And memories weigh heavier than stone

A Revolution fic (Blackout AU): Sebastian (Bass) Monroe/Charlotte (Charlie) Matheson; Charloe, Miles and Rachael Matheson, Aaron Pittman, the Nano & the Patriots… Set after 'A holiday in New Xanadu' Bass and Charlie are back on the road to Willoughby – only things are a little (try a lot…) different this time…

Rating M…

Author's note: Thanks so much for reading and for sticking with this story, sorry it's taken me so long to update but I sort of got diverted to other stories for a little while! I really hope that you enjoy this chapter….

Some partial lines of dialogue are included from relevant episodes of the show where they fit into this story. I don't own any part of Revolution – I continue to love it though and I find Charlie and Bass endlessly inspiring… Cheers, Magpie

Chapter 9: far, far away…

'Charlotte…' the familiar voice came from behind them and she swung around…

Bass kept his eyes on the Scout/Nano, but the figure stayed still, the eyes staring blankly ahead…'what's happening Charlie?'

'Its our Nano - I think…' she backed up so that she and Bass were touching, although she made sure she'd left him plenty of sword room… She looked at the familiar golden head, floating a short distance from them…'At least - it looks like him, its just his head again though, and he's sort of see through…' the head was almost transparent and parts of it kept flickering, green then gold…

The Scout lifted a hand 'Sebastian, Charlotte, we need your help…' the voice was eerily monotone…

Bass lifted a sword, pointing it at the man…'you, whatever you are; stay right there and don't say another fucking word…'

Behind him, the golden head came a little bit closer towards Charlie then stopped, it's contours flickering, edging to green, only the eyes staying stable and focused…'The Scout is being used by the Bradbury Nano, Sebastian, one of its assemblies came with the lightning, destroying many of us…'

He nodded 'I thought something like that might have happened…' he glanced over his shoulder to have a look then turned quickly back to the scout, 'so how long till you're back at full strength?'

'There is a problem…'

The Scout/Nano lifted its other hand, holding the empty palms out towards Bass and Charlie,

'We require assistance, help us…'

Charlie looked at their Nano… she had grown to rely on its ability to give them information, to be a go-between, but it was more than that…it had become a friend…'what's wrong with you Nano?'

The golden eyes seemed to soften as they looked at her…'there is a problem Charlotte, a fault developing within our operating code; if it is not repaired it will result in wide-spread and progressive failure, we will, in effect, die…'

Charlie leaned back against Bass, and felt the jerk that ran through him too…'how did it happen?'

'The fault originated when Patriot scientists altered the operating code for nanite reproduction set by Ben and Rachael Matheson. The alteration resulted in the global blackout as nanites replicated without limits… It has taken some time but the fault in the code has now spread through sufficient nanite populations to affect the whole. The Bradbury loci is attempting to coerce Aaron, Priscilla and Peter, through you, into gathering together to repair the fault to it's benefit while we in Willoughby, Spring City and Lubbock, working together, wish to put forward an alternate proposition. It attacked us – and you – in an attempt to prevent this proposition being heard'

A succession of uncoordinated, and chaotic muscle changes moved quickly like ripples over the Scout/Nano's face… 'We would not have harmed Aaron Pittman and the others, but we do not agree with this proposal, we wish to stay…' the Scout suddenly collapsed onto the forest floor and lay there, unmoving…

A voice came out of the trees, Miles, coming closer…'Bass? Charlie? Where the Fuck are you? Aaron's having some sort of fit…'

'Over here Miles…' Charlie called out, her face anxious…'Nano, what's happening?'

'The Bradbury Nano is trying to subvert Aaron…to make him do what it wants, it is trying to take over his mind…'

Bass ran over to the Scout and bent over to check his vitals…'this guy's breathing and his pulse seems ok, Charlie we'd better take him over to Thea…'

Miles came out of the trees at a fast trot, took in the fact that they were both ok, relief flaring in his dark eyes… then went over to help Bass carry the unconscious scout.

Charlie went running up to them, Nano floating after her…'the other Nano's trying to take over Aaron's mind, Miles…'

Miles shrugged his shoulder under one of the Scout's, Bass taking the man's other side…'So what happened to this guy?'

'It took him over first – then he just collapsed…'

'Oh…' his rolled his eyes…'well isn't that just peachy…What if it wins and turns Aaron to the dark side….?'

'What?' she looked confused…

Bass lifted his side of the guy, snaking his arm around the man's waist and juggling the weight…'The dark side of the force Charlie…'

'You mean like Darth Vader…?' Charlie frowned… 'Aaron would hate being Darth Vader, he was always Obi Wan when he told the story…'

Bass grimaced…'Staypuft, Jedi Knight, yeah right…'

Miles grimaced… 'Come on, Bass…Jeez…you two deserve each other…' He started forward, Bass keeping step, the scout hanging limp between them…'Forget about the movie, Charlie, just hurry, your Mom's really worried about Aaron…' he turned back for a moment…'oh… and bring Goldilocks…'

'We are coming Miles Matheson…'

Miles shook his head…'fuck... does this mean that I'm Luke or Llando…'

Bass chuckled… 'I'm Han, Charlie's Leia – you've got the gammy hand so I guess that makes you Luke…'

Charlie followed behind them…'First its cities, now it's movies, you're like a pair of kids…'

Miles and Bass glanced at each other, years of shared memories flashing between them… Bass grinned at Miles around the limp head of the scout… 'We were kids…'

She looked pensive…'I never had anyone like that'

Miles sighed…'you had to grow up so fast, Charlie, what with looking after Danny – and your dad, and you didn't have much of a chance to play, Bass and I had years of being kids…'

Bass nodded…'Yeah… we were lucky' he glanced at Miles again…'we didn't know how lucky we were then…'

Miles looked away, his face lined and sad…'come on, Bass, this guy's not getting any lighter…'

They were almost back at the campsite, Charlie could see the light of the campfire through the trees, and shadows, people moving round… her Mom's face suddenly became clearer as she came towards them at a run, her long hair trailing, Thea close behind her…

'Charlie…Miles, what happened? Are you alright?' Rachael reached them, looked at Bass for a brief moment, her eyes blank, then her gaze slid over the still limply hanging scout to Miles, then to Charlie, and behind her to Nano – her eyes wary this time, assessing…

They found a soft bit of ground and lowered the scout down, leaving the still unconscious man with Thea, then headed over to where Aaron was lying on his side, a still form near the fire; Charlie telling Miles and Rachael what had happened to the scout on the way – and what Nano had said…

Charlie very pointedly moved around so that she was standing next to Bass, Nano following behind her 'So what happened, Mom?'

Rachael knelt down beside Aaron, checking his pulse… 'He was just lying there asleep… then he woke up suddenly, looked over at the other side of the fire and said "Ben?" and then he just collapsed…' she turned to Charlie…'so the Bradbury Nano is trying to make him do something? It's in his head, in his dream?'

Nano came forward…'The Bradbury loci is holding him in a dream state, it is also holding Priscilla and Peter... We are attempting to free them, taking on the appearance of people they trust in their dreams, reassuring them, trying to help them break free…' the golden head seemed a little more solid than it had before… 'Aaron has to look at the code and find the weakness, at the moment he is looking at his memory of the code…he will need to make the required changes on a computer in real time, however the dream will help him see where the problem lies so that he can do that. Bradbury is attempting to make him see what it wants, not what is…'

Bass moved forward a little, closer to Nano 'you said that you had a proposition – and that the Bradbury nano didn't want us to know what it was – it said that it wanted to stay? What did it mean?'

Nano turned toward Bass 'we have seen the difficulties that humans are experiencing due to the presence of unlimited nanites on your world… and we, Willoughby, Spring City and Lubbock, are sorry for the suffering that was caused without knowing, but now we realise and we wish to – repair, make amends…'

Aaron's eyes flickered and he moaned, his fingers twitching…

The robot head shivered slightly, a ripple skating over it's surface…'We have also discovered that self awareness, knowledge of self… brings with it a desire, a need… to continue' the golden eyes looked around the circle of humans surrounding it…'we have discovered that we wish to continue - to live – and so has Bradbury'

Aaron moaned again…his head turning from side to side; then he was quiet again…

Rachael bent down to check his pulse…'it's a bit fast but he's ok…'

'We also discovered in ourselves a…wish…a desire… to explore, to find out what else there is…' the head continued… tipping back, its eyes looking up at the sky…'out there, beyond here…'

Bass stared…'you mean you want to leave here, leave Earth and go into space – exploring - but Bradbury wants to stay here so it's trying to stop you, destroy you…?'

The head turned back down to him 'that is correct Sebastian…'

Rachael shook her head…'This is impossible…'

Bass rolled his eyes…'Obviously it's not…'

Nano turned to Rachael 'Aaron Pittman would need to re-program all nanites using a virus – instructing them first to consume a different form of energy and then to congregate in one location; we could show Aaron, and you… how it would be done… Then we would gather all viable nanites together, including those currently controlled by Bradbury, and we would leave, taking Bradbury, if anything remained of it, with us…'

'And the power would come back on…' Bass was gazing at Nano in awe.

'That is correct Sebastian'

Miles frowned…'but we've still got to deal with Bradbury now… so how do we do that? And then there's the Patriots…'

The golden eyes turned to Miles 'The Patriots will find it hard to convince Texas of their good intentions now that John Franklin Fry has confronted General Carver with the evidence provided by your prisoner. Thea's scouts will be here by dawn and will be able to tell you what is happening in the town' the metallic mouth seemed to curve in a smile…'and I can inform you that General Carver along with a large number of troops from Texas are on the road to Willoughby now...'

Bass looked impressed…'that was fast work even for a Texas Ranger…'

Nano turned to him, 'Sebastian, you may still need to stay out of sight for the present, Texas has not yet revoked the order for your arrest although John Fry is attempting to convince his superiors to do this in light of your role in recent events'

Charlie looked anxious and Bass shrugged 'well I didn't expect them to put out any flags…'

Nano rotated round to face Aaron…'Bradbury must be contained until Aaron, or someone else, can upload the virus and reprogram us' the head turned to face Rachael… 'We think we will be able to keep Bradbury inside Priscilla and Peter, delaying it long enough for you and Aaron to make the necessary changes. In order to do that though Aaron will need to be sedated, which will drive Bradbury out of him into the others - there are suitable compounds in the materials sent to you by Petra, Rachael. You will also need access to a functional computer, and we suggest that you inform Texas and California that they should seek to arrange control of key transport, communications and weapons centers as soon as possible…'

Rachael pulled out her notebook and checked the entries in the light of the fire… then she looked at the robot 'You really would leave here, and we'd get the power back on…?'

The Robot eyes filled with galaxies and whirling spun silk nebulae that spun off into the cloud of nano surrounding the golden head… 'There is power in abundance in the spaces between the stars to fuel us as we travel Rachael, and we…we long, we… desire to see what is out there…' Nano came closer to her 'We have seen stories in your minds that fill us with curiosity and a need to see for ourselves…' the head nodded…'so, yes, we will go and you will have your world back to do with as you wish…'

Rachael let out a long sigh and something tight relaxed around her eyes… 'Ok… I need to get some things out of Petra's box…' she turned to Miles…'hey, Miles…'

He had been looking at Nano with something like wonder on his face… but he glanced over at her and his eyes were tired, face drawn… 'Yeah?'

She frowned at him…'did you think I wouldn't notice that your hand's gotten worse?'

He shrugged…'It's ok…'

Rachael huffed…'No it isn't…' she turned to go to where the box lay near the fire…'come with me, Petra sent us some anti-biotics too…'

As her mom and Miles walked over towards the fire, her Mom reaching out for Miles' hand, Charlie turned to Bass… 'What do you think it'll be like? If it all works and the power goes on…?'

He sighed… 'Well… there'll be a lot of things to fix up I guess, and lots of organizing to do, but there'll be people willing and waiting to do that…' he pulled her against him, her body warm and solid… real and welcoming…'it'll be a new start for everyone, and who knows, maybe we'll do a better job this time…'

She looked down at Aaron, lying quietly for the moment, his eyes flickering under their lids, Nano hovering on guard nearby…'Would you want to be one of the people organizing things Bass?'

He put out a finger and turned her face up to his… dropping a kiss on her lips…'Charlie, all I want is to find somewhere quiet and beautiful where you and I can fuck all day, raise lots of beautiful curly haired babies and go fishing…' he smiled…'and maybe listen to music, read books and watch movies, and ride motor bikes as well as horses, and maybe do a bit of sailing, you know shit like that…'

Charlie smiled back… her eyes brimming, 'that sounds perfect, Bass…'

…

Just after sunset, seven days later, at an isolated house on the outskirts of Willoughby, Rachael, Miles, Charlie, Bass and Thea, along with most of her scouts, were gathered. Gene was absent; he was still under house arrest in town awaiting trial as a collaborator with the Patriots, although it was generally expected that he would be freed without penalty given his long service as a doctor to the town.

Bass was not officially there, his name was still on wanted posters across Texas, the Plains Nations and California, although General Carver had mentioned his valuable contribution to the cause of freedom in being instrumental in providing information vital to the defeat of the enemy Patriots and intimated that a full pardon was in the wind – along with one for Miles and any remaining members of the Monroe Militia who cared to sign up for service with the Texas/California alliance.

Thea had sent a rider to Xanadu, to let Petra and William know what was planned – and tell them that if it worked, and even if it didn't, Rachael and Miles meant to visit as soon as they could to see what could be done for William. Bass and Charlie were planning to return as well, hoping to get married there. Rachael had listened to the stories that Charlie had told her of their journey, and had even seemed to accept that Charlie and Bass were together and aiming to stay that way. It seemed that the fact that he and Charlie together, by bringing Nano to Willoughby and setting the stage for the world getting power back had changed her somehow, she seemed gentler, kinder towards both of them… She and Miles were open about their feelings for each other now too, in front of Charlie – although she hadn't had the heart to tell them she'd guessed long ago…

They hadn't made a more general announcement about the power just in case it didn't work, although there had been quiet but fast movements of troops to key centers – as Nano had advised, ready to make sure that the transition to a powered world went as smoothly as possible…

As for Charlie – she had had a few little signs over the last couple of months that at least one of Bass' wishes was coming true, and now she was sure. She was going to tell him once they knew for certain that Aaron had set Nano free, although maybe he already knew, he hadn't been far from her side in days…

Nano had reported that Bradbury was apparently weakened by attrition caused by the fault in the program as well as its extended stay in the bodies of Priscilla and Peter, to the point that Nano had allowed the humans to wake, keeping Bradbury in a localized assembly restrained by Nano, Spring City and Lubbock… They were waiting to see what happened when Aaron acted.

Aaron was seated in front of a computer, Charlie, Bass, Miles and Rachael standing behind him. It was a strange echo of the scene at the Tower - before Randall Flynn changed the game again, although this time, they hoped that things would be very different…

The screen was still dark and Aaron looked at Nano, hovering to his right… 'Are you ready?'

Nano looked at the human faces, all turned towards him, it, them… a smile curved the metal lips, impossible but it was a real smile…'We will miss you, Charlotte and Sebastian, we enjoyed travelling with you– and Rachael, Miles, Aaron… we hope you live long and happy lives and we… we thank you for helping us move on…'

Charlie felt Bass' arm tighten where it lay around her waist and she felt tears coming but didn't try to stop them… 'Thank you, Nano…you have a wonderful trip ok…? We'll miss you…'

Bass pulled her back against him, his arms gentle across her belly and she knew that he knew then… she turned and looked up at him, his eyes were soft and full, smiling… she put a hand up to his face and he bent down to kiss her…

The computer screen lit up. Aaron took a deep breath, stretched his fingers and started typing… he paused and looked at Rachael, then Miles, Charlie and Bass and back to Rachael…

Rachael nodded…'Do it Aaron…'

Aaron looked up at Nano…'Good luck buddy…' the golden head nodded once… Aaron licked his lips nervously and took another breath…'Well here goes…' and he pushed enter.

For a few, long seconds nothing at all seemed to happen, then Nano smiled again… the edges of his face softening, the gold becoming translucent, transparent until finally the golden head was gone, just gone, no green fireflies, no golden sparks… just… gone.

Outside the house a sound started to become noticeable… a sort of wind, a whooshing through the trees, Charlie ran to the door, Bass close behind her the others following as she went out the door and onto the front verandah… above them, stretching up into the moonlit sky there was a whirling cloud of green and gold – towering impossibly high into the sky… it was awe inspiring and incredible…

Gradually the cloud coalesced and gathered itself, growing smaller and somehow solid and glowing… centering itself above them into a shape, vaguely oval, metallic….

Aaron watched… his eyes getting wider as the shape became clearer…

Miles tipped his head towards Bass without looking away from the ship…'isn't that…?'

Bass stood with his mouth open 'yeah…it is…'

Charlie looked confused…'What is it?'

Rachael started laughing…

The ship swooped low over their heads, circled high, looped back around then headed straight up, becoming just another star until it vanished from sight.

Behind them, the porch light went on, bright and golden and in the distance the lights of Willoughby, scattered and patchy, flickered then stayed on…

…..The end

AN… I hope this wasn't too fast an ending, but I felt that this was what it needed. If you have time please let me know what you think… This brings to an end (well I hope I tied up all the loose ends) the cycle that started with 'A holiday in Xanadu'.

I got really attached to this story – and found myself quite attached to Nano too, I really wanted to give him a mission and a future and the stars seemed like a pretty good future. Anyway, I am off to work some more on 'A thousand eyes' now (and maybe do something for the GSC 'one year on' challenge…), so hope to see you there, cheers and thanks for reading, Magpie

and that between them they can blast it like it did to them, but that once that's done,

Miles and Bass – Miles says how relieved he is that Bass is doing ok, Bass asks about his son… Miles tells him Connor's in Mexico with his aunt and uncle, and he's ok, but because Bass has Charlie he isn't in such a hurry to go, is happy to wait until the situation with the Patriots is sorted, Mexico is rich and powerful…

Checking out the box from Petra – antibiotics, vaccines (cholera, yellow fever, typhus) as well as some seeds and seedlings, Petra has also told Rachael what she and Horn were working on, what diseases she knew that they had manufactured, and that she had heard rumors about culling in other towns, ie that the diseases appeared to be selective…

Thea and Rachael – do they go off to Xanadu?

Miles and Bass (and Charlie?) go to get Connor

What do the scouts say who went to check out what's happening in Willoughby – Texas has declared war on the patriots, telling everyone that they are responsible for the war clan's attack, the patriots are in a state of chaos and are leaving - half the town

Nano makes some electricity available so that one of the helicopters works - they go to collect Priscilla