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 Sixty – Countdown to Action

"Do you think they're all right back there?" Ava whispered.

"I believe that they are finally saying goodbye" Che'koth replied.

"Goodbye! Goodbye to who?" asked Zan. "Which one of them is leaving?"

"Neither of them is leaving, Zan," Che'koth said softly. "They are finally saying good bye to the child they lost. And with that, comes grieving."

"I thought they got all of that straightened out back in California?" said Michael. "At least Max told me they had."

"He may have thought they had straightened everything out," said Kyle, "But both of them were falling apart inside. That's why Liz threw herself into that weapon project, and why Max was all about getting rid of Kivar. They were focusing on anything except what they needed to focus on."

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Ava asked her husband.

"Because telling all of you wouldn't have changed anything, and they weren't ready to hear it," said Kyle. "It had to happen on it's own."

"Very good, Kyle, you are becoming very adept at this power you are developing. Not only have you learned to read the emotions of others, you are learning how to use what you've learned so that it benefits people."

"Well, it's not quite as cool as blowing things up," said Kyle, "But now that I know how to use it, it is pretty useful."

"I think we should probably all start doing something. We don't want to look like we're all sitting here waiting for them when they come back," said Isabel."

"But that's what we are doing," said Michael.

"Right, Space Boy, but they don't need to know that's what we're doing," said Maria. "How about we get started on Liz's banner to hang from the palace?"

Max and Liz emerged from the tunnel a short while later, both their faces showed traces of the tears they had shed, but a light shined from their eyes that had been missing for a very long time.

Max hugged Liz quickly before going to talk to Michael, while Kyle and Maria came to stand next to Liz.

"All right, Chica?" Maria asked.

"Better than all right," said Liz. "Thank you, Maria."

"Don't thank me yet. What are you getting, Kyle?"

"Life is good again," Kyle answered. "He hugged Liz and whispered, "Don't do that to us again, okay?" before pulling away to go work with Ava on the banner.

"What's he talking about?" said Liz with a small giggle. "He's acting weird."

"You have just been given the Kyle Valenti 'I'm Okay' seal of approval, that's what. Kyle filled us in on what was going on."

"Kyle knew?" asked Liz. "And he never said anything? Why?"

"Something about it not being time, and it had to come from you," said Maria. "He's pretty smart, sometimes. But let's not tell him that, okay?"

"You know it," said Liz. "So, what are we doing here?"

"Working on your banner," said Maria. "We decided to get it finished so we're ready whenever D-Day arrives."

"When are we going to do this?" Liz asked the room in general. Everyone turned to look at Max, expectantly, and waited for an answer.

"Che'koth, how long will it take to retrieve the troops you left to guard our parents?" Max asked. "If we're going to go on a full blown offensive, we're going to need them."

"If I can use the travel devices that Alex has made, almost immediately. If we use the Granolith, it will take at least 24 hours."

"Well, I have twelve made already," said Alex. "If you need more, it will take another day. Or can you just use what we have made, and do it in shifts?"

"We can do it in shifts," said Che'koth.

"All that's left is to set a definitive date," said Max. "How about the day after tomorrow?"

"Max, it's after midnight," said Liz, gently. "Do you mean tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I guess I do," said Max, flushing slightly. "Great, my first decision, and I muffed it."

"You didn't, Max," said Liz. "There's a lot going on, and I just wanted to clarify it, that's all."

"Okay, so we have a time, now what?" asked Zan.

"I'm not sure," admitted Max.

"We divide up," said Zan, "And each of us covers a different area of the city. You should probably take the palace area," he added. "You and Liz."

Everyone was silent as they digested the unsaid message in Zan's words. "You're the king, I'm nothing," echoed in his words.

"I have an idea," said Liz."

"They are here, Kobodi. That's why our troops on that hideous, backwards planet can't find them. We're scouring Earth looking for them, and all the time, they've been up here," said Kivar.

"What makes you so certain, Lord Kivar?" asked Kobodi, cringing inwardly at the tongue-lashing or worse he knew he'd receive for his question.

Kivar sat heavily in a chair in his planning room and sighed. "Why am I forced to work with such fools," he said out loud. "The throne," you imbecile. "The only person who can activate the throne and cause the seal to appear is the king, or a direct blood descendant to the king."

"Perhaps your Queen sat on the throne and caused the seal to appear," Kobodi ventured.

"Don't you listen, you simpleton?" roared Kivar. "I said the king, or a direct blood descendant. My Queen is not Zan's descendant. She is his sister. No, he is here, somewhere on Antar. He is the one causing such dissent among the people. We must find him, and kill him. Again!"

"It has to be either Ma'nith or Kahtair, the trainees who went to search the throne. Kill them and be done with it," suggested General Kobodi.

Kivar screamed in anger. The sounds of his shouts filled the small room. He threw off an energy bolt at General Kobodi, causing the General to fly across the room and crash into a wall."

"You are the most worthless excuse for an Antarian that I have ever seen!" yelled Kivar. "Where is you mind? Don't you think before you speak? Explain to me how either one of them could possibly be Zan. Ma'nith is a twin you fool, and we've seen him and his brother together. There is no way one of them could be Zan."

"What about Kahtair?" gasped Kobodi. "He could have modified his appearance."

Kobodi screamed in pain as Kivar hit him with another energy bolt, this one stronger than the last. Moaning in pain, he pulled himself to a sitting position and looked at Kivar, struggling to hide the hate he felt coursing through his veins."

"Kahtair is too short to be Zan, you fool," Kivar ground out between clenched teeth. "He could have modified his outward appearance, but there is no way he could have changed his height. Recall the Aberjani from Earth. There is no need for them to be there. If Zan is here, he's planning something. I want to be prepared."

Kobodi watched from his position on the floor as Kivar left the room. When his strength returned, he pulled himself up, and teetered precariously to a nearby chair. Collapsing in the chair, he sat heavily, and let his head fall on the table.

"Simpleton am I?" he said, his voice filled with hatred. "He is the simpleton. He is going to run off to his little cloned plaything, and he forgets the rumors that two clones of Zan were sent to Earth. "He thinks it can't be Ma'nith because he's a twin, but what is he having his scientists develop right now? A clone, a twin for his precious Vilondra. Fine, so be it," he said. "What's done is done. No longer will I allow myself to be his whipping boy."

Kobodi pushed himself up with the help of the table, and staggered for the door. As Kivar had tortured him, he came to a decision. He knew that either Ma'nith or Kahtair was Zan. He just had to figure out which one it was, and destroy him. Then, and only then would Kivar recognize that he was an asset, and not a liability.