Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

THE PHOENIX
Production Number: #201
Writer: Virtual Lazarus
Betas: Mike Peel, Tidmag

Teaser

Entering the main chamber of the Embassy, Da'an gracefully turned and lowered himself into the ornate chair at its center. Beside him, Zo'or stood, uncharacteristically silent. As one, they lowered the facades they usually wore to put the humans around them at ease. This was one of the few moments when such deceits were not necessary.

Da'an waved his left arm in front of him, activating the holographic display. Through the illusion of falling energy particles, the forms of five Taelons in their natural states became visible.

Quo'on, the central hologram and leader of the Synod, began. "The condition of your implant, William Boone does not improve. The severity of the damage done by Ha'gel may be irreparable. The science caste questions the allocation of resources in the attempt to save a single human."

"While the task may be difficult, it is not without merit," Da'an replied. "William Boone has proven himself of great worth to the Synod in both his insights and his deeds."

The Russian Companion, Lor'el chimed in. "That is most assuredly the case in the recent incident involving Ha'gel. Yet I do not believe Da'an remains impartial in his entreaty. His connection with the implant taints his assessment of the situation."

"You have spent considerable time with the subject," Quo'on said, turning in one fluid motion to Zo'or. "What conclusions have you drawn?"

Zo'or stared silently for a moment before responding. "William Boone has served us well in the preceding year. However, in his relations with myself, his CVI has shown premature signs of decay."

"Please elaborate," said Ve'ran, the UK Companion.

"During several incidents, he has questioned directives which I have given him. When pressed for explanations, he claims to seek the best course for all Taelons. No fully functional implant has ever made such a justification. William Boone's inability to follow these directives makes him a liability to our mission."

"Mit'gai has reported on no such indications," Quo'on stated. "Da'an, what is your explanation?"

"I have none," Da'an admitted. "Though I too have noticed the aberrations Zo'or has spoken of. Yet I argue that those differences are what have made him a greater asset than any before him. As the only implant with such unique insight, allowing him to perish would deprive us of an invaluable resource."

The seven remained motionless for several seconds while they communed. Quo'on finally broke the silence. "It is decided. William Boone shall continue to be healed for the time being. Should his condition worsen, we will reconvene."

The particle streams representing peripheral Taelons dissipated at that statement, leaving only Quo'on.

"There is another issue that troubles you," Da'an stated.

Quo'on's form shifted in the stream. "The reintroduction of Ha'gel to the Commonality has caused a ripple that has yet to wane."

Da'an inclined his head. "The sensation was most troubling, but since his demise, I have not felt any further disturbance. Of course you are better suited to make such a determination than I."

"The effect is subtle," Quo'on explained, "but it is reawakening portions of the Commonality long thought dormant. If these fissures do not seal themselves, I fear what this may mean for the future of the Taelon race."

"Your concerns are unwarranted," Zo'or insisted, leaving his perch beside Da'an. "Such ripples are not unexpected in the wake of Ha'gel's incursion. They will undoubtedly become inconsequential as they did the first time he was expunged."

"Those were my beliefs in the beginning as well," Quo'on confessed. "Within hours of his destruction, the effect was negligible. However within the last two days, fragments have begun to reawaken once more."

Da'an shifted in his chair. "If Ha'gel is truly destroyed, only one thing could account for this."

Zo'or took a few steps away. "Impossible. Your interpretation of the prophecies has never been accepted by the whole of the Commonality."

"Nevertheless," Quo'on said, "we must open our minds to the possibility."

Da'an slowly rose to survey the world outside the Embassy walls. "The Sleeper comes."

*****

Three hundred feet beneath St. Michael's Church, a scream echoed throughout the hidden chambers of the Liberation's Headquarters. With it came the promise of great potential and of great destruction.

Agent Siobhan Beckett convulsed, her back becoming as rigid as steel. Within her abdomen, something grew; something not quite human, something that engulfed her body in a gentle luminescence. After a few seconds, the pain subsided, and she lapsed back into unconsciousness.

Augur, sitting at a terminal next to the infirmary, removed his hands from his ears. "Isn't there something you can give her for the pain? It's impossible to concentrate on these readings with that incessant wailing every ten minutes."

Dr. Park shook her head. "I've pumped her full of all the drugs I dare. But her CVI's probably doing more for the pain than I am. And even with all that, it seems unbearable."

"She's a Companion Agent," Jonathan Doors reminded them. "Before you have too much pity on her, remember all the pain she's caused others."

"And is causing now!" Augur butted in.

Park ignored him. "I know Jonathan. But there are some crimes that are unspeakable regardless of who the victim is. There may have been fancy special effects, and a greater, mysterious purpose, but the bottom line is, she was raped. And now that same violation is tearing her apart from the inside and there's not a damn thing I can do to stop it."

Doors eyed up the unconscious agent for a few seconds, then turned away, stone faced. "Augur, are you having any more luck than the good doctor?"

"Nada," Augur said, the data scrolling on the screen in front of him in constant flux. "That is, not yet. Every time I get the equipment recalibrated, that thing takes another growth spurt and shifts every frequency I've mapped into a new spectrum."

Doors grabbed him by the shoulder. "We have got to see what's growing inside of her before it decides to pop out on its own. The last thing we need is Ha'gel Junior rampaging through our nerve center."

Augur shrugged the hand off. "And you lecturing me isn't making this go any faster."

Beckett let out another scream, her eyes now wide open. This time, her hand tore through the restraint binding her to the table. She grasped her stomach, oblivious to everything else happening around her.

"What was that, all of two minutes?" Augur cursed, the screen blanking, new numbers taking the place of old. "Even I can't keep up at that rate."

"Doctor, what's going on?" Doors demanded.

Circling around the examination table, Park tried to take a reading with the computer. Nothing but static bursts appeared on the screen. "Give me a minute, I'll have to do this the old fashioned way."

"It's coming," Beckett screeched, the first words out of her mouth in the two days she'd been there.

Park ran to the end of the table and lifted her patient's gown. "Oh my God, she's already at ten centimeters. I can see the head crowning."

Doors rapped on the glass behind him, signaling to three serious-looking, well-armed men waiting in the corridor. His look left no room for interpretation; they were to enter post haste. As experienced soldiers, they didn't need to be asked twice.

"We already have too many people in here," Park told them, stopping them before they could enter. "I'm going to need some room to deliver this kid."

"I'm not going to let that alien…thing enter this world without taking some precautions," Doors informed her. "These men stay."

They pushed past her, taking up positions on either side of the expectant mother. In unison they raised their weapons and took aim, two at the end of the birth canal, the other squarely on Siobhan Beckett.

Before the doctor could object, Beckett let out another scream, arching her back. "Fine," Park said curtly, cutting in front of one of them. "Just tell them to keep out of my way."

Doors nodded to the men. They each took a step back, never taking their eyes off of the potential targets.

Augur stepped around them. "Since space is at such a premium, I think I'll find someplace a little more secluded to work. Like Metro Transit at rush hour. I could use the peace and quiet."

Doors stopped him with nothing more than a hand on his chest.

"Here it comes," announced Park, guiding the small form out. As the child cleared her body, Beckett lapsed back into the darkness. Her screams were replaced by the gentle cries of her progeny. Park held the small body into the air for everyone to see. "I think you can lower your weapons now. It looks like a perfectly normal, human baby boy."

The three men, looking completely taken aback by the humanness of the child, complied without so much as a look back to Doors for confirmation.

"Get it cleaned up and into containment now," Doors ordered. "I don't want to take any chances with that thing."

Park reached for the shears to cut the umbilical cord. Holding them close to the child's stomach, she separated the child from his mother. In that moment, the room was filled with the same radiant glow that had enveloped Beckett since the ordeal had begun.

Before Doors could give a single order, the energy redirected itself into the child, surrounding it in a brilliant sphere. As the freedom fighters watched, the glow faded into a dark brown, encompassing the child within a cocoon.

"I know I'm no expert," Augur said to the speechless group, "but I don't remember any normal baby boy ever doing that."

Opening Credits

Since the dawn of man, we have looked into the sky and wondered, are we alone? Four years ago we received our answer, an answer that reshaped our destiny.

For William Boone, sworn protector for the Companions, undercover agent for the Liberation, recent events have blurred the lines between the sides he's chosen. As the mystery deepens, the search for the truth will forever alter the future of humanity.

And nothing on Earth, will ever be the same.

Act One

The elevator stopped, depositing Secretary of Human/Taelon Relations Joshua Doors at his destination, the office of Commander William Boone. As he took a few steps down the corridor, the view began to drastically change. From a standard design that had remained basically unchanged in the last fifty years, he entered a very alien, bulbous growth stretching out from the building's side.

Inside, Ronald Sandoval reentered from the balcony, passing through the virtual glass as if it wasn't there.

"Mr. Doors," he began, "I was beginning to think you weren't coming."

Joshua set his briefcase down on the desk. "Traveling at interdimensional is nice, but not all of us have that luxury."

"Funny," Sandoval said, "I hadn't heard of any malfunction in the Metro portal system."

"With the obvious exception of the Taelon induced malfunctions that delay the occasional transport," Joshua replied.

Sandoval slid into the chair behind the desk and smiled humorlessly. "I'm certain I have no idea what you're talking about. Now, if you'd care to have a seat, we can discuss the business at hand."

Joshua hesitated for a moment, then took the chair opposite Sandoval's. "Does that have anything to do with why we're meeting here rather than at the Embassy?"

"Recent events have forced the Companions to temporarily close their doors to outsiders. For…security concerns. You understand." It wasn't a question.

"I don't understand a lot of what's been going on lately," Joshua said, opening his briefcase and pulling out a handful of files. "I have two dozen reports here about a rogue Companion wreaking havoc through the streets of the city and killing at least five American citizens. I can certainly understand why they wouldn't want to deal with anyone after that."

"I've seen the same reports you have," Sandoval calmly stated. "But nothing in them directly implicates a Taelon."

Joshua grabbed a report half way down the stack and flipped it open. He traced his finger half way down the page until he'd found the paragraph he'd been searching for. "After Commander Boone shot the suspect, it rapidly changed shape several times before completely disintegrating. The last form it took appeared to be the natural energy state of a Taelon." He closed the file. "Unless you're calling this officer and the others who made similar reports liars, you can see how I'd be confused."

"Than let me clarify things for you," Sandoval said, pulling a disk out of his pocket and sliding it across the desk. "That is a copy of a report already sent to the President. It explains how the being in question was not a Taelon, but a very dangerous creature called a Kimera."

Joshua looked skeptical. "Another alien species? One that looks just like a Taelon, except without the good intentions? Now isn't that convenient. A scapegoat to blame every time a Taelon gets out of control."

"Convenient or not," Sandoval shrugged, "it's the truth. Before humanity had mastered much more than the wheel, the Kimera came to the Taelon's homeworld and launched a war of genetic manipulation. It changed them from what they were to the species you see today. They are perhaps the greatest threat the galaxy has ever seen."

"Then why didn't your Companions tell us about them?" Joshua asked. "You'd think that would be an important detail."

"For the same reason parents hide certain truths from their children. There's nothing they can do about it, so why worry them."

Joshua rolled his eyes. "I'm sure the President will appreciate being compared to a child."

"When it comes to the Kimera," Sandoval explained, "you are way out of your league. That's why Zo'or has graciously agreed to aid the world in their detection." Seeing the look of confusion on Joshua's face, he picked the disk back up and plugged it into the computer. "It's all outlined in the report."

He stared at the screen, skimming line after line. After several minutes, his eyes grew in disbelief. "The Taelons want to take blood and tissue samples from every citizen on Earth? That's insane."

Sandoval stood up and straightened his suit jacket. "It's the only way to create a comparative database. If Ha'gel was the first wave of a Kimera invasion, they may have already begun to genetically manipulate the general populace."

"So to keep one alien race from conquering us, you're saying we have to subject ourselves to the constant supervision of another? And if the President signs this order, what happens when you find an 'infected' person."

"As your facilities would be incapable of holding such a being, we would remove him to the Homeship for safekeeping."

"Giving you carte blanche to remove anyone you see as a threat under the ruse of a threat to planetary security," Joshua scoffed.

"I assure you the Companions will show the same restraint and good judgment in the execution of this order as they have in past arrangements," Sandoval told him.

"That, I don't doubt," Joshua said, sarcastically. "What I can tell you though, is that the President will never sign a bill like this into law, and neither will any other country."

"Actually," Sandoval informed him, "three major countries have already agreed. You can recommend anything you want to Thompson, but once American citizens start seeing alien infiltrators around every corner, they'll demand he take action."

"If you think I'm so ineffectual, why tell me at all?" Joshua asked.

"Simple," Sandoval replied. "As a matter of law, I am now required to provide you with all information relating to Human/Taelon relations. Since this qualifies, I'm just doing my job." He gathered a few stray papers from the desk. "And since I've now done that, I have another meeting to attend to. Since it is in the city, feel free to take my shuttle back to Washington. I'll inform Captain Marquette she's to take you anywhere you wish to go. It's the least I can do."

With that, he walked past a speechless Joshua, and out of the office.

*****

At the shuttle pad, Lili closed her global and boarded the shuttle. On the street below, she could just make out Sandoval leaving the building and stepping into the passenger seat of a black sedan.

As he pulled away, she shifted her attention to the door where Joshua was now approaching her. He seemed somewhat uneasy, but forced a smile onto his face for her.

"If you hadn't been the pilot," he started, "I would have told Sandoval where he could shove his shuttle ride."

"Bad meeting?" she asked, re-initializing the virtual windshield behind him.

He took a seat in the chair behind her and to the right. "I really don't want to talk about it."

"Silence it is then." Lili punched her arms forward, activating the virtual glass screen in front of her. In response, the shuttle powered up, and lifted off the ground. Keeping her left arm steady, she used her right to input the correct coordinates.

"I didn't mean to snap," Joshua apologized. "Just because I don't want to talk about the meeting doesn't mean I don't want to talk to you."

Lili blushed, embarrassed by her demeanor. "It's my fault. I've been a bit testy the last couple of days."

"I really was sorry to hear about Commander Boone," Joshua told her. "He saved a lot of lives back at that church."

"Do you mind if we don't talk about that either?" she asked.

"Then short of the weather, I think we've run out of small talk."

"I heard it's going to rain in Washington tonight," Lili said with a straight face.

Joshua chuckled. "Maybe I deserved that. And if you tell me why you haven't called in the last few weeks, I could know for sure."

"You cut right to it, don't you?" Lili said.

"When you're a DA, it comes with the territory," he said. "Just like dodging and evading comes naturally to a marine pilot."

"Ouch," she said. "With tact like that it's a wonder you lasted as long as you did in your last profession."

This time, he didn't laugh. "I thought that night was pretty memorable. But you were gone when I woke up the next morning, and haven't returned a phone call since."

"I've been busy," she said.

"Or you decided you didn't want your Taelon bosses to know you were sleeping with the enemy," he responded.

"Joshua…it's more complicated than that."

He stopped her. "After what I just heard from Sandoval, I don't think things are going to get any less complicated in the foreseeable future. Maybe it is best if we cool things down."

Lili shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Maybe." She dropped the craft out of interdimensional and set a course for the White House. For the next several minutes, they sat in silence.

As he exited the shuttle on the helipad behind the building, Joshua turned back to her. "Just so you know, this doesn't change the way I feel about you. Once things do cool down, I'll be back at your doorstep again."

She nodded, looking completely numb. He turned and walked away, never once looking back at her. She reactivated the windshield as he left, cutting herself off from a world she dared not enter.

*****

The infirmary under St. Michael's was far quieter than it had been a few hours ago. Once the child had been removed, Beckett had quietly succumbed to the sedatives being pumped into her system. On the steel table where she had been now laid a cocoon, half the size of a grown man.

Doors entered the room, sipping a cup of coffee. "Status."

"The cocoon has steadily increased in size since the child has entered it," Dr. Park informed him. "At this rate, it'll be large enough to contain a full grown man in less than four hours."

"Do we have any idea what's inside yet?" Doors asked, turning to Augur.

"No chance." Augur rapped the surface with his fist. "This thing is constructed of a material that is definitely not of this Earth. No scan can penetrate it."

The Liberation leader addressed Dr. Park. "You were able to remove parts of the cocoon from the bodies Ha'gel took over."

In response, she picked up a scalpel and pressed it against the outside of the sphere. The end snapped off. "While it looks the same, this is a completely different material. We have lasers here powerful enough to punch through, but that could cause irreparable harm to the child inside."

"If it still is a child," Augur said.

"Or if it ever was," added Doors. "I'm not willing to let this thing grow to maturity without having any clue what it is. It could run right to the Taelons and undermine our entire operation."

"Or it could be our best friend," Augur said. "I mean, his dad wasn't so fond of the Taelons. Slicing and dicing his home might not make this kid too happy. Do we really want to tick this thing off?"

"I appreciate your concern, but I've already made my decision," Doors said. "We'll make the hole as small as possible to minimize the damage. Dr. Armitraj is our reigning expert on both advanced weaponry and alien materials. Have her join us to make the incision."

Dr. Park shook her head, clearly not satisfied with the decision. Even so, she left the lab without a word, disappearing around the corner.

"Are you sure you want to put Rayna on this?" Augur quietly asked him. "Some residual Taelon coding could make her want to vaporize the thing."

Doors took another sip of his coffee, looking unconcerned. "In the past three weeks, we've put her through every psychological test we can think of. We also set up numerous situations where she had the opportunity to betray the Liberation to the Companions. I'm convinced she's still the same woman she was when she joined us."

"Sahjit was sure too," Augur said. "But his theories were based more on wishful thinking than facts. I know; I've read them all. The truth is, none of us knows what effect spending months as pure consciousness in that probe did to her."

"Than now's as good a time as any to put her to the test," Doors countered.

Before Augur could object any further, Rayna and Dr. Park wheeled the laser into the room.

"Set it up right here," Park told Rayna, spinning it to face the cocoon.

Augur shook off the last of his reservations and took up a position beside her. "I'll need an opening of at least 1.47 millimeters to get a reading."

Rayna simply stood there, entranced by the object. Slowly, she lifted her hand and held it over the outer shell.

"Rayna, are you alright?" Park asked.

"Yes," she said, pulling her hand back. "I've never seen anything like it."

Doors had no time for her awe. "Can that laser do what we need it to?"

She checked the readout on the screen. "I should be able to make an educated guess based on its mass and density."

"Do it," Doors ordered. He turned to Augur. "And be ready with that probe as soon as she's through. We don't know how quickly it can repair itself."

Augur nodded and stood at the ready. Rayna entered a few more calculations into the system before initiating a barely visible beam.

"We're through," Park called out seconds later.

Rayna deactivated the beam immediately and Augur moved in with the scanner. As he took the readings, the data simultaneously appeared on the main monitor overhead.

"From what I can tell," Park continued, "it's still in humanoid form." An alarm rose from the computer. "Wait a minute, something's wrong."

Before their eyes, the cocoon crumbled, revealing a small, shivering boy of about eight. Seeing the laser, he slid away, running into the wall behind him. He was covered in a clear liquid, causing him to shiver as the outside air hit his naked body.

Rayna, being the closest, reached out for him. "It's OK, we're not going to hurt you."

The child jumped away from her, falling unceremoniously onto the floor. Pulling himself to his knees, he rapidly crawled behind Augur and embraced his legs.

"Now hold on just a minute, kid," Augur told him. "I'm not your mommy."

Still shaking, the child stared up at him, the fear apparent in his eyes. "Please," he begged. "Please help me."

Act Two

Back in the lab several hours later, Park, Augur and Doors stood in front of a video monitor. On it, the alien child, now covered in a hospital gown, sat perfectly still, staring silently at the impenetrable glass in front of him.

"Our best people have tried to get through to him," Dr. Park said, " but he hasn't said a word since he asked Augur to help him."

"What can I say," Augur replied, "kids love me."

Doors moved in front of him. "Well I hope the feeling's mutual, since you're going to be spending a lot more time with him."

Augur's eyes went wide. "Whoa, hold on there. I don't mind leasing out my considerable technical expertise to you, but nowhere in my job description is the word ‘nanny'. You can find yourself another babysitter."

"You're the only one he's shown any connection to," Park told him. "If we have any chance of getting through to him, it'll be through you."

"What about Lili," Augur pleaded, looking more desperate by the second. "I'm sure the little guy would bond with her. How could he not?"

Doors held his ground. "Captain Marquette, along with every other Taelon employee, isn't being let off the clock until this whole Ha'gel thing is straightened out. The world is in an uproar over it and the Companions fear reprisals. You are the only choice left."

"Fine," he said, yielding to the inevitable. "But next time I ask you for a favor, you owe me. No matter what the cost."

"Agreed. Now get in there and earn your pay," said Doors, waving a hand at the cell on the monitor.

Augur stepped out of the room and around the corner. The walk to the child's cell was considerable, since Doors wanted him as far away as possible from the delicate equipment in the center of the base. It took him several minutes to arrive at his destination down the poorly lit, bleak corridor.

Outside the cell, the Liberation's Internal Security Chief, Lisa Cates, tensed upon seeing him. Augur flashed her a smile. She didn't return it.

"Doors wants me to have a talk with the kid," Augur told her.

She frisked him, removing his global and several small tools he had tucked away. At his continued grin, she backed away and raised her hand to the cell next to her. "Go ahead."

He cleared his throat. "In private if you don't mind." Seeing her reluctance, he added, "You can wait around the corner if you'd like. Trust me, if he tries anything I won't be shy about calling for help."

She looked him up and down once, then left the room. Augur grabbed a chair from the corner and pulled it in front of the kid. Now only a thin sheet of glass separated the two.

"It's a shame not everyone thinks I'm as swell a guy as you do," Augur said, trying not to sound too nervous. "Although I'm sure I could change her mind over a romantic dinner."

The boy stared at him with a puzzled look on his face. Still, he said nothing.

"But I suppose you're a little too young for that conversation," Augur said. "So how about you pick the topic?"

"Who am I?" the child asked. His voice sounded strained, somewhat hoarse.

"We were kind of hoping you could tell us," Augur admitted.

"I don't feel good."

Augur looked a little concerned. "I could have the doctor look at you. What exactly doesn't feel good."

He shrugged noncommittally. "I don't know. Everything. Mostly my head."

"Does it hurt?" he asked.

The boy shook his head. "No. The other voices won't be quiet. I don't like what they're saying."

Augur looked back over his shoulder at the camera. The implications of that statement did not bode well for the child's future.

*****

Doors slapped his hand against the examination table, the sound of flesh on metal echoing throughout the room. "I knew there was something I didn't like about that thing. It's tied to the Taelon Commonality."

"We don't know that," Park said. "The other voices could be anything."

He shook his head. "No, no. Think about it. How else do you explain its complete knowledge of English?

"Any number of factors could explain that," Park sighed, twisting her chair from side to side. "It could be genetic knowledge passed on from his mother. Or maybe he could hear us when he was still growing inside her. I'm sure we talked enough to give him the basics."

"Then call it a gut feeling," Doors said. "But I know I'm right. And if I am, we have to take some precautions."

Park turned to the computer and called up some data. "Based on everything we know about the Taelons, they can't use that link to track him. At most, they can feel his presence and maybe his discomfort at being caged. I doubt we're in any immediate danger."

"Think again," Doors said. He began to pace back and forth, running his hands over the canisters containing the remnants of the cocoon. "The Taelons are a lot of things, but stupid isn't one of them. If they can sense a new presence within the Commonality, they'll have to suspect it's tied to Ha'gel. They'll retrace his every move…"

"Leading them right back to us," Park finished. "So what do you want to do about it?"

He paused, deep in thought. "I'm not sure yet. As long as there's a chance Augur can get something important from it, I don't want to disturb him. Have the others keep a close eye on Taelon activities though. If one of their agents so much as glances in our direction, that thing becomes a liability."

Park swiveled her chair around to face him. "Speaking of Taelon agents, any thoughts as to what we're going to do with Beckett?"

"How much of Dr. Belman's CVI research have you familiarized yourself with?" he asked.

"I suppose I have the basics down," she replied, "but she's still far more qualified than I am. If you want to tear one apart to study how it ticks, I'd recommend waiting until the Taelons let their staff go. I can keep her alive until then."

"I had something else in mind," Doors said. "Do you have access to her notes regarding the Elyse Chapel incident last year?"

She turned back to the computer and cross-referenced the name with CVI research. "It's right here. The Taelons altered Boone's implant to make him think a complete stranger was the love of his life. Not only did they manufacture feelings, but false memories ranging back over a decade."

"Is there enough data for you to recreate the results with Agent Beckett?"

Park took a deep breath and sank into the chair. "Not with anywhere near that clarity of image. The Taelons created the CVIs, they know them inside and out. I doubt if even Belman could recreate the experiment."

Doors nodded. "How about short term memory removal?"

"That," she said, "I'm certain I could do. But why would you want to let her go? Captain Marquette's already reported her killed in action. Cutting her loose would certainly cause the Taelons to investigate her. Plus, if the wipe doesn't hold, she knows the location of this base."

"All valid points," Doors said. "But I have my reasons."

*****

William Boone drifted in a large tank filled with a viscous blue liquid. He made no sound, his only movement coming from the occasional pulse through the tanks' outer walls. If the equipment on the outside didn't register a constant heart rate and stable brainwaves, he could easily have been mistaken for a corpse.

Pacing around the tank, Ronald Sandoval stared in at him, as if willing him to awaken. Each footfall reverberated around him, the barren rock and metal surrounding him absorbing none of the sound. For nearly three days he'd spent every free moment here. When the Commander finally did rejoin the world, Sandoval would be the first to greet him.

"Boone, Boone, Boone," he said, continuing his lap. "So much is changing right now, you really should be here to enjoy it."

He gave a short laugh that seemed to continue even after his mouth had closed. "Here I am asking you to leave the tank and enjoy it, when I'm in the thick of it and can't take my mind off this tank. I suppose that would qualify as one of life's little ironies."

Boone continued to drift silently, the equipment knitting shut the wounds running down the left side of his body. By this stage in the process, they were little more than shadows. The majority of the injuries were internal, beyond the reach of even Taelon medicine.

"But you hold the answers to so many questions I need the answers to," he continued. "How did you track Ha'gel to the church? Or did Agent Beckett find him and bring you with? Did she confide in you her suspicions about Captain Marquette? How did she die? Why did she die?"

He stopped next to Boone's face and pressed his hand to the glass. "Those are the two that most preoccupy my thoughts. The Captain told me she saw Siobhan die, but can I trust the account of a possible traitor? You are the only one who knows the truth. The only one I can trust."

Sandoval slowly pulled his hand back and began pacing again. "Over the past year I have felt many things toward you Commander. Distrust when you first joined us, jealousy as Da'an relied more and more on you and even envy as you saw answers that eluded me. But through it all, I always respected your skills and integrity. You are an asset to our Companions and your loss would diminish our cause."

A voice called out from the shadows, "That, Agent Sandoval, is an opinion not shared by all."

"Zo'or," he said, stopping and lowering his eyes.

"You cannot divine answers from one in such a condition," Zo'or told him. "Accordingly, your time would be better occupied in pursuit of my objectives."

"Of course, Zo'or," Sandoval replied.

Remaining silent, Zo'or walked past him. When he was completely behind the agent, he spoke again. "Reveal the reactions of Joshua Doors to my proposal."

"As expected, he was hesitant to accept the plan. He suspects the Taelons are hiding something."

"How perceptive," Zo'or said.

Sandoval squared his shoulders, hiding his discomfort as best he could. "Seven other nations have already signed the accord. I suspect we can pressure Thompson to fall into line with the others."

"Your suspicions are meaningless," Zo'or said, his arms flowing gracefully in front of him. "If the United States insinuates mistrust, other nations will follow. The samples garnered from this experiment advance the Taelon agenda years. Without absolute compliance, the data becomes meaningless.

"I understand," Sandoval said. "I will apply all political pressures possible to ensure his compliance."

"See that you do," Zo'or said, already passing through the exit.

Sandoval turned back to Boone one last time. "Perhaps you are more fortunate than I initially thought, Commander."

*****

Joshua sat in one of the Presidents smaller offices, where he'd been waiting for the better part of the day. Even as a member of Thompson's cabinet, it was nearly impossible to get a meeting on such short notice. But with something this important, he'd make the time to wait.

Thompson finally entered, looking as if he hadn't slept in days. Considering the recent attacks and Zo'or's proposal, it probably wasn't far from the truth.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Joshua," he said. "As I'm sure you can imagine, it's been one hell of a day."

"Yes, sir," he replied. "And I'm afraid I'm not going to do anything to make it any better."

The President nodded, lowering himself into his chair. "I'd wager this has something to do with the proposal Zo'or sent to me earlier today."

"I'm afraid so," Joshua confirmed. "I've had ample time to look it over and I can't see any scenario where this is a good idea."

"What about the one presented by Zo'or?" Thompson asked, leaning forward. "One by one American citizens start being replaced by alien shapeshifters, taking this country from us from the inside. Or just as bad, a few of these creatures pop up and people start lynching their neighbors on suspicions they're evil aliens."

Joshua nodded. "But if you let the Taelons start randomly testing people, you're going to cause the same panic you're trying to avoid. People are going to start taking the law into their own hands."

"That's the conundrum I've been discussing with the Joint Chiefs," he admitted. He rubbed his eyes and pushed his chair back from the desk. "But the conclusion we've come to is that it's better to deal with this head on. At least that way we avoid the shapeshifter scenario. I grant you it's not the best option, but if forced to choose, it is the lesser of two evils."

"With all due respect, sir, I can't believe you're discussing this at all."

"This isn't a black and white kind of world, Joshua. Nearly half the planet has already secretly agreed to the Taelons' offer. We just got word from the Embassy that from now on, the Companions will only be doling out coventure projects with countries where they can be sure their enemies aren't running rampant. Once that becomes public knowledge, the people will demand we take the Taelons' help."

Even knowing what the Taelons were capable of, Joshua looked shocked. "That's blackmail, sir. They can't get away with that."

"They can and will," Thompson assured him. "So unless you have some compelling evidence to give me, I have to march back down the hall and sign that accord."

"You have to give me time to investigate," Joshua insisted. "There has to be some evidence out there that can stop this."

Thompson shook his head. "I'm sorry, but we've run out of time."

Joshua stood up and got as close to the President as he dared without crossing the line. "When you gave me this position, you swore I'd have the authority to investigate any event that included the American people and the Taelon Synod. If you're going to take that authority away the first time the going gets tough…I'll be forced to tender my resignation."

"My hands are tied," Thompson said, obviously moved by the gesture. "The Taelons have instigated a deadline for every country to fall into line. After that, they're announcing the existence of the Kimera to the world and leaving those of us who don't comply to fend for ourselves."

"Then give me every last second until the deadline passes," he demanded. "Give me a chance to do the job you hired me for."

The President picked up the clock from his desk. He studied it for a moment, then put it back down, this time facing Joshua. "You have twenty-one hours until their announcement. I can hold the Joint Chiefs off for maybe eighteen of those. That's all the time I can give you."

"I won't let you down, sir," Joshua said, snapping to attention. He turned and quickly left the room.

Thompson turned his chair to face a large map of the United States on the wall beside him. "It's not me I'm worried about."

Act Three

Lili landed her shuttle on the third floor landing pad of the Taelon Embassy in Washington DC. She locked down her shuttle, even though it was safer here than anywhere else on the planet, and left the hanger.

Approaching Da'an's chamber, she paused, hearing an eerie sound emanating from within. As a fully implanted agent, Boone had been permitted to enter at any time. However, her position had only brought her to this locale a handful of times in the past, and the protocols had never fully been covered. Since Da'an had summoned her, she chose to take a chance and proceed.

Upon entering the room, her jaw dropped at the spectacle in front of her. Da'an was fully reclined in his seat, bathing in a full spectrum of energy being rained down on him by the tendrils stretching out from his chair. In the midst of the energies, a clothed form could barely be made out, but the being within was virtually transparent.

Sensing her presence, Da'an pulled his chair into the upright position and deactivated the streams.

"I…I'm sorry to interrupt, Da'an," Lili apologized. "I can come back later." She quickly turned and started to leave.

"Remain, Captain Marquette," Da'an instructed.

Lili stopped short of the entrance and glanced over her shoulder. "Are you sure?"

Da'an rose. "Recent events have found me lacking clarity of thought. I had hoped that this exercise would focus my perceptions prior to our meeting. Such was not the case."

"I'm sorry to hear that." It sounded hollow, but this wasn't the type of situation where Lili excelled.

Da'an simply nodded. "You no doubt ponder the purpose of this exchange."

"I'd hoped it had something to do with Commander Boone's condition."

"I regret that desire only embodies a partial truth," Da'an said. "Mit'gai reports the Commander is still poised on the line between life," he paused, "and death."

Lili remained at near attention, not letting the news unduly affect her. "Then what can I do for you?"

"An occasion approaches for which I must leave the confines of this sanctuary. With Commander Boone indisposed, I require your services for the insurance of my well being."

She was clearly taken aback. "I'd be honored Da'an. But wouldn't Agent Sandoval be a better choice?"

Da'an flushed, apparently unsure how to broach the subject. "In times past that has been the case. Yet I fear now his loyalties may lie elsewhere."

"You don't trust him?" Lili asked, the shock plain in her voice.

"He is not entirely at fault," Da'an tried to explain. "Zo'or's influence within the Synod grows daily, a fact which I am certain has not escaped Agent Sandoval's attention. By serving his wishes over my own, he undoubtedly feels he is facilitating the Taelon agenda."

She certainly couldn't miss an opening like that. "Which is?"

"Unknown to any human," Da'an said, sidestepping the question. "At least in its entirety. He must accept Zo'or's commands…on faith."

Typical Taelon response, absolutely no substance. "I sympathize with you, I really do. But how does this impact me?"

"The last year has found me reliant on the views of Commander Boone to better understand your species. His absence finds me seeking those insights elsewhere. In the past, you and I have developed a relationship of similar trust."

Lili was fairly certain she saw where this was going. "If you're asking me to become an implant, I'm afraid I'll have to decline."

"Such reservations seem unwarranted," Da'an said. "You have worked closely with Commander Boone, and beheld the gifts of the CVI. My understanding was that you would wish the opportunity to improve yourself in such a way."

She forced herself to relax a little. "It's more complicated than that."

"Please elaborate," he asked, his arms gracefully moving from his side.

"If I'm understanding this correctly, you're asking me to step up to the plate because you can't trust Agent Sandoval any longer."

Da'an nodded. "There are greater issues as well."

"I understand that," Lili said. "But I don't want to take the risk of betraying your trust like he has." At his silence, she pushed forward. "If you could guarantee me that I would turn out like Commander Boone, I'd jump at the chance. But most of the implants I've met resemble Sandoval more closely than Boone. I serve you well now because I choose to. I'd hate to have that choice taken away once I started seeing the world through the eyes of Agent Sandoval."

The Taelon again flushed slightly. "There is great wisdom in your words. Though I fear the Synod will not concur with your reasoning. The free will demonstrated by Boone causes discomfort in many."

"But not you," she pointed out. "With his implant, Sandoval would still give his life to save you. I think there's more to your request than you want to admit."

"Such as?"

Lili turned her head to the side, clearly uncertain how far to push this. "It's not so much how much Sandoval has changed, but how much he's remained the same. His behaviors are fairly predictable to you, even now. Boone challenges you to see the world differently. Because of him, you've grown as a person…uh, Taelon."

Da'an remained silent for several seconds. "I will be unable to convince the Synod to accept a non-implant in such a position."

"Then don't," Lili countered. "Put the decision off for a while. Boone could still come out of this. Just have me take over until that happens."

"Very well," Da'an said. His fingers moved in a rhythm all their own as he spoke. "You shall procure the position of Head of Interspecies Relations and Security until such a time as William Boone rejoins us…or embraces the void of death."

She started to make a strategic exit, but his voice stopped her. "Await my presence in the shuttle, Captain. I will join you presently."

Mimicking the Taelon gesture of respect she'd seen Boone use on numerous occasions, she backed out of the chamber.

Back at the hanger deck, she noticed a second shuttle docked next to hers. She looked around for the pilot, then saw he was still inside. Curious, she went over to see which of her colleagues it was. The virtual windshield dropped, revealing Agent Lassiter as pilot, and Ronald Sandoval as the passenger. The latter got up and stepped out.

"Captain Marquette," Sandoval said. "What are you doing here?"

"Da'an requested to see me," she explained, forcing herself to make eye contact with him.

"Regarding…?"

She stood tall, reflecting his confident bearing back at him. "My assignment to Commander Boone's position until his recovery."

Sandoval grabbed her by the arm and dragged her behind her shuttle. "If we're going to be working as equals, then we need to clear the air between us."

"I wasn't aware it needed clearing," she nervously replied.

"What I'm about to tell you, I shouldn't be," he started. "Prior to her untimely demise, Agent Beckett was investigating a security leak within our ranks. In our final conversation together, she told me of her suspicions that you, Captain Marquette, were that leak."

Lili kept her poker face on. "Me? That's ridiculous."

"Up until this moment, I was unsure," he continued. "However, if Da'an himself puts his life into your hands, I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt."

"Thank you," was all she could think of in response.

Sandoval began to walk away, leaving her at the shuttle. She unlocked the seal she had placed on it and started to step inside. A call from behind made her turn back around.

"Captain," Sandoval said. "Be aware that Zo'or isn't as trusting as Da'an in such matters. Watch your back."

"I will," she said, regarding him in a new light. "Thanks for the heads up."

"Don't mention it, Captain." He started to leave again. "And that's an order."

Lili watched him vanish around the corner, into the hidden chamber of Da'an's sanctuary. Giving Lassiter a polite nod, she reentered her shuttle, pulling the virtual glass up behind her.

Tying her global to a secured frequency, she punched in a number she'd long ago memorized. Unexpectedly, a young, blonde woman appeared on the other end.

"Cates?" she said, her confusion evident. "What are you doing with Augur's global?"

"He's indisposed at the moment. Is everything alright?"

Lili looked back out the windshield to see Lassiter deeply engrossed in routine shuttle maintenance. "I'd just like to talk to him if it's possible."

"Just a minute," she responded, placing the global on hold.

For several minutes she waited, until the black screen faded to a familiar face. "Lili," Augur said, relieved. "Am I ever glad to see you."

"What's going on down there?"

"Beckett finally had the kid and he's taken something of a shining to me." Seeing her bewildered expression, he shook his head. "Long story. What's the word on Boone?"

"They're not saying much, but if you read between the lines, it doesn't look good. With all the technology at their disposal, they can't give him anything better than 50/50 odds."

"Have they cut you loose yet?" he asked. "We could really use the extra set of hands down here."

She shook her head. "Not only haven't they lifted the restrictions, but Da'an just promoted me to Boone's position, at least temporarily."

"That should put a smile on Doors' face."

Lili didn't share his optimism. "To keep it, I'm going to have to get implanted. I wouldn't tell just anyone this, Augur, but after watching him walk that line for a year, I don't think I have it in me. I don't know if many of us would."

"He could still pull out of this," Augur said, trying to be as comforting as he could.

"We'd better hope so," she said. "For all our sakes."

*****

At St. Michael's Church, Joshua Doors rummaged through the rubble of what was left of its interior. Police tape still surrounded the exterior, but his position more than gave him the authority to enter.

Inside, the place looked much as it had three days ago. With such a high profile case, it was a crime scene that could potentially be around for weeks to come. Until then the parishioners would have to find another locale to worship.

Beside him, his two secret service agents stood off to the sides, ever ready to protect him.

"We've been here for over an hour, sir," one of them pointed out. "It's probably not safe to stick around much longer."

"It'll be far less safe if I don't," Joshua snapped. He took a deep breath and sank into a pew, or what was left of one. "I'm sorry. Give me a few minutes alone would you."

The agent nodded and signaled for his compatriot to join him outside the entrance. Joshua kicked the debris at his feet away, and knelt onto the floor. "I haven't exactly talked to you in a while," he said, staring at the cross up front, "but I could really use some help here."

His global chimed, interrupting him. He looked down at it, then back up to the cross again. Shaking his head, he pulled himself back into the pew. The indicator on the side marked it as a priority message from the White House.

"Doors here," he said, pulling the screen out.

"Hello, Joshua," came the reply from his father on the other end.

"How did you get this frequency? It's classified."

"From what I hear," Doors responded, "that's the least of your worries at the moment."

Joshua shrugged. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Is that the story you're going to stick to after Zo'or's announcement in the morning?" the elder Doors asked.

"I'm going to derive a great deal of pleasure figuring out exactly who it is supplying you with information."

Doors looked despondent. "I didn't call to fight, Joshua. I called to help."

"You can't offer any help that I would take," Joshua informed him. "And don't start thinking our goals are the same now that I have this position."

"Aren't they?" Jonathan asked. "We both want to expose the Taelons."

Joshua shook his head. "No, Dad. You want the Earth to start a revolution to kick the Taelons off our planet. I want to find a way to peacefully coexist with them, without one side taking advantage of the other."

"And we both know what side that is," Jonathan said.

"I don't have time for this," Joshua replied, preparing to shut the global.

The image on the screen shifted. On it, was now some sort of warehouse with an alien-looking pod at its center. His father's voice came in from the background. "Then I strongly suggest you make the time."

"What is it?" Joshua asked.

"That would be the prison pod Ha'gel was released from three days ago. It's been at the bottom of the ocean for a few thousand years. I think the Taelons will have a hard time explaining how an alien army came out of a pod barely big enough to hold one person."

"How do I know that's even what you claim it is?" he asked. "It won't be enough to convince the President to stand down."

"Then how about these," Jonathan said, switching the screen over to a series of medical reports. "Tests done on everyone who came into contact with Ha'gel, including those who identities he borrowed." A symbol on the upper portion of the screen highlighted. "Done by the Taelons' very own medical staff."

"How did you get these?" Joshua demanded to know.

"I'm sure you'll derive great pleasure from figuring that out," Doors said, severing the link.

Joshua stepped outside to his Secret Service agents. "Get the car," he ordered one of them.

"Where are we going, sir?"

"The airport, then back to Washington to talk to the President."

The agent flashed him a curious look. "You found something, sir?"

"Unfortunately, no," he said. "Something found me."

*****

Jonathan sat three hundred feet below his son, the closest he'd been in years. On the monitors, he watched the US official enter his car and pull away. His expression showed the pain the conversation had brought to the surface.

"I know that was hard Jonathan," Park told him, "but it was the right thing to do."

Doors solemnly nodded. "I just hope he doesn't let our past stop him from exposing the Taelons."

"He's a good man," she assured him. "He'll do what he has to."

"I hope to God you're right," he replied. He wiped away the tear forming at the corner of his eye. "Has Augur had any luck with the alien yet?"

Park sat down beside him. "Nothing. The boy still claims he doesn't know anything about the Taelons, the Kimera, or anything else. He may be a complete innocent."

"Who just happens to be tied to the Taelon Commonality," Doors said. "If it can't give us any intelligence, it's nothing but a liability."

"He might still reveal something," Park said. "There are things he may know that he doesn't think are important enough to mention. Even if that's not the case, we could learn a lot studying his physiology."

Doors sat in silence, still staring at the monitor his son had occupied moments before. "Do you still have the Lincoln Hills' virus in storage?"

"The new version is going through the final testing stages. It should take out Taelons without hurting humans, but we can't know for sure. You can't be thinking of testing it on the boy?"

"No," Doors assured her. "The new virus will have to stand on its own. I was referring to the original."

"The original? That could kill us all," Park said, shocked he would even consider the possibility.

"It's also the only weapon in our arsenal that we know targets human and alien DNA with equal ferocity. That thing is a liability, not only to the base, but to our entire species. We have no choice."

Park closed her eyes for a few seconds. "Are you certain?"

He nodded then flipped off the surface monitor, bringing his focus back to the situation at hand. "If you're not comfortable administering the injection, I'll take the responsibility myself."

"That's not necessary," she said after a brief pause. "I'll make the preparations now."

She rose and left the room, down a darkened corridor that led to the bowels of the facility. Being so focused her unenviable task, she failed to see the man leaning next to the door in the shadows.

Augur slumped against the wall, barely able to believe what he'd just overheard.

Act Four

Without reservation, Da'an strode into Zo'or's hidden office, then paused a few steps inside the doorway. The starkness of the setting seemed discomfiting, especially after the sereneness his own environment offered. As in the embassies, this room had a chair in its center, with a backdrop that provided the illusion of a standard Taelon room. But the plain arching walls around vast open spaces, ended the illusion there. And the space out the window, overlooking the barren lunar landscape was in absolute contrast to the lush gardens on Earth.

Yet none of this explained why he stopped. Zo'or was in deep conversation with a dark-skinned human male using the holographic display. Da'an tilted his head, trying to catch the meaning of the alien language being spoken. His façade faltered at the man's final words.

Zo'or did not share a similar problem. His features spread into a most un-Taelon smirk as the image faded. He held the expression as he turned to greet his guest. "You have traversed a great distance, Da'an."

"This venture you undertake threatens to undermine all we have accomplished thus far," Da'an scolded him. "It is foolhardy."

"The Synod does not share your concerns."

"The Synod is focused on matters internal to the Commonality, as you are well aware. Such tacit approval during this time is not an accurate indicator of the will of the Synod."

Zo'or rose from his chair to come face to face with Da'an. "Such trivial concerns regarding half-forgotten myths are indicative of the ineffectuality of the Synod. An opportunity has presented itself which I have grasped."

"An opportunity built on misinformation that will build resentment among our human partners," Da'an stated.

"Regardless of what you have convinced yourself, Da'an, humanity is not our partner. They are the means to an end."

"Such thought has led to disastrous consequences in the past."

"It is our future which concerns me, not our past," Zo'or bluntly said. "Your obsession with what was threatens to annihilate us."

Da'an allowed his energy nature to fully embrace his form. "It is your disregard of the past which will be our undoing. Do not proceed in this endeavor."

Zo'or turned away to face the window overlooking the Earth. "The benefit is too great. I will accomplish in days what the Synod has sought for years. The Earth will belong to us, as it should have since the beginning."

*****

The hybrid child sat in his cell, silently staring at the two guards left watching over him. Their weapons were drawn, and they were examining his every motion as if with the twist of his head, he could come flying out of the cell.

Cates placed her hand to her ear, her forehead wrinkling in concentration. She stuck her thumb and forefinger inside the canal, adjusting the hidden transceiver. "Do you hear it too?" she asked her subordinate.

He nodded his head. "It kind of sounded like Doors voice, but it was too faint to read."

Cates swiveled her thumb back and forth. "Try turning up the gain. I think he's repeating the message."

No sooner than she'd given the order, she grasped the side of her head in agony, and collapsed to the floor. Seconds later, the other guard did the same. The child stood up and examined the scene, completely bewildered.

Augur came slinking around the corner at the same instant the second body hit the ground. "What's the matter, kid. Never seen a jail break before."

"Why do you have to rescue me?" the child asked. "You said I'd be safe here."

"It seems I overestimated the conscience of our fearless leader," he explained. "But we can discuss that later. We have to get you out of here, quickly."

Augur grabbed the key card out of Cates' vest and opened the cell door. He grabbed the child's hand and led him out into the long, empty corridor.

"There's a series of vents running overhead that should be just big enough for you to squeeze through." He pulled out a global and called up a map on its screen. "Do you know how to read this?"

The kid shook his head.

By that point, they were standing underneath an open grate. "I've rigged the security grid so that you should find an opening like this every twenty or thirty feet. Eventually, it'll dump out into the sewer system, but you'll have to do a lot of climbing to get that high."

The child was listening intently, completely enraptured by what his pseudo mother was saying.

"Then," Augur continued," once you get to the street level, you'll see a series of roads running in this pattern. Follow the highlighted sections until you get to a large warehouse. I've contacted my local computers to let one person in, so once you get there, the doors will seal behind you. After that, I need you to wait there for me, no matter how long it takes. Can you do that?"

"Yes," he whispered. "But won't you get in trouble for helping me?"

"Don't worry about me, kid," Augur said in his most reassuring voice. "Who do you think designed the security for this place? They'll never know what hit ‘em. Now get moving."

He hoisted the young boy onto his shoulders, then rose until the child could crawl into the shaft. Once inside, he did as he was told, shuffling quickly along, never once looking back.

*****

In the Oval Office, the President sat at his desk, staring patiently at the blank space in front of him. Then, from out of nowhere, a stream of particles flittered down from the ceiling, revealing the face of Zo'or.

"I have awaited your call with great anticipation," the UN Companion told him. "You have undoubtedly seen the wisdom of our proposal."

"Not exactly," Thompson informed him. "After our last conversation, I did a little investigating of my own. You'd be surprised how much you can find out when you have the right people on the job."

"I do not comprehend your meaning."

"Let's see," said Thompson, pulling out some hard copies of the data Joshua had given him. One by one, he held them up to the semi-transparent display. "The pod Ha'gel was found in, complete with its dimensions. Full medical reports of everyone who was in contact with this so-called first wave of an enemy invasion. I don't think you need me to go into the details."

Zo'or's face flushed. "That data is only a minute portion of the evidence we are to present. Your possession of it alters nothing."

"Maybe so," Thompson continued, "but once you release your data, I'll send this to every newspaper and TV station on the planet. We'll let the people of Earth decide for themselves. But I don't think either of us wants to push this that far."

"What is your proposition?" Zo'or demanded after a short silence.

Thompson smiled and leaned closer to the hologram. "Simple. You pull your accord off the table and tell the countries who signed it your information was in error. In exchange, these materials never see the light of day, and the world goes on believing that you only have their best interests in mind."

Without a word, Zo'or waved his hand, dissolving the display.

"I'll take that as a yes," Thompson said.

"I think that's a fair bet," said Joshua, moving out from the shadows. "The Taelons should think twice before trying something like that again."

"You never did tell me how you found all this," Thompson pointed out. "Care to share."

Joshua shook his head. "Not particularly, sir."

"Fair enough, I won't press the issue." He stood up, walked over to Joshua and slapped him on the back. "Cheer up, son. Everything worked out better than we could have hoped."

"Yeah," Joshua said. "I suppose it did."

Thompson looked dumfounded. "I'll never understand you, Mr. Doors. You save the entire planet from genetic experimentation, and you look like your best friend just died. Maybe this'll put a smile on your face. I've talked it over with a few key Congressmen, and I have assurances that your little Taelon Investigations division is going to be up for a major budget increase. And think, it's all because of you."

"Sure," he said, unable to force the smile he knew Thompson was desperately seeking in his features. "All because of me."

*****

Thousands of miles above, on the dark side of the moon, Zo'or was losing more of his ever-present calm with each passing second. Beside him, Sandoval silently stood, not wanting to get in the way of the Companion. The Taelon left his seat in a brisk movement that lacked his usual grace of motion. The conversation had clearly shaken him.

"The data President Thompson held was classified within Taelon archives," Zo'or steamed. "It is not possible for them to be in his possession."

"Yet they seem to be," Sandoval said.

"How astute, Agent Sandoval," Zo'or replied, showing obvious disdain for the human. "The presence of a security leak becomes more probable with each passing day. You will redouble your efforts to discover the identity of this individual."

"As you wish, Zo'or."

Zo'or stepped back up the ramp, and took his seat, one that was nearly identical to Da'an's own on the planet below. "I understand Da'an declines to subrogate William Boone, despite pressures from the Synod."

"He still has faith in Boone's ability to heal himself," Sandoval explained.

"It becomes clearer that to control your planet, I must first control the American nation. William Boone will never assist me in this endeavor. As such, we must ensure a replacement that is more compliant to my desires. Such as yourself, Agent Sandoval."

Sandoval stood fast, his head respectfully bowed.

"To ensure this, I require a simple task of you," Zo'or told him, looking much more like his calm and confident self once more.

*****

Dr. Park rounded the corner to the makeshift cell, and found an empty room with two guards lying still on the floor, hands covering their ears. She grabbed the radio from one of them, but found it to be dead. Kneeling over them her medical training took over and she checked their pulses. Satisfied, she ran back around the corner and grabbed the emergency phone attached to the wall.

"This is Dr. Park. The prisoner has escaped. All hands, be on the lookout for a child of approximately eight years of age. He is to be considered extremely dangerous. If necessary, shoot to kill."

She hung the phone up, only for it to ring a second later. "This is Doors. What happened?"

"It looks like some kind of sonic shock took out the guards," Park theorized. "If he has a fraction of the energy present at his birth inside of him, he could have used it to short out the lock on the door too. I should have anticipated this."

"There'll be plenty of time for recriminations later, doctor. Right now, we need to contain the child. Can you tell how long ago he escaped?"

She thought back to the scene. "It's hard to say. But the corridor I came down is the only one leading to this wing. I was in it for several minutes before getting here, so it must have been before that."

Doors cursed softly on the other end of the line. "We're not showing any external breaches up here, but the security cameras were stuck in some kind of repeating loop. It could have done something similar with our other systems."

"My God," Park gasped. "He could be anywhere."

"I'm ordering all available operatives into the field to find it. If the Taelons run across it first, the entire operation is compromised."

"Then maybe it's time to deploy our other resource," Park suggested. "If there were ever a time we needed an ace in the hole, this would be it."

"Is everything ready?" Doors asked.

"It'll take a little time, but I'm still confident about the results," Park promised him.

Doors seemed to think about it for a few seconds. "Do it."

Epilogue

Half a mile away from his meeting with Zo'or, Sandoval came back to the last place he wanted to be. In front of him, the body of William Boone still floated, unchanged from his earlier visit.

"I said once that I envied you, Boone," he said. "It seems I may have spoken too soon."

Instead of pacing around the tank this time, he walked directly to the machinery in front of Boone's face. "Your constant attempts to make an enemy out of Zo'or seems to have paid off. Out of all the people on our entire planet, one of the most powerful beings in the galaxy fears you above all else."

He placed his hand on the display screen, releasing the pre-approved settings Mit'gai had programmed into the system earlier. "And because of your arrogance, I may never get the answers I sought from you."

Flicking a few more switches, the glow within the tank began to fade. "Perhaps it's better this way, Commander. My obsession with these events has taken my focus away from the Companions, where it belongs. With you gone, the final chapter of that part of my life will be closed, and I can return to the higher purpose I was chosen for."

Sandoval dialed down one final button. "Even so, it's nothing personal, Boone. You served our Companions well, and in the end, I will make certain you are remembered for that achievement.

In front of him, the jagged patterns representing the patient's brainwaves slowly dropped off, each pulse becoming shorter than the one before. As William Boone floated, oblivious to the world around him, the line at last dropped off, fading to nothing.

To Be Continued...