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 – Six – The Battle Part One
"There they are," said Liz, pointing to where Michael and the others had gathered.
"Ready?" Max asked.
"Not for this part," said Liz, "But it's not like we have a choice."
She wrapped her arms around Max's neck, and he reached up grabbed a pulley on a wire.
"Hold on," he said.
Liz planted a quick kiss on his cheek. "For luck," she said.
"You're a queen, Liz, not Princess Leia," Max said. He gave a jump and they slid down the wire just as the Aberjani came rushing out onto the balcony.
They slid down the wire, landing in front of the palace gates where Michael and the others were waiting.
"Michael, behind you!" Max shouted as he and Liz touched the ground.
Michael whirled around and began firing upon the guards that poured out of the castle. The others followed suit, and the guards began to fall. Max gave the signal for them to stop firing, and raised a shield to protect them while he spoke to the crowds gathering in front of the castle.
When the shield was visible, the people began to chant their support, and many of the guards stopped firing in shock at the sight of the royal seal.
"Radnar, are you're men ready?" shouted Max.
"Aye Majesty!" shouted Radnar from the crowd. "To arms Antarians, to arms! Long live King Zan!"
Max lowered the shield and they began to fire on the guards again.
"We must take the palace!" he called to the rebels.
Michael began to press forward towards the castle, with Max at his side.
"We have to find Kivar and take him down!" Max shouted as he blasted a guard. The smell of burning flesh filled the air, and he choked down the gorge that threatened to rise up into his throat."
"Oh shit, Maxwell, here come the Aberjani," warned Michael. "Alex, I hope that trigger mechanism works right."
"Don't worry, it will," Alex shouted. "Good luck!" He broke away, followed by Zan and together they led a group of rebels around one side of the palace looking for another entrance. Isabel and Maria led another group of rebels around towards the back of the palace. Michael, Max, Liz, Ava and Kyle pushed forward, pressing towards the gates, firing energy bolts all the way.
The Aberjani, led by General Kobodi came charging out, carrying the weapon conceived by Liz and Alex in their hands. It was almost comical to see the mind warp breaking on some of the Aberjani as they fingered the trigger mechanism. Those that had been mind warped stopped dead, and fell to their knees as the warp broke. However, there were quite a few Aberjani that were not affected by the trideka. Max assumed that they were loyal to Kivar in their own right.
They began firing at the Aberjani, and the Aberjani fought back, firing not only on them but on their compatriots that were no longer mind warped. Screams of agony filled the air as bolt after bolt crashed into the rebels and Aberjani alike.
Zan held a hand, signaling Alex and the other rebels to wait. He moved ahead several yards. He motioned to the others to move up to where he waited.
"Looks like it's clear up ahead," he whispered. "I think we should move in, and try to come up around the Aberjani that are out front. That way we'll have them virtually surrounded."
"Sounds good to me," said Alex. "But don't you think you should stay in back? We don't want you out in the line of fire."
"The hell we don't!" snapped Zan in an angry whisper. "What's the matter, don't you think I can handle it?"
"Of course I think you can handle it," said Alex. "I just don't want you getting hurt. You're the king, remember?"
"I'm not the king, Max is, now lets get our asses and gear and move out," said Zan.
Zan let out a battle cry and charged towards the palace, Alex and the rebels racing behind him. From out of nowhere, a group of soldiers loyal to Kivar appeared, firing energy bolts at the small band of rebels. Zan, acting instinctively, threw up a shield, which caused the bolts to rain harmlessly around them.
"Okay, I want all of you to get into formation," shouted Alex. "When I say now, Zan, I want you to drop the shield for 3 seconds then put it back up. That should give us each enough time to get off a couple of shots. Make sure you count though," Alex warned the rebels. "I don't want our blasts bouncing back at us when Zan puts the shield back up. Ready, NOW!"
Zan dropped the shield, and Alex and the others each fired off a couple of energy bolts before Zan put the shield back up. Alex watched with pleasure as the troops loyal to Kivar dropped back and ran towards the palace.
As they fired, there was a loud explosion, and a bright flash of color filled he sky around them. Alex whirled around trying to see where the flash came from.
"What was that?" he shouted. "Did anybody see where it came from?"
"Forget it!" shouted Zan. Let's go." Zan, took off running after the troops. They sped closer to the castle, dodging intermittent energy bolts fired at them from the palace.
"Do you think you can hold that shield while we run?" asked Alex
"Yeah, I think so," said Zan. He put up the shield, and stopped running to stare at the shield. He blinked his eyes several times waiting for the image to change, but it stayed. On his shield was the Antarian seal.
"What do you think it means?" he asked an equally confused Alex.
"Damned if I know," said Alex. "We'll figure it out later.
"Come on," Maria whispered to Isabel. "We can get in this way, right?"
"Yeah, Che'koth marked it on the map," said Isabel. "Let's go."
She opened the door, and followed Maria and the troops into the palace.
"Flush out as many troops as you can," Isabel whispered to Maria. "I have to go do something."
"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Maria demanded. "There is nothing in the plan about us splitting up."
"Think of it as one of your famous surprises," said Isabel. "Now go, will you? I'll meet you at the throne room. If you get there before I do, start sealing it up. I don't want that bastard to ever set foot in it again."
Maria looked worried, but she also knew by the look in Isabel's eyes that nothing was going to change her mind.
"Fine," she said, hugging the taller girl. "But if you die, you can explain it to Alex, okay?"
"Right," laughed Isabel. "I'll be sure to do that. Now go, will you?"
Isabel watched as Maria and their small band of rebels slipped down the hallway. As soon as they were out of sight, Isabel began to make her way towards her parent's bedchamber.
"Come Vilondra, my pet. We must get you to safety," Kivar said.
Isabel peered around the corner and saw Kivar, leading her double down the hall. She stepped out into the hallway and raised her hand.
"That's right, you bastard, you mustn't forget your little plaything."
Kivar stopped dead and spun around, and his eyes widened at the sight of Isabel standing before him.
"Vilondra, my love, is it really you? You've come back to me."
"I've come back to kill you, you sorry excuse for a human," said Isabel, her voice edged with steel. She stepped forward, moving closer to Kivar and her clone.
"Vilondra, love, didn't you learn the last time that it is pointless to try and resist me? I always win in the end," said Kivar.
"Right, you won by mind warping the entire world into believing that you are a good and just leader. Or did you win by making yourself a duplicate of me to be your plaything? You're lucky she can't talk Kivar, because if she could, she'd probably tell you the same thing."
"Vilondra, my love, stop it," said Kivar. "You love me, you know you do. Just as I have always loved you."
Isabel watched as the Vilondra clone stiffened slightly. She turned to face Isabel and smiled slightly and touched first her face then Isabel's. The clone then lowered her hand to Isabel's chest, and Isabel crumpled to the floor, unconscious.
"My God! What did you do to her?" roared Kivar. "You've killed her!"
"I protect you," whispered the clone.
Kivar roared with anger and grabbed the Isabel clone by the hand and dragged her down the hallway. He opened a door, and shoved the clone inside an empty room.
"Get in there you stupid bitch and stay there. I have to go see if I can save her." He slammed the door on the clone and ran back down the hall to where Isabel's body had fallen.
Kivar pulled up short when he arrived at the spot to find Isabel's body had disappeared.
"Not again!" he shouted. "I'll not lose her again!"
He ran back down the hall to the room that imprisoned the clone and threw the door opened. He rushed into the room and reached for the clone. Just as he reached for her, the clone pressed her hand to her heart and fired an energy bolt into her own body, causing it to burst into flames.