The Truth Behind the Masks

Da’an’s flashback in the Commonality

Kee’sha approached the Jaridian probe, a Taelon scanner in his hand. A Jaridian probe, it missed just that. Fortunatly, Zo’or had kept it as far as possible from any Human scientist. Zo’or had progressed, and especially matured, a lot since the time when Kee’sha had known him. He had been a very good scientist, as Da’an had… thought the Taelon, coming back toward the computer.

When he had seen Da’an, some days before, he had been sadenned to see how this one had changed. Ne’eg’s death had affected the American Companion a lot more than what he showed on his, always so diplomat, facade. The Taelon sighed and put the small disc in the computer. He slowly smirked when he saw what this famous probe contained. He was very happy of what he saw. This would geratly please Da’an and Zo’or, he thought. He recognized some faces. William Boone and Lili Marquette with Jonathan Doors, that was very interesting. He entered Da’an’s personal coordinates in the computer and sent all the data toward the Washington Emb***y.

He stopped his work for blush blue. Yes, that would please Da’an and Zo’or. He was so absorbed that he did not remarked that someone was, somehow, entered in the defense system of the probe and activated the weapons.A message appeared on the screen: Data’s transfer complete. The smile of the Taelon widened. He started to type the necessary touches for send the message to the rest of the Taelons on the mothership. He did not even had time to send feelings of fear within the Commonality that the probe had fired at him. The blast hit him in the chest. He would never know hat he had been screaming.

When the energy particles disapeared, Zo’or entered in the room and put back on the shield that protected them from the weapons of the Jaridian machine. The young Taelon let out a long sad sigh, under the eyes of the young scared human scientist. Never the Commonality had known a more brutal lost, since millenia. Zo’or fought against the sudden weakness of the scream of pain within their mental links, he tried to not lose conscienceness, not before a human, he angrily thought. He did not saw that the only copy of the dat had been sent to Da’an.

End of flashback

¤

Da’an awoke with a start and sat back in his chair sharply. He had never dreamt before. He had never experienced a thing like that before. He frowned while remembering his dream very clearly. He had not seen what Kee’sha had seen but he had seen where he had sent it. The Taelon scientist was dead only a couple of hours before. Da’an was in a meeting with the Captain Marquette and the Commander Boone when he had sense the p***age of Kee’sha in the Void. Like most of the Taelons on this planet, he had fell unconscious on the ground. He had awoke in Boone’s arms.

Ne’eg first, then Ro’ha, and now Kee’sha. Then his fate was to stay alive while all his old friends died arouns him? thought Da’an sadly lowering his stare on his knees. He was almsot alone in the Emb***y, the lights were all turned off, it was the night period. He loved the quiet darkness here. He made the Human facade he wore vanish and raised. He slowly walked toward the energy stream in the center of the room.

He lifted one hand up and the blue energy particles fell. He touched lightly some ‘keys’ and what Kee’sha had sent him appeared. It was the data he had managed to extract from the Jaridian probe just before dying and that the probe was mysteirously destroyed.

The images were very clear. He recognized Jonathan Doors. Then he looked at what surrounded him. It was looking like being under the ground. Maybe the Resistance HQ were underground, where the scanners were non-working.
Then others familiar faces came. Sajhit, the man he had saved from torture risking to lose both his life as well as his position within the Synod.

He saw someone came from behind. Those moves, this attitude… William Boone. He stopped the falling of energy particles.

If Boone was part of the Resistance movement, then all was explained. Da’an knew about Lili’s resistance ties since their… accident. But Boone, he would never have doubted. This man was an implant. But it also explained a lot of things. How Boone had found him after his kidnapping, the more than non-implanted way he had often acted with Sandoval or himself…

But some things, on the other hand, became just more complex and hard to understand. Why Boone had helped him to get his American Companion position back when he had lost it? Why he had protected him during all this time? Why he had wanted to know his race better in learning the Taelon language? Why he had saved all the Taelon race from dying in risking his own life?

Da’an did not understand why Boone had done all that. He would have been to kill all his race, to destroy them all. He had had the occasion more than one time.

And Da’an’s thoughts took a different way. If Boone was not truly implanted, he was conscient of all the atrocities the Taelons commited every day. He thought briefly of what could have happen if Boone had served another Companion than him, more manipulator like Zo’or. A Human totally free of their control, and especially not ran by some imperative, a Human with augmented brain capacities, allowed by his CVI, a Human with a skrill and who could do anything he wanted to with it!

Da’an suddenly got scared when he realized what Boone represented: a danger, a great danger for all the Taelons. But despite all, a certain hesitation grew in him. A so high hesitation that he did not call Quo’on for tell him what he had just discovered.

This man was his friend. With or without a CVI. He could easily recall all the talking they had had together. All the times he had allowed Boone to give his true opinion and had done the same. He had an unbelievable trust in this human, he realized. Boone protected him with his life every days. Why it should change now?

It was with a hard and decided look on his face that he brought back the data before him and erased them. Then he returned sitting in his chair. He sat and extended his arms on the arms of the chair. He needed to be sure before doing anything that could change the future of both the human and the Taelon race.

He knew that Boone believed in a possible peace between the Human and the Taelon people, as Da’an did.

He needed to be sure about Boone before doing anything. Anything that could change the fate of their race, that was already melted.

¤

I really need to go study now

The cold voice of Zo’or interrupted Sandoval’s work.

“Agent Sandoval, did you find the data I had asked you to?”

“No Zo’or, not still. But your communication system is very high protected and-…”

“I do not want to hear of your excuses,” retorted Zo’or sharply. “I have asked you to find what Kee’sha had sent to Da’an before his death, then find it,” snapped the UN Representative.

Sandoval sighed and turned back toward his computer screen, feeling Zo’or’s icy stare on his back. It will be a long night, he thought.

¤

Flat Planet Cafe

It was the middle of the night outside. The Cafe was offiially closed, but as he knew Augur, Boone could stay there some hours after. He almost did not sleep anymore. He spent all the evening, the night, here, drinking most of the time. But it was useless. The Taelons had made the Cvi so that you could not get drunk with it, or lost connection with the reality in anyway. He had just finished his fourth glass. A normal man would have fall on the ground, with all the alcohol he had in his body.

He took the bottle on the corner of the table and filled his glass again. He was looking through the brown-golden liquid fixingly. Each times he came here, it was because he needed to put his ideas in a correct order. All stareted to melt in his head, the Companions, the Resistance, Sandoval, Lili, Da’an and Doors. He sighed.

He heard Lili high heels noise on the ground. He had always questionned himself about how she could walk with that without falling on the ground.

“Boone, what are you still doing here, at this hour?” she exclamed.

He wanted to answer that he tried to get drunk, but he know very well what she would answer. “And you what are you doing there Captain?” he asked in return.

Lili sat on a chair in front of him and looked at him deadly serious. The little voice in his head whispered that it was not a good sign. She crossed her arms on the edge of the table. “Boone, I was at the HQ and… I heard Jonathan talking of something with the leader of the Seattle cell.” Boone shouted her a curious look from behind his glass. “They were talking about Da’an, Boone. They talked of his assassination,” she finished. Boone almost let his glass fall from his hand on the floor.

“What?”

“I’m sorry, but you’ve heard well. They want to assassinate Da’an. It will happen when he will be at Seattle, for the visit next Friday. They could finally find energy weapons and… this time it’s sure that if we do nothing, Da’an will be killed,” she finished, her voice cold with some anger vaguely hearable in it. The surprised and horrified stare in Will’s eyes transformed in a suspicious one.

“So what, you came for tell me that you’ll do absolutly nothing against that?” He knew that Lili did not like Da’an, nor the Taelon. He would not be very surprised if she had just came for see how he would react to the news. After all, not so long ago, she had been told to kill him if he betrayed the Resistance. She bit her lips and turned the head away. He was surprised by what she said next.

“Since the long time we work together Boone, I thought you would know me better,” she said, looking deceived by his cold, very implant-like look.

“So why did you come here tonight Captain? ” he said, taking another long sip. He felt very acid tonight. Zo’or had did his little bastard around him and Da’an the whole day. And Sandoval had let him full of paper work to do, on his desk. He took another sip and turned a deceived stare toward the empty bottle.

Lili sighed, looking totally despaired. “I was wrong about him Boone,” she finally said, in a very little voice.

“And…?” asked Boone, doubtfully, visibly wanting her to expend about the subject.

“Ah…” she sighed. She took a long breath and forced herself to look at him in the eyes. “When we have put a virus in their systems, the shuttle crashed somewhere in the forest. He saved me from the explosion, when I was caught under the shuttle. I was wounded and he took care of me. I did not know what tohink Boone. I thought that he was so alike any Taelons. Crual, so… alien. But he is different. I know it now.” She carefully avoided the episode of ‘what had happened after’. Boone’s eyes had widened during all the times she had spoken. “Boone, I know you and Da’an are kinda close. Warn him or convince him to not go. But I do not want to let him be killed without doing something,” she whispered. She knew what she risked. It was, theorically, a betrayal of the Resistance movement. She did not want to do something very decisive about Da’an. She was still not sure about what think of him, but she did not want him to die, that was sure. She raised and, as abruptly as she had came, turned on her heels and started to make her way out. Boone’s voice made her stop.

“Lili,” he stopped, as he considered carefully his words. “I did not know that you had this kind of… relation ships, with Da’an. I mean, you seemed to have a really sure opinion about him the last time we spoke of that…”

Lili rolled the eyes before turning toward him. “Primo, Boone, I have no ‘relationships’ with Da’an and Secondo, I wish not to speak of that. All of that is not very clear in my mind.”

Boone invited her to come back sitting beside him. She accepted and took a glass. “I know very well what you are feeling,” said Will slowly while fixing the empty bottom of his glass. “I have the same odd feeling when I lie to him. I mean insolently lying. And sometime, I sense that he knows about my CVI, about you, about Doors, and that he does not care. I do not really know what to think about him either you know.” She saw that he always said ‘him’ for Da’an, like he did not like to remind that he was talking about an alien. He continued, interrupting her thoughts. “I try to convince myself that maybe the Taelons are not that bad. Perhaps they are searching for something, or perhaps they need something and they just don’t have the guts to simply ask. I don’t know. Maybe it’s my CVI. Maybe the Doctor Belman has not totally overhelmed the MI…” He stopped completly this time, he would not say anything more.

She put her hand on his shoulder. “I know what you’re feeling Will. And, trust me, it’s not because of your CVI. She stopped for take a long sip of the scotch she had in her glass. “So, will you tell Da’an or not?” she asked him.

“Don’t be worried about him Lili. I’ll try to convince him not to go. And I’m his protector after all. But you’ve drank too much. I’m the only one with a CVI there.”

She nodded, thoughtful, and left, truly, this time.

Boone stayed a long time this night, to look at the bottom of his glass, trying to understand what was happening to his life.

¤

KC: This is the first story, and it's long, of a serie, as I have said in the first part I posted. It's the story I posted in french a couple of weeks ago. It's twenty pages long and include 8 (yes 8!) page of Boone/Da'an talking. And it's not finished. So yes, there will be more. It's a sort of continuation of S1, or how I would like S2 to be. And yes, seven, Liam will be in it. Later.

Jeanne don't be so glum! I'm very interested in this fic, as usual, but I have one request. Please translate this part?

"She put her hand on his shoulder. “I know what you’re feeling Will. And, trust me, it’s not because of your CVIElle lui mit une main sur l’épaule. “Je sais ce que vous ressentez Will. Et ce n’est pas à cause de votre CVI faites-moi confiance.” She stopped for take a long sip of the scotch she had in her glass. “So, will you tell Da’an or not?” she asked him."

I can't read french so I have no idea what all was said here.
I hope everyone is feeling better! *g*

¤

Next evening, Washington Embassy

It was snowing outside. Da’an was gone on the mothership for a meeting with the members of the Synod and would not come back before tomorrow morning. Boone felt a chill go down his pine just at the thought of spending twelve hours locked in a room, in a meeting. He turned and looked through the virtual glass. Da’an had authorized him to stay in the Embassy for the night. He liked much to work here. He felt good here, seeing the energy lines in the walls glow in the dark.

All the lights were turned off. Only the walls glew a soft purple blue in the office. Outside the snow was whirling, pushed by the cold november’s wind. He smiled, it was so like his childhood. When him and Sarah waited for the first snow of the year and went outside when it had some snowflakes on the ground.

But that had happened so far long ago.

He looked at the paper work on his desk and sighed longly. Since many years, he had take the habits of talking to himself: “What a joyous night I’ll spend…” he whispered. But a response came from the other end of the room.

“Indeed,” replied Da’an’s always sweetful voice, a little sarcastic maybe. Boone smiled softly and turned toward the Taelon.

“Da’an? I believe you would not come back before tomorrow,” he said, watching the Companion coming toward him in his usual slow pace. Despite all, he was happy that Da’an had returned. Since Lili had talked to him about the assassination attempt on Da’an that Doors planned, he was at ease only when Da’an was beside him.

The Taelon was in his natural form, visbly very tired. He was finally able to put back his human facade in place and a weak smile appeared, floating on lips. “The Synod’s meeting was… much shorter than we had expected,” he simply said, as explanation.

Boone turned back toward the screen he was working on and started to type on the keys. He was interrupted when he sensed Da’an’s cool hands on his neck. He felt his muscles going tensed, despite himself. “You should be resting at this hour Boone,” declared Da’an. His slender fingers pressed on the tensed muscles on his neck, sending soft energy impulse in it. Boone felt his body relax.

“Yes, I know,” he responded. The moves of Da’an’s hands started to get more like a massage. He stopped typing and lifted his left hand for cover the one of the Taelon. Da’an stopped and took Boone’s hands in his white ones. The man turned for face him. Their eyes were locked. The look in the aliens eyes was curious and surprised too. He surely wanted to know something. But what?

Da’an, only with the look, only with the flame of freedom and loyalty, that was in Boone’s eyes, could have known the answer to his question.

He lowered his stare on Boone’s ring, he still wore. He stroked the thin gold ring he had on his finger.

“You miss her?” he asked softly. Boone raised toward him a surprised stare, but too filled with a gret sadness.

“Always,” he simply answered. He did not need to ask of who Da’an spoke. He would have said more but the look Da’an sent him stopped him. He realized that his attitude started to get suspicious. He radically changed of subject. “Da’an, I wanted to ask you if I could… take a day off tomorrow…” he said, taking his hand back, his eyes fixed on the floor.

“And why I would allow you to momently leave my service?” retorted the Taelon, turning his widely blue eyes on the human’s face.

Boone visibly hesitated. “Well, I work for you since four months and I never took a day off…” he whispered, praying that his boss would not ask more. Da’an seemed to think. The Taelon took a chance.

“Please tell me the truth.”

Boone flushed a bright red and lowered the head. “Tomorrow, it would have been our anniversary of marriage…” he whispered.

To Will’s surprise, Da’an had a sad look in his eyes, “I understand,” he said placed his hand on Boone’s shoulder. “You can have your day off Boone.”

Will flashed a smile and hurried out of the room, without a word more. Da’an sat slowly on the chair where Boone was some seconds before. He knept his gaze fixed on the little snowflakes that fell outside. He knew now, he had no doubts anymore. A true implant would never has aswered that he missed his wife. And never asked to have a day off in a so special day. If the MI of his CVI was degradated like this, then Boone had all his reason and his mind was totally free. That explained some things, but made some others just more hard to understand.

He knew what he needed to do and he knew what he would do.

Boone awoke in his bed the next morning. He turned the head toward the clock on the wall and saw that it was almost eleven AM. He almost jumped out of bed, he was late, not just a little. And realized, once he was almost out of bed, that Da’an had given him his day off today. And then, remembered why Da’an had accepted to give him the day off. He sighed and fel back in his bed.

He covered his face with his hands. Their anniversary of marriage. Kate… Oh my god, what a hell was his life now…

For the first time in six months, he stayed in his bed until one hour in the afternoon, fixing the celling, trying to put his thoughts together in a almost correct order. He finally woke up and took a cold shower. Then he just got dressed and left his house.

Boone walked through the town like a ghost. He had not really conscience of where he was going. Earlier, he had received a call from Lili and had told her that he was okay. It was not true evidently. You were not ‘okay’ while walking alone in the street, thinking to his death wife.

Inconsciously, he finished by arrive at the cimetary where Kate’s grave was. He took a white flower and quietly put it on the stone. He sat on a bench and he remembred all good moments they had spent together.

He had never truly resign to let her go from his mind. To finally let her rest in peace. His CVI always brought back her souvenir before his eyes. Each time he closed the eyes, it was her that he saw. Her long blond hair, her soft skin under the touch of his fingers, her deep blue eyes… A long tear rolled down his cheek.

He missed her so, each seconds of each days. Since he had seen her small body burned, her black cracking skin, her hair in ashes… Another tear. And another again. And another. He fell on his knees in the snow, letting freely the symbol of all his sadness flow down his cheeks.

The snow continued to fall, slowly, covering bit by bit the white and pure flower that he had let on the pink stone. Will raised the head only when he saw the darkness starting to fall around him. He got up and walked toward the bench. He sat on the edge of it. He could not cry, not now, not anymore. The only thing still present in hi was his sadness. He could even not express it. A little black cloud that followed him where ever he went.

His eyes were empty, empty of all look. Nothing was visible in those blind orbs. They seemed dead, without any sign of life. The world could have exploded around the man who was knelt there and he would probably have not even seen it.

It took him a moment to realize that his global was beeping in the silence of the night. He checked the little screen, mechanically, a habits simply. ‘Unknown sender’. Boone nearly did not see it, he simply remarked it, and made a small note in his mind. The devil could call him tonight, he did not care.

He opened it and p***ed a hand on his eyes, he was tired. His eyes opened to an unbelievable speed when he heard Da’an’s voice caling him. “Boone?” He p***ed a hand on his cheeks for erase the tears track and crossed his fingers for that Da’an did not remark the slight difference in his voice.

“Yes Da’an?” he asked in a tone that, he hoped, was as normal as possible. The Taelon shot him a strange look. He was not fooled a second, but especially, he was worried for Boone.

“Commander Boone, are you able to come at the Washington Emb***y this evening?” said Da’an. He was moving his fingers nervously.

“But I thought you had…” started Will, looking deceived. Da’an lowered the head, as for hide what he was thinking.

“I know and please believe that I’m sorry. But it is really important. William, please, I must speak with you,” whispered Da’an. Will opened wide eyes. Never the Taelons had spoke to him that way. Callinghimby his first name and asking him to please come! He nodded too surprised for do something other than that.

“Give me fifteen minutes, I’m coming,” answered Boone. He was goign to close his global when the Companion’s voice stopped his move.

“Boone? When you will arrive at the Emb***y,” he hesitated, “Do not come in my office, please directly go in my chamber,” finished the Taelon, looking at Boone a very serious stare in his eyes. Boone bowed his head respectfully at him, closed his global and, with a last look to the pink grave, he walked toward the Washington Emb***y.

Da’an cut the line and sat in his chair with a sigh. But the hardest thing was to come. He needed to warn Boone or, maybe, it would be too late. He knew what methods the Synod used for this kind of things. And his implant had suffered enough. He had decided. He would prevent this to happen, to any cost. Boone was the only one who believed that peace was a possible option. If the human died, he would lose a precious ally but a dear friend too.

¤

“The Commander is an agent of the Resistance, I’m certain, agent Sandoval. And the only proof was on this disk.” Sandoval had never seen Zo’or so furious.

¤

Boone walked slowly toward the part of the Emb***y where he knew Da’an’s private chamber was. What was the meaning of this? When the Taelon had called for him, he looked nervous, even worried about something. Maybe something with one of Zo’or’s project again.

He turned the corner that exited from Da’an’s audience chamber. Since there, he was in an unknown area, he had never had access to this part of the building, reserved to the Taelon staff only. But there was only one corridor. He followed this way. At the end, there was a door, open. Almost without hesitation he entered inside. It was dark, he waited. Suddenly the door closed with a soft noise. He could not exit. A voice that he knew well made him jump.

“Commander Boone,” Da’an saluted him. He turned around for find Da’an, in his natural taelon form. He was a bit startled at first, he had not seen this Da’an like this very often. It reminded him how alien his boss was. The Taelon moved nervously his fingers and even like this, Will could see the worried look on his face.

“Why have you asked for me Da’an?” demanded Boone.

Witthout answering, the Taelon p***ed behind Boone and, with a gesture of his hand, he opened a datastream. Da’an had made a copy of the files he had received, in his personal files where only him had access. Boone shot a curious look to the Companion then turned his attention back to the tape.

He first saw Jonathan, then Lili… then himself, lean over the probe. And he understood which tape it was. So, their mission in Russia had been useless, the Taelons still had the datas about the Resistance movement and headquarters, collected by the probe during the moment they had studied it in the HQ. The tape stopped. Followed a list of datas about the location of the HQ, the number of person in it and even its technological level. To his surprise, Da’an raised his hand and turned off the energy stream. He had surely already viewed it, studied it on all possible sides for obtain as much informations as he could. He turned toward the Companion. The Taelon was turning his back at him, staring out at the window.

“I could kill you…” Boone whispered.

“But I know you will not do it, Boone,” retorted Da’an, looking more calm than ever. He turned toward the Human, his eyes filled with sadness.

“And why not? A skrill can kill you, you’ve told me yourself Da’an,” he replied, his tone neutral, not showing anything of what he could feel now.

“Because you have not done so until now, then why would you do it?” responded Da’an.

“Because I’ve nothing to lose this time,” he said, an acid smile floating briefly on his lips, apparently refering to the fact that now Kate was dead. “You’ve discovered my secret, the only option for me is to kill you. And the secret will never exits this room.” They were playing a deadly mouse and cat game. The one of them who would lower his guard the first would be the looser of it.

“All the Commonality will feel my death. You will never exit this Emb***y alive Boone.” Da’an’s voice was serious, deadly serious. Da’an sat in an armchair very alike the one in his audience chamber but not higher than the floor. The Taelon was forced to raise the eyes for look at Boone. For one time I can look at him from a higher point, thought the man.

“You can’t pretend to don’t fear death Da’an.” Da’an sensed what was the meaning in Boone’s words and lost his Human facade for a second, than put it back on and fixed a severe stare on his implant.

“And if I was not the only one to have seen this, Boone…” he suggered, sending a look to Boone form the corners of his eyes. “And if I was not the only one aware of that.” Will felt a chill going down his spine. Da’an was right, he would not exit this place alive.

“Me, I don’t fear death Da’an. When I’ve accepted your offer, it was in the only hope that I would join Kate the sooner as possible. I just tried to do as best as I could in this short time period. I don’t desire anything else. So if you called me here for tell me that I’m going to die in the next ten minutes, then say it,” he said dryly. The anger was growing in him. His hands turned into fist, he dug his fingernails into his palms.

Da’an understood that now Boone was truly angry. The man was walking around his chair. The Taelon could not prevent a shiver to ran in his nerves. The Human was stronger than him and, if he truly wanted it, he would easily kill him. He took a good breath and spoke finally. “To kill you has never been my intention. Nor the Synod, nor any other person than me know about this. You are free to go.” This said, the Taelon closed his eyes and crossed his hands on his chest. He believed that he would soon hear Boone’s footsteps exiting the chamber, but he felt the Human’s hand on his shoulder. He shivered and lost his human facade in fear.

“I hardly believe that you are so scared by me,” murmured Will softly when he sensed Da’an shiver under his hand. He took back his hand and Da’an could finally breath freely. The Taelon saw, relieved, Boone calm down a little. He took a chance and asked a question that had been in his head since he had had… doubts about Boone’s CVI.

“What do… you think about my people?”

He regretted instantly the words that had escaped ihs lips when he saw the look in Will’s eyes. The man turned toward him. Boone sighed longly and seemed to prevent himself from saying something very biting. When he spoke, his voice was calm still. Da’an could only remark how the Human controlled himself.

“Sometimes, I can only see that you consider Humans as laboratory rats…”

“It’s true,” admitted Da’an, causing his implant to raise his eyebrows. The Taelons had finally decided to stop lying.

“You’ve enslaved Humans, free living beings, you’ve doomed their lifes, for serve you only interest, non-caring of what they could possibly think…”

Da’an had not the strenght to speak but only nodded.

“And now we know that you fear something, that you are hiding from something, something that pursue you, and that you want the Humanity to serve you, that you want us to fight for you, because you’re not able of it by yourselves anymore.” Boone stopped and understood how much his words were hurting and biting for Da’an. But he continued still. “But when I’ve worked with you, I’ve seen that you were not all like Zo’or.” Da’an raised the head for look at his implant, his eyes filled with the same asdness as before. “I… I’m sorry. I should have not said that…” he said softly, covering his eyes with his hand.

“You have the right to say that and one day or another the mask would fall. The truth would be discovered,” answered Da’an. He raised and, without a word, went in front of the virtual gl***. Outside, snow was falling.

“You don’t agree with what the Synod is doing to Humans… do you?” asked Boone from the other end of the room.

“Not totally. But I can understand what their motives are. I was, and I thought, like they do, not so long ago, ready to do all that could possibly help our race…” said Da’an, sadly. He seemed to be quite sorry of what the Synod did.

Will was going to say something else but a beep interrupted him. Da’an turned from his human implant and lit up an energystream. Boone was facing him, the datastream had opened between the two, and Da’an’s interlocutor could not see Will. Before the Taelon at the other end could see Da’an’s face, this one told Boone sharply to not move. And finally Zo’or’s, as always looking angry, face appeared on the stream.

“Zo’or,” Da’an saluted his fellow.

“Are you alone Da’an?” asked the younger, not returning the salute.

“Why should I not be?” answered Da’an vaguely. Boone could not prevent himself from smiling slightly. Da’an was always so official, diplomat in every situation.

“Your implant is an agent of the Resistance, you know it as I do, do not deny it. But we have no proof, and without proof, it is difficult to arrest someone,” said Zo’or. His voice rang in the room like a flame of ice in cool water. At least, he did not waste time in useless words, thought Boone, sarcastically. Fortunatly, against Zo’or’s anger there was always Da’an’s kindness.

“I am not so sure Zo’or-…” The other diplomat did not even let Da’an finish his sentence.

“How can you possibly doubt it now?” he exclamed.

Da’an exchanged a long look with his implant. It seemed that the Taelon looked in the corner of the chamber. “I must admit that I have a great trust in this human,” he whispered.

“How can you consider a Human that way! They are nothing but primitive animals that can be of use in our quest for survival-…”

Da’an sighed soundly, forcing Zo’or to stop as he understood he as lost Da’an’s attention. The diplomatic facade kind and soft of the American Companion started to slip away for reveal a growing impatience. “How many times will I need to tell you Zo’or! One day, Humans will become our equals, Ma’el’s research prove it. This cannot happen in another way!” snapped Da’an, coldly. Boone had never seen Da’an like that. Only a few times, when someone was truly annoying him.

“Perhaps. Perhaps Da’an, but not before millenias. And until then we will be all dead.” Boone’s eyes widened as his CVI taped Zo’or’s words in his head. So this was the key…

“So why not join with the Humans now!”

“Unthinkable!”

At this moment Sandoval came and saved the whole situation, cutting Zo’or’s speech. “Da’an we have serious reasons to believe that Commander Boone could be part of the Resistance movement and dangerous for you. Did you see him today?” asked the FBI agent, as everytime perfectly dressed and looking so calm.

Boone could almost hear the seconds fall, he had the impression that the time was slower. He saw in a flash all that could happen. Or Da’an told the truth and condamned him to torture, and death. Or he lied for save him, a Human, his implant. He would have, honestly, in Da’an’s place, took the first option. And anyway, everyone would die someday, maybe it was his time. Da’an would just give him what he hoped from so long. Death. A quick, painless death. Or he hoped so. He saw the doubts in Da’an’s big blue eyes. The Taelon should not wait anymore before answering or Sandoval would know that soemthing was not normal. He loked briefly at the man and then spoke.

“I have not seen the Commander since last evening Sandoval. I have given him his day off for today.” Will’s eyes widened in surprise, he was sure that Da’an would give him to Sandoval.

The Taelon fixed a seconds his ice-looking blue eyes in his. Sandoval continued. “If he contacts you or comes at the Emb***y, warn us immediatly. We are continuing our search about him.” Da’an nodded and turned off the line.

They stayed in silence during a long time after this. Boone was the first one to speak. “You were not forced to do that Da’an. I must admit that I don’t understand why,” he murmured. He was speaking the truth. He knew not why Da’an had done this. The Taelon was his friend, truly. But he could still not understand why Da’an had risked his own skin to save him.

Da’an raised and walked toward Boone. “I am sure that a joining of our two species is the only thing that can save both our races from extinction,” said the Taelon. “I trust you. Not only as my implant, but as a friend also. You appear more worthy of my respect and trust than many members of my own people. Many times you proved to me that I was wrong about your race and that Humanity was more alike us that we first wanted to believe.” He stopped there and seemed to consider his words very carefully. “And, because I do not want to lose you Boone,” he finshed.

Da’an turned his back to him and went just in front of the window, looking out at the view of Washington asleep under the snow. He shivered when he sensed Boone’s hand on his shoulder. “And me I know that if someone can help us, it’s you Da’an. You’re the last chance of understanding between Taelons and Humans. You remember when I’ve told you that you were the bridge between our people?”

“I will do in the best interest of both our races,” replied Da’an.

They stopped talking for a moment. Finally, Will asked a question that was burning on his lips since a time. “Since when you knew about Lili?”

“Two months.” The Taelon had stopped the game of the vagues responses. Boone then asked what logically came after the other question.

“And since when had you doubts about me?”

Da’an looked at him from the corner of his eyes, a fine smile floating on his lips. “Since the first time I have met you. I knew you were different. I knew you would be different.”

“Do other Taelons have doubts, like you, about my implant?” he asked, a little worried maybe.

“My… fellows do not spend enough time with members of the Human species for see the difference between a Human and another,” answered Da’an, calming his fear. “Despite all, you have not been very careful all the time, Commander,” he continued.

Boone frowned. He had been very careful, for what he remembered.

“You have confronted Zo’or many times, you have done against Sandoval’s orders more than once. This is not very implant-like,” Da’an told him, neutraly.

Boone felt the truth in Da’an’s words. “Anyway Da’an, everyone will die a day. Perhaps it is my turn now.”

“You seem unusually pessimistic to me Boone. If you are able to convince Zo’or and Sandoval that you are an implant perfectly… functional, they will realease their watching on you for a moment,” said Da’an, calmly.

“Until the next time when I’ll make a mistake,” continued Boone, looking more and more desperate.

“Boone, you still have many possibilities. The Resistance have ways I think. You could hide-…”

“And be forced to live underground, to hide for the rest of my living days, to organize ******ination, to have people killed, you maybe! No, thank you. I prefer death to this option,” said Boone, interrupting the Companion harshly.

“Live free or die. Always the same thing,” said Da’an, his eyes fixed on something beyond Boone, lost in his memories.

Will did not answer this time, he only looked fixingly at the floor before him. There was no escapes left now. It was finished. The masks are falling.

“The Synod will not attack you directly,” started Da’an, visibly hoping to change the subject, “But they will weaken you firstly. It is how Zo’or proceed. They will push you until your CVI break down. And then, the need to torture you will be useless, if they replace your CVI with a perfectly functional one. You could even become the perfect spy that they need for destroy the Resistance movement.” Da’an seemed to know a great deal about that. As if he had once suffered it… or inflicted it. “I should suggest you to advise all your friends and your sibling too, of what is happening. It is also possible that Zo’or will attack the people dear to your heart.” Da’an spoke with a great sadness in his voice. There was something odd about that.

Boone turned for exit the room but stopped. “And you, what they’ll do to you when they’ll discover that you’ve lied to them?” he asked, concerned for his Companion.

“If they discover something of what have I done, I will be forced to quit from my post as North American Companion. Then they will send me back to the mother planet where the High Council will judge me for my actions. The punishment will most likely be death, or exclusion from the Commonality.” Just to speak about, Da’an semmed frightened by what he had described.

“You… risk your life, for save mine?” asked Boone, astonished.

“Is that so surprising? So surprising that I could… care for a Human?”

“Da’an, you’re far more important than me, I refuse that you take such risks,” retorted Boone. “I can disobey you, you remember? I have no imperative that can force me to do that. I’m free to do it, and I’ll do.”

Da’an seemed to recall that, effectively, Boone had absolutly no obligations toward the Taelons.

“I’ll return at my office tomorrow morning. If Sandoval arrests me, then I’ll deny that you knew something about it. And I’ll let them re-implant me if they ask,” he whispered, knowing what was the implications of what he had just said. “I’ll warn the Resistance also.”

Da’an’s eyes fixed something out the room. He did not want to manifest his surprise in front of such… despair and loyalty. The Humans were noble beings. He knew very well the implications of what Boone had just said. If he was re-implanted, with a functional CVI, William Boone, the true being under the sheel, would disapear, for let place to the implant. And it was futile to hope that he would not say that Da’an knew about it all.

“It’s maybe the last time I’ll be speaking to you and I wanted to say you… Good bye ma’lis’re Da’an.” He respectfully bowed at Da’an and left the room, never looking back.

“Good bye… my friend…” whispered Da’an, once the man was out of sight.

The Taelon closed his eyes. Mas’lis’re. How appropriate was the taelon word than Boone had chosen. It could mean my closest friend, or, in different situations… my deepest enemy.

¤

Next morning

He tiredly pushed the door of his office after asking Lili to open it. She noticed that something was not well with him in the second.

“Boone, is something wrong?” she asked him, alarmed by his behavior.

He turned a pair of serious eyes toward her and sat in the nearest chair. He fixed the celling, and for a moment, nothing was said. “Da’an knows it all,” he whispered, breaking the silence

“Wh… What?” she exclamed.

“He knows about me, about you, about the Resistance, about Doors… All,” he repeated. She sat in front of him.

“But… how?” The question could mean how does he learn it, and how could Boone escape the Emb***y in one piece as well.

“He told me that he knew about you since two months. I suppose that, or he guessed, or there is something you’re not telling me,” he murmured the eyes now fixed in hers. “But about me, he doubted since a long time that I was not… normal. But he has recently had access to what the probe contained.”

“And he let you leave just like that?” she asked, her face showing somehting between complete shock and astonishing.

Boone sighed. “Then here is the problem.” He absently stroked the back of his glowing skrill. “He let me go, you’ve said it yourself.”

Lili frowned. “You mean… he has let you go, not warning Sandoval or Zo’or or anyone?” She received a nod. She seemed to understand. “No… you mean… that he lied to cover you,” she whispered. She was not asking him a question, she was certain of what she was saying. After all, she had shared with Da’an, she knew what friendship he and Boone shared.

“Exactly,” responded the man.

“But… I don’t understand why,” she retorted, stubborn.

“He respects humanity Lili. He really believed it when he said it, I could tell. But he also said that he acted like this because I was his friend,” he murmured.

“Boone, there’s something you don’t tell me,” she said, frowning again.

The man turned his stare away. “Zo’or and Sandoval have doubts about me. And you know that if they have doubts about me, then they have doubts about you for sure.” He stopped and didn’t speak during seconds. “They just need the proofs. And you know as I do that if Zo’or wants proofs, then Sandoval will find proofs.”

“So,” she raised and started looking around in the office. “What are we going to do?”

Boone rose from his seat too and started to pace the room. “We have too choices. Or we just leave it all, go into hiding with Doors, give Sandoval the proof he needed.”

“That would mean giving Da’an’s skin to the Synod in the same move,” she dryly said. “What’s the other option?”

“Stay at the Companions services, trying to do our best for help both sides and try to avoid Zo’or’s accusations,” he said.

Lili turned around and looked seriously at him. “What’s your decision Boone?”

The man sighed. “I have already lost the being who was my only reason to live Lili. All I can do now is trying to do my best for ***ure the survival of the human and the taelon race.” He bit his lower lips. “I’ll stay with Da’an.”

He had just finished his statement that a known beeping was heard. He exchanged a look with Lili and turned toward the screen. “Yes Sandoval?”

“Commander, your presence is requested at the Emb***y immediatly,” said Sandoval with his usual sharp, bitting voice.

“I’m coming.” The link went dead and Will smiled sadly at Lili before leaving the office.