A Teardrop of Fire (AU/CC ALL, Mature) Epilogue - 11/30/09

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PML
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A Teardrop of Fire (AU/CC ALL, Mature) Epilogue - 11/30/09

Post by PML »

Title- A Teardrop of Fire

Disclaimer- I do not own Roswell, and mean no infringement. It is owned by Jason Katims, Melinda Metz, UPN, WB, etc.

Category- AU/CC ALL

Rating- Mature.

Summary- Liz Parker is the Engineer of the Roswell, a small scoutship for the Worldship New Mexico. Along with her friends and compatriots Kyle (Captain and Pilot), Maria (Tactical and Logistics), and Alex (Communications and Intelligence) are surveying systems searching for remnants of the old galactic civilization that had collapsed. As fate would have it their next mission will bring them into contact with Max, Michael, Isabel, and Tess on a little world known as Antar....

A/N- Okay, so I need a new story like I need a hole in the head, but a challenge has been thrown. A few months back I mentioned Nanowrimo to one of my aunts, and got her interested. Well here it is November and she is working on her novel, so where is mine....

Well this is going to be it. It is partly inspired by an old challenge from the RH board (details of which I will add to this post if the challenge is still valid.) I've been kicking around this idea for a while. Hopefully I can actually hit the word count. Hopefully it is coherent.

Anyway, what does this mean for the other four stories I am already writing? Well they will not be abandoned, but the amount of effort on this story will make posts on them slow for the next month. I know for certainty that Weathering in particular will not let me wait too much longer for the next post, and Redemption.... Well you understand I hope. Naturally this particular story should have fairly frequent posts. (It better or I will fail at my goal.)

Wish me luck. And I hope this story is at least a bit enjoyable for you all.

Here is the prologue. Chapter one should be up tomorrow.

Teardrop of Fire - Prologue

200 years previously

Adrian Parker had been honored to be one of the adult members of the Columbia. The Columbia was the seventh of the Noram Confederacy’s NAFAL drive ships. Because of the treaty signed after the Final War, the Columbia had to travel far from Earth to settle.

The earlier ships got the close and easy systems.

They got Arilan. Sure it had some it had some old stellar designation, but he didn’t care for it. No, it was named after the High Counselor that had helped the world pull back from the brink of destruction.

Over four hundred light years away, more than nine hundred years in transit, possibly more.

There had been… trouble on the way. And they had lost contact with Earth. It had never been reestablished, even after the coup had been put down.

Still they were here. No radio contact, but oddly regular formations on the ground. Perhaps it would have been wiser to wait a little longer, to analyze the photos more. But the Captain had been eager to set foot on a world again.

Adrian couldn’t blame him. He too wanted to see his new home. They would be activating the crèches soon, waking the ova and sperm that would form the new citizens of the Aralia.

As he flew the shuttle down he had the oddest feeling of déjà vu. It reminded him of something. Of some of his training flights on Earth.

He shuddered as he remembered what it reminded him of.

The ruins of New York. It had never been resettled after its destruction in the Fourth World War.

Too many ghosts, too many unburied dead. Too many memories.

But it had provided good training ground for a variety of manned missions. He had flown countless missions preparing to defend Noram against invasion.

And then the Peace. And the Plan.

They had almost destroyed the human race. No longer could they afford to wait, to assume that existing in the Solar System would be enough. Earth could have been destroyed, and there had been enough weaponry to finish off most of the colonies.

But in deep space, on other worlds and other systems…. They were too far for war to touch. Disaster could still happen, but if they were careful, somewhere mankind would continue.

Adrian would remember those naïve sentiments in the days to come.

For perhaps that had been true with the NAFAL drives, but once FTL had been perfected, once the Gates had been made….. Everything had changed.

Arilan had already been settled. Settled and destroyed.

The Columbia wasn’t early, weren’t the pioneers they had suspected…. They were a remnant of a far gone distant era. An era of hope and the promise of peace. An era of progress and enlightenment. Early children of Mankind’s Golden Age, now long since past.

And on that day, the Founders swore to bring that Age back. To bring light back to a darkened cosmos.

In his old age Adrian Parker would sponsor and Captain the Worldship New Mexico. It was one of many. All dedicated to searching out other remnants. To reunite humanity in peace.

A noble goal. A worthy goal.

This story is in part how his great-granddaughter and her friends did their part to bring civilization back to the void…..
Last edited by PML on Mon Nov 30, 2009 10:37 pm, edited 21 times in total.
PML
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Re: A Teardrop of Fire (AU/CC ALL, Mature) Prologue - 11/03/09

Post by PML »

Well here is the first chapter. Thanks to everyone who is reading this story. Hope you enjoy.

Begonia9508- Thanks. Adrian Parker was Liz's great-grandfather.

keepsmiling7- Thanks.

chanks_girl- Thanks. This one is definately going to be scifi heavy.

nibbles2- Thanks.

Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.

Teardrop of Fire - Chapter 1

Onboard the Worldship New Mexico

Liz Parker was in the central gardens soaking up the casual ambiance the New Mexico seemed to cultivate. This was one of the more pleasant of the worldships she’d been on. People were getting the job done, but not so driven as on the Quebec or the Massachusetts.

She’d been born on the New Mexico, but because it was in such a quiet corner, because it seemed so dull and boring she’d left for other more exciting ships. She’d actually served as third Engineer on the Boston during the conquest of Aquilane.

Liz shuddered. She had wanted excitement, had wanted adventure….. And she’d gotten them. She actually had several commendations for her work on the Boston. But the constant politics had worn her down.

She could have risen fast, could probably have had her own vessel by now in the new Aquilane Sector, but it would have cost her so much. Her self-respect for one.

Liz sighed. It was all for the best. She could star fresh here.

Ironic really. Starting over in her home sector.

“Liz!”

Liz looked up. That voice sounded familiar….

It was Maria Deluca. What was she doing here? She was a hero on the Massachusetts! What could have sent her to such a backwater province? She should be helping to press the damned Dratha back.

There could be no lasting peace with the Drathans. Their Empire would always seek to expand further and further.

In truth the both her people and theirs wanted the same thing. A united humanity. But Arilan was not in the business of enforcing its political organization on its friends. They wanted a grouping of free worlds. The Drathans wanted a united galaxy under their banner.

Well they wouldn’t have to worry about them here. This sector wasn’t dead, but the War of the Ancients had hit this area particularly hard.

Out here they mostly only found rubble. The Ancients had used planet-busters near the end. But even there you could find useful artifacts and technological wonders. Not to mention good mining opportunities.

Liz wouldn’t get much in the way of combat pay out here, but finders fees could be just as lucrative.

Liz looked at her friend as she made her way across the lawn. All but glowing white shimmer-sheer blouse, on top of a thigh high black skirt that made the most of her legs. Bright green eyes, full red lips and a knowing grin.

Liz couldn’t help but smile. She could all but hear jaws drop on the green.

How she wished for just a bit of that confidence….. But no, she was still the mousy girl that fixed everything up from behind the scenes. Maria was the woman of action.

“What are you doing here?”

“Grabbing you so that we can hit the clubs. Tomorrow is going to be a long day and we’ll be leaving on the next. So get up. I can already see that the fallout from the Board of Inquiry on the Massachusetts still has you tense. You need to loosen up, girl. How long has it been since you got laid?”

“Maria!”

Green eyes looked at her intensely, “Don’t tell me you haven’t since my bastard cousin Sean….”

“Maria, we are so not having this conversation. I need to do these calculations. My ship leaves in a couple of days and…..”

“Our ship.”

“What?”

“I said ‘our ship.’ I’m the Tac/Log for the Roswell.”

“But why Maria? You were a hero on the Boston, and they loved you in Massachusetts and….”

“I’m not cut out to be a hero Liz. Oh the actions, well I guess they were heroic. But I wasn’t alone. And too many others didn’t make it back. I lost too many good friends out there Liz. I wasn’t going to lose you too.”

“I seem to recall you wanted to bask in the adulation of your undying fans and or love-slaves. At least I vaguely remember you muttering that on occasion.”

Maria just looked at her flatly. “For something positive yes. But for death, for killing people? It needed to be done and I did it. But to have people love me for killing people, for doing what I had to do….” Maria shook her head, “No Liz. I don’t want to die being known only as an instrument of death. Now if my music caught on or we make some awesome find out here. Yeah, I could use some adulation.”

“So you want to be a hero, just not a war hero?”

“Exactly. Now come on, time is wasting and there are some beers with our names on them.”

“Maria. I am not going clubbing with you. I have too much work to do.”

“Oh, we’ll argue about it sure. But you are going.” Maria flashed her a million watt smile, “Trust me.”

--------
Elsewhere aboard the New Mexico

Kyle paced back and forth across the living room.

Alex said distractedly from his computer monitor, “Do you mind?”

“Sorry. Did you find out anything? About the rest of our crew?”

“Liz Parker will be Eng/Sys, last ship the Boston. Several commendations, a couple of medals. Um, she apparently was involved in a Court Martial, but the records are sealed.”

“Liz Parker? Huh. I knew a Liz Parker, we studied at the Academy together.”

“Same woman. She’s a valuable addition. Hot property. Probably of more use to us on the New Mexico than the Massachusetts. Either here or Central. I took some classes with her. She’s good. Strong science background. As I said, useful.”

“I wonder…..”

Alex looked at his Captain again, “Wonder what?”

“Oh, nothing.” Kyle noticed the look on Alex’s face. Alex would find out eventually, but there was no reason to worry him just yet.

Liz Parker had been his first love. Not his first girlfriend, but the first he had actually cared about more than just getting her into the sack. They had parted as friends, but he’d always wondered.

Kyle had simply not been driven enough for her. Liz had plans, and the grades and determination to succeed. Kyle had his own goals and dreams. They had just been to modest, too slow.

Ironic that he would be her Captain and not the reverse.

This could get messy.

“And the other?”

“Maria Deluca. Wow. War hero from the Aqulane Conflict. Served on the Boston, concurrently with Liz. Lots of Classified stuff on her. Apparently she’s an assault specialist.”

“A groundpounder? What good will that do us out here?”

“Well. She’s got full qualifications for the other job requirements, and that’s better than Pam ever was.”

“Oh, I am so glad to see the end of her.”

Alex nodded. “I’ve downloaded all the files I was able to retrieve. Some of which might even open at your Captain’s code key.”

“Hmmm. Okay. Well I’ll check when we get back. Still I’m a little concerned about this Deluca chick. Last thing we need out here is a glory hound. But, hey, we’ll deal with that tomorrow.”

Alex smiled and got up. “So do you want to just pay me now, or do you think you can actually get more comm codes than me?”

“Oh, I haven’t given up yet. What do you do with them anyway? It’s not like you contact even more than half of them.”

“I haven’t found her yet. But I’m still looking. And I will find her. Someday.”

“You are such an incurable romantic.”

“Maybe. But I will find her. Trust me. If she is out there…..”

“You will find her. Come on, Alex. You might not find your true love tonight, but we leave in a couple of days. So as your Captain, I order you to find a warm willing body out of that host of com codes that you can spend the night with. We’ve got a long mission ahead of us.”

“I’ll see what I can do. Just have your money ready for me tomorrow.”

“I still haven’t given up!”

Alex and Kyle left the Roswell.

-------
Kensington Rail Station, Antar

Michael stood at attention, waiting calmly for the train that would take his charge home.

It was strange being home, being free of the constraints that had confined him for these past few years. So strange to see all the changes the war had brought.

There was a tension on the streets he hadn’t felt when he’d been sent away to learn how to become a Protector. But the fact was he wasn’t quite sure if that was new tension, or just something he’d never had the wit to see before.

He just didn’t know.

The train pulled up.

Michael nodded to the Protector who would take care of the next segment of the journey that would send one of the Royals back to the Capital.

Something was wrong. He could feel it. But what was the problem? That he didn’t know.

No his plan was a good one. There had been too many close calls here, too many mistakes.

Michael turned to Prince. “See you at the Palace, Your Highness. There are just a few lingering issues I need to clarify.”

“It was a pleasure to see you. I will convey your regrets to Isabel.”

Michael winced on the inside. There had been a time when he had thought the blonde woman would be his. They had sworn to each other as children.

He should have known better. Lesser nobility did not marry into the Royal family.

It was just so… hard… to let go completely to a dream that had sustained him throughout all the trials he’d had to face. And now he would end up close to her, but never as close as he had once wished.

He watched as the train pulled away. Michael walked back to the rest area where the rest of his team waited.

And his real charge.

Max Evans looked up at him, “I hope this is worth it.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Michael whispered.

The explosion came but moments later. And then things got complicated.
PML
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Re: A Teardrop of Fire (AU/CC ALL, Mature) Chapter 1 - 11/04/09

Post by PML »

Thanks again to everyone for following along.

begonia9508- Thanks. It is actually part of the challenge from RH that I mentioned earlier on. I'll update the summary in a couple of days. (The challenge is active and I am going to try to fulfil that one as well.)

keepsmiling7- Thanks

marymary- Thanks

Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended

Teardrop of Fire - Chapter 2

University of Caredon, Ekedar, Antar

Isabel glided across the living room. She was wearing a short black dress.

Khivar was taking her dancing. In fact they should have already left, but some of his friends had dropped in unexpectedly.

Isabel prided herself on being political. On knowing what was going on in the world. Certainly there was plenty to fight against, and Khivar was an advocate of many things that Isabel supported.

But some of her lover’s friends….. They made her nervous. They were willing to take shortcuts, to resort to violence as a first option rather than a last.

Her father called them terrorists. Had threatened to disown her is she continued to see Khivar. But the threat didn’t really have much of a bite. Isabel had her own source of funds exclusive of the Monarchy, and had invested widely and wisely.

Isabel was a very wealthy young woman. One sought after and admired by many of the aristocratic class of Antar. Many of whom were firmly disappointed in her choice of politics and her choice of lover.

Khivar certainly was not from the blue bloods that had hunted after her hand since she had turned twelve. Nor we he even of minor aristocracy like the love of her youth had been.

No he was solid upper middle class. Well off but not wealthy. And with the way the world of politics was set up, he was allowed to sit at the table, but not allowed to play.

And Khivar was ambitious. And smart. And powerful.

All useful of course. But it was his charisma…. The sheer strength of will and purpose and passion of the man……

Khivar was a very dangerous man.

And Isabel loved him.

Isabel walked into their living room. Khivar was speaking to an average looking man and a pretty woman. It took Isabel seconds only to realize it was the woman who was in charge.

She said, “My people are ready to go now, Khivar. They won’t be willing to wait.”

Khivar said, “It would be best if we all coordinated our efforts. This war has all the targets occupied. If we hit them all at once, topple them all, we can end the war. Think of what a propaganda coup that would be. The commons would be eating out of our hands long enough to get entrenched. You know our new governments will be vulnerable….. ,’ Khivar spotted Isabel, “Oh, hi honey. I’m almost ready. Have I introduced you to Vanessa yet?”

“No, I do not believe I have made her acquaintance yet.”

Khivar took Isabel’s hand and kissed it. “Isabel meet Vanessa Whitaker, she is an envoy from a freedom fighter group in Vetan.”

Isabel smiled a polite smile. There was something about that woman she did not trust. But charm was a weapon like any other. “A pleasure to meet you. I am Isabel Evans.”

Isabel did not miss the wince in the woman’s eyes. She got that reaction a lot from Khivar’s more radically republican friends. The fact that she herself advocated an expansion of the franchise and weakening of the to strong monarchies that ruled the day on Antar never seemed to matter.

But then, to many radicals a moderate was not a thing to cherish. But why did she feel that one day she would face this woman in mortal combat?

Vanessa Whitaker. She would have to check with her contacts to see what the woman was about. And maybe even approach her father’s embassy to see if she was a threat to Avidar.

Just because she was estranged from her parents and had serious problems with the political structure did not mean she wanted fire and storm to rage through her homeland. Form her perspective it was that love that drove her to propose necessary changes…..

-------
Harding Palace, Vetan, Antar

Tess sat quietly at her desk reading reports. Her father was always so surprised that she cared about the dull economic analyses that rolled through from the Exchequer.

Why it surprised him exasperated Tess. He had spent a fortune on securing her years at Caredon University, why should he be surprised that Tess would want to use what she learned? Maybe profit from the changes that were sweeping the world, but leaving poor Vetan far behind?

For a brief moment Tess remembered those glorious years. Meeting Max for the first time, joining his little group. The Royal Four their classmates had jokingly called them.

They had been inseparable. Then Michael had been drafted and sent to the Front. Isabel had drifted further and further into radical politics.

And she and Max had fallen in love.

Tess had fulfilled all of her father’s wishes. When the marriage was finalized, there would be a direct blood tie between the Hardings’ and the Evans’.

Surely that would help her family’s waning influence at home and abroad?

Tess sighed. She missed Max.

Four weeks. Just four more weeks and they would be wed.

-------
Kensington Rail Yard, Avidar, Antar

Max looked over at his best friend and Protector, “Well this is another fine mess you’ve gotten us into.” A couple of bullets thudded heavily into the wall next to him.

Michael looked at him flatly, “Would you rather have been on the train?” He peeked around the corner and fired a couple of shot from his rifle.

Max sighed. Michael was right. “You do know we can’t stay here for too much longer. I didn’t exactly prepare for a firefight on my way home.”

“The others will provide a distraction in a couple of moments and we will make a run for it. It would take too long for your father to send reinforcements.”

“And then what? How am I supposed to get home now?”

“We go the long way.” Michael pointed to the mountains off to the west.

Max just looked at them. And thought about tackling those mountains on horseback, possibly dodging bandits along the way. “You do know I need to meet Tess in less than a month. I’m getting married.”

“Good for you. Of course, you can’t get married if you’re dead, so we go the long way.”

“Great, just great.”

Somehow this day wasn’t going nearly as well as Max had been hoping…..
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Re: A Teardrop of Fire (AU/CC ALL, Mature) Chapter 2 - 11/05/09

Post by PML »

Another day, another post. Thanks to everyone following along.

begonia9508- I'm still in the set up phase of the story. And the Antarans are pretty much where they would be before they were all killed. Liz is over a hundred light years away. (And probably five or six parts away as well.)

chanks_girl- Thanks. Well you will see a bit of the Kyle/Liz situation in this part. A few more parts before they get there. But the next part will have Liz and company leaving New Mexico and moving towards Antar.

Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.

Teardrop of Fire - Chapter 3

Inside the Roswell, Worldship New Mexico

Alex sipped his coffee and watched the young woman sleep. He had always admired Liz. She had a calm intelligence that had impressed him then. And truthfully still did.

She’d always been so kind and nice, a fact that had often hid her incredible competitive nature and drive to excel. Alex knew that if he’d had a fraction of her drive he’d probably be in Central right now. Helping to direct the never ending war against the Dratha.

Instead he was with Kyle, searching the New Mexico’s sector for traces of technology. It was noble work, and if they found something of value, the finders fees could make them quite rich.

But the odds of that were poor. Still splitting finders fees for various industrial materials was going to make his retirement quite comfortable. And he thirsted for discovery and exploration rather than espionage.

And she was out there.

His true love. He had dreamed about her on and off over the years. Tall and blonde. Brown eyes that could flash imperiously or show unending compassion, both in equal measure.

Aralians do not go in for psychic visions and dreams. Even the various religious communities tend to be rational and logical. Aralians are first and foremost a pragmatic people. Psychic powers are frowned upon as too random and sporadic. To unreliable.

The Drathans embraced psionics whole heartedly. Alex wasn’t sure what to think.

He was after all half Drathi. He sometimes worried that She was in another sector, that he would never find her. But it just didn’t…. feel that way. This was the place and time he should be in.

Destiny. Fate.

Better not let Kyle know that he believed in them. Or the man would never let him live it down. It was bad enough he knew about his dream girl.

His eyes slipped again to the woman sleeping in his bed. This had been an unexpected situation. One that he hoped didn’t cause too much trouble.

He admired the woman. He liked her. But he didn’t love her. And he doubted he ever would.

His heart lay elsewhere.

Liz stirred and woke. She looked right at him. “Alex?”

Alex could feel Liz’s growing net presence as she gathered herself. He prided himself on having a system that would be hard to crack…. She’d be able to access the ships nodes, of course. He’d activated her link while she was sleeping.

Save her a little bit of time.

“Coffee?”

Liz sat up and rubbed her head. She’d had quite a large amount of alcohol last night.

So had he.

She rapidly gathered the covers. “Did we?”

Alex nodded. He walked over and handed her a cup.

She looked at it questioningly and sipped experimentally. She smiled.

Alex had looked up her coffee preferences from the Boston logs. There was also a drug added that should remove her hangover. He walked over and sat on a chair and watched her. “So what now? I’m hoping we can still remain professional about this. We’ve been friends for a long time and I don’t want to lose that but….”

“I’m not her.”

Alex nodded, a slight blush forming. Did everyone know?

Kyle brushed into the room. And stopped. A smile on his lips at the fact that Alex’s bed was occupied. He ignored Liz, probably unaware that it was Liz.

In fact definitely not realizing it was Liz….

“Hey Alex have you seen Liz? The computer has her on the Roswell, but I can’t find her. I really need to talk to her.”

Liz’s voice was dry, “Then I guess you’ve just gotten lucky. What do you need?’

Kyle looked at Liz, at her bare shoulders under the sheet. He looked at Alex, quirking up one eyebrow.

Alex nodded.

Kyle looked stunned. His eyes were pained as he looked back at Liz.

She looked back, sorrowfully, “Is this going to cause problems between us, Kyle?”

He looked at her, his face once more the inscrutable mask he had cultivated over the years. “I don’t know.” And he left.

Both Alex and Liz watched as Kyle left. Both hoping that things hadn’t just gotten more complicated than they already were.

--------
Harding Palace, Vetan, Antar

Tess was practicing her powers when the servant came in. She paused and looked over at the frightened man.

Her father had been in a rage over the latest war news. The Vetan army had lost yet another battle. On paper the Vetan army should have annihilated the Beravan Army that they had faced. They had outnumbered the enemy by more than two to one.

And yet they still lost.

It was one of the many things her father hoped she would bring him through her connection to Max.

Somehow the Avidaran Army was able to hold its own against the Beravan Forces. Her father thought it was just the technology. But Tess wasn’t so sure. To many of the officer corps in the Vetan Army were of noble blood. It didn’t matter how badly the bungled, they kept their positions and sometimes were promoted.

Tess might not agree with everything Isabel stood for, but even she had to admit there were many things that needed to be changed in Vetan. It was risky, but they would have to start choosing commanders who were good and not just those who were loyal.

“Speak.”

“Your Grace, I have a message from Avidar.”

“Yes?” It must be bad news. The messenger would not be cowering like this otherwise.

“There was a bombing at Kensington Rail Yard yesterday. Your fiancé is missing and presumed dead.”

Tess felt as her heart plunged to her feet. What would she do now?

--------
Worldship New Mexico

Maria was whistling a happy tune as she walked towards the Roswell.

Last night had been a fun romp. Made all the better by watching her friend actually snare that pretty man. Not her type, too clean cut. But just right form Mrs. Prim.

Maria preferred the bad boy type herself.

Still life wasn’t all about fun and games, she’d also used some of her contacts to give her access to some quality supplies. Seems that many of the ships in the sector were using old or obsolete equipment and munitions.

Not her ship. If she was going to risk herself and put herself on the line she wanted the best tools available.

And she had gotten them.

She might not fully enjoy her status as a war hero, but it did help some with the bean counters. Not because she was a hero, but because of everyone who had met her and claimed her as a friend. Hoping the heroism halo would wear off probably. But a little casual name dropping had certainly loosened some restrictions.

She certainly hoped her new Captain appreciated all of this.

Maria knew Liz would. The equipment that Maria was bringing would keep her friend busy for quite a while. But Liz would like it.
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Re: A Teardrop of Fire (AU/CC ALL, Mature) Chapter 3 - 11/06/09

Post by PML »

Thanks again for everyone following along this lttle story.

xmag- Thanks. And yes the relationships are complicated, but they'll settle out as the story rolls along. Just implying complicated pasts for our heroes. And you already know that I like scifi, although I usually end up writing space opera. Hope you continue to enjoy.

Begonia9508 -Tess is still very much duties slave here. But things are more complicated in her homeland than they seem. She is not evil in this story. But you are right, she's not really the right one for Max.

chanks_girl- Thanks. Both Liz and Alex were very drunk at the time. And both of them had been attracted to the other at various times in their shared past. Still this is an awkward situation for all of them. made worse by Kyle's hopes of rekindling his romance with Liz. The will meet in about four or five parts. The Roswell group still needs to travel to Antar. (They leave the New Mexico next part.)

mary mary- Thanks

Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.

Teardrop of Fire - Chapter 4

Inside the Roswell, Onboard the Worldship New Mexico

Maria stood there looking at her small friend. Liz was going over some of the newer phase equipment Maria had procured. “So do you like?”

“My God, Maria, how did you ever get your hands on this stuff? I’ve read about some of these technologies, but we didn’t have them on the Boston. Why would they let you play around with this when all we are doing is scout work?”

Maria expression tightened. “There is more out here than they are willing to talk about. These scout ships, yeah, a lot of them are obsolete or old. But from what I was told, there have been signs that they are dealing with not just Tertiary class systems, but Secondary colonies. The loss rate…. Have you actually looked at the loss rate out here?”

“Yeah. But I thought that had more to do with the fact that this sector is so barren. Make a mistake and its over.”

“There is more. A friend gave me a bit of advice, advice she’d gotten from Central. To keep my eyes open. And not just for a big score. That there are ancient war machines out there. Active machines. And the Ancients, well their tech is better than ours in many ways. Their ships faster, their weapons better…..”

“So, um, did your friend tell you of a section of the sector they’ve been losing ships in?”

“Yes. And before you ask, the orders the Captain will be cut will send us there. Of course, this is all unofficial. I don’t even know if Kyle has gotten word of what sector we’re to survey…. But it doesn’t take an idiot to understand that our presence on this ship is more than an accident.”

Liz looked at Maria sharply, “Maria you said you were tired of the whole heroism bit, but what I don’t understand is why they let you go?” She paused a moment. “Or did they? Are you working for Central?”

“Not officially no.” Maria sighed. She’d told them that she would try to hide her mission, but that she doubted that she would be able to forever. Not with Liz. Or for that matter Alex.

Why Central hadn’t snatched up the boy Maria couldn’t understand. Unless…. Hmm. Maybe he was working with them as well. Indirectly.

It wasn’t that she knew Alex. But her contact had shown her the personnel of the Roswell. His scores on the Electronic Warfare and Espionage had made her wonder what he was doing in this sector. But maybe he was there for that very reason.

Liz was a highly talented Engineer. Very highly talented. She would be able to use these upgrades better than most.

“’ Not officially? What is that supposed to mean, Maria? I thought we were friends! I thought that was why you came her, why you followed me. And now I find it is just another plot by Central…. Did they want you to try to work on me as well? To recruit me?”

Click. Another piece slipped into the puzzle. She had wondered why Liz had fled the Massachusetts sector, why she didn’t move to the Aqulan sector at the very least if she was disenchanted with Massachusetts…..

New Mexico sector is a bit of a backwater, perhaps enough of one to make someone disenchanted with Central think they could reach beyond its grasp.

Which was foolish. Central had its tendrils everywhere.

“Liz, I am your friend. I am. But something is going on out there. I didn’t put you on the Roswell, hell I didn’t know what ship you’d been sent to. But I mentioned your name and a few others as people I could trust to get the job done in a tight spot. That we make a good team. And we do.”

“Oh, Maria. Why? Why lie to me?”

“I didn’t lie to you. This is the first opportunity that we have seriously had time to talk about this. Ships are going missing. And we are going to be sent in to that sub-sector. So please do a good job with the goodies I got you. We might really, really need to use them.”

“Maria, it is like you came ready to outfit an army. There are going to just be the four of us. Or are there others that I don’t know about?”

“I think they wanted more people for this trip. I know I did. But you know how strapped Personnel is right now. They were loath to move me out her as it was.”

“Hmm. Okay. Are you going to brief the Captain about this? He should know.”

“Yeah, but not until we are on our way. Hmm, how well do you know him anyway? I know he went to the same school as you and….” Maria looked at the sudden strange expression on Liz’s face. “What?”

“Yeah I know him. Alex too.”

“Good. But I’ve read both of their files. I know that I’m damn good. You are too. Alex, well Alex is a gem at a lot of useful things. We’ll make a great team. But Kyle? I just don’t know. His reports were good, but kind of, well boring.”

Liz looked away. “He’s good at what he does. But what he does isn’t the sort of thing that is flashy.”

“Okay…. What do you mean by that?”

“Every one of his missions have been at the very least partial successes, and yeah I know that’s not so special. But he hasn’t lost anyone.” Liz shook her head, “I was talking about this with Alex. And Alex thinks the guy is a great Captain. Maybe never meant for a large ship, he’s persuasive, sure, but not the best at rousing speeches. Talks too much in clichés. No, he, well Alex said that Kyle seems to just find ways to pull people out of the worst situations. He goes in, and everyone comes out. No matter how hard they seem willing to get themselves killed.” Liz shivered.

“I sense a story.”

“Yeah, but one I’ll tell another time. But if you are asking what I think you are, if he has some talent that would make him good for a secret mission…. Well he does. Everyone comes home. And they’ve sent him on some pretty dangerous stuff. Just because no one is shooting at you doesn’t make this job any safer.”

“I didn’t say it did. But, well, I think this mission will be dangerous. How long will it take you to balance the new shields?”

“I presume I’m going to have help from Dockside?”

Maria nodded solemnly.

“If I get to working on them now,” Liz leaned back slightly, deep in thought. And accessing the ships net, no doubt. “We should still be able to leave on time. These new shields, they seem compatible with a lot of what the Roswell already has.”

“Funny how that works out.”

“This mission…. Its been in the works for some time?”

“Yes. From what I could infer, they’ve been looking for the right people. They’ve done some serious retrofits on the Roswell. Said they were using it as a test bed.”

“The best lies contain the truth.”

“Yep. Gotta love Central.”

Both of them were silent for a moment. Maria broke the silence.

“So about last night. Did you take my advice?”

“Yes I did. And yes it was great. But Maria, my life was complicated enough as it is. Now….”

“Oh, come on! How can one little one night stand do that much harm? Unless…. You didn’t sleep with Kyle did you? I mean that could open a huge can of worms.”

“Worse. Much worse.”

“How could it get any worse? I mean you’ve told me that you were the one that ended the relationship. And starting that up again would be more than awkward, particularly since we’re going to be stuck together for quite a while.”

Another man entered into the Engineering Bay. “Hey Liz. And you must be Maria Deluca. I’ve read quite a bit about your exploits.”

Maria stared at the man. At Alex.

This was bad. The only thing worse than a old flame eager for a rekindle was an incipient love triangle. “Um, hi.”

Alex crossed the space between them, a genuine smile on his face.

Really not her type. But if she ever wanted to settle down….. Maybe.

Good friend material in any case. Maria grasped his hand in a firm grip and shook his hand.

Alex looked at her. “Do I know you?”

“We met last night.”

“Oh.” He turned to Liz. “She knows?”

Liz nodded.

“This could get awkward.”

“Kyle’s a big boy, he’ll get over it.”

Maria closed her eyes. So the triangle had already formed.

Why? Why did this always seem to happen to her friend? Liz was nice and polite and quiet. How did she always end up with people fighting over her?

It couldn’t get as bad Sean and Grant. Maria wouldn’t let it.

The last thing they could afford now was a pointless duel. Not to mention Central would not like it if one of their chosen officers slaughtered another officer over Liz. Not again.

This could get messy.

-------
Caredon University, Ekedar, Antar

Isabel looked at her watch again. It was still early. Isabel was nervous. And she had a right to be. Those friends of Khivar’s…..

They were dangerous in all the wrong kinds of ways. They were what her father though all of her friends were.

They were terrorists. She had kept a straight face when Vanessa had talked about her plans.

Oh, she hadn’t said anything overt…. Nothing that could be taken by a bug and used against her. It was all veiled, using buzzwords that Isabel had been getting more and more familiar with.

She particularly hated the one about omelets.

People were not eggs.

Didn’t they realize that the whole effort would be undermined by open violence? That the upper classes could use the chaos to strengthen their already over strong hold on society?

Even if it only happened in Tevan. And everyone knew that Tevan desperately needed change to finally arrive….. She’d even managed to convince Tess about that. To make her friend see how the aristocracy was strangling that nation.

Isabel idly wondered how Tess was. She was due to marry her brother in a few weeks.

How Isabel wished she could attend that wedding. But she had been pointedly snubbed. Not by Tess she thought, and certainly not by her brother. But either Overlord Harding had requested her absence, or Isabel’s father had dictated it to keep the peace. Edward Hading was not a calm or rational man. No need to rile him during such a special occasion.

Isabel wasn’t quite sure what to think about the match. On one hand she was glad, she wanted the best for her brother. But she wasn’t sure that Tess was the best match for him….

Except Max was still firmly under their father’s thumb. Father was undoubtedly proud of the match.

Funny. She hadn’t gotten a telegram from Max either. He was usually really good about keeping her informed about what was going on at home.

And Michael….. Isabel felt a small wave of pain roll through her. She had loved him. Had sworn that they would one day be married.

Not to be.

Maybe if he had stayed, if he had not gone back…. But he had. Orders of enlistment in the Avidaran Army. Michael had been so proud, so willing to fight for their country…..

They had exchanged letters for a long while. But there was censorship, vast censorship in what he was trying to convey to her.

Things were not going well on the Front. For anyone.

And then the letters stopped. She had thought him dead, had actually begged her family to check on him. To make sure that he did not stay listed for ever as missing.

Isabel had been overjoyed at the news of his survival. A few letters changed hands.

Then he had disappeared. Training to be a Protector. That was all she knew.

And then she had met Khivar. Had fallen head over heels for the man. And she love him desperately. Even now, even as she worried if maybe her father had not been more correct than she had ever feared.

Vanessa Whitaker planned on taking over Tevan by force. And had mentioned other efforts in other nations.

Including Avidar.

She knew her nation needed to change. That the franchise needed to be given, to allow everyone to have a say in what was done in government. To still the low level disenchantment in society if nothing else.

But the visions in her head did not include her family being killed, the realm being taken by storm.

And Isabel was afraid that Khivar was involved with these people. People who wanted to do what Vanessa wanted to do, only not to Tevan. But to Avidar.

This was exactly the thing the changes she wanted to enact would forestall. Why couldn’t her father see that?

Tish Simmons sat down across from her. “Sorry if I’m late.”

“Hi.” Suddenly Isabel felt as if her mouth were as dry as a desert. It was one thing to contact Tish, a woman who was after all a schoolmate and friend. Another to tell one of Avidar’s agents in Ekedar about her boyfriends possible misdeeds.

Tish looked at her. “Its Khivar isn’t it?”

Isabel nodded.

Tish looked away. “You know, there are quite a few of us who actually agree with you. Even in the Service. But there are changes and then there are changes….”

Isabel was silent.

Tish looked back at her. “Isabel, what is it? I am your friend you know. I’m not going to lie and say that I value you friendship over the safety of the realm, because that would be a lie. And we both know it. But I am your friend. Why did you call me.”

“Do you know of a Vanessa Whittaker?”

Tish’s eyes narrowed, “Isabel, please tell me you aren’t dealing with her. She is bad news. She makes Khivar seem like a dabbler.”

Isabel stared at her friend. At her father’s agent.

Could she truly tell on a man that she loved.? Could she bring herself to do what must be done?

Silence followed, both of them ordering their drinks and food.

They talked about small things. About school and men and shopping. About the latest movies. All the while Tish would probe, but Isabel would not release more than crumbs.

Still pondering if she could go through with this.

Nearly an hour passed, a pleasant hour. But Tish would soon have to go. And Isabel had told her little.

Tish got up to leave, “Look Isabel, I know you know something. Something big. The little things you let slip, well they will help. But the whole truth would help more. This isn’t like the games we used to play as girls, both of us being special secret agents for the government…. You aren’t the Golden Rose any more than I am the Shadow. This is for real. And real people could die if we don’t know what you know. Lots of people could.”

“Its just hard. I never thought it would be this hard.”

“Come on, GR, just tell me a bit more. Sometimes even the smallest bit can help.”

Isabel looked at her. Another friend from childhood whom the government service had swallowed. And yet….. “I’m free this afternoon, do you mind if I tag along?”

Tish looked at her sidelong. “You can follow me a bit.”

Isabel smiled. A full bright smile. “Let me tell you a story….”

And Isabel told her everything.

And hoped and prayed that she was wrong. That Khivar was not involved in a revolutionary movement.

But she knew. She knew.

Danger was coming. Danger and death.

Maybe she would have to be the Golden Rose after all.

------
Just outside Harding Castle, Tevan, Antar

Tess tried to stretch her aching muscles as well as she could.

Her father had not taken the news that Max was missing well. She had known that he would overreact. And so she had told the messenger that she would personally carry it to him.

Right now she was wishing she’d just let him carry it himself.

Of course her father probably would have had him tortured to death.

Edward Harding was becoming progressively more unstable as the years passed. Her mother had been a restraining influence on him, but now that she was dead…..

Tess and her sisters tried, but he just didn’t listen to them like he had her mother.

And he could lash out in the most spiteful ways.

Like he was now. Tess was in the blocks, her head and arms secured in such a way that they faced forward.

In and of themselves these were not too bad a punishment. Just let others ridicule you. And if she were in Avidar or Ekedar that is likely all that would happen.

But tradition in Tevan stated that anything could be done to someone in the blocks. Anything, and it was not punishable by normal law. The police and guardsmen were not to aide her in any way.

She could, of course, enlist friends and family to stand with her, to protect her.

Women in particular were subject to rape. Men too, sometimes.

And with the collar on her throat her powers were useless.

“Tess, my dear, how the mighty have fallen.”

Tess closed her eyes. Nicholas. That damn toad had wanted her for years. Had taunted her, had told her what he would do to her in graphic detail if she ever fell into his power.

And her father STILL trusted the bastard. At least Tess had been able to get the sister banished from Teven.

“Go away, you troll.”

“My, my, my. Still with the insults. I told you this would happen some day. Mind you this is earlier than I expected.”

Tess struggled against the hard wood. How had she ever thought this practice anything but barbaric!

She felt as her skirts were lifted and her undergarments removed. Tess could not stop the tears.

“My, my how brave. Not even screaming or calling for the guards. And where is your family, my dear. Why it seems they have abandoned you. I told them they would. That they would never stick up for a slut like you. Well, no it is time for my taste…..”

Tess waited and heard Nicholas cry out in pain.

And in her vision, Ava, her twin sister emerged. They had never really gotten along. Oh, they had that whole twin bond thing, but in so many ways they were different.

Ava had always been quiet and diffident, where Tess had always been blunt and outspoken.

“Thank you.”

Ava was angry when she spoke up. “No one would come with me. They were just going to leave you here.”

“Thank you. I’d hug you but.”

“Yeah. Dad will get over it. But until then, I will be here.”

And Tess cried. Cried that all of her ‘close’ friends had been unwilling to help her, too afraid of her father. But her sister, a sister she had been on poor terms with lately….. A sister she had once called a coward, had been the only one brave enough to save her.

Isabel was right. Her nation was deeply sick at heart. An illness that Tess hoped could still be cured. But how.

How?
PML
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Re: A Teardrop of Fire (AU/CC ALL, Mature) Chapter 4 - 11/07/09

Post by PML »

Thanks to everyone following this story. Sorry for the hiatus. I needed to replace my poor computer. But hopefully I should be able to plow through this storyline like I was before. Hope you folks enjoy.

cjsl8ne-Thanks

chanks_girl- Thanks. Yes, Isabel is going to see what Khivar is really made of in the next part or two. And the wisdom of her choice in confiding with Tish will become evident.

The Kyle situation is about to become even more complicated. But again, their true loves aren't on the ship. They're about five parts away.... And you are right about Kyle and Liz. Liz was a crutch for him. Tess will bring out much more in him, as he will in Tess.

keepsmiling7- Thanks. Yep.

Galliard- To write one needs the tools. I can write longhand but it is neither as much fun nor as fast. So one new laptop later I am back. And I will get there. Somehow.

Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.


Teardrop of Fire Chapter 5

Whiteridge Mountains, border of Avidar, Antar

Max rubbed his hands and stared into the fire. He was in good condition, but it had been years since he’d seriously hiked in the wilderness. Let alone the mountains.

He would just have to trust Michael’s training. He had changed since he had gone away. Part of that was to be expected, he had served on the Front for more than a year. And he’d been wounded. That added to his new status as a Protector pretty much guaranteed some amount of change in his behavior.

This new Michael was an entirely different person. Almost. He still was impatient and more than a little hotheaded. But the training seemed to have mellowed it out. Or perhaps a better word would be that he now paused before he acted.

Surely there had been a better plan than whisking him away from civilization entirely. But he’d been right that the other Protectors had all been slain. And they were still being hunted.

They’d already finished off a couple of hunting parties.

Max was an heir to the Avidaran throne, and through it the titular High King of Antar. Perhaps the commons amongst the hunters were unfamiliar with the level of power amongst his line. They’d certainly never seen a Power Shield.

They did know about the Protectors. They had been very careful. Probably only hunted in bands that were extremely familiar with one another. Shape-shifting could only carry a disguise so far.

Too bad it was limited to humanoid forms. Although some of what Max had seen Michael do in just a short time was very impressive. Michael had really taken to his new powers. On top of his own already impressive abilities, Michael was quite formidable.

Probably why they were both still alive. Alive as long as they could keep in front of the roaming bands of hunters and their rifles. His shield could stop rifle bullets, for a time. But he had to know he was under attack. If they attacked from concealment they would have at least one good shot at him.

And at rifle ranges, Max had trouble blasting. Michael had given him a rifle, but Max had always been an indifferent shot.

Michael was good. A good thing as he had produced most of the meat they’d had on their trip. In fact he was hunting now.

Max had a good grasp on the local plants, and could alter them to some degree. Meat was all well and good, but you couldn’t stay healthy for long just on a diet of meat. Max could provide the other nutrients that they were missing.

A good thing. Michael’s plans kept them from even the smallest village. The way he looked at anyone they came across made Max think that it was a wise decision. At least until they were firmly in fully controlled Avidaran territory. After that Michael would see sense.

Michael stalked into the camp, with three rabbits. Both of them set to work making dinner out of the roots, herbs, and rabbits.

Max would kill for some good bread…..

After their meal, Michael stared into the fire. Somehow the changes made to him allowed him to adapt quickly to light changes. Otherwise what he was doing was foolish.

Max was struck again how much his friend had changed. He hadn’t asked once about Isabel. He hadn’t said anything about his plans and dreams. Plans and dreams that had once dominated his conversation. His family had barely had enough funds to send him to Caredon University at Ekedar.

He’d never been all that talkative, not unless he really trusted you. But there had been a time when Max had been one of those people. Had time and distance stolen that away?

Max had held himself from asking. Had done so for over a week’s time. But his friend had been besotted with his sister. And Michael was certainly a better man than that weasel Khivar. And all those plans, all those dreams had been to make his sister’s life special. Isabel had once been the man’s focus, his source of strength on the Line.

Max closed his eyes. Did he dare ask?

Yes.

He had to know. What had changed?

“Michael?”

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“Please, Michael, its Max. We were, no we are friends. And to my friends I am Max. Why do you always switch back?”

“You have no clue how hard the protocols are drilled into us, do you?”

The words were said flatly, but Max could read the underlying bitterness and anger underneath them.

“Maybe. And if it makes you feel better, you can call me that in public. But please, call me Max in private.”

“Sure thing Max.” Michael went back to brooding in the fire.

Max stared at his friend. “What did they do to you? Did this happen to you at the Front? Or did they do this to you when they made you a Protector?”

“Why so chatty all of a sudden. You were happy to keep quiet all this way and now you want to talk? Max a lot of stuff has happened. You seem to think we can just pick up and go on like nothing has happened. Well news flash, our lives are completely different. We are different. I’m a Protector now. And I will do what I was made to do. Protect.”

Max turned away. Maybe Michael was right. Maybe his friend was gone. But why was Michael so unhappy. He had always said he wanted to be a Protector. To be Isabel’s sworn Protector. He wasn’t there yet, but surely if he kept up the good work he would get his wish.

But the anger in Michael’s voice, the despair and bitterness….. They were so heavy.

Max knew Michael. And whatever Michael may have thought, the changes to him were not entire. Oh, there were massive changes. And their friendship might not endure. Something that Max hadn’t realized before. But Max wanted to keep it. They had grown up together as brothers. Max had been fostered with the Guerins as a young child and had taken Michael back to court with him when he had become a teen.

They had been close. Brothers.

“I’ve seen some of the changes in you, Michael. And they’re not all good. We were brothers. Brothers. I don’t want to lose that. Life in Court. Well you know what that is like. I need people I can trust. Iz needs people she can trust.”

“Why doesn’t she just bring her current boy toy with her. I hear he has quite the political outlook.”

Max had a brief vision of Khivar showing up in Court, and Max’s father dying on the spot. Not going to happen. “She misses you.”

“Who?”

“Isabel.”

“She’s got a funny way of showing it. Not that it matters any more.”

“Khivar is just a passing fancy.”

“Not from what I hear. And it really doesn’t matter. “

“How can you say that! You love each other!”

“No. Not anymore. Oh, I still love her, the fool that I am. I’ll probably indulge in that foolishness for a little while longer before it like everything else I cared about in my life fades. Before my life becomes solely a matter of duty.”

“Do you know how much you stopping sending her letters hurt Isabel?”

“I did not do it by choice. I was told to purge myself of my former life. That it was more than just policy, more than just protocol, it was a necessity. Both for her and for me. To forget that I loved her, and to allow her to forget me. Trust me it will be better this way.” Michael sighed, “I can see you still want to be my friend. But that simply isn’t wise. Or for that matter necessary. I will be loyal to the dictates of the King and am bound to Protect him and all of his kin.”

“So if he told you to kill someone you would.”

“Without hesitation.”

“And if he told you to kill me? If we marched all the way to Court, present ourselves and he said that I had to die?”

“I would try to make it painless. But Max, even with your shield….. I could kill you.”

“And Isabel?” Max added softly. Max had wandered in his argument, and from where he stood Michael stood in shadow, only his eyes glittering.

Michael sighed. “I don’t think you truly understand how much I have changed….” Something strange seemed to be happening to Michael’s voice as he talked to Max. The timber seemed to be changing, growing higher.

Becoming almost feminine.

And Max could feel ripples of strong power being used. Max couldn’t help but ready his defenses, to hold off Michael if need be. Those eyes just stared at him, unreadable.

It was all Max could do to not deploy his shield as Michael moved around the fire. Only it wasn’t really Michael.

Michael had been handsome as a man, even Max would admit that. Isabel had certainly thought so, as had her endless coterie of friends that Max and Michael had worked their way through.

He was a knockout as a woman.

Or was it him? Was he even sure that this was Michael and not some other Protector?

His/her voice was deep and sultry. “So are you lonely Max? Need something a little more than just a nice chat?”

Max looked up at him/her in horror. Surely he couldn’t mean. The breast certainly looked real, but he couldn’t really shape-shift that much….

Max inadvertently looked down.

“Oh, yes, Max. I am anatomically correct according to my task. And one of them is providing a safe outlet for those I protect. I can be who ever you want me to be.” Michael’s form rippled slightly to Max’s last girlfriend. “Still interested in me? Or perhaps….” Michael shifted to one of the teachers at Caledon that both of them had lusted over.

“Michael stop. Please.”

Still in the form of Doctor Andrea Travers, he/she smiled at him. And said in complete bitterness, “So would she really like me now, Max? I am not the man you knew. In fact I am not truly a man at all anymore. Not human. What has been done to me…. What has been done to every single Protector….. It is evil Max. Evil. And yet we serve. Because we must. We must do what the bearer of the Seal demands. So yes, if your father demanded Isabel’s head on a pike, I would give it to him. If he demanded I torture her slowly to death, I would still do it. Inside part of me would be screaming and dying, but I would do it. I WOULDN”T HAVE A CHOICE!

“So give over on being friends with me. We are too different now.” Suddenly Michael was back. And he stalked into the night.

Max just stared after his friend. There had to be a way to fix this. Somehow.

If it didn’t, he would invent it. Some how. Some way.

Michael was right. What had been done to him……

Max was by nature a healer. And this was a wound that he would fix.

Or die trying.

-------
On board the Roswell, New Mexico Sector

Alex wandered into the Engineering section. This was without a doubt Liz’s territory. But often Maria could also be found here.

Kyle avoided it like the plague. In fact, if it was not official business, he had nothing to do with any of them. Alex had tried to talk to the man, but it was impossible. The most he could get out of him were a couple of bad jokes.

But even with the tension in the air, the ship was still coming together. And there were some nice toys Alex was being allowed to play with. Which Alex had every design on doing.

Except that it told him they were about to be sent on a suicide mission of some sort.

The content of the crew told him much the same thing. Both he and Kyle were some of the best the entire New Mexico sector could offer. Liz was perhaps one of the best Engineers of her age bracket in all of Republican Space.

Maria was a hero. Although the fact that Central thought they would need a war tested Tactical Officer did not bode well for their likelihood of survival. The fact that her specialty was in assaults….

Yeah. Alex had reviewed his will. Said his goodbyes.

Today and much of yesterday had been full of fairly tedious drills and maneuvers. Basically trying to see what the newly refurbished ship could do. Tomorrow would actually be fun if everything worked out.

One of the hardest things to do in space was good long term camouflage. Sure, in the movies, it always seemed so easy. But in space, even if you could hide yourself in one spectrum or another, it wasn’t that hard to arm even the dumbest remote sensor drone with multiple sensors.

But Alex thought the current suite aboard the Roswell could do it. For a little while anyway. And the electronic warfare suite was rapidly becoming Alex’s pride and joy.

If they ran into something out there, Alex could at the very least buy them some time. And possibly arrange that they were never seen.

He wanted to talk to Maria about some tactical uses of his new EW capabilities. Unfortunately Maria wasn’t chatting softly with her friend.

Liz looked up and smiled, “Alex! Come in.”

Alex nodded and walked over. Liz was one of the few people who impressed him with their networking capabilities. One of the few others who could multitask almost as good as he could.

Another skill that they might need.

Ever since that night they had slept together, well there was a slight tension between them as well. Both of them knew the other was not the one that they were looking for. Knew it well. Alex had even fully confided with Liz about his odd fixation on that dream girl.

And she hadn’t laughed it off. Just nodded and said she would help as much as she could.

Still, it was going to be a long deployment. The memory of his hands on her trim body, her moans of pleasure in his ears….. Yeah this could be a distraction.

But a pleasant one. They would just have to make sure it didn’t get them all killed.

Still he found himself looking at her at times. Looking at her and wondering. Wondering if there would be another time…..

And he found that Liz occasionally looked at him the same way.

Alex chuckled at himself as he felt his heart race just a little as he met her gaze. And she looked slightly down and, yep a slight blush.

Hmm. This could be fun.

Okay Alex. Keep your mind on your work. Later. There would be later for more of this… digression.

“So, what do you need Alex?”

“Have you seen Maria?”

“She needed to talk to Kyle. About this whole tension thing. I mean it was a one time thing between us, and, and it’s not like there was anything between Kyle and me anyway and…..”

“You my dear, are babbling.” Alex laughed then. “God, this is just like High School. And there are only four of us.”

“And we need to stay focused. They are going to have something big for us. I can feel it.”

“Yeah, that is why I needed to talk with Maria. There are some tactical details we need to go over for tomorrows test. When do you think the Captain will get our orders?”

“After the Jump test. That is my guess. Once they know our drives are stable, we’ll be off. Both the ion jets and the NAFAL drive are fully operational.”

“So what, a couple of days?”

“Yup.”

Alex paused a moment before starting his way out of the Engineering bay. He could already tell that Liz was itching to take apart another of Maria’s gifts.

Alex had plans to do something similar with the new drive upgrades himself.

“Do you think Maria will actually be able to calm Kyle down?”

“She’s persuasive, don’t worry.”

---------

Kyle could feel Maria’s arms and legs intertwined with his. She was an affectionate sleeper.

And she was very strong.

This was just so wrong. So very wrong.

And you would think he would have learned by now. Pam had been such a mistake. And Kyle’d made it worse by sleeping with her.

Only Maria, well Maria was a hero. She wasn’t just a tramp who had slept her way to where she was. No she was the real deal. All his crew were. They were the best.

So why in hell was he their Captain? Sure he was a good pilot, and he’d gotten pretty lucky at times. But the others were first rank. And while it hurt him, Kyle knew he wasn’t in their league.

That was why finding Liz in Alex’s bed had hurt so much. It really shouldn’t have. He should have been happy for his friend. But to find that Alex had beaten him here as well….

It was childish and stupid. And he was doing his best to be professional about it.

Obviously not good enough of a job. Maria had made sure he knew that. He’d been snubbing both Alex and Liz, and also because she spent so much time with Liz, Maria herself.

And so had begun the fight. Oh, it hadn’t come to blows, although there had been a few moments he’d been sure Maria was about to slug him…..

Still she had looked so…. So radiant, so alive. And his damnable mouth told her so. Had told her how beautiful she was.

And he had thought that she would attack him then.

Instead she had made him a proposition. One that regulations said he should turn down.

And so here he was. Confused.

Had this made things better or worse? Kyle wasn’t really sure.

All he knew is that orders had better come really quick before things got too complicated here on the Roswell.

If they hadn’t already.
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Re: A Teardrop of Fire (AU/CC ALL, Mature) Chapter 5 - 11/12/09

Post by PML »

Thanks again to everyone following along this story.

Galliard- Please note that Liz and Alex might think about sleeping with each other again, but they are unlikely to do so. (A long enough deployment would likely change that, but they will have other problems soon enough.) The only reason they slept together the first time was because, Kyle basically ordered Alex to find someone to sleep with before they left port. Maria got Liz mind numbingly drunk. Basically they were a drunken one night stand. The fact that they knew each other, and there had been some attraction there had helped. But it was the alcohol that let both of them let down their inhibitions enough. Alex and Liz are just friends from this point on.

Maria and Kyle, well their relationship will last a little longer. But not by much.

Nope, no one knows what a Protector truly is. And those they protect have no interest in telling the world what has been done to their most loyal servants. And Michael has a very powerful enemy at court.

keepsmiling7- One of these days I am going to write a simple non convoluted plot. This story would not be it. Thank you.

cjs8ne- Thanks. Things will get kind of messy when they meet the Antaran opposite member.

chanks_girl- Thanks. Michael has an enemy at court. And the conditioning Protectors under go is... intense to say the least. Liz and Alex will just be friends. As for Maria and Kyle, well they care for each other and both really like sex. For now they are friends with benefits so to speak. If they were left alone something would probably develop. But they won't have enough time for it to develop.

Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.

Teardrop of Fire Chapter 6

Harding Castle, Teven, Antar

Tess stared out at the countryside below. “I can’t go Ava. I just can’t”

“Tess it’s coming. I’m not the most political person, but I keep my eyes open. Perhaps better than a lot of the people in this castle.”

“Father’s security forces…..”

“Will say nothing. It is known you are beloved by His Majesty. And you were set out for three days in the cold and rain and the tender mercies of passerby for what? Your husband to be was assassinated. No. No one will tell Father bad news. Not even if it could save countless lives. And it would do no good anyway. Face it, Tess, the man is insane.”

Tess looked around carefully, “Careful, sister mine, the walls have ears.”

“Too bad you weren’t able to pry that weasel away from Father. The bastard would have raped you if I hadn’t come along.”

Tess closed her eyes at the memory, at the feel of Nicholas’s hands on her thighs made her want to vomit. The vile toady had somehow persuaded her father that his actions were legal.

As they technically were.

Somehow she knew that if Nicholas had raped her, perhaps even if he had killed her, Nicholas would have been forgiven. He was truly the only safe man in the Castle. For in addition to having the King’s ear, he also was the strongest in Power in Harding Castle. Perhaps even all of Teven.

He was certainly stronger than she was. Not enough for him to force himself on her, but enough that she couldn’t end his little reign of terror. “I got rid of the wrong one. Vanessa was much easier to control.”

“Too bad you couldn’t have maneuvered both of them into exile. But you did your best. It was good that you came home when you did. Who knows how bad it would already be if both of them were still here.”

Tess shivered. She missed Ekedar. It had been her only taste of normality. Of the modern world. A world that she wanted to bring to Teven.

She was third in line to the throne. Her oldest brother was a wastrel and fool. Her older sister was almost as bad.

Still if things went bad, Ava would be able to carry on in exile. Their family might never recover its prominence. But it would survive. “I have to stay. Someone has to try Ava. I may be doomed to fail, but I have to try.”

“Tess, ever consumed with duty. It won’t help you when the mobs overrun the palace. I tell you have to come with me. Please?”

Tess looked at her twin. They could look like mirror images if they wished. But Tess tended to wear Court garb. Ava on the other hand could be any prole wandering through the streets. That would help her. And she had common sense that seemed to miss most of her family. Perhaps even herself.

Running away would be the smart thing to do here. Even Tess could see that. But to stand by and watch all of it collapse……

No she just couldn’t bring herself to do that.

But the fact that Ava would be safe, that somewhere her twin would live on in peace and happiness…..

That would allow Tess to do what must be done to save Teven. And if she failed, so much the better that her look-alike was unavailable to use as a pawn.

“No, my sister. I can not. But you must. I will provide a way for you and those others you can persuade or cajole into accompany you. I will have transport ready for you in a couple of days. And money.”

“Tess, please. I don’t want to see you hurt. You’ve always been the strong one, and I’ve always been scurrying in the shadows…..”

“You do know how to use your powers, right.”

Ava just gave her a flat look. She was a Harding after all.

Mind control. Deception. Manipulation.

These were the Harding gifts. Oh she shared the usual noble’s powers, but it was at domination that Tess was at her best. She could warp anyone’s mind to see what she wanted them to see.

Ava’s was related. She could make people ignore what she wanted them to. This would be very useful.

“Good. I never really gave you enough time. We should have done more together. And thanks. For everything.”

“You’re welcome. I just wish you would come…..”

“I will guard your escape. Two days. And Ava, take this.” Tess handed her a long crystalline key.

“Tess, I can’t take this! It’s a sacred family relic.”

Tess laughed lightly. “There is more than one Water Key. It’s not talked about, but one will not be missed. Keep it safe and hidden. Someday it may be needed.”

“For what? I never understood that part of the tale.”

“Do I look like a scholar. All I know is that it opens access to the Granolith. But only with the other keys. I presume each of the Kingdoms has one. And it will grant unlimited power. Or so the tales tell. How or what no one knows. But I need to get back to Court. You gather your friends. And if you can see if you can persuade some of the parents to send their children with you. The Palace, and even the Kingdom can be rebuilt. But a life once broken is gone.”

“As you wish. But I will pray for you. I love you Tess.” And Ava impulsively gave her a kiss. And bounded off to gather those she could save.

Tess stared after her sister. “I love you, too,” she said softly. She stood there awhile lost in thought. There was much to do.

Time to be doing it.

-------

Isabel eyes were slits as she watched Vanessa leave Isabel and Khivar’s apartment. Late and alone.

How Isabel wished it was only what it appeared to be. That Khivar was cheating on her. It was the talk of the school, fellow students trying hard to pretend they were not talking about her.

No, her friend Tish had a much worse alternative. Khivar was plotting to overthrow all of the local dynasties. Vanessa was merely his contact for Teven.

Isabel had already sent a covert message to Tess in the hopes of warning her friend.

Isabel closed her eyes in pain. Thinking of Tess made her think of her brother. It was so hard to imagine him gone. To never see that troublemaker’s smile again.

It did not help that Max’s assigned Protector was none other than her old flame Michael. Why had he stopped sending her letters? She had been honest with him, that there had been other guys.

But only Khivar had come close to winning her heart away from him. Had in fact, won it from Michael.

Too bad the man was a traitor.

It made her nervous, her new position as a spy. It was so different from what she and Tish had played out in the outer courtyards in the palace. It was thrilling in its way, but the danger…. It was so much more real. And she was not the only one who could get hurt.

The thought of her family and her home destroyed all to satisfy her lover’s power lust. No she could not allow it to be.

If only she had approached Tish earlier. If only she had paid more attention. Because it was close now. You could only see echoes of it in Ekedar, but there was a wide reaching anti-monarchal message being spread throughout northern Antar.

The need to pull northern Antar out of its current economic and political slump. To bring a more rational and egalitarian form of government to the North.

And there was part of Isabel that agreed. But the rhetoric bantered about was much to militant, much to violent. No longer were there calls to organize, to protest….. No the calls now rolling around were to arise and overthrow.

The fact that Berava was also in danger did not make the danger any less for her beloved Avidar.

No she needed to stop Khivar. To stop him before he set all the North ablaze. But how, that was the problem. Vanessa Whittaker was a known agent. There had to be others. Others that Isabel could ferret out for Avidar. To protect her home.

It was ironic that she would have to help prop up a regime that she disliked simply because the alternative would be worse. She didn’t even dare hope that the Hardings fell. Even that would give the enemy too much power.

Isabel opened up her makeup case and looked into a tiny mirror. Looking for a sign that might betray her true purpose to Khivar. She closed her eyes and told herself to be an outraged girlfriend believing she had caught her man in the act.

Risky, but she had a delicate line to walk.

She looked again at her face.

Perfect. The Golden Rose would be jealous.

Isabel went to play the part of the jilted lover. And let Khivar persuade her that he was innocent. She had to stay close to him. Had to make him believe she was with him.

Oh, how she wished she did not love this man! This serpent! Why couldn’t the knowledge, the suspicion be enough?

So she lay in Khivar’s arms and dreamed of a man who would be honest and true. To the one who could make her whole…..

-------
On board the Roswell, New Mexico sector

Alex woke gasping for breath.

It had been her! She had come to him again!

In tears, in desperate need of comfort. All of which he gave her.

They never talked in their dreams, dreams to real to be just a dream. It was like there was some hidden barrier, something that made it impossible. Like it was a special thing for them just to touch, just to share themselves with the other.

He needed to tell Liz!

They had never slept together again, and in truth he doubted that they ever would. Well maybe if the deployment was very long. But their friendship had grown by leaps and bounds.

She would listen and understand.

Plus they should probably discuss the ship trials they had just completed.

Between his Electronic Warfare suite and her stealth generators they had aced several tactical situations that had proven nearly impossible to other small ships.

He’d like to talk to Maria or Kyle as well, but they were… busy. So funny that the two of them should fall for each other. Although perhaps that was the wrong verb.

They liked each other. They both liked sex. A lot. Neither was committed to another.

A passionate affair that was doomed at the start. And talking to both of them, they both knew it.

Alex let a small grin show on his face as he dressed. Those two were just as bad as Liz and he himself were. Both of them hungered for someone to share their lives with.

And both of them were positive certain that the other was not the one they were looking for. Merely a friend with benefits to while away the hours.

The tension had gone out of the ship. The only tension now was the one where Liz and Alex worried about what part of the ship they should avoid.

Kyle and Maria were quite shameless.

Alex was whistling as he walked down the hallway towards the Engineering bay.

Things were looking up. He was almost eager for whatever suicide mission Central had saddled them with. With these people and this ship, they could storm Hell itself.

------
And in the back of his mind, Alex knew that he was getting closer to her. That fate would not be denied any longer. There was no guarantee of happiness, no guarantee that it would work out for them.

But they would meet.

He would meet his Golden Rose.

------
Another part of the ship

Kyle toweled off his hair. He looked over at his bed and watched as Maria writhed under the sheets. She cried out in pain and horror.

A nightmare. She had them. A lot of them.

Just one of the many prices the woman paid for being who she was. For being the hero.

She became more and more agitated and began to tear the sheets.

God in Heaven, she was strong.

“Maria. Wake up. It’s just a dream.” Kyle moved to comfort her. It was more dangerous than it seemed. He’d already had to go to Medical once for something she had done to him while she was asleep.

This time was no different.

He reached to sooth her. And she was still very much in her dream. She resisted, pushing him back.

He stumbled, catching himself.

Did Central know how bad her dreams were.

Of course they did. Maybe this was one reason why she was here. To be useful, but also given time to recover.

Maybe their secret mission wouldn’t be about ship bourn assaults after all. Which was good, because they only had the four of them. And while Alex could hold his own, and Liz probably could too…. Neither of them were truly soldiers.

Not like Kyle or Maria were. Kyle had his own memories that he wished he didn’t have. None of them as bad, but still…..

“Maria, calm down. You just need to wake up.” Kyle cautiously. She lay exposed to him now, the sheets torn to pieces.

Good thing the ship could mend them or he would run out of bedding rather quickly.

She seemed to quiet, to grow very still. The hairs on the back of his head seemed to jump up in warning. It screamed that this woman was dangerous, and that he should wait for her to calm down.

But he hated to see her in such pain. “Maria, honey, you’re okay. Its safe….” And once more he touched her arm.

And was knocked down.

Embarrassing, but he’d get over it. No it was the pistol she held in her hands.

Where the hell did she get that?

“Kyle?”

“Uh, yeah, this is your Captain speaking.”

“Sorry, I just was having the worst dream.”

Maria was fairly superstitious. She tracked her dreams. Both for the psychological information that it provided and also to look through the various dream guides.

“Do you mind lowering that thing.”

Maria looked up at the gun that was pointed at Kyle. “Oh. Sorry.” She moved the gun hand over her right hip.

And it vanished.

A Phase weapon. In her hip.

She looked up at him, a tremulous look filling her eyes. The Space Services required a certain amount of implants to be emplaced if you wanted to join. Mostly they were for interfacing with the various equipment, or for health and safety reasons.

They did not include a Phase generator and a built in pistol. Kyle looked at the woman and tried to place where the weapon and the generator were kept.

“Kyle. I’m sorry.”

“About the gun? Well I have to say I’m a bit shocked. More so because its not on your file. I trust you Maria.”

Maria closed her eyes and small tears began to spill from them. But Kyle knew that he had said the right thing.

Kyle continued, “That can only mean one thing. I mean, Phase weapons are hardly cheap. Nor are they all that common outside of, well work suits or battle suits. I’ve never actually heard of one actually inside someone before.” He paused for a moment. “You work for Central don’t you.”

Her eyes remained closed. “Unofficially. Yes. Yes I do.” She opened her eyes. “Are you going to space me now?”

Everyone knew they needed Central, knew how important they were to the functioning of the War against the Drathans. But no one liked a spy. Not even one on your side, particularly one that might be spying on you.

New Mexicans hated Central more than most. And there were rumors, well more than rumors, he’d talked to a couple of people who had said that they had… had spaced a member of their own crew.

A vision of a naked Maria staring at him through an airlock door as it cycled open. A brief moment of pain as the vacuum hit her and she was swept out into space. To die in pain as her blood boiled and she died of asphyxiation.

Could he do that? Could he do that even to a person he didn’t care for, let alone someone he considered a friend?

“We need to talk. All of us. Is Liz one of you?”

“No. Nor is Alex. I’m pretty sure Alex does work for someone, possibly Liz.”

“Naturally. And me? I suppose you are going to spill out my secrets.”

Maria smiled fondly at him and raised her hand as if to stroke his cheek. But she stopped herself. “Kyle, one of the reasons you were chosen for this mission is that you don’t have any other affiliation. The closest you come to are a couple of sports clubs you occasionally attend. You are a rarity. You are what you seem.”

“Call a meeting. We need for everyone to place all their cards on the table.” Kyle looked Maria over again. “Um. If you don’t mind my asking, where exactly do you keep that gun?”

“My right leg was lost on one of my last missions. All the way up to the hip is synthetics. The generator is there too.”

“What percentage?”

“39.7%”

Kyle whistled. Just short of the legal definition of a cyborg. And all the restrictions placed on them. Of course, if she worked for Central, a lot of that would be waved. There was talk of cybernetic warriors and assassins.

He looked at Maria again, this time in a different light. Could she be one of those fabled warriors.

No. Maybe he was being dense, but she didn’t strike him as being an assassin. A soldier yes. A woman who had given much for her nation. More than he had thought.

“Do I have time for a shower?” Maria was still crying slightly. But her voice was steady if resigned. She would not meet his gaze.

Almost forty percent of her body was synthetic. Forty percent. Her right leg and what else?

“Yes, of course. “

Maria’s back was straight as she made her way to the bathroom. But Kyle could tell there was a certain amount of dejection in her bearing.

“Maria….. This doesn’t change anything. Your affiliations, your status. You know we won’t last, but….”

Maria flashed him a smile and moved a little more jauntily into the shower.

Kyle rubbed his forehead. How many factions was he juggling here? Just how important was this mission?

And the rest of her cybernetics. Forty percent. My God. How bad were her injuries?

Forty percent, and he had not even guessed.

Kyle finished getting dressed. This was shaping up to be an interesting morning.
PML
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Re: A Teardrop of Fire (AU/CC ALL, Mature) Chapter 6 - 11/13/09

Post by PML »

This part is a little short, but I'm tired. I'll have to make up the rest soon. But at least I hammered out something, right? Hope you folks enjoy.

Our heroes reach the Antar system next part.

Begonia9508- There is a lot going on that they do not realize yet. But in this story Alex also has a heritage that lets the resonance that all of them will share shine through despite the vast distance. They have been in and out of each other's dreams since adolescence. Think of a sort of quantum entanglement. Isabel is strong. But she can only reach interstellar distances with Alex. With him distance is not a factor.

Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.

Teardrop of Fire Chapter 7

Onboard the Roswell, New Mexico sector

The four of them sat quietly looking at one another across the dinner table that they never used. Mostly they all ate either in their rooms or at their stations.

With only four people, all officers, the ship was run fairly casually.

Still, Kyle was the Captain. And he had called this meeting.

“Okay, so I was talking to Maria…..”

“Just talking?”

“That’s enough Whitman. Now is not the time.”

Maria smiled at Alex, “Liz already knows, and I somehow suspect you do as well.”

“That you’re Central?”

“Unofficially.”

“You know Central’s not liked out here. I’m surprised that Kyle….”

“Can it Alex. You know we’re on a mission of importance. Just look at all of you. You, Maria, and Liz are like a wonder team. We all know we’re being readied for something. Let’s see, when Maria confessed she said you both likely had factional affiliation as well.”

Liz looked at Kyle coolly, “And yourself? If you are saying that we are all involved in some multi-factional dispute or mission.”

Maria looked across at her friend, “Look, Liz, all of us are really good at what we do. Have really nice futures ahead of us. If we survive. But we’re still young. Still expendable. Good enough to go, expendable enough to send.”

Liz nodded.

Alex turned to Kyle. “So did Maria make any guesses as to who was whom?”

Kyle looked at his friend sadly, “You’re not even going to deny it?”

“Nope. Because you are right. We need to lay all the cards on the table. Probably should have done this a few days back, but now is as good a time as any. We are all going to need to trust each other. I’m just curious who she thought we belonged to.”

Maria looked at Kyle.

Kyle shrugged. “She said you were IACOM. Liz she wasn’t sure of. Some engineering concern. Maybe the folks who work on the sensor grid, or one of the Academies.” He looked at Liz, hoping against hope that she at least had not been involved and not told him.

“The Scouts.”

Kyle sat back flabbergasted. Liz was one of the long range research and recon types? But they tended to linger beyond the fringes of the Republic.

Maria on the other hand smirked, “You move fast girl. You applied and they what sent you back to New Mexico? To make a life of it until they needed you?”

Liz nodded, and quietly said, “They were not sure how long it would take to organize a mission. I needed to make a strong identity out here. More than just the fact I was born here.”

Alex chimed up, “They found something. Something big.”

Kyle looked at his friends. At least he’d been starting to think of them as his friends. But that was before he’d known that there were secret political lines separating the various sections of the ship.

“There is a planet just past the end of the Weyland chain of Gates. The hints gained by out probes before they were destroyed showed a world that might actually have some fully functional Ancient hardware.”

“That is impossible. The Weyland chain is near the heart of the Ancient Primary systems. Most of those planets are radioactive rubble, those that aren’t a need little grouping of rocks slowly reforming into a planet.”

“But it is there.”

Alex was nodding to himself. “There are rumors among my mother’s people about such a world. But they stress that going there is a one way trip. Most Republican scholars believe it’s a Heaven/Hell type thing. You know the whole afterlife story. But I don’t know how many actually have heard the tale in Drathi. It is only a legend, but it is a popular one.”

Maria looked pointedly at Alex, “So was I right about you?”

“Well I’m not an agent or anything. But I do keep my eyes peeled. As I said this was a story among my mother’s people. My mother is Drathan, and well she’s tied pretty tight to IACOM, it was only natural.”

“You do realize we’re all on the same side, right? And if we go looking for this myth, well were going to do it together. So lay everything down on the table. I want to know all of you and for all of you to know each other. If this mission is going to be half as suicidal as I believe we will need to train long an d hard. And I doubt we have much time.”

And so they sat there and talked deep into the night. They forged links that would save them in time.

It was later that morning, as all of them slept that orders were finally received.

Orders to progress down the Weyland chain of Gates.

-------
Harding Castle, Teven, Antar

It was amazing how empty the castle seemed ever since Ava had left.

Go. Run. Save a tiny portion of our family.

Tess looked out the windows onto the horizon, to the capital city that lurked not more than a few miles away. Pillars of smoke reached up to the heavens.

Riots. Massive riots were sweeping the nation throwing everything into chaos. Everything seemed like it was falling apart.

And her father denied that anything was happening. He’d had one general whipped to death for speaking of the need to negotiate with the Beravans.

Her kingdom had lost the war. The Beravans had broken through the Front and were pouring into Teven.

And they lay paralyzed by the paranoid rambling of a half-senile king and his vile advisor.

It was almost as if Nicholas were deliberately sabotaging the Royal cause. Deliberately forcing them to take actions that would only fan the flames of hatred even higher.

Things were bad out there.

They were almost as bad in here. Her father had locked up and nearly executed the heir on suspicion of treason. It had taken all her savvy to talk him out of it.

Nicholas hadn’t really cared. It seemed as long as the government was paralyzed that he was succeeding. And if he were secretly working for the enraged mob, then he was indeed succeeding.

She had to find a way. A way to save her nation, save her family.

But if she failed. If she died, then there was still her twin. Still Ava one step ahead of the enemy, rushing to safety.

If safety truly existed in this crazy world.
PML
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Re: A Teardrop of Fire (AU/CC ALL, Mature) Chapter 7 - 11/14/09

Post by PML »

Thanks again to everyone following along.

begonia9508- Thanks.

chanks-girl - Thanks. As for Teven, Tess's homeland, there are a lot of parallels between it and Russia at the time of the revolution. In fact the war with Berava is very similar to WW one.

As for Isabel, it is another case of needing to be careful what you wish for. I think Isabel is enjoying her state far more than Michael, but she's still not having the kind of fun she thought she would have. And you are right about Khivar. Isabel has another life altering choice to make in the next part.

Alex is part Drathan. The Drathans are a human variant that is slightly telepathic. Alex has a tiny portion of that gift. The rest will come to light as the story rolls on.

Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.

Teardrop of Fire Chapter 8

Onboard the Roswell, Orbiting Weyland, Aralian Republic Space

Liz looked down on the living world below. It had taken years for the terraformers to bring her even to a hint of her former beauty.

Weyland had been one of those worlds battered to near lifelessness by the war that ended the Ancients. You could still see where the major population centers were by the thicker density of craters. Now the busy parts of Weyland were those that had been wilderness or moderately barren. It was easier to reclaim what had not been entirely devastated.

Liz was told that there were several dazzling aquatic archologies that had been built first, to house the workers that had made Weyland livable again.

And now, Liz could survey their handiwork. Beautiful.

Too bad there wasn’t time to sight see.

She used her links to observe the wreck that lay before them. It was a remnant of the ODP that had once surrounded Weyland like a necklace. The Orbital Defense Platforms had not been successful at the end. All the others had been shattered. But this one had survived. Perhaps destroyed early, and ignored in the massive conflict that must have overwhelmed the Weyland defenses.

Several groups had spent a small fortune trying to repair the Platform in the hopes of studying it. Liz hadn’t been a Scout for long, and hadn’t realized how closely it worked with Central and other more mundane organizations in its constant pursuit of knowledge.

Scouts had come into contact with intact or semi-intact defenses before, and it was thought that a significant number of missing ships were from that very reason. Central was just looking for a better way to arm and armor their own vessels and defenses in the seemingly never ending war with the Drathans.

And who knows, maybe Alex’s IACOM was involved too. They were certainly interested in the stealth suite the Roswell had been outfitted with.

It was strange. You would think that knowing that everyone onboard was a member of a different faction would have caused them to close up, cause them to suspect each other. But it hadn’t.

It hadn’t.

And Kyle was the key. He didn’t belong to any faction. He was just the Captain and pilot of the Roswell. And that was it.

Liz smiled slightly. It helped that they were also friends, and to a lesser degree lovers. Liz wasn’t sure what to do with Alex. She was attracted to him, but….

There was something calling to her. Somewhere beyond the distant horizon. Something pulling her onward.

Her smile grew wider. Something? Or someone?

She chuckled under her breath slightly. She couldn’t help it, the man was infectious. She’d never met a man so dedicated to a romantic ideal.

She pulled her mind back to her work, although most of her mind, cortical nodes and all had never left it. But her actual mind, her personality, had been distracted. The nodes still used her as their baseline, still operated from her head, but there were differences between what she might see when she focused on it directly verses what the nodes did.

They allowed her to do more things faster than an unaided human, but there were still things that needed focus.

And rebalancing the engines would be one of them. The problem was how they were going to stay in stealth long enough to actually do something useful.

FTL was out. Even set at sub-light levels the distortion would be to easy to detect.

The old ion drive would be out to. Not only was it painfully slow, used mostly for fine movements in orbit, it was also flashy. Not perhaps so mush so as to draw too much attention, but it was obviously a man-made phenomena.

She really doubted the Defense Platforms would not use more intense scans of the area to see what the phenomena was. And good as the stealth suite was, it wasn’t good enough to hide them if they just focused enough concentrated surveillance.

They had already run a test on Alex‘s Electronic Warfare suite. And it worked well. But it wouldn‘t be enough to give them more than a few minutes to escape.

And the FTL drive would have to be more than just at low setting. It would have to be off. And it would take hours to restart and rebalance it.

The area of intense scrutiny was believed to be over 20 light minutes away from the target. Lone enough to escape with the FTL, even deep inside the system like the target was.

That was the other coffin nail on the ion jets. It would take days to escape using them. They would be long dead by that time.

No they would be using the old NAFAL drive. The same drive her ancestors had arrived on Aralia. Liz shivered at the memory of her father telling her of her great grandfather and his long vigil onboard the Columbia.

The NAFAL drive presented advantages and disadvantages over the FTL. It was slower, both in acceleration and in top speed. There was an exception. It was most efficient at slower speeds. The faster it went, the more space was bent the weaker the acceleration.

But the warping of space it used, the distortion was highly local. And while it had been developed on Earth such a long time before the Ancients had destroyed themselves, there had been no record of use of the NAFAL drive amongst the Ancients.

And why would they? The FTL the Aralians themselves used was a less efficient form that had been cobbled together from remnants of Ancient technology.

No, the ancient war machines would not be looking for the archaic travel method any more than they would be looking for solar sails. She just needed to keep them balanced just so. To keep them from wanting to look any closer.

And she had done the same for the Ship’s boat. It was an old Corsair that one of Maria’s Central buddies had scared up.

Come to think of it, there was no real surprise that the Roswell was so high tech now. You had the Republic’s chief espionage, military, and recon and research organizations involved in this mission.

Liz continued her work.

-------
Caredon University, Ekedar, Antar

Isabel stared up at Khivar. Their love making had been passionate, almost desperate in their need to be together.

Khivar stood at the window of their house, magnificent in his nakedness.

He was troubled. Isabel could tell that, even if she’d not been able to find all that much more useful information to Tish. Nothing in fact, to directly tie Khivar to the various rebel groups that maintained haven her in Ekedar.

Isabel wished she could be sure that her lover was not a traitor. That while he consorted with those who wished to violently overthrow the current order, he himself was not involved.

But that was just wishful thinking on her part. And she knew it. He was up to his eyebrows in it. She’d had hints of it before. Bits and pieces that she’d ignored. But now that she was paying attention it all seemed to have vanished.

It made her worry. Did he know? But if he knew why hadn’t he said anything or done anything that would have made her choose?

Because he’s testing me. He is as unsure of me as I am now of him. And he sensed that I’m no longer solely his as well. That I am watching him.

This had been so much easier when it had been a game all those years ago.

But a lot less fun, she thought as she looked up at Khivar. She stood and walked up to Khivar and massaged his shoulders, feeling the tension in them.

Well she was wound up too. All this stress was eating her up.

But it was funny how this stress was acting on her differently. When she’d gotten nervous about some of the tests or speeches she’d had to give, the last thing she had wanted was sex. Now facing potential death at the very hand of the man she loved……

Maybe it was the danger? Maybe she found it intoxicating. Whatever the reason she found herself wanting him again. Tonight.

Right now.

She let her hands begin to roam from his shoulders to the rest of his finely muscled body. She leaned in on him, making her body flush with his. She began to kiss his neck, and enjoyed his slight growl of contentment. She stopped the kisses and rubbed herself along his back and whispered, “Come back to bed. I can take you mind of you worries.”

She felt herself lift off the ground. Khivar was one of the most powerfully telekinetic man on record. And he knew how to use it. She felt as multiple caresses patterned all over her body. And she drifted, a couple of feet in the air as he used his powers on her.

It didn’t feel the same as hands roaming over her, but his control was so precise, so good, that it felt so very good. She closed her eyes and reveled in sensation as he stimulated pleasure along the entire length of her body.

She smiled and thought that she should return the favor, to warm him up for the finale. And she reached out. Not like he had done. She had good telekinetic power and control, but lifting him would be a strain.

No her powers were of the mind. She might lack Tess’s flair at Domination, but she could still reach into his mind and bring pleasure. It was a trick she had learned while she’d been with him. Something she’d never shared with any other man.

Living man anyway. She could be quite abandoned with her dream phantom. They couldn’t talk, but that left a lot of other activities.

Definitely not the time to think about that. Time to enjoy. Time to feel.

For soon, soon there would be death and destruction. Either she would fall by his hand or he by hers.

She opened her eyes and saw that she was drifting toward him and latched her legs around him.

And they made love.

For they did love each other.

Just not enough. Not quite enough.

Today was not that fateful day when their love would shatter and break, and that day was close, both of them could feel it coming. No today was a day of bliss and ecstasy and love.

But the end was coming.

--------
Harding Castle, Teven, Antar

Tess was wearing her best today. A dress fit for a Royal coronation. Or a State funeral.

Both could very well happen today.

She did not like what she was about to do. How could she? But it needed to be done. In truth it should have been done long before. By her brother or elder sister.

She herself had only reached the legal age last year.

The law she would invoke was old and barbaric. But it was still the law. If her father did not heed it, did not allow the challenge it would fatally weaken him before the whole Court. And as weak of a King as he was now, he could ill afford it.

No he would accept her challenge. Her formal duel.

Oh, she would try to persuade him to step down, try to show him his errors. Try to somehow reach the man who had been there when she was a child.

Or had he. It was so hard to tell. How much of what she had seen in her childhood the province of childhood wishful thinking, childish fantasies. Isabel had certainly harsh in her judgment of her father. The one point neither of the friends could ever fully resolve.

But Isabel had been right. Her father was an unbalanced psychopath who had held the throne for far too long. Had ruled almost exclusively through fear. A fear that was fading as he grew older. A fear that the populace less and less felt as Teven’s armies fell before the Beravan military machine.

Their nation was a backwater. An over hierarchal backwater that was losing a war because its leaders could not change, could not let up in their absolute dominance of the nation. Even when they could see, visibly see that the world had changed. They still clung to their old power and privilege, still tried to milk peasant and prole alike.

No. Change had to happen. And it would either happen from the top, where it could hopefully be managed without too much bloodshed. Or from the bottom, by those victims of neglect and bad governance, who even now were rioting in the major cities. There had even been rumors of mutiny! Unheard of due to the horrible punishments that were the penalty.

Her father had just yesterday ordered the entire Kvel militia battalion impaled. And when the local citizens had risen up to try to protect their sons and fathers and husbands, they had been brutally suppressed.

Word this morning had the entire town, more than ten thousand souls impaled.

Barbaric indeed.

Tess had had enough. This might lead to her death, even if she won there was still the chance that she might be betrayed by someone else seeking the crown. But there was no longer any time to delay.

She had waited too long as it was.

She whispered to the herald her intentions.

He shook his head and cried. Actually cried.

Edward Harding had always been the strongest. He’d killed people with the force of his mind alone before. Had simply willed their hearts to stop.

And they had.

Tess knew that she was loved by many of the local staff. She had always tried to make their lives a little better. It was only sound policy if nothing else. These servants knew things that could be dangerous, and fear was a poor way to control them.

They would still need to fear her, but she needed them also to love her. Fear would keep her safe, but only love could motivate without hatred.

A hard path to tread.

She was quietly insistent but the herald refused her. She would die. And with her the last bit of sanity in an unsane Court.

Tess thought about forcing him, about using her will to dominate him into the action she sought.

No. This might be a more effective entrance.

Tess Harding did not neglect the other powers outside of Domination, as did many of her peers. No she had gone to Caredon. Had learned many things. Many useful things.

As a Telekinetic, she really wasn’t much. But she was strong enough to motion the large doors to open at a gesture.

The Herald looked at her in awe. And knelt.

He should see Khivar. Although, Tess hope she was wrong about Khivar in a way that Isabel had not been about her father. Khivar was highly political, and his politics were dangerous.

And just as dangerous to Isabel as they had been to the more reactionary Tess. Isabel just couldn’t see it over her rabid infatuation of the man. Sure he looked great, but so what? It didn’t matter how good your killer looked, and having the man who would likely be the end of you was not Tess’s choice of bed partner.

Once again sorrow washed through her at the thought of Max. Or even that petty noble friend of theirs Michael. That both of them were dead seemed beyond doubt at this point.

No. No time for sorrow. Time for focus.

The voices that had been pleading some case before the King.

Everyone was looking at her.

Tess used another trick of Isabel’s and manipulated the light slightly about her person, giving the impression of a halo. Strong enough to be impressive, not strong enough to be obvious.

How she wished for her friends guidance now!

Her father looked at her with disdain, “What is the meaning of this, Daughter? Can you not see that I am busy. No go run off and play with your dolls like a good little girl.”

Tess let the insult pass. “By the ancient covenant I challenge you. You are unworthy of the crown and need to be removed.”

“And you think you can do it, hmm? Did you ever know your eldest brother? I made him pray for death, child. He strangled his own wife and child. And he was the strongest of the weak litter Katherine left for me. Fit only lay about like the useless mongrels that you are. I had hopes of marrying you off, but word from my agents in Ekedar told me of your sleeping with Maxwell Evans. And now that was fine and well while you were due to marry him. Why he was willing to accept such a slut as you, I will never know. You were obviously willing to share your favors before marriage, why should he marry you at all?”

“I am sorry that I disappoint you father. But do not think you can dissuade me. I will see you fall or fall by your hands. The law demands it.”

“Very well, my dear. I will hollow out your mind. And give the empty shell to Nicholas to play with until he tires of you. A sex toy is all you were to Max in Ekedar, and a sex toy is all you will be for Nicholas. He has expressed some interest in you.” He raised his hand.

It took all Tess had to not fall to her knees as her heart stopped. Her lungs felt like lead and she could feel the delicate web of her personality unwind under the horrible onslaught of her father.

He was just so strong! Stronger than she was.

No. If she just tried to hold him off, he would win. He would wear her down and her body would be Nicholas’s play thing.

Not an acceptable outcome in Michael speak.

And it was memories of tactics with Michael that she would need to use now. Obviously direct attack or even dogged defense was a sure road to failure.

So what to do?

Black dots appeared before her eyes. Her father was killing her. She was dying.

Funny how she felt so calm.

Okay. What to do?

Make her father think he was doing an even better job that he was, make him certain of victory. And hit him in the flanks. Hit him somewhere and somehow he did not expect.

So she made her father see her die before him, see as his wishes for her to be an empty shell were fulfilled. She even gave him images of her being ravished on the Court floor by Nicholas.

Did it weaken him? Maybe. He was still really killing her and she was really still dying. But she could tell her father was not in touch with the real world any longer.

And she wished she did not feel his pleasure as he watched one of his daughters raped before him.

Maybe he that was what he had wanted when he’d punished her before. To show how powerful and ruthless he could be. To sow yet more fear.

Because if he could do that to someone he loved…..

Maybe. But he actually was taking pleasure in it!

Edward Harding needed to die. Even if she, Tess, died as well, the world would be a better place.

No. Her father was in a dream world now. And so he did not see as Tess used her powers to take an ancient shield off the wall and fling it at him.

Decapitating him. Killing him instantly.

And suddenly the pressure was gone. Tess took a massive shuddering breath, her heart pounding.

She had won.

Why did she feel that her problems were just beginning?

--------
On board the Roswell, Jumpspace

Kyle stared at the plot. This was it.

Thirty seconds to emergence.

“Liz? Engineering and Maneuver?”

“Were go here.”

“Alex, are we ready?”

“Stealth suite is on standby, I can deploy it right after out sensors clear.”

The Roswell was appearing above the ecliptic of the target system and more than five light hours away. They would need to check for outer system defenses before closing in on the planet.

“Maria, Tactical?”

“We are go.”

Liz came online, “Five seconds to emergence. Three. Two. One.”

Massive disorientation rolled through him as they exited Jump Space.

They were here. Where ever here was.

Liz spoke. “Emergence complete. All systems green. FTL on standby at your order. Warming up NAFAL drive.”

“Nothing incoming detected on Tactical. Positive contacts on Long scan. We‘re too far for them to get a firm lock on us out here. But if someone is manning those old hulks they‘ll know something has translated out.”

“And you Alex?”

“Multiple positive contacts. Kyle, all of you, you have to hear this.” Music began to play through the link. Unfamiliar music.

With human voices.

“That’s right boys and girls. They have radio. There are people down there and we can talk to them.”

Kyle closed his eyes. Maybe everything would be okay….

Maybe this would be easy for a change.

“Liz, can you get me a picture of the world on one of your cameras?” By group decision, Liz had become their astrograph specialist, much to Kyle’s public chagrin and his secret relief.

It was just that all that damn math was just so annoying. To Liz it was just another set of equations to crunch.

Yep, how he hadn’t seen it before. Liz was a Scout.

A picture appeared before him. A beautiful green world. Of course the other half could be covered in craters, but from what he could see here…..

It called to him.

The Roswell stayed there for several hours, just studying the world from a distance. Alex was trying to decode the local languages so that they could speak them.

And yes the locals were humans. Or human variants like the Drathans.

“Hey Alex, do you know what they call their planet anyway?”

“Still working on it. But, my best guess?”

“Yeah, just need a name to hang on it.”

“They call it Antar.”

And it called to him. No planet had ever affected him like this. He was a child of deep space. Had been born on the New Mexico, and had spent most of his life among the stars or in orbit.

But this world, this world called to him.

And had he asked, had he truly thought to ask, he would have found out that all of them felt the same. All of them felt as if their destinies, their purposes, lay tied up on that world.

As they did.

Only it wasn’t the planet itself that called to them. It wasn’t a something that called to them, it was a someone. Several someones in fact.
PML
Obsessed Roswellian
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Re: A Teardrop of Fire (AU/CC ALL, Mature) Chapter 8 - 11/15/09

Post by PML »

Thanks to everyone reading this story.

Begonia9508- Yes Tess killed her father in hopes of stemming the tide of chaos that was sweeping her nation. It was the only way she could think of to do it. And what they are feeling is their other half, which for Liz is Max.

keepsmiling7- Thanks. Hope you continue to enjoy.

cjsl8ne- Thanks, poor Tess is trying, but it is likely too little too late.

Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.

Teardrop of Fire Chapter 9

Whiteridge Mountains, just over the border of Avidar, Antar

Max was still uncertain exactly what had been done to Michael. Somehow they had changed him on a very deep level, allowing him to use his powers to manipulate his own tissue as if it were ordinary matter.

That was something not even he could do. And Max was probably the greatest healer of his generation. It was a hard thing to cause large scale changes in a patient without killing them. And yet Michael could change his form.

Apparently there were limits. Naturally mass was conserved. So he could only shift into someone smaller if he increased his density. Over time Michael could adjust to his new form, shedding excess mass. So if he had truly wanted to imitate a small wasp-waisted woman like Andrea Travers, well he’d need some time to shed the weight.

And his bones shared more with cartilage than actual bone. But he could freeze it in place, making it as hard as bone.

Still Michael was stuck as a humanoid. That much at least he would always retain.

Although, the technique that was used….. It had to be an Ancient device of some sort. No one could do such things in this day and age.

For instance, every one of his organs were artificial. Every single one.

Michael had called himself inhuman. Max was no longer sure he could technically call his friend alive. Not in the same way that Max was. Or his sister.

Michael was right about one thing. He would never be able to give Isabel the children she wanted some day. He was sterile, no longer having human generative organs. Oh, he could mimic them. He could when in female form even ovulate.

But the eggs were dead. Synthetic. So was his sperm.

A good copy, but still just a copy.

Observing that had been hard for Max. And hard for Michael. It was hard to look at his friend when he took the form of a woman.

Couldn’t he at least pick a less attractive form?

The form he had taken was that of a petite blonde with bright green eyes. Not quite his type but attractive. And alone in the mountains, Michael had taken to teasing him.

He/she/it was trying to seduce Max, while Max was trying to discover the differences in physiology brought about by shape shifting. Michael was treating this like a game.

But Max wished he knew who Michael was modeling his current body on.

She was not entirely his type, but a few dates with the real girl would not be a bad thing. Particularly if she was a spirited as Michael was portraying her.

No, Max had not given up. But trying to fix and return Michael to his older more stable form seemed to be nearly impossible.

Michael stalked back into camp, large grin on his/her face. But Max could read worry in the large green eyes. And Max was learning to read the girl’s body language, which was oddly different than Michael’s.

“Michael, are you ever going to return to your real body.”

“Max, we’ve been over this. I don’t have one. And what they told me is true. Keeping my old form was allowing me to fool myself that I could still have parts of my old life.”

“How do you pick a new form. I mean, can you just make one up. I’ve never met her, the real her.”

“Oh, this.” Michael turned the female body, “I guess this is as foolish as being my old self. But then, if I could never have her, maybe I could be her. She is, I guess, the girl of my dreams. Haven’t you ever had visions of some perfect girl, someone who could truly love you?”

Visions of a dark eyed woman flashed before his eyes. Max quashed them. Tess. He was going to be marrying Tess, and these dreams weren‘t real anyway. But it still felt like he was cheating. “I thought you loved Isabel.”

“I did. And do. But….. On the Front, at the Line….. I started to have visions of her. Of the girl whose body I’m imitating.”

“So you dreamed up some girl to get through the horrors of the Front? Some perfect girl who, what, fulfilled your every wish? Loved you unconditionally, rather than the fights you and Iz got into?”

Michael sat down. “No. She drove me nuts. Annoyed the living daylights out of me. More so than Isabel. And yet….. I loved her. Isn’t that strange? She’s not real, but I love her anyway.” His form began to ripple. To turn back to a thin version of himself. “Better I guess that I just stay as myself.” His face formed a more Michael style frown.

“What is wrong?”

“There is a little village. Not too far from here. They had a radio.”

News. He’d felt starved not knowing what was going on in the world.

“Well they still think your dead. Sorry, Max. Looks like your wedding has been cancelled.”

Max felt a sudden surge of relief. Which felt strange in and of itself. How could he say that his feelings for Tess had changed over the years. That he no longer loved her the way he had.

Political realities would have still made him marry her. That wouldn’t have changed. But he just didn’t feel the same as he had when she’d been at Ekedar. She had changed when she had gone back home. Hardened.

He had changed to.

“That we already guessed at. Anything else?”

“The Beravans have smashed the frontline Teven forces. The Tevens are in full retreat. And there are riots all across Teven. That would be bad. Our own forces were stretched enough holding back have the Beravan army, how will we do when we have the whole damn thing breathing down our necks.”

“Cheery. So, are we going back to the village. Let everyone know I’m alive.”

“No point. They only had a receiver. There is a garrison several days hike. But, Max. I’m still worried about that attack. It was much too coordinated for a standard anarchist.”

“So we remain incognito?”

“For now. We’ll see what is up when we get to that base.”

Max looked up at the blue sky above. Why did he feel like something momentous was due to happen at any time? Why did he feel both excited and worried?

-------
Onboard the Roswell, Forty Light minutes from Antar.

All of the crew of the Roswell were seated together. Teleconferencing just didn’t seem to be enough. And through their links they could still access all the data from their respective stations.

Kyle as always started things off. “So, what do you think?”

Alex shook his head. “I have the language translated. it’s a hodgepodge of old Euro languages mixed in with some archaic Drathan. I’m working up a file for implant transfer. Should give all of us a working knowledge of the language. Only thing is, the news from Antar’s not good.”

“Yeah?”

“Widespread warfare, reminiscent of the First World War.”

“Like trenches and early planes and tanks?”

“No sign of tanks, but both sides are using poison gases…. It’s a real mess. And it’s been dragging on for more than seven years. They just can’t bring themselves to the table. I’m working on decrypting the ciphers both sides are using. I’ll have more data later.”

“Liz?”

“Well all the sections are green. So I’ve been examining the defenses with Maria.”

“And.”

Maria cleared her throat. “The defenses seem very much alive. But there is a gap. A tiny gap, but it is there. One of the platforms is dead.”

Liz spoke up, “This is a terrific opportunity. We can examine it directly. Safely.”

“That’s kind of close to the rest of the defensive net, don’t you think?”

“Yes. But as far as we can tell, they don’t know we are here. And the locals aren’t using the platforms. IF they had access to that technology they’d be using it. So the defenses are automated.”

“Twitchy but dumb.”

“Yes. We think we can sneak in and take a good look. Plus from there we can set other orbiting probes to observe the rest of the platforms quietly.”

“Alex, can we do it.”

Alex frowned. Crunching massive numbers and probabilities. “It’s risky. But then this whole mission is risky. Let me set up a couple of comsats so that we can send mission briefs back home. But I say we do it.”

“How long will that take you?”

“A couple of hours. I should hopefully have cracked those ciphers by then as well.”

Kyle nodded. “Okay. Plan for it in four hours. But I say we all take a little break. Maria, I need to talk to you.”

“Talk, huh.” Maria winked at Liz and Alex as she and Kyle went aft to the Captain’s Quarters.

Both Alex and Liz looked at each other. They had done nothing but talk to each other since that night. They had become close friends. Neither of them was sure if they wanted more or not.

And both secretly felt called by the distant world.

Alex looked at Liz. “I can’t. Part of me wants to. A big part of me. But Liz, she’s nearby. On that world, on Antar is my, my true love. And I can’t. Not now. Not here.”

Liz nodded. Slightly relieved. She too felt the pull.

Both of them wandered over to a view screen of the planet. “So where do you think she is?”

Alex walked over to the map. And he closed his eyes and ran through the relaxation techniques his mother had taught him. Alex was weak by Drathan noble standards. But the power was still there.

It was like a thin line that connected him and her. And she was so close!

Did she dream of him like he did of her?

“There. She is right there.”

There was no way Alex could truly know, but he was off by only thirty miles. For Isabel was no longer at the Caredon University.

She was running for her life.

-------
Harding Castle, Teven, Antar.

Tess sat on the Throne and tried to think of a way to save Teven.

Massive riots filled the major towns. Several units of the Royal Army had splintered off in rebellion.

Teven was in complete chaos.

And yet she tried. She could have escaped, had let certain nobles flee the coming storm. But she had to hold the helm. Someone had to try to stem the chaos before it got too far out of control.

Worse, Nicholas had not been found. She had a kill on sight order that many of her loyalists were only happy to follow.

How? How could she hope to stop this avalanche of doom?

Tess closed her eyes and thought of her dead fiancé. Somehow. She would have to manage somehow.

Or she and her land would die.

-------
On the coast of Ekedar, Antar

Isabel Evans was dead.

That was in the local news. A horrible scandal as the daughter of one of the most powerful nations had been eviscerated by her own boyfriend.

The Golden Rose closed her eyes. That was how she was thinking of herself this morning, trying to summon all the cunning she had focused on the fictional spy when she had been a child.

For the one Khivar had killed had not been her.

It had been Tish. Isabel had never known that Tish had become a Protector. Had in fact been her Protector.

The secrets that the woman had slipped right before forcing Isabel out of her own home had been chilling.

Khivar was after more than just political power. He wanted absolute power.

And the key in her hand was the last Key of Air. One of the Four Keys to the Granolith.

She’d always thought of it as a myth, a childhood fairy tale.

Not so.

It could control Antar’s necklace, the line of glittering stars that could be seen just before dawn, and just after sunset.

Satellites. Artificial Ancient satellites, with unknowable and unstoppable power.

And he had to be stopped. Somehow.

But he was so powerful….

She could still see Tish, proud in Isabel’s form talk with Khivar. As Khivar gave her a final choice. Join or die.

Tish had tried to fight.

And lost.

Isabel could still see her friend strung up, her own entrails used as rope to hang her from a light post.

Ekedar had fallen in a single day. The cries of horror and the despicable crimes that she had seen committed would linger to her dying day.

How? How had it come so fast? How had she been so blissfully unaware?

How could she stop him?

She looked up to the sky, to the vast uncaring sky and prayed for a miracle.
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