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.

Chapter Fifty-Three – Chaos

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Che'koth asked Liz after the others left the room.

"We need to talk," said Liz.

"Majesty, I'm going to ask you again," said Che'koth. "Are you sure you want to do this?" He looked at her, and Liz saw pain, love, and loss in his eyes.

"I think I need to," she said, softly.

"Do you?"

"If I ask, will you tell me the truth?"

"I have never, nor will I ever lie to you, Liz. I won't lie to any of you. But, let me ask you this. Do you think the others are capable of dealing with the answers right now? And if they are not, are you capable of keeping the truth from them?"

Liz thought hard about what she suspected, and how the information would affect Max and Isabel.

"May I ask you two questions, Che'koth?"

"Majesty, you know I can deny you nothing," Che'koth answered with a sad grin, afraid at what her questions would be.

"Okay then, my first question. Is this your true appearance?" Liz asked.

Che'koth was puzzled at the seemingly innocuous question, but he answered her truthfully.

"No, Liz, it is not," he said.

"Will you please show me what you really look like?" she asked.

Che'koth smiled broadly at her second question and passed his hand across his face. Liz looked at him, and smiled, and he waved his hand over his face again and returned to his original appearance.

"Thank you," Liz said, quietly. "Now, let's get to work."

Liz and Che'koth worked tirelessly through the night, along side the other resistance fighters. They plastered the city with posters that had not only the excerpt from the song, but each poster also bared the images of Max, Isabel, Michael and Ava, standing with their fists upraised.

"Do you think that is wise?" Che'koth asked.

"Probably not," admitted Liz, "But we need to get moving on this. I want to get people really talking, and I think this will do it."

"Talking, they're going to be in an uproar when they see these," laughed.

"Do you think it's too much?" Liz asked, suddenly worried. "Do you think they look too much like Ma'nith, Isadra, Mesch and Atara?"

"No, they look exactly like Max, Isabel, Michael and Ava, and nothing like the persona's they've adopted here on Antar," said Che'koth. "It is a wise move, and one I would have made myself."

"Che'koth, all this time, you've never once told us what to do, or how to do it. I mean, you've given us suggestions," said Liz, "But never once have you said that we should do it this way, or that way. Why?"

"All of you Liz, are leaders, and true leaders can't be told how to lead. They can be show the way, but whether they chose that way is always up to them. How successful do you think I would have been had I told you what to do?"

"Not very," Liz admitted. "It's just that sometimes,"

"Sometimes it would be nice to have an adult tell you what to do," said Che'koth.

"Exactly," Liz said.

"Well then, I promise you, if you ever stay up past your bedtime, I'll tell you to go to bed, but other than that, you're on your own. Now, can you get the rest of these put up in the Training Academy?" Che'koth asked, pointing to a stack of flyers.

"I don't think it will be a problem, especially since Max and probably Maria will be waiting for me to get back," said Liz.

"They're good friends," said Che'koth.

"The best," Liz answered.

"Be safe, little one," said Che'koth at the entrance of the tunnel. He pressed a kiss on her head, and watched as she ran down the dark expanse of the tunnel, the flyers under her arm."

"I don't think I want to go in there," Liz said to Ava outside the entrance to the dining hall. "It sounds like a madhouse in there."

"Liz, those pictures were a stroke of genius," Ava said, propelling Liz through the door. "That, coupled with the trideka breaking all the mind warps ought to really have people talking."

"Ava, that's not talking in there, that's screaming," said Liz, her expression worried.

"Yeah well, screaming or not, I'm hungry, lets go get something to eat," said Ava. She linked her arm through Liz's, and dragged her into the dining hall.

They entered the room to find that total chaos had broken out. Students were screaming and throwing things across the dining hall. Everywhere the two girls turned, people waved posters.

"Did you really make that many of them?" Ava asked.

"No, I didn't," said a shocked Liz. "Oh my God, they must be making their own. Ava, maybe this was a mistake, a huge, giant mistake."

"It was no mistake," Ava said, her voice filled with steel. "It's just what we needed. Now grab some food and go over to where Maria's sitting. We're drawing attention to ourselves standing here."

"I don't think anyone is even noticing us," Liz said, making her way to the food line.

"Yeah we are, your new friend Varonia looks like she wants to kill you, but that gives me a great idea," said Ava.

"Someone wanting to kill me gives you an idea," said Liz. "I don't think I like this very much."

"Listen, just take a few minutes picking out your food. Give me a second to go talk to Maria, and then, take the long route to our table, and whatever you do, make sure you stop and talk to that witch. Okay?"

"Okay," said Liz. She watched Ava speed away towards Maria, and turned back to the serving line, and took her time picking out her meal.

After several minutes had elapsed, she made a circuitous route to Maria's table, pausing next to Varonia to say hello.

"Don't even talk to me, traitor," snapped Varonia. "I know you did this, and I'm going to find a way to prove it, too."

"Look, I don't know what you're talking about," said Liz. "I came over here to make an effort to put our differences behind us, but you're just not giving me the chance."

"I don't want anything to do with you, scum," began Varonia. She opened her mouth to spew more of her venom in Liz's direction, but stopped when the sound of music drowned out the yelling in the dining hall.

Liz stared in shocked amazement as Pat Benatar's voice rang out through the dining hall, singing the excerpt that was printed on the poster. As suddenly as it started, the music ended.

"How did you do that?" Varonia shouted, grabbing Liz's arm.

"Varonia, stop it," cried another girl, trying to pull Varonia's arm off of Liz. "She didn't do anything, she was standing right here in front of you. Maybe you're the one that's wrong. Did you ever think of that?"

"I'm not wrong. I'm not," said Varonia.

"Well if sure you're not wrong, then I'm sure you must be crazy," said another girl. "It's obvious you're just jealous of Lan, and everything she's achieved. Lan, I'm sorry we ever listened to her," she added, smiling at Liz.

"Thanks," Liz said softly. She smiled at the group, Varonia included, and then walked to the table where Maria, Ava and Isabel were waiting.

"How did you do that?" she asked as soon as she sat down.

"I had Alex explain how these things worked, and I set it up just to play that one little bit, and only in here. I figured it would get the Antarian Pam Troy off your back," explained Maria. "So, did it work?"

"Yes and no, her friends think I'm innocent, but she's just as certain that I had something to do with it."

"I could mind warp her," said Ava, hesitantly.

"Don't bother," said Isabel. "She's not worth it. You're going to have trouble makers like that no matter where you go. The best thing we can do is ignore her."

"I'd rather kill her," said Maria, darkly.

"Attention, attention, may I have your attention please," came the Directors voice over that of the crowds. "All classes have been cancelled today. Again, all classes have been cancelled for today. Students are to remain on the grounds at all times. No students will be allowed in town today."

Cheers filled the room, and students began running for the doors. They ran past the faculty members that were trying to block their exit from the school, but the students only pushed right past them and ran out into the courtyard and down towards the marketplace.

"Tunnel?" Maria asked the others. Ava quickly agreed, but Isabel and Liz both shook their heads.

"I think since classes are cancelled, this would be an excellent opportunity to go to the diplomatic headquarters at the palace, and perhaps drop off a few things. She patted her pocket where the communicators were hidden.

"I think I'm going to head to the lab and work on the guidance system some more. Besides, my pal is still watching, and it may look a little less suspicious if I go there today."

The others agreed that Liz's plan made sense. They quickly bolted their food and left the dining hall. Maria, Ava went in one direction, while Isabel went to locate her diplomacy instructor and get permission to go to the palace. Liz walked towards the lab, while Varonia trailed behind her, keeping to the shadows.