"Searching for Michael"
Chapter 5
V
Max and Michael walked together along the concourse of the spaceport outside CoruzAntar, the Antarian capitol, after doing a scheduled periodic inspection of the logs that recorded the comings and goings of alien vessels. There were officials assigned to these matters, of course, but one thing Max had learned in this life (and from his previous life) was that it pays to be an active and involved leader. When a leader, especially a king or queen, sits back and "enjoys" his or her position and is not aware of what is going on in the kingdom, even if that leader is benevolent, bad things can happen… to the king. Max knew this only too well now.
It had been a week since Michael had learned that it was Nyykto who killed Zan and Ava in their previous lives… that Nyykto had later killed him as well… and that Kivar had killed Vilandra. He remembered Nyykto well as the treacherous and usually obnoxious "skin" known as Nicholas back on earth. Clearly, these revelations had lifted a large burden from Michael's shoulders. But the dreams had awakened new feelings in him as well… new feelings of confusion about his own identity. Who –or what- was the real Michael? Or was it Rath? Or was it something different entirely?" Michael had thought he finally knew who he was. But that was before the dreams. Now… he wasn't sure anymore.
"Max… what would you think if I took some time away?"
Max looked at Michael. "Away? As in a vacation? I'd have no objection, Michael. You and Maria can take time off for yourselves anytime you feel you need to."
"I don't mean a vacation… exactly. More like a journey."
"Okay… to where?"
"I'm not sure. I've been thinking about it, though. I think I need to find myself."
"You're right here, Michael," Max joked. "What else can I help you with?"
Michael smiled dutifully. "Yeah, sure, Max, but who do you see? Am I Michael Guerin, the Roswell kid who had to get emancipated from his own foster dad? Am I that feared warrior from the dream who slew people so casually?"
"They were the enemy, Michael. You were protecting the royals… and yourself."
"But I do that now, and I know I killed during the Battle for Antar when we came back, but I've never been what I saw in that dream."
Max looked at Michael, and in a way, he almost understood.
"Michael, I'd say you are who you are now. You're Michael –or Rath if you prefer… that's what they usually call you here- but you're Michael or Rath of this NEW realm. Remember that your DNA was mixed with human DNA on earth, and you are who you are now, not some memory from the past."
"I don't know, Max. That all sounds good and all, but this new Michael, or Rath- the one you think you know… who is he?"
Max looked at Michael searchingly. "He's my best friend, my bosom pal, my trusted and faithful general… and Maria's faithful husband."
Michael smiled slightly. The words sounded good. But his heart wasn't sure that that was all there was.
"It's the dream about Rath and everyone else being killed at the palace that concerns you, right, Michael? What about the other one?"
"The other…? Oh, the flying, you mean? No. That one's kind of nice actually… It's just a little weird that whenever I dream it, Maria and you and Liz always dream the same dream at the same time. I haven't figured that out yet. What do you make of it? You and I were the only ones who had the palace dream… or nightmare… or whatever it was."
Max shook his head. "No idea. Like you said, it's a pleasant dream… if it's a dream… but I don't know what to make of it either. Maybe some past life regression." Max smiled, indicating he meant this as a joke. Michael smiled, too.
"I don't think I ever had wings, Max. I think I'd remember that."
Max nodded. "Yeah. I have to agree."
"I'd like to take the new granolith and go back to the past, Max. I'd like to find myself… get to know myself… who I am. Maybe then I'll know who I am."
Max was stunned. "The past? Is that wise, Michael? I mean… that's a serious step."
"And I'm serious about it," Michael said emphatically.
Max nodded. "I can see that." There was a pause before anyone spoke again. "If you're determined to do that, Michael, you can use the sphere to go back in time if you would prefer. You can take the new granolith, of course, if that's what you want, but I just thought the sphere would get you there faster."
Michael smiled. "Yeah… that would be great. You wouldn't mind, Max?"
"Well, it's Liz's sphere, and I know we'd both rather have you here, but no, if that's what you need to do, I won't stand in your way. Have you mentioned this to Maria?"
"Yeah."
"She'll miss you, you know."
"Well, ya see, Max, that's the beauty of going back to the past. When I return, little or no time has to have passed for her or for anyone else here… no matter how long might have passed for me."
"Well, I wouldn't want you to leave and return five minutes later as an old man. I don't think Maria would be too happy about that either."
"I'm not talking years… maybe weeks."
Max nodded. "Well, you know the dangers, Michael… of traveling to the past, changing things. Alright. Would you like me to go with you… or anyone else?"
Michael shook his head. "No. I have to do this alone."
"I'll ask Liz to authorize the spheres to respond to your requests."
"Thanks, Max."
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Maria reached out with her hands and plucked a leaf from the top of the forest canopy as she rose upward toward the mountain's peak. Then she brought her wings down strongly, lifting herself up, up into the high east wind. She felt the breeze catch under her wings and lift her up even higher. Once over the peak, she glided gracefully down towards the swift azure river in the valley far below. Reaching the river, she turned upstream and skimmed the surface of the fast moving waters. A shadow on the water caught her attention, and she glanced over. Flying beside her was Liz, the tips of her fingers making eddies in the water as she glided along.
Maria smiled and waved, and Liz smiled back. Liz decided to fly back up into the sky, so Maria followed. Bringing their wings down in powerful strokes, the two rose easily back up through the wispy clouds into the high east wind, where they settled into a glide, allowing the wind to carry them along. Liz reached out with both hands toward Maria, and Maria reached back, taking Liz's hands in hers. The two began to spin together… slowly at first, then faster, like a helix… around and around. Liz was giggling giddily, and Maria couldn't help but giggle herself. It was a dizzying ride… but so much fun.
As Liz and Maria spiraled together like the blades of a helicopter, Michael and Max appeared. Liz reached out toward Max with one hand, and Max took her hand, stopping their spin. Michael took Maria's hands in his, as she released Liz, and the two couples glided apart. Liz put her arms around Max and held on, as they began to tumble together towards the river far below. Max brought them out of their tumble and into a graceful glide, hand in hand. Michael and Maria glided in the opposite direction, but both couples circled back toward each other one last time before gliding off in different directions with a wave of goodbye.
As Michael and Maria disappeared over the tops of the nearby mountains, Maria turned to Michael and took his hands in hers, folded her wings over him, and allowed him to pull her into his arms, his strong wings sustaining them both in flight. Maria reached up and took Michael's face in her hands. She kissed him passionately, and Michael eagerly returned the kiss. He brought his wings down powerfully, lifting them both upward toward the sky, through the wispy clouds, into the east winds far above. The winds would sustain their flight, providing ample lift to Michael's powerful wings… and allowing Michael to concentrate on other things on his mind.
tbc