Everyone present looked at the two in confused silence.

"Can I really… beat him?" Tiffa asked, insecure.

Sasha gave a resigned sigh at this, "Yes. If you drain me."

Tiffa gave a shrieking gasp and clasped her hands over her mouth, furiously shaking her head.

"No! No I can't! I won't! There has-"

"There is no other way!" Sasha retorted, scowling up at her daughter.

"You said the same thing about Brimir! But we can tell just by observing you that even you know that was wrong!" Louise shouted.

Sasha was taken aback, then cast her gaze from Louise in shame, "I know… I know this. But this is different. I am not doing any harm! I am removing harm!"

"You think it won't harm me?! To kill my own mother?!" Tiffa, with indignant, wrathful tears, shouted down at the woman before her.

"Grow up and stop being selfish!" Sasha shouted at her.

"No! You stop trying to make some big, noble sacrifice just to try and make yourself feel better about what you did!" Tiffa shouted.

"That's not-!"

"She's right! That's EXACTLY what you're doing!" Louise interjected, causing both elves to regard her with confusion, "You think that will balance the scales of justice? Sacrificing yourself? You're not doing it to help Tiffa. Or your people. You're doing it to serve your own ego!"

"Does it matter?!" Sasha shouted in admittance, causing everyone to be taken aback by this honesty. "Does it matter why I do it? If it's a good thing, then the impact matters more than the intent! Who cares what I've done?! What is done will always have been done and there is NOTHING I can do to change that! What I CAN do is the right thing right NOW!" Sasha gave Tiffa a scowling look tinged with desperation, "As you are… you can't beat him. But with the essence I have gathered for over 6,000 years? You can. I'm sure of it."

She then turned to Louise, giving the same look, "Is it so terrible of me to not want my little girl to die? To want her to succeed?"

"No, you don't get to do that," Louise snarled, "you don't get to try and make us feel sorry for you, monster."

Tiffa immediately stepped in front of her mother, scowling down at Louise with eyes that now glowed with wrathful power, "Do NOT refer to her as a monster!"

"What she did was MONSTROUS!" Louise shouted.

"That still doesn't give you the right to use that word! I've heard it far too much!" Tiffa shouted back, a wind that seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere manifesting in this room they all stood in.

Before Louise could open her mouth to retort, Siesta took her hand, causing her to look back at her wife. Siesta gave her a solemn look before shaking her head, causing Louise to realize the error of her choice of words.

"Fine! I'm sorry I used that word!" Louise shouted, only partially sincere, "But even you agree what she did was disgusting, yes?!"

"I-!" Tiffa cut herself off. Feeling unable or unwilling to speak her truth for fear of hurting her mother. A reassuring hand was placed on her arm, causing her to look back at her mother, who gave her an equally reassuring half-smile. At this, Tiffa looked back at Louise, her glare faltering as she closed her eyes and summoned the courage to admit her truth.

"Yes," she almost whispered as the winds within the room faded, "Yes what she did was… unforgivably wrong. And… it's not in our power to grant her any kind of absolution," Tiffa finally admitted, gazing at the floor as she did. "But… she's still my mom. And I love her. I can't help how I was created. I can't help what she did. And I can't help but love her. I'm sorry," Tiffa said as she started taking deep breaths to prevent herself from sobbing, "And that's why… I can't do it, mom. I can't kill you. I know it's immature. I know everyone and you think you deserve it but… how can I be expected to kill my own mom?" She fell to her knees, clinging to Sasha as she did while Sasha embraced her back.

"I know. I know my little Tiffania," Sasha cooed in her ear, "I know it's yet another thing to chalk up on my list of many, many sins… but… with this last one… at least you can save our people. I'm sure of it."

"How?!" Tiffa pulled back to give her mother a teary, desperate look, "How can you be so sure?! You've always been so much stronger than I could have ever hoped! How can I face him without you?! How can I face anything without you?!" Tiffa sobbed as she put her head into her mother's chest, with Sasha stroking her hair.

"You can. You can do it, my little Tiffania," Sasha reassured her, "I believe in you. As I've always believed in you. You've made me proud for as long as I can remember. You are so much more and better than I could have ever hoped to be."

"Mom…" Tiffa whimpered into Sasha.

"Shh… it's alright, Tiffania," Sasha cooed into her daughter's ear, "I love you. And I'll always be with you."

Tiffa clung tight to her mother while she allowed the feelings to run their course. Her strangled sobs told everyone she was merely a hair's breadth from falling to hysterical pieces. Everyone remained silent while she worked on regaining the ability to breathe and speak. Once she had, she slowly pulled away from her mother, meeting her gaze with her tear-flooded one. Sasha reached up and wiped away her tears, a solemn, affectionate smile on her face.

It took more than a few moments for Tiffa to return the smile. She first needed to take one of her mother's hands in her own and rub her face against it. Savoring the sensation. Trying to remember every last detail of how she felt before she did what she had to do.

"You don't want to be in here for this," Tiffa said, keeping her gaze locked on her mother. The others present in the room knew that statement was directed at them. Before they could even begin to heed her words, Sasha spoke up.

"May I give you one last piece of advice, Tiffania?" Sasha asked. Tiffa regarded her with confusion while Sasha's smile grew, "Never hide your nastiest sides from the ones you love. You cannot build trust on secrets. And I can tell," Sasha glanced over at Tiffa's group, retaining her warm smile, "you truly care for them. And they care for you. So… let them see. So they can judge you fairly. So you can unburden yourself of any barriers between you and your family."

Tiffa clenched her jaw and averted her gaze in hesitation. "I don't…" she tried to say. "What if… they end up hating me? Thinking I'm the monster I've been called all my life?" Tiffa gave her mother a desperate look, tears streaking down her face once more.

"If they truly abandon you over who you really are… they were never meant to be," Sasha said as she once again started wiping away her daughter's tears, maintaining her warm, affectionate smile for her daughter that she knew she needed.

Tiffa turned back to her group, now giving them a desperate look while they looked fearful and hesitant. She gave a small, wry smile of resignation at them. Of course they'd be scared. Everyone else always was. She should have known they'd become scared of her, too. Better sooner rather than later, she guessed.

Tiffa stood up and positioned herself behind her mother. Draping her arms over the much shorter elf. Her head could not reach down to nuzzle into and take in her mother's scent one more time, and she felt a pang of sorrow at it. It made her kneel down so she could be just a head above her mother. She needed this. If she was going to lose her mother this night, she at least needed this.

Sasha wasn't making this any easier as she gently placed her hands on Tiffa's arms, leaning back and rubbing the back of her head against her daughter.

"Don't be scared," Sasha whispered with a ghost of a smile. "I love you, Tiffania Louise Westwood."

That sound of that middle name made Louise feel as though she were punched in the chest. Siesta could feel it, and took her wife's hand in response.

"My whole name, huh?" Tiffa said with a wry mirth as she stifled a chuckle in her throat, "I love you too, mom."

The hesitance from Tiffa was palpable. She really didn't want to do this. Yet, with a gentle squeeze from her mother upon her wrists, she knew there was no more putting this off. The group watched with fascination tinged with the slightest bit of horror as they saw Sasha wince while red energies started seeping from her body, whilst Tiffa's hands glowed with the same energy. That wince escalated into a grimace, and those present could hear a sharp hiss of discomfort from Sasha while the energies around her started lashing out before being drawn into Tiffa. The wind from nowhere manifested in this room once more as the whipping of the energies intensified, causing a din. Despite it, everyone could hear Sasha, who was losing her composure, cry out in agony as they watched, in growing horror, as she aged. Her brilliant locks faded to grey, her skin wrinkled, her muscles atrophied, her eyes became sunken in.

Louise thought she might vomit as she watched this woman age millenia in a few seconds. Sasha's flesh dissolved away, then her sinew, then, finally, her bones, leaving behind a faint hiss as the only noise within this room that had fallen dead silent.

All that was left of Sasha was the gold and black robe that Tiffa loosely clung to, leaning forward, now, as the mother she braced against was gone. Those who paid close attention could see her lips moving. And those who listened carefully in this room could hear a faint whisper of repeated apologies.

"I'm sorry…"

Over and over. Until the words lost meaning to Tiffa. Sounded foreign in her mouth.

Louise stepped forward, as if in a trance, and reached out to her. Before she could reach the elf, however, Tiffa's head shot up, and her eyes were glowing at an intensity they'd not seen before. The only time it was close to this was that night in Alhambra.

Suddenly, with a widening of her eyes, Louise could surmise why she had recovered so suddenly that night. She didn't even feel it when she instinctively recoiled from Tiffa.

The elf noticed, and cast her gaze to the robe in her hands with a small, solemn smile.

"Now you know what kind of monster I really am," Tiffa said in a near whisper. Surprising all, Guiche stepped past everyone, marching up to TIffa and clapping his hands on her shoulders, giving her a look of conviction.

"You are no monster to me," Guiche declared, "I will always regard you as my savior. The one who brought me back to my beloved. So I could have another chance. What's past is passed. All I know is the you I have met. And I will only ever see… a friend."

Tiffa looked as though she would collapse from this. She had no idea the level of overwhelming it would feel to have one so readily accept this part of her.

"H-He's right," Montmorency, also shockingly, spoke up as she stepped forward, "All I've seen of you is that you're a wonderful woman who just wants to help others and help her people. And…" she looked away from Tiffa, bashful, "if it wasn't for you, I would be without my favorite idiot…"

Guiche smiled as he reached back to take Montmorency's hand, who gladly took it while they both stood side by side, smiling at a Tiffa that was still in too much shock to react.

Louise still needed a moment. She was unsure how to feel about what she just saw. That was not entirely accurate. She was horrified. That was one of the most terrifying things she had ever seen. And Tiffa… did that. She was capable of doing that. She had done it. In secret, while she was with her. The word "monster" was perched just behind her lips. At the forefront of her mind.

But why couldn't she say it? She looked at this being who was awash with fresh wounds of grief that, despite her real size, was reduced to a grieving little girl and… she couldn't bring herself to give that moniker. Despite everything, a different word displaced "monster" from her mind. A word more fitting for someone you loved unconditionally, despite what nasty things you may know about them.

Louise stepped forward, past the blonde couple, and kneeled before Tiffa, who regarded her with a moment of shock before shamefully turning away. Louise, without warning, threw herself on her in a warm embrace.

"You're not a monster," Louise cooed into her ear. In that moment, Tiffa briefly forgot this was not her own mother's voice. Like this, as they were, it felt so similar, "You're family."

Siesta stepped forward with her wife, rubbing her back while the two embraced and looking into Tiffa's eyes with warm reassurance in her own.

"No matter what, we'll never leave family behind," Siesta declared.

That was enough for TIffa. She shattered into Louise. Wishing so deeply that she was her mom. They looked, they felt, they spoke so similar. But it wasn't. She was gone. And it was her fault. She'd have to carry that burden with her for however long she'd be cursed with this infinite existence. But as heavily as it weighed her down, she could feel she was not bearing it alone.

None were sure how much time passed as Tiffa allowed these feelings to wash over her before gathering herself enough to be coherent, but when it was done, Tiffa pulled back, exchanging teary smiles with Louise before standing up and walking to the door, motioning for everyone to follow her.

Once they were outside, Tiffa walked to the side of the villa, standing at the edge of the cliff and looking over the last of her people. She raised one of her hands, pointing it palm-up at the sky. From it erupted a red bolt of psionic lightning so bright and so large that, for a split-second, the night was day. Everyone present, and all the elves below, regarded this with overwhelming awe.

Even Zeratul was astonished. Was this a potential that could be reached if his people were immortal? The power… he could not just see it. He could feel it. It singed his very spirit with its heat. It was beautiful. And, even to him, it was terrifying.

"My people!" Tiffa shouted with a voice that she enhanced with her psionics. "Prepare yourselves! The time has come to retake our land! I shall lead us all to challenging Ma'lash in the rite of Rak'Shir! Then, we shall drive these colonizers from our home with furious vengeance!"

The elves below roared their approval with such a force that the vibrations could be felt in the chests of those present. That was when Tiffa turned back to Louise with a smiling look of conviction on her face.

"We need to call everyone," Tiffa said.

Louise looked at her in confusion, scarcely comprehending the scale of what she meant. It had to be hyperbole. Surely. "What do you mean by 'everyone'?" Louise stuttered to ask.

TIffa smirked, "I mean everyone."

Tabitha had finally established a workable chain of command. Now for the next part. They needed Saito here with them for this as they went through the names of surviving UED personnel. Looking for those who needed to receive justice.

Saito, of course, had them start with the science division. Their, putting it lightly, unethical practices were now fully enlightened by a newly-disgusted Tabitha. What really turned their stomach was how often it was children.

"The reason given was that they were very pliable," Saito informed dispassionately. Tabitha knew this was not him being callous, but trying to stay detached for fear of letting his emotions take over. "Bullshit," he was losing the battle, "I know he took a special pleasure in it. Just like with me." Saito's whole body tensed with this remembrance, before Tabitha could, Kirche took his hand, causing them both to look up at her in surprise.

"I agree, it's bullshit," Kirche coolly said. "But he can't hurt you anymore. He can't hurt either of you anymore."

Saito, at first too taken aback to register this affection, bashfully looked away before nodding. At that, Kirche let his hand go. She knew he was still unused to good physical contact and, true to her word, she was taking it slow. Only touching him very briefly, if at all.

"First and foremost," Saito said, trying to move things forward to skip over his feelings, "that Doctor who did those things to Juliette-."

"Steele," Tabitha narrowed their eyes in disgust. They knew this one as well, having been forced to work with her as she provided equipment.

Saito nodded. "We should get to her as soon as possible. No doubt the moment she learned about the change in command she fled."

"We'll find her," Tabitha confidently declared as they clenched their fists. Though they had only known Juliette as an infant, the thought that such horrible things would happen to her… and being ordered to kidnap her in such a manner from her new family? It struck a particular chord in them. They hoped they would be able to talk to Siesta about her soon. See how she was doing. Maybe properly meet their baby cousin for once. They shook their head to put the thoughts from their mind before taking in a brief, deep breath and steeling their countenance. Then, they turned back to the console in the bridge and opened a communication channel to the construction crew they'd been keeping an eye on for the last few hours.

"Yes, sir?" the pilot for one of the construction mechs, SCVs or "Space Construction Vehicles", answered their prompt.

"Progress?" Tabitha asked.

"Got the Command Center, two Rax, Factory, and Starport good to go, sir," the SCV pilot answered. Tabitha could watch, in real time, as he reached up, picked his nose, regarded the treasure, and wiped it below the screen, presumably on his pants. Not having time to really discuss that, Tabitha opted to merely nod and sever the communication.

"Why are you doing all that construction, Tabs?" Kirche asked.

Tabitha shrugged, "Got a feeling."

A chime on their personal communicator vindicated it.

They were going to need a few drop ships.

"Hmm… How's that look?" Julien asked, holding up a hand mirror while Henrietta looked in the mirror before her at her new haircut. Henrietta was unsure how to react. She loved the way her hair was… but it would now be much too noticeable if she wanted to continue her plan to go into hiding like she did.

She gave the smallest sigh before turning and smiling at Julien, "It's perfect." The sentiment was mostly sincere, however upon regarding his own haircut, and that of his siblings, her face fell into a light frown.

Julien, noticing this, chuckled awkwardly as he averted his gaze, "Yeah… Siesta only taught me a little and then when she was around. Then it was up to me to do my siblings' hair and, uh…" He trailed off, awkwardly, causing Henrietta to giggle.

"It's fine. Though, this explains why all your siblings have very similar haircuts," Henrietta teased, causing Julien to frown.

"C'mon… I'm doing my best here," Julien sheepishly mumbled.

Henrietta placed a hand on his arm, making him look at her with a light blush that immediately manifested on her contact.

"I know, and I appreciate it, Julien," Henrietta said with a warm smile.

The door to the room they were in opened, with Aly and Agnes walking in, chuckling to each other over what was probably a joke they shared just before entering. Upon regarding the former Queen with her new appearance, both women raised eyebrows at them. Then at each other. Then at Julien, who was again visibly sheepish.

"It looks-."

"Don't say it!" Julien cut Aly off, causing her to chuckle at his expense while his redness went from one of being flustered to one of being frustrated. Everyone except Julien laughed. A moment later, their mirth was interrupted by a chime on Henrietta's communication device that she had kept in her ear since that night they ended the Jacobins.

Henrietta furrowed her brow with conviction, causing everyone to look at her with concern as she placed a hand to her ear.

"It's Louise," Henrietta informed them, causing understanding, then mirrored conviction to dawn on everyone else's face as well.

Whilst the casualties from the final battle with the UED were not immense, Artanis mourned each one just the same. This was interrupted by a chime that made him raise his head to the front of the bridge beyond the table he was at.

Hierarch, incoming message from Executor Louise, one of his brethren on the bridge informed him.

On screen, Artanis ordered.

In a second, the image of Louise appeared, blown up in a massive display to all the Protoss on the bridge.

Executor! How can we be of assistance? Artanis asked.

"I was told to ask for… everyone in this… right of 'Rak'Shir'?" Louise said, very uncertain as to what she was asking for and talking about.

Ah, yes. I have participated in this rite myself, when I assisted Alarak in reclaiming the Tal'darim for our war against Amon, Artanis explained. Louise's look of confusion compelled him to continue, The combatants draw power from nearby allies. The more allies, the more power the combatants will have against their foe.

Understanding dawned on Louise's face before she frowned, "Sounds barbaric."

We are in accord on that front, Executor, Artanis said.

"So… I assume, then, we should count on your support in this?" Louise asked.

I assume the challenged one is Ma'lash? Artanis asked.

Louise nodded.

Then we shall, indeed, be there with all our might. Be prepared, Executor, this will be the first time you shall witness the firstborn at their full strength, Artanis warned. He could see Louise gulp before she nodded, severing the communication link and causing her image to disappear from the bridge.

Artanis turned to leave the bridge. He would need to consult the war council.

It was late in the evening. The party of elves and Louise's allies needed to rest for the night before continuing on their march on Adyl. During this night, Louise approached Tiffa, who looked up at her and gave an inviting smile, which Louise took as consent to sit beside her on the rock Tiffa was perched on before the fire she had made with Ei'lyx, Vish'dnir, and Lukshana.

"So… Tiffania 'Louise' Westwood?" Louise asked, slightly amused.

Tiffa gave a sheepish chuckle, "Yeah… it was a weird coincidence."

Louise gave a genuine chuckle, "So… are you… my great ancestor, then?" Louise asked.

Tiffa's look went blank for a moment while she considered, "You know… I guess I am, huh?" She gave a much more mirthful chuckle, "I guess you should respect me as your elder, then?"

"Don't push it, grandma," Louise playfully jabbed. Tiffa barked out a laugh in response.

"Ah, the youth these days have no respect, do they?" Tiffa jokingly declared as she shook her head.

"Still… Tiffania sounds so much nicer than Tif'narak," Louise said.

Tiffa smiled as the lightest shadow of red crept upon her cheeks.

"I agree. I wish… I could have known. Those names, elven names, are forbidden to speak aloud here. Or at least they were," Tiffa steeled her look with determination, "I'm taking them back. We're taking them back. I am Tiffania."

Louise smiled at her before turning to Ei'lyx, "So… then Alexander really is your real name?"

Ei'lyx shook his head as his face fell, "I don't know my real one." He cast his gaze down in solemn contemplation, causing Louise to feel a prick of guilt for bringing it up.

"I feel my name is fine," Lukshana proudly declared.

Vish'dnir turned to Ei'lyx, a desperate look on his face. "Do I… have an elven name?"

Ei'lyx did not meet his gaze. Choosing, instead, to ponder the sand and rock they marched upon. Vish'dnir scowled at him.

"I am sorry, son," Ei'lyx said in a mournful tone, "I'm afraid that secret died with your mother."

Vish'dnir's scowl dropped at that, those who chose to look at him saw him purse his lips and clench his jaw.

Tiffa, Lukshana, and anyone else listening looked at him with sympathy.

"With all this…" Vish'dnir began, his voice wavering with old grief and rage, "how am I meant to feel any kind of adequate? I do not know my name… and apparently my one rival was severely holding back. And much older than I thought she was?" Vish'dnir glared at the sand upon which they trudged.

"You are plenty strong," Tiffa attempted to reassure him, "I'm just… a freak you couldn't have accounted for."

"Hey," Louise said with a gentle, chastising tone as she took Tiffa's hand, causing her to look down at the pinkette's furrowed-brow look, "Don't call yourself that. You're not a freak."

Tiffa took a moment to be surprised at this defensiveness on her own behalf before smiling and nodding at Louise.

It really does feel like, Tiffa squeezed Louise's hand, she's still with me.

If only she still was, though. She still had so many questions. And her mother was never fully honest with the answers about her origins. After all… she didn't even tell her about who her father was until she was well into adolescence. The better half of a century into her life. After breaking her free of the Tal'darim, she finally told her the truth. The ugly truth. She wasn't proud about how she fled that night. How she left her mother at the mercy of a squad of high ascendants in a petulant display of teenage rebellion.

But she did see him.

Once.

Beneath the light of the twin moons, Tif'narak hid herself in the shadows of a house. She'd not yet learned the art of completely cloaking herself, but she still knew low light was her best friend. She watched another house near to this one. Plain. Wooden. This village was still in its youth. The house looked fresh. All these houses did. Tif'narak surmised humans were finally feeling secure enough to settle in. To begin proper civilization.

That wasn't what was most important on her mind, however, as she clutched the rough, brown material she'd scavenged and made into a rough approximation of a cloak to obscure her visage closer to her and shivered from a light, brisk breeze. It was so cold here in the human lands. She wasn't sure if she'd ever get used to it. Her stomach lightly gurgled as she smelled something savory from the house she crouched in the shadow of. She missed eating regular meals.

She had eaten so irregularly since she fled from the elven lands. And her mouth watered for nearly any smell of cooking. She shook her head to try and focus on the house beside this one. With the guard or servant placed beside the wooden door. She reached out with her psionics to feel the presences around her. The humans within the house next to her seemed settled in. Comfortable. The human she was keeping an eye on was nearly nodding off. And, with a leap in her heart, she felt the last human presence outside a home besides the one before her had finally left the area.

Now was her chance. She dashed to the guard beside the door whose fatigue had left him open to assault, and grabbed his face.

Sleep, Tif'narak ordered, feeling herself drain as the guard slumped against the wall. She'd have to be fast, now. She was completely exposed in the moonlight. Any second someone could spot her. She sweated. Not just with anxiety, but with fatigue. She had nearly no experience. And nearly no built-up stamina at her age, being less than a century old. To top it off, she was starving. All these things combined to make her have to brace herself against the door, wincing as she realized how loud it was.

"Who's there? Rudy? Is everything alright?" a wizened, masculine voice called out from the other end. Tif'narak's heart leapt. In hopeful and fearful anticipation. She tried to straighten herself out, both physically and her "clothes" they were near-rags she'd not changed since she fled from the Tal'darim.

No matter what, Tif'narak thought as she saw the door begin to open, this is it.

What greeted her was something she could never have prepared herself for. With icy blue eyes inlaid into a weathered, wrinkled, and sagging face below a somehow-full head of thin, white hair, stood a hunched man. He looked up to her with a weary confusion, whilst she looked down at him with hope and terror.

"Are you…?" Tif'narak tried to say, struggling to even say it. During the pause in which Tif'narak found herself floundering, a small smile broke out on the man's face.

"Take your time," he reassured her, causing Tif'narak's heart to calm.

"Are you Brimir?" she finally asked.

The man's eyebrows went up, then, his face softened again as he smiled and nodded at her.

"And you are?" the man asked, expectantly.

Tif'narak averted her gaze, feeling a lump in her throat that threatened to choke her words. She swallowed it away. And lowered her hood to reveal her untamed, long, blonde hair, long, sharp ears, and crimson eyes.

"I'm Tif'narak," she finally said, finally meeting his gaze, "I'm… your daughter."

The man's smile grew wider, now dispelling the fear and terror Tif'narak had been holding so tightly to.

"I see," Brimir said in a warm, gravely, aged voice before he motioned towards the inside of his cabin, "Would you like to come in?"

Tif'narak's eyes widened in amazement before she nodded and stepped inside, with Brimir slowly closing the door behind him.

"I'm sorry," Tif'narak said as she watched him struggle with any physical action, including walking, "I… didn't mean to wake you."

"It's alright, Tif'narak," Brimir reassured her as he gestured for her to sit at one of the plain wooden chairs beside a matching table. "Please, sit. Let's talk."

Tif'narak gave a small, sheepish smile and nodded. But before she took her seat, she went over and pulled out the chair for him.

"My my! Such manners! You've been raised right, it seems," Brimir chuckled. Tif'narak's smile and comfort grew at this as she took the other seat, feeling an immediate self-consciousness at the way it creaked under her relatively massive frame.

Brimir gazed at her. And the longer he did, the warmer Tif'narak felt. And more embarrassed.

"Is something wrong?" Tif'narak stuttered as she averted her gaze once more.

Brimir shook his head, "Nothing at all. You've grown into such a fine young lady. More beautiful than I could have imagined."

Tif'narak blushed.

"My heart swells with pride at being able to see you," Brimir said, with a hint of melancholy in his tone that caught Tif'narak's ear.

"What's wrong?" Tif'narak asked.

Brimir's gaze fell before he shook his head, "Nothing, just," he looked at Tif'narak once more, beaming in a solemn manner, "You remind me so much of your mother."

Tif'narak was unsure if she should be flattered by that. Her gaze falling, however, did nothing to reassure Brimir.

"What is it?" Brimir asked with concern.

"I…" Tif'narak struggled to answer, "I… don't know. If she's okay. I… fled. While she bought me time."

Worry overcame Brimir's countenance, then, he half-smiled to himself, "If I know her like I think," he began, "then she may be just fine."

Tif'narak, though she could sense he truly believed that, didn't share his optimism. Looking at her father, however, and the melancholy that threatened his aura, she decided not to vocalize it.

She was near-startled when he stood up and walked past her to a chest at the foot of his small bed that faced the door in this one-room cabin. He grunted with effort as he hunched down and opened it.

"Do you need help?" Tif'narak offered.

"No, no, just looking for… where did I…? Ah-ha!" Brimir finally, victoriously cried out as he produced a brush, making Tif'narak cock an eyebrow in confusion. He pointed at her hair, "This may be strange coming from an old man, but would you indulge me and let me do your hair?"

Tif'narak's look of confusion spread to her whole face. Then, it became a small smile as she nodded and turned away from Brimir.

Brimir took his time to gently brush out the knots and tangles of her hair, bringing it to as close a pristine silkenness as could be had by a simple brush and without a haircut and wash. And as he did this, he answered any questions Tif'narak had, as well as asked a few of his own. Learning about the death of his and Sasha's second child hit him harder than he thought would be possible, and Tif'narak needed to spare some time to comfort him as they both felt this loss. Still, the joy of actually seeing his first child was immeasurable. He felt he could die with no more regrets upon meeting her.

"Would you allow me to do one more thing, if you please?" Brimir asked as he finished with his task.

"What's that, dad?" Tif'narak wondered as she regarded her hair with a quiet sense of wonder.

"Your hair, you find it gets in the way a lot? It's a bit looser and smoother than your mother's, so I imagine it whips around a lot," Brimir pointed out. Tif'narak nodded sheepishly, though she didn't know why she should feel any shame at this, "I could braid it for you. It'll keep it out of the way more," Brimir offered. Tif'narak didn't know why she felt hesitant about this, but, eventually, she nodded for him to do so, causing him to give her a warm smile.

It took a while. His hands weren't what they used to be. He could only manage one, long, somewhat loose braid. But he did manage it. Once it was done, Brimir, groaning with effort once more, went to rummage through his chest again, this time pulling out an old, tarnished mirror that he handed to Tif'narak.

"There, how do you like it?" Brimir asked.

Tif'narak, the moment she beheld her visage, involuntarily let out a small gasp.

"It's… pretty," Tif'narak said without thinking.

Brimir smiled at her, "It's only enhancing what's already there. You've grown into a beautiful woman, Tif'narak."

Tif'narak blushed and looked away from him. Brimir walked up and held her in a warm embrace.

"I'm very happy," he said, "that I got to meet you at least once. My little girl."

Tif'narak slowly reached up and embraced him back, gently crying into him all the tears borne of missing a father she felt she had been robbed of. With some being borne of resentment towards the mother that did the robbing.

They talked a while longer before Tif'narak could see he was fading from lack of sleep. When she went to excuse herself he hugged her one more time before seeing her out. It was a bittersweet feeling. On the one hand… she wished she could have met him sooner. Had him in her life the whole time. He was a sweet man. On the other… she was just glad to have met him.

She didn't find out until much later he died that very night. With a contented smile on his face.

Even now, in the present, as Tiffa thought of it, it brought a bittersweet smile to her own face as she looked at the braid hanging over her shoulder that she always had styled just the same as when her father did it for her that one night.

Now that Tiffa thought about it, seeing an elf flee his cabin the night before he was found dead would probably explain why everyone thought he was killed by his elf familiar.

Siesta was not with Louise. She was in a lean-to tent, mulling over everything she had learned regarding Sasha. And the nature of her Akhundelar/Gandalfr powers. Well, mulling was not accurate. Seething was more correct. She was angry. Not just at how this power came to be. But at her so-called "partner". She needed more answers.

"Derflinger," Siesta said, curt and terse.

After a moment's pause, Derfligner responded simply by unsheathing his "mouth", knowing Siesta could hear it.

Though Siesta felt she already knew what the answer would be… she needed to hear it for herself. Aloud.

"Did you always know?" Siesta asked, as calmly as she could from her boiling sea of rage she was attempting to keep dammed up.

Another pause. Even the silence gave her her answer.

"Yes," Derflinger answered.

Siesta wished he had eyes so he could see her grit her teeth and clench her fists.

"Why didn't you say anything? Why were you lying to me? To us?" Siesta growled, her tone wavering on the edge of shouting.

Derflinger indulged in another pause.

"I… didn't think you needed to know all that. You're-"

"I think at this point it doesn't fucking matter that I'm 'just a kid'. I had a right to know. We had a right to know," Siesta's growling tone was increasing in volume, despite her best efforts.

"Yeah… I see that," Derflinger said.

"That better not be one of your fucking jokes," Siesta hissed.

"No, it wasn't. I promise."

Despite that assurance, right now? Siesta felt she couldn't trust anything he said.

"Look," Derflinger continued, "it's… I know it was wrong. Keepin' all that from you. I… always remembered everything. Besides the Sasha stuff… I remember 6,000 years of owners of various types. Some okay, some great, some I miss a Hel of a lot, and some I wish never met. None of 'em compared to you. My partner is Akhundelar. And you are so much more than she was. I… didn't wanna… ruin your innocence…"

"That wasn't up to you!" Siesta shouted, causing more than a few heads to turn her direction. Then she paused. And blinked. She now knew exactly how Louise felt.

"I know…" Derflinger admitted, his tone heavy with shame.

This time the pause was mutual. As one didn't want to speak, and one felt he had no right to.

"I don't… know if I can trust you," Siesta finally said.

"I understand," Derfligner said before sheathing himself as gently as he could.

Siesta was half-tempted to throw him into the desert. Never to see him again. But… that old voice of her father rang in her head.

I just need time, Siesta realized with a small, wavering sigh, despite it all… he's family. And… we don't leave family behind.

"The thinnest veneer of resistance" was what Ji'nara was told. It felt cowardly and weak, but she would not question her Highlord. Off in the distance, she could see the approach of floating structures. Accompanied by what she knew to be flying transports. Terrans.

She ordered the Scouts forward, as would be expected of her. The thin, pointed ships screeched overhead, launching their plasma-based explosive payloads at the incoming Terrans. Just as she knew would happen, they were swiftly obliterated by cloaked vessels.

It would have been so easy to use just one Observer. Or wait for them to be in range of the cannons, Ji'nara thought to herself. She hated having to deliberately play a fool.

She heard a roaring from above and looked up into the clear, sunny skies above. Engulfed in flames and roaring to meet her she could see the unmistakable, hammer-headed sight of Battlecruisers, and hear the unmistakable sound of them charging their nuclear-waste-powered Yamato cannons that would surely wreak devastation on the sparse Photon Cannon line she had set up to give the illusion that this was a valuable location the Tal'Darim wished to hold.

If she could frown, she would have as she watched the cannons blasted away one by one before any ship or structure could get within range of them. The drop ships (how primitive) followed their swift destruction with similar swiftness, stopping over the cliffs that surrounded this base and unloading the familiar forms of Terran Siege Tanks, which began (with a screeching sound of pneumatics and gears) "unfolding" themselves from treaded, mobile armor into stationary artillery, their smaller twin cannons tucking themselves into their bodies while the backs of those cannons extended out and turned to the base.

The resulting explosions were impressive, Ji'nara had to admit. She always wished Protoss would dabble in creating such artillery. But now was not the time to admire these primates and their penchant for destruction. She, after tossing a few paltry psionic bolts at the incoming airborne invasion force that went wide, began retreating with what few warriors were stationed at this position, allowing it to fall and be replaced with the Terran structures that landed to take the minerals and vespene they had only been lightly harvesting.

Highlord, Ji'nara reached out, feeling the need to kill at least one thing as she launched a bolt at an unloaded marine, instantly relieving him of his chest cavity, the first forces have arrived, I am falling back to you.

Excellent work, First Ascendant, Ma'lash praised her. The trap is set. Just as the Dark God foresaw.

"Something wrong, Tabs?" Kirche asked.

Tabitha hadn't noticed that their internal suspicion had manifested so obviously on their face.

"Too easy," Tabitha commented, narrowing their eyes at the display whilst they manually directed their forces. A prime base position like this, even set up to accommodate two such bases, was so lightly defended that it made no sense. And the Tal'Darim… they made so many amateur moves before running away. There was no need to meet their forces away from the base. Away from the detection of the cannons. And the base looked so sparsely populated, despite how abundant the resources were and how advantageous the position was (being on the high ground with only one way in or out).

Though they were going to, anyways, when the position was established, they now really needed to call Louise. They tapped the console to hail their friend, with Louise's face appearing in a small box to the left side of the screen.

"That was fast. Is it done?" Louise asked.

Tabitha nodded while giving her an unsure look, "Seemed too easy. Like they want us here."

Louise frowned and her face was overcome with visible contemplation. Then, she shook her head, "The Romalia thing was obviously a trap, as well, and we came out of that fine," Louise commented.

Tabitha raised an eyebrow. "Overconfident?"

Louise sighed in defeat, "Yeah… you're right. In that case we should be ready for a swift retreat. Make sure you have egress points ready for us, just in case. And keep the drop ships on standby."

Tabitha nodded, "Orders for Probe?" Tabitha was referring to the Probe they had had a drop ship swing by her home to pick up.

Louise once again looked overcome with contemplation, "I'll handle it. Can you… set it up so I can control it from here?" Louise asked, hopefully.

Tabitha wanted to chide her for thinking just anything could be done with this tech that was now on their side, but it was true that they could do that. Tabitha frowned even as they nodded in confirmation.

Louise gave a determined smile as she severed the link while Tabitha began setting up command protocols for her.

"Urgh…" Louise grumbled as a rush of unwelcome knowledge and feelings hit her after her request went through. She knew it had to be because it worked. Siesta caught her as she swayed from this rush, giving her a look of concern. Louise, after taking a moment to shake her head, looked up at her with a serene smile.

"I am fine," Louise said with that same foreign tone she had when she touched things that gave her the ability to command. Siesta raised an eyebrow at her as Louise disregarded her wife to focus on her communication device, now expertly flitting through it as she turned it landscape-style.

She ordered the Probe to warp in a Nexus and three Pylons. Two near the entrance of the base, and one near the Nexus. It would take some time for them all to be ready, but at least the process was begun.

Siesta watched her with a mix of amazement and concern. She… didn't feel the same. Even just feeling her ambient feelings, there was a shift that made her uncomfortable. And she could tell that Louise, buried just beneath this command persona that arose, was also feeling it.

"Are you… okay?" Siesta chanced an ask as Louise, while walking along with the rest of the elves, was watching the progress of the constructing buildings like a hawk.

Louise looked up at her with a strangely serene expression, "Worry not, beloved, I am fine."

Siesta looked visibly unconvinced.

"It is simply akin to your Akhundelar power. When my fingers grace a device capable of giving me command, I am able to use it as effectively as any seasoned Executor," Louise informed, her smile stuck on her face. She instinctively glanced down at the device in her hands and saw the Nexus finish, immediately ordering a new Probe to be warped in whilst she fleshed out the base's infrastructure with Gateways and a Forge before turning back to Siesta, placing a hand on her face.

"It is only temporary. I assure you, Akhundelar, Louise is fine," Louise said, her voice sounding… different.

That set off different alarm bells in Siesta's head as she heard that. Before she could do or say anything, however, Zeratul placed a hand on her shoulder.

It is as the Executor says, Zeratul said, she will be fine. I understand your trepidation. But, I implore you, have faith, my apprentice.

Though Siesta found it hard to let go of this fear, the words of her teacher did help to loosen her grip upon it. That was when she noticed their group drawing close to a cliff as the rocks surrounding them gave way to reveal the valley below. She could see what looked like civilization. Or, at least, a massive black and red version of a Protoss base. Relatively near it she could see, to the left of it and nearer to them, a plateau with high cliff edges that mostly shrouded the buildings she could see the top of, with drop ships and other UED flying forces stationed near it.

They had just about arrived at their destination. It seemed. And a stirring from the elves caught her attention, causing her to look in their direction and see Tiffa separating herself from them.

Tiffa, standing atop a mountain that overlooked Adyl, raised and ignited her warp scythe, summoning all her psionic will to make her voice heard throughout the city below, giving a wrathful look of burning conviction as she did.

"MA'LASH!" Tiffa roared, her voice echoing far and wide and bringing a great rumbling to the city before her. She brought her scythe forward, pointing it down at the city as she readied her next words. No matter what happened next, he and the Protoss there would suffer her people's language at least once more. "TACH'DAK FYR RAK'SHIR!"

At this, the elven warriors behind her emitted a mighty war cry they all enhanced with their own psionics, making Adyl feel as though it were experiencing a great seismic disturbance.

Below, Ma'lash, with Ji'nara just having rejoined him, heard and regarded the direction of the voice. If he could smirk, he would have.

It was all going exactly according to plan.