Don't own Andromeda...
As soon as Doyle entered Command next to her ship's captain, Harper had a huge grin on his face and practically ran to the second android he had made in all his life. On the other side, Dylan held a warn smile on his face and welcomed the Mystery' captain, Lar Kindro.
Kindro was a young man, probably still in his late twenties, with short brown hair and a pair of strange light green eyes. He was quite a good-looking person and was know to have a strange positive effect on most people he met. Rumours back on Tarazed claimed that Kindro was to be the "next Dylan Hunt". And these rumours only made Dylan more curious and eager to meet his so-called "heir".
The first moment he laid eyes on Kindro, he understood why people would call him his "heir": althought they did not resemble each other at all, the youth did carry a strangely mature look… perhaps one much more serious than his age would usually allow. Smiling, the Triumvir held out his hand before the younger man could give him the military salute.
Startled by his gesture, the captain's green eyes glanced puzzled from Dylan's eyes to his extended hand. When the older one slightly nodded his head, Kindro gladly got hold on his right hand and shook it with an endless respect, bowing his head sharply in the same time and causing several strands of his hair to fall in his forehead.
"Sir!"
"Captain Kindro, I have heard of your brave successes and therefor I am honoured to finally meet you."
"Captain… I mean, Triumvir Hunt! On the contrary, I am the honoured one. The news of the war you led against the entity called Abyss have surrounded the Tri-Galaxies thousands of times and they still do. You are a living legend among us." Kindro spoke with enthusiasm and seemed to turn embarrassed by the mistake he had made at the beginning.
"Well then, my job was to keep the Universe safe… Same as yours and the rest of the High Guard's, for that matter."
"Triumvir, me and my fellow officers try to follow your example each day… and hopefully, we'll manage to do so and help the Commonwealth become once again as it was in the past." The captain bowed his head shortly. Dylan tried to hide his smile: the man in front of him was still a boy who knew few of what was hiding out there, in the chaotic vacuum that surrounded the millions of planets, suns and satellites. Still, he could feel that Kindro's intentions were the best and that, with a lot of practice and sacrifices, he could one day become one of the best.
"Well, the Commonwealth is safe for now, as it has been in the past years. However, there are some things still left unsettled."
"Yes… I received a strange request from the Sinti station. They asked me to keep an eye on any Nietzscheean ships that pass our range and verify them." The captain answered somewhat troubled.
"Indeed. I asked them to deliver that order to any Commonwealth ships in this sector." Dylan answered.
"Alright… May I ask why? Ever since the destruction of the Abyss and the discovery of the Nietzscheean Matriarh, we've had no more problems with them. One could say that peace is finally returning to these galaxies."
"Follow me." Dylan said simply and took the lead, going straight for the council room, away from any intruding eyes and persons that might stop him from talking seriously to the younger captain.
"So, what interesting projects have you added to your list?" Doyle joked a bit, looking around Harper's desks and panels in the slipstream core, his favourite place to work.
"Well… nothing much… you know…" he answered in his usually evasive manner, allowing Doyle to understand that not all experiments had been successes.
"Harper?" she still went on, trying to get a clean answer from him and walked right behind him, just the way she used to before leaving Seefra… and Andromeda's crew. Turning around, his lips pressed in a thin line and his cute dimples making themselves visible, he finally confessed.
"Last month I almost deleted Andromeda's AI… again… And two weeks ago I accidentaly set one of the machine-shops on fire… But it was nothing intended, I swear!" the blonde man rose his hand in a funny defensive gesture.
"It's alright, Harper! I believe you." She answered, amused by his antics, and smiled softly. She had missed him and the ship… although…
"Hello Doyle." A voice she knew all-too-well was heard and the blonde avatar turned around, only to meet the Andromeda's dark-haired incarnation.
"Hello Rommie." She answered and Harper could immediately feel a certain vibe coming from both of them. Glancing from one to the other, he couldn't help but praise himself for unconsciously creating what no on else had ever managed: an android with feelings. Yes, although Rommie had gained her feelings during a certain amount of time spent with Andromeda's crew and Doyle had received those feelings once with Rommie's memory core, those two still represented the answer to one of the world's strangest questions: how could machines feel?
"Man, this must be heaven." He sighed and spoke with the usual smirk he usually wore on his face. "I get to see my two favourite ladies in the same room, at the same time." The result was Doyle's small hit in his chest and Rommie's incomplete glare.
"So, why did Dylan request back-up?" Doyle finally broke the ice and Rommie walked right next to her.
"We have a situation." She flatly explained.
"Beka, Rhade and Tamerlan disappeared a couple of days ago, during a mission." Harper sighed deeply again.
"This is serious!" Doyle suddenly became alert.
"And that's not all: apparently Beka suspected something before she left." Harper continued and gazed at Rommie.
"That is correct. Several days before she departed with Rhade and Tamerlan, she asked Dylan for assistance, in case she needed it. She never explained her real thoughts, but he believes that she might have partly known about a surprise attack."
"And why aren't we going to help them?" Doyle stared at the shorter man.
"Because we don't know where they are." Rommie stated simply.
"We were supposed to rendez vous back in Acheron, but they never showed up. We only found an old trail and we followed it."
"That trail and Trance's visions brought us here."
"Trance's? Then, can't she lead us to where they are?" Doyle inquired again. However, when Harper and Rommie glanced at each other for a few seconds, she knew that the situation had gotten worse.
"She's gone." Rommie answered and looked calmly at the blonde avatar, who couldn't believe her ears.
Although several hours had already passed and they still stood inside the beautiful gardens, Lia couldn't take her eyes off the golden avatar. Sure, she had always considered Lunar a beautiful, dark stranger, but the Sun Goddess was just so full of light and life. Her exotic features were the perfect opposite of Lunar's and she seemed incredibly fragile, in spite of the tremendous power she held.
The young girl was currently settled in Lunar's lap and her upper body was leaned as much as possible, so that her small hands could touch the woman's golden skin and trace patterns over her forhead and cheeks. Yes, Lunar had always appeared as an, at least, intriguing person… but the Sun Goddess was absolutely fascinating.
When Lia's fingers reached her ears and entagled themselves in her long reddish hair, Trance couldn't help herself anymore and smiled widely. In response, the child strated giggling and felt Lunar's hands suddenly take hold of her small shoulders.
"Lia, don't be rude to our guest." He asked her, thus quietly apologizing to the solar avatar.
"But she's not a guest. You have known her ever since the beginning of time… and, in some strange way, so have I." The child once again shoked them with her strange language and turned to Trance, who was kindly smiling again.
"Alright, alright, but for now you have to allow her to get reacquainted with us." Ione spoke softly and the girl let out a sigh, but nodded her head. "Then why don't you go and visit the gardens once again. We will be on our soon enough." He suggested and let the girl down from his knees. However, Lia did not run in the gardens until she clung onto Ione's neck, got up and gave him a fast kiss on his right cheek. Turning to her, he smiled and signaled towards the garden. "Go on now." The child smiled and finally did so.
The two remained surrounded by silence, until Lia finally disappeared through the green plants and the multicoloured flowers everywhere.
"So, you have finally found her." Trance turned to Ione and the two found themselves staring into each other's eyes, once again wishing to remain like that for all eternity.
"I missed you." Came his reply, leaving her completely defenseless.
"So have I… but this time was necessary. It was necessary for the people of Tarn Vedra to remain alive, for my Sun to return home… and for Lia to be brought in our time." She responded and once again turned to where the girl had disappeared.
"She's still a child. Are you sure the right thing was done?"
"Dylan does not know about her… and so neither do our enemies. When the Abyss was taken down, none of us knew that old alliances had remained alive all this time. In order for the Commonwealth to grow once again as strong as before, these enemies must be destroyed as well. Otherwise another Worldship could be created and the humanity could find itself in extreme danger again." Trance spoke ona very sad tone, already somehow feeling the sorrow yet to come.
"But Lia is so young…"
"Yes… but she had the key to our survival. In the past, Dylan was trapped in a black hole for 300 years, he was then forced to create a new Commonwealth… and now he must assure its future, along with the entire humanity's."
"And he will… We must give him credit for all that had passed and believe in him as strong as we always had." Ione nodded his head determined and a long moment of silence followed.
"It was also my fault. Centuries ago I believe that only the Lambent Kith Nebulae had the answers. I understood my mistake too late." She closed her eyes and allowed a small and priceless tear to fall down her cheek. Suddenly, she felt a shield of cold surrounding her and a set of lips kissing that tear away. Opening her eyes, she met Ione's figure only a breath away.
"We had all been mistaken… and trapped with no way out… until now." He spoke and extended his palms.
"When we finally have a way out… the way we need." She took hid hands into hers and both of them looked to the middle of the garden, where a ten-year-old child stood in the rich green grass. She was looking up at the holographic ceiling, which showed a beautiful blue sky, with several puffy clouds here and there. Unlike other children, who pointed their chubby fingers at the fake sky and giggled happily at the sight of each cloud, Lia watched the slow movements with uncaring eyes, as if she were an adult who knew exactly what kind of "magic" produced those clouds.
It was pretty dark outside due to the early morning hour and Beka was counting on Rhade's improved vision. Both the Matriarh and the young heir exited their room behind the Nietzscheean Admiral, careful not to make a sound and allow the man to do his job. In an instant, Rhade attacked the two guards and, before one of them could make a sound, killed them merciless. As soon as Beka understood his rage, she covered the young teenager's eyes with both her hands, not allowing him to whitness the exact moment of the guards' deaths.
Many times before, the Admiral had argue her for being so overprotective with Tamerlan, but Beka had always sent him to various places and ended the discussion soon after. She knew that Tam had to mature fast, considering the heritage that was waiting for him, but she also didn't want him to learn that everything could be solved in the last moment by killing. She knew that sometimes not even herself believed in such a pacific way of life, but she had seen Dylan successfully practice methods that harmed no one, at least not physically, and therefor, she wanted Tam to have the ability of dealing with his future enemies without necessarilly killing them in the process.
When Rhade turned to signal them that the coast was clear, she unfolded her fingers from Tam's head and made a face when she saw the Admiral's disapproving look. However, the boy took her hand in his and smiled almost thankful. This was his own way to inform her that he had accepted her decisions. Beka simply nodded again and proceeded in following the Nietzscheean.
Several minutes later, when they were a breath away from their escape, all the lights inside the large house were suddenly turned on and the unfortunate trio got trapped once again, before even having enjoyed a moment of freedom.
"My, my… it seems that you haven't found my accomodation too enjoyable… have you?" none other that Pish Tryan's voice was heard, making Rhade curse inside his mind all the gods he could think of. They turned around and saw the old Collector standing proud right in front of the large house. As usual, he did not carry a gun, something for which the Admiral considered him a complete fool, but the soldiers around them did and that proved to be more than enough as a threat. However, the look on Pish's face was more than enraged. 'They had almost got away.' He walked to the trio and watched them. "Shall I take it that an escape was your idea?" he tried to keep his anger in place while speaking to the Nietzscheean Matriarh. "Only a fool who has spent too much time with Dylan Hunt could have possibly come up with such a plan."
"Don't you dare speak to her like that!" Rhade ordered and took several steps towards the Collector, only to be trapped by three guards. "You have no right!" he struggled with no chance to free himself.
"I would suggest you calm down, Admiral Rhade, before the woman and the child suffer any wounds due to your recklessness. Take them inside… and keep Rhade here for the moment. I have a special treat for him." He ordered and Beka was already being pushed back towards the mansion, with Tam's hand clinging onto hers. Pish sent Rhade another malefic glare and then proceeded back to the house himself, leaving the Nietzscheean with the other set of soldiers.
"You really think I wouldn't be strong enough to protect Tamerlan?" Beka wondered out loud with disgust inside her voice. The boy suddenly looked up at her, with wide-opened eyes. She had used one of their distress signals. However, the Matriarh turned completely away from him, eyeing the Collector who was walking less than several feet behind them, and stopped abruptly. Leaning to her right side, she hit with all her strength one of the guards, fastly managing to dodge the second soldier's attack. "Tam, run!" she shouted and hit the second guard, already having noticed that the first soldier was starting to wake up. Tamerlan did not wait to be told a second time, and disappeared back inside the house, on the only free route.
Unfortunately for Beka, after several more hits, other Nietzscheeans appeared out of nowhere and got hold of her. With her lower lips already bleeding and several bruises on their way to appearing on her pale skin, the Matriarh felt a deeper pain: Tam. He had run back inside the house and if he did not manage to escape quickly, he would be found once again. However, when a strong light emerged from the mansion and Pish's eyes widened with fear, Beka knew they hadn't been the only ones held hostage inside that place…
"Tam, run…" were the last words she spoke before falling into a deep state of unconsciousness.
The young boy found himself running inside the mansion not knowing where he was or where he was running to. He was in a state of shock and he was doing his best at remaining calm. He took numerous turns, already hearing the guards following his tracks. He ran faster, until he suddenly found himself in front of a strange set of stairs, going right below the ground level. It appeared to lead to the house's basemenet, which was most probable drowned in darkness. And still, there was something about the air below that called out to Tam's senses. He felt that there was something down there which could offer him protection… something… or someone…
Without a second thought, the boy walked down the stairs in a rush. He could still hear the noises not far behind him as he kept climbing down, further and further away. The sensations he was feeling resembled those he usually passed through when Trance played hide and seek with him. It was as if, even he was to be found, it wasn't a bad thing. He couldn't quite explain it, but the atmosphere inside the underground reminded him of the Vedran Sun's avatar.
Strangely enough, the found the basement one large set of hallways, perfectly illuminated. It looked ackward, but the boy still left the stairs and walked further away. He could see many doors opened… and one, only one, hidden in the far end, closed. Curiosity took over him and he carefully walked towards that specific door. He reached right in front of it and rose his hand, grabbing the handle and slowly turning it.
"Milord!" the Nietzscheeans had finally caught up with him. The boy gave them only a second-lasting glare. "Milord, don't go in there! A great danger lies within that room! We beg of you, do not enter that room!" the man's voice brought even more disgust inside the youth's thoughts. Nietzcsheeans were not allowed to beg!
In spite of the guards' presence, Tamerlan turned the handle completely and opened the door, entering the darkness which hid behind it one moment later.
Frightened, the soldiers looked at each other and silently decided, several moments later, to follow the teenager. They approached the now partly opened door, pushed it further away and entered the darkness as well. They expected anything to lie inside that place: a monster, a ruthless killer, even the ghost of Drago Museveni himself… everything but not what was actually held in there.
They barely managed to catch a glimpse of Tam's still body. He was standing in front of a large wood chair, unmoved, almost breathless, staring at whatever was sitting on that piece of furniture. In the madness that followed, only the sound of iron hitting wood could be distinguished.
The multitude of pictures entered both Trance and Ione's minds at an almost painful speed. Both of them gasped at the sudden contact, as images of Beka and Rhade, both standing in the way of a huge light wave took over their attention.
"What is it?" Lia's worried voice woke them up and made them stare at her. "What happened?" she walked to them and demanded. "Is it the Prince? Has something happened to him?"
"No… it's not him…" Ione answered, still trapped inside the day-dream.
"Beka… and Rhade…" Trance spoke in the same manner.
"The Queen and her champion." Lia said and forced Trance to sent her a puzzled look. It seemed that the girl-child had chosen nick-names for Andromeda's entire crew. It was strange and yet incredibly familiar in the same time. Although she had been raised several years inside this Universe, Lia held onto her true Universe's principles and ways of life with a death grip. The child probably considered her journey a field trip of some kind. It was curious, but it meant that this way the child could keep her mind sane and not go mad.
"Yes." Ione nodded his head, before the sun princess could say anything else. She looked at the moon avatar, Lunar, as the girl had named him, and felt a sudden calm take over her soul. She had no idea how he could influence her moods like this, but everytime she was scared of something, he could always offer her the calm and peace she required, in order to think her way out of that certain situation. She smiled as a "thank you" and Ione knew that he would treasure that smile until the end of time… just the way he did with all the memories they shared together.
"Are we going to save them? Are we going to save the prince too?" the child restlessly asked as she glanced from one avatar to the other.
"Yes, the time has indeed come." Trance bowed her head and her eyes never left Ione's.
"Come on then! We must be prepared to meet the evil warriors." Lunar finally took his sight from her and turned to the blonde child who was already grinning. He opened his arms, just in time to receive Lia's body crashing into his.
"Finally… I will finally get to see my brother…" the girl whispered happy, as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the moon avatar's embrace.
I really hope my chapters make sense 'sigh'
In the end, special thanks to my only reviewers: ilexia and the one. As for the rest of my readers: R&R!!!!