Another Life IV Part 20
Joe and Methos had gone over the watchers database very carefully. It had taken them over 6 months to narrow down the possible candidates to those they thought would both want to have children and would also be thought to be able to handle it. That was of course subjective but they had also run all the candidates by the other Immortals. A few were known to some of them which helped. In the end they found out of just under 5000 Immortals (Joe was surprised at that number; he thought there were only about 4000; Methos thought about the same) there were only a certain number who appeared to be in anything like a real relationship. There was only one other Immortal couple beyond the one Duncan had already helped and Annie and Sean. They had been a couple for almost 100 years, very carefully flying under the radar in the Outback of Australia. It was a very large area that was not populated until the Antarians had come. In actuality that appeared to help the couple stay anonymous, what with modern state bureaucracy and taxes and the like. Joseph Heller, originally german; Eleanor Jenkins, originally English. They were both about 150 years old. Neither had taken more then a couple of heads, and only when challenged and unable to avoid it. It was agreed by all that they would be approached first. The other 21 couples were all Immortal and Mortal. That had been narrowed down since several couples were beyond the age where children would be considered due to the age of the Mortal. It had been agreed that only those in a narrow qualification area would be approached. In all with the Immortal couple there would be 17 that would be offered the chance. Indications were that all were unaware of Watchers. So Duncan and Grace would be the ones to approach them. Duncan was well known in the Immortal ranks as an honorable man; and Grace equally well known as a doctor and one who never fought.
Joseph and Eleanor were checking their cattle ranch in Northern New South Wales when they both felt a Buzz. They turned as one and looked at the SUV that was approaching them. Joseph got off his horse and made sure his Sword was near at hand. As Agreed Eleanor would stay mounted and back some until the situation was figured out.
The SUV stopped and a man and woman got out. Walking together they approached Joseph, who while being cautious thought that an immediate fight was not at hand.
“My name is Duncan McCleod and this is Grace. We are here to offer you a chance to have children.”
Needless to say both Joseph and Eleanor needed shovels to pick their jaws off of the ground.
Joseph recovered somewhat, and looked at Duncan. “I have heard of you, and also of Grace. All that I have ever heard is that you never challenge without cause and that Grace never fights. And that she is a renowned doctor. And also that You have connections to the Antarians. It is my guess that this ability is due to their efforts.”
“Queen Elizabeth is one of us and she was the first Immortal to have children. We have carefully searched the Immortal ranks looking for those that both deserve and possibly want children.”
Eleanor had ridden closer and gotten off her horse to Joseph’s side, and had grabbed his hand at Duncan’s words. “When I saw that you were the one to teach Queen Elizabeth, I suspected she might be immortal. It has worried me that it might get out about Immortals; when she was shot in Canada I thought the secret would come out.”
Duncan nodded. “That was a close one. It is at her invitation that Grace and I have come. You will both need to come to the Palace for this to be done. Eleanor, you will need to spend approximately 3 months in a pod unconscious and on life support for you to be able to carry a child to term. “
“Whatever I have to do I will happily do. Joseph and I have badly wanted children since we met; even with the questions about them growing older and we do not. “
Joseph squeezed her hand. “When ever you want us at the palace we will be there.”
Grace who had been silent up to now spoke up. “I will explain all the details and answer your questions. Any time you want to come to the palace we can get started.”
That was pretty much the pattern for the other couples approached. 2 chose not to have children; and unfortunately Duncan and Grace arrived to late to stop a challenge that destroyed one couple; the winner was a headhunter known to Duncan who then challenged and took his head. Grace then spent the next few days consoling the mortal woman left alone. They had been together over 10 years. Duncan was vividly reminded of Tessa.
Joe had carefully with Methos’s help kept the watchers away from finding out what was going on. It was a bit tricky but it was done. Overall it took Duncan and Grace a month to contact all of the couples.
So in the end 14 more couples came to the Palace to have children. For those couples where the Woman was mortal it was a very quick process. Only for those couples where the Immortal was a woman did it take time. There were 5 of those, counting Eleanor and Joseph.
In the meantime the medical situation with the Pods had worked its way along the bureaucratic path. Since the Antarians were considered a foreign country, the paperwork was even more of a factor in getting the FDA to go along with it. It was thought it would take another 3-4 months to get that all done before the first clinical trials would start. Needless to say there had been many applications for the 20 trials that would be the first trial. After that there would be 50 more and it those were as successful as hoped then the treatment would be approved for general use. All together it was thought it would take about 18 months, which was actually very fast for that sort of thing.
Liz had been lounging in the gym, watching Lisa work out with Eleanor, who was about to go into the pod for her 3 months after being impregnated. The other 4 Immortal Women were also working out, paired up. It had been decided to do them all at once, since there was no real reason to wait. The other couples who had Immortal men with Mortal women had already been done and all the women were pregnant. It had been decided that all would stay in the Roswell area until the children were born. Annie was two months into her podding, with a month to go and Sean wearing a trench in the floor next to it.
Suddenly something alerted Liz. She straightened up and looked around. No one else seem to have noticed. She was not sure what it was, but it seemed to be calling her. Quietly slipping out of the Gym she walked down the hall to her office. Nodding to her secretary she went into the office and stopped dead.
Next to her window was a dark gray, almost black tube of what looked like smoke or fog. It seemed to pulse and reverberate, but it seemed to Liz that only she felt that. Staring at it for a minute, she realized what it was and stiffened. Then deliberately walked over to her desk and sat down and swiveled her chair in its direction.
“OK, whatever you are. We both know what its about so if that is your way of intimidating me it won’t work. And if that is your natural form, can you speak or are you capable of telepathy. If not then I kind of doubt this meeting will mean anything.”
Liz was scared but she was damned if she would show it. Whatever it was probably could tell her every thought, but she was not going to give it any satisfaction with her physical bearing. What she had hoped/feared had finally come. Now what would come of it was another matter.
The whatever seemed to harden and lighten till it was like a column of light gray granite or marble.
“Elizabeth Parker, indeed it is as you think, I can read your mind. “
“OK, if you don’t mind I am still going to speak. So what have you to say?”
“Congratulations. Or should I say condolences? It is arguable from your point of view.”
Liz narrowed her eyes. “OK, deep six the cryptic and just spit it out.”
“Straightforward and to the point. That is good. This will make it simpler. First I will give you the history of Immortality.”
“OK. Lets have it.”
“10,000 of your years ago a higher being as you would understand it came to your planet and decided to alter a small number of humans. Its purpose was to help mankind along. It basically made me and had me take care of the whole Immortal community. It left me to make up the rules and do whatever was necessary to continue. That higher being has since ascended still higher and no longer has an interest so it is up to me what is done. The Game part was a suggestion from it, as a way to prevent Immortals from coming together and ruling Earth. The Holy Ground part of it was my invention; I thought it necessary to make sure there was one rule that all Immortals would follow. I planted the suggestion in many Immortals minds before Pompeii; Mt Vesuvius would have erupted in a few years- I merely speeded it up. It worked quite well. I don’t have to tell you that you indeed figured out as others have done the logical holes in the Game and the Prize. Those quickenings not taken by other Immortals fade away; and should there ever be only one left he or she will not have the power to rule earth. It was the Higher Beings rule that there be no mothers of Immortals; what I do is find a mother and child who face death and I save the child and then place it near someone and make sure that the child is found. Your own mother was a teenager who ran away from home and fell down a flight of stairs not far from Roswell; she was going to die and I spirited away you and left you where your parents found you, giving them a mind nudge to look in the alley. “
Liz sat back and thought hard. None of this came as a surprise; it was pretty much as she had figured. Now what was this about condolences or congratulations?
“You are now the arbiter of the Immortal way. I will leave. No more Immortal babies will appear except by the way you are doing it now. The Higher Beings only instruction to me was if Mankind ever progressed to be able to do what you have done, the one or the ones who came up with it would be given the responsibility to keep Immortality going; or let it fade away. Of course even with no more Immortal babies my way, and even if you were to stop it your way, it would take many hundreds of years, if not thousands, for Immortals to dwindle down to only a few. I will leave you with this amulet which will repeat my appearance and my words for those that would not otherwise believe you. As I said, it is now in your hands. In the words of your favorite program; Live Long and Prosper, Elizabeth Parker.”
And then it was gone. And on her desk lay a circular object, like a large coin, about 4 inches in diameter and about half an inch thick. Ruins and objects unfamiliar to Liz decorated it.
Elizabeth Parker Evans, Queen Elizabeth of Antar, sat there and took it all in. And sighed.
Another Life IV (HL, XO, CC, MA) COMPLETE 3/9/10
Moderators: Anniepoo98, Itzstacie, truelovepooh, Erina, Forum Moderators
-
thumper1942
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 157
- Joined: Sun Dec 09, 2007 12:37 pm
-
thumper1942
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 157
- Joined: Sun Dec 09, 2007 12:37 pm
Re: Another Life IV (HL, XO, CC, MA) Part 20 3/7/10
Another Life IV Part 21
Liz picked up the amulet; it appeared to be of some kind of metal; the ruins and carvings on it looked ancient. She wondered if Methos could read it. She slipped it into a drawer in her desk and went back to the training room.
Liz walked into the training room and went up to Lisa. She had finished her session and was toweling off the sweat. Liz motioned for her to follow her. They went back to Liz’s office.
“I had a visitor just now. It left this. “ Liz held up the amulet then laid it on the desk.
Liz was not sure how she knew, but figured it was from the higher being.
Waving her hand over it, Liz spoke ”Amulet, tell the story.”
What came next was mostly a replay of what it had said, a hologram from all apearences.
It ended thusly “Queen Elizabeth now bares responsibility for the future of Immortality.”
Lisa sat there goggle eyed. A god like something had come to Liz and basically just handed off the responsibility for Immortality. Just as simple as that, and just as complicated. She looked at Liz.
“Is this what you expected?”
“I did not expect it to go that smoothly, or to end up with the whole thing dropped in my lap.”
Lisa just slowly nodded her head, trying to come to grips with it all.
Liz told Lisa to see to settling things down with the Immortals still training, and to let them know that a big announcement would be coming in the next day or so. She would now contact all the Immortals they knew to come here and learn the Truth.
The very next day they started pouring into Roswell from all over. It had been decided to stop trying to fool the watchers, since Liz intended to inform them as well. First she would talk to Joe, who happened to be in Roswell with Rebecca at the moment, checking out the new Immortals.
Liz called Joe right after letting Lisa know.
“Joe, could you come right over to the Palace. I had a visitor.”
Joe Dawson, Watcher and Supervisor of Watchers, knew right away what Liz meant.
“Liz, does this mean…”
“Got the whole story, Joe. You get to find out as soon as you get here.”
“That’s me you see coming in your door right now.”
Liz then went up to the private part of the Palace. She found Max with the children, playing with them as he tried to do every day in the afternoon.
Max looked up as Liz came into the living room and sat down next to him, a pensive look on her face.
“Something happen Liz?”
“Oh, yeah,”
Now Max was worried. He moved closer and hugged her.
“What is it?”
“I had a visitor that turned out to be pretty much what we thought as regarding who started the Immortals.”
Now Max was scared. “Liz, what happened?”
“Basically I got a history lesson about how it all started and all of that. Then I got all responsibility for all Immortals dumped on me. The Higher Being that started it all had one of his minions run it for the last 10,000 years, during which he apparently ascended to a higher plane then he had been in, and no longer cared about us. His minion was instructed that if Mankind ever figured out how to make immortals in any way then he was to give whoever started it the whole thing. Which I now have.”
Maxwell Evans, King Maxwell of Antar, could not come up with anything to say.
Liz got the group together to give then the news, and they were shocked as Max had been.
Typically it was Maria and Kyle that came out of it first.
“Chica, does this mean you are some kind of Goddess now?”
“As far as I know I have not changed.”
“So you do not know if we are supposed to offer sacrifices to you yet?”
“Kyle, watch it. Or you will be sacrificing something you hold dear. Like your tongue.”
“Oh come on, Chica. A Kyle unable to speak would be great but at the same time so pitiful that even I would feel sorry for him.”
Alex while still in a little shock, started to think. “Liz, what do you mean responsible?”
Liz sighed then had the Amulet play again.
After that, there were more then a few puzzled looks in the group.
Isabel spoke first. “That whole thing was a little cryptic, Liz. It just said that you were responsible for Immortality but that is all. Talk about open to interpretation. Maybe you were given some kind of powers; you just do not know it yet.”
Tess was next. “It could be interpreted since you started both the having of children by Immortals and now making Immortals that it was pretty much up to you for both. Though maybe that is not correct.”
Michael nodded. “It sounds to me like its more then that. But you cannot tell from that thing.”
It was pretty much agreed amongst them that it could go both ways.
Joe Dawson arrived at the Palace and was escorted right to Liz’s office. He only had to wait a few minutes before Liz walked in, waving him down as he started to get to his feet.
“Piss on that Joe, this is just us in here. Get ready for a shock.”
Liz then activated the Amulet.
After it was over Joe just sat there, stunned. All the questions about Immortality had just been answered. Basically a Higher Being of some kind had just decided to do it pretty much just for something to do. That was how Joe looked at it. He looked at Liz.
“Responsibility?”
“Yeah, we are all twisting ourselves every which way trying to figure THAT out. I have a hunch it might be a while before we find out.”
Joe looked at her. “You got another hunch?”
“Yeah. Not sure but I just feel that more is to come. Just not how or when.”
Joe slowly nodded. “About the Council…”
Liz was determined. “Let them know everything and invite them here to here it from the Amulet. I see no reason for them to be in the dark anymore. “
Joe grimaced. This was not going to be a pleasant call.
Liz correctly interpreted the look on Joe’s face.
“Remind them that I have a lot of power at my beck and call if I decide to use it. If they get pissy or start to threaten you in any way I will drop the Hammer on them big time.”
The rest of the Immortals arrived by noon the next day, even Rachel, Connor, Cassandra, Constantine and their children.
They were all gathered in the formal dining hall of the Palace, since there were over 40 present, since the Immortal women had not been podded yet, and this included all of the wives, husbands, whatever that were mortal since Liz had decided they all should know.
Liz stood before them.
“I am sure most of you at one time or another thought that someone or something was behind Immortality. And you were right. I had a visitor the other day who told it all to me and left behind this to help inform you.” She then turned the Amulet on.
Liz had let everyone else in Roswell, the parents mostly, know what had happened. Their reactions pretty much went the same way as everyone else’s. Her parents were not happy that their daughter had apparently just been given another job with all sorts of possible complications.
The next day Liz was waiting for the Watchers Council to arrive. Joe had informed her that they had actually been so stunned that there had been no threats at all. Especially after he had told them that Liz would have the Amulet show them the story, and they would get to see the pods and everything.
Andre Delacroix was the Chairman of the Council. They had taken the private jet reserved for their use and had headed for Roswell within an hour of Joe Dawsons phone call. It had been agreed that they would take the time on the plane to decided what would be done. It had been a fairly rancorous meeting for most of the time, until everyone wound down and wore out. Then he had spoken his piece.
“Once we see what the Amulet has to say, then we will decide what to do. Clearly that if there will be no more new Immortals except by podding, there will be very few to come. Especially since it seems clear that this will not be let out into the public. I think we do need to consider that all pods used from here on probably need to be watched to make sure that new Immortals are not made without anyone knowing. We will thus be able to know about each one ahead of time. If this amulet truly shows that there is no Prize to the Game, then all the secret contingency plans that we made over the centuries to ensure that no evil Immortal won the Prize become needless. I believe that our primary mission to Chronicle all Immortals should continue. There is no reason to stop.”
The others thought this over and then one by one agreed. Then one asked the Question
“What about this responsibility that Queen Elizabeth has apparently been given.”
Andre gave his best Gaulic Shrug. “I think that there might not be an answer to that question for some time to come. Speculation without evidence is useless.”
Liz, in full regalia with her sword at her side, formally greeted the Council.
“Gentlemen, let us proceed to the conference room. There I will have the Amulet play its message.”
After the Amulet finished, there was silence in the room. Finally Andre stirred himself and looked at Queen Elizabeth.
“Your Majesty, you clearly had insight early on into this. We know that Cassandra has prophetic dreams and is close to you. What is your best guess on what the ‘responibility’ part means?”
Liz sighed. “I think that we will not know for a while. But my best guess is that I will be required at some point to do something or make a decision. The real question will be, does that mean some of the power used reverts to me in order to do whatever is needed? I think the logical answer to that is almost certainly yes.”
Those in the room slowly nodded, reluctantly agreeing with the Queen.
Liz picked up the amulet; it appeared to be of some kind of metal; the ruins and carvings on it looked ancient. She wondered if Methos could read it. She slipped it into a drawer in her desk and went back to the training room.
Liz walked into the training room and went up to Lisa. She had finished her session and was toweling off the sweat. Liz motioned for her to follow her. They went back to Liz’s office.
“I had a visitor just now. It left this. “ Liz held up the amulet then laid it on the desk.
Liz was not sure how she knew, but figured it was from the higher being.
Waving her hand over it, Liz spoke ”Amulet, tell the story.”
What came next was mostly a replay of what it had said, a hologram from all apearences.
It ended thusly “Queen Elizabeth now bares responsibility for the future of Immortality.”
Lisa sat there goggle eyed. A god like something had come to Liz and basically just handed off the responsibility for Immortality. Just as simple as that, and just as complicated. She looked at Liz.
“Is this what you expected?”
“I did not expect it to go that smoothly, or to end up with the whole thing dropped in my lap.”
Lisa just slowly nodded her head, trying to come to grips with it all.
Liz told Lisa to see to settling things down with the Immortals still training, and to let them know that a big announcement would be coming in the next day or so. She would now contact all the Immortals they knew to come here and learn the Truth.
The very next day they started pouring into Roswell from all over. It had been decided to stop trying to fool the watchers, since Liz intended to inform them as well. First she would talk to Joe, who happened to be in Roswell with Rebecca at the moment, checking out the new Immortals.
Liz called Joe right after letting Lisa know.
“Joe, could you come right over to the Palace. I had a visitor.”
Joe Dawson, Watcher and Supervisor of Watchers, knew right away what Liz meant.
“Liz, does this mean…”
“Got the whole story, Joe. You get to find out as soon as you get here.”
“That’s me you see coming in your door right now.”
Liz then went up to the private part of the Palace. She found Max with the children, playing with them as he tried to do every day in the afternoon.
Max looked up as Liz came into the living room and sat down next to him, a pensive look on her face.
“Something happen Liz?”
“Oh, yeah,”
Now Max was worried. He moved closer and hugged her.
“What is it?”
“I had a visitor that turned out to be pretty much what we thought as regarding who started the Immortals.”
Now Max was scared. “Liz, what happened?”
“Basically I got a history lesson about how it all started and all of that. Then I got all responsibility for all Immortals dumped on me. The Higher Being that started it all had one of his minions run it for the last 10,000 years, during which he apparently ascended to a higher plane then he had been in, and no longer cared about us. His minion was instructed that if Mankind ever figured out how to make immortals in any way then he was to give whoever started it the whole thing. Which I now have.”
Maxwell Evans, King Maxwell of Antar, could not come up with anything to say.
Liz got the group together to give then the news, and they were shocked as Max had been.
Typically it was Maria and Kyle that came out of it first.
“Chica, does this mean you are some kind of Goddess now?”
“As far as I know I have not changed.”
“So you do not know if we are supposed to offer sacrifices to you yet?”
“Kyle, watch it. Or you will be sacrificing something you hold dear. Like your tongue.”
“Oh come on, Chica. A Kyle unable to speak would be great but at the same time so pitiful that even I would feel sorry for him.”
Alex while still in a little shock, started to think. “Liz, what do you mean responsible?”
Liz sighed then had the Amulet play again.
After that, there were more then a few puzzled looks in the group.
Isabel spoke first. “That whole thing was a little cryptic, Liz. It just said that you were responsible for Immortality but that is all. Talk about open to interpretation. Maybe you were given some kind of powers; you just do not know it yet.”
Tess was next. “It could be interpreted since you started both the having of children by Immortals and now making Immortals that it was pretty much up to you for both. Though maybe that is not correct.”
Michael nodded. “It sounds to me like its more then that. But you cannot tell from that thing.”
It was pretty much agreed amongst them that it could go both ways.
Joe Dawson arrived at the Palace and was escorted right to Liz’s office. He only had to wait a few minutes before Liz walked in, waving him down as he started to get to his feet.
“Piss on that Joe, this is just us in here. Get ready for a shock.”
Liz then activated the Amulet.
After it was over Joe just sat there, stunned. All the questions about Immortality had just been answered. Basically a Higher Being of some kind had just decided to do it pretty much just for something to do. That was how Joe looked at it. He looked at Liz.
“Responsibility?”
“Yeah, we are all twisting ourselves every which way trying to figure THAT out. I have a hunch it might be a while before we find out.”
Joe looked at her. “You got another hunch?”
“Yeah. Not sure but I just feel that more is to come. Just not how or when.”
Joe slowly nodded. “About the Council…”
Liz was determined. “Let them know everything and invite them here to here it from the Amulet. I see no reason for them to be in the dark anymore. “
Joe grimaced. This was not going to be a pleasant call.
Liz correctly interpreted the look on Joe’s face.
“Remind them that I have a lot of power at my beck and call if I decide to use it. If they get pissy or start to threaten you in any way I will drop the Hammer on them big time.”
The rest of the Immortals arrived by noon the next day, even Rachel, Connor, Cassandra, Constantine and their children.
They were all gathered in the formal dining hall of the Palace, since there were over 40 present, since the Immortal women had not been podded yet, and this included all of the wives, husbands, whatever that were mortal since Liz had decided they all should know.
Liz stood before them.
“I am sure most of you at one time or another thought that someone or something was behind Immortality. And you were right. I had a visitor the other day who told it all to me and left behind this to help inform you.” She then turned the Amulet on.
Liz had let everyone else in Roswell, the parents mostly, know what had happened. Their reactions pretty much went the same way as everyone else’s. Her parents were not happy that their daughter had apparently just been given another job with all sorts of possible complications.
The next day Liz was waiting for the Watchers Council to arrive. Joe had informed her that they had actually been so stunned that there had been no threats at all. Especially after he had told them that Liz would have the Amulet show them the story, and they would get to see the pods and everything.
Andre Delacroix was the Chairman of the Council. They had taken the private jet reserved for their use and had headed for Roswell within an hour of Joe Dawsons phone call. It had been agreed that they would take the time on the plane to decided what would be done. It had been a fairly rancorous meeting for most of the time, until everyone wound down and wore out. Then he had spoken his piece.
“Once we see what the Amulet has to say, then we will decide what to do. Clearly that if there will be no more new Immortals except by podding, there will be very few to come. Especially since it seems clear that this will not be let out into the public. I think we do need to consider that all pods used from here on probably need to be watched to make sure that new Immortals are not made without anyone knowing. We will thus be able to know about each one ahead of time. If this amulet truly shows that there is no Prize to the Game, then all the secret contingency plans that we made over the centuries to ensure that no evil Immortal won the Prize become needless. I believe that our primary mission to Chronicle all Immortals should continue. There is no reason to stop.”
The others thought this over and then one by one agreed. Then one asked the Question
“What about this responsibility that Queen Elizabeth has apparently been given.”
Andre gave his best Gaulic Shrug. “I think that there might not be an answer to that question for some time to come. Speculation without evidence is useless.”
Liz, in full regalia with her sword at her side, formally greeted the Council.
“Gentlemen, let us proceed to the conference room. There I will have the Amulet play its message.”
After the Amulet finished, there was silence in the room. Finally Andre stirred himself and looked at Queen Elizabeth.
“Your Majesty, you clearly had insight early on into this. We know that Cassandra has prophetic dreams and is close to you. What is your best guess on what the ‘responibility’ part means?”
Liz sighed. “I think that we will not know for a while. But my best guess is that I will be required at some point to do something or make a decision. The real question will be, does that mean some of the power used reverts to me in order to do whatever is needed? I think the logical answer to that is almost certainly yes.”
Those in the room slowly nodded, reluctantly agreeing with the Queen.
-
thumper1942
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 157
- Joined: Sun Dec 09, 2007 12:37 pm
Re: Another Life IV (HL, XO, CC, MA) Part 21 3/8/10
Another Life IV Part 22
After the Watchers council left the palace, Liz headed back to the private suites. Joe, Methos and Duncan were there waiting for news on what the Watchers Council was up to.
Liz walked in and sat in the living room area where Methos already had a bear while Joe and Duncan were working on some very old Scotch that had been sent to Liz as a gift from Scotland.
Joe looked at her. “Do I need to disappear?”
Liz grinned at him. “Nope. They are in too much shock to do much of anything now. That and the amulet really worries them; they too think that I may have powers I do not know about and they do NOT want to get on my bad side. Whatever keeps them out of our hair is fine with me.”
Joe nodded. “I guess now the question is do we get this information out to Immortals as a whole and if we do, how to do it.”
Methos grimaced. “Many would not believe it; of course some would not believe even the Amulet, but that is what it would take to convince most. Any way you look at it it would be virtually impossible to really get this message out to Immortals. “
Liz sighed. “Yeah, that is pretty much the way I see it as well. Probably the only thing we can do is just let it out and leave the rest to fate. I do not like that but I see no practical alternative.”
Duncan agreed. “It will take years for the word to trickle out to everyone, and as Methos said, many would not believe it anyway.”
Methos slowly got an evil grin. Duncan notice it first and groaned. Joe looked at Duncan then Methos then rolled his eyes. Puzzled, Liz looked at them. “OK, what is the joke?”
Duncan shook his head. “Methos has come up with something that will be funny to him but probably no one else.”
Joe snorted. “That sounds about right.”
Methos ignored them. Then turned to Liz.
“We must of course let Immortals know they have a Queen.”
Liz spitted him with a glare. “That better be a joke or I will get pissed.”
Methos held up his hands in mock apology. “The Amulet was very clear. All responsibility for Immortals is now in your hands. If you were a man I would say King of Immortals. Your subjects really do have the right to know that they have a new ruler.”
Joe was shaking his head. But Duncan had a serious look on his face. Liz saw that.
“Don’t tell me you agree?”
“I am not sure Liz. Clearly we have not been ruled before. BUT it is a consideration. We cannot tell at this time what has changed. We know that there will be no more Immortal babies. But is that the only change? Maybe that is all, maybe there is more. I can tell you think something is coming that will involve you making decisions or doing something. So maybe considering you the Queen of Immortals is more then Methos’s idea of a joke.”
Liz sat back and thought about that. Then decided that there was no point of trying to figure it out at the moment. Then she looked at Joe. “Who is still here?”
Joe shook his head. “No one has left yet. I think they all want to talk to you some more; at least the old guard does. I think the Newbies are a little intimidated at the moment.”
Liz slowly nodded. “Well no time like the present. Lucky we built this place with a lot of rooms. Get the word out that we will have another meeting in the Dining hall at 5.”
Joe, Methos and Duncan nodded and got up to get the word out. Liz sat there after they left and brooded. She was very worried about what she might have to do in the future.
Max came into the room and sat down next to her, tugging her over until she was on his lap. Liz snuggled into his arms and sighed. “Looks like I might have outsmarted myself when I decided to start making Immortals. I have a feeling this would not have happened otherwise. I think he did not care about Immortals having children, which strictly speaking from an Immortal point of view is probably correct.”
Max held her closer. “You were very driven and determined, Liz. I really doubt anything would have stopped you. Even if you knew what would happened, would you have stopped?”
Liz shook her head. “No.”
“You would not be who you are if you had. And feeling as you do about Immortality, the first chance to do this you would have taken no matter what. “
Joe, Duncan, Methos, Amanda, Grace, Connor, Constantine, Cassandra, Richie, Sean and Lisa were waiting in the Dining Hall for Liz.
Liz came in and as one they all stood up and bowed towards her. She glared at them.
“You would not like me mad so do NOT do that again.”
Grins all around the main table told their story. Methos feigned surprise.
“Your Majesty, is it not correct for subjects to bow to their Monarch?”
“Watch it Methos, or I will find a way to cut off your bear.”
More grins. Liz sighed, then smiled. “OK, enough with the jokes. Not only do I need to hear your concerns, I need you to hear mine.”
Cassandra was first. “Until I get more sight into what has happened, I can only give my personal impression. It is not exactly incorrect to consider you our Queen. And it’s a crown won on deeds, not a birthright. You found a way for us to have children. You found a way to make a mortal Immortal. The only real question is what is to come. “
Constantine nodded. “I believe this was all done with purpose beyond what we have been told. Maybe beyond what they knew. And to me personally in every that matters I consider you our Queen.”
Grace slowly nodded. “Ever since I met you, I have had this feeling that great events would follow you. And they have. It has been debated in history do great events make the person, or does the great person make the events great. Either way the results are the same. I find myself considering you our queen as well.”
Methos looked surprisingly serious. “I have never called anyone my king or my queen. But I find myself closer to calling you My Queen than anyone else in 5000 years. I wonder if this is internal or external. Either way it is how I feel, all joking aside.”
Liz had been listening to this with growing disbelief. “You are all serious.” That was a statement and not a question.
Duncan looked at her. “Liz, I have felt for some time that there was something out there guiding us or giving us a nudge where it counted. Look at all the times another Immortal just happened to be in the right place at the right time to save Grace, who was so instrumental in all that has occurred. Why would I choose to go through a town like Roswell, something I had never done before and more then that had never had any desire to do so. And to be there just in time to have your ambulance pass by closely enough to feel a pre immortal’s buzz. Look at all that happened with Antar. You just happen to be the object of a young Kings devotion. And all that followed that. Even that Rogue Star, something no one had ever heard of anywhere. The chances of this all being coincidence is beyond anyone’s calculation of the odds. And now finally we know why we were created- supposedly at a whim by a higher being. I find that very doubtful. I too consider you our Queen.”
Cassandra was looking at Duncan closely. “You think that there is someone or something else that has been involved, someone other than that which created us?”
Duncan nodded. “I do. And I think that that being that had been tasked with watching over us for millennia knew that as well. That is where the cryptic part of the Amulet’s story comes in. He did not know what was coming; only that someone else is involved.”
Liz sat there and thought about that. It made sense that maybe someone else had been doing a little something here and there, because she had gotten the feeling that the being had been quite busy just doing what he had been doing, and also that it would have run counter to the original orders for him to have interfered anymore. And that someone else was still around.
“Great. Another Higher Being or something of that kind that will be visiting me sometime. Wonder what he is going to dump on me?”
At that moment everyone in the room felt something. It made the hair stand up on the back of everyone’s neck; they all stood and started looking around. In the far corner of the dining hall, in the middle of the wall, a glow began to grow. It grew brighter until it was almost impossible to look at it; but not quite.
Liz looked at it and knew her question was about to be answered. She slowly stepped towards the light.
Acting on instinct and something else they could not identify, all the other Immortals moved to block Liz from the light.
Liz stared at them in astonishment. “Obviously this is a message or messenger of some kind. I have to go.”
Duncan stood there. Unmoving. “No, your Majesty, we cannot be sure it is safe.”
At that moment the glow dimmed and went out. And there on the wall was the message:
WHEN IT IS TIME I WILL COME TO YOU, QUEEN ELIZABETH
They all just stared.
After the Watchers council left the palace, Liz headed back to the private suites. Joe, Methos and Duncan were there waiting for news on what the Watchers Council was up to.
Liz walked in and sat in the living room area where Methos already had a bear while Joe and Duncan were working on some very old Scotch that had been sent to Liz as a gift from Scotland.
Joe looked at her. “Do I need to disappear?”
Liz grinned at him. “Nope. They are in too much shock to do much of anything now. That and the amulet really worries them; they too think that I may have powers I do not know about and they do NOT want to get on my bad side. Whatever keeps them out of our hair is fine with me.”
Joe nodded. “I guess now the question is do we get this information out to Immortals as a whole and if we do, how to do it.”
Methos grimaced. “Many would not believe it; of course some would not believe even the Amulet, but that is what it would take to convince most. Any way you look at it it would be virtually impossible to really get this message out to Immortals. “
Liz sighed. “Yeah, that is pretty much the way I see it as well. Probably the only thing we can do is just let it out and leave the rest to fate. I do not like that but I see no practical alternative.”
Duncan agreed. “It will take years for the word to trickle out to everyone, and as Methos said, many would not believe it anyway.”
Methos slowly got an evil grin. Duncan notice it first and groaned. Joe looked at Duncan then Methos then rolled his eyes. Puzzled, Liz looked at them. “OK, what is the joke?”
Duncan shook his head. “Methos has come up with something that will be funny to him but probably no one else.”
Joe snorted. “That sounds about right.”
Methos ignored them. Then turned to Liz.
“We must of course let Immortals know they have a Queen.”
Liz spitted him with a glare. “That better be a joke or I will get pissed.”
Methos held up his hands in mock apology. “The Amulet was very clear. All responsibility for Immortals is now in your hands. If you were a man I would say King of Immortals. Your subjects really do have the right to know that they have a new ruler.”
Joe was shaking his head. But Duncan had a serious look on his face. Liz saw that.
“Don’t tell me you agree?”
“I am not sure Liz. Clearly we have not been ruled before. BUT it is a consideration. We cannot tell at this time what has changed. We know that there will be no more Immortal babies. But is that the only change? Maybe that is all, maybe there is more. I can tell you think something is coming that will involve you making decisions or doing something. So maybe considering you the Queen of Immortals is more then Methos’s idea of a joke.”
Liz sat back and thought about that. Then decided that there was no point of trying to figure it out at the moment. Then she looked at Joe. “Who is still here?”
Joe shook his head. “No one has left yet. I think they all want to talk to you some more; at least the old guard does. I think the Newbies are a little intimidated at the moment.”
Liz slowly nodded. “Well no time like the present. Lucky we built this place with a lot of rooms. Get the word out that we will have another meeting in the Dining hall at 5.”
Joe, Methos and Duncan nodded and got up to get the word out. Liz sat there after they left and brooded. She was very worried about what she might have to do in the future.
Max came into the room and sat down next to her, tugging her over until she was on his lap. Liz snuggled into his arms and sighed. “Looks like I might have outsmarted myself when I decided to start making Immortals. I have a feeling this would not have happened otherwise. I think he did not care about Immortals having children, which strictly speaking from an Immortal point of view is probably correct.”
Max held her closer. “You were very driven and determined, Liz. I really doubt anything would have stopped you. Even if you knew what would happened, would you have stopped?”
Liz shook her head. “No.”
“You would not be who you are if you had. And feeling as you do about Immortality, the first chance to do this you would have taken no matter what. “
Joe, Duncan, Methos, Amanda, Grace, Connor, Constantine, Cassandra, Richie, Sean and Lisa were waiting in the Dining Hall for Liz.
Liz came in and as one they all stood up and bowed towards her. She glared at them.
“You would not like me mad so do NOT do that again.”
Grins all around the main table told their story. Methos feigned surprise.
“Your Majesty, is it not correct for subjects to bow to their Monarch?”
“Watch it Methos, or I will find a way to cut off your bear.”
More grins. Liz sighed, then smiled. “OK, enough with the jokes. Not only do I need to hear your concerns, I need you to hear mine.”
Cassandra was first. “Until I get more sight into what has happened, I can only give my personal impression. It is not exactly incorrect to consider you our Queen. And it’s a crown won on deeds, not a birthright. You found a way for us to have children. You found a way to make a mortal Immortal. The only real question is what is to come. “
Constantine nodded. “I believe this was all done with purpose beyond what we have been told. Maybe beyond what they knew. And to me personally in every that matters I consider you our Queen.”
Grace slowly nodded. “Ever since I met you, I have had this feeling that great events would follow you. And they have. It has been debated in history do great events make the person, or does the great person make the events great. Either way the results are the same. I find myself considering you our queen as well.”
Methos looked surprisingly serious. “I have never called anyone my king or my queen. But I find myself closer to calling you My Queen than anyone else in 5000 years. I wonder if this is internal or external. Either way it is how I feel, all joking aside.”
Liz had been listening to this with growing disbelief. “You are all serious.” That was a statement and not a question.
Duncan looked at her. “Liz, I have felt for some time that there was something out there guiding us or giving us a nudge where it counted. Look at all the times another Immortal just happened to be in the right place at the right time to save Grace, who was so instrumental in all that has occurred. Why would I choose to go through a town like Roswell, something I had never done before and more then that had never had any desire to do so. And to be there just in time to have your ambulance pass by closely enough to feel a pre immortal’s buzz. Look at all that happened with Antar. You just happen to be the object of a young Kings devotion. And all that followed that. Even that Rogue Star, something no one had ever heard of anywhere. The chances of this all being coincidence is beyond anyone’s calculation of the odds. And now finally we know why we were created- supposedly at a whim by a higher being. I find that very doubtful. I too consider you our Queen.”
Cassandra was looking at Duncan closely. “You think that there is someone or something else that has been involved, someone other than that which created us?”
Duncan nodded. “I do. And I think that that being that had been tasked with watching over us for millennia knew that as well. That is where the cryptic part of the Amulet’s story comes in. He did not know what was coming; only that someone else is involved.”
Liz sat there and thought about that. It made sense that maybe someone else had been doing a little something here and there, because she had gotten the feeling that the being had been quite busy just doing what he had been doing, and also that it would have run counter to the original orders for him to have interfered anymore. And that someone else was still around.
“Great. Another Higher Being or something of that kind that will be visiting me sometime. Wonder what he is going to dump on me?”
At that moment everyone in the room felt something. It made the hair stand up on the back of everyone’s neck; they all stood and started looking around. In the far corner of the dining hall, in the middle of the wall, a glow began to grow. It grew brighter until it was almost impossible to look at it; but not quite.
Liz looked at it and knew her question was about to be answered. She slowly stepped towards the light.
Acting on instinct and something else they could not identify, all the other Immortals moved to block Liz from the light.
Liz stared at them in astonishment. “Obviously this is a message or messenger of some kind. I have to go.”
Duncan stood there. Unmoving. “No, your Majesty, we cannot be sure it is safe.”
At that moment the glow dimmed and went out. And there on the wall was the message:
WHEN IT IS TIME I WILL COME TO YOU, QUEEN ELIZABETH
They all just stared.
-
thumper1942
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 157
- Joined: Sun Dec 09, 2007 12:37 pm
Re: Another Life IV (HL, XO, CC, MA) Part 22 3/9/10
Another Life IV Part 23
I think this is a good place to end part IV so I will.
Liz and the rest of them stared at the wall. Then the writing slowly began to fade till it was gone. Lisa held up her cell phone- it had a camera. She looked at Liz. “Your Majesty, I managed to get a picture. I will send it to your office site immediately. “
Liz nodded. Then slowly sat down, as they all did.
“Well I guess any question about someone else being involved has been answered. We just do not know where and when it will come back. Seems pretty obvious that whatever that is will be serious. “
All around the room came nods in response.
Liz looked at Duncan. “Did you feel compelled to protect me?”
Duncan thought about that. “Yes, I think so.”
Cassandra nodded. “I felt right away that my first duty was to protect you.”
Once again all around the room came nods.
Liz sighed again. “Well then here is my first Imperial Order. When we are here like this its Liz and NOT your majesty.”
This time smiles from around the room.
Liz stood up and looked at them. “Go on home people. I think that we are done here. Who knows when it will come up again and there is no point worrying about it.”
That night there was a quiet dinner in the Palace Dining Room. This was one of the times that Liz and Max told the kitchen staff to go home early and they would take care of things. Liz had very patiently explained to them the first time that this way things could be discussed and personal secrets aired; and that no one would have to be embarrassed about saying or hearing anything.
Only Alex, Isabel, Maria and Michael were present. Lisa had volunteered to stay and take care of the children. Maria told her that such bravery truly deserved a medal.
Michael had cooked the simple meal. After everyone had eaten, they moved over to the side of the dining hall where the message had been displayed. Alex had brought some exotic measuring devices to see if anything could be found; nothing had. The Granolith had reported that it had detected no strange energy, nor any energy flare at that time.
Maria went over and touched the wall. She looked at Liz. “Message from God, eh?”
Grins came out. And the tension dissipated.
Liz shook her head at her lifelong best friend.
“It did not exactly say anything like that. But I guess one could interpret it that way.”
Alex leaned forward. He had had Liz take the amulet to the granolith and have it play for it; and had had it in the lab and tried to measure or detect energy from it. Both had failed. The Granolith had seemed a little insulted that it could not detect any energy.
“The fact that we could not detect any energy reading at all either from the Amulet or from your message this afternoon really points toward something or someone a whole lot more sophisticated.”
Tess had been quietly thinking. “Liz, it seems pretty clear that there were two separate entities working the Immortal world. One has left and one has stayed. The one that left appears to have left you with its responsibilities, but certainly was not clear on just what those are. I would say its clear that the second knew all about the first; its less clear that the first knew all about the second. The first was the one that took over what had been created by its master; the second probably came around a fair amount later. I would guess that that is the one that was nudging here and there and influencing things like seeing to it that Grace kept her head, Duncan just happening to be in Roswell exactly at the right time and place, and so on. Frankly if only one was going to stay, I would say that we got the right one.”
Max nodded. “That makes sense to me. And it does seem like we did luck out with who stayed behind. He seems to be on the side of the Angels.”
Kyle grinned. “So do you want me to start on a sacrificial altar? And what do you want as sacrifices?”
Liz glared at him. “We could start out with your lower intestine and work our way up.”
Maria giggled. “Come on Chica, you have gotten promoted. While you were queen of a people that lost their world, now you are also designated as Queen of another people who were empowered by a god, and are now a partner to another god. Seems like there ought to be some perks to the job.”
Liz shook her head. “Seems like more work for no pay. I guess there is no Union to complain to? Now I have to sit around waiting for the other shoe to fall.”
Max cuddled Liz on his lap. “Honey, you will do what is necessary just like you always have. Sounds like you have been put out there as a fireman of sorts. To put out a fire that may come by sometime in the future. At least it seems like some thought has been put into it; that you will have what you need when you need it.”
Michael shook his head. “At least that is what we hope for. Hope that when the time comes Liz is not left holding an empty bucket with the fire raging out of control.”
Maria swatted him. “Thanks for being a Debbie Downer, Spaceboy.”
Isabel, who had been quiet up till now, shook her head. “We do not know enough to be optimistic or pessimistic. We just have to keep on doing what we have been doing and hope for the best.”
Liz shrugged and snuggled closer to Max. “I have decided that worrying about it makes no sense. What will be, will be. Que Sera, Sera.”
The next few weeks went on by with no hints of anything else. Annie came out of her pod to find a few things had changed while she was out. Taking a largely pragmatic view of things, she told Liz that she was right not to worry about it.
Rachel was next into the Pod, Connor right beside her as she went in. Courtney went into a different pod to become human, which would take approximately 6 months. Richie was torn between wanting Courtney to be Immortal so they would have so much more time together, and worry that something could go wrong. Liz would spend a fair amount of time reassuring both Connor and Richie.
Now that making Immortals had been proven, Liz was not sure what to do next. The medical side of the situation was moving slowly through the FDA, but that was as expected. She found herself rather unexpectedly with less to do then before. All the newly minted Immortals had found teachers, Annie ending up with one while Cassandra took the other woman. Constantine and Connor had each taken one, while Richie decided to take one of his own to occupy the time while he waited for Courtney to de pod. Duncan’s friend Jason Dehoy had taken the last one. He was a fun loving type, who wistfully reminded Duncan of Fitzhugh. He had wandered in one day shortly after the first pods were done, looking for Duncan to catch up after not seeing him for some years. Liz had taken to him, liking that he got her to laugh, and had been brought in on the whole making of Immortals situation. He had not had much of a reaction, which surprised Liz. He told her that he always figured surprises were always out there, and one should never be shocked by anything.
Annie and Sean decided to head back to Ireland, though Sean was a little reluctant to leave while Annie was still pregnant. She pointed out to him that they could call in and have the Granolith transport them immediately if something went wrong, with very little more delay then if they were in Roswell. There was a small going away party for them in the Palace, where Annie was careful to talk to Liz alone.
“I want to thank you for all you have done, Liz, making a dream I have had for over 400 years come true. And I believe that whatever comes you will handle it. I have faith.”
Touched, Liz was without words and just hugged Annie.
The next few months passed by without incident, the newbies getting their training and everyone else just doing what they had been doing. The Pod process had reached clinical trial stage and it was decided to do them at Roswell General Hospital. It was decided to start with 6, and track the results. All six chosen were in terminal stages of cancer and leukemia, all other treatments having failed. They would each go into the pods for one month, then would be brought out and examined.
Liz had decided to keep a low profile in that process, having Alex supervise it, and he made sure that he kept a low profile as well.
All the Immortal couples had gotten pregnant, with the first ones due in a few months.
After some discussion, Duncan and the others had started letting other Immortals know what was going on. They just put the information out there and did no more, letting each believe or disbelieve as they wished.
The search for a planet to move to had gone beyond a thousand light years of earth, still with no good ones found. Though several candidates for terra forming had been identified. Research was ongoing on what would need to be done for each planet found. It was still a matter of fact that any of them would take a tremendous investment in time and resources with no sure result.
One day Liz sat in the living room of the Royal Suite and watched her children play. Her son was almost 6, her daughter almost 4. She had been wondering whether to have more children, but was torn about the time she would need to be in the pod. Did she dare do something like that , with the possibility of something Immortal related coming up and her the responsible one? She had come to the decision that while she did think she would have more children, now was not the time. Perhaps in a few years.
Liz stood up and walked to the window, looking out into the courtyard at the center of the Palace where the Granolith rested. Musing on all that had happened in the last 8 years, almost 9, she wondered if her life could not get any weirder. Then reminded herself that that was a dangerous thought: She could vouch for the fact that life could ALWAYS get stranger.
I think this is a good place to end part IV so I will.
Liz and the rest of them stared at the wall. Then the writing slowly began to fade till it was gone. Lisa held up her cell phone- it had a camera. She looked at Liz. “Your Majesty, I managed to get a picture. I will send it to your office site immediately. “
Liz nodded. Then slowly sat down, as they all did.
“Well I guess any question about someone else being involved has been answered. We just do not know where and when it will come back. Seems pretty obvious that whatever that is will be serious. “
All around the room came nods in response.
Liz looked at Duncan. “Did you feel compelled to protect me?”
Duncan thought about that. “Yes, I think so.”
Cassandra nodded. “I felt right away that my first duty was to protect you.”
Once again all around the room came nods.
Liz sighed again. “Well then here is my first Imperial Order. When we are here like this its Liz and NOT your majesty.”
This time smiles from around the room.
Liz stood up and looked at them. “Go on home people. I think that we are done here. Who knows when it will come up again and there is no point worrying about it.”
That night there was a quiet dinner in the Palace Dining Room. This was one of the times that Liz and Max told the kitchen staff to go home early and they would take care of things. Liz had very patiently explained to them the first time that this way things could be discussed and personal secrets aired; and that no one would have to be embarrassed about saying or hearing anything.
Only Alex, Isabel, Maria and Michael were present. Lisa had volunteered to stay and take care of the children. Maria told her that such bravery truly deserved a medal.
Michael had cooked the simple meal. After everyone had eaten, they moved over to the side of the dining hall where the message had been displayed. Alex had brought some exotic measuring devices to see if anything could be found; nothing had. The Granolith had reported that it had detected no strange energy, nor any energy flare at that time.
Maria went over and touched the wall. She looked at Liz. “Message from God, eh?”
Grins came out. And the tension dissipated.
Liz shook her head at her lifelong best friend.
“It did not exactly say anything like that. But I guess one could interpret it that way.”
Alex leaned forward. He had had Liz take the amulet to the granolith and have it play for it; and had had it in the lab and tried to measure or detect energy from it. Both had failed. The Granolith had seemed a little insulted that it could not detect any energy.
“The fact that we could not detect any energy reading at all either from the Amulet or from your message this afternoon really points toward something or someone a whole lot more sophisticated.”
Tess had been quietly thinking. “Liz, it seems pretty clear that there were two separate entities working the Immortal world. One has left and one has stayed. The one that left appears to have left you with its responsibilities, but certainly was not clear on just what those are. I would say its clear that the second knew all about the first; its less clear that the first knew all about the second. The first was the one that took over what had been created by its master; the second probably came around a fair amount later. I would guess that that is the one that was nudging here and there and influencing things like seeing to it that Grace kept her head, Duncan just happening to be in Roswell exactly at the right time and place, and so on. Frankly if only one was going to stay, I would say that we got the right one.”
Max nodded. “That makes sense to me. And it does seem like we did luck out with who stayed behind. He seems to be on the side of the Angels.”
Kyle grinned. “So do you want me to start on a sacrificial altar? And what do you want as sacrifices?”
Liz glared at him. “We could start out with your lower intestine and work our way up.”
Maria giggled. “Come on Chica, you have gotten promoted. While you were queen of a people that lost their world, now you are also designated as Queen of another people who were empowered by a god, and are now a partner to another god. Seems like there ought to be some perks to the job.”
Liz shook her head. “Seems like more work for no pay. I guess there is no Union to complain to? Now I have to sit around waiting for the other shoe to fall.”
Max cuddled Liz on his lap. “Honey, you will do what is necessary just like you always have. Sounds like you have been put out there as a fireman of sorts. To put out a fire that may come by sometime in the future. At least it seems like some thought has been put into it; that you will have what you need when you need it.”
Michael shook his head. “At least that is what we hope for. Hope that when the time comes Liz is not left holding an empty bucket with the fire raging out of control.”
Maria swatted him. “Thanks for being a Debbie Downer, Spaceboy.”
Isabel, who had been quiet up till now, shook her head. “We do not know enough to be optimistic or pessimistic. We just have to keep on doing what we have been doing and hope for the best.”
Liz shrugged and snuggled closer to Max. “I have decided that worrying about it makes no sense. What will be, will be. Que Sera, Sera.”
The next few weeks went on by with no hints of anything else. Annie came out of her pod to find a few things had changed while she was out. Taking a largely pragmatic view of things, she told Liz that she was right not to worry about it.
Rachel was next into the Pod, Connor right beside her as she went in. Courtney went into a different pod to become human, which would take approximately 6 months. Richie was torn between wanting Courtney to be Immortal so they would have so much more time together, and worry that something could go wrong. Liz would spend a fair amount of time reassuring both Connor and Richie.
Now that making Immortals had been proven, Liz was not sure what to do next. The medical side of the situation was moving slowly through the FDA, but that was as expected. She found herself rather unexpectedly with less to do then before. All the newly minted Immortals had found teachers, Annie ending up with one while Cassandra took the other woman. Constantine and Connor had each taken one, while Richie decided to take one of his own to occupy the time while he waited for Courtney to de pod. Duncan’s friend Jason Dehoy had taken the last one. He was a fun loving type, who wistfully reminded Duncan of Fitzhugh. He had wandered in one day shortly after the first pods were done, looking for Duncan to catch up after not seeing him for some years. Liz had taken to him, liking that he got her to laugh, and had been brought in on the whole making of Immortals situation. He had not had much of a reaction, which surprised Liz. He told her that he always figured surprises were always out there, and one should never be shocked by anything.
Annie and Sean decided to head back to Ireland, though Sean was a little reluctant to leave while Annie was still pregnant. She pointed out to him that they could call in and have the Granolith transport them immediately if something went wrong, with very little more delay then if they were in Roswell. There was a small going away party for them in the Palace, where Annie was careful to talk to Liz alone.
“I want to thank you for all you have done, Liz, making a dream I have had for over 400 years come true. And I believe that whatever comes you will handle it. I have faith.”
Touched, Liz was without words and just hugged Annie.
The next few months passed by without incident, the newbies getting their training and everyone else just doing what they had been doing. The Pod process had reached clinical trial stage and it was decided to do them at Roswell General Hospital. It was decided to start with 6, and track the results. All six chosen were in terminal stages of cancer and leukemia, all other treatments having failed. They would each go into the pods for one month, then would be brought out and examined.
Liz had decided to keep a low profile in that process, having Alex supervise it, and he made sure that he kept a low profile as well.
All the Immortal couples had gotten pregnant, with the first ones due in a few months.
After some discussion, Duncan and the others had started letting other Immortals know what was going on. They just put the information out there and did no more, letting each believe or disbelieve as they wished.
The search for a planet to move to had gone beyond a thousand light years of earth, still with no good ones found. Though several candidates for terra forming had been identified. Research was ongoing on what would need to be done for each planet found. It was still a matter of fact that any of them would take a tremendous investment in time and resources with no sure result.
One day Liz sat in the living room of the Royal Suite and watched her children play. Her son was almost 6, her daughter almost 4. She had been wondering whether to have more children, but was torn about the time she would need to be in the pod. Did she dare do something like that , with the possibility of something Immortal related coming up and her the responsible one? She had come to the decision that while she did think she would have more children, now was not the time. Perhaps in a few years.
Liz stood up and walked to the window, looking out into the courtyard at the center of the Palace where the Granolith rested. Musing on all that had happened in the last 8 years, almost 9, she wondered if her life could not get any weirder. Then reminded herself that that was a dangerous thought: She could vouch for the fact that life could ALWAYS get stranger.