm can you do?' Maybe if the people of this planet could embrace the teachings of Buddha, they wouldn't have quite so many problems," said Kyle, eating another Hershey Bar.

"Yeah, great, that's nice, Kyle. Now, shut up and keep eating, we have to think," said Maria.

"So, Kivar knows how to break a mind warp then?" Max asked Che'koth.

"No, that information belongs only to the king, and whoever he chose to share it with. It is passed down from ruler to ruler," explained Che'koth.

"Michael!" said Maria. "Michael must know too, even if he doesn't realize it! That's why he was able to throw off Tess' mind warps without wearing platinum."

"That is quite true," admitted Che'koth. "None were closer than Rath and King Zan. Max, you must search your memories. I am sure the answer is there. But it will be hard, for Zan will have buried those memories deep within."

"I'll try anything," said Max. "But I still want to bring back the book translation, if you wouldn't mind," said Max. "It's in a bunch of stuff we left at Kyle's house. I'm sure Jim wouldn't mind taking you to get it."

"And music," said Maria. "Bring back music. I need music in my life, and there isn't any here. At least not anything good!"

"Hey," interrupted Kyle. "I have an idea. Do you remember how Tess did those memory retrieval things with Max. Well, I know what she did was just mind warp stuff, but Ava says she can really do crap like that. Maybe if she worked with Max and Michael, they'd have better luck remembering what they need to remember."

"Kyle, that is a great idea," said Max. "I don't know why we didn't think of it before."

"Well, I kind of have another idea that I hate, and you probably will too, but I'm going to say it anyhow. Maybe Zan ought to be included too. I mean, he has the same memories as you, right?"

"Yeah," agreed Max. "And I'm not hating it as much as I would have even a few days ago. He's got a huge chip on his shoulder, but every once in a while, he forgets about it, and he isn't that bad."

"I will make plans to return to Earth," said Che'koth, "And I will bring back the items you request. Is there anything else you will require, Majesties?"

"Don't call me that," Max and Liz said together.

"Now I feel horrible," said Liz. "We're treating you like an errand boy Che'koth. I'm sorry. Maybe we could wait a while before someone goes back."

"Don't worry, Liz," said Che'koth. "I need to go back and make sure that our troops are well, and see if they need anything as well. Will you have time to check with the others to see if there is anything they require?"

"How soon do you need to return?" asked Max.

"Time is of the essence," admitted Che'koth.

"Then go now," decided Max. "I assume you'll be going back and forth on a regular basis to keep track of the troops down there?"

Che'koth nodded.

"Fine, then we'll get the others to make a list for the next time," said Max. "Right now, the book translations are what we need. Actually, there is a whole box of what we called our alien artifacts. Bring everything back with you, okay?"

"And cd's!" chimed in Maria. "Bring back anything you can lay your hands on!"

"Liz, is there anything you require?" Che'koth asked, respectfully.

"No, I think I'm good," said Liz. "Just give my parents my love."

Che'koth nodded, bade the goodbye, and started down the tunnel.

"Hey, wait!" shouted Kyle. "Can you bring back some Ho-Ho's?"