Disclaimer: I don't own anybody. So please don't sue. I'm broke anyway.
Explanation: I hate season five with the rest of the EFC world but I love that they brought back Boone. The only good thing about the whole season. I started watching EFC because of Liam and I wasn't about to let him stay dead. This story is my way of bringing my two favorite characters back. So everybody welcome back…Liam and Augur. hear applause.
Seriously Exaggerated
Augur
I was walking down the beach enjoying the feel the of wind blowing on my face, the smell of the salt, and the way the damp sand felt under my feet. Just reveling in the feelings and smells and sights. Sen-dep had given me a new appreciation in the art of being alive. I was half way around my island when suddenly a strange shiver went up my spine. I never really understood the saying 'my hair stood on end' until that moment.
I turned around and found standing there Ha'gel. I've never really seen Liam's father before but from the descriptions he's given me I could tell that this being of energy had to be him. The fact that he held a limp Liam in his arms was a dead give away too. 'Wait a minute Liam!' I felt my heart jump to my throat he looked half dead, more than half dead he looked dead dead. Ha'gel gently laid Liam down on the sand. I couldn't stop myself I rushed over to his prone form and took his head in my hands. I could feel my heart trying to escape my chest. 'Liam's all I have left, Lili's dead, Boone's dead, my family's all dead, I can't lose him too! Liam hasn't even seen his fifth birthday yet its not fair!'
I had forgotten that Ha'gel was there until he decided to speak up. "You will take care of him." Startled I looked up at him. It wasn't a request it was a statement of fact. It didn't matter I could never leave Liam like this. "He is very weak. I was forced to give him back what he had forsaken to save his life. I could not let him die. He is my son. He still may not live, he would have died, he should have died, if I had not interfered... I must go now." One moment he was there then I blinked and he was gone.
Then the feel of Liam's feverish forehead in my hands drove all thoughts aside except to get Liam in to the house. I scrambled to my feet grabbing him under the arms. I grunted with the effort. "Kid, you need to lose some weight." I was trying to hide my fear from myself. I was scared to death. The thought of Liam dying was making me shake. He is all I have.
Two months later
After two months of taking care of Liam he was finally stable. When I got him into my house and ran him under the med scanner I was shocked that the 30-foot drag hadn't killed him. Almost every bone in his body was fractured and all of his systems were in various stages of shut down. Even though I don't believe in the big guy I started praising God that he had made me so paranoid that even though I was no longer fighting and I was in a virtually invisible hideout that I still had a fully equipped med lab.
Liam was touch and go for two months. I was afraid to even leave him alone for fear that he'd go into convulsions. He did three times and only the fact that he's not totally human saved his life. Liam even with the danger that he was in would never of lived if he was human.
Slouched over a cup of coffee in the kitchen I was trying to keep my eyes open. Kary had just delivered some news of the outside world and I was still trying to get over the shock that the Taleons were gone. 'I wonder if Liam's condition had anything to do with it.' Sighing I picked up the once hot cup of coffee and took a sip. I grimacing at the taste I kept on drinking, I didn't want to bother making a fresh pot.
My only contact with the outside world, Kary, brings me news every couple of months which sometimes is nowhere soon enough. The news of the Taleons being gone would have caused me to do a happy dance only two months ago but now even though it did give me some pleasure the news just wasn't as important as it would have been.
The reason was laying in the adjoining room in a coma. Even though the Taleons are gone life for Liam is still going to be hard. He has no past to go back to, no family, no life really Liam's spent every moment of his life fighting since day one. What does a person who had to make up a lie to explain his very existence do when the reason for living is gone? What if the real Kincaid wanted his name back? What would Liam do? It maybe selfish but I care too much to just let go of him. So I've spent two months coaxing Liam back to health but I can't help wonder what he's going to do now.
A rustling sound came for Liam's room and before I knew it I was out of my seat and flying towards his bed. As I reached the side of his bed I saw that his eyelids were fluttering. After all the waiting when he opened his eyes I felt my heart squeeze. They were clouded and seemed disoriented. I knew his body had survived what ever happened to him but would his mind? When the words, "Augur you look like hell," came out of his mouth I couldn't control myself I let out a whoop of excitement. He was going to be just fine.
Liam
I was pushing my through a darkness, it wanted to wrap around me and banish the worries and cares of the world into its depths. I was tempted, seriously tempted to just relax and let the darkness cover me back up in its comforting nothingness but I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something I should be doing, something important. So I struggled against the darkness that wanted to claim me. My eyes felt like they were made of lead and weighed 5 tons. It took a supreme effort just to open them. The first thing I noticed when I finally pried them open was a very worried looking Augur. I had never seen his clothes so disheveled and haphazardly worn, he had a three day beard another never, and he had bags under his eyes. I blurted out, "Augur you look like hell," before I knew what I was doing. Boy was I surprised when he didn't take offense instead he let out a loud yell of what sounded like joy. He then started doing a little dance.
That's when I tried to move to see if Augur was okay and almost fainted from the pain. I felt like a thousand knives were being driven through every part of my body. I think I cried out but I'm not sure. Augur sure did rush to my side in a hurry if I didn't. I hadn't seen him this worried since Lili went missing.
"Take it easy kid." Augur was very serious now his face was very sober. "You've been in a coma for two months." My mind was spinning 'two months!'
Vocalizing my thought I croaked, "Two months?" Augur nodded. My mind racing I took in the room that I was in trying to distract myself from this revelation. That's when what happened caught up with me. 'Oh, god.' I remembered how I was the last hope for the Taleons and the Jaridains. How it all went wrong. Zo'or got his revenge after all. Zo'or's death caused the process to malfunction by contaminating the energy pool. Instead of new life that would survive the Jaridains and the Taleons were turned into Atavas. A new type of Atavas not like the creature that Da'an turned into when he was cut of from the Commonality, one not so instinctual and beastly but one with more sentience. I remember how suddenly the chamber had started sucking the life out of me. It began to literally pulling me apart. I could feel my insides trying to become my outsides. Shuddering at the memory I could feel the pain following in the wake of just that small movement.
Augur was watching me like a hawk and brought me some water. I smiled gratefully at him and he smiled back relieved. "You scared the crap out of me you know that right?" I just stared at him. Augur isn't one to voice his feelings unless they're indignation or arrogance, he seemed sort of nervous like he was afraid I'd reject him. I have personal knowledge of rejection and I got to say I hope that I never inflect that pain on anyone.
I grabbed Augur's hand surprised again at how much effort I had to put in to every simple movement. "I'm alright now Augur." The world was starting to get vague and distant, I yawned. "I think I'll go back to sleep now."
The last thing I heard was Augur softly saying, "Just make sure you wake up a little sooner this time kid, okay?" I had a great come back all ready for him on the tip of my lips and then the dream realm claimed me once more.
Augur
When Liam opened his eyes and told me how terrible I looked I felt like I was on the top of the world. He had insulted me but hell he was alive. I was still worried about him though. No one else would probably notice but that kid was in so much pain it could sink an elephant. I practically raised him and I could tell that just twitching caused him more pain than I could handle. The stiffness in the way Liam was lying, the way his hand shook when he grabbed mine told the whole story even though Liam is a great actor. He had to be to survive but I taught him most of those skills and I can read him about as well as he can read me.
I didn't tell him about the Taleons being gone. I should have but I have the feeling he already knows. Or maybe I'm just trying to assuage my conscience telling myself I don't have to tell him. Oh, well only time will tell me if I'm lying to myself.
Liam
It felt like I had just laid my head on my pillow when I woke up in a cold sweat, shaking, and my heart racing. Dreams have plagued me since the day that I was born, more accurately nightmares. I guess that having everyone out to kill me for one reason or another either for being in the Resistance or being not totally human my whole life is a good reason to have insomnia. I've never told any one about these dreams. I'm scared of what people might think. I'm ashamed of how venerable they make me feel, how helpless.
Sometimes I feel like a little kid dressed up in his parent's clothes pretending to be a grown up only I can't take off the disguise and no one can see through it to see how much I just wish I could be that child that I never was. After a nightmare is one of these times. Tonight's was a rerun of one of my more persistent horrors; one where Sandoval follows through with his threat and has me implanted with a full CVI and I betray what little there is left of the Resistance and my friends. I watch helpless trapped in my own body as I help hunt down those I would protect. Sandoval may not know he's my father doesn't stop the hurt because I know. 'He may be dead now.'
My life has been ruled by fear, fear of being discovered, fear for my life, fear of my father, fear for my father, fear of Zo'or, fear of Doors, fear of myself. I don't know if I'll ever live without fear but I tired of living this way constantly on the alert watching my back. Remembering the Taleons death and the look on Augur's face when he realized that I was okay I found that I couldn't think of a better time than here and now to find out.
I always had an easier time accessing my mother's memories than Ha'gel or Sandoval and I had a flash to when she was a kid. To banish the night terrors she used to hide under the covers thinking that the bad things couldn't find her that way. 'Maybe it will work with adults too.' Pulling the quilt that Augur had draped over me when I fell asleep over my head I wished that I could hide from the world this easily.
Augur
Liam passed out on his bed about a half hour ago. He was so tired he didn't even take off his clothes. I had to sneak into his room to take his shoes off and covered him with a blanket. Liam's got to be the most stubborn person I know and I thought that Lili took the cake, that's got to be where he got it from I sure as hell didn't teach it to him. Makes me love her all the more. He won't give up no matter how much it hurts the pain would be too much for most people, they would just give up. Atrophy has made it hard for Liam to even stand for extended periods of time. The therapy to get his muscles working again is basically pure torture. He works out in the weight room every day for 6 hours with a determination that makes me proud. Afterwards he's so tired he can barely keep his eyes open. I feel like a mother hen always hovering and worrying that he's going to strain himself to hard or hurt himself trying to get better too fast but I'm so proud at the same time. A real mother hen.
I know Renee thinks I'm in the Bahamas but all the people that want to hide go there either that or Borneo. The truth is that I bought my own island off this survival nut that thought that after the Taleons arrived he wouldn't need his own private bunker any more. Yeah, right. The island is in a dead zone, which is one of those really, really rare zones that have conflicting polarities that negate sensors. It's virtually invisible unless you go out and look for it with your own eyes and even then it's nearly impossible to find. Nothing gets into its zone and nothing can get out. It's a little drastic for me but after the Sen-Dep not having a working telephone doesn't seem like such a big deal. Haven is a tiny island not worth anything except to a person like me and it's not on any maps. Seems some where along the line it got miss-placed and never found again.
I had to make some modifications and upgrades because Mr. Survival wasn't too big on creature comfort and technology took a major leap forward after the Taleons came but otherwise the place was perfect. I had to hire my own personal mail deliverywoman to get information on what happens on the outside world but hey that's the price of isolation.
Kary's due to arrive any minute now with reports on what is happening outside. I hired her on the recommendation from a reliable source and so far she has been working out fine. She's an ex-Liberation fighter who quit when she found out she was pregnant. Kary still believed that the Taleons we're up to no good but she didn't want to put her baby at risk. She lives on the main land and travels out here every month or so under the guise of visiting the baby's father for child support.
Right on cue I hear the sound of an outboard engine. Smiling I walk out to greet the only visitor that I get. Baring the occasional alien being dropping in. 'Maybe I can get her to stick around for a while this time.' She isn't really my type but it is fun flirting with her. 'She sure knows how to throw a come back.' The boat was still quite a bit out when I noticed that she wasn't alone this time. I couldn't make out faces from this distance but I can tell the other person with her is male. 'Oh, no. I have a bad feeling about this.'
Liam
A noise like a persistent buzzing fly was the first thing that I heard the instant I woke up. I may never have really been a Major in the SI war but I still have the memories, the instincts, and the abilities of two highly skilled professional soldiers and even that little bit of noise was enough to wake me from my slumber. Doing anything about it was another story. It took a lot of effort to get to my feet when not too long ago I could have done it in seconds now it took minutes and more energy than I thought possible. When on my feet the world seemed to swirl for a moment before I ordered it to settle down. I heard Augur move in the kitchen, which has seemed to become his permanent residence of late. He was out the door and on his was to the dock before I had gotten the three steps to the stand that held my gun. Not really my gun, my gun went the way of the do-do along with the Taleons and the Jaridains. No this gun is a loner from Augur, he kept it around in cause of an emergency but when I asked for a weapon he gave it to me. I felt uncomfortable without a gun at my side. My whole life I have never been unarmed or with out a weapon in arms reach other than the first few hours after my birth. There are a lot of nevers in my life.
I was thinking about it earlier sitting in Augur's workout room. 'Boy did that surprise me.' I was resting after an exercise and I realized that I had had enough. I had spent all of my life alone. Never really close to any one, I was always the outsider. I never figured I'd live to see the end of the conflict. With all the times that I've almost been killed by my father, by Zo'or, by Doors, by other people fighting the Taleons, by Jaridain replicates, by Jaridains, by everybody and anybody with a gun and a hankering for power. Now the Taleons and the Jaridains are gone and I was more alone than ever. Before I had a purpose, a reason to wake up in the morning. I had nothing now because I never had the chance to have a life. I just borrowed life from my parents. I had never played catch, never made a snowman, never even had a vacation, and I was just so sick of it. I wanted to just live for a while find out who the hell Liam really is because I'm not to sure that he really exists. And I think the best place to start is with my friendship with Augur. He was my first friend now my only friend. Augur had introduced me to a lot of firsts, only laughing occasionally.
Weakness is not something that I'm used to. Helplessness, fear, yes but not weakness. It scares me more than death. I always figured I'd wouldn't grow old but when I went I'd go kicking and screaming lately I don't think I could even mange the screaming. Still I can't leave Augur to fend for himself, he's no fighter. I got to the door by sheer will power to see Augur watching a boat come to the dock. I'd go out to him but I think I'd fall straight on my face, better to just stay here where I can lean on the doorway for support. Augur looks agitated, I guess that's better than scared but I still can't leave incase there's trouble. My serve and protect instinct is too strong besides Augur's the only family I have left.
Augur
'What the hell is Kary thinking?' Wanting for her to dock I just couldn't get over the fact that she'd brought some one to the island. I headed over to the dock scowling. She greeted me with her usual chipper smile while whoever she had brought stayed with the boat. Grinning she said with absolutely no shame, "How's the kid Augur?"
"He's getting better. I still think he's pushing it too hard but he won't give up. Kary what do you think you're doing?"
"Oh lighten up Augur. I found him asking around for you in town and I knew you'd want to see him." She had a smug smile on her face. She beaconed to the figure puttering around the boat totally ignoring my disapproval. When I saw the face of our uninvited guest I stepped back in shock. 'Oh, my God!' I felt my knees giving out beneath me. 'This isn't possible!'
"Hello Augur." I felt my mouth opening and closing but no sound came out. I couldn't believe my eyes. Kary just smiled at my disbelief.
"I had a hard time believing it too at first Augur but it's really Boone."
Liam
I saw Augur stagger away from who ever was with Kary. I felt adrenaline pump through my body. It wasn't nearly enough but it was a start. I started making my way over to the docks. My vision was blurry and I couldn't make out faces or details but I could tell Augur was in shock. That was enough for me. He was in danger and I had to protect him. I was able to get myself over to where they were standing. I leveled my gun at who ever had found Augur's hideaway trying to keep it steady even though I barely had the energy to raise my arm. Now that I was closer I could make out Kary's face, though it was looking through a tunnel, she had a shocked expression on her normally cheerful face. I turned my gaze to the intruder. It took a moment for my eyes to refocus. My eyes widened in disbelief. It couldn't be him. He's dead. Neither less I lowered my gun. 'Doesn't anybody stay dead anymore.' Then I just ran out of energy and the world went black.
Boone
When I went looking for Augur I never thought it would be as hard as it turned out to find him. Still I couldn't give up not with most of the world thinking that Renee and I are off our rockers. Our movement needs all of the help we can get and Augur is the best hacker on the planet. I was lucky that Kary knew me from her Liberation days otherwise I have a feeling I would still be looking for him. When I put out feelers asking about Augur she came forward cautiously to find out who was looking. I remember the shocked look on her face when she found out it was me who was looking. It seems that everybody believed that I was dead. Everybody. So when Augur started freaking I kind of expected it what I hadn't expected was what came next.
It took me a while after I came back from where ever the hell I was to adjust to what had happened while I was gone. But the one thing that threw me through the biggest loop was how the leadership of the Liberation/Resistance had changed. I never imagined Doors ever letting go of leading the Resistance. Doors was a power hungry man and I had a hard time imagining it. I had an even harder time coming to terms with Door's replacement, Major Liam Kincaid. Not the Liam I had known but instead an hybrid who had taken on Major Kincaid's identity to infiltrate the Taelons. Not only that but he was the son of the alien that had almost killed me. What amazed me wasn't all of these. No, what amazed me was the fact that most of the Resistance hadn't known about them, they knew there were huge gaps in the past about Liam and that he wasn't the real Kincaid, but they trusted him any way. The man had collected trust like most people collected debt.
Renee told me he was dead. That he died in that volcanic Atavaus pit under the ocean. The way she talked about him made me kind of jealous until I found he was definitely no longer competition. I think she was half in love with him. I got some more facts from the other ex-Resistance people working with us to elaborate her story and the way they talked about him was even more awestruck. The Major, that's what most of them called him. One rather giggly girl explained it to me, she said, "Oh, of course we know he's not a real Major. giggle The thing is no one could bring themselves to call him Liam. giggle We'd only do it if asked. He was such a dish giggle and well, I remember this one time giggle he had Sandoval chasing this false Resistance trail for hours going around in circles. giggle It's just that he was so grand and so…so… We just couldn't bring ourselves to call him Liam." Even though her answers sometimes wandered off into "The Major's" exploits I got the jest of it from her and everyone else. He was respected, more than Doors ever was. People feared Doors they didn't respect him. That old buzzard is dead too. Seems like everyone up and died lately, even me.
I feel like Alice. I've fallen down the rabbit hole and I have no idea what is going to happen next. After all the dead just don't want to stay planted anymore. I should know. One presumed dead man carrying another presumed dead man, what a pair. The Major is a lot lighter than I expected and he looks a lot worse for the wear than he did in all those holos. Augur looks worried and Kary's frowning. I wonder what the man went through and how he survived. Somehow I have a feeling that it's going to be an interesting story.
Explanation: I hate season five with the rest of the EFC world but I love that they brought back Boone. The only good thing about the whole season. I started watching EFC because of Liam and I wasn't about to let him stay dead. This story is my way of bringing my two favorite characters back. So everybody welcome back…Liam and Augur. hear applause.
Seriously Exaggerated
Augur
I was walking down the beach enjoying the feel the of wind blowing on my face, the smell of the salt, and the way the damp sand felt under my feet. Just reveling in the feelings and smells and sights. Sen-dep had given me a new appreciation in the art of being alive. I was half way around my island when suddenly a strange shiver went up my spine. I never really understood the saying 'my hair stood on end' until that moment.
I turned around and found standing there Ha'gel. I've never really seen Liam's father before but from the descriptions he's given me I could tell that this being of energy had to be him. The fact that he held a limp Liam in his arms was a dead give away too. 'Wait a minute Liam!' I felt my heart jump to my throat he looked half dead, more than half dead he looked dead dead. Ha'gel gently laid Liam down on the sand. I couldn't stop myself I rushed over to his prone form and took his head in my hands. I could feel my heart trying to escape my chest. 'Liam's all I have left, Lili's dead, Boone's dead, my family's all dead, I can't lose him too! Liam hasn't even seen his fifth birthday yet its not fair!'
I had forgotten that Ha'gel was there until he decided to speak up. "You will take care of him." Startled I looked up at him. It wasn't a request it was a statement of fact. It didn't matter I could never leave Liam like this. "He is very weak. I was forced to give him back what he had forsaken to save his life. I could not let him die. He is my son. He still may not live, he would have died, he should have died, if I had not interfered... I must go now." One moment he was there then I blinked and he was gone.
Then the feel of Liam's feverish forehead in my hands drove all thoughts aside except to get Liam in to the house. I scrambled to my feet grabbing him under the arms. I grunted with the effort. "Kid, you need to lose some weight." I was trying to hide my fear from myself. I was scared to death. The thought of Liam dying was making me shake. He is all I have.
Two months later
After two months of taking care of Liam he was finally stable. When I got him into my house and ran him under the med scanner I was shocked that the 30-foot drag hadn't killed him. Almost every bone in his body was fractured and all of his systems were in various stages of shut down. Even though I don't believe in the big guy I started praising God that he had made me so paranoid that even though I was no longer fighting and I was in a virtually invisible hideout that I still had a fully equipped med lab.
Liam was touch and go for two months. I was afraid to even leave him alone for fear that he'd go into convulsions. He did three times and only the fact that he's not totally human saved his life. Liam even with the danger that he was in would never of lived if he was human.
Slouched over a cup of coffee in the kitchen I was trying to keep my eyes open. Kary had just delivered some news of the outside world and I was still trying to get over the shock that the Taleons were gone. 'I wonder if Liam's condition had anything to do with it.' Sighing I picked up the once hot cup of coffee and took a sip. I grimacing at the taste I kept on drinking, I didn't want to bother making a fresh pot.
My only contact with the outside world, Kary, brings me news every couple of months which sometimes is nowhere soon enough. The news of the Taleons being gone would have caused me to do a happy dance only two months ago but now even though it did give me some pleasure the news just wasn't as important as it would have been.
The reason was laying in the adjoining room in a coma. Even though the Taleons are gone life for Liam is still going to be hard. He has no past to go back to, no family, no life really Liam's spent every moment of his life fighting since day one. What does a person who had to make up a lie to explain his very existence do when the reason for living is gone? What if the real Kincaid wanted his name back? What would Liam do? It maybe selfish but I care too much to just let go of him. So I've spent two months coaxing Liam back to health but I can't help wonder what he's going to do now.
A rustling sound came for Liam's room and before I knew it I was out of my seat and flying towards his bed. As I reached the side of his bed I saw that his eyelids were fluttering. After all the waiting when he opened his eyes I felt my heart squeeze. They were clouded and seemed disoriented. I knew his body had survived what ever happened to him but would his mind? When the words, "Augur you look like hell," came out of his mouth I couldn't control myself I let out a whoop of excitement. He was going to be just fine.
Liam
I was pushing my through a darkness, it wanted to wrap around me and banish the worries and cares of the world into its depths. I was tempted, seriously tempted to just relax and let the darkness cover me back up in its comforting nothingness but I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something I should be doing, something important. So I struggled against the darkness that wanted to claim me. My eyes felt like they were made of lead and weighed 5 tons. It took a supreme effort just to open them. The first thing I noticed when I finally pried them open was a very worried looking Augur. I had never seen his clothes so disheveled and haphazardly worn, he had a three day beard another never, and he had bags under his eyes. I blurted out, "Augur you look like hell," before I knew what I was doing. Boy was I surprised when he didn't take offense instead he let out a loud yell of what sounded like joy. He then started doing a little dance.
That's when I tried to move to see if Augur was okay and almost fainted from the pain. I felt like a thousand knives were being driven through every part of my body. I think I cried out but I'm not sure. Augur sure did rush to my side in a hurry if I didn't. I hadn't seen him this worried since Lili went missing.
"Take it easy kid." Augur was very serious now his face was very sober. "You've been in a coma for two months." My mind was spinning 'two months!'
Vocalizing my thought I croaked, "Two months?" Augur nodded. My mind racing I took in the room that I was in trying to distract myself from this revelation. That's when what happened caught up with me. 'Oh, god.' I remembered how I was the last hope for the Taleons and the Jaridains. How it all went wrong. Zo'or got his revenge after all. Zo'or's death caused the process to malfunction by contaminating the energy pool. Instead of new life that would survive the Jaridains and the Taleons were turned into Atavas. A new type of Atavas not like the creature that Da'an turned into when he was cut of from the Commonality, one not so instinctual and beastly but one with more sentience. I remember how suddenly the chamber had started sucking the life out of me. It began to literally pulling me apart. I could feel my insides trying to become my outsides. Shuddering at the memory I could feel the pain following in the wake of just that small movement.
Augur was watching me like a hawk and brought me some water. I smiled gratefully at him and he smiled back relieved. "You scared the crap out of me you know that right?" I just stared at him. Augur isn't one to voice his feelings unless they're indignation or arrogance, he seemed sort of nervous like he was afraid I'd reject him. I have personal knowledge of rejection and I got to say I hope that I never inflect that pain on anyone.
I grabbed Augur's hand surprised again at how much effort I had to put in to every simple movement. "I'm alright now Augur." The world was starting to get vague and distant, I yawned. "I think I'll go back to sleep now."
The last thing I heard was Augur softly saying, "Just make sure you wake up a little sooner this time kid, okay?" I had a great come back all ready for him on the tip of my lips and then the dream realm claimed me once more.
Augur
When Liam opened his eyes and told me how terrible I looked I felt like I was on the top of the world. He had insulted me but hell he was alive. I was still worried about him though. No one else would probably notice but that kid was in so much pain it could sink an elephant. I practically raised him and I could tell that just twitching caused him more pain than I could handle. The stiffness in the way Liam was lying, the way his hand shook when he grabbed mine told the whole story even though Liam is a great actor. He had to be to survive but I taught him most of those skills and I can read him about as well as he can read me.
I didn't tell him about the Taleons being gone. I should have but I have the feeling he already knows. Or maybe I'm just trying to assuage my conscience telling myself I don't have to tell him. Oh, well only time will tell me if I'm lying to myself.
Liam
It felt like I had just laid my head on my pillow when I woke up in a cold sweat, shaking, and my heart racing. Dreams have plagued me since the day that I was born, more accurately nightmares. I guess that having everyone out to kill me for one reason or another either for being in the Resistance or being not totally human my whole life is a good reason to have insomnia. I've never told any one about these dreams. I'm scared of what people might think. I'm ashamed of how venerable they make me feel, how helpless.
Sometimes I feel like a little kid dressed up in his parent's clothes pretending to be a grown up only I can't take off the disguise and no one can see through it to see how much I just wish I could be that child that I never was. After a nightmare is one of these times. Tonight's was a rerun of one of my more persistent horrors; one where Sandoval follows through with his threat and has me implanted with a full CVI and I betray what little there is left of the Resistance and my friends. I watch helpless trapped in my own body as I help hunt down those I would protect. Sandoval may not know he's my father doesn't stop the hurt because I know. 'He may be dead now.'
My life has been ruled by fear, fear of being discovered, fear for my life, fear of my father, fear for my father, fear of Zo'or, fear of Doors, fear of myself. I don't know if I'll ever live without fear but I tired of living this way constantly on the alert watching my back. Remembering the Taleons death and the look on Augur's face when he realized that I was okay I found that I couldn't think of a better time than here and now to find out.
I always had an easier time accessing my mother's memories than Ha'gel or Sandoval and I had a flash to when she was a kid. To banish the night terrors she used to hide under the covers thinking that the bad things couldn't find her that way. 'Maybe it will work with adults too.' Pulling the quilt that Augur had draped over me when I fell asleep over my head I wished that I could hide from the world this easily.
Augur
Liam passed out on his bed about a half hour ago. He was so tired he didn't even take off his clothes. I had to sneak into his room to take his shoes off and covered him with a blanket. Liam's got to be the most stubborn person I know and I thought that Lili took the cake, that's got to be where he got it from I sure as hell didn't teach it to him. Makes me love her all the more. He won't give up no matter how much it hurts the pain would be too much for most people, they would just give up. Atrophy has made it hard for Liam to even stand for extended periods of time. The therapy to get his muscles working again is basically pure torture. He works out in the weight room every day for 6 hours with a determination that makes me proud. Afterwards he's so tired he can barely keep his eyes open. I feel like a mother hen always hovering and worrying that he's going to strain himself to hard or hurt himself trying to get better too fast but I'm so proud at the same time. A real mother hen.
I know Renee thinks I'm in the Bahamas but all the people that want to hide go there either that or Borneo. The truth is that I bought my own island off this survival nut that thought that after the Taleons arrived he wouldn't need his own private bunker any more. Yeah, right. The island is in a dead zone, which is one of those really, really rare zones that have conflicting polarities that negate sensors. It's virtually invisible unless you go out and look for it with your own eyes and even then it's nearly impossible to find. Nothing gets into its zone and nothing can get out. It's a little drastic for me but after the Sen-Dep not having a working telephone doesn't seem like such a big deal. Haven is a tiny island not worth anything except to a person like me and it's not on any maps. Seems some where along the line it got miss-placed and never found again.
I had to make some modifications and upgrades because Mr. Survival wasn't too big on creature comfort and technology took a major leap forward after the Taleons came but otherwise the place was perfect. I had to hire my own personal mail deliverywoman to get information on what happens on the outside world but hey that's the price of isolation.
Kary's due to arrive any minute now with reports on what is happening outside. I hired her on the recommendation from a reliable source and so far she has been working out fine. She's an ex-Liberation fighter who quit when she found out she was pregnant. Kary still believed that the Taleons we're up to no good but she didn't want to put her baby at risk. She lives on the main land and travels out here every month or so under the guise of visiting the baby's father for child support.
Right on cue I hear the sound of an outboard engine. Smiling I walk out to greet the only visitor that I get. Baring the occasional alien being dropping in. 'Maybe I can get her to stick around for a while this time.' She isn't really my type but it is fun flirting with her. 'She sure knows how to throw a come back.' The boat was still quite a bit out when I noticed that she wasn't alone this time. I couldn't make out faces from this distance but I can tell the other person with her is male. 'Oh, no. I have a bad feeling about this.'
Liam
A noise like a persistent buzzing fly was the first thing that I heard the instant I woke up. I may never have really been a Major in the SI war but I still have the memories, the instincts, and the abilities of two highly skilled professional soldiers and even that little bit of noise was enough to wake me from my slumber. Doing anything about it was another story. It took a lot of effort to get to my feet when not too long ago I could have done it in seconds now it took minutes and more energy than I thought possible. When on my feet the world seemed to swirl for a moment before I ordered it to settle down. I heard Augur move in the kitchen, which has seemed to become his permanent residence of late. He was out the door and on his was to the dock before I had gotten the three steps to the stand that held my gun. Not really my gun, my gun went the way of the do-do along with the Taleons and the Jaridains. No this gun is a loner from Augur, he kept it around in cause of an emergency but when I asked for a weapon he gave it to me. I felt uncomfortable without a gun at my side. My whole life I have never been unarmed or with out a weapon in arms reach other than the first few hours after my birth. There are a lot of nevers in my life.
I was thinking about it earlier sitting in Augur's workout room. 'Boy did that surprise me.' I was resting after an exercise and I realized that I had had enough. I had spent all of my life alone. Never really close to any one, I was always the outsider. I never figured I'd live to see the end of the conflict. With all the times that I've almost been killed by my father, by Zo'or, by Doors, by other people fighting the Taleons, by Jaridain replicates, by Jaridains, by everybody and anybody with a gun and a hankering for power. Now the Taleons and the Jaridains are gone and I was more alone than ever. Before I had a purpose, a reason to wake up in the morning. I had nothing now because I never had the chance to have a life. I just borrowed life from my parents. I had never played catch, never made a snowman, never even had a vacation, and I was just so sick of it. I wanted to just live for a while find out who the hell Liam really is because I'm not to sure that he really exists. And I think the best place to start is with my friendship with Augur. He was my first friend now my only friend. Augur had introduced me to a lot of firsts, only laughing occasionally.
Weakness is not something that I'm used to. Helplessness, fear, yes but not weakness. It scares me more than death. I always figured I'd wouldn't grow old but when I went I'd go kicking and screaming lately I don't think I could even mange the screaming. Still I can't leave Augur to fend for himself, he's no fighter. I got to the door by sheer will power to see Augur watching a boat come to the dock. I'd go out to him but I think I'd fall straight on my face, better to just stay here where I can lean on the doorway for support. Augur looks agitated, I guess that's better than scared but I still can't leave incase there's trouble. My serve and protect instinct is too strong besides Augur's the only family I have left.
Augur
'What the hell is Kary thinking?' Wanting for her to dock I just couldn't get over the fact that she'd brought some one to the island. I headed over to the dock scowling. She greeted me with her usual chipper smile while whoever she had brought stayed with the boat. Grinning she said with absolutely no shame, "How's the kid Augur?"
"He's getting better. I still think he's pushing it too hard but he won't give up. Kary what do you think you're doing?"
"Oh lighten up Augur. I found him asking around for you in town and I knew you'd want to see him." She had a smug smile on her face. She beaconed to the figure puttering around the boat totally ignoring my disapproval. When I saw the face of our uninvited guest I stepped back in shock. 'Oh, my God!' I felt my knees giving out beneath me. 'This isn't possible!'
"Hello Augur." I felt my mouth opening and closing but no sound came out. I couldn't believe my eyes. Kary just smiled at my disbelief.
"I had a hard time believing it too at first Augur but it's really Boone."
Liam
I saw Augur stagger away from who ever was with Kary. I felt adrenaline pump through my body. It wasn't nearly enough but it was a start. I started making my way over to the docks. My vision was blurry and I couldn't make out faces or details but I could tell Augur was in shock. That was enough for me. He was in danger and I had to protect him. I was able to get myself over to where they were standing. I leveled my gun at who ever had found Augur's hideaway trying to keep it steady even though I barely had the energy to raise my arm. Now that I was closer I could make out Kary's face, though it was looking through a tunnel, she had a shocked expression on her normally cheerful face. I turned my gaze to the intruder. It took a moment for my eyes to refocus. My eyes widened in disbelief. It couldn't be him. He's dead. Neither less I lowered my gun. 'Doesn't anybody stay dead anymore.' Then I just ran out of energy and the world went black.
Boone
When I went looking for Augur I never thought it would be as hard as it turned out to find him. Still I couldn't give up not with most of the world thinking that Renee and I are off our rockers. Our movement needs all of the help we can get and Augur is the best hacker on the planet. I was lucky that Kary knew me from her Liberation days otherwise I have a feeling I would still be looking for him. When I put out feelers asking about Augur she came forward cautiously to find out who was looking. I remember the shocked look on her face when she found out it was me who was looking. It seems that everybody believed that I was dead. Everybody. So when Augur started freaking I kind of expected it what I hadn't expected was what came next.
It took me a while after I came back from where ever the hell I was to adjust to what had happened while I was gone. But the one thing that threw me through the biggest loop was how the leadership of the Liberation/Resistance had changed. I never imagined Doors ever letting go of leading the Resistance. Doors was a power hungry man and I had a hard time imagining it. I had an even harder time coming to terms with Door's replacement, Major Liam Kincaid. Not the Liam I had known but instead an hybrid who had taken on Major Kincaid's identity to infiltrate the Taelons. Not only that but he was the son of the alien that had almost killed me. What amazed me wasn't all of these. No, what amazed me was the fact that most of the Resistance hadn't known about them, they knew there were huge gaps in the past about Liam and that he wasn't the real Kincaid, but they trusted him any way. The man had collected trust like most people collected debt.
Renee told me he was dead. That he died in that volcanic Atavaus pit under the ocean. The way she talked about him made me kind of jealous until I found he was definitely no longer competition. I think she was half in love with him. I got some more facts from the other ex-Resistance people working with us to elaborate her story and the way they talked about him was even more awestruck. The Major, that's what most of them called him. One rather giggly girl explained it to me, she said, "Oh, of course we know he's not a real Major. giggle The thing is no one could bring themselves to call him Liam. giggle We'd only do it if asked. He was such a dish giggle and well, I remember this one time giggle he had Sandoval chasing this false Resistance trail for hours going around in circles. giggle It's just that he was so grand and so…so… We just couldn't bring ourselves to call him Liam." Even though her answers sometimes wandered off into "The Major's" exploits I got the jest of it from her and everyone else. He was respected, more than Doors ever was. People feared Doors they didn't respect him. That old buzzard is dead too. Seems like everyone up and died lately, even me.
I feel like Alice. I've fallen down the rabbit hole and I have no idea what is going to happen next. After all the dead just don't want to stay planted anymore. I should know. One presumed dead man carrying another presumed dead man, what a pair. The Major is a lot lighter than I expected and he looks a lot worse for the wear than he did in all those holos. Augur looks worried and Kary's frowning. I wonder what the man went through and how he survived. Somehow I have a feeling that it's going to be an interesting story.