Round Robin: The Infant
by: Angel Island, Renee's Girl, Seven O'Nine, Lisair, Juliette, Lyta....
copyright 2000
Part 1

Pulling out her gun, she leveled it at Da'an.

" Get away," she hissed. The Taelon looked startled.

" Ms. Pal-"

" I said get away. You have ten seconds to leave before I shoot," She began to inch closer to a shaken Liam and Seth.

" Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One,"

Renee, finger on triger, prepared to fire. Here gaze snapped to Liam as the young man regained some composure.

"Stay the hell away from us." Liam growled. His voice thick with repressed disgust, he began backing across the room. He threw a glare in Ty'ir direction. "You brought that bastered here."

"NO!" Ty'ir rose from his seat and stepped toward Liam. "I did not know he was going to follow me, I assure you."

"Liam, please lis..." Da'an began.

Snapping hatefully, Liam interrupted. "SHUT UP!" He roared. "I told you to stay away from me. And get out of my head."

Melissa Park stepped into view. She and Sandoval had arrived silently during the proceedings. "Liam?" She murmured. "Let us help you."

"Your on their side?" He demanded, feeling betrayed by one of his only remaining friends.

"I don't know what's happening, but you need help." The doctor reasoned.

"Major, you must understand it was necessary." Cudgeled Da'an.

"Necessary?" Liam whispered. "It was necessary to rape me. YOU BETRAYED ME! YOU WERE THE ONLY FATHER I EVER HAD." He yelled in rage.

Gasping in shock, Melissa stepped away from the Taelon. Renee glared daggers at the offensive creature.

"I have had enough of your insolence." Da'an snapped. His gaze found Sandoval in the shadows. "Agent Sandoval, take them to my shuttle."

For a moment, Sandoval's eyes tracked everyone in the room. Seth's terrified bright green orbs however, made his choose for him. "I'm afraid I can't do that."

Kincaid's rounded eyes stared back at him in shock as Sandoval stepped before them protectively. "Your unstable Da'an and I wont be a part of your manipulation any longer."

" I think it's you who should be getting in the shuttle, Da'an," Renee hissed, her gun still leveled at the Taelon, " Now," Shoulders slumping with defeat, Da'an stepped into his shuttle.

" I will not forgot your betrayal," he stated solumnly to the small crowd before him, " Nor will the Taelons,"

" You keep telling yourself that," Melissa hissed. Da'an's shuttle closed, and flew off into the night.

Da'an's slender hands were spasming as he walked through his office. He could sense something happening to his link to Liam - Liam knew now, about the child.

He felt shock from Liam - shock, and pain, and a sudden desire to find out all he could about the infant. It was not yet mature enough to react to Liam's emotions, but it was starting to react to Da'an's growing feelings of guilt and fear.

Da'an pressed both hands to his abdomen. He knew that Liam would love the child as he loved Seth, but he also knew that its presence only enhanced the pain that Liam felt.

If he comes here, Da'an thought, I will somehow find a way to either destroy his pain... or share it...

****

"Da!" Seth called, running after his father. "Da, what are you doing?"

Liam looked back at his son, his hands trembling at his sides. "Seth, stay with Renee for right now. I need to go... I need to face Da'an..."

Fear and confusion warred on the boy's face. "But... Ty'ir showed me how to make you feel better... we can go away, like you said we would... why do you wanna go?"

Liam slowly knelt down and gripped his shoulders. "Seth, it's... it's hard to explain to you. Just stay with Renee, and I'll try... to come back soon. I have to face Da'an about something..."

He kissed the top of his son's head, hugged him, and began walking back to the portal...

****

Da'an closed his eyes as the gentle humming of the security lock disengaged, allowing free access to the portal from the outside. He heard a whirring - and almost reeled as Liam's roiling mind struck his.

"Da'an..." Liam said hoarsely. "Why did you do this? Why didn't you tell me that you were with child?"

Da'an slowly turned to face the young man, who was sweating and shivering. "I had hoped to tell you apart from the others," he said quietly. "But Ty'ir will tell you that I was going to inform you..."

Liam swallowed convulsively. "Da'an... do you realize what you've done?" he asked. "I would have joined with you if I had had any inkling... did you believe that the only way you could convince me was by force?"

Da'an's face twisted slightly. "I did."

Liam's eyes flashed. "And so now what do you plan to do with the child? Deliver it, and I'll never see it again? Find me, have me hunted down?"

"Perhaps you consider me worse than I truly am," Da'an announced tightly. "If I did not know that you would reject the offer, I would heal what I have injured..." He straightened, and Liam's eyes fell to his abdomen. "Or I would understand the fullness of what you experienced during the joining..."

Liam sucked in his breath...

****

"How do I know you wouldn't hurt me again?" Liam asked coldly. His breathing was getting faster. "I gave you my trust before, and you used it against me..."

Da'an flinched visibly.

"... and I swore, that as long as I lived," Liam continued hoarsely, "I would never be vulnerable to anyone... anyone, ever again..."

" Then I will let you have control over the sharing," Da'an said.

" But I don't know how!" Liam protested.

" Look into your Kimeran memories, Liam," Da'an said softly, " They will teach you how to do what you must do,"

Liam shuddered, running a hand through his hair. "I can't... I don't know how to find it. I can't concentrate. It's driving me crazy..."

"Concentrate on what you must find, Liam," Da'an said, wavering. "And then it will be me... who is at your mercy."

Liam shut his eyes, crossed his arms. He licked his dry lips as he thought, then looked back at Da'an. He had found that knowledge.

Liam reached tentatively out to touch Da'an's hand, ready to jerk it out the second Da'an did something threatening. The Taelon's hand came suddenly against his, and he strained to keep control, to sever the Sharing in case Da'an had it in mind to try something else. After all, he was the Resistance leader; he didn't want to become Da'an's pet Resistance leader like so many had accused him of.

Once he was connected, he gave Da'an the full blast of the memories, informing Da'an exactly of the pain that Da'an had caused him. Da'an, forcing this joining as his father had forced the joining to conceive him. The intrusiveness of Da'an's mind, seeking to take his over....

He could feel the Taelon almost squirming, but he pushed relentlessly. The sight of his image, giving the resistance cell leaders the place to meet... and then the betrayal....

Liam pushed to Da'an exactly what the Taelon had done to him.

* * *

Ty'ir watched silently from the shadows as Liam commenced the sharing with Da'an. From what he could see, Liam was showing Da'an exactly what he had done. Da'an's face contorted with the knowledge that he was gaining from Liam's mind.

He hoped Liam and Da'an would come out of the sharing soon; he wanted to look Liam over for himself, and to discuss with the young hybrid exactly what had happened. In addition, Seth had to be discussed and dealt with. Who knew, exactly, how the child would mature? Right now, he looked human, but that could merely be a temporary form. After all, the child was born part Taelon and part Kimera, with no human genes at all. It was only after his contact with his father that he'd assumed his human appearance. Perhaps Seth was more Kimera than Taelon. Time would tell.

In the meantime, somebody had to watch out for the older hybrid, and he would do it.

t was no ordinary sharing. Liam's mind was so guarded that it was like communing with a wall, with a person inside. Da'an shuddered almost the instant Liam's hand touched his, his facade flashing as the full brunt of Liam's memories hit him.

Someone crawling inside of him, forcing his way into every crevice in his mind. He tried to fight back, screaming and begging for it to stop, clawing at the essence of the one forcing his way through his thoughts, his feelings...

Da'an wavered, his eyes full of stark horror. The full impact of the forced joining hit him like a thunderbolt, laying his mind out before the attacker... only he knew that the attacker was himself. He only felt now what Liam had felt before.

Liam's face was grim, but Da'an saw tears in his green eyes from the horrors. But he did not falter, continuing to pour everything from the forced joining into what Da'an felt...

And then the lesser betrayal... rage that he had been so betrayed, horror at the thought of his allies, his friends fleeing or dead... Da'an felt the urge to beg Liam to stop this - but he would see it out to the end...

And finally it was over. Da'an was trembling, his face contorted, as Liam slowly drew away and pressed his fists to his chest. "Now..." Liam said breathlessly, "you know."

He turned to go.

"Liam," Da'an whispered, momentarily banishing the images. "Can you forgive me?

Liam slowly looked back. "I... don't know. I don't know if I..." He swallowed and stared down at himself. "I can... try. But I don't know if I can."

Da'an's eyes flickered. Liam saw his hands slip down to cover his still-flat abdomen, moving rhythmically as if he were cradling something. "And where will you go now, Major?" he asked quietly. "If you cannot forgive me..."

Liam's face was working. "I... don't want Seth to be too far from Ty'ir... and I want to be able to be near the child you're carrying as well..." The rest of his words came quickly. "I don't know... I don't know if I can forgive you for this. I can't tell if I'll ever be able to trust you in any way. But I am staying..."

Da'an closed his eyes, and bowed his head as he slowly turned away.

****

Ty'ir sighed and slipped back into the lower levels of the Embassy.

****

In Ireland, Seth burst into tears.

Renee had been dozing, but she was wide awake when the boy's hands clutched at her jacket, and he began sobbing into her sleeve. "What's the matter?" she said, quickly lowering her face close to the child's. "What happened? Is it Liam?"

Seth managed to regain some control. "He still hurts, but not as much anymore." He hiccupped. "I wanna go home..."

Renee sighed and made him lie flat on the sofa. "For right now, you need sleep. We'll go back when your father calls..."

Ty'ir watched as Liam emerged from Da'an's office. He looked tired and pained, but no longer haunted. The pain of Da'an's violation had been soothed by the knowledge that now Da'an suffered the same memories.

Liam almost walked past the Taelon, his eyes on the floor, but started back as he realized that he was not alone. "Ty'ir..."

Ty'ir dispensed with all formalities. "I will require an examination of you as well, Major."

Liam's face tightened. "Why?"

"For Seth's health. I must know something of how he will mature - as he is a Taelon/Kimera hybrid whose father is partially human, I know nothing of how his body will develop," Ty'ir replied.

Liam's eyes narrowed. "And?"

Ty'ir sighed. "And... I need to know what to expect in the development of Da'an's child."

Liam rubbed the back of his neck, then glanced back at the entrance of Da'an's office. The diplomat was standing in it, watching the two of them with sad, tired eyes - and Liam was shocked to see that there was a slight swell along the front of his torso.

"I have no frame of reference," Ty'ir added. "And I am beginning to find the situation painful to contemplate." His eyes narrowed. "Da'an, may I ask why you remaining nearby?"

Without answering Da'an whirled around and left.

***

" Please, Renee," he pleaded, " I want to see my Da," Sighing, Renee sat up, and took the little boy into her arms, cuddling him close.

" Fine," she whispered, " It's morning. Get dressed, pack up, and we'll go see your Da,"

Liam always had misgivings when it came to the Taelons; part of it was, he was sure, Kimera alarm bells ringing in his head, part of it was sheer experience, and part of it was the ever-present danger of the Taelons finding out what he really was. Major Kincaid was just another human, but Ha'gel's son was a different, more dangerous matter all together.

Still, Ty'ir had apparently known the secret for a while, and he didn't seem interested in betraying it. Liam wondered how his life would have been if he'd known about Ty'ir. The Taelon still had his bad points - like being interested in Liam's DNA as the solution for all the Taelons' reproductive woes - but he did have the sense that Da'an seemed to lack.

Which was why, despite his misgivings, that he was allowing Ty'ir to examine him and to gather data about him.Ty'ir had one advantage over Drs. Park and Belman in that he, like Liam, was descended from the Kimera and therefore had more of an idea about how and why Liam's body would work. Liam wouldn't say that he absolutely trusted the Taelon, but at least he didn't hate Seth's other Parent.

He missed Seth, but promised himself that he'd get back to Ireland whenever Ty'ir was done with him. The Taelon scientist was staring at his readings, apparently fascinated by something. From what peeks Liam got, they had to be Seth and his child from Da'an. Finally, Ty'ir looked up. "You are free to go. Will you be returning as normal?"

"I think so," Liam said cautiously.

Evidence of the haste with which the two had left was evident back at the room. Renee only found a few articles of clothing stuffed into a bag, and a stack of books that seemed too young for Liam and too old for Seth.

He fidgeted as Renee gathered up the meager items. "Can we go? I wanna go see my dad," he announced finally.

Renee smiled and rumpled his hair. "All right, Mr. Patience, we're going now." She frowned as they walked to the door. "Liam... do you know how he feels?"

Seth nodded. "He's... he doesn't hurt. It's like he tried to fix things. But he's really sad."

"Sad, how?"

"I don't know..."

****

Da'an waved up his datastream, tapping into the security monitors in the medical bay. He watched sadly as Liam stripped off his shirt, reluctantly allowing Ty'ir to link a biomonitor onto his chest and back. Da'an could see how any touch seemed to repulse Liam.

Ty'ir was running a scanner over the side of Liam's head when Da'an sat back and turned his eyes from the images. His mind still resonated with the aftereffects of the sharing, and the memories that were now permanently like his.

****

Seth blinked as he and Renee emerged from the portal, reaching out to his parents - either Liam or Ty'ir. Both responded.

Seth?

Child? You have returned from Ireland?

Seth, have Renee take you to the Embassy. Ty'ir and I are there - he's giving me a little checkup...

Okay, Seth replied. His father still sounded sad. "I need to go the Embassy."

He should NOT be here, Renee thought grimly, as she led the little boy to the Embassy. Liam shouldn't be here either... what is WRONG with that man, coming back here?

Well, she could hardly try to drag Seth away - and the child had made it clear that if Renee didn't accompany him, he'd go alone. The only sign of her disapproval was her lips, pressed tightly together.

He began to run, yanking at her arm as they reached the Embassy. "Da!" he shouted, flinging himself past the virtual glass barrier. "DA!"

****

Ty'ir studied the readings from Seth and from Da'an's child - there were definite similarities in their growth patterns, but Da'an's child was maturing far more slowly. That would be its human ancestry...

Ty'ir sighed. Kincaid's triple helix and the unexpected joining had created a child with a combination that he couldn't begin to predict. Da'an had already expressed reluctance for anything more invasive - and so he would simply have to continue monitoring its growth and hoping that the pattern would not alter.

"DA!" cried a child's voice.

Liam spun around. Spotting Seth, he propelled himself across the room and swept the child into his arms. Hugging the small hybrid against him, Liam kissed the child's forehead.

"Lennean!" Liam murmured against the boys soft hair. *How are you, sprite?*

Giggling at the newest nick name, Seth nuzzled against his father. *I missed you.*

*Me too, lennean. I'm allot better now.* Turning Liam quickly walked across the room. Pulling himself onto a bio-bed, he set Seth in his lap. His gaze wandered to the door as a breathless Renee stalked in. *Have you been running Renee ragged.*

*She couldn't keep up.* The innocent reply only made Liam chuckle.

"Liam, you have allot of explaining to do." Renee snapped as she tried to control her breathing. She couldn't believe he would come back here.

From behind her, a strong, confident voice interrupted Renee's planned tirade. "I was thinking the same thing, 'Major'." Sandoval growled ominously. "Let's start with who you really are."

Liam held Seth and looked at the furious Renee and the hostile Sandoval. Inwardly he sighed; Renee was going to be easy to fend off, but he didn't know if he could come up with a credible explination for why Seth had called Sandoval his grandfather that would pass muster with the Implant. Seth's confusion rolled into his mind, and he told his son, *He doesn't know and I don't intend to let him know.*

Ignoring Sandoval, he told Renee, "I did what I had to do. I couldn't not know what has happened, and this was the only place I could go to find out."

He could only hope that Renee could figure out the implications. "I'm the same man you've known for the last two years, Sandoval. The only thing that's changed is that I'm a father now. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to rest. I've had a long day. Come to think of it, so have you."

"I'm afraid it's not that simple, Major." Sandoval interrupted Liam's intentions. "I overheard Da'an and Ty'ir discussing your 'heritage'."

Sandoval waited in silence. He was hoping the Major would surmise Sandoval knew all the facts and would unwittingly divulge pertinent information.

Kincaid paled noticeably before quickly diverting his eyes to the child in his arms. "I don't know what your talking about Sandoval."

The Agent smirked humorlessly. His hands folded behind his back, Sandoval began a slow pace of the room. "Oh, I doubt that very much. You see, I know exactly why Da'an choose you for his 'experiment'. Your the only one with the, let say, 'necessary' qualifications."

The Agent, his back to Kincaid, used the last bit of knowledge he possessed to bait the hook. Now, he merely need wait for his prey to bite.

"Why don't you tell me, Sandoval," Liam said, trying to hedge. "Since you seem to know what's going on. I don't even know why I was chosen for Da'an's little experiment."

"Or is it your ego talking?" Renee challenged. "Maybe you don't know anything at all."

* * *

Ty'ir looked up, momentarily distracted from his examinations by the noise coming from the next room. He had seen how reluctant Liam Kincaid had been about being examined, and had wished to maximize what information he could before the Major had left the embassy. He hoped Da'an would let the young one go, if he wished. Humans could accept that Kincaid kept close ties with his former Companion even though he had found a more fulfilling job. He reviewed those businesses which would take a former Companion Protector. Perhaps Ms. Palmer could be of help. Plus, if he had 'read' the human woman right, she would feel more assured that her colleague was being treated right.

And he could keep details on Seth and his growth, including whether or not he shed his human appearance. Maybe Seth wouldn't ever do so, but Ty'ir hoped someday that his child would resemble him just as Seth currently resembled his father. He wondered if Da'an's infant, exposed to its father, would do the same thing.

Sandoval's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I know enough," he said quietly, "to interest Zo'or in what this mysterious 'ancestry' is."

He smiled a little at Seth, who backed behind Liam's leg. "Perhaps Zo'or will also be interested in the boy... I wonder which half is yours, Kincaid."

Liam took a step toward the FBI agent, his green eyes blazing dangerously. "You touch my son, and I'll rip you apart..."

"Liam!" Renee shouted. "Calm down! You haven't done anything, and I suspect that it'll take more than that to satisfy Zo'or..."

Sandoval smiled. "Or will it?" He turned to go. "I'll be sure to fill you in when I have his reaction..."

"Agent Sandoval!" Da'an's voice rang out. The four looked back to where he was standing in the doorway, swaying a little.

The Taelon avoided Liam's gaze, focusing on Sandoval instead. "I do not advise that you tell Zo'or anything you might have... 'heard' about my plans and the results of them. For if you do, I will inform him of what I know, rather than theorize, about YOU..."

[Sandoval smirks and asks Da'an if Da'an thinks he knows something special about him. Da'an blushes.]

************************

"You can't touch me, Da'an," Sandoval said coldly. "This experiment isn't authorized by Zo'or - you'd be in even worse trouble if he knew. Any blackmail you have... would be suspect."

Da'an's hand was gripping the doorframe so tightly that blue lines threaded along his fingers. He looked briefly to Liam, then to the child clinging to his pant leg. Liam's son was staring at Sandoval.

"Da," Seth said in a whisper, but with clear panic in his voice, "make him go away... I don't want him here."

Liam's hand fell to his son's head and stroked his auburn hair absently. "Seth," he said tightly. "Go to Ty'ir's laboratory, and stay with him until I come for you."

Seth slowly pulled away from his father, backing into a doorway with his eyes on Sandoval, then sprinting away into the corridors. Liam was breathing heavily, his eyes fixed on Sandoval's. "I want you gone, now," he said hoarsely.

****

Ty'ir felt a stab of panic - not his own. He was examining the last readings on Da'an's child, staring at an enlarged, glowing hologram that was suspended over his panel. But he waved it away hastily, as a small shape ran into the room.

He stood up, surprised at the look of terror in the boy's green eyes. "Seth?"

" The mean man's gonna hurt Da!" the little boy cried.

" Da'an?" Ty'ir asked. Seth shook his head.

" No....Grandpa. The mean one," Ty'ir's eyes paled.

He knew.

"I do not have to listen to you," Sandoval said coldly. He raised his skrill. "I am the Head Protector for the Taelons and I have a right to know what's going on. You and I are going to the medical bay and are going to remain until I find out what's going on."

"I don't have to take any more of this," Liam growled. "I am leaving. And I am not returning. Come on, Renee, let's get Seth."

* * *

Ty'ir unexpectedly scooped his child up. "I must take you to the portal and send you someplace safe," he said. He knew there were places that he could send the child. Maybe Dr. Park would go to take care of the child.

-end part 3