Title: The Crucible

Disclaimer: I don't own anything

Author's note: I forgot to put the day at the top of the last chapter, but 'Birth' was the fifth day after Tess' arrival. Just a reminder, this story is 14 days in all (because that is how long it takes the shape-shifter to reach Khivar once she leaves Earth, and how long Tess has to prove that she can be Queen before the real battles start).

Okay, just a reminder of who the major players are:

Tess and Larek, of course

Audin-diplomat to Larek from the planet Byor

Arya-the regional ruler from the province of Tel'ai, which is the capital province on Antar. She was recently deposed by Khivar

Khai-main general and leader of the Resistance, Rath's younger brother

Sria- the original Ava's best friend, one of Larek's advisors, and a native of the planet L'so

Lotho-general of Larek's army (like Rath was for Zan), married to Kani.

Kani-married to Lotho, she is one of Larek's closest friends and advisors

Other people introduced by not that important: Radim, Trell, Zyith are all members of the Resistance. Korbi is a healer who saved Tess from dying during childbirth.

Places of importance:

Tel'ai-capital province of Antar, has Dimaras Rock, where Zan met Ava. The Triaji Desert, the Cortai Jungle, the Landra River, and the Fel Mountains are all located in this province as well.

Antar-the capital city of Antar has the same name as the planet. Khivar is planning something for the city, but the Resistance does not know what it is.

Sab-a city in Tel'ai that Khivar attacked and decimated, no adults were left alive.

Mt. Sinai-a mountain in Tel'ai, it's name means (in Antarian) 'mountain of fate'

If it helps, I can keep this section in each chapter and update it when new people, places, and events appear.

Re: Mony19: Thanks for your review, I'm glad you liked the flashes. I was trying to think of what to do for the birth, and then I remembered how Tess' son had reached out to Max in the begining of the third season, and I thought it would be cool to use that. I really did want to show what was happening on Earth, but since this story is so focused on Tess, I needed to keep her involved. We will get a few more glimpes of Earth, and maybe even a conversation at some point between Tess and someone else, but since Tess is still on the otherside of the universe, the people left on Earth will only play a minor role for now. As for becoming Queen on her own, well... the days ahead are about to get pretty bad for her...

Re: mel: I'm glad you liked the chapter, it was fun to write. And I needed to show everyone a little glimpse of life on earth. I'm not really a fan of the others on Earth either, and especially not of Max. And they aren't going to be forgiven that easily. And they sort of already know that.

Re: Jade: The thing is, I'm not actually a rebel because I really don't like Max. So for right now, Max is still in love with Liz. Because he's a jerk. But Tess and the baby will definitely put a strain on the dreamer relationship.

Re: bklyangel: Thanks for the review, I'm glad you like the story.

Re: Denethor's Angel: Don't worry, there will be a bit more about the others on Earth. They might even manage to contact Tess at some point, I haven't really figured that out yet. Max is still in love with Liz, but the relationship will fall under a lot of tension because of this new development. I don't know if I'm going to have them remember more about their past lives or not. Do you think I should? I want them to want to find Tess because she's Tess, not because they remember her as Ava. Did that make sense? Anyway, I'm flattered you like the chapter so much.

Re: Ellethiel: I looked back at what I had written as the response to your last review, and realized it was a cliffhanger. I had no idea how much I left hanging when I wrote it, I was just trying to answer your questions without giving too much away. :) I wish the series had gone differently also, but it didn't, so that's why I'm writing fanfiction. :) As for Maria and Liz, I really am not trying to make them evil. I wanted to show that the pod squad was manipulated by Khivar and the shape-shifter, and that Maria and Liz, like everyone else, fell into that trap. Of course, they were much more willing to believe the worst of Tess...

crucible: an object made stronger as it is passed through fire

This Little Light Of Mine

Day 6

Sunrays streamed in through the window, casting heat on Tess' face. She opened her eyes slowly, blinking in the early morning light. She sat up slowly and saw that she was in her own room, lying in her bed. She blinked, and stretched, feeling her tense muscles pull against her bones. Then she pushed the covers away and slipped out of bed, placing her bare feet on the carpeted floor.

Then she saw it.

In the corner of the room was a tiny crib, partially hidden in the shadows away from the window. It was elegantly made from a dark cherry wood, inlaid with silver and tiny sparkling emeralds. Inside was a pile of blankets, soft cotton and refined wool. And in the pile of blankets…

Tess crept closer, holding her breath. She paused as she neared the crib, suddenly irrationally worried. What if she made a horrible mother? What if she ruined everything for her son? What if she felt no connection to him? What if she didn't know what to do?

Oh, God. What if she had no idea what to do?

Gathering her courage, she took the last few steps and hovered above the crib, peering at the child wrapped in blankets. He had a small tuft of raven hair, and his beautiful blue eyes were open, staring up at her in wonder. She reached out, extending a finger towards her son, and he lifted his tiny hand and wrapped his palm around her finger in a tight grip.

Her heart swelled instantly. She reached into the crib, and pulled the child from his blankets. Holding him tightly against her chest, she hummed and rocked back and forth, staring at the precious bundle in her hands.

There was a sharp knock on the door, and Tess turned to see it swing slowly inward, revealing Larek, Lotho, and Kani. Tess smiled at them, her entire face filled with radiance. "Isn't he beautiful?" she cooed, reaching her arms out to display her son.

Kani was the first to speak. She walked over and peered down at the child. "He does not look like you," she remarked. "Except for the eyes."

Tess frowned at the comment and said, "He looks like his father." Even at such a young age, she could see the likeness to Max. He had the same hair, the same face shape, the same skin tone, and he wore the same expression of detached wonder that had so often filled Max's face. He was a tiny replica of his father. Except for the eyes.

Her eyes.

Kani reached out and touched the child's soft skin. Her eyes shown with reverence, a reverence that startled Tess. No one, not even Larek or Sria, had ever looked at Tess with that much awe or veneration. It was unsettling, the way she stared at the young boy like he was a god.

"Have you thought of a name?" Lotho asked in his rich baritone.

Tess hesitated, biting her lip. "I had…" she admitted reluctantly. "I thought, maybe… Alexander? Alex for short?"

Kani frowned disapprovingly at the suggestion and said, "He is the Heir, he should have an Antarian name." Her voice was filled with censure.

Larek cut in before Tess had a chance to respond. "Many other would like to see the Heir as well. If you feel he is up to the excursion, Ava, we would like to take your son to the Council Chambers."

Tess nodded reluctantly, irrationally wanting to keep her son to herself.

"He is a beauty," Sria remarked, giving Tess a warm smile.

"Indeed," Khai agreed. "He is the Heir." His voice was soft, reverent, a type of gentleness Tess had only ever heard the one time he spoke of his brother. Of Rath.

"I can feel his power," Arya commented. She took her seat as the others slowly drifted away from Tess and back to their spots around the tables. "It is tremendous."

"He looks very human," Audin said, puzzled. "How is that possible, if he is full Antarian?"

"Antarians and humans do not look that different," Lotho pointed out. "And anyway, both his parents' physiology is humanoid, so he probably inherited that."

"Have you thought of a name?" Arya asked, echoing Lotho's earlier question.

Tess glanced automatically at Kani, wondering how much opposition her choice would garner. "I was thinking of Alex," she said, trying her best to sound forceful and in charge. Her voice, however, wavered slightly as she spoke.

"It is not Antarian," Khai objected instantly. He pulled out his chair, the legs scratching roughly against the floor, and sank into it, his face a picture of disapproval. "The Heir cannot have a human name."

"It is named after a departed loved one," Sria pointed out. "That is in keeping with Antarian traditions." She too took her seat, folding her hands in her lap and glaring at Khai in annoyance.

"But the people will not want…" Khai began, but he was cut off by Arya.

"The people will accept the Heir, regardless of his name," Arya countered in her musical voice. She pushed a strand of silver hair out of her silver eyes and continued, "They will be thankful to get out from under Khivar's rule."

"Not all of them," Kani pointed out. "There are plenty of Antarians who prosper under Khivar, and would not be so welcoming of a change. It is them that we need to worry about, and they will not take an Heir with a human appearance and a human name.

Tess sat down next to Larek, feeling the control slowly slip away from her as the others argued over the merits of her chosen name. She closed her eyes briefly, still exhausted, mentally and physically, from the night before.

Her brief show a weakness instantly caught Audin's attention, and the Byor diplomat said gruffly, "Are you alright, my Lady? I heard you had a rough birthing?"

"Yes, what happened?" Sria asked, turning her attention away from the escalating argument and glancing over at Tess. "I have never seen anyone react to childbirth the way you did. Healer Korbi said the same."

"I…my son…reached out to his father. I saw visions of Earth," Tess replied quietly.

A silence fell over the room as all eyes swung to face Tess incredulously. "You what?" Larek whispered. "How? What did you see?"

Tess shifted her son slightly, freeing one hand, and ran it through her hair. After a moment of hesitation, she turned to Arya and said, "Your theory about the shape-shifter was correct. I saw her, I saw when the others discovered what had happened, I saw when the shape-shifter left Earth, I saw…" She swallowed nervously and said, "I saw them move on with their lives." The hurt and sorrow in her words was not lost on the others in the room, and there was an awkward silence.

Then Khai spoke up. "Did you see Rath…Michael?" he asked, his voice oddly filled with hope. "How is he?"

Tess stared at Khai for a moment, her eyes blank. How was Michael? She pictured his horror-filled eyes, his haunted expression. He had looked as though he was filled with despair. He just realized he sacrificed one of his family to her enemy. He had lost out on his only chance to go home. He had realized how many things he had been so wrong about.

And the very bitter and cynical part of Tess not only relished Michael's suffering, but also enjoyed the fact that she had the opportunity to throw it all in Khai's face. Let him see what it feels like to be on the receiving end of bad news and bitter words.

But as she glanced down at her now sleeping son, she thought back to Sria words from the day before.

I don't deny that you have a reason to be angry with Michael. Or with the others. But you have to bear in mind, Ava, that the people here…we grew up with Zan. With a Zan who was an extraordinary man and a very beloved King. To hear you speak so unfavorably of them… it hurts us. They were the soul if this planet…

Her inner demons and angels had a brief, but bitter, struggle, and the angels won out. "He is in love," she replied, smiling at the memory of Maria and Michael by the cave. "He is… happy."

Khai nodded, smiling slightly. Although he was disturbed by the fact that his brother had not returned home with the Queen, he could not deny that he was pleased that his brother was at least happy. It was one less thing to worry about.

"What do we do now?" Sria asked, cutting into the silence.

"How can we best protect the Heir?" Kani added. "That should be our first worry."

"I still think we should sent the Queen and the Heir to Antar," Arya replied. She glanced at the sleeping child in Tess' arms and continued, "The birth of the Heir will greatly increase the Resistance's hope."

"But we cannot risk having Khivar find out about his birth," Lotho pointed out. "Taking him to Antar would be dangerous."

"It would be easy to smuggle a child into the planet, even one who has the same energy as the King and Queen," Kani countered, shaking her head. "It is getting Ava there that concerns me."

"We don't need Ava," Khai said quickly. All eyes turned to him. He shrugged and continued, "The Heir is all that is needed to raise the spirits of our fighters. Ava is not necessary, especially since she now longer is the highest ranking royal. Her son outranks her."

"You will not take my son from me!" Tess snarled.

Khai raised an eyebrow at her and said, "I was not suggesting that. What I was suggesting is that we no longer waste time on trying to train Ava to be the Queen. We don't need her in that capacity, we have someone better." He nodded to the child.

"He has a point," Audin assented.

"What exactly are you saying?" Tess demanded, her voice dangerously low.

"I am suggesting that we no longer waste valuable time on training Ava. We are walking a tightrope, one missed step and all will be lost," Khai replied, but he was not looking at Tess. He directed the comment to Larek, who was frowning, displeased with the conversation.

"Ava could lead them into battle. The Heir could not," Sria pointed out.

"Ava will never learn the gifts needed to be a Queen. Not in time," Khai snapped back. "She will be a burden."

Once again, Tess felt the situation slip from her control. Although she had no idea how to regain control over the conversation, she tried her best to sound authoritative as she said, "I am the Queen. I can learn to lead."

"But can you learn to lead in a little over a week?" Arya asked. "Once Khivar knows you are here, he will attack. We must be prepared to fight him then, or we will never win. We are running out of time."

A gloomy silence met those words. Tess seethed angrily as she stared down at her son and played with his strands of fine hair. She bit her lip as she realized with startling clarity that none of the people here had believed in her. Khai was the only one who had been willing to put his concerns to voice before, but they all secretly thought that she couldn't be Queen. They only pretended to believe because they didn't have any other choice. Now that the Heir was born, now that they had a substitute for her, she was no longer needed.

Only Sria and Larek were on her side.

Larek, for his part, seemed torn between his faith in Tess and his recognition of the truth in Arya's and Khai's words. The rest remained silent, waiting for Larek or Tess to speak.

Finally, Tess said, "How many people know that I am here?"

"The three royals and the three humans on Earth know that you left the planet, although they may not know specifically where you are," Sria answered instantly. "Then there are seven of us, the family that found you when your ship crashed, and the people you met with yesterday. Radim, Trell, Ziyth…"

"And me," Tess added. "I know I am here as well." She blinked, realizing how completely inane her words sounded.

"And Healer Korbi," Larek added, his eyes darkening in apprehension.

"That's a lot," Tess said slowly, freeing one hand to rub her eyes. "How can we be sure that the secret of my presence isn't already in danger?"

"Are you accusing us of betraying you?" Sria asked, laughing.

Tess smiled at her and shook her head, her blonde curls bouncing around her face. "No, but there is a saying from Earth. 'Three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead.' The more people who know…"

"She is right," Larek said. "We must be careful with this information. Ava's presence is out greatest advantage. But if Khivar finds out, it may become our greatest weakness."

Another silence fell over the room, then Audin asked gruffly, "Do you still want me to send a message to our allies on Byor to see whether or not the Queen could escape to the planet if she needs to?"

"We still need that as a backup option," Arya commented. "Things may not be safe for her here before long."

"The Heir needs to go to Antar," Khai objected.

"We can't shut out any options," Larek pointed out. "We should plan on sending Ava and her son to Antar, but we need a back up plan. Just in case."

"But we can't tell anyone on Byor that Ava is here," Khai pointed out heatedly.

"Then our message will just have to be discreet," Sria replied calmly.

And yet again, Tess realized that her future was completely out on her control. She knew instinctively that she should take control of the situation, but she couldn't figure out how. She hissed a breath out in frustration and stared down at her tiny son, taking in his precious details. Her heart swelled with hope as she gazed into his sleeping face.

She had brought something so wonderful into the world.

She had done this.

She had done this.

Maybe things would work out after all.

"Is all of Byor sympathetic to our cause?" Tess asked once the conversation lulled.

"Not all," Audin replied. "And officially, they have to be impartial. Like Larek, the Minister of our planet has declared that he is independent in the war. He will not enter either side."

"The same is true for the President of L'so," Sria added, speaking of her own planet. "The seven of us here are a secret confederation who support the Resistance. Khivar knows of our existence, but not who is in it."

Tess frowned, her eyebrows scrunching together as she focused on a bit of information Sria had revealed. "You have a Minister and a President? What about a King?"

"Some planets have royalty, some do not," Arya answered in her musical voice. "Antar has royalty, as do Nathor and Darto, two other planets in the Southern Beltway. And of course, Larek is a King as well. You all rule by succession. Byor and L'so officials are elected."

"Why aren't all planets democratic?" Tess questioned.

Arya rolled her eyes at the question. "It is only human arrogance that assumes democracy is the only way to rule a country." Her voice was disdainful, and Tess realized with a start that Arya had included her when she used the word 'human.' On Earth she could not fit in because she was half alien, here she was classified as a lower species because she was a human hybrid.

Ironic.

Ironic in a really frustrating way.

"But why do people accept a ruler? Why do they accept that one family is meant to rule over them all?" Tess questioned.

"Because those trained to rule are trained to do what is best for the country," Audin answered. "It is not like royalty on Earth, the kings and queens cannot just do whatever they want with their power."

"They are raised to think of themselves as servants of the people," Sria added. "Not masters or overlords."

"But do they never get corrupted by power?" Tess asked.

"If they do, they are deposed," Kani replied, shrugging carelessly. "I assume that they get corrupted just as frequently, or infrequently, as your presidents and prime ministers. And if they abuse their power, they meet the same fate."

"But they rarely abuse their power," Larek added. He smiled, and Tess remembered that he was a King himself. Of course he would say that he never abused power…

Kani laughed. "Obviously you would say that," she replied. "But he is right," she added, turning back to Tess. "Rulers do not abuse their power."

"How can they? They are not raised to think of it as their own," Audin added. "Like Sria said, they are the servants and the people are the masters."

"Millennia of social mores are hard to ignore," Lotho added. "How can they break a belief that is such a fundamental part of their society?"

"See how little she knows?" Khai murmured.

Audin assented, "It would be difficult to train her to be a Queen."

"Indeed," Kani agreed.

Tess flushed crimson and glared at the others in the room.

They ignored her.

"So we should assume that Ava and the Heir will return to Antar when we start the war?" Khai asked, his eyes sweeping over everyone in the room. "No need to train her in the meantime?"

"Alex," Tess cut in forcefully.

"What?" Khai asked, impatiently.

"My son's name is Alex," Tess continued, her voice low and threatening, as though daring someone to challenge her.

Khai glared at her in open resentment, while Kani and Arya exchanged apprehensive glances. Larek closed his eyes briefly, Audin cleared his throat uncomfortably, and Lotho narrowed his lips into a thin line, and stared at Tess appraisingly. Only Sria seemed unperturbed by the statement. In fact, she lifted a hand quickly to stifle her giggle and looked away, the mirth dancing in her eyes.

Khai snarled bitterly and continued, "If it is at all possible, we shall send Ava and Alex to Antar. Are we agreed?"

A murmur of assent rippled through the others, then Lotho said, "I still think that we should train Ava to lead."

"Why?" Arya asked pointedly.

Lotho shrugged. "She may help us," he replied simply. He glanced over at Tess, then back to the others. "I leave today for Antar. I have a meeting with a few officials in Khivar's army. I will try and get in touch with the Resistance if I can. Perhaps any knew knowledge I gain from them will shed some light on our dilemma."

Kani wrapped her fingers tightly around Lotho's hand, the fear visible on her face. "Don't put yourself in too much danger," she whispered. "Promise me you won't do anything stupidly noble."

Lotho smiled at her gently. "You worry too much."

"Do you really think that Ava can lead?" Audin asked, breaking the tender moment.

Lotho glanced over at Audin, then back at Tess. "I don't know," he admitted honestly. "Your pardon, my Lady, but I honestly don't know whether or not you can lead. What I do know is that we have been given a chance to bring back the Queen. One of the Royal Four. Her son may be the Heir, but he cannot lead. Not yet, anyway. And she may very well be our salvation in this war. I would hate to see us waste that simply because training her would be difficult."

Tess carefully dressed her son in the clothes that Sria had brought her, then turned and stared moodily at the redhead. The two were sitting in her room, having just left the Council Chambers moments before. Tess was still seething from the meeting, and even Sria had lost her usual smile and light laughter.

"They mean well," Sria said at last, breaking the tense silence.

"By shutting me out?" Tess snapped.

"They are trying to do what they think it best," Sria objected. She ran a hand through her hair and continued, "Ava, they want to save Antar from Khivar. They want that with all their heart and all their soul. Whatever else you think about them, don't question that their intentions are good."

"And none of them think that training me is worthwhile? That all I am is a waste of time?" Tess shot back.

Sria closed her eyes for a moment, then spoke slowly, picking her words carefully. "We are running out of time. The Resistance is running out of resources, running out of strength. And whatever Khivar is planning for the capital city, whatever his reasons for moving his troops the way he is… Ava, we are terrified. One strong blow, and Khivar could ruin us."

"I could help," Tess said moodily.

"I don't doubt that you would make a great Queen," Sria said honestly. "Because, like Larek, I see my best friend in you. I see the other Ava, the other Queen."

"But…?" Tess prompted.

"But we are scared, and we do not have time or resources to waste," Sria said gently. "And the people… they will not follow you unless you can give them a reason to do so."

Tess got up and started to pace. "How am I supposed to do that?" she hissed.

"I don't know," Sria answered quietly, truthfully.

Tess glared at Sria in annoyance. "That is a lot of help," she spat.

Sria smiled sadly. "I wish I could give you and easy answer, Ava." She ran a hand through her red hair and continued, "Lotho made a good point, we can't just give up. Khai will continue to train you and we will see what happens."

"At least Lotho believes I might be able to do this," Tess murmured. She closed her eyes and took a breath, trying to calm her frayed nerves. "I should buy him flowers or chocolates or something as a thank-you gift." Her voice was sarcastic, her expression frustrated, her countenance bitter.

The child suddenly began to cry, and Tess spun around to face him. Instantly, her anger faded, and she hurried over to scoop up her son. "Hey, sweetie, don't cry, Mommy's here," she murmured, rocking the child back and forth. Little Alex stopped crying, and Tess smiled down at him with tenderness and love radiating from her glowing face.

In that instant, looking upon her best friend, Sria knew that whatever else Tess was or wasn't able to be, she would be an amazing mother.

"This is outrageous!" Larek's voice snarled, furious.

"What are we going to do?" came Arya's worried reply.

"It is an act of war. We should respond in kind," Audin's heavy baritone suggested.

Tess paused outside the door to the Council Chambers, confused. After several hours of thinking, she had decided to take Alex and try to talk to Larek. Perhaps the alien king would have some advice to offer her. Perhaps he would help her clear her confused mind and organize her muddled thoughts.

Not knowing where Larek was likely to be at this hour, she had decided to try the Council Chambers, hoping that, if he was not there, someone would be there would could tell her where he was. But when she had arrived outside the doors to the Chamber, she had heard angry voices coming from within, and stopped to listen, worried and concerned.

A sudden irrational wave of fear ran through her as she pushed the door open and stepped into the room.

Six sets of eyes turned to look at her.

Arya was pacing back and forth across the room, her heels clicking softly on the carpet. Khai and Larek stood at the far end of the room, their expression grave and angry. Audin sat on one of the chairs, his entire body shaking with pent up rage. Kani stood in the middle of the room, sobbing, while Sria tried to comfort her.

Tess walked farther into the room, frowning slightly. She shifted Alex gently to her other his and freed her right hand. Reaching out, she placed it on Kani's shoulder, hoping to comfort the distraught woman. Kani, however, just brushed her aside and stepped further into the room.

"What's going on?" Tess asked, turning to Larek. She narrowed her eyes at him. "What do you mean, this is an act of war? What is an act of war? And by whom? What happened?" The panic was increasing rapidly now, and her heart beat frantically.

The silence stretched for a moment, awkward and tense. Larek and Khai both averted their gaze and stared at the floor. Arya resumed her pacing, while Audin stared down at his hands. Kani sunk to her knees, her pale face streaked with tears, her body shaking with tremors of grief. Sria knelt by the distraught woman, her eyes still focused on Tess.

It was Arya who finally spoke, pushing her hair out of her face and turning tear-filled silver eyes to Tess. "One of Khivar's pilots shot down Lotho's plane as it was entering Antarian airspace." She paused, bit her lip, then rushed the next words together, her voice strangled and hoarse.

"There were no survivors."

Next Chapter: Darkness Falls

Due: Sunday 12/4