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.
Author's Note: This chapter is dedicated to my wonderful friend Patty, because it's all her fault. She said the two words that are guaranteed to get me thinking – What if.
Chapter Seventy – Five – The Gadori
"What protectors?" Kitana asked, her face a mask of worry. "No protectors were sent with you."
"Sure there was," said Zan. "Nescado was always hanging around our crib, telling us about Antar, and how we were going back, and we were going to rule. He'd be there for months, and then he'd jet somewhere and we wouldn't see him for a while."
"Nescado came to us too," said Max. "He's the one who brought us Tess. He said he and some other protectors were sent down to watch over us, but they were all captured by the military when the ship crashed."
"Tell us more about Nescado," said Kitana. "What was he like?"
"He was cold and unfeeling," said Liz. "He kidnapped me one time by pretending to be Max."
"What do you mean, by pretending to be Max?" Kitana asked. "Surely you knew what Max looked like."
"But that's just it," said Liz. "He looked exactly like Max. He was Max."
"How did you find out he wasn't Max," Kitana asked, her face a mask of worry and fear.
"When he kissed me, I didn't get the flashes I usually got with Max. These were angry and violent flashes. He was evil," said Liz.
Max reached over and held her hand tightly wishing she didn't have to relive the horrible memories of Nescado. That whole experience had been terrifying for all of them, but for Liz, especially.
"Gadori," said Drinian, his expression bleak.
"What are the Gadori?" asked Kyle.
"The Gadori are a race of people who are, well adaptable," explained Drinian. "They can adapt to survive wherever they are. They are able to change to look like the people around them. They not only learn to mimic their abilities, they develop them as well, to a certain extent."
"So you mean that all the time Nescado was teaching us to use our powers, he was actually teaching himself?" Ava asked in horror. "We taught him to do those evil things?"
"No, Ava," said Kitana, reaching out to place a soothing hand on the girl's arm. "I'm afraid that the Gadori learned all about us many, many generations ago. At one time, they were enslaved, and we fought to free them. We thought they were our allies, and they traveled freely to Antar from their own planet. Who knows," she added bitterly. "Maybe at one time they were our allies, but as time passed, the aligned themselves with Kivar. They betrayed us."
"Okay, so you're saying that Nescado wasn't really sent down to watch over these kids?" said Jim. "Damn, I should have realized that, myself."
"How?" Drinian asked, logically.
"I don't know, I just should have known. These kids are my responsibility. I told them I'd help them, and I left them alone with their enemy so many times. He could have killed them all."
"No, he couldn't," said Kitana. "When we fought to free the Gadori's from slavery, they pledged their lives to us, they would always obey the ruling family, and never harm them. However they managed to leave themselves a way out of their pledge. A direct order had to be given from the Antarian king to a Gadori for the order to be filled. If the king were to make a proclamation, or issue a law, the Gadori's were not honor bound to obey because it was not issued to them directly."
"Sneaky little bastards, aren't they?" asked Michael. "Now I'm wondering if Nescado is really even dead."
"You have good cause to worry," Michael," said Drinian. "If they have sworn their fealty to Kivar, nothing except for death will end it. It won't matter to them if Kivar is dead, they will still carry out their orders."
"So, if their orders are to make life a living hell for Max, Isabel, Ava and Michael, they'll keep on doing it?" asked Alex. "That is so not good."
"Um, is anybody besides me freaking over the part where they can't hurt the royal family, but they can hurt other people, like oh, say us, and our friends and families!"
"The Granolith has chosen you, Maria, you are protected," said Drinian.
"But what about our families?" asked Isabel. "What about our Mom and Dad?"
"I'm sorry, they are not protected," said Drinian, softly.
"Send guards down for them now," ordered Max, acting like the king that he now was. "Jim, are you feeling up to going back with them to explain to everyone what's going on?"
"Of course, Max," said the Sheriff, standing up. "I'll go whenever you think the time is right."
"Father, how long before we can assemble a division of guards to watch over our families?"
"It will take several hours, most of the people I would recommend for this are home with their families," explained Drinian.
"I hate to tear them away from that," said Max. "Especially when they have risked so much for us already, but I don't see any other way."
"Alex and I can go down with my dad, tonight," suggested Kyle. "That way, you guys can do the king thing or whatever you need to do. When they show up, we'll beam back up, or whatever it is we do."
"I'll go with them," said Zan, immediately.
"I don't like the idea of any of us being separated," said Max. "And you especially need to stay here, Zan. "You're the king now, too. No more life of leisure for you, with leadership comes responsibility," joked Max.
"Funny, brother, funny," said Zan.
"He's right," said Michael. "There isn't any way I can do my job and be your second in command if you're on two different planets."
"I don't need you to baby-sit me," Max and Zan said together.
"Who the hell said anything about baby sitting?" asked Michael. "I'm you're general, not your diaper changer. I'm guessing we're going to be planning strategies and stuff tomorrow when all the cabinet members get here. We need to be here to do that, not on two different planets."
"That's my husband, ever the voice of reason," said Maria. "How about if I go back, too. I'm just as capable of doing guard duty as anybody."
"No, you're staying with me," said Michael. "I want you here where I can protect you."
"Michael, Michael, these caveman tendencies are so, well, Neanderthal," said Maria, her joking tone belying the anger in her eyes. "I'm a big girl, I can blow the bad guys up all by myself now."
"I just don't want anything to happen to you, okay?" Michael shouted.
"Well, since you put it that way," said Maria, throwing herself back against the chair upon which she sat. "What girl could turn her back on a pronouncement like that."
"Kyle, Alex, I'm not ordering you to go, I'm not even suggesting it," said Max. "But if it's what you want to do, then I say go for it."
"Come," said Drinian, standing up. "I'll take Kyle, Alex and Jim to where we stored the belts. And from there, I'll begin send word to the men who will be returning to Earth."
They all stood as one, and those remaining had hugs for those that were leaving.
"Stay safe," Isabel whispered to Alex. "And tell my mother,"
"I know, you love her," said Alex. "You know I will, Isabel, and I'll make sure they know you're safe."
"I don't want you to go," she whispered.
"I have to Isabel, it's for the best. Kyle and I are the ones who can be spared to go back and make sure everything is okay back home," Alex explained.
"I know," Isabel said. "But I don't have to like it."
"I'll be back tomorrow, Isabel, I love you." He held her tightly and kissed her passionately and turned and walked over to where Drinian and the others were waiting.
Kyle and Ava said their goodbyes in a quiet corner of the room. Kyle reached down to wipe away a tear that tracked down Ava's cheek.
"I can't believe I'm acting this way," Ava said. "I'm being such a baby."
"You're not being a baby," said Kyle, struggling to contain his own emotions, trying to be strong for Ava. "And I'll be back tomorrow, I promise."
"It's just that we've been nothing but apart since we came here, and now you're going back down there. You can't get more apart than that," Ava said, laying her head on Kyle's muscular chest.
"I'll be back," Kyle said again, this time in his best Terminator voice. It wasn't a good imitation, but it had the desired effect, causing Ava to laugh.
They finally finished saying goodbye, along with a great many thanks to Jim for all he had done for them. The remaining group stood silently together as they watched their friends walk out the door to begin their return journey to Earth.