18

The Children of Arax

When they, with the help of the Enterprise, beamed to the Biosphere; chaos ensued. The Gargantians were detained and brought away under the watchful eye of Ta'Rex Da Od. Chancellor Ta'Bob Bobba Dus yelled that the place was to be evacuated and then closed while Doctor Boyce and Doctor Ov'Da Bob Da rushed to the woman whose life was quickly draining from her body.

Christopher Pike didn't know how he got to Teelar's side; he thought he felt Number One's arms on him, keeping him upright, until he knelt beside the petite empath and gently took her hand in an effort to give her comfort.

Teelar stiffened as she felt energy flow through her veins once again. Her system was equalizing, life was no longer leaving her. She gritted her teeth. While it felt wonderful to be healing, she felt horrified and ashamed of what she had done to the Starfleet captain whom she had considered her friend. This was no way of treating friends; to have them sacrifice their life for you. She was perplexed, she didn't understand, Christopher Pike was not an empath, he couldn't be. While he was an empathic being, one who cared for others, he didn't possess healing powers.

"Ka'Teelar," a voice called suddenly. "It is all right, my child."

"Who are you?" she asked in awe, her voice quivering slightly as she turned to the sound of the voice.

There stood a man with pale skin, tall and lean, with the most alluring purple eyes she had ever seen. He was dressed in a colorful robe that reached all the way to the ground and the faint resemblance struck her as odd as he walked toward her, reaching out for her. "I am He'to," he said.

OOOOOO

"You never learn, do you?" He'tef chided as he turned around to face the human who'd appeared behind him. "I know your species is young but we learned a long time ago that no one can save the entire galaxy alone."

Christopher Pike swallowed as he straightened in his yellow uniform tunic, staring at the sparkling monument behind them. "Arax VI," he whispered.

"Not bodily this time, Christopher; only in your mind," He'tef replied kindly.

The Araxian placed his hands on the captain's shoulders and spread his long fingers. "There is something you should see," he said enigmatically.

They vanished from the face of the green and luminous continent of Arax VI and reappeared next to two still forms, surrounded by a small crowd of people on Circusia.

Chris felt his mouth go dry as he saw himself holding hand with the young and terrified empath. He remembered now; she had been shot. He had tried to help.

"Sometimes, when people ask for help, they do not know what they are asking of others," He'tef explained sadly.

Pike turned to the alien, startled by the revelation. "We said goodbye but you never left, did you?" he asked, his tone of voice somewhat accusatory.

"It is-," He'tef began wearily, "-complicated."

Chris tilted his head upwards and leveled his eyes with the tall Araxian's purple ones. "I am not someone's pet," he protested.

He'tef shook his head. "No, Christopher," he replied seriously. "You are somewhat of an enigma, or a courier, if you will. You brought us here to find our missing children."

"Teelar?" Pike asked curiously. "But how?"

"When He'to healed you on Arax VI; he gave you part of himself. That part of his lifeforce never left you, even though you left our planet. That's why I said you didn't need to come here to contact us in the future," he explained. "When this young woman nearly gave up her own life in order to save yours, she awakened the dormant lifeforce deep within you."

Pike smirked, still skeptical as to what He'tef was explaining to him.

"Now, Ka'Teelar is afraid of her gifts. She has seen friends die because they used those gifts at the hospital. She is inexperienced and she lacks guidance and training to master her true potential."

Chris sighed; he didn't like where this conversation was going.

"She considers you a friend. To her, you represent hope of a better future. At the same time, she knows you do not possess healing powers; still she projects her pain onto you in a desperate attempt to hold on to her life."

OOOOOO

Ka'Teelar stared at the alien in disbelief. "Who are you?" she whispered in a quivering voice. "What are you?"

"I believe the only way to answer that is to say that I am your forefather," he replied kindly. "You left so long ago that the bonds have been severed."

"How did you find me?" she asked in awe.

"You called – I understand you have called out before but we couldn't hear you. When you healed Christopher, you awakened the lifeforce within him. You do not possess the power to heal such extensive injuries on your own; it would have killed both of you."

"The lifeforce of Arax," Ka'Teelar whispered. "But it is a myth. Something my great grandmother mumbled when she was about to pass away."

He'to shook his head. "No, my child. It is very real," he insisted. "But you have travelled so very far from your planet that, without an intermediary such as Christopher, you would never be able to reach it."

"My ancestors have always travelled the galaxy, they called themselves travelers," Ka'Teelar whispered. "They left our mothership in waves, colonizing planets along the way."

He'to watched the small framed woman as she fondly recited her heritage – what she knew of it. A tear escaped her eye and a faint smile creased her lips.

"We were amongst the last to leave. The ship broke apart and all of those who understood how it worked had long perished. Forgive me, but I find it hard to understand where you are and how this is possible."

He'to nodded seriously. "In time, all will be explained to you. When disaster hit Arax VI we launched our fleet in search for something better – your ancestors were among those souls. Most of us entered stasis, hoping to wake up to a better place."

"You survived," she marveled. "And found a better place."

He'to shook his head. "Not necessarily better; only different," he said.

"There are more of our species out there?" she asked, daring to hope again.

The doctor smiled. "Several thousands," he replied kindly.

Exhausted Ka'Teelar slumped her shoulders and sank to her knees, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks. "Home," she whispered fondly. "Home still exists."

OOOOOO

"Wow," Chris cautioned as he held up his hand. He looked thoughtful and suspicious as he turned his full attention back to He'tef. "Tell me – and I want the truth this time – why do you wish to keep tabs on me?"

"Please, Christopher," He'tef began exasperated as he carefully steepled his fingers before him.

Pike stared at the Araxian resolutely.

"The lifeforce was given to you for protection and as a way of saying that we were sorry," He'tef finally revealed.

Pike's interest piqued at that. "For protection against what?" he pushed. However, deep down he already knew the answer to that. The Araxians were not bound by time the way he was. "Do you believe that something will happen to me in the future?"

The Araxian studied him enigmatically for a moment, a faint smile on his pale lips. "That is for you to decide, Christopher," he finally said.

"So, you know," Pike marveled. "Just like you knew Michael Burnham would make it into the future? How is that possible?"

"It is-," He'tef began hesitantly.

"-complicated?" Pike asked dryly.

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic," The Araxian explained.

Pike nodded with a faint smirk. "The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible," he cited. "Arthur C. Clark."

"There have been many iterations over the centuries," He'tef replied. "I am not immortal. I am of flesh and blood, just like you. This form of me will eventually die; every living thing will. What I am trying to say is that it doesn't mean everything has to come to an end. Given your upbringing you should understand that, and you should also realize that the interpretation of things differs, depending on how perceptive you are of the subject."

"He'tef," Pike called. "Stop talking in riddles."

"I shall repeat myself. Your future is for you to decide," he replied kindly.

OOOOOO

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