The Choice
Chapter 37
XXXVII
Rath and Liz walked along the main street in silence… the main street where the CrashDown still existed in this timeline… The CrashDown… owned by Maria Davis. "Michael" gazed forlornly at the café as they passed by but said nothing. Clearly, he missed Maria, and knowing that she was married in this timeline… to Brody Davis no less… wasn't helping anything.
"Michael… what do you plan to do now?"
"I'm going back to Antar… maybe for a few days. Zan may be in his nineties, but he's pretty sharp. I imagine he's been working on the problem while I've been away."
"You think so?"
"Yeah. Why wouldn't he?"
"Well, I can think of one reason, Michael. In the time you want to bring back, he doesn't exist. He got killed. So did Ava."
Rath stopped and considered Liz's words.
"I don't know why, but I never thought of that. Zan's been so helpful… so has Ava. I just thought… I thought… I don't know what I thought."
"Well, his helping you, if he is helping you, can only mean extinction for him. Do you think he wants that?"
"No… well, I don't know. I mean, no, he doesn't want to stop existing, I'm sure. But he is trying to help me… isn't he?"
Liz thought for a few moments. "Yeah, I got the impression he was sincere… Ava, too. I just don't know why. When are you going back?"
'Michael' stopped and thought. "Well, there's no time like the present. I guess you can get the sphere to take you back home. I guess you don't need me."
Liz smiled. She knew that Rath was right. She didn't need him to "walk her home" or to defend her. Somehow, though, she appreciated that he had considered it.
"What are you gonna do first when you get there," Liz asked, wondering how he would approach Zan now that he had considered Zan's situation.
"Probably pee," Rath said simply.
Liz laughed out loud in spite of herself and blushed slightly. "Sorry, Michael. I forgot all about you…"
"Portal," Liz called. The doorway appeared.
"Your ride's here, Michael," she said with a smile.
"After you, Liz."
Liz grinned. "Can it take us both at the same time?"
"To different places? I never tried it."
Rath took Liz by the hand, and the two of them stepped into the portal together.
"Take me home," Liz said… "No, on second thought, take me to Dad's house."
"Take me to the palace on Antar," Rath said at the same time. The portal closed, and Rath and Liz were gone.
**********
Liz stepped out of the portal and into the living room of Jeff and Nancy Parker's home. Jeff shook his head as the portal disappeared behind her.
"Lizzie, I'm still working on mastering the computer. I don't think I'll ever get used to that… whatever it is… and you popping in here like this through it."
Liz hugged her Dad then her Mom, who had just entered the room.
"You love it, though, don't you, Dad. Admit it."
Jeff smiled then nodded. "I love it that you can stop by whenever you want to now. I just don't understand that thing."
"Nobody does, Dad." Liz laughed.
On another plane of existence, "Michael" was stepping out of the portal. He looked around, but the surroundings did not look familiar. It definitely wasn't the palace on Antar. In fact, he didn't think it was even Antar. He started to say something, but the portal disappeared, leaving him there. Michael called for the portal to return. There was no reply… and no portal.
"Alright, get your bleeping little digital ass back here right now… or whatever kinda ass you've got…" Rath said, finally losing all patience. He waited a few more moments then looked around. It was a very… unusual place… wherever it was. There didn't seem to be anyone else around. It looked like the windswept plains of Mars… only Mars didn't have any rivers… at least he didn't think it did anymore. This place had a river… and trees… here and there. It was something like an oasis in the desert.
"Where the crap did that little traitor leave me," Rath wondered out loud.
"Here," a voice said behind him. "That is enough for you to know… for now."
Rath whirled around to face the source of the voice he had heard.
"Who… who are you? Where is 'here?'"
The man gestured at their surroundings. "This is 'here.'"
"'Here' isn't a place," Rath said with some exasperation in his voice. "'Here' is… is… a preposition… or something. I don't remember. Doesn't this place have a name?"
"What use does it have for a name," the man asked. "It is what it is."
Rath looked at the man, and slowly the recognition dawned on him.
"You… You're that guy… the Drax guy… the Drax… ta-Kiya whatever. You're the master of the river of time."
The old man smiled. "No one is the master of the river of time, young man. It is its own master. One can alter it, just as one might shave the hair off of a pawgor. But it will still be a pawgor, and it will still eat you."
Rath looked at the old man. His mind was somewhere between being fully Michael's and being Rath's. The words of the Drax-ta-Kiya meant little to him.
"You're babbling. That didn't make any sense at all. Why did the portal bring me here? And why won't it respond to me now?"
"Perhaps because you needed to be here, Rath."
"Michael," Rath corrected.
"Suit yourself, but you are not Michael. Michael was never born."
Rath thought about what the Drax–ta-Kiya said.
"I am Michael. I… I am… I know things… everything… I'm… I'm… Michael… I'm… Rath?"
"Yes. You are Rath… and Michael."
"You're crazy, old man," Rath said. Make up your mind."
"You have the memories… the aura… of Michael within you… along with your own aura."
"No."
"Yes."
"I don't want to be Rath!"
"That is irrelevant."
"I'm… Rath?"
The Drax-ta-Kiya nodded.
"Oh, shit."
"Irrelevant," the Drax-ta-Kiya said.
"If I'm Rath… where is Michael… me… my body… you know?"
"Never born," the old man said plainly.
Rath stood there momentarily, trying to absorb this new information.
"But, how…?"
"Irrelevant," the old man said again. "That you are what you are is all that matters."
"Yeah, well, fine, but what is that? Who is that? You tell me I'm Rath, but I remember Michael… and… and maybe… Rath…"
"You see? You are Rath."
"How is Michael able to be here… with me?"
"You allowed it… and Michael was strong."
"I'm stronger! I can throw him out."
"Then you admit that you are Rath?"
Rath thought about it. "Yes," he said at end. "I am Rath."
"Then throw Michael out… if that is what you wish to do."
"I will," Rath said.
"Well?"
"Well… give me time. Okay, what if I'm not ready to throw him out?"
"Why not? He's taking over your body. You are Rath. Do you not want to control your own body… your own thoughts?"
"You know I do."
"Then you must throw Michael out."
"I… I can't."
"Why not?"
"I don't want to. I don't know why… but I don't want to."
"Who doesn't want you to? You… or Michael?"
"Me… Michael… Both of us."
"You can't be both, Rath. You must choose. Will you give up your existence for Michael?"
"No! Of course not! I am Rath! I am me!"
"Then choose, Rath. Who will you be?"
tbc