A/N: Thanks for the reviews.
Guest- Kara will be sharing her experience with her sister, but it will take her a while to get her head round it. Kara and MJ will also have a long talk after they get back to Earth.
"What happened?" The older Alex asked as she sat down opposite her sister.
"Something in the crystal made me unlock a memory."
"What memory?"
"Technically it was a message, from Fels. He hid it in my head some time before he died. Whatever I touched must have triggered it."
"Why did he hide it rather than telling you?" Alex asked.
"He didn't want to put me in danger." Kara said sounding as confused as Alex felt.
"You want to talk about what you saw?" Alex asked.
"Yes, but just give me a few minutes." Kara replied. "I just need a moment."
"Take as long as you need." Alex said as the door opened and Fels' mother walked into the room.
"Are you hurt?" She asked Kara.
"No. I don't think so."
"Do you know what happened?" Alex asked the older women.
"Yes." She said opening her hand and showing them the crystal. Instinctively Alex stood between her sister and the crystal. "Don't worry, it won't harm her."
"It made her collapse." Alex reminded her.
"The use of devices on aliens is rare and can be disorientating. It won't have caused any damage but is likely to have been overwhelming."
"That's a good word." Kara said.
"But it won't interact with you again." The older woman said.
"What is it?" Alex asked.
"As you know we are telepaths. And you know from Alex it is possible to share memories. Sometimes, people aren't ready for them though so they can be sealed away, and then later activated with these crystals. Each one of us has crystal unique to us. This was Salkor's. I didn't even know he left it here." She said holding the crystal out to Kara. "It will have no power, but it was part of Salkor, you or Alex should have it."
Nodding Kara took the crystal, half expecting another wave of pain in her head. When none came she relaxed slightly.
"Depending on what was passed on, you may feel this way for a few hours or even days." The older woman warned.
"Great." Kara said dryly.
"Salkor would not have used that device unless he cared deeply for you." The woman added. "You should get some rest."
"You don't want to know what he told me?" Kara asked.
"That is between you and Salkor." The woman replied leaving.
"You okay?" The older Alex asked when it was just her and Kara.
"Yes, no, maybe."
"What exactly happened?"
"I'm not sure I know myself." Kara said. "I can't really explain it. It's like I suddenly have all these memories I didn't before. But I know they aren't mine."
"I don't like any of this." Alex said. "How are you feeling?"
"It's hard to describe. But drained maybe."
"In which case, get some rest. I'm going to go investigate those crystals." Alex said. "Stay under the lamps."
"Okay." Kara agreed as her sister left the lab, the teenage Alex then taking the opportunity to slip into the lab.
"Mom?"
"I'm fine." Kara said to her seeing her frown.
"But-"
"Alex, I'm fine." Kara said hugging her. "I just need a little rest. Why don't get some food with MJ?"
"Can't I stay here?"
"Okay."
00
"What the hell is that crystal?" Alex asked as she approached Frax.
"Crystal?" He asked looking confused.
"The one that just unlocked memories in Kara."
"You found Salkor's crystal?" He asked confused.
"We'll come back to that. What is the crystal?"
"It's part of who we are." He said.
"What does that mean?"
"Come with me." He said leading her down a long corridor to a room. Having entered he walked to the wall and then stared at a small box, which opened revealing another crystal.
"When we are born our power can not be controlled. We give out waves indiscriminately. It is unsafe to be around. Or it would be if the power was not captured. It is captured in these. Well one of these. Each of us have a crystal that stays with us from birth until we can control our powers. It is a similar time to when your infants can speak. After that the crystal is locked to the person who powered it. This is mine. It reacts to me." He said holding out a glowing crystal. "Take it." He said to Alex who nervously held out her hand. The second she was holding it, it stopped glowing. "You see it is harmless. It will only react to me."
"Then why did it knock Kara out?"
"The only time it will react to someone other than me is if I have locked a message inside someone. My guess is Salkor planted something in Kara, as soon as she touched the crystal it triggered and unlocked the memory."
"Why would you want to lock memories?"
"There are two reasons. Firstly, they are secure. Perhaps the most secure transfer of information you can have. If I wanted to ensure trusted messages get back to my parents while I am on Earth I would leave my crystal with my parents and then hide a message in my messenger's head. When they arrive on Dakran my parents use the crystal to release it. Without the crystal there is no way to get the message." He explained. "The other reason is it is like your last letters."
"Last letters?" Alex asked.
"It was in one of the movies MJ and Alex made me watch. When your soldiers go into battle they leave a letter at base. If they don't make it the letter is given to their loved ones. This method is the same idea. A hidden message is inserted. If something happens they can be exposed to the crystal and see it."
"Why not just write a note?" Alex asked.
"Because they are impersonal." Frax said. "In Salkor's case it maybe he didn't want to burden Kara and it may be he knew he was in danger and wasn't sure if he would ever be able to tell her the message in a different way. I don't even know why Salkor left Drakan and everything after that I have no hope of ever knowing. But I do know, that no matter how alien this seems to you the fact Salkor did it showed his love of Kara."
"You just said you used it on messengers."
"Not for Salkor. He believed that it should only be used on loved ones."
00
"How are you doing?" The older Alex asked joining her sister on a balcony.
"I don't know if I am angry, sad, happy-"
"All of the above?" Alex suggested.
"Something like that." Kara smiled faintly.
"So what was the message?" Alex asked When her sister didn't immediately answer she added. "You don't have to tell me."
"It's not that, I want to, it's just a little confusing. Not the message but the memory. It's weird." Kara tried to explain. "It started with Fels telling me he wanted a life together with me and that he loved me. But he had found out he'd become a target and did not want to risk me. He then said he hoped that one day he would unlock this memory himself, but if he couldn't maybe his family would. He then explained who he was and why he left and what he'd done."
"Okay." Alex said.
"But it's not about the message, it's more about my feelings. I'm just really confused."
"Then talk about what you are feeling."
"Part of me feels violated. I mean he put that in my head without me knowing."
"But?" Alex prompted.
"It wasn't like when Alex shares memories and you can feel everything. It was just like … I don't know. It's like I can now remember a conversation we never had. It felt so real and so fresh and it reminded me of losing him." She said as her sister hugged her.
"Duggin was half right." Kara said after a moment.
"Sorry what?" Alex asked.
"Duggin, that Dakran who took me and made me think Alex was dead. He was half right."
"Fels did do the heist?"
"No. But afterwords he was shown some files that were obtained as a result of the heist. And he didn't like what he was shown. He left home wanting to put things right. And he did. But he said that it gave him a sense of purpose he never had on Dakran and wanted to keep helping bring justice." Kara said.
"Sounds like you two were well suited." Alex said.
"He said he loved me. He wanted our futures to be together." Kara said before confessing. "But I never even thought about us having a future together."
"Maybe you did love him, you were just too scared to unlock your heart." Alex said. "Or maybe you just needed a little more time. At the end of the day none of that matters. All that matters is the result of what you had, Alex." She added just as they heard footsteps, turning they saw Frax approach.
"How are you feeling?" He asked.
"Okay thanks." Kara smiled.
"Good. In that case can we talk?
"Sure."
"I'll leave you to it." Alex said walking off.
"What's up?" Kara asked causing Frax to look at the sky.
"No, it's an expression." Kara explained. "It means what I can help you with?"
"It's about Alex."
"Is she okay?" Kara asked.
"She's fine. But I wanted to speak to you about her powers. As you know her powers are driven by her emotions and she is very powerful."
"Why do I feel like I am not going to like what you are about to say?" Kara asked.
"This may be nothing. But development of our young happens in several distinct stages. Each one results in change to the brain chemistry and different hormones become active. I believe it is like the puberty phase that young humans go through. But where as human puberty appears to go on for some time, on Dakran it is different. It is shorter but more frequent and extreme. I don't know if Alex has undergone any such processes or if she will. But it she does for a time her emotions may be hard to control and therefore so will her powers."
"Why are you only mentioning this now?" Kara asked.
"Until Duf, my cousin, mentioned it I had not even considered it. To us it makes little difference, but for Alex, with the emotional link, it may cause issues."
"But you said this was a puberty issue. Alex is past that."
"Again there are too many unknowns because of her mixed heritage, but on Dakran the final stage occurs in what you'd call early twenties."
"And the first stage?"
"Approximately twelve, then sixteen, then finally twenty two. It maybe Alex goes through none of them or maybe one of them. But I thought you should be aware."
"Thanks." Kara said frowning.
"If it does occur, I will help however I can." Frax offered.
00
"You know we are going to be in the same ship as you aunt to go back to Earth?" Alex asked her son. "It'll be pretty hard to avoid her."
"I know." He said. "But there is no need to rush the execution."
"She's not as angry with you anymore." Alex said. "You doing okay?"
"Sure, what about you?"
"I'm not the one with cracked ribs." Alex pointed out.
"I know, but you've had to put up with all my crap for the last few months, and then you had to save aunt Kara, and come to a different planet."
"I'm okay." Alex said.
"Really? You don't look it."
"Thanks." Alex said dryly.
"I mean you look tired."
"Well it's been a long few days."
"But you aren't doing anything right now. So you could get some rest."
"Or we could hang out." Alex suggested.
"I think you need to sleep." MJ said. "I might try to sleep as well."
00
"How are you feeling?" The teenage Alex asked when she saw her mother that evening.
"I'm fine. Why?"
"You are frowning."
"It's not a frown. It's more of a look of solid concentration." Kara said.
"Is what happened with the crystal still bothering you?" The teen asked.
"No, I'm okay now. How about you? Did you learn much today?"
"I guess."
"How come you are alone?"
"I wanted to have dinner with you."
"You sure? It is your last night here." Kara said.
"I'm sure." The teen said. "I thought we could go for a walk and get some food."
"I'd like that." Kara smiled. "Where do you want to go?"
"There's a small park nearby."
"Okay, let's go." Kara said.