At first Liam was happy to have a free afternoon. But the Taelon had not returned or even called since three days, he could be dead and Liam would know nothing of it.

He had called the embassy the next morning and Lassiter had told him that Da'an had not yet returned the embassy. Liam took a free day again.

Finally he had the time to take care of resistance business. Renée and him had sheduled many meetings with others resistants in the whole world. It would be a long week.

The new resistance leader enter in his function today, he said to himself.

But he was still worry for Da'an. Despite the Taelon had betrayed him, the resistance and the humanity, Da'an was his mentor, the only parent figure he ever had, his friend...and the only humanity advocate within the Synod.

He was worry, he admitted it freely. Even Sandoval did not know when Da'an was.

He get up from his chair, in thirty minutes he had a meeting with the canadian resistance leader at augur's place. But before go he wanted to be sure Da'an was safe. He had a bad omen with that situation. Da'an had the habit to be mysterious but not like that.

He took his global nad called Zo'or.

The always non-emotional face of the Synod leader appeared on the screen.

"Major Kincaid, today was not your day of rest?" It was clear that Zo'or was unhappy to see him. Well like always, Liam thought.

"Yes Zo'or but I'm worry for Da'an. He is on the mothership since three days and had not called me. I have no news about him."

Zo'or lowered the head he seemed to thought.

*

The words escaped Zo'or's mouth quickly, almost in a blew. Then the Synod Leader turned his gaze away and blushed blue deeply, longly. As if just the words had reminded him a painful moment.

After several try, Liam was finally able to pronouce distincly some words :
"What?" he asked in total disbelief. Zo'or had never know humans eyes could be so large.

For the first time in his short life, Liam saw Zo'or without his icy mask.
"Please Major, it's such a sad event within the Taelons people." It was apparent that Zo'or wished not to speak of it.

Liam thought for fifteen seconds and then replied :
"I'm coming." Zo'or opened the mouth for answer but Liam cut off the link before the Taelon could place a word.

He leaned back in his chair and covered his face with his hands. Actually he was trying hard not to cry. Like his memory just wanted him to suffer more, it brought back all the pleasants memories Liam and Da'an had had together. When they were playing foovlasha together before the replicant arrival in the embassy, the beautiful joining they had when Liam had reconnected Da'an in the Commonality, the only time they had shared, in the parrallel world..

Tears came to the corners of his eyes. He wiped them away quickly with the back of his hand. It was an error, Zo'or just wanted to make him betraying himself, maybe Da'an was a prisonner.

"No, it cannot be!" he whispered angrily.

He grabbed his coat and hurried out of the room.

Augur's place, two minutes later

Liam appeared in the interdimentional portal. Renée was sat at a table with Augur, eating something which, with a little imagination, can pass for food.

They were laughing together. Augur was in his fully seduction mode, as always.

They both stoped laughing when they saw the awful look on Liam's face.

"Mon Dieu, Liam! Where have you spent the night?" Renée said half-laughing, thinking that something funny had occured. She than remarked the sadness in his green eyes. "What happened?" she asked, seriously now, full of concern in her eyes.

Liam took a big, long breath. "Apparently Da'an is dead. I'm on my way to the mothership right now."

Augur lowered the head. He knew what Da'an represented for Liam. Despite the Taelon had betrayed the hybrid, never Liam had talked bad of him. Never, as long as Augur could remember. Liam was always defending this Taelon.

Renée seemed on the edge to burst in laugh. "Well where is the Champagne bottle, Augur! This need to be celebrate!" A minute to late, she realized she had said the most wrong thing she could said now to Liam.
"Liam, listen. I know you liked him a lot, but he betrayde you and...thing of the opportunity for the mouvement. Now all their services are a little destabilized by this so we could tempt something during it." She said softly, attempting to comforts him.

"I'm sorry Renée but I don't think I'm in the good mood for that." With a flash of white light, he disappeared again into the interdimentional world.

Augur shot a sharp glance at Renée. "I heard once Liam told to Lili that he considered me like his big brother or his best friend, same for Lili or for you I think, but Da'an was the only thing he could truly call a parent."

*hugz Liam* Oh Liam....

*glares at Renee*

Mothership, Da'an privates quarters, one day ago

Da'an opened the door of his private chamber and let himself fall on the bed. He curled in a small ball and let his head on his knees. He was tired, so, so tired. By all. By the constant battle of words with Zo'or. By the always diplomatic facade he wore. By the charge of American Companion. By this stupid war between the Taelons and the Humans.

Why they don't understand, he thought despaired. I can't make them understand. Why they can't. Taelons will die if the humanity don't join with us. What's they don't understand in that. I'm so tired.

He was dying. He knew it from several days. If he could choose the place to die, he would have chose the Embassy in Washington. But now he had no more time to do so. The Void was coming he knew it. He sensed it.

Cold. Everything was cold around him, himself was cold. I'm cold, he thought. How, the Taelons don't feel the temperature changes.

He remember the only time he had sense that cold around him. Now nobody was here to hold his hand.

With all his last force, he get up and goes to his chair. Liam, he thought softly, I need to let something to Liam. He took a little blue energy sphere and englobed it with his hands. It began. All his thought. All what he thought of right now, went in that small bowl.

When he retired his hands, he collapsed on the floor on his knees. The sphere was now larger and glowing briter than ever. Like a spirit was inside.

All the energy which composed him began to swirl in the air. A cloud of littles particles of energy. Slowly each blue energy thing disappeared into th Void.

No, he thought deperatly, no it's not my time. Let me here. I don't want to go. Please. Don't bring me with you. I have things I need to do before. Please. It's not finished. They will not be capable of do it without me. Please.

But no one answered him, of course. His voice was just a whisper. All his body was in a energy cloud now.

The last time Boone had brought him back. But now nobody was there to do so and he was not able to do it himslef, alone. There the point of non-return.

And suddenly, all the blues bubbles of energy disappeared at the same time. Da'an... Taelon... American Companion... Parent... Child... Friend... was dead.

the bridge

Zo'or sensed something was wrong with his parent. He began to turn alarmed. His fingers were moving nervously on the chair arms.

He closed the eyes and let his mind leave his body. It had been years since he had not did that. In the Commonality, he went to Da'an.

The shock of the truth left him trembling. He was lucky to be sat. If he had been on his legs, he would surely have collapsed. The thought emanating of Da'an were confused.

His parent knew he was dying. It was horrible. Zo'or was here, assisting to his own parent agony!

He came back to his physical form.

"Sandoval. Go to Da'an's chamber there's a problem with him." Sandoval nodded and left the bridge.

Zo'or concentrated again and lost his human form. He went to his parent. He sensed his panic. Da'an was deeply afraid. No Taelons have done that in the past. No Taelons had gone in the Commonality to help a dying mind.

Now Zo'or knew how it was futile to pretend to don't fear the death. Like Capitain Marquette have said once, all living being have an instinctive fear of death.

His parent was too far, he could do nothing for him. Or comfort him.

Da'an, he thought toward him, answer me please. Stay with me Da'an. Don't go. Don't left me alone. I will no be able to do it alone. I love you. Please. Stay.

It was too late. Da'an did not heard him. Or at least he did not answer.

somewhere, sometime

It was dark. All was dark around him. He blinked the eyes once and when he re-opened them, he saw something very familiar. He looked around him. A wide smile came to his lips.

He knew this place, he knew it very well. Taelon. The hot colors everywhere. The so familiar purple sky. The flowers. Nothing had changed. He knew that Taelon had been destroyed long ago. But he did not care.

He had grown here, in this garden. With Mi'as and Ne'eg. It was like he was the little Da'an of before. Before the Jaridians came.

It was exactly the same. He turned and in front of him was the big purple sphere where he lived. It was floating in the air. It not touched the ground.

Everything was perfect. No. No he did not want to go back. Zo'or would do it alone. He was enough old for that.

He started to walk toward the tree where he had the habits to sat in when he was young. But he heard someone pace behind him and a very familiar voice called him.

"Da'an."

He turned to see who it was. His smile deepened when he recognized the one who have spoke.

"Boone," he whispered.

Without a word, his friend opened his arms. Da'an did not hesitate a second. He went to the man and hugged him.

"It's good to see you again," murmured Will while stroking Da'an's back. The Taelon hold him thight as if he feared to lose him again.

They broke the hug, eventually. Da'an looked at all the things again.

"I am dead." It was not a question. He knew it. He felt it with all the parts of himself. He could felt the Commonality but it was not the same as the one it was when he was...alive.

"Yes you are," answered Boone softly. "Come with me Da'an. There has some people waiting for you." Without waiting for Da'an answer Boone turned and started walk toward the purple sphere.

Da'an managed to ran after him. Arrived under the sphere, Boone closed his eyes and his form started to be more indistinct, transparent. But he seemed to stop the processus.

"You remember how?" he asked Da'an.

Da'an nodded, amazed."Yes...yes. I remember." It was simple. The sphere was alive, like all the Taelons building. You just needed to think about being inside it and it would do the rest. It took a little effort at first but after it was just a simple thought.

Da'an closed his eyes. When he re-opened them he saw the familiar Taelons structure around him. It was very much like the Taelon Embassy in Washington. The only differences were the colors, it was more pink and orange in there, showing that this was younger.

All was the exactly same thing as far as Da'an could remember.

Boone was looking at him, smiling.

"How can you know?" Da'an asked. It was impossible that Boone could know of this place.

Boone smile grow even larger. "It's not me Da'an, it's you. It was the way you imagined heaven."

"But how can you be inside it, if it's my thoughts..."

"I can change it if I want. Look." Around them, all went black. Da'an could not resist to let out a gasp. After, all went back in place, like how it was before.

"Wow..." was the only thing Da'an managed to say.

"Come my friend. We have much people to see."

They climbed at the upper level, in the Round Chamber. It was at the middle of the sphere. Like the name said, it was a round room. In there had some peoples Da'an knew or had known.

Boone took him by the hand and lead him toward a corner of the room. There was a sofa with two women sat in. They turned their back to them, looking outside by the virtual glass, which let in a soft cool wind. They were speaking quietly with much laughs.

Will let go of Da'an's hand and go toward the two girls. He leaned over one of her a gave her a kiss on her neck.

"Hey!" she exclaimed surprised. "You scared me, Will." She turned the head completly for give him a sweet kiss on the mouth.

Da'an watched them, smiling. The women with blond-golden hairs was Kate Boone, his implant deceased wife and the other who turned too was Katya Petrenko, the russian medium Zo'or had had killed by Agent Sandoval.

Will finally broke the kiss and turned to Da'an. He took Kate's hand and helped her to get up.

"Da'an, my wife, Kate." She advanced the hand and Da'an shook it, giving her a small smile.

"And I think you know Katya."

"Good to see you again, Da'an," she said with her little russian, so delightful, accent.

"Da'an," a voice called by behind. A soft, Taelon voice. Da'an turned quickly.

"Ma'el," he whispered, overhelmed by joy and happiness.

They went to each other and joined their palms. After some seconds, they understood that the others were curious. Da'an smiled toward the other Taelon. They were almost physically identical. Ma'el looked most masculine, he was taller and seemed more male in shape that Da'an, despite the long dress he wore.

always somewhere, sometime

To everyone surprise Ma'el passed his arm around Da'an waist. The Companion let his head fall on Ma'el shoulder.

"Before Ma'el left for Earth, we were...lovers," Da'an answered to their curious look.

Suddenly Da'an's face seemed to become harder.

"What, my soft," asked Ma'el.

"Don't worry," Da'an said smiling "I'm just worry for Liam. He's just a child. I don't know if he will be able to save both our people. Zo'or is very...like you." Da'an continued still smiling to Ma'el.

"They will do good, Da'an," said Boone.

"I hope, Boone, I hope..." the Taelon whispered let his head fall on Ma'el's chest.

"Major." It was Zo'or voice. Liam had not seen him. He was hidden by the form of his throne. The Taelon was in front of the window, his gaze lost in the stars. Zo'or wore a strange long gray dress with long, large sleeve. But he seemed to wore just that. His usual purple jumpsuit was nowhere to be seen. If it was not Zo'or, Liam would have said that it was beautiful.

"Is it true?" asked Liam made his way toward the Taelon. He stoped only some inches away from Zo'or. Strangely the Taelon did not draw back like he did always.

"Why I would have lied to you, Major?"

"Permission to speak freely?"

"Of course."

"Because you hated Da'an and that you try to kill him many times. I thought you might have arrested him for another stupid reason, put him in a cell and, by I way I ignore, disconnect him from the Commonality while keeping him alive for everyone believe him dead," he shooted acidly. When he saw Zo'or's icy stare on him, he whshed he had said nothing.

Zo'or approached him so near that he could sense the breath of the Synod Leader on his neck.

"I did not hate Da'an, Major. Our politics opinions were different, yes. We often had argumentations, also true. I tried to kill him many times, maybe. But never, I hated him." Zo'or finished in a whisper, his head turned away, looking in the stars.

"If I understand correctly he's dead, it's true?" Liam asked, surprised.

"Yes." Zo'or's voice was just a blew. "Major I wish to continue this conversation in private. Please follow me."

Without attempting to receive an answer, the Synod Leader turned and made his way toward his private chamber. Liam followed him. It was the only chance he had to learn more about what had occured. Zo'or was walking faster Liam had ever seen a Taelon walk. His dress was long and large. It stroked the floor, making a soft noise. He's looking more like a female like that, Liam thought. After what Zo'or had said him, he thought he could not be surprising by anything.

Zo'or entered in his chamber. On the door step, Liam hesitated. What if the Taelon just wanted to kill him? Stop thinking about stupidities Liam, he thought to himself, we were alone on the bridge, he would have killed me there if he wanted to.

He took a deep breath and entered after Zo'or. This one closed the door after them.

Liam had never seen Taelons quarters. He had even never seen Da'an's ones. The room was relativly small and it was much cooler than on the rest of the mothership. To his surprise it had a bed in a corner and a very human looking chair. Also Taelon furniture, like the chair with the energy stream.

He turned for seeing Zo'or who looked at him curiously. "You said you wanted to speak." Liam said.

"I feel that you want to ask me questions Major. Go first." Zo'or seemed tired. He sat on the bed and Liam sat on the chair, in front of him.

"How?"

No more words were necessary. Zo'or sighed. The thing the Major Kincaid asked him to speak of was such a difficult subject for him. For the xillionth time in two days, he wished he could do what the humans called crying.

"Maybe you did not know Major, but Da'an was very old. The older of us in fact. He died naturally, this I can promise you. His connection to the Commonality was weaker day after day. Finally it broke. Not like when he redverted in an atavus. This time the physical envelop also left this world."

"Why he did not told me?" Liam asked softly. Zo'or knew not of his Kimera heritage but still Da'an should have told him, he would have at least make his last days happy.

"You must understand that for a Taelon, losing his connecion to the Commonality his terribly ashaming. All of us knew it for a while but we also knew we could do nothing for him. Nobody could have done something for him. It was his time."

Both of them stayed in silence for a while. Liam was the next to speak.

"Zo'or can I ask you a personal question?" Liam whispered, holding his breath.

"It depends of which question." answered the Synod Leader much to the young man surprise. He had expected...all but this.

"Why, suddenly, do you...well...seem to like Da'an or at less you look like his death have done something to you?" Liam's voice was timid like he feared what might be the Taelon's reaction.

Zo'or smiled sadly and turned his head toward Liam. "He have not said to you yet." he murmured like for himself.

"Said me what?"

"I doubted but I was not sure." Liam answered softly.

"You doubted? I fear I don't understand," Zo'or asked, he seemed confused by the Major statement. Liam smiled. How Zo'or was alike Da'an like this. Even the move of his hands remembered him of his late master.

"After what happened at the Cloister. I was almost sure that you two were related by something, but I did not know you were this close." Liam whispered.

In his chamber, the Synod Leader did not need to keep the facade. Without anyone, without Da'an, without Sandoval, he could swept off the mask. He seemed on the edge to cry. Zo'or's usuals icy blue eyes were soft, sad.

Zo'or did not answer, he simply nodded. The Taelon went to a small sphere, made of a purple-blueish Taelon material.

"Major," he called. "Come here, I cannot touch it myself."

Intrigued Liam took a step toward the strange object. "What's that?" he asked to Zo'or.

not a flashback but same sound, Liam's point of view

It's dark and cold. All around me is dark and cold. I hear his voice clearly in my mind. He is there, with me.

Liam...

It's like the blew of the wind. I do not truly hear his voice. I feel his voice. I feel him around me. I'm with him.

Da'an...

Yes Liam...

How can I speak to him. He's dead. It's not possible.

Da'an what is that...

You are with me Liam. This is a sort of copy of my mind I did before die. I have something to tell you...

What Da'an...

The voice, the presence begin to disapear. I feel it. Da'an was almost gone. When he speaks again, the tone is softer, the voice begin to lower. He goes slowly but he does.

His eyes fixed on the most incredible thing he had ever seen of his life.

Kincaid had his hands like glued on the sphere. His fingers were crisped, his nails were entered in the purple material.

The young human's face was not painful, just surprising. His eyes were closed deeply.

Liam's body slowly began to raise in the air, surronded by a blue energy particles mist. Zo'or draw back a little, but the wall stoped him.

He leaned against it. And it happened. Liam smiled and...blushed blue. Smalls pink and orange energy nerves were visible under his skin. Fast all his body began just energy. Not pale blue energy like Taelons but a dark gray, blue and purple fantastic mist. His eyes hurted by it was too beautiful. He could just not took his eyes of the Major's floating body.

Himself lost his human facade. He knew what was the strange thing he had sensed when Major's hands and his had touched. It was what human called attraction.

Liam Kincaid was Kimera. The truth hit him suddenly. It was that. Liam's secret. Now all things started working in his head. Ha'gel. Disapearing of Agent Beckett. Agent Sandoval strange acting since this. Da'an's desire to have this young man as his protector. How Kincaid could have destroyed the replicant. How he might have reconnect Da'an to the Commonality.

He murmured a old Taelon exclamation of surprise and approached more to see if the young one was well.

The man fell on the ground, abruptly.

Kincaid whispered something about hell and get up slowly. He seemed to did not know of what have happened to him. He was still holding the sphere in his hands. Suddenly the object turned into a little blue powder which fell between the human's fingers.

Kincaid looked, amazingly, at Zo'or. The Synod Leader quickly put his facade on. Liam stared at his hands, full of blue-gray energy lines.

Suddenly, a point on his arms exploded to be remplaced by a bright light. All the other cells of his body suffered the same treatment. Himself was just composed of light, a bright white light. The last conscient thought he had was that he would have seen Zo'or's face.

Zo'or had no other choices but to close his eyes. With a light of this intensity, even a Taelon could go blind within seconds. When he sensed the temperature return to normal as the light, he opened his eyes, slowly.

The Major Kincaid, or what had been the Major Kincaid, was on the ground before him. It was surely not anymore a human. The young...man body was all in energy form, under his clothes. A dark purple energy form. Zo'or was amazed. He walked toward the hybrid, or the maybe complete Kimera, he did not know. The young one still have a pulse. It was weak but it was there.

The young Taelon was about to call Sandoval and a security team, when he realized what an advantage this...person could be.

The Kimera were able to reproduct with every, or almost, species who existed in the Universe. Have some Kimera DNA could just help his own barren specie. Be saved by a race we have ourself destroyed, Zo'or thought coldly. He was again the cold, heartless, who just think of his specie Synod Leader.

Before all, Liam Kincaid was precious to him. His decision was taken. He would not give the young one to Sandoval.

He was took out of his thoughts by Liam's gasping for air. He was soon kneeled by the hybrid side. He helped him to get up.

"Wha...What happened?" Kincaid asked to him with wide open eyes. After the human looked at his glowing energy form. "Whoa..." he said, in a total disbelief.

"Concentrate on your form, the form you want to show. It's relatively easy, you will see." the Taelon said to him. Liam just did so. He bowed his head, closed his eyes, concentrate on the image of Liam Kincaid, him, and slowly his human facade began to appear, under his Kimera skin. Soon he was looking completly human again.

He raised his eyes toward Zo'or. The Taelon had expected to see much things sadness, anger, even hate against him or the Taelons in general. But Liam's eyes were full of fear. The hybrid, it was one obviously, quickly took a step back and unvoluntary his sha'ka'ra'va began to glow furiously in his palm. The Taelon was totally frightened by this. He feared Liam right now. He would never admit it, but it was very scared by the being in front of him. The expression on Liam's face was one of despair. Who could know what someone despaired can do. He had the sha'ka'ra'va after all. It was easy for him to kill him in one shot almost without thinking to it. By instinct Liam must saw him as an ennemy.

"I will not call security Kincaid. Calm yourself. Don't make a big mistake." How I sound like a doctor like that, Zo'or thought, despite the gravity of the situation.

Zo'or had no time to place a word more. Liam collapsed to the ground, his sha'ka'ra'va still golwing. Zo'or went to him and helped him to sat on the edge of his bed.