Roswell Fanatics

The Four Faces of Rath Rated TEEN

Sequel to: "Children of the Universe"







Michael goes back in time in an effort to find out who he really is –or was- and gets stuck in the past with Zan and Rath, not entirely through his own doing or fault. But to get back he must get Max and Liz, Alex and Isabel, and the others all back together again and make them want a life they no longer remember when they have other lives now that some of them are quite content with… A daunting task even for Michael.

The Four Faces of Rath is the 4th or 5th book of the “Altered Time” series (You’ll see what I mean in a minute). It can be read and enjoyed as a separate story from the others, but to fully understand all the characters and how they got there, you need to read the first three (or four) stories first. For those of you who choose to read this one first, (and those who read the first three but would like to refresh your memories), here is a brief summary to bring you up to this point quickly while hopefully not spoiling any of the secrets or excitement of the others.

In Altered Time-Destiny in the Stars, Max and Michael are living on Antar. Kivar destroyed the earth several years before, and only Max, Michael, and one other person escaped with them and made it to Antar. Liz, Maria, Isabel, and the others are all gone. This, of course, won’t do, and Max and Michael set out in the “New Granolith” on a mission to change the past. They wind up with a lot more adventure than they expected, and Max and Michael are “seeing double” as they meet and deal with their younger selves. A couple of Antarian characters become regulars, marrying into our group (I won’t say to whom, but it’s not to Max, Michael, or Isabel). Oh yeah, look for Alex! He saves the world this time around! Then there is the awesome jah-ee! Oh, well, read the story for that!

In the 2nd story, Life in the Stars, a long-held bombshell secret concerning Tess and Liz’s distant pasts is uncovered. Then Max and group return to earth to show their kids, who range from 5 to 9 years old now and have their own unique "abilities," where they grew up. On earth, they recruit a number of helpers to help protect the kids. These helpers (readers of this story at the time) were people with trace amounts of Antarian DNA inherited from Maya, Andya, and JoLeesa, three Antarian girls who visited earth 12,000 years before with their parents and got into a lot of trouble. The podsquad and their families, and the helpers, who come to be referred to as “Antarians Too,” encounter an old enemy in a former alien task force agent, Dumas Zwolinski, who holds a very big grudge, and the children’s lives are seriously endangered. There is some angst, (okay, a lot of angst! But my stories never end sadly, and there is also a lot of fun!) Agents Diane Casey and Dan Klein become characters in "Life in the Stars," joining with and helping our friends.

The 3rd story, Children of the Universe, begins 10-11 years after Life in the Stars, and Max and friends are sad, depressed, and full of angst since a disaster of Antar-wide proportions 9 years before destroyed their lives, but don’t expect things to stay that way. Remember that “the darkest hour is right before the dawn.” There is lots of action, drama, adventure, humor, romance, and sci-fi here for all our friends, just as in the first two stories. And besides, have I ever let you down?

The 4th story is The Night The Dreams Died. Initially, The Four Faces Of Rath was going to be the 4th story, and in fact, 56 chapters of that story do occur before The Night The Dreams Died begins. However, I have reconsidered the reading order in an effort to avoid spoilers for The Night The Dreams Died. The Night The Dreams Died is a bit of a different story, in a way, because the heroes are our favorite characters' doubles in a different dimension. This group is just graduating from high school, and they do NOT escape at graduation. As the story begins, Liz wakes up from a coma and learns what happened to her and that the others are all dead, but her persistence eventually leads Sheriff Valenti to exhume the graves of the others, which turn out to be empty...? The Night The Dreams Died and The Four Faces Of Rath come together briefly around chapter 56 of Rath and thirty-something of Dreams, then they diverge again. But they are inextricably tied together after that.

Melinda Metz and the creators of Roswell, the TV series, Jason Katims et al, deserve the credit for the characters from the TV show and for whatever mention, if any, there might be of any event that occurred on the TV show. All other characters and storylines, for better or worse, are mine.


Gerry

The Four
Faces of Rath



A Wing and a Prayer

Chapter 1

I



The trees skimmed by beneath her wings like a patchwork of green as she topped the peak of the forested mountain and faced into the east wind. The breeze felt good against her face. It was so peaceful here… so calm… so beautiful. All the cares of the world were behind her somewhere far below. Liz smiled and spread her wings wide to capture the wind below them. She felt the lift… taking her upward, upward… with no effort at all. Then she rolled slightly to the right and dove back toward the valley, following the contour of the mountains below her. Buoyed by the wind under her wings, Liz glided out over the flowing waters of a large river and turned upstream, dipping down to skim just above the water. She could feel the cool mist in her face, on her body, over her wings, as the swift waters rushed by beneath her… so nice on this hot summer day. She dipped the fingertips of one hand into the river, creating eddies in the rushing waters.

Liz was so absorbed in the serene beauty of the landscape and the feel of the cool mist in her face that she hadn’t noticed she had company now. She looked up suddenly, as a hand reached out and touched hers. She smiled. It was Max. Max smiled back then released her hand, gliding upward toward the sky. Liz followed. She took his hand again, as they both spread their wings wide, capturing the lift of the high east winds.

Liz looked at Max, and she smiled again. He did look so like an angel to her with his ample white wings spread wide, feathers flexing subtly like small ailerons controlling his graceful flight. She took both of Max’s hands and rolled over, allowing him to hold her in his arms, supporting them both with his strong wings. Max looked into Liz’s eyes, and slowly, inexorably, their lips drew together. The east wind rippled under Max’s wings, lifting them ever higher and higher.

Suddenly, a noise jarred Liz out of her bliss. She opened her eyes quickly and looked around the room. Then she looked at the small alarm clock dancing next to the bed.

Liz groaned and closed her eyes again then looked over at Max. He was still sound asleep… with a smile on his face.

“How can he sleep through that racket?” Liz shook her head and leaned over and kissed Max then got up and showered and wrapped herself in a bathrobe.

Twenty minutes later, Max walked into the kitchen, yawning, his bathrobe wrapped around him. He kissed Liz, who was making breakfast. She smiled and kissed him back.

“I didn’t hear the alarm go off.”

“Well, it did,” Liz replied simply, as she stirred some golden eggs in a pan.

“Oh. Where’s the alarm clock?”

Liz smiled… “Outside.”

Max looked momentarily confused then enlightened. “Oh! I wondered why the window was open. It’s three stories down from our bedroom. Do you think we can hear it down there,” Max asked, grinning.

Liz put her arms around Max and kissed him again. “I certainly hope not!” She looked into Max’s eyes. “…I had that dream again, Max.”

“The one where we were flying?”

“Yeah.”

Max looked at her strangely.

“What?”

“I had the same dream. But it didn’t seem like a dream. It seemed almost…”

“I know! Real,” Liz answered for him, nodding… “For me, too… much more real than a dream. But it was a dream… wasn’t it?”

Max nodded.

“You were still sleeping when I woke up, Max. …How far did you get in your dream?”

Max smiled. Liz hit him playfully on the arm. “Darned alarm clock! I hope it’s broken permanently!”



tbc

The Four Faces of Rath



What’s So Great About Normal Anyway?

Chapter 2

II



Liz placed an Aluzian golden egg omelet on Maya’s plate and another on JoLeesa’s. Then she quickly scrambled some more for Andya and Alyyx, who were less fond of omelets than the other two. Max liked his “omelet” fixed like a taco, with shebble meat and Tabasco sauce mixed in and all rolled up together in a sort of pita-style Ama leaf. It was a specialty that Liz had “invented” just for him. With it, he usually had a cup of coffee with two tablespoons of Tabasco and one of sugar.

With everyone else taken care of, Liz quickly scrambled up a couple of Antarian blue hen eggs, which she preferred, and took a small pashita loaf, lightly toasted, out of the oven for herself. Then she sat down to join the family, and everyone dug in. As they began to eat, Kyle walked in.

Kyle was the palace chief of staff. It was the job he had chosen for himself years before when he had first come to Antar. He had long since married an Antarian girl, Jeliya, who seemed to worship the ground he walked on. Kyle adored Jeliya, too, and treated her as though she were a princess herself. Though they had a home of their own, as Chief of Staff, Kyle also had a permanent room in the palace, and often he and Jeliya would sleep over. To Jeliya, sleeping in the palace was the stuff of fairy tales. As a child, she had often seen the palace from afar, but before meeting Kyle, she had never been inside it, and she had certainly never dreamed that she would ever sleep there or know the king and the queen personally. Life was strange that way. Kyle and Jeliya’s children, Rayyn and Taz, who were eight and seven years old respectively, were very good friends with Max and Liz’s children, and when Kyle and Jeliya slept over, naturally, Rayyn and Taz did, too.

“Max… Liz… Sorry to bother you during breakfast, but I thought you’d like to know that you have company.”

“Who is it,” Liz asked, putting down her pashita bread and blotting some small crumbs off her mouth with a napkin.

Kyle turned around and gestured, and Maria walked in with Michael right behind her. Liz smiled and hugged Maria. Max waved a “Welcome” sort of wave and smiled.

“Max and I can skip the hugs and kisses, huh, Max,” Michael said with a smirk.

“Only if you want to live,” Max mumbled, munching down on his “taco.”

“Sit down, guys! Join us!”

“Well…” Michael looked at Max’s golden egg-shebble-Tabasco breakfast taco. “That does look pretty good.”

“Sit down,” Liz said, pointing to a couple of chairs. “I’ll fix you one. How about you, Maria?”

“Oh, no. I already had breakfast. I’m stuffed. A cup of coffee would be good, though.”

“You got it.”

“I’ll help you,” Maria said, jumping back up and following Liz into the kitchen. The truth is, Liz would not have had to cook at all. There was palace staff for that… as for everything else. But Liz wanted a “normal” life… well, as normal as possible for a Roswell girl living on an alien planet and married to an alien king, with children who had unusual “abilities.” Oh well, what was so great about normal anyway, she reminded herself. But she still preferred to cook for her family and at least feel normal… except on certain special occasions when she just felt like “letting go” and being different.

Maria held a plate as Liz placed a couple of her special breakfast “tacos” on it. Then Maria took it to Michael. Liz poured Michael and Maria a cup of coffee then poured another cup for Max and herself.

Max pushed the Tabasco sauce over to Michael, who proceeded to pour Tabasco into his coffee until it reached the rim and would hold no more. Maria and Liz watched as he tasted it.

“Delicious! Great coffee, Liz!”

“Thanks, Michael,” Liz said, grinning. “I’m glad you can taste it.”

“Oh… that… The Tabasco just adds flavor,” Michael replied. “It’s like sugar and cream, you know? It just makes it good.”

“Okay. I’m glad you like it.”

“Yeah. It’s great! This taco, too.”

Maria grinned. “I’ll get Liz to give me the recipe.”

“Shebble, Aluzian eggs, and Tabasco in equal portions. Wrap it all in a baked and toasted Ama leaf,” Liz whispered to Maria, who nodded and smiled.

“So, Michael… What brings you guys here this morning so early,” Max asked, finishing the last bite of his taco.

“Oh, that, yeah! Well, it’s weird, Max. We would have waited, but this seemed somehow important. I thought we should get together and see if maybe something… I don’t know… unusual is going on.”

Liz giggled. “Unusual? What could be unusual, Michael? We’re seven galaxies from Earth, living in a palace on another planet, we’ve faced Ghors and a universe of alien beings, including those little gas puffs, the Orstosians; some twenty foot high, rubbery beings that look like giant chewing gum sticks, called Yargishi; and the Dragons of Drago… one of whom, I remind you, thinks you’re his Daddy! What’s not normal?”

Michael reddened slightly. “Kiraugo was only two years old. He was impressionable… and scared. It was a scary situation he was in. I saved him. He just…”

“…thinks you’re his Daddy,” Liz finished for him.

“Not his Daddy. He has a Daddy… and a Mama. I guess I’m like a godfather.”

Liz and Maria both smiled. “It’s okay, Michael. We’re all proud of you,” Liz said. “You saved all those kids’ lives. They all owe you. We all do! Because of you, Antar has a galaxy of new allies and friends.”

“Ahem.”

“Yeah, you, too, Max,” Maria added. “And Kyle and Dan and Varec and all the others… Oh, and don’t forget Jim… and especially Kathleen!”

“And the pawgor,” Alyyx said, joining in the conversation.

Everyone laughed. “Yeah! And the pawgor,” Liz said. “So Michael, tell us what is unusual.”

“Flying,” Michael said.

Liz and Max both looked suddenly interested.

“Flying?”

“Well… it’s a dream Maria and I had… I think it was a dream. The unusual thing is that we both had the same dream… and not just once. We’ve had it several times… both of us. I don’t guess you’d understand.”

“We had it, too,” Liz said. “Max and I were flying…”

“…over some mountains…” Michael added.

“…then along a river somewhere,” Maria said.

“…a large, swift flowing river with little islands in it and azury waters…” Liz said.

Maria and Michael nodded.

“Max… what is going on here,” Michael asked. “We wake up feeling like we were there, not like it was a dream. We remember everything so vividly.”

“Same here,” Max said. “We wondered about it, but… what could it be but a dream?”

“Not a dream, Max. I don’t think so. No! I know so! Not a dream.”

“How can you be so sure, Michael,” Max asked.

“I remember things, Max. It’s like… a repressed memory. I don’t know.”

“You know, Michael, that’s not the only dream Max has had,” Liz said.

“Liz… Don’t,” Max shook his head.

“Well, he should know, Max. I know it’s not him in your dream, but…”

Michael looked ill, as though he were about to be sentenced for a crime that he regretted with all his soul and couldn’t live with.

“Are you alright,” Maria asked.

Michael shook his head.



tbc

The Four Faces of Rath



Of Dreams and Memories

Chapter 3

III



Liz looked at Michael then at Max. Max shook his head. Liz sighed.

“It was nothing, Michael. Just some silly dream Max told me about. Don’t worry about it.”

Michael seemed to relax… but as he looked at Max, he wondered silently… What does he know? Michael could never be sure. He hoped… he had always hoped… that some dreams he had had were only dreams and not latent repressed memories. It was never simple for Michael to know for sure. Unlike most any other person, Michael had a past. So did Max, Isabel, and, for that matter, Tess. They had whole lives that even now they did not completely remember. The alien scientists who mixed Rath, Zan, Vilandra, and Ava’s DNA with human DNA and “created” the beings known as Michael, Max, Isabel, and Tess also programmed certain memories to be revived in them at various critical stages of their lives. It was all so… planned. But few things ever work exactly as planned the first time. Some things never do. Michael knew. For him, a simple dream might be a latent memory of their past lives… or… just another nightmare. There were things Michael never talked about.

Maria patted Michael on the arm. “Well, Dear, I guess we’d better get back over to Amy and Varec’s and pick up the kids before they turn her into a frog or something,” she said, joking.

Michael smiled… “Yeah, you’re right! I remember the last time.”

Maria giggled.

“What happened last time,” Liz asked.

Amy was reading them stories from Songs of the South. You know, Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox…”

“Yeah.”

“Well, Jayyd changed Amy into Uncle Remus… or a female version of him.”

Liz laughed.

“But Amy was cool with it. She always is. She just plays the part. She knows the kids’ll change her back anyway.”

“They really are good kids,” Liz said.

Maria nodded. “I know. Jayyd has a kind heart. She wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

Liz closed her eyes, remembering the past… “Even back on Earth when Zwolinski shot Jayyd… and Max couldn’t revive her…” Liz’s voice broke, and tears came into her eyes as she recalled what Agent Zwolinski had done to then-5-year-old Jayyd in the Smoky Mountains less than two years before…

Maria nodded. “Michael was going to kill him… all of them! He would’ve, too! But after Kryys saved Jayyd, Jayyd asked Michael to let her turn Zwolinski green with red eyes and hair and his boss, Sikorski, purple with pink polka dots so they would know what it was like to be different… She wouldn’t let Michael kill them.”

Liz wiped a lingering tear from the corner of her eye. “I’m afraid I wouldn’t have been as charitable.”

Maria smiled. “Well, it was the end of Zwolinski and Sikorski, anyway, effectively. Their own “alien hunters” carted them off protesting that they weren’t aliens. I wonder what ever happened to them?”

“I don’t care,” Liz replied, “just as long as it was permanent.”

“Amen to that,” Maria agreed.

“I’ll see you later today, Michael,” Max said. “We need to go over some of the new treaties with several of the newly allied planets.”

“Yeah, I’ll see you at the command center,” Michael said. Liz hugged Maria again, and the two of them left.

“Nice car,” Max commented. “Looks new.”

“It’s a Fan-Ji 4,” Liz said. “Maria and I went to Kyyk’s Department Store yesterday together. It’s nice… four engines. It has variable hovering altitudes… it can hover as low as 2 inches from the road or as high as ten feet.”

“Ten feet! That’s not hovering! That’s flying,” Max laughed. “I didn’t realize the Fan-Ji 4 was out yet.”

“You know, Max… in spite of any dreams… we both know that Michael is… always has been… like a brother to you… even more than a brother. He’s completely dedicated to you, to the kingdom, and to Antar… and for that matter, to all of his friends. He would never do anything to damage that trust.”

“I know, Liz.” Max nodded. “That’s why some of these dreams are so perplexing. But you’re right. I trust Michael with my life… with all our lives. He’s never given me any reason to doubt him. And I don’t.”

Liz smiled. “That’s good.”


… … … … … …Zan lay at Rath’s feet… dead… stabbed in the back by a dagger that had pierced his heart. Nearby was Rath’s beloved Vilandra… and near her Ava. Not far from Vilandra and Ava lay Zan’s mother and father. All had been stabbed to death. There was blood everywhere. Rath looked at his hands. They were covered with blood. In his hand was a fourteen-inch Vorkian assassin’s dagger… it, too, covered with blood. Rath opened his shaking hand, letting the bloody dagger fall to the ground. He looked up, and an agonized, chilling, primordial scream filled the palace gardens and the dark, moonless night. Rath ran from the gardens, blindly racing over the darkened paths of the palace grounds. As he rounded a corner, several guards blocked him. One was holding a light. Rath struck out, killing three of the seven guards with his bare hands before he was restrained. Then he noticed the one leading them…

“You!” Rath exclaimed.

“Yes, me!”

As the four remaining guards held Rath, the leader grabbed Rath’s hair and lifted his face to look at it. Then he shook his head.

“Low primitive forehead. Moronic, idiotic, brainless look. It’s Rath. Kill him.”

Rath spun around, throwing the guards off. He struck out with a hidden reserve dagger in one hand, killing one of the guards, as he strangled another with the other hand. Before the leader could call for his backup, Rath had killed all four of the guards.

“It’s just you and me now, Nyykto. You’re dead.”

Nyykto looked at Rath, and fear filled his eyes. He was no match for Rath, and he knew it.

“Like you killed Zan, Rath? Like you killed your own king?”

“No!”

“Yes! You did! And Vilandra and Ava!”

“No!”

“You killed them all, Rath! You! Look at your hands. They’re covered with the blood of the ones you were sworn to defend!”

Rath shook his head. He looked at his blood-soaked hands, and his lips drew back in agony. He started to scream again. It was all he could do now. Then he felt a blade enter his chest, piercing his heart. Rath looked at Nyykto. He had allowed himself to be distracted. It had only been for a moment, but that was all it took. It was too late now. Rath collapsed slowly to his knees. Then he fell face down on the path.

“Pathetic,” Nyykto scowled, kicking Rath’s almost lifeless body as he turned to look at his former guards… seven of them… all so easily slain by Rath.

“Pathetic,” Nyykto said again, kicking two of the guards’ bodies out of his way. “But Kivar should be happy.”

Rath lay on the path, his lifeblood flowing out into the soil, as the night went black… … … … … …



“Michael! Michael! Wake up! It’s just a nightmare!”

Maria was shaking him. Michael opened his eyes. His face was covered with sweat.

“It’s alright, Michael,” Maria said soothingly. Maria was on her knees on the bed, holding Michael’s head in her arms. She laid her head next to his. Michael felt Maria’s hair on his face. Something about the feel of Maria’s hair against his face was always soothing to him. He put one hand behind her head and felt the softness of her hair. Then he pulled her close…

“I killed them, Maria. I killed Zan and all the others.”

Maria shook her head. “It was just a dream, Michael! A dream! Forget it.”

“I killed them.”

“You couldn’t kill them, Michael.”

“Rath did.”

Maria shook her head. “No, Michael. I don’t believe it. There has to be an explanation.”

Michael shook his head. “Why am I having these dreams now? Why are they so real? They’re not like dreams. They’re more real.”

“I don’t know, Michael. Maybe we should discuss it with Max.”

“No! …Maybe… I don’t know.”

Michael pulled Maria close again. He nestled his face next to hers, allowing her hair to fall over him. He felt somehow secure next to her… not just physically -physically, he was more than a match for any common enemy- but emotionally. Soon, he was asleep.



tbc

The Four Faces of Rath



Will the Real Rath…

Chapter 4

IV



“Max, if you ever had this dream, too, I want to know. I… need to know.”

Michael sat on the sofa with Maria at his side. Max and Liz sat together in an oversized Antarian “great chair” across from them. Liz looked at Max to see what he would say. Max looked down momentarily then looked into Michael’s eyes. Michael wasn’t sure if Max was just gathering his thoughts or if he was searching, perhaps for the real Michael, himself.

“Ironic,” Michael thought. For a long time since coming to Antar, he thought he totally knew who he was, but now… now with these new dreams… he wasn’t sure anymore.

“I’ve had dreams, too,” Max confessed, “…or something. I had one again last night that went further than any had before.”

Michael squirmed uneasily. Maria rubbed one hand soothingly over his arm and held his other hand in hers. Michael swallowed hard.

“I knew it. I did it, didn’t I?”

“Depends on what you think you did, I guess,” Max said matter-of-factly.

“I killed you… killed Zan. I killed Vilandra, Ava… everyone I loved.”

Liz looked at Max. “Tell him, Max. Tell him what you know. You have to.”

Max nodded.

“Michael, I don’t know how to tell you except to let you see it.”

Michael shook his head. “No! No, Max… I can’t! I… I’ve seen enough already.”

“You should,” Liz said. “It may answer some of your questions.”

“Have you ever done this before, Max,” Michael asked.

“No. But there always has to be a first time.”

Maria looked at Max then at Liz. “How does this work? You’re not going to do anything that might…”

“No, Maria,” Liz said. “It’s kind of like when Max and I kiss. I used to see stars and things.” Liz smiled and glanced at Max. “I still do. And he can make me see things about him… his feelings… his life.”

“I’m not kissing you, Max. I already killed you once… in our previous life. Don’t ask for trouble.”

Max smiled. “I see you’ve still got your sense of humor, Michael.”

“Who’s joking?”

Maria and Liz both giggled in spite of themselves. It was a serious situation, but they knew Michael. It was Michael who wasn’t sure.”

“Don’t worry, Michael. You don’t have to… you know… kiss.”

“Okay then,” Michael agreed cautiously. “Alright. How’s it done?”

“Touch my hand.”

“That’s all?”

“That’s all.”

Michael reached out and touched Max’s hand. He saw a flash, and without meaning to, he drew his hand back quickly.

“Are you ready for this, Michael,” Max asked.

Michael nodded and placed his hand back on the coffee table on top of Max’s again.

… … … … …A battle seemed to be raging around the palace. Zan was in the throne room. Ava, Vilandra, and the former regents, his mother and father, were also there.

“It won’t be long, Zan,” the elder regent, Zan’s father, said. “They’re coming. We should find a safer place than the throne room. They’ll come here first.”

Vilandra looked at Zan. “We can go through the gardens. We can escape there.”

“I don’t think that would be safe,” Ava said, shaking her head. “I think there are disloyal guards there… Kivar’s guards.”

“Not in the gardens,” Vilandra said. “I know.”

Zan looked at Vilandra. In his heart, he trusted her. At that moment, the doors to the throne room burst open, and a mob burst in. Suddenly, a familiar face appeared in the mob. It was Rath, carrying a Vorkian dagger, throwing himself over the top of the others to be in the front. Zan used the momentary distraction to get himself and the others into a closet then through a secret door in the back of the closet. From there, they escaped into the tunnels beneath the palace, and Vilandra led them toward the gardens. … … … … …

Michael drew his hand back. “I don’t want to see any more, Max. I’m a traitor. How can you even look at me? How can you stand to let me touch you?”

Max didn’t answer. He reached out and took Michael’s hand, placing it back on the table, then he placed his own hand firmly on top of it.

… … … … …Zan emerged from the tunnels behind Vilandra. He reached back to assist Ava and his mother and father. Then they ran through the gardens toward the place that Vilandra indicated. Suddenly, another individual stood in their path.

“Kivar!” Zan said, recognizing his enemy even in the dark of a moonless night.

“It’s alright,” Vilandra said. “He’s on our side.”

Zan looked at Vilandra then again at Kivar… and he knew.

“Vilandra, you’ve been deceived. Kivar is here only for one reason… to kill us.”

“No, Zan! Trust him! He has sworn to me, and I have done something terrible to save you all… I’ve agreed to be Kivar’s wife.”

“And Rath?” Zan asked.

“I love Rath… but… this had to be.”

“What does it matter,” the elder regent, Zan’s father, said. “Rath is a traitor. He was at the front of that mob trying to get at us. And now we know that Vilandra is a traitor, too. Neither of them is worthy of our pity.”

“No!” Vilandra shouted. “I did what I had to do. It was for you! And Rath did not betray you.”

“Explain what you mean,” Zan commanded Vilandra.

Kivar’s guards pointed their weapons at the royal group, and Kivar walked up and put one arm around Vilandra, drawing her to him. She started to speak, but Kivar placed his lips against hers, quieting her with a kiss. Then Vilandra felt the keen obsidian blade of an assassin’s dagger plunge deep into her side. Vilandra drew back in shock and looked at Kivar. She lifted her hand from her side. Her hand was covered with blood… her blood. Kivar stood smiling, as Vilandra collapsed, dying, on the path. In his hand, Kivar held a dagger dripping with Vilandra’s blood.

Zan took Ava by the hand and tried to flee with her along a side path, as the elder regents attempted to flee in the opposite direction. None got very far. Nyykto and his guards stepped out of the darkness in front of Zan and Ava. Zan pushed Ava behind him and threw a blast of power in Nyykto’s direction. It hit two of his guards, incinerating them. Then, suddenly, Zan was hit from behind.

He awoke lying on the path in the gardens. As he tried to sit up, he noticed Ava lying beside him, her white dress stained with her own blood. She was dead. Nearby lay his parents, and near them, Vilandra.

“Hello, Zan,” Nyykto said sarcastically. “It’s so nice to see you again.”

“I’m sure,” Zan said. “Where’s your master, Kivar?”

“He had other things to attend to. So he left me in charge.”

“Why did you have to kill Ava? Why Vilandra? They were no threat to Kivar.”

“Ah, quite the opposite, my deposed king. Vilandra thought that by forming an alliance with Kivar, she would cause him to become careless. She thought she could get the royal family to a safehouse in the country, and they could regroup later and save her from Kivar. Kivar is no fool. He’s had her followed for months now. He knows all her plans. And by the way, the protectors and royal guards at the safehouse… all dead.”

Nyykto smiled a nauseating smile.

“And Ava! Well, she was the Queen after all. We couldn’t have anyone trying to reclaim the throne, could we?”

“But she was no threat to you.”

“Maybe… maybe not. Doesn’t matter now, does it?”

“How did you get Rath to betray the kingdom?”

Nyykto reared his head back and laughed. “Rath? On our side? You must have damaged your brain when you fell. Oh wait… that’s right, there’s nothing there to damage is there? But not to worry, Rath’s demise is already planned.”

“I saw Rath throw himself over the top of a mob of traitors coming to kill us so that he could be in the front,” Zan said. “He was carrying a Vorkian assassin’s dagger.”

Nyykto laughed again. “I guess I should feel sorry for those fools… but I don’t. Rath threw himself over the top of them to get in front so he could protect you. Fact is, he slew thirty of them… well, thirty-three if you count… but really none of them were worth counting. Idiots! Pathetic, weak idiots! Rath slew them all without even getting a scratch.”

Nyykto sighed dramatically. “I” (He emphasized this word) “…had to do the job myself.”

“What did you do to Rath?”

“Nothing yet… well, nothing much.”

“What did you do?”

“I just extracted a little information that we needed from his head… and put a few ideas into it to replace them. Wouldn’t want it to be totally empty, would we?”

Zan cringed. He knew the procedure Nyykto used to extract information from his enemies’ heads. It wasn’t pleasant to experience… or to watch.

“Rath would never have let you do that. What did you do… attack him from a hiding place?”

Nyykto scowled. “What does it matter? I did it. That’s what matters. But if you want to talk to him… he should be here very soon. Oh, I’m sorry! That’s right! You won’t be able to talk to him. You’ll be dead… like lovely Ava here.” Nyykto started to kick Ava’s lifeless body, and Zan jumped at Nyykto, momentarily breaking free of the guards that were restraining him. He almost reached Nyykto before being hit again from behind, sending his head swimming.

“Ah, chivalry! It’s good to see it’s not dead. Now me? I have no use for it myself. I take what I want. I have no time for such drivel. But enough. Rath will be here soon, and I want him to find you… dead. You remember those ideas I put into his head? Well, he’s going to believe that he killed you… and Ava… and Vilandra… and the elders.” Nyykto struck swiftly at Zan with a Vorkian assassins’ dagger. Zan easily evaded the thrust, even with his head still swimming from the last blow one of the guards had given him from behind. Nyykto was not the greatest or the most brilliant “soldier” in the kingdom. He was, however, treacherous… so much so that it would have been a mistake to underestimate him ever. But bravery and fighting skills were not his strong suits. Another blow from a guard behind sent Zan spinning, and Nyykto took advantage of the opportunity to plunge his dagger into Zan’s back. Zan watched the world spin, as he dropped to the path below, mortally wounded. Seeing Rath approaching, Nyykto and his guards quickly fled from the scene.

Rath approached the body of his beloved Vilandra. Then he turned, with a dazed expression, to the body of his king. Rath looked at the dagger in his hand, already stained with the blood of thirty-three of Kivar’s soldiers. As Zan took his last ragged breath of life, Rath opened his hand slowly, allowing the dagger to drop to the ground, lifted his eyes to the sky, and cried.… … … … …



Michael pulled his hand back. “I didn’t do it! I didn’t do it,” he almost shouted with relief.

Maria held him tightly and kissed him on the cheek. “I always knew it, Michael. You could never hurt the ones you loved. It’s just not you.”

“It was Nyykto… Nicholas!”

Maria nodded. “I know. I saw it.”

Michael looked at Maria. “You saw it?”

“I was holding your other hand.”

Michael smiled slowly and kissed Maria on the lips.

“I didn’t do it!”



tbc

The Four Faces of Rath



Searching for Michael

Chapter 5

V



Max and Michael walked together along the concourse of the spaceport outside CoruzAntar, the Antarian capitol, after doing a scheduled periodic inspection of the logs that recorded the comings and goings of alien vessels. There were officials assigned to these matters, of course, but one thing that Max had learned in this life (and from his previous life) was that it pays to be an active and involved leader. When a leader, especially a king or queen, sits back and “enjoys” his or her position and is not aware of what is going on in the kingdom, even if that leader is benevolent, bad things can happen… to the king. Max knew this only too well now.

It had been a week since Michael had learned that it was Nyykto who killed Zan and Ava in their previous lives… that Nyykto had later killed him as well… and that Kivar had killed Vilandra. He remembered Nyykto well as the treacherous and usually obnoxious little “skin” known as Nicholas back on Earth. Clearly, these revelations had lifted a large burden from Michael’s shoulders. But the dreams had awakened new feelings in him as well… new feelings of confusion… Who –or what- was the real Michael? Or was he Rath? “A rose by any other name…” Michael thought…

“Max… what would you think if I took some time away?”

Max looked at Michael. “Away? …As in a vacation? I’d have no objection, Michael. You and Maria can take time off for yourselves anytime you feel you need to.”

“I don’t mean a vacation… exactly. More like a journey.”

“Okay… to where?”

“I’m not sure. I’ve been thinking about it, though. I think I need to find myself.”

“You’re right here, Michael,” Max joked. “That was easy! Now, what else can I help you with?”

Michael smiled dutifully. “Yeah, sure, Max, but who do you see? Am I Michael Guerin, the Roswell kid… the guy who had to get emancipated from his own foster dad? Am I a feared warrior from the past who killed casually? Or am I something totally unknown?”

“They were the enemy, Michael. You were protecting the royals… and yourself.”

“But I do that now… I killed during the Battle for Antar when we came back, but I’ve never been the guy I saw in that dream.”

Max looked at Michael, and in a way, he understood.

“Michael, I’d say you are who you are now. You’re Michael –or Rath if you prefer… that’s what they usually call you here- but you’re Michael or Rath of this NEW realm. Remember that your DNA was mixed with human DNA on Earth, and you are who you are now, not some memory from the past.”

“I don’t know, Max. That all sounds good and all, but this new Michael, or Rath- the one you think you know… who is he? Does he have a past… roots? Or is he some new nobody?”

Max looked at Michael searchingly. “He’s my best friend, my bosom pal, my trusted and faithful general… and Maria’s faithful husband.”

Michael smiled slightly. The words sounded good. But his heart wasn’t sure that that was all there was.

“It’s the dream about Rath and everyone else being killed at the palace that concerns you, right, Michael? What about the other one?”

“The other one…? Oh, the flying, you mean? No. That one’s kind of nice actually… It’s just a little weird that whenever I dream it, Maria and you and Liz always dream the same dream at the same time. I haven’t figured that out yet. What do you make of it? You and I were the only ones who had the palace dream… or nightmare… or whatever it was.”

Max shook his head. “No idea. Like you said, it’s a pleasant dream… if it’s a dream… but I don’t know what to make of it either. Maybe some past life regression.” Max smiled, indicating he meant this as a joke. Michael smiled, too.

“I don’t think I ever had wings, Max. I think I’d remember that.”

Max nodded. “Yeah. I have to agree.”

“I’d like to take the new granolith and go back to the past, Max. I’d like to find myself… get to know myself… who I am. Maybe then I’ll feel whole.”

Max was stunned. “The past? Is that wise, Michael? I mean… that’s a serious step.”

“And I’m serious about it,” Michael said emphatically.

Max nodded. “I can see that.” There was a pause before anyone spoke again. “If you’re determined to do that, Michael, you can use the sphere to go back in time if you would prefer. You can take the new granolith, of course, if that’s what you want, but I just thought the sphere would get you there faster.”

Michael smiled. “Yeah… that would be great. You wouldn’t mind, Max?”

“Well, it’s Liz’s sphere, and I know we’d both rather have you here, but no, if that’s what you need to do, I won’t stand in your way. Have you mentioned this to Maria?”

“Yeah.”

“She’ll miss you, you know.”

“Well, ya see, Max, that’s the beauty of going back to the past. When I return, little or no time has to have passed for her or for anyone else here… no matter how long might have passed for me.”

“Well, I wouldn’t want you to leave and return five minutes later as an old man. I don’t think Maria would be too happy about that either.”

“I‘m not talking years… maybe weeks.”

Max nodded. “Well, you know the dangers, Michael… of traveling to the past, changing things… Alright. Would you like me to go with you… or anyone else?”

Michael shook his head. “No. I have to do this alone.”

Max nodded. “I’ll ask Liz to authorize the spheres to respond to your requests.”

“Thanks, Max.”




… … … … …Maria reached out with her hands and plucked a leaf from the top of the forest canopy as she rose upward toward the mountain’s peak. Then she brought her wings down strongly, lifting herself up, up into the high east wind. She felt the breeze catch under her wings and lift her up even higher. Once over the peak, she glided gracefully down towards the swift azure river in the valley far below. Reaching the river, she turned upstream and skimmed the surface of the fast moving waters. A shadow on the water caught her attention, and she glanced over. Flying beside her was Liz, the tips of her fingers making eddies in the water as she glided along.

Maria smiled and waved, and Liz smiled back. Liz decided to fly back up into the sky, so Maria followed. Bringing their wings down in powerful strokes, the two rose easily back up through the wispy clouds into the high east wind, where they settled into a glide, allowing the wind to carry them along. Liz reached out with both hands toward Maria, and Maria reached back, taking Liz’s hands in hers. The two began to spin together… slowly at first, then faster, like a helix… around and around. Liz was giggling giddily, and Maria couldn’t help but giggle herself. It was a dizzying ride… but so much fun.

As Liz and Maria spiraled together like the blades of a helicopter, Michael and Max appeared. Liz reached out toward Max with one hand, and Max took her hand, stopping their spin. Michael took Maria’s hands in his, as she released Liz, and the two couples glided apart. Liz put her arms around Max and held on, as they began to tumble together towards the river far below. Then Max brought them out of their tumble and into a graceful glide, hand in hand. Michael and Maria glided in the opposite direction, but both couples circled back toward each other one last time before gliding off in different directions with a wave of goodbye.

As Michael and Maria disappeared over the tops of the nearby mountains, Maria turned to Michael and took his hands in hers, folded her wings over him, and allowed him to pull her into his arms, his strong wings sustaining them both in flight. Maria reached up and took Michael’s face in her hands. She kissed him passionately, and Michael eagerly returned the kiss. He brought his wings down powerfully, lifting them both upward toward the sky, through the wispy clouds, into the east winds far above. The winds would sustain their flight, providing ample lift to Michael’s powerful wings… and allowing Michael to concentrate on other things on his mind.



tbc

The Four Faces of Rath



A Different Perspective

Chapter 6

VI



“Max, you know I don’t mind Michael using the spheres… Or any of our group using them for that matter,” Liz added reflectively. “But do you think it’s wise for Michael to go back to the past like that… especially alone?”

Max smiled. “Who’s gonna tell him if it’s not?”

Liz nodded and smiled, too. “Well, I do know Michael, and I know that wouldn’t be the easiest thing for anyone to try to tell him, but I just can’t help being concerned about this quest of his.”

“I know,” Max agreed. “I’m concerned, too. But Michael has to find himself, as he put it. I don’t know any way we can tell him he can’t do that.”

Liz shook her head. “I authorized the spheres to respond to Michael’s call. He doesn’t need to have them in his possession to use them you know.”

“I know. Thanks, Liz. Michael will appreciate it. He told me to thank you properly.”

“Properly in whose estimation?”

Max grinned. “Well, he didn’t say.” Max put his arms around Liz and kissed her passionately.

“Mmmm… That’s a good start, Max. But letting Michael use my spheres to go back to the past alone is a really big request. Is that the best you can do?”

Max grinned and picked Liz up, carrying her toward the bedroom. “The things I do for my friends,” he mumbled.

“Life can be tough,” Liz agreed. “But what are friends for?”



----------


“Well, Michael, you’re all set,” Max said, giving Michael a friendly slap on the arm. “Liz said just call the sphere and tell it where you want to go. It’ll respond to you.”

“Thanks, Max. I hope you thanked her a lot.”

Max smiled slightly. “Yeah. She’s making me work it out… sort of.”

“Geez, Max, thanks. I don’t know what to say.”

Max shrugged. “That’s alright… What are friends for?”

Michael studied Max’s face a few moments and nodded. “If I know Liz, I don’t think you were too upset with the terms, Maxwell, old pal. Don’t sprain anything.”

Max turned slightly red in spite of himself at Michael’s obvious intuitiveness… or maybe Michael did just know them too well.

“Goodbye, Michael. Have a safe trip, or whatever it is.”

Michael nodded. “Thanks, Max. You guys stay safe, too. Portal!”

“Ask,” a voice said from the air.

“Take me to Earth… Roswell, New Mexico… Earth’s date, uh, 1989… let’s say, August.”

The portal opened, and Michael stepped through, glancing back only to wave a final quick goodbye. He stepped out on the other side and onto a sidewalk. Turning around a couple of times to get his bearings, he recognized the UFO museum, and across the street from it, on his side, the CrashDown.

Michael shook his head. “Doesn’t seem right… the CrashDown being on Earth. Just seems like it belongs on Antar,” he thought to himself.

As he turned, a toy glider shaped like a UFO sailed by him, and a dark-haired little girl, running to catch it, bumped into him.

“I’m sorry, mister. I didn’t mean to bump into you, really. I was watching to see where our spaceship went…”

Michael looked up and saw another little girl waiting for her friend to return with the toy.

“That’s okay,” Michael said. “But you should be careful. If you run out in the street without looking, you might get hit by a car.”

“Oh, I know that! I always look before going in the street.”

“Well, that’s very smart of you. How old are you?”

“Six! Today’s my birthday!”

“Well, happy birthday. That’s great. You stay safe now, okay?”

“I will. Thanks, mister.”

Michael looked up again. A young man appeared in the door of the CrashDown.

“Lizzie! Come here.”

“I’m coming, Daddy!”

The man turned to the little blonde girl in the doorway. “Maria, you come on in, too. Why don’t you girls go play inside a while. There’s still some cake left.”

Michael watched as the man shut the door. He walked over, but there was a hand-written note on the door: We will be closed from 2 PM to 6 PM for a birthday party. We look forward to seeing our guests again tomorrow at the CrashDown. Thank you. Jeff & Nancy Parker, owners.

Michael stood there staring at the note. “Maria,” he said to himself, trying to retain a mental image of the little blonde girl who had been standing there. “That was my Maria… and Liz.”

He thought about knocking but decided against it. It wasn’t what he had come for, and anyway, what would he say? “Hi, I’m Maria’s husband? I’m an alien from the future, and I took Maria to a planet called Antar to live? Oh, and by the way, my friend is married to your daughter, Lizzie, and they live on Antar, too? No…” Michael smiled a sort of sheepish smile. “They’d think I was one of those UFO freaks who had finally lost it and gone over the edge, and Jim Valenti –or was it his Dad who was sheriff in ‘89- would lock me up and throw away the key!” Michael’s smile turned into a halfway grin. Then he turned away with a quick look back and a sigh.

Michael put his hands in his pockets as far in as he could get them and walked on down the sidewalk. At the corner, he stopped to think where he should go. The answer was made for him. The sheriff’s car drove by, and in the back seat was a little tow-haired boy, about six. The little boy looked scared… or perhaps confused. Michael wondered why the sheriff would be arresting such a young suspect, but there was something more, and he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. He walked in the direction the sheriff’s car had gone. After walking eight or nine blocks, he saw the sheriff come out of a building and leave without the boy.

“That’s strange,” Michael thought. “It doesn’t look like a jail.”

It appeared to be a public building, so Michael walked in. After looking around the lobby, he walked over to a man at a window.

“Sir, what is this building?”

The man looked at Michael a moment. “It’s the office of children’s welfare. Can I help you?”

“No. No… I just, well, I was wondering, that’s all.” As Michael spoke, a man entered and sauntered up to the window beside him. Michael didn’t pay much attention to him.

“I came for the boy. The sheriff called and said he caught ‘im hidin’ out by the tower.”

All the blood almost ran out of Michael’s head. He would have known that voice anywhere… even after all these years. Michael turned quickly and looked. It was Hank. Michael’s first instinct was to hide his face, but then he realized that Hank would not know him as he was now. Hank was looking for a six-year-old boy.

“Sign here,” the clerk said. “Sheriff Valenti said if the boy keeps runnin’ away, they might have to place him with someone else. He’s only been with you less than a week, and already the sheriff has had to go lookin’ for ‘im three times… or was it four? Anyway, he’s getting’ a little miffed about it.”

“Don’t worry,” Hank said. “I’ll make sure he don’t run away ag’in.”

The clerk looked up.

“Oh, I don’t mean nothin’ by that,” Hank said. “I jus’ mean I’ll, you know, give ‘im a good talkin’ to so’s he knows where he belongs. I really love that boy.”

The clerk nodded, but clearly he didn’t quite believe the man. A deputy appeared in the door from a room in the back.

“Mister Whitmore,” the clerk said. “Here’s Michael. I don’t want to hear that you did anything illegal, you know? You wouldn’t even’ve got the boy except you signed an affidavit swearin’ you gave up the bottle, and he’s a little old to adopt. The other two children we found were taken in by a nice couple, but it’s hard to find adoptive parents for these older children. I hope you really are off the bottle. That foster parent check you’ll be getting’ every month depends on it.”

“Oh, I am! I am! I’m as sober as the day is long. Ain’t touched the stuff in a year. Ain’t gonna never touch the stuff ag’in, I swear it.”

The clerk rolled his eyes but held his tongue. He was pretty sure he noticed the smell of alcohol on Hank’s breath, though Hank had made some effort to disguise it with mints and gum.

“Here you are Hank,” the deputy said. “Take the boy on home. We don’t wanna see him in here any more. The sheriff is beginnin’ to think you ain’t a’treatin’ him right.”

“I treat ‘im real good, deputy. The boy’s just ungrateful.” Hank planted a kiss on the top of the young boy’s head. “I love this boy to death.”

Michael’s fists tightened impulsively, and he fought the urge to end this charade right here, but he held his peace until Hank had left.

“Sir?”

“Huh? Oh, you again. What do you need now?”

“I was wondering… how well did anyone check to make sure that, uh, that man… Hank is it… is really sober now or isn’t beating that little boy or mistreating him?”

The clerk sighed and put down his pen. “Mister… uh?”

“Oh, uh, Rath… Mister Rath.” Michael cringed as soon as he said it. He couldn’t believe that that was the first name he could come up with.

“Well, Mister Rath, you have to understand something. This is a small town. We have limited resources to do extensive investigations. The man swore he ain’t drinkin’ now. He gave us a signed affidavit sayin’ that he ain’t. If you got some evidence that says he is, just say so, but unless we see him drinkin’ or runnin’ around the town drunk, I’m not sure there’s anythin’ we can do.”

Michael started to turn away.

“Oh, Mister Rath?”

Michael turned around and looked at the clerk again. “Yes?”

“You want to adopt him?”

It might have been an offhand or a flippant remark, or even a joke, but it hit Michael like a cannonball in the stomach.

“I… I can’t. Believe me, I’d like to.”

The clerk smiled. “Yeah, they all say that.” He looked at Michael’s face and looked into his eyes. “But I believe you. You look sincere.”

Michael nodded and turned away quickly, as he was sure that his eyes were beginning to redden. He exited the building without looking back. The clerk picked up his pen again and sighed to himself, “I really wish you could help, Mister Rath.”

Outside the building, Michael noticed a cab approaching, and he hailed it over to the side.

“Where to?”

“There’s a trailer park just outside of town…”

“Yeah, I know the one. That where you wanna go?”

“Yeah,” Michael said, distractedly looking out the window. But he wasn’t really paying attention to the scenery.



tbc

The Four Faces of Rath



Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot…

Chapter 7

VII


On Antar, Liz and Max sat in their “great chair” together. Liz was sitting sideways on Max’s lap with her arms around Max’s neck, her legs dangling over the side of the chair. Max smiled and let his lips be drawn to Liz’s. As their lips slowly met, Liz closed her eyes and savored Max’s kiss as though she were tasting a very fine –and expensive- wine.

“Uh… ahem.”

Liz opened her eyes, and Max looked up.

“What is it, Kyle?”

“Sorry, Max, but you have visitors. Thought you’d like to know.” Kyle smiled slightly.

“Okay,” Max said, as Liz jumped off his lap, looking endearingly sheepish.

“We’ll continue your, uh, CPR lessons later,” Max said to Liz with a grin.

Liz just smiled.

“Who is it, Kyle?”

“It’s Diane and Dan Klein.”

“Oh! Well… that’s a nice surprise! They must have got back from their honeymoon. Have ‘em come in. Liz and I’ll meet them in here.”

Kyle nodded and glanced at Liz again… then he turned and walked out of the room with a smile on his face.

As Diane walked into the room, Liz ran and hugged her. “It’s so great to see you again, Diane! How was the honeymoon?”

“Oh, Liz, I’ve gotta tell you about it. It was fabulous beyond all words or imagination.”

Dan smiled. Max took his hand for a moment, more in the Antarian tradition than actually a handshake. “So you guys had a good time, huh?”

“Great,” Dan said, nodding emphatically. “I still can’t believe I’ve been to two alien planets now. I’d tell you about it, but I think I better let Diane. She’d never forgive me if she didn’t get to tell it.”

Diane smiled. “Well, I’ll let you tell them the other thing, Dan.”

“Oh, thanks a lot, Diane,” Dan chuckled.

“What other thing,” Max asked.

“Well, right before we came here, the President asked if you could do him a favor.”

“The President? As in… of the USA?”

“The same.”

“What does he want from us?”

Dan grinned and proceeded to relate the President’s request to Max and Liz.

“Diane, tell me about Yxtiar,” Liz said impatiently. I want to know everything!”

“Well, not everything, Liz,” Diane replied. “I’m a modest girl.”

“Come on, spill it, Diane. Everything!”

Diane laughed.

“Yxtiar is beautiful! The whole planet is full of hot springs, some surrounded by beaches, others isolated and hidden by huge rocks and warm waterfalls. They have bath tub-sized ones, swimming-pool-sized ones, even lake-sized ones. You can soak in a huge warm spring with other aliens from all over the galaxy or by yourselves in one just big enough for two. In fact, there are so many hot springs there that you can usually even find a large one that is isolated and, uh, intimate.”

Liz grinned. “I’ve never been there. It’s definitely on our list of places we have to visit, though, right Max?’

Max nodded and smiled. “Liz has been wanting to go there ever since Alex and Isabel came back two years ago. But things have kept us pretty busy here.”

“Oh, Max,” Diane said, “you have to make time for relaxation and fun. It will never come to you. I found that out. Make the time, and take Liz there!”

“Please, please, please, Max,” Liz coaxed.

“Alright! Alright! I know when I’m outnumbered,” Max said. “We’ll go… soon.”

Liz winked at Diane and smiled from ear to ear.

“You know,” Dan said, “they have this amazing drink there called a Dashtyri.”

Diane nodded. “Oh, yeah! I could lie in a hot spring and drink Dashtyri’s all day for the rest of my life,” Diane said, sighing. Give me a Dashtyri and a hot spring with Dan in it, and I’ve got everything I ever need.”

Dan smiled but reddened slightly. “You know what’s fun, Max,” Dan said. “Sitting at a bar with a dozen alien beings with all these different digestive systems drinking Dashtyri’s.”

Diane snickered. “There was this one that drank through his nose… You don’t even want to know how it eats! It was a he, wasn’t it, Dear?”

Dan shrugged. “I think so.”

“Anyway,” Diane continued, “there was another one that had a funnel-shaped head, and it poured Dashtyri’s into the top of its head. At meal times, it put the food in the top of its head and made sounds like a coffee grinder.”

At this point, Liz and Diane were both laughing hysterically, and Dan and Max finally succumbed.

Max rubbed his eyes as they teared up from laughter. “Liz, you girls are awful. Those aliens probably went home and told their families all about you and Dan, Diane.”

Diane almost snorted, nodding her head briskly. “I wouldn’t doubt it! I did see some of them staring at us.”

“I guess we might look pretty weird to something with a funnel for a head,” Dan laughed.

“Oh, Dear,” Max said, holding out his hand effeminately, “you should have seen these aliens that stick their food into the front of their faces, and their faces open up.” Max laughed, as he did his mock impression of the other aliens telling their families about Dan and Diane. Everyone collapsed in hysterics. They even heard Kyle laughing in the next room.

“Kyle,” Max called, “Come in here! You should be here, too. You and Dan are friends.”

Kyle walked back into the room, and Dan stood up and gave him a proper Antarian hand hold.

“Good to see you again, Dan,” Kyle said.

“Yeah! Great to see you, too, Kyle! I showed the President the clips made by VideoStream XSO of Xarius when we were fighting the Dragons of Drago, and he was quite impressed.”

“You hear that, guys,” Kyle said, turning to Max and Liz. “I’m famous.”

“It was just one person, Kyle,” Max said.

“Yeah, but the President! …Doesn’t that count for extra points or something?”

Max laughed.

“Well,” Liz said, “there’s not a soul on Antar or Xarius who doesn’t know who you and Dan are since those clips were shown, Kyle, so I’d say you’re famous… even if Dan, Diane, and the President are the only three people on Earth who know about it.”

“I’ll take that,” Kyle said with a grin.

“The President was really impressed, huh,” Kyle mused to Dan.

“Oh yeah! He said, where were you when he needed you? He used to own a team or something in Texas before he was the Governor there or the President.”

Kyle and Dan both laughed.

For the rest of the afternoon, Dan and Diane told Liz, Max, and Kyle about all their adventures on the warm springs planet of Yxtiar. That evening, after Dan and Diane left, Max and Liz received another guest, one who would be staying for a few days. Kyle watched momentarily from the doorway, as Liz and Max talked to their guest. He was seated in a large chair with his back to Kyle, and Kyle could just see a right arm as it gestured up and down during the conversation.

Kyle shook his head and smiled then walked into the entertainment den and turned on the Videoscreen, flipping the channels to Earth cable, something Varec had given them a few years back. He wondered who was footing the bill for it now that Zwolinski and his Special Unit had “disappeared.”

“Fox News… Always fair and balanced…” the anchor on TV proclaimed, as Kyle punched in channel 1239.

“And in other news today, since the terror alert was raised from yellow to orange, following the capture of three prominent Al-Qaida leaders yesterday, Vice-President Dick Cheney has once again dropped out of sight. Sources quoting President Bush report that Cheney is safely ensconced in a remote location known only to a few people and will likely be returning to the White House in a few days.”



tbc

Coming next: “A Vengeful Angel”

The Four Faces of Rath



A Vengeful Angel

Chapter 8

VIII



Michael paid the cab driver then turned and walked in the direction of Hank’s trailer. He still remembered every rock; every step he took drew him back to the past. As he drew nearer to the trailer, he heard noises. It sounded like something hitting the side of the trailer from the inside. And yelling… He heard Hank’s voice…

“You think you can make a fool out of me, boy, and get away with it? Huh? Do ya? Is that what you think?”

Michael heard a sound that he recognized painfully… the sound of the back of Hank’s hand hitting a face… a child’s face… Michael quickened his pace.

“Why don’tcha cry? Go on! Cry, I said! I wanna see ya cry! You always just sit there like that… smirking at me inside. Don’t think I don’t know it. You’re a freak, Michael! You won’t cry… not even when I rap you on the mouth. You don’t even blink. You ain’t normal! You’re a f*’ing freak!”

There was no reply from the boy, who sat shaking but silent, blood streaming from a badly split lip onto his dirty T-shirt. Hank picked up a half-empty bottle of vodka and took a couple more long swigs then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

“I’ll show you! I’m gonna teach you to cry… right now you’re gonna learn…”

Hank raised the bottle over his head and turned toward the boy. Suddenly, the bottle exploded in Hank’s hand, as the door to the trailer burst open. In the door stood the shape of a man… but not a man. This figure was glowing with an aura. Michael didn’t even know that he had the ability to glow. It was the rage that he felt at what Hank was doing… was about to do. Hank was already half drunk, having consumed most of the bottle of vodka and, apparently, a few beers, too, judging from the empty cans. He stood there, staring at the glowing apparition in the doorway.

“What the hell are you? Some kind of guard… guardian angel or somethin’?”

Michael said nothing, but the intensity of the glow increased. Things began to explode all around Hank in the trailer. Hank tried to dodge.

“Come on! I didn’t hurt no one! He had to be punishsh… punished. The boy’s a freak! He don’t even cry when I bust ‘im in the mouth.”

More items exploded… the lights in the lamp, on the ceiling, in the bedroom… Hank’s oven blew open behind him, and several six-packs of beer he had stashed in the oven began to explode, one bottle at a time.

“Awwww… not the beers!” Hank howled. “You can’t be real! I don’t believe in you! There ain’t no God. If there ain’t no God there cain’t be no angels…”

Michael silently raised his hand, and Hank flew backwards, crashing into the oven. He staggered to his feet again, holding onto the oven door for support. Michael flashed a bolt of energy that looked very much like a lightning bolt at Hank’s feet, setting both his shoes on fire. Hank howled and dropped to the floor, struggling to get the burning shoes off his feet quickly.

“Okay… okay! So you’re a guardian angel… or the devil… or something. What do you want with me? What’d I do to you?”

Michael finally spoke. “Not to me… to Michael. You mistreated him.”

I’ll treat ‘im good! I promise! Look!”

Hank hobbled over to the wide-eyed boy, who sat staring in awe at his “guardian angel,” and wiped the blood off his lip and chin with a napkin, being far more gentle than he was accustomed to being.

“Go… go sit down at the table, boy. I’ll get you something to eat.”

“His name isn’t boy,” Michael said. “It’s Michael.”

“Michael,” Hank nodded.

“I’m watching you,” Michael said ominously to Hank. “I’m going to be watching you all the time. If you mistreat that boy again, a couple of burning shoes will be the least of your problems. Tell me you understand what I’m saying.”

Hank nodded. Somehow, he had sobered up considerably since Michael had arrived.

“I was drunk. It’s the bottle. I didn’t mean to hurt the boy.”

“But you did.”

“I won’t hurt ‘im ag’in. I swear it. I’ll change.”

Michael nodded. “And I’ll be watching to be sure that you do.”

Michael turned and walked out of the trailer. The little boy sat at the table, awe-stricken, looking back with his hand on the back of the chair, as he watched his guardian angel depart. He smiled slightly and raised his hand almost timidly to wave goodbye.

Outside the trailer, Michael closed his eyes and pursed his lips momentarily, allowing the tension that had built up in him to dissipate. Then he walked back toward the road. As he walked, a hand touched him from behind. Michael swung around to see Max standing there.

“Max? What the… Cripes! Where did you come from?”

“I was checking to see how my best friend is doing,” Max said. “That was pretty cool… what you did for that little boy… Do you think Hank will treat him better now?”

Michael shrugged. “For a while. I don’t expect him to keep being a ‘good guy’ forever, though. Realistically, maybe a few days… maybe a week… till he puts on another borrachera.”

“A what?”

“You know, get’s stinkin’ drunk.”

“You’ve been around Maria too much, Michael.”

“No way, Max. Not possible.” Michael shook his head and smiled. Max grinned understandingly and nodded his agreement.

“Did you do it for that little boy… or was it for you? He is you, you know.”

Michael stopped walking and thought for a moment. “I know he’s me… but I guess I wasn’t really thinking about that. All I could think of was Hank hurting him…” Michael stopped and thought again then added, “…the way he used to hurt me.”

Max nodded. “That’s what I thought. You always took Hank’s abuse… When you couldn’t take it anymore, you got emancipated. You didn’t follow Hank back here today to avenge yourself. You came here for that little boy.”

“Yeah. I guess I did,” Michael admitted. “So what does that mean? …I’m some kind of good guy or something?”

Max smiled. “You’re a guardian angel, Michael. And I didn’t even know you believed in God.”

“I never said that,” Michael replied, looking at Max. “Well, I never said I did or didn’t. Maria does… and I’ve always trusted Maria a lot… Liz does, too,” he added, glancing over at Max. “I just said I never celebrated Christmas or anything when I was growing up… with Hank. You’re the one who didn’t believe God was real, Max.”

“Did I say that?” Max shrugged. “I don’t remember. I could’ve said that, I guess.”

“Yep. You did.”

Max was silent for a few moments. “Well,” he said at end, “I’ve seen a lot of things that can be explained… and some that can’t. Let’s just say I’m not closing my mind to any possibilities anymore and leave it at that.”

“I know this, though,” Max continued, stopping again to look at Michael, “Somewhere out there, there’s something greater than me… and there’s a drunk and a wide-eyed little boy in that trailer back there who really believe in guardian angels now.”

Michael nodded and grinned. “Yeah, I guess they do.”



tbc

Coming next: “Party Favors and Real Prizes”

The Four Faces of Rath



Party Favors and Real Prizes

Chapter 9

IX



Michael and Max walked back toward town together. It took forty-five minutes, but there was no hurry now.

“You came to make sure I wasn’t getting in trouble, didn’t you, Max?”

Max grinned. “You? Get in trouble? Whatever would make you think that, Michael?”

“I’ve been known to be a little impetuous I guess… when I was younger.”

“Aw, I wouldn’t say that, Michael. Bullheaded maybe… act first and think later maybe…”

Michael lunged suddenly and grabbed Max by the throat, shaking him playfully. “Like this? How long till I’m supposed to think about it and let you go?”

Max made choking sounds. “Yeah, that’s it! And now would be a pretty good time!”

“Yeah, well, I wanted to do that to Hank a little while ago.”

Max smiled. “But you didn’t. You’ve changed, Michael.”

“I just took the abuse when I was a child. I didn’t fight back at all.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Max said, shaking his head. “When we were in high school, if you had seen Hank about to smack a child in the head with a vodka bottle –not you, I mean, but another child- what would you have done?”

Michael thought about it. “I don’t know. My first thought probably would have been to vaporize him… then I would have thought about the options.”

“Exactly. I’m not saying that that would have been a bad option of course…”

Michael smiled.

“But you handled it so much differently today… better.”

Michael nodded thoughtfully. “Okay, but I still don’t know who ‘I’ am, Max. I guess I just know who I’m not.”

Max stopped and looked at his best friend… “That’s a start, Michael.”

“Do you want me to stay a while?”

Michael shook his head. “No. Go on home, Max. You came, you ‘rescued’ me, now in those immortal words, ‘Go home!’”

“Who said that?”

“The French, I think… or the Arabs.”

Max laughed. “Portal!”

“Bye, Michael. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

Michael smiled and raised his hand slightly to say goodbye… then the portal closed.

Michael stood there alone for a moment thinking then turned and walked back towards the center of town. As he neared the place where he had first appeared earlier through the portal, he saw the sheriff’s car in front of the CrashDown. At first, he thought something might be wrong, but then a small boy ran out and jumped into the car with the sheriff.

“How was the party,” the sheriff asked, as the boy jumped in.

“Great, Dad. Look! I won a prize!”

“Well alright! Way to go, Kyle!”

The sheriff looked back towards the door. “Alex, you want me to drop you off at your house on the way?”

“No thanks, Mister Valenti. My Mom’s comin’ to get me.”

The sheriff waved at the other 6-year-old then drove off with his son. Michael looked down at his feet for a moment and swallowed a small lump in his throat.

“Get real, Michael,” he said to himself. “How would a kid living in the trailer park at the edge of town with a drunk like Hank ever have known someone like the Parkers? Max and Iz maybe… The Evanses were good, decent, social people… but, of course, Max and Iz would have just been found in the desert a week or so ago, like I was, so they wouldn’t know Liz or the Parkers yet either, I guess… We didn't even meet Liz and Maria until third grade.”

Michael sighed then smiled. “All those years, Maria and I were ships passing in the night… just like Max and Liz… never knowing what the future held for us.”

As Michael thought about it, he began to feel better. “Alex and Kyle knew Maria and Liz way back then… but I’ve got Maria now… Max has Liz. Alex and Kyle were at that party and won the party favors, but Max and I won the real prizes.”

Michael smiled widely for a moment then stopped suddenly.

“Wait. Alex wound up with Isabel in the end, so I guess he won, too… and I’ve never seen Kyle happier than he’s been with Jeliya, so I guess we all won.” Michael thought about it for a moment.

“Okay, so what’s wrong with everyone winning,” Michael asked himself. “I can live with that!”

Michael smiled again. For a while, he began to think that maybe he did know who he was. If it just weren’t for the dreams. He stopped and thought about the dreams. He knew that they would continue to dog him. Coming to terms with his early life in Roswell… and Hank… if indeed he had, would be nice. But Michael knew that the answer to the dreams would not be found here. Ultimately, it would only be found on Antar… in his previous life. But that’s the last place in time he wanted to go. Something about going back there terrified him like nothing else in his life ever had, and he didn’t know why.



tbc

Coming next: “Not in a Million Years”