Legacy
By Shikasta
Spoilers: Anything's fair game in my view although this is an AU
Disclaimer: The characters of Dark Angel are owned by Twentieth Century Fox Television and Cameron Eglee productions. In laymen's terms: Don't own them but by god I wish I did.
This story is the third part in the Fable universe and follows on from Alec's War.
Chapter Fourteen – Let the games begin
Seattle was quiet, the familiar noises silenced as the citizens converged on the clearing, hollowed out near where Terminal City once stood. Bustling noisily the crowd waited; rumors were being substantiated or rejected by even more rumors and gossip that had taken front and centre in the transgenics daily lives. Everyone knew the transgenic leader could cause a stir but this much commotion was unheard of, until now.
Some believed that Alec may be stepping down, announcing his retirement while others thought he would address the food shortage. Some were hoping he would be telling them of an intended exchange program between 'Logan's Legacy' and Seattle. While others believed he was going to rename the city and even more gossip was generated over exactly what it would be called! What ever the reason and whoever would be able to stand tall and say 'I told you so' they all knew that the reason for the gathering was important, these gatherings always were.
Alec stood in Operations mentally psyching himself up, as much as he relished attention he always found it a little unnerving when he had to stand up in front of his own people. They looked to him for guidance and leadership, reassurance and hope and sometimes he wasn't even sure he had them himself.
"You ready?" Mole asked "the crowd's getting restless."
"I can charm the pants off of anyone, I have a cocky debonair attitude, so why is it the thought of speaking in front of them scare the shit out of me?"
"Because you care what they think and you want them to approve." Stix affirmed.
"I'm going to retire one day on a beach sipping a pina colada."
There was a pause and the three men stared at each other and then burst out laughing "Nah, can't see it" Mole started.
"Neither can I" Alec agreed "time to get this over and done with" he directed walking out of Operations with his entourage in tow.
"You coming to the rally" Fin hollered at Ivy through her open office door, as he whizzed past her office.
"I don't think so" Ivy responded not looking up from her notes. Fin stopped in his tracks and rushed into Ivy's office "not interested in what he has to say?" Fin asked amazed, Ivy was the last person he had expected to blow off an Alec rally especially considering the gossip surrounding those two. Fin had heard from a very reliable source that they used to date and that Ivy has always held a torch for the very fine specimen of a man.
"They reckon he is going to announce his retirement" Fin added.
"Fin, the likelihood of Alec retiring is the same as me willingly performing heart surgery on myself."
"Little overdramatic don't you think?"
"I'm not going, I'll hear about it in the department meeting." She muttered while writing something that her face expressed was terribly important.
"Sure, see you later" and Fin sped on his merry way.
Ivy quickly glanced at the photo on her desk before returning to her notes. She jotted notes busily for a few more minutes before settling her pencil down on the desk. She always wrote with pencil somehow it felt friendlier, pen always appearing to harsh of the stark white paper. She read through her scribbles before placing it in the case file and then averting her eyes to the window and watching the people file pass all a buzz.
She paused before rising from her desk and leaving her office closing the door behind her, she was going to take the opportunity to check inventory while it was quiet.
A hush settled on the crowd, like a Mexican wave, as Alec made his way to the impromptu stage, a slab of concrete hastily erected for the occasion. He leapt up catlike and graceful followed closely by Mole, Stix and Nat. He paused briefly with his back to the crowd and head slightly bowed, taking a deep breath before turning to face his audience.
Some, particularly Mole, had tried to discourage what he was about to do and the possibility of it backfiring was quite high. However, Alec had never wanted the Transgenic Nation to be a dictatorship and he also didn't want his leadership perceived that way. An argument that Mole and the others who had opposed the suggestion accepted warily. He had to make the leadership role available to all transgenics, the thought of him becoming dictator, even unintentionally, was not the plan. If the transgenic nation was going to be democratic then Alec and his cohorts would need to relinquish some control, by holding elections, even if they were transgenic style. The best case scenario would be if no-one challenged, however, that was highly unlikely.
Alec stood tall, the sun illuminating him from behind giving an almost angelic aurora, his chest puffed out slightly making his Alpha status and dominance known. There was no doubt that he was their leader, he was the Alpha male of the pride and he was about to jeopardize all of it voluntarily.
"My fellow transgenics" Alec boomed out across the crowd and the crowd responded with an almighty roar of approval.
"We have suffered, we have died, we have persevered and we are still standing" Alec continued with the crowd cheering thunderously "We defied those who would have us hidden away, their dirty little secret destroyed."
Alec paused for effect and the crowd went wild, if someone hadn't known any better they would have assumed they were at a rock concert.
"We spent four years in the cramped confines of Terminal City saying 'we're here get use to it'. We spent another three years among the rubble of Seattle while it rained artillery but we did not falter and we shouted 'get use to it'.
The crowd nodded agreeing with what was being said.
"Nine years ago we did not 'scatter and go to ground' we chose to make a stand a fight for what humans take for granted. We wanted to chose our own path and decide our own destiny. We had an idea and together as one people we made it a reality"
Ivy hung at the back of the crowd listening to what Alec was saying and she couldn't help cheering along with everyone else, the euphoria intoxicating. She allowed her heart to skip the smallest of beats, her stomach to flutter ever so slightly; she was in awe and still very much in love with the transgenic addressing the crowd. She had walked away from him and their relationship realizing the futility of it all. By day he would search for Max and by night he would enter her bed the ghost of the woman who had united the trangenics haunting her. She couldn't compete she knew that then and she knew it now her words to Max ringing in her ears.
"He always goes back, that's what he's good at." Ivy sighed and turned her attention back to what was being said.
"You trusted my leadership and followed my orders without question from the siege at Terminal City through to the Human/transgenic conflict. Your loyalty was unwavering and I thank you for putting your faith in me to bring us to the light!" Some clapped, some cheered and some wept for those that had died but all admired the man who had delivered them from the darkness.
Ivy's face was solemn remembering the faces of those who died under her care during those difficult times, their wounds to severe to heal. Unaware Ivy had drifted forward into the crowd as if Alec's words beckoned her and she felt the squeeze as the force of the crowd began to crush her, she had a fleeting desire to drown in that sea of transgenics. Max had confused things, confused her, she didn't know what she wanted anymore. Ivy loved Alec, she had never stopped but she had too much respect for Max and her own heart to pursue it longer than she did. She would not hide her head anymore, she would not be ashamed of her feelings and she would not fall into the abyss.
Ivy stared at the stage and at Alec and he met her gaze almost as if he had been hunting her down in the crowd. She would be defiant and was determined to walk away from this mess unscathed. She would have a steely resolve and not give Max or Alec what they wanted. She remembered Layla "I won't become her" she whispered forcefully as she took one last look and then forced her way out of the crowd and out of his life, with Alec looking on.
"For us to be truly free" Alec continued "means that I cannot with good conscious hold this position indefinitely without opening it up to challenge."
The crowd went silent realizing the ramification of what Alec had just said and where this speech of his was going. Ivy paused on the outskirts of the crowd and couldn't help but smile, she was proud of him but it wasn't her place to be, she would never stand up there by his side. Max was the great woman who would be behind the great man, it was Max's place and the spot would remain empty until such time that she came back into the fold. If it weren't for Max, Ivy would be by his side in a heartbeat, she would happily emulate all the previous first ladies that have gone before. Instead she continued walking alone letting the voices slowly drift away into silence and when she had gone far enough she wept for the first and last time.
"There will be a sparring tournament and the overall winner of that tournament will have the right to challenge me for leadership." The crowd applauded.
"This tournament will be held in two weeks and anyone wanting to challenge for leadership must register with Luke prior to then. Pairs will be chosen randomly and the sparring will continue until one gives up or is knocked out. The winner proceeds to the next round."
"Once the leadership has been determined we will stand united towards our common goal behind that leader until the challenge is issued again in four years time. A leader must abide by the rules of the challenge and a leader must issue the challenge by the end of the fourth year."
The crowd buzzed with excitement at the idea of a tournament.
"Finally, to be a challenger you must have the support of at least 100 transgenics of all creeds." Alec paused and the crowd cheered "before we can do this we must have a majority who agree, so a referendum shall be issued and all transgenics shall vote."
He leaned over towards Mole and whispered "time to go" before leaping off his impromptu stage to return back to operations, along the way receiving pats on the back and handshakes from the community.
"So any regrets" Stix asked.
"Part of me hopes their all happy with the job I'm doing so far and nobody will challenge. Part of me hopes they vote 'no' to the referendum" Alec said wistfully.
"You did the right thing" Mole gruffed slapping Alec's back.
"Geez, not so hard" he winced.
"Pretty boy's out of shape, I don't know how you're going to stave off any challengers when you cry at a slap on the back."
"Maybe I should have waited a little longer" Alec responded worried, he wanted freedom but he didn't want some dickhead coming in a making everything, he and everyone else had worked for, sour.
He started to jog away from operations "where are you going?" Mole hollered "Operations is this way" he pointed in the opposite direction to where Alec was heading.
"I'm confident I'll win but it doesn't hurt to get a bit of practice in before the big game" Alec shouted back before continuing on his way and Mole chuckled knowing perfectly well that Alec couldn't be any more prepared for what was going to come, the guy was in his prime. Mole shook his head and entered operations to continue his day and maybe shout at a couple of X's.
"You didn't see that one coming" Francesca whispered teasingly into the ear of her mate.
"Alec's no fool and he knows that my intentions are anything but honorable."
"I know your intentions my love, but what do you think his are. He's playing a dangerous game after all."
"He's hoping I will be brash and reveal my hand, his game plan is to draw me out" Gabriel stated admiringly.
"Will you be brash?"
"I'll bide my time like I always have."
"So what's our next move?" Francesca prodded.
"We try to scuttle this referendum, swing it in our favor, ensure that the notion of 'elections' never becomes real cause if it does it will be a lot harder to take control."
"If that doesn't work?"
"We find a candidate that could possibly beat Alec, slim but not impossible."
"May I suggest a Titan?"
"Too obvious, we need someone dim witted with brut strength that could take out the golden boy. Granted it would be somewhat disappointing, I had always envisaged myself beating him down in front of this grand nation of his."
Gabriel grinned wickedly "but to watch him fall, I'm willing to put aside that little fantasy."
Francesca nibbled on Gabriel's ear in delight "you are so much fun!"
TBC