"Mama?" the young boy asked, his eyes full of curiosity. "Are you sure I'm Papa's kid? Uncle Sabin looks more like Papa than I do. Is Uncle Sabin Papa's kid?"
The woman he had addressed smiled and kneeled down to talk to five year old boy face to face. "Uncle Sabin is your father's brother. They are twins, so of course they look alike," she explained gently.
"Twins? But, Papa's… Papa! How can he have a brother? He's an adult," the child complained.
"Well, Lance, even adults were children once, too. Everyone is born a baby. But they grow up, and turn into adults," she answered. "And besides, you do look a lot like your father."
The boy shrugged. "I dunno. My hair is brown, and my eyes are brown. Papa doesn't have brown hair or brown eyes. Neither do you."
The woman sighed. "Well, no, we don't. But, my father had hair the same color as yours. And eyes. And besides, your chin, and your nose- they look just like your father's!"
The little boy scratched his head. "So, if Grandpa had brown hair, why do you have green hair? Actually, no one has green hair besides you. Are you special or something?"
The woman wasn't sure how to reply. "Well… everyone is special, in some way. We're all unique. But the thing is, the important things about us are very similar."
The boy looked satisfied with her answer. She sighed in relief, grateful not to have to elaborate.
"Come on, Lance," she said quietly. "Let's get going. We have some errands to finish up."
END FLASHBACK
Hunk was helping someone carry a large box onto the transport ships. The man, who had introduced himself as Sabin, was very large and strong. He was well over 6 feet tall, and bulging with muscles, even at his mature age. His strength easily put Hunk to shame.
"So, how's it goin'?" Hunk asked, his voice a little tight from the exertion.
"Can't complain," Sabin replied. "Glad to be getting out of here. I don't care where we go, as long as it's not here."
Hunk grunted in agreement. "Yea, I bet it was awful bein' here. You're all just lucky you survived Zarkon's original attack. He's got a nasty streak a light year long."
Sabin smirked. "Yea, I guess we are. Just a couple people died that day. My brother, and his son."
"Ouch. Sorry," Hunk said, embarrassed. "That's a pretty bad day."
Sabin shrugged, which caused the weight to shift awkwardly. "It was worse for my sister-in-law though. She was completely devastated. But, I know Edgar, my brother, would be happy to know that we're all getting out of here now. He'd be glad to know he didn't sacrifice himself in vain." Sabin grunted as he tried to rebalance the weight, but it was to no avail. "We'll have to sit this down a second to try to readjust," he said to Hunk.
Raya was pulling Lance through the crowds, when she suddenly stopped. She turned to two men carrying a huge box. Hunk and the other man sat it down to rest for second. Raya turned and ran towards them.
"Sabin! Sabin!" she shouted. "Guess who's here!"
The man she addressed, Sabin, was wiping the sweat off his face with a handkerchief, so didn't look up. "If it's not someone with a forklift, I'm not interested."
Raya stopped short. "Oh, okay, no problem," she said sweetly. "Come on, Lance, your uncle has no time for his long lost nephew."
Sabin laughed. "Ha ha, Raya, very funny." He put his handkerchief back in his pocket, and turned to the two.
His jaw dropped, and he wasn't quite sure what to say. "Umm- I … uh," he stammered.
Lance took a step forward and smiled somewhat nervously. "Uncle Sabin?" he asked, somewhat hopefully.
Sabin's eyes began to water. He grabbed Lance in a bear hug and squeezed him hard. "My goddess, I can't believe it's really you!" he whispered, his voice choking on his tears. "I thought you- and… but, you're… then…!"
Lance's face was turning blue from lack of oxygen. "Uh, Sabin, if you don't let him go, he will be dead soon," Raya said, pulling the two apart.
"Oh, right, sorry. I forget my own strength sometimes," Sabin said. He reached a hand behind his head and scratched sheepishly. "I'm kinda' a little overwhelmed."
Lance gasped for breath. "Yea, me too," he said. "I can't believe you're all okay!"
Sabin snorted. "You think a little thing like the end of the world could do me in?" he asked with a laugh.
"I should've known better," Lance admitted.
"Wow, this is amazing!" Hunk exclaimed. "They think you're dead, you think they're dead, but everyone's really okay! What a great reunion!"
"Have you seen your mom yet?" Sabin asked. "She's going to scream when she sees you!"
Lance shook his head. "We were just on our way there," Lance explained.
Sabin looked at the big box on the ground. "I'll get this loaded onto the ship, and then come meet you at your mom's place," he said. "I'll be as quick as I can. You better hurry though. You're mom… this will mean a lot to her."
"Right!" Raya exclaimed, taking Lance's arm and pulling him off again.
FLASHBACK
The woman was sleeping soundly next to her husband when the explosions began. She sat bolt upright immediately and jumped out of bed. Her husband was beside her in a flash, rummaging through the closet for a robe to throw over his pajamas.
The woman threw a cape on and ran downstairs to her son's room. The young boy was screaming as the bombs dropped around their home.
"Mama!" he screamed as she pulled him out of bed and carried him outside. She ran barefoot into the sand with the boy, her husband close behind her. "Mama! What's happening?"
"I don't know yet," she said through heavy breaths. "We have to get to safety."
"Get all the civilians into the basement!" her husband commanded a passing a guard. "Rouse all the guards and soldiers and prepare for battle!"
The woman ran toward someone she recognized, a tall blonde woman dragging a young girl with her through the confusion.
"Celes!" she cried to her friend. The blonde came running over to her. "Celes! Take Lance and Raya and get to the caves! We'll cover things here," she said, handing the frightened boy over.
"But, don't you need my help?" the blonde protested.
"Yes," the woman said, her eyes completely serious. "I need your help getting my son to safety."
The blonde nodded and began to run off.
"Wait," the woman's husband called. He handed a small sword the boy. "Take this. Protect yourself and your allies."
The boy began to sniffle. "I don't want to leave you," he whined helplessly.
The woman ripped a pendant from around her neck and placed it in the boy's hand. "As long as you have this, I will always be with you," she promised him.
END FLASHBACK
Raya stopped in front of a small house near the back of the encampment. By this time, Alura and Keith had caught up to her and Lance. She knocked anxiously on the door and proceeded inside.
"Lady Terra!" she called out.
A woman, about 45 years old, with pale green hair, gentle blue eyes, and a sad, yet beautiful face, turned to them.
"Yes, Raya?" she asked, her voice calm and emotionless.
"Lady Terra! You'll never believe this! It's-"
"Mama!" Lance interrupted, overcome at seeing his mother for the first time in 15 years.
The woman dropped the vase in her hand, not even noticing the crash as it shattered on the ground.
"Lance?" she asked, her voice a half-whisper. "Is it really you?"
She took a few steps toward him and placed her hands on his face. "It really is you!"
Lance smiled, his eyes filled with joy. "Yes, Mama, it is me."
The woman's eyes filled with tears and she fell to her knees. "Lance!" she cried. "I thought I had lost you forever!"
Lance held her hands and tried to comfort her. "Mother, it's okay. Everything is fine now. I… I thought I had lost you all. It's so amazing to see you again."
The woman looked up at her son, biting her lip to hold back the sobs. "Yes, it is okay now," she repeated. She brought her hands to her face and gasped. "This is amazing. We finally have regained our freedom- and now, we have our King too!"