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I knew he would do this to me; my own brother.
I foresaw it, and hated him to the deepest fibre of my being for doing so - even before he did so.
I loathe him. I despise him.
But just as all brothers betray one another in the end, I could expect nothing more from my twin.
The very thought of him is a cancer in my mind, after all this time. He took from me everything. So I will take from him everything. I will destroy all he holds dear... but I will let him live. To live forever, having seen all that he loved torn asunder.
Before he could do what he did to me, I reach out my hand to set into motion my children; to marshal them against him and his.
And now, I will wait. Until the time is right. I will keep probing at the bars of my prison. I will be free...
... and I will rule all in death! For I am the Destroyer of Worlds, the God of all Creation!
I. Am. Vae'Za.
Let the Champion tremble... let this 'Sa'ren' die...
It was dark, and not even the stars were visible in the endless night of space. Deep, swirling clouds of gas whirled around and around, and it could see nothing.
Long had it danced and played amongst the stars. Longer had it been since it had danced over Gallifrey, and the red fields of grass. Long had it been since it had played with the Master of Time. Now it was caught in a gravity well in the making. It did not feel fear; not because it had experienced this time and time and time again, but rather because there was no thought. Curiosity, love, joy, wonder, constant need for movement and play. No thought.
It watched as the gasses contracted under the effects of gravity to ignite into a new star. This was a strong star. A young, mid-range star that would burn for an age upon age. Much better to be small and live long, than to grow in pride and fade fast. Such is what it would think... if it could.
Time meant nothing when there was no awareness of its passing, so it seemed that a new solar system was born in a remarkably short time. It was free again. Free to dance away, toward a larger system that contained three stars. Not just one, as this seemingly poor example did. But something drew it to one of the newly formed planets.
It skipped and played amidst the molten rocks of the young surface, seeming to giggle as fresh eruptions played around it.
Then all cooled, as it always did, and the atmosphere took on form. A power seemed to hover near. A power it had felt many times before. A power that meant life would be born.
But without thought, there was no real memory. But it did like this power, and so it drew close to watch. And laugh. And play.
Life.
More life.
The star above, this world's sun, rose and set and rose and set, time and again.
Life changed and life grew and... a friend. After so long, a friend to laugh and play with... and worship it. And love it. And carry it around on his nose. And then another friend. And another...
Til at last came one whose soul pulled hard on it's being.
A name was said, amidst the babble of worship. A name that it seemed to keep locked away. A name it had always known.
Nathu.
... the Red Dragon!
Joel stumbled. They had reached the bottom of the winding stairs and onto the second level of the Voth base when his eyes swam with visions for a brief nano-second of time. Then it was gone. Kevin caught his arm to steady him.
"Sa'r? What's wrong?" the brown haired boy asked quietly. "Should we go back?"
"No," Joel whispered, "no. It's okay. Did anyone else see that?"
They all looked at each other briefly. Juan reached and took one of the Vulcan's hands. "See what, elf?"
"I... never mind. It must be this place. Maybe a latent thought from one of these Voth, long dead... never mind," Joel answered, shaking his head to clear it.
It had seemed so real, as if a memory. But he could not remember having ever lived it to have kept a memory of it. What was it? Did he just get a vision of the birth of Earth?
"Are you sure?" JJ and Kevin asked at the same time.
Joel smiled at them all. "Yeah. Come on..."
Timmy checked his poppa-Joel over once more with his eyes before turning and lighting up the large room before them with the light from Red, his 'morph. There was dust everywhere, and none had disturbed it for years upon years, it seemed.
They started to move into the room carefully, Timmy and William in the lead. "Auntie Angela will be 'noyed about tha dust," Timmy commented as he watched where he put his feet.
William added a screech of agreement.
There was a sneeze from behind the little Fireball, and Timmy looked around with a grin at Ricky. The boy was rubbing at his nose. "Dust flyin' ev'rywhere!" he complained, then sneezed again.
Duke screeched, or tried to, but it ended with an eagle-ish sneeze as well.
The group did not get that far from the bottom of the stairs when Juan reached out a hand and stopped Timmy from moving any further forward.
"Waz wrong, Unca Juan?" Timmy asked, his grey eyes blinking up at the Unit boy sweetly.
"Look," came the response, and Juan's finger pointed to what he had seen.
In front of where they now stood were footprints in the dust. Bare feet, apparently. But not from any of them. Very fresh, too.
"They don't come from the door. Only ours do," Juan continued as he scanned around, sniffing the air carefully.
Ricky leaned closer to the nearest prints that were pointed in their direction when the imprint of the big toe of the left foot moved. The boy scrambled back, his phasenmorph arm raised to cast light at the emptiness before them. "It moved!" he squeaked nervously.
JJ pushed his way closer, to put himself between the smaller kids and the footprints. He and Juan checked everything carefully, but no more movement could be seen. Juan was scanning around with his N-Gen abilities and could also find nothing. "Nothing... nothing at all..." JJ mumbled.
"But it moved, Unca JJ!" Ricky whined as he poked his head around the side of the larger boy's body to check everything out for himself.
It was Joel's turn to move, and rather than simply join JJ, Juan and Ricky at the front, he walked straight past, with speed, and grabbed at empty air. The movement of his arms and body told them all that, while their eyes and senses could find nothing, something really was there. "Stop it, kid," Joel said as he leaned down slightly and hefted an invisible something up and into his arms. "I can see you, and I won't hurt you, but we're not in the mood for hide and seek..."
The rest of the gang spread themselves out carefully around Joel, keeping him clearly in their sights. The position of his body, and posture, clearly showed that an 'item' of some weight and movement was being held by him; but not so large a weight to unduly stress the Vulcan-Borg.
"It's okay," Joel said, more softly this time as his face filled with compassion. "We won't hurt you. Now why don't you show yourself to the rest, huh? You've a beautiful soul. Let them see, too..."
"O...okay," came an answering whisper.
There was a flicker, as if rainbow light played in Joel's arms. Then there was just Joel... and a small five or six year old boy held tight to his chest.
A boy with silver skin, eyes and hair.
A Vifer...
The boy was looking around at them all, carefully, his bare feet twitching in the dust of the floor intermittently. Joel was next to him, and Adam was a few steps closer than the others. The boy was checking everyone out, but most of all, Joel and Adam. The reason for Adam was patently obvious, for he was a Vifer, as well. For Joel, on the other hand, it was a mystery.
"So," Adam asked quietly as they all stood in the darkness of the room. "What's your name, and what's your story? How'd you get down here, kiddo? Where did you come from?"
The boy blinked at him, then raised an eyebrow in a very adult manner. "Kiddo?" he asked, his eyes unreadable. "I'm older than you... and you are curious. Too curious for someone not in their own home..."
Adam shrugged. "Little body equals kid, until I'm proven otherwise. Watch the attitude, I really don't want to have to deal with a pissed-off nephew. Shall we try this again?"
"By 'pissed-off nephew' I gather you are referring to Timothy Short, the red-head with the sentient phasenmorph. Why would you need to deal with him?" the boy responded. His posture was relaxed and his face nearly expressionless. The only emotion that could be discerned was apathy, if Adam had to put a name to it. A fairly curious change, since the boy's first expression on becoming visible in Joel's arms was shock. Shock at Joel specifically.
"Because our young ones respect their elders... and while your attitude at the moment suggests a longer age than your physical appearance, it also suggests a person who has made judgements on others without taking the time to actually learn the facts. I know a Vifer who makes you look like an embryo, and he does not treat others this way, so I'm not falling for this 'I'm older and better than you' crap," Adam retorted simply.
Both the boy's eyebrows vanished into his silver hairline. "Interesting. First I'm belittled then accused of making judgement calls without proper investigation and re-con. Tell me? Who is jumping to conclusions? You could see I was Vifer from my appearance, and I certainly know that you - of all here - would know more about the race you are now a part of. By my appearance, I could be anything from five to over four and a half thousand years old. Why, then, call me a kid? As for the Eldest... Listen close, Adam Short. Nyo is a pure Vifer, made so by the greatest sentient product of human desperation to ever exist on the surface of this world. He was not, however, the first Vifer, and I can trace my bloodline back to that first... my great grandparent. Never knew him, of course. Before my time. I am as impressed in that pacifist that I am in you - which means, equally. I am here for another task, and not to treat you as children, unless needed. But you are out of line in asking as many questions as you did when arriving in another's home. One or two in a sentence is acceptable. More is just... rude. So I will answer the first part of your first question. I am Zhaan..."
Adam smiled and nodded. "My apologies, Zhaan. As you know, the population of Vifer that are associated with humanity in any way visibly, can be counted on one hand, so my knowledge of the protocols is very limited. Your attempts at maintaining the secrecy of this location have been successful to the point that it is not apparent that we were entering an occupied area."
A small smile played on Zhaan's face. "Accepted. And thank you... and you can now put JJ Richardson down, Nine of Twelve," he added with just a brief glance to the side, where Nine had his hand over JJ's mouth and his toolarm holding him back. "I find JJ's comments most entertaining, and I'm just dying to hear some more," he added with a recognisable blinking of his eyes. Classic puppy-dog eyes. "Makes me feel twelve years old all over again..."
"It's no fun, now." JJ pouted. "Adam took all my fun away!"
"I'm sure you'll figure out a reason to go off again within the next few minutes!" Adam giggled. "I know you too well, hon."
JJ stuck his tongue out at Adam, causing Timmy and Ricky to break out in giggles.
Their giggles were joined by Zhaan's own, but the Vifer stopped quickly once he noticed he was doing so. His face scrunched slightly and he sighed. "It's a pain being a Vifer at times. Parts of me are old, parts young. A pain."
Joel smiled, then the light on his forehead changed to green and Sa'ren knelt down to look Zhaan in the eyes. "If it is acceptable to now do so, Child of Silver, may we sate our curiosity regarding you?"
Zhaan blinked for a moment, then smiled and nodded.
"You say that this is your home, yet it looks as abandoned as any crypt I could find on the surface," Sa'ren stated. "What do you mean by this seeming contradiction."
Zhaan tilted his head to the side, "This pathway leads to a door we do not open, not since invaders have occupied Reliquary. Further along you will find a more thoroughly used thoroughfare. This is the beginnings of the entrance to our home. Your 'VSO' occupy our garden on the surface... we did think about ousting them, but a few are entertaining. For now."
"We'll have to compare notes on which ones are the most fun to watch," JJ muttered.
Adam shook his head. "Sometimes you take your job a little to seriously, hon."
"Hey, someone has to track candidates for recovery operations to fill Timmy's zoo!" JJ replied innocently.
JJ paused, then added, "I just need to say something before I get any more surprises. I'm really NOT trying to tell anyone what to do!"
"This will be a first," Kevin quipped with a cheeky grin on his face.
JJ flipped him off, then continued, "I know a few people older than even you, Zhaan, and they seem to be their best when they allow their youth to work alongside their life experience instead of choosing one or the other. While it might not work for you, it is something that I have seen help one of them through some rough spots, recently."
Zhaan tilted his head and nodded in acknowledgement of the advice. "I will consider it... as long as you swear a few times for me, first?" he added, throwing in some more puppy-dog eyes... for good measure.
Timmy looked at Ricky and giggled. "Unca JJ? Daddy is gonna cut off your cookies for not bein' nice!"
Adam said "No! Don't cut off his cookies!" with an evil smirk.
JJ 'play-ranted' a few less colourful swear words, then stopped and added, "I'd like to see him try!"
"You know, that was probably the worst threat I have ever heard, and I've over a billion years of experiences to pull on," Galli grinned. He then moved over to Zhaan and looked the smaller boy in the eye. "Do you know of me, child?"
"Yes," Zhaan responded, "and I will allow you to call me that, just because of who you are, to our Parents, Lord of Time."
"What the FUCK?!" Adam exploded. "Shrimp for brains gets to call you that, but I get my admittedly cute butt chewed up for calling you 'kiddo'?!?"
"Impressive," JJ put in, with a smirk, "but work on the delivery, hon."
Zhaan looked between them all, then smiled sweetly. "He's older than me. He can. You are not. You can't. So go suck a diz'mat, oik-face!" he finished with a wicked giggle. He looked Galli in the eye and grinned widely, "Hey! I'd forgotten how much fun being a kid could be!"
"Okay, what in the fuck do those two words mean? And how in the hell can I make use of them without knowing what they mean?" JJ vented.
Zhaan shivered happily, for JJ's automatic ranting was simply delightful to the boy. "Oh, that was perfect! Do it again!!"
As both eagles put their wings over their charge's ears, JJ really wound up. (The content of this section of this paragraph has been determined to be unacceptable for reader consumption by the Mikyvis Council) After his rant, JJ looked at Zhaan expectantly.
Zhaan seemed blissed out for a good moment or two. Then he snapped out of it when Joel tweaked his nose. "What? Oh, right... diz'mat - sour fruit. A lemon or such. Oik-face would be... umm... those birds still covering the little one's ears? Mmm... I'll whisper in your ear..." he decided. He moved forward and gave JJ a brief and almost silent explanation.
JJ blushed.
"Tell me!" Adam demanded.
"Later... in private... VERY private..." JJ replied evilly, still blushing.
Sa'ren leaned forward enough to pull Zhaan in close. "Might I continue, now that we have finished 'turning the air blue'?"
"Yeah, Winglord," Zhaan smiled.
"Why are you up here alone?"
"I was sent."
"Care to explain?" Sa'ren pressed.
"I was sent to determine if you are who our Parents say you are. I believe so."
Sa'ren raised an eyebrow, "And you determined that after listening to JJ swear?"
"No. I determined that when you didn't force information from me for not being forthright when Adam asked his original questions."
"So... those who sent you did not truly know if we would be kind to you or not? You were sent as bait, to see if we'd hurt you to get the information we wanted?" Juan asked, his voice icy.
Zhaan nodded his head.
"Who sent you?" Kevin asked, placing a hand on Juan's shoulder briefly.
"The Council. My parents... but..."
JJ's voice was like steel as he stated, "I hope that precautions were taken to ensure your safety, if things went wrong."
Zhaan looked at him carefully, measuring how much information would be safe to tell. In the end, he opted for the truth. "None. I am here alone. I have training and am armed, but ultimately, this was a test that could not be avoided. Besides... it was my idea."
JJ nodded. "Without knowing the scope of your training, I have to withhold opinions; I have friends who I would have no problem with sending out on their own, due to their capabilities. As far as your weapons, based on the knowledge I have of Vifer weaponry, I can only assume that your race has fine-tuned it since last contact, which leaves us facing possible unknown effects. While it's not the best way, I think the list of unknowns makes it an acceptable risk."
"It was not acceptable, yet it was necessary. There are upgrades to phasenmorphs, but they are things like suits that can be used in tandem. I am just as I am. In what you would call shorts and a shirt, with a 'morph and phase-inducer, or cloaking device... and my training. Morphs are still less than fully effective against another with one - but even with that advantage, I would be lost against the Borg. We have never encountered one like you, Nine. This test was as much about testing the Winglord as it was you. But JJ... It was my plan, my idea. My parents did not wish to risk it, but I insisted to the Council. And there are yet more tests... Winglord has already shown he can see without sight... but can he see that which only the Blind is said to be able to see? We shall find out. Come on, you bunch of babes led by a geriatric alien Time-hopper... time to go... 'down the rabbit-hole'..." he grinned with a twinkle in his eyes as he turned and pushed his way past the 'geriatric' Time Lord.
"Just wait until I tell Cory that his little brother responds to geriatric..." Adam giggled.
Then he yelped as Galli poked him hard in the ribs.
A few hours later, and more dark corridors and stairs than most could conveniently count, the group stopped for a quick snack. Most of the older kids had been carrying the younger, and put down their charges for a brief break.
Zhaan checked where they were, briefly, before crouching down next to Joel as the Vulcan ate a cookie. While munching on his snack, Joel asked, "How much farther is it?"
"Unknown," Zhaan answered.
Juan looked at him sharply. "This is your home, and you don't know how far it is to wherever we're going?!"
Zhaan shook his head. "There are defences, and they are already in operation. We've come down what seems like three hundred feet, but..."
"But in reality, we're over a thousand," Nine finished. At the Vifer's curious look, he tapped at his ocular implant. "I know."
William and Duke started laughing in their eagle manner.
Timmy giggled at them as Ricky asked, "What? Share!" He added a poke to Duke's chest.
Duke screeched at him for a few seconds.
"Oh," Juan murmured, his Clan knowledge of bird languages working. "Mmm... we forgot your Cat Guards, Elf."
Joel blinked. "And they're making a fuss?"
William screeched his approval of that statement. Then added a few more for good measure.
"Well, if they want to join us, tell Bobo to get to work, then," the Vulcan grinned.
Zhaan scratched his head. "Join you? How will they get here?"
"Bobo will do it... or Blackie," Joel explained.
"Ah," Zhaan murmured.
Kevin asked, "You know about them?"
"Of course."
*HUFF!*
"Sa'ren Joel Short, if you ever do that to us again, we'll spank you something fierce!" Aphrodite exclaimed, as she, her sister and two brothers appeared in a shower of sparkles, along with I-Cheya and Blackie.
"She called us by both names, I wonder which of us should respond?" Joel mused.
"You can. I know when to remain silent," Sa'ren answered.
Joel blinked, "But you forgot them!"
"I did not. You did."
"I believe you both did," T'Sara put in.
"I cannot forget. I never do," Sa'ren responded.
Joel added, "Nor do I! They did not have the dream!"
"But they are your guards. If you did not forget, then you need to learn to think about others, before running off on adventures."
"Maaaammm!" Joel whined.
"Do not whine, Joel. You make us both seem childish."
"Shut up!"
"Do not tell your other self to 'shut up', young man!"
"Oh, Jesus Christ!" JJ sighed, covering his eyes.
"Sorry, Sa'ren," Joel muttered ungraciously.
"Try again. Mean it this time," T'Sara scolded.
Tera also sighed and covered her eyes. Levi just giggled.
"I'm sorry, Sa'ren."
"Accepted, Joel... now, in answer to your question, I believe you should respond to Aphrodite. Threats of corporal punishment to betoken relief at someone's safety is an illogical Earth emotion. It therefore follows, by logic, that it should be you who responds."
"Since you have all the answers, why do you not respond?" T'Sara put in.
Joel added, "What Mother said."
"I do not want to."
"Not logical," Tera said automatically, then cursed in Vulcan for even getting involved in a three-way-logic-war-inside-one-Vulcan's-head.
"I forgot why I was even mad..." Aphrodite put in quietly.
"Too fucking late for that," JJ groaned as Sa'ren was already in full swing with explaining how an illogical response to a logical statement about an illogical situation was, in fact, logical.
"I'm going to take a piss," Adam said, getting up and walking back down the tunnel a ways.
Jules and Verne joined him. Sue went in the opposite direction.
Tera was then completely involved, as T'Sara appealed to her part-Deltan version of Vulcan logic for aid in settling the argument that had been stirred up inside of the head of Sa'ren Joel...
"Have you passed on the message to the Commanders about that alien fleet around Mars?"
"Yes, sir. Our Friends' information had better be good. These Eryradain are powerful."
"It should be good. If this works, then that fleet will be out of commission, should things not turn out as our best projections suggest."
"I just hope that we can pull this off. I do not like accelerating these plans..."
"Nor do I, my friend. But when the noose tightens we must slip out somehow. All seems to have fallen into place, even with them closing on us. It is either now, or never."
Kevin had ended the argument Joel was having with himself by simply clapping his hand over his husband's mouth and frog marching him off in the direction Zhaan was pointing in. With half the gang in front and the remainder behind, Kevin felt very secure; even in a nearly pitch black tunnel leading to who knows where. He removed his hand from Joel's mouth as he felt his husband regain control and then simply looped his arm around Joel's waist. Joel draped his over Kevin's shoulders and held him close.
As they walked, various conversations could be heard. All were speaking in just over whispers as it seemed wrong to shout when in such a situation. Kevin turned his face to absently kiss Joel's cheek, then grinned as Joel smiled at him. 'Remember what we were doing about this time last week?' Kevin sent down their bond-link.
The grin on Joel's face grew wider. 'Of course... I love you.'
Kevin's grin was equally wide.
From the front, next to Zhaan in the lead, Levi and Juan were walking silently. Then Juan said loudly, "We need a song. Something that fits this place. I'm bored!"
Joel immediately thought of one:
"Far over the Misty Mountains cold..."
"To dungeons deep," Juan took up instantly, grinning from ear to ear, "and caverns old..."
"Nathu!"
"Coming, mother," the young Voth giggled as he ran around the bushes of the garden and up the steps that led to the great rear door.
"Your father will be home from the meeting, soon, son," Geni smiled. "Go and find your brother and get ready."
"Okay, mother," Nathu smiled happily.
As he was about to turn and run off, Geni reached out and grabbed his shoulder. "What is that on your nose? Did you hurt yourself?"
Nathu turned back to her and crossed his eyes to look at the end of his reptilian snout. "What?"
"This mark," she answered, taking out a small cloth from her robes and using it to rub a white mark on the scales of her son's nose.
"Oh! That! That's Kal'Ras, Mother!" Nathu giggled as his mother scrubbed at his nose.
Geni looked at him, her eyes serious. "Son, don't joke about that. You know Kal'Ras has not been seen for three hundred years... and you are not part of the priesthood. He would not speak to you," she said, her voice shocked and hard.
"But mother..." Nathu complained, but his mother raised one clawed finger at him.
She never got to say anything, however, for the spot on her son's nose glowed briefly, then expanded up and out of his nose, leaving his scales green and healthy looking again. Now, over his nose, then dancing around the boy's eyes, was a glowing point of energy, and the humming musical note that rolled from it came as laughter. Shocked to her core, Geni stared at this point of light in awe. "Seventh and Beloved..."
"See? It's Kal'Ras!" crowed Nathu as he cupped the glowing energy source in his clawed hands and danced on the spot. He put the light back on his nose, and it vanished again. "Believe me, now, Mother?"
"Don't know about her," came another voice from behind Nathu, "but I do, little brother."
"Annu! Did you see, too?"
"Of course, and I always knew you were special, brother. You are chosen," Annu smiled, but there was a tightness about his eyes. "You're chosen of our god..."
They never got to say much more of this, for a burst of light from the clouds drew their eyes upward. Streaking down from the sky came what Nathu thought was a meteor, but his brother grabbed him and hurled him to the ground. "They are attacking!" he yelled out in rage as the meteor slammed into a nearby building and vaporised it. "The Xan! They have betrayed us!"
Joel blinked and rubbed at his eyes. Another vision?
"Poppa Joel, I'm tired," Timmy whined as they walked along in the darkness.
Joel said nothing, but did lift the boy up onto his back in a piggy-back, while Kevin did the same for Ricky.
They continued walking, the silence lending itself to what could be... Dreams of the Past...
"Nathu! Close the Way, we do not have time!"
"It is stuck! I cannot move it!" the large Voth yelled back, finally forgetting about the controls and slamming his shoulder into the massive gate. The gears groaned with the force the creature was exerting on it. "Help me, Ranu..."
Ja'Ranu held back, fear clearly seen in his golden eyes. "Nay, good friend... I... I cannot... we don't have the time! If you cannot close it, then we are lost!"
Ga'Nathu closed his eyes as he continued to strain. Ja'Ranu was a good Voth, but not strong of heart. A scribe without equal, yet he was not one to fight. "Pray for me, Ranu," Ga'Nathu said simply as he stopped forcing the gate and ran through quickly, leaving the base.
"NATHU!" was the last thing the larger Voth heard as he disappeared up the narrowing passageway. A single tear fell from his eye at the pain he could hear in his old friend's voice. He brushed it aside. The Impact was going to happen in moments and if he could not seal the Way then he would seal the way to the Quiver instead; the passageway that led to the salvation of the Voth; Atla'Tis, Safe-base.
It had already been narrowed considerably, so much so that no fully grown Voth could leave that way. But they had run out of time. The dual defence of Atla'Tis was now down to one; for it had been intended for solid rock to be ended with the Gate, but then it was just the Gate... And now that had failed as well.
As Ga'Nathu came to the smallest point, he slammed himself into it head first. He allowed his bones to disconnect in order to seal himself into the hole that, through many winding turns, led to the world above. The home he would now never see again.
Firmly in place, Ga'Nathu relaxed and closed his eyes. There was no pain, for his people were able to adjust their bones within defined limits. There was no fear, for any Voth should give his all for his people.
There was quiet acceptance. This might not work, but if the expected radiation from this chunk of proto-matter laced space rock could be contained for a few moments by his body, it might just give Ja'Ranu enough time to get the Gate working.
He felt the shift in his body before he heard the blast. Before his eyes, Kal'Ras burst from his nose and enlarged to fill the hole ahead of him.
And he popped out backwards from his hidey-hole as a stream of energized plasma came down the tunnel, through the energy of Kal'Ras, and hit him square in the face.
Ga'Nathu woke up with his head resting against the Gate. As he pulled himself to his feet he noticed the change. He was off balance. He threw out his hand to steady himself on the tunnel wall, but another limb moved with it. Cursing in surprise, he span around and promptly landed on his face. There was something attached to his back!
"Nathu?" came a weak cry from inside the still open Gate. It was Ja'Ranu.
"Ummm... yes?"
"What on Threis happened?!"
"I do not know," the Voth answered as he crawled through the Gate. It seemed smaller than it had before. "I saw golden red light coming down the Quiver from Upper Kora... then nothing. Why? What did you.. see... by the Maker!" he exclaimed as he got his first look at his old friend. "Ranu? What... have you seen yourself?!"
"I don't think I have to!" Ja'Ranu stammered as he looked at his crawling friend. "Wings? And a tail?"
"By the Maker..." Ga'Nathu breathed as he tried to look over his shoulder. It was quite easy to do as his neck could now turn around to an extreme degree. He did have wings. And a tail. And he looked about four or five feet taller than before! He turned back to look at Ja'Ranu, and rage was in his eyes. "Proto-matter... those damned Xan! The plague! They engineered this! We're... we're BEASTS!" he roared. Quite literally, causing the chamber they were in to shake with his rage. It also caused his friend to fling himself to the side as a gout of plasma fire shot out from his mouth. He closed it quickly.
With care he spoke, "We... we need to see my brother; the others... I just hope that it is just us."
"Doubtful..." Ja'Ranu whimpered. "I saw the light come through the door and turned to run for the exit... it struck me and poured on through the door - didn't melt it, didn't open it... we might all be like this."
"Maker be merciful," Ga'Nathu prayed as he got to his feet carefully. Then, arm in arm, the two now changed Voth moved out of the Entrance Chamber to seek for the King of Ha'Threis; and their families.
After all the hours spend down in the dark, there was still no glimmer of hope of getting to the end of this 'underground march'.
"For fuck sake," Juan exclaimed as they came to the bottom of another Voth stairway. "How much longer, Zhaan?"
The Vifer looked at Juan and said simply, "I do not know. The way is barred to me, it seems."
With Timmy half snoozing on his back, Joel looked around. "That way," he pointed with a jerk of his head, for his hands were busy holding the small boy in a piggy-back.
Cain and Abel looked at each other seriously, but Seth just blurted, "That's a solid wall, Dad."
"No, the way is there," Joel insisted as he stepped up to the wall... and vanished through it.
Juan swore and ran to that point. He placed his hand to the wall, only to have it pass through.
Zhaan smiled. "I was waiting for him to take the lead. That is the test."
"What test?" Brian asked, his sister at his side.
"My information states that the Winglord would see that which only the blind can see."
Adam shook his head as Juan passed through the 'wall', "Makes about as much sense to me as Cory deciding he's straight..."
One by one, they all followed Joel. Zhaan was the last. And he was hoping, for their sake, that they were better fighters than he had heard. The final test was before them... but how many would die in the doing of it?
"We have another message from our Friends, Commander."
"What do they have to report?"
"Just as was suspected, this 'Clan Short' has access to some of the technology that we are seeking and that our Friends want off the planet. They have also got access to another realm of existence, a planet outside the plane of the universe. There are some interesting upgrades to various ships."
"Do they pose a threat?"
"No, not really. The Federation has very sketchy knowledge of our capabilities, and we have advantages that go even further than the Empire. This situation will only make it more fun for us. We'll loose the vanguard, but then it'll get most interesting."
"Now you are sounding like a Klingon."
"I am sorry, Commander, but we Remans like a good fight. Taking over a world without challenge makes us soft. This world will prove an interesting exercise for our forces... if it comes to it, of course."
"Good... besides, even if they could defeat us, they are still doomed. Our Friends have seen to that..."
The room they now stood in was as dark as the corridor they had come from, but their flash-light, phasenmorphs and Nine's light showed how large it was. It was also deserted. Tables and instruments lay around, in order and well cared for, but there was no sight nor sound of anyone other than themselves.
"This is your home?" Levi asked Zhaan. "Where is everyone?"
"Watching, and this is just the entrance, in a way," the five year old answered.
As they spread out slightly, Joel put Timmy down on the ground. Ricky was placed with him by Kevin, and both older boys tried to rouse the younger. "Come on, not much further, TimTims," Joel cooed.
"Tired," the boy grouched as Juan found what he thought was a light switch and threw it on. Timmy blinked at what seemed like blinding light after so long in dark tunnels.
"I know, sweety," Kevin said softly, "but soon..."
"Silence, and hands where we can see them."
Juan turned around instantly, his compact bow out, drawn and an arrow aimed at the speaker. There was no-one there. At least, not until the air shimmered and thirty more Vifer appeared out of their cloaking devices.
Mercury and Hermes had their claws out and ready, and all those trained were eyeing the Vifer with searching glances; assessing.
"Put down your weapons," the Vifer at the lead commanded.
"Not a chance," Juan grated.
None of the Vifer seemed older than fourteen or fifteen years old, but of course, that meant that they were many tens of thousands of years older than they seemed. Dressed in a form of leaf-mail armour, with each 'leaf' a different colour to the ones next to it, made this mass of Vifer seem to shimmer and waiver before them. They were all obviously armed with bladed weapons, and each had their left hands raised and pointed at the Clan kids.
"This is not going to be good," the Doctor said simply as he walked forwards a few steps. "You do know that threatening me and mine is not the best way to earn my friendship, do you not? We were led here by one of your own, which makes us guests..."
"You are invaders in our territory, and have shown us no sign of being our friends... yet. Nor have you shown obvious signs of being our enemies... so we are being as gracious as we feel we can... now, put your weapons down on the ground, and step back," came the leaders orders.
"Fuck you," Hermes growled. "I can't anyway. That mass of Vulcan fur only brought me, not my guns... and I'm not sheathing my claws until Joel and Kevin are safe..."
The Vifer leader stared at him, his arm still pointed towards them all. "Then you shall be stunned and de-clawed, cat."
"LEAVE MY KITTY ALONE!" Timmy and Ricky growled in unison as they suddenly became wide awake and shifted into war-paint.
JJ let loose with a multi-lingual stream of curse words from every language the group knew, and a few that were only known to one or two Clan members, as Timmy ran at the Vifer leader and pulled a Matty. As the leader buckled slightly, one of the others grabbed Timmy around the shoulders and held the small boy's back against his chest.
Juan had, in the same moment, let fly with an arrow and had already got another readied, but he refrained from unleashing it as the first bounced off of a shield around the Vifer leader. "They've got 'morphs!" he exclaimed as he dropped his bow and pulled his two Klingon knives from their sheaths. He moved quickly, in tandem with the four cats and all but one of Joel's children.
Rafe was standing with Ricky as his brothers and sister went forward with his poppa Juan, but he couldn't just do nothing, so he went over quickly to try and help by using the bow that Juan had dropped. Finding himself incapable of drawing the thing, he ran at the nearest enemy Vifer and used it as a club.
JJ and Adam, with Tera and the Doctor and the three sets of triplets, moved to flank the group, JJ still swearing up a storm over the situation Timmy was now in.
Nine strode forward and engaged the Vifer holding Timmy, attempting to keep the child safe while disengaging him from his captor. The others just did their thing.
Joel and Kevin shared a momentary glance, then they both looked at Levi. All three were suddenly enveloped in their respective armours and they too ploughed in.
The Vifer were good. Frighteningly so. Juan was down for a few seconds due to a glancing blow across his forehead, but was quickly back up and in the fight. The G-Cats worked as a team and were knocking down Vifer a plenty, but also getting badly hurt in the process. It was only when Timmy unleashed a full blast of his morph into the back of the nearest Vifer, while trying to get the choke hold off of his neck, that brought the battle to a fast stop.
The Vifer in question, a girl who seemed ten or eleven, was flung hard against a wall. Her own phasenmorph had mitigated most of the blast, just leaving the more concussive forces to deal with. It was when she bounced off the wall and onto an upturned chair that her situation went from merely stunned and dazed to dying. One of the broken off chair legs had impaled her through the back and chest, through one of her lungs and frighteningly close to her heart.
"Stop this NOW!" Joel shouted, enraged. His Armour blasted out with light, making everyone see stars, while he went over to the dying girl. "This is just wrong... Stop it now!"
Surprisingly, the Vifer all lowered their blades and arms and waited. The Clan kids did not lower their guard, though, but did back off slightly.
Joel was kneeling at the girl's side as she lay awkwardly over the upturned chair. "Don't move..." he whispered as he laid one hand on her stomach and the other behind her back. "Shhh, it'll be alright in a moment..."
"O...of course... I'm dying... every... *cough*... everything w...will be alright soon," she managed to splutter, bright silver blood oozing from her mouth.
"You won't die," Joel whispered as he lifted her easily, and - surprisingly - without pain, from the impaling chair leg. His Armour was glowing mutely as he did this.
The leader of the Vifer moved over, keeping his hands open and loose at his side so as to show peaceful intent, "She'll die, Winglord. That injury is too severe for a Vifer to recover from."
"Maybe so," Joel said, not looking up at him, "but not for me..." His Armour then blazed again, but not blindingly. As the light faded, the girl was breathing normally. Her armour was still torn where she had been injured, but her skin was whole and no more silver blood was coming from her. "See?"
Zhaan, who had stood the entire thing out by the doorway in, said, "The last sign."
"So it would seem," the Vifer leader concurred.
"Now," Joel said seriously as he stood up. "Can you explain to me why you confronted us and threatened some of us?"
The leader of the Silver Skinned kids half smiled, "It is our way. We are the oldest group of free Vifer on Earth... at least our parents were. I was born in freedom. We always test those who come to us. We are aware of your limitations, so we kept things down to your level. The only ones we were unsure of was you and Nine of Twelve."
Timmy was still hissing and spitting, but William was now on his shoulder and communicating to him quickly. Joel checked over the entire group, saw that any and all injuries left were minor, then addressed the Vifer leader, "Let's talk."
"Wake up, Jace. Things are going a bit fruity out there," Nathan said as he shook his lover awake. Jason had been up until three that morning, keeping tabs on a few key areas around the world. Leads that the VSO had been following had turned up unusual mysteries, and Jason did not like unusual nor mysteries. Eventually Nathan had made him go to bed and had taken over his place, keeping an eye on everything.
Now, however, he needed Jason.
Jason cracked open his eyes, then sat bolt upright. "What's going on?"
Nathan pulled him from the bed and started throwing clothes at him as he explained. "Rioting in London over what happened yesterday in California - unusual for us, this reaction - and now troop movements all across the UK. Information from London is in conflict with what we're getting from our own operatives. You're needed in the command centre ASAP."
Pulling on a tee-shirt and shorts, Jason quickly left the bedroom and ran down to his CIC, Nathan running with him. "Any word from Joel?"
"Buck says he's getting intermittent contact from him and Nine, but nothing solid, yet."
"Those Borg have done in a day what we've failed to do for months," Jason muttered. "Draco, I'm nearly in CIC. Have an update ready for me, including status on all Clan personnel."
'Already compiled, Commander. Please note, I am VI interface. Draco is now on the Yoshuhlnak with Wisdom in low orbit over Wales.'
"Understood," Jason responded as he threw open the doors to a quiet CIC. Nothing unusual there, considering most in the room were Vulcans and not prone to over excitement. As for the non-Vulcans, VSO training accounted for their reserve and professionalism. "Throw up the data on the main screen, please."
Sean was still watching Cory carefully, very much worried that his husbands 'cheese had fallen off the cracker, punched a hole in the fabric of space-time and sucked his blond-beloved in'. All the talk of druids, dragons and who-knows-what from just before they had gone to sleep was making him feel like they had somehow made a mistake in 'fixing' Cory's memory problem. Almost as if they had released a madman instead. Sure, some of it made sense, to a part of his mind and heart that he just couldn't connect with, but then logic would rise up and he would just shake his head.
Sean had not gotten much sleep. Now he was feeling even more out of sorts, knowing that Timmy and Ricky had upped and vanished in the middle of the night to go to Wales, and no-one there could tell him precisely where they were - other than 'With Joel and a bunch of hard-core-mother-fuckers going to check out the lowest parts of the Nest'. That mollified both him and Cory a bit, and explained how they could be out of contact - they had met Reliquary after all - but still... he was now worried for not just Cory and the two tiny terrors, but also Joel... AND the rest of them.
And now, to top it all off, the Palace was under lock down. The shields had gone up around the whole complex and grounds - Vulcan quality and design, not 'lowly Starfleet', as one member of the palace staff had stated with a grin, poking fun at both him and Cory. When he had asked how that had happened he was referred back to the Treaty of Leeds, between the House of Windsor and House of Surak.
"Sneaky. The both of them... never trust a Vulcan, never trust a Brit!" Sean murmured to himself, a half grin on his face. He was, of course, not serious.
What was said as Spock entered the room to address the Queen, though, wiped even that small smile from his face.
"Majesty, it is confirmed from the Prime Minister - the forces in Scotland and Wales had begun an uprising, with Ireland showing that they will follow suit soon. The Prime Minister has mobilised loyalist forces to intervene and suppress this," Spock said neutrally. His eyes, however, said something else.
The look on the Queen's face said the same. Elizabeth did not believe that there would be such a sudden about-face from the three Celtic/Gaelic nations of the Union. She looked over at Harry, new in that morning from Orlando before the troubles had started. "Is this what you had seen when you were embedded, grandson?"
"No, not at all. It was rather the reverse. I do not trust this information, Ma'am," he replied.
Cory asked softly, "Who are the palace guard loyal to?"
"Me," Elizabeth answered. "So should they all be, but the Coldstream and the others are under my direct control." She glanced over at Spock, "Any news regarding the RAF? They would have been sent out, too..."
"They have not," Spock answered, "which is why I am very suspicious of this situation."
Cory looked at Sean. "This is bad," he said.
Sean pulled Cory close and held him tight.
JC and Meredith were walking and talking at the top end of the valley, inspecting some of the rescue centre and rest and recovery facilities on base. "Very good set up here," Josh said seriously. "I see you've spent quite some time here, with the little ones."
"Oh my, yes," Meredith smiled. "I've got more love than I know what to do with, especially for hurting kids. What my grand-kids are doing... what the Clan is doing, is beyond brilliant. Dangerous, scary, but brilliant."
Josh smiled in return, then pointed up the valley, to where it turned slightly more eastward. "What's up there?"
"Oh, I love that place. The adventure playground. Some of the younger members here should be there about now. Come on, let's go visit them," the grandmother of Division Evans grinned before leading the way up the path.
Constans, the Vifer leader, had finished explaining to Joel and company why they had done what they had done, and a few interesting things were found out. Namely, and most important to a few there, was when he had mentioned the Vol'Kier and no-one had disbelieved.
Juan was on his feet and pacing. "That dream wasn't a dream... when we spoke to the Guardian... what he told us, I thought it was a dream, but it wasn't... we have to get a message through to my brothers! If there's something about to attack us, then I must get through to them!"
"You cannot," Constans said softly. "They are above the Field."
"Nine?" Juan asked, spinning to look at the Borg. "Can you get through to Buck?"
"Not right now, no. This... 'Field' has increased in strength... I believe..."
Joel sighed, "It is adapting to us. To the Borg. It is like us, in a way. It is a constant state of adapt to adaptations between the Field around this area and us."
"Then I'll go up the old fashioned way," Juan decided.
Elinora, the 'ten year old' that Joel had healed, stopped him with a simple phrase, "The way is shut. And no, we did not do it. We are being pulled into..." she trailed off.
Juan stared at her as Adam asked, "Into what?"
"The Prison," Zhaan stated simply as he went to hug Constans, who had been revealed to be his father. "That which stops the Vol'Kier from coming to the surface... that which is now causing the Earth to begin breaking up..."
"So that's the cause of this disaster!" JJ exclaimed.
"It explains how it came out of no-where without explanation," Sa'ren stated, taking over from Joel briefly.
"Look, we have to warn them," Juan stated firmly.
"I agree, but the only way up... is now down," Elinora replied. "The Prison must be opened, and Eburesca found by the Winglord..."
"Ebur-what?" Adam asked, confused.
Joel half smiled, "Goldfire. 'And Redeemer shall hold Fire's Gold'. What do I have to do?"
"Come with us... you and you alone... to the Quiver..." Constans said simply.
Uproar. That particular instruction went over worse than a fart in a space-suit for all those who had come thus far with Joel.
None of the gang listened to the Vifers. They all followed after Joel as the increased group moved further in and down into the Vifer base, their home. They all stopped in a room that felt like something out of Ark.
"Phasenmorphs?" Kevin asked curiously.
"Of course," Constans smiled. "They were created to link with a Vifer, not by Ark nor the Founders. I know that a number of you have them, and that one among you lost his in a recent martial engagement."
"That would be me," Adam said softly, rubbing his hand over the area where his 'morph had been.
Constans nodded. "It is not good for you to remain without, young one. The harsh separation after a loss is worse for one of us, and now that you are one as well, you will feel it; if you haven't begun to already."
"I'd be lying if I said it wasn't hard," Adam said mutely, "but I was... fond of Chuck, and it hurts a lot to think of replacing him..."
Constans half smiled. "Chuck? I like it that you name them, too. This is Mezin," he said as he lifted his arm to show his own 'morph. It had red strips down its length.
"Red? The only one of us with any red on ours is Timmy's 'morph." Adam commented. "I do kinda feel like part of me is missing with Chuck not being around. He gave his life for me though; it don't feel right replacing him."
Constans came close to him and placed his hand on Adam's shoulder, with Mezin touching the young Clan boy's cheek. "Son, Chuck is always a part of you. The union of man and morph is deeper than most know, and only those of us who bare them can know it. And we never spoke of it much. Ark has some information on it, but it's subjective. He will always be in you and of you. You just have to ask yourself; 'If Chuck could have spoken to me, would he want me to remain without one of his family to protect me?' That question only you can answer, and there are three pools here with 'morphs looking for 'good friends'. That pool at the back, though, don't go... Joel! What are you doing?!" Constans yelled out.
Joel had done what he had done down in Ark - since he could not bond with a 'morph he just played with them, and so he had stripped and dived into a pool: the exact one that Constans was warning them against. "What's wrong with this pool?" he asked curiously as he played with a group of juvenile 'morphs; two of which were now on his head, purring.
"I think he's a water elf!" Timmy giggled.
Zhaan and Elinora were going spare. "Funny, but get out, Joel! That's her pool!"
"Her?" Joel queried as he tried to hoist himself back out, but a sudden pain in his left arm made him scream out and lose balance. Into the water he fell, splashing two of the young 'morphs out of the pool to flop about on the floor. Adam and Constans got there fast, with Constans diving in after Joel and Adam rescuing the baby 'morphs.
Holding Joel up out of the water to allow the Vulcan to breath, Constans checked him over. "Ah... there she is... sorry, Joel. I wish I'd told you not to go in here..."
The pain in his arm was lessening fast as he was placed out of the pool and into Levi and Kevin's waiting arms. With his hands shaking in shock he looked at his left forearm, only to see a lump on there, glowing with it's own soul. "Kev?" he asked shakily, "can I see?"
Kevin nodded and allowed Joel to look through his eyes, to see in colour as he could.
"Red..." Joel whispered.
'RedRedRed... colour of blood... killkillkill! ProtectProtectProtect! I am DeathDeathDeath!'
"Errr... is she... it... sane?" Joel asked weakly as he shook his head.
"No," all the Vifer in the room shook their heads. Constans explained, "She's nearing the end of her life, but due to her... unique way of looking at things, none of us wanted her. We're all a bit uncertain about red ones, but we've only had two born here. I have Mezin, and then that one. She's just been used as breading stock. She's very protective... just a bit..."
"Bloodthirsty!" Joel completed before giggling. "She'd love you, Juan!" he added, shaking his head again as his new morph talked to him.
Juan poked his tongue out at him.
Adam was about to comment, when he noticed the two young 'morphs had decided that they preferred staying on his arms to returning to the pool. Going by their purring, they had no intentions of leaving Adam any time soon. "Mmm... Constans?"
"They are too young..." the Vifer leader said. "Otherwise they'd have tried bonding with you. Be grateful. You wouldn't want to know what it feels like when two attempt that at the same time. They are probably gathering a bit of information about you to pass on to the rest."
"Huh?"
"We have connections between all the tanks. The young stay in the juvenile ones mostly, but we do let them 'socialise' with the older ones," Constans smiled. "Not what Ark does, but it's our way."
Adam nodded, and took a seat on the edge of one of the other pools. A minute later, the two young morphs wiggled around, indicating their wish to be put in the pool. Adam placed his arms in the water, and after a few seconds of vibration, the two youth were joined by a matching pair of purple striped mature 'morphs.
Constans watched this curiously, then placed his phasenmorphed arm into the pool with them. After a moment he said, "They both want you. This is unusual. Normally when there's more than one who want a host they will come to a decision between themselves. Now, though..."
Joel, his voice still a little shaky from the pain of his joining, said, "If they want him, they both can have him..."
Everyone felt a jolt, a massive tremor, run up and down their spines, and all heard a sweet bell tone ringing.
Adam ignored the events around him, as he watched the twin 'morphs slide into place to replace the two youth on his arms.
Timmy came up, and held Red up to one of the new 'morphs. "Red says that they think you's a brave warrior, Unca Adam. They's twins, an' they say that if onea them joins, he can help make it less ouchie when his brother joins."
"Less 'ouchie'?" Elinora half smiled. "It would normally drive one of us insane... but if the Winglord says it'll work, it shouldn't be more painful than normal."
"I wouldn't know what that was," Adam said, bracing himself as the twin 'morphs moved about on his forearms, "it was numbed when I had Chuck." Then he hissed as both of them started to attach themselves.
"So," Kevin asked Joel as they half watched Adam going through a new joining. "What are you going to name yours?"
"Mmmm," the Vulcan hummed to himself. "I think... Sochya'tor! That's a good name..."
"'Peace Maker'?!" Kevin giggled. "After you said it was bloodthirsty?"
"Yeah... she'll make peace, alright... of the grave, if I let her!"
Adam was now shaking his arms lightly, the 'morphs firmly in place, one on each. "The pain's going away," he murmured.
"Told ya!" Timmy giggled, Red's purr signifying his agreement as well.
As the two morphs made their final connections, Adam giggled. "I've got a Phasenmorph version of Jamie and Jacob on my arms! This gives 'Double Trouble' a whole new meaning!"
Both 'morphs purred their humour at his statement. Adam looked them over, and announced "I'm naming them after their human counterparts. Guys, meet Jamie Junior and Jacob Junior."
"And now you need... wait. Everyone with a 'morph from Ark, please put your arm into the nearest pool. Our 'morphs will know what to do. It'll only tingle," Constans said.
Timmy looked curious but did as instructed. Ricky came alongside and did the same, as did Kevin and JJ. Timmy started to giggle, "It tickles!"
"What are they doing?" Adam asked curiously.
"Passing on the modifications we made to the 'morphs," Constans smiled. "Well, us and our Parents. Mostly our Parents, to be fair. I'd not have had a clue where to start."
"Figures," Zhaan smiled gently, winking at Joel who laughed.
"Shut it, imp," Constans said, just as gently, showing that this was long established banter.
"Red likes these new stuffs!" Timmy announced with a giggle.
Constans waited until they all felt the tingling stop. "Okay, follow me for your training."
He led them into an adjoining room where there were free standing targets as well as a more classical seeming shooting range. "Okay, I'll... wait a moment... where are the twinned kids?"
Riley, Reece, Kent, Kurt, Bobby and Bruce were nowhere to be seen. Juan's eyes grew distant and then he sighed. "They are coming for training, too..." he said, redundantly it seemed as in trotted all six of them. Naked. With 'morphs on their arms.
"What?" Kent and Bobby said, classic kid mode in full swing. "We didn't do nuffin!"
"They jumped out of the pools!" Bruce lied with a giggle. "Yelling and screaming that they'd die without us!"
"You're silly!" Timmy and Ricky announced in unison.
Riley curtsied with a giggle.
Constans rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he sighed in a very 21st century fashion. "Get over here for training. I'll run through the full works with you six and the Winglord. Zhaan? Get over here and teach these 'old-timer' 'morph holders about the new stuff."
"Righto, Great Leader," Zhaan smiled as he trotted up to Adam and poked him in the belly. "You ready, lesser being?"
"I wonder if you 'superior' beings still pee if tickled into submission?" Adam replied with a grin.
"Find out later," Zhaan replied with aplomb. "First, one of the upgrades is that you can form a stable energy pattern with your hands, like a whip made from lightning or a sword or staff. They will do the same as a blast, but concentrated for stuns and weakened for kill. The kill blow cannot disintegrate as a blast can. For melee combat it is more precise. To do this, just think of what you want the 'shape' of the pattern to be..."
Juan noticed Adam forming his first whip, and commented "JJ! Are you excited now that you and Adam can make whips? We'll never get you out of the bedroom!"
What JJ said, as he moved the boa-staff he had formed around him, won't bear repeating.
Juan smiled. "That handled todayís language lesson! Not bad JJ, you're improving - I didn't think that was possible for any living being to do."
Joel came trotting up from where he had just shocked the hell out of Constans. "Okay, what can they... oh! Whips and Chains!" he giggled, wiggling his eyebrows at Kevin, Levi and Juan.
"Shouldn't you be learning how to shoot?" Zhaan said without looking at him.
Joel shrugged. "Point, aim, fire. I'm Vulcan. I learn fast. Now... ah, you just visualize... right..." He was suddenly holding a chainsaw.
Zhaan looked at him seriously, "How did you..." Then he shuddered. "Winglord, you scare me..."
Sa'ren put in, "He scares me, too."
Levi giggled, "He don't scare me!"
"You're weird!" just about everyone replied in unison, which just made Levi giggle more.
After they had practised for a few moments, and found to their delight that their 'morphs were doing most of the work and they just had to keep the image in mind, Zhaan moved on to the next. "Okay, now for something a little more difficult. You know how the shields phasenmorphs produce stop ballistics and energy weapons, but they are not so great against slower things, like bats, swords, knives?"
They all nodded. "Same for bombs," Adam whispered.
"Yes. There isn't much we can do without our armour against explosions, but think of a shield. Or anything solid that you can hold yourself..." Zhaan nodded.
The forming of these shields was fast. They had practised after all with the whips or sticks, so forming them was 'old hat'. "Here is where it gets more difficult. You have to trust the shield. The shield you hold is more concentrated, and in that area alone will it deflect a knife or sword. Those with only one 'morph, which is all but one of you, can use either defence OR attack. Adam, you MIGHT be able to do both, but with two 'morphs draining your power you might also be as limited. Or both your defence and attack will be lessened. This is new ground for you. However, back to the shields. You have to trust the shield, even when I am coming at you with this," he finished as one of the other Vifer threw what looked similar to a baseball bat to him. "Ready to try, Adam?" he asked the fellow Vifer first.
Setting himself and concentrating hard, Adam nodded. He held up his 'knight in shining armour' shield made from energy and Zhaan threw all his strength into the blow against it. Adam felt himself rock slightly, but the concussion of what would have snapped even a Vifer's bones was negligible.
Zhaan tried it all with all of them, leaving Timmy and Ricky for last. "Are you sure?" he asked Ricky gently. "Do you want to practice this with me, or with your brothers?"
"If I don't wif you," Ricky said bravely, "then I might not 'gainst a nasty person proper. I'm brave!" He set his face into a mask of concentration and narrowed his eyes at Zhaan as he raised his energy-shield.
WHAM
Ricky smiled in triumph. "I did it!" he crowed.
Adam smiled. "You just did something a LOT kewler than what most 'normal' kids can do, Ricky! Awesome job!"
Ricky almost glowed from the praise; his self-confidence boosted by one of his 'hero' uncles placing him on a pedestal.
Timmy wanted to make his boyfriend feel even better as well. He looked at Zhaan and said softly, "I... I think I can do it too, now that Ricky's shown me how t'do it."
Ricky gave Timmy a quick hug before backing off to let the redhead try holding the shield.
Of course, Timmy also managed it, but he still had the same praise from the rest, including Zhaan. "Very well done. It takes a lot to hold that shield."
After they had all gone over these new abilities a few times they all went to the shooting range - more as moral support for those who had never done a full test before. However, none of them had done one like this, on Vifer level. Only three acquitted themselves so well as to receive the honour of being called honorary Vifer; Adam, Timmy and Joel. But it was Adam that caused the stir when he had fired off both his 'morphs and registering full power from each at the same time!
"That is not possible," Constans stated emphatically as he checked Adam out with a scanner. "You're not even drained or feeling tired?"
Adam shook his head. "I just thought I'd try it, and... well. Boom."
The Doctor was looking at him closely, enough so as to make his own eyes seem to shine with an inner power.
Juan noticed. "You know what happened, don't you," he stated.
The Doctor shook his head. "No. I'm trying to work it out. Using two 'morphs at once would kill someone, even a Vifer with a dual shot like that. Whatever Joel did, he enabled Adam to not only survive it, but control it exactly. Sorry, Juan. I don't know."
Juan stared at him for a moment longer, then shrugged and turned back. It seemed like he and everyone else just accepted this statement.
All bar Sa'ren and Joel, and they did not let anyone else - not even those linked with the pendants and certainly not Kevin - know what they had just worked out. You see, both remember everything exactly. And they remembered what Galli had told them before the group had even gotten together to come down here.
The Doctor Lies...
9.56am, Dragon's Nest... it was this time and place that would be remembered by the Clan as the true beginning of the Battle for Earth.
It was here that the first shot was fired in anger.
It was here that the first blow was felt.
It was here that the first of them would die.
JC and Jason's grandmother, Meredith, were just returning from their visit to the northern part of the valley when something on the hillside caught JC's eyes. A shine of the sun off of a barrel of a gun. He thrust Meredith down and behind him, just as a shot rang out. A shot that was quickly followed by many others, and then by sonic-booms from Buck's toolarm as he opened fire on the hillside. Klaxons sounded, and the VSO swung into motion to repel an unprovoked assault upon their base...
But as for JC, he knew no more of it.
The clouds moved over head as his eyes stared unseeingly up at them. His chest, unmoving, seeped blood from the bullet-wound that had taken him directly in the heart.
Meredith's cry of loss was soon overshadowed by her scream of rage as she grabbed up the fallen hero's phaser and levelled it at the hillside, joining her fury with that of her children, grandchildren and friends.
The last thing she was aware of before anger overwhelmed her senses was the thudding of Buck's Borg enhanced feet into the soil and rocks of the valley's side as he ran up the hill and into the tree-line. The last thing she heard was his low, rumbling battle-cry...
"Resistance is futile..."
The Battle for Earth had begun...
Ok, first of all, I have to apologize for taking so long to edit this chapter.
I edit for several authors, and for some odd reason, everyone had stories ready at the same time. I have decided, over the years, that if I simply drop one story that I happen to be editing, to edit another one, I lose my concentration, and I don't do as well on either chapter, so I have resolved to edit chapters in the order that they arrive.
Having said all that, I have to say that this chapter was very interesting, and certainly moved things along quite nicely.
I am, however, concerned about having a world wide battle taking place, and having enemies with a lot of power and unknown capabilities who are fully ready to destroy Earth and pretty much everyone living there.
I don't actually like that idea very much.
Let's hope that something can be done to prevent that from happening.
Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher