Chapter Twelve

Alex moaned and rolled to his right, clutching his injured side. The smell of smoke was heavy in the air, stinging his throat with every breath. There was smoking debris strewn about, but not as much as he expected considering the size of the blast. Frantically, he raised his right hand, searching for the ring. His finger was caked in dirt and blood, so he wiped it on the grass, sure he'd felt the metal band still there but not relieved until he saw it, glistening in the sunlight.

"Evan?" Carefully, Alex raised himself up on one hand, holding the other against his side, and looked around as best as he could. They'd been together coming through the door, but there was an explosion, and a shock wave that hit them in the back with enough force to knock them clear of the building. "Evan?" He was surrounded by trees, lying on thick, soft grass. Obviously wherever they were they had breathable atmosphere, save for the acrid smell of smoke. Alex looked up and realized he'd not only been thrown clear of the building, he'd been thrown down a steep embankment. The smoldering remains of Maker's complex were a good fifty yards above him.

He coughed, then regretted it instantly as pain shot through his side. So, if we were together coming out the door, where is Evan? Gingerly, he took a breath and glanced at his wounded side. The bleeding seemed to have stopped, but it was joined now by the occasional red scratch and cut on both arms from the tumble downhill. His shoulders, arms and back felt bruised and sore, and his face stung from tiny scratches.

"Evan!" Dammit, where are you? Alex held his breath and forced himself to his feet, using a tree for support. By the time he got to his feet, he was sweating. The pain was bad, but he wasn't coughing blood, and he wasn't dead yet, so the likelihood of dying within the next hour or so was pretty remote. He just had to find Evan, see if those kids made it, figure out where the hell they were and get a ride home.

Sure, no problem. Only to start with, he couldn't find anyone.

He made it shakily to his feet and had to wait for a wave of dizziness to pass, then looked around again, trying to figure out which way to search. "Evan!"

"I'm here!"

Alex turned and saw his friend coming toward him through some thick brush, face and arms as equally bruised and scratched as his own, but alive. There were children following, but he didn't bother to count them.

Relief washed over him like a wave and he started to fall forward.

Evan caught his shoulders before he hit the ground. "Take it easy. We have to get you to a doctor." Evan searched Alex's eyes, then glanced down at his injured side.

"You're not looking too good yourself." Alex noticed the children again, all standing a few feet away, looking dirty and frightened but otherwise unharmed. "Do either of you know where exactly we are?"

All five children looked up at Evan.

"It's all right, he's my Keeper, you can talk to him." Evan nodded.

The taller of the five looked at Alex. "No, we don't."

Alex sighed. "Okay, great. Now what?" He had Evan standing there bruised and tired, five children all staring up at him like he had all the answers, and nothing around them but smoldering chunks of black metal. "You, what's your name?"

The taller child looked at Evan again.

"They don't have names yet," Evan explained. "The Keeper gives them their name."

Alex blinked. There was so much about Evan he still didn't know. Basic things. Things he should have found out during their first few months together. "Okay, for my sanity then, you'll be Eddie for now, kid." He addressed the taller of the five again. "I need you to scout around, see if you can find fresh water. But be careful, don't wander too far." He really had no idea how experienced these kids were. They were all about seven years old, but they acted more like sixteen. The one he'd just dubbed Eddie nodded once and scampered off without a second thought. Alex looked at the next pair in line. "Frik and Frak, see if you can find anything clean we could use for bandaging. But don't go back into those buildings. Just check around some of the debris."

Frik and Frak nodded once and ran off together, confident in their errand.

A wave of dizziness washed over Alex suddenly. He felt Evan's hands take his arms, then felt himself being gently lowered to the soft ground. When he shook it off, he was propped up against the large tree. Evan was on the grass facing him.

"The bleeding's stopped."

Alex nodded while Evan gently checked the bandage he'd wrapped around his side. "I'm okay, the worst is over." It hurt like hell, but the feeling of someone inside him with a hand full of razor-sharp blades trying to hack their way out was gone. He swallowed away the last of the dizzy spell. "How about you?"

"I'm okay, just some bruises. Still a little freaked out by this whole thing, though."

"We're both pretty messed up."

"We'll get out of this." Evan's tone belied his confidence. "We made it this far."

Alex heard a rustling in the brush and turned to see Eddie hurrying back to them.

"Sir, I found a fresh water stream, and several of these branches that are naturally hollow." He held out his offering, a thick, short branch filled with clear water. "It's safe, I tasted it."

Alex took the branch, ignoring the fact that he really should admonish the child for taking such a risk. They had little choice, after all. He handed the water filled branch to Evan and turned back to Eddie. "Are there more of these?"

"Yes, sir. Several. More than I could carry."

"Okay, take the twins here," Alex nodded with his chin to the remaining two children. "Get as much as you can."

The boys ran off without a single protest, leaving Alex and Evan alone on the grass.

"Here," Evan handed over the branch, still half full of water. "You're really good under pressure, you know that?"

Alex laughed, choking on some of the water he'd been drinking.

"I'm serious."

"You have a fever." Alex set the empty branch down and grinned.

"No, that'd be you." Evan admonished.

Alex leaned his head against the tree supporting him and looked at his friend. "I'm not the one who found a way inside that thing and stopped its heart." He had a hard time thinking of Maker as a man, even half a man. The last thing he wanted to think about was its connection to his friend.

Evan's face went white and he looked away.

"Hey, I'm sorry," Alex realized his mistake immediately. There was no way to make light of what the Sha'erah been through, and must still be going through. His own confrontation with his father paled dramatically in comparison. At least that monster was human. "Listen, no matter what happened, no matter what we saw in there, nothing's changed."

Evan looked up just as Frik and Frak returned. They'd found several shreds of blankets, three useable containers to hold and boil water, and one badly charred aid kit with its seals still intact. Evan set about cleaning Alex's wound, apologizing every three minutes for the pain it was causing, then rebandaged it with great care.

After giving the children the task of gathering branches for bedding and starting a fire, he used a section of blanket as a compress and cleaned as much sweat and dirt off his friend's face, arms and chest as he could manage.

"We have to keep it from getting infected." The reality of the situation was nagging at the back of Evan's mind. His own medical abilities were sadly limited, but he could tell a serious injury when he saw one. Alex's face was warm, and the sweat beading up wasn't all due to the strange planet's humidity. He dipped the cloth in water again and tried to use both hands to wring it out.

The children had successfully built a fire and found enough soft branches to make adequate beds for themselves for the night and settled down.

"We should get some rest while we can. Then work on getting out of here." Alex hoped the shock of their situation was enough to carry them all through the night before they realized there was no food. Being Sha'erah, he didn't know if the boys would complain about anything. But being seven year old boys, how could they not? It might be days, weeks, even months before they figured out where they were and found a ride out of there. And that depended on there being other people on the planet. If Maker was the only occupant, and wasn't expecting visitors, it could be years. They might have to salvage equipment, build a transmitter . . . who knew what else?

Then again, the boys had Keepers due to pick them up, didn't they? So there was a chance a ship or vehicle would be by within the next day or so. Not that they'd be willing to help once they saw what had happened.

And there was the slight problem of what he'd do if and when a Keeper did come, expecting to claim one of the boys. Technically, money had already been paid. But, these were children, not property.

"I'm sorry about all of this, Evan. It's my fault." Alex looked at his friend, but didn't raise his head from the tree he was using as a rough pillow.

"No, it isn't."

The boys were sleeping around the warmth of the fire now that the sun had set, bringing out millions of stars in a clear night sky. Animals cried out in the distance, singing to each other from the tops of the trees.

"Yes, it is." Alex sighed and looked up at the myriad of stars. "I'm an explorer. I should be out there, finding things no one has seen before. Blazing trails through the uncharted . . . Well, you know." He shook his head and felt the bark scratch the back of his neck. "I had no business taking on this job for Zane. And no right to drag you into it."

Evan leaned back with a sigh and glanced at the night sky. "If you remember, you left the decision up to me, and I agreed."

"No, you humored me. Or felt sorry for me."

"I did not."

Alex glanced at him and grinned. "Whatever." He looked back at the stars and had to swallow against a wave of pain. When it subsided, he studied the white specks blinking down at him. "I know that cluster." Weakly he raised a hand and pointed to a constellation to the left of the open night canvass. "And that one, to the right."

"You can tell where we are?" Evan looked where Alex was pointing.

"I think . . . " He squinted, turning his head to see more stars. It didn't seem possible. All this time he'd assumed the Sha'erah home world must be on the far edges of known space. Surely it couldn't be . . . "We're right in the middle of everywhere."

"Are you sure?"

Alex wanted to laugh, but he knew that would hurt too much. "Yeah, I'm sure. I don't know what planet this could be, though. Maybe we're on a moon. But we're either in or close to the Allesandro system."

"That's a major commerce section." Evan blinked in surprise, then his eyebrows came together as he struggled with something. Finally he shook his head slowly. "Hiding in plain sight."

"And Maker would have had access to any supplies or equipment he needed." Alex swallowed, wondering what kind of trading the half man, half machine could possibly have been involved with. He must have had deliveries made by remote. Or maybe VanHolt -- if he was in fact connected -- played a larger role than just salesman. But how did he keep his own complex secret, if this planet was so openly visible? Unless it was a privately-held moon or small satellite.

Alex moved slightly, trying to find a more comfortable position for his legs. The motion sent a stab of pain through his side, enough to make him gasp for air. A hand on his chest pressed down slightly.

"You should rest."

"So should you." Alex heard his voice crack slightly as he looked up at Evan. The Sha'erah looked as pale and white as he felt. "Listen," He pulled his right hand up and glanced quickly at the silver ring. "I know this is just a band of silver. But . . . knowing you had control of it . . . the fact you gave it to me, and you let me keep it with all I've put you through over these months, it . . . " He swallowed, struggling through an awkward moment of depth. "I couldn't let him have it."

"You're not going to die."

Alex snorted and rolled his eyes, grateful for his friend's sensitivity to his own stumbling ways. "What's the matter? Am I getting too deep for you all of a sudden?"

"Me, no." Evan shook his head, smiling weakly down at Alex. "You, maybe. But that's okay. Emotions suit you, you know. Even if you do wear them on your face."

Alex would have laughed if he could. "It's just too much trouble to hide them all the time."

Evan shrugged one shoulder. "You don't seem to have a problem hiding them from everyone else."

"Yeah, but they don't know me like you do." With a sigh, he closed his eyes. They could take turns sleeping, maybe just rest their eyes, in case the animals singing to each other in the night got too close. He wanted to ask Evan what he'd meant about them having been made for each other, and why Maker hadn't known who controlled the ring. But that could wait. He was so tired!

An oddly familiar roar in the distance startled Alex awake. Evan's hand was on his chest, holding him still.

"It's all right." He pointed to a moving light in the late night sky. "That's the second one tonight."

Alex blinked madly, trying to clear his vision. "A ship?"

"Probably their Keepers, coming to pick them up." He nodded toward the sleeping children. "I didn't think it would be wise to try and make contact, considering."

"Yeah," Alex nodded. His throat was dry, but there was a small container of water beside him, so he took a long drink, then offered it up to Evan. "Considering we've pretty much brought an end to the market, and could be accused of stealing their property."

"Which we did."

"They're kids." Alex turned his head to look at the sleeping children. "One look at that building and I'm sure everyone assumes they're dead."

"But they're not," Evan sighed. "What are we going to do with them?"

Alex shrugged. "We're not keeping them, I can tell you that. Let's just worry about getting our asses out of here first, and worry about them later."

Suddenly Eddie jumped to his feet. He stared off in the distance, then scrambled over to Alex. "Someone's coming!"

"What?" Alex and Evan both tensed.

"How do you know?" Alex forced himself up on both elbows, supported now by the hand that had been holding him down all night.

"I can hear them. Voices of people walking around the building, looking for survivors."

For the first time, Alex noticed the hint of silver shimmering from the boy's ears. He craned his neck so he could see Evan. "I take it he can hear things we can't?"

Evan looked at Eddie. "What's your range?"

"Five miles, in perfect conditions. Two in crowds." Eddie shrugged. "I can hear what they're saying." He looked at Alex. "One of them is called Doctor Zane."

Alex wasn't sure if he was dreaming, or if the dream had been Evan finding him in the woods. He was hot, and his side hurt badly, but only in waves.

"Alex, lie still!"

"Wha . . . " Alex blinked, bringing the room into focus. He wasn't on the ground, staring up at Evan or the other children. He was lying on a bed, injured side snugly bandaged, and a medical band strapped firmly around his left arm dispensing fluids and all manner of medications, staring up at --

"Mother?"

"Lie still." Madame Duvia was seated beside the bed, holding a small compress that dripped gently onto the bed. "It's always hard coming out of surgery, but you'll be fine in no time."

"What?" Confused, he tried looking around the room but couldn't find Evan.

"He's fine. Just relax."

Alex let his head fall back on the pillow. "Is this a dream, or what?"

His mother rolled her eyes and set the compress back in a bowl on the small table between the beds. She wiped her hands on a towel. "It's the medical ward of a cruise ship, as a matter of fact. Doctor Zane operated on you personally, and you're resting while we travel back to Scotian." She glanced around the room and shrugged. "No reason why we shouldn't travel back in style, is there?"

"Zane? He picked us up?" Alex closed his eyes and licked dry lips, trying hard to put the puzzle together with missing pieces. It wasn't easy to go from bleeding to death with Evan in the woods to lying in a bed looking up at your mother.

"An interesting man, that doctor Zane." Madame Duvia pushed at the cloth of her shimmering skirt, smoothing down the expensive fabric. "Our cruise ship happened to be passing by when he hailed it for a ride."

"How did he find us?"

She shrugged. "I'll leave the details up to him, dear."

"How's Evan?" He opened his eyes, wondering how far his mother would push issues with him as weak and defenseless as he was. It was a dirty trick, but often worked.

She shrugged one shoulder. "He's fine. He's sleeping in the next bed, on the other side of that curtain."

Alex breathed a sigh of relief. "Where's Zane?"

"You need rest, Alex. Doctor Zane will explain everything after you've rested."

"What about the kids?" Alex had no intention of resting until he could talk to Evan, make sure he really was fine. Then he wanted to know how he got from the forest to a cruise ship's medical facility without a single memory of it.

"They're fine." His mother reached out and smoothed back some of the hair that had fallen over Alex's forehead. "As I said, that doctor friend of yours is a very interesting man. He and I had a long talk after the two of you were out of surgery."

Alex blinked and glanced around the room again, trying to understand how long he'd been there and whether or not he should remember anything about it. "How long have we been here?"

Madame Duvia shrugged one delicate shoulder. "A few days." She nodded toward the curtain to his left. "You've both been heavily sedated and need your rest."

"You talked to him?" Incredulous, Alex raised his head off the pillow, staring at his mother.

"Really, Alex." She made a face. "I'm not the monster you think I am."

"I didn't say you were a -- "

His mother waved a manicured hand, dismissing Alex's denial. "I admit, I might have had certain prejudices. But as I said, Doctor Zane and I have been getting to know each other." She looked away for a moment. When she looked back, Alex was surprised to see so much emotion in her face. "Those children . . . They're so young."

Alex pressed his head back against the pillow and watched his mother. There were only so many shocks a man could take in one lifetime. But this one was something he didn't want to miss. "Evan was that young once."

His mother sniffed, smoothing her skirt again. "It's not an easy thing for a mother to admit to her son she might have been wrong about something." She fussed with the light blanket covering him. "But I suppose even mothers can change."

"Yes, they can." Alex smiled. He couldn't help wondering just what Zane had said to his mother that could bring about a change he'd been unable to effect. Maybe it had something to do with being her son, instead of a generational peer. Well, better late than never.

"Enough of that." She gave his blanket a final tuck. "You need to rest. We'll be back on Scotian in five days. Until then the two of you are confined to this medical unit, understand?"

Alex laughed shortly at his mother's sudden authoritarian attitude. He watched her get up and return the chair to the end of the room. "Thank you, mother."

"Sleep!" She scolded, then left the room, closing the door quietly.

"Not likely," Alex replied quietly. There was too much to work out, and he needed to talk to Zane, and Evan, to get these missing pieces filled in.

"Alex, wake up."

Alex blinked and realized Evan was sitting on the edge of his bed, gently shaking him awake.

"You were having a nightmare." The Sha'erah looked into his eyes, concerned.

"Sorry," Alex cleared his throat and pushed some hair away from his forehead. "Did I wake you?"

"No, I was having one too." Evan let go of Alex's shoulders and sat up, looking down at him with tired eyes. "It wasn't pleasant."

"Nightmares rarely are."

Evan nodded. "It was Maker, but with Spencer's face."

"What?" Alex blinked, then fumbled for the control unit that would raise the bed so he could sit up.

"In my nightmare, I kept seeing Maker, only he had Spencer's face and voice." Evan shrugged. "Just a nightmare."

"Yeah, but whose?"

The Sha'erah looked at him, black eyes sparkling. "What?"

"Whose nightmare was it, yours or mine? Every time I close my eyes, I see the same thing."

Evan's face flushed. "You have to believe me, what Maker said I could do . . . I couldn't do it. I couldn't stop that . . . that thing he put inside you."

Alex blinked, shifting gears. He was still grappling with the idea that he and Evan might have shared a nightmare. "I know you couldn't. Maker was mad."

"He said he . . . " Evan swallowed. "Changed things. But he couldn't have, nothing's different."

"Like I said, it was all madness." Alex put a hand on his friend's arm, conscious of the internal struggle Evan was going through. "That was all his doing, Evan. Neither of us could do anything to stop it." The Sha'erah was looking at him, black eyes searching his as he spoke as if they were looking for truth. "It wasn't even about you, it was all him. He was over seven hundred years old, and barely half human after all he'd done to himself. Don't think for a minute anything he was or did reflects on you just because he -- was in charge."

"He was the equivalent of my father."

Alex shook his head. "No. He might have had something to do with your creation, but he wasn't your father. As much as I hate to admit it, Spencer was more of a father to you than anyone." He dragged a hand through his hair and sighed, breathing carefully against the bandaging. "Not that he was much better."

"He wasn't the man you met on the ship, not all the time."

The two of them sat together, silent for a long while. The feeling they were sharing something that required no words was strong and odd, but comfortable. Finally Alex began to see through the mess that had become of their lives recently. They were alive, after all. Safe, relatively sane, and still together. He started to grin.

"We're quite a pair, eh?" He looked up at Evan, still smiling. "Nobody's gonna believe what we've seen or done."

"No one will understand it."

"I doubt anyone can relate, either."

They looked at each other.

"I guess it's just you and me." Alex flicked the ring with his thumb, enjoying the familiar feel of the metal on his finger. "We'd better stick together, then."

Evan looked shocked. "Of course we will. Zane paid for your ship, that's all taken care of."

"Yeah, but that doesn't have anything to do with it."

"You don't need a large amount of money anymore." Evan shrugged. "So nothing's really changed."

Alex blinked. "You mean, there's no reason for me to sell you?" He stared at the Sha'erah, disbelieving what he was hearing. "God, Evan, of course not! I could never -- There's nothing that . . ." he sighed, exasperated. Nothing he said or did or put this man through was ever going to convince him he was anything but Sha'erah. He acted like a friend, talked like a friend, even wasn't afraid to tell Alex off like a friend. Maybe being sold was to him simply the Sha'erah equivalent of being put aside, of being no longer wanted or needed. "No, Evan, nothing's changed. We have a ship to get back to, and something new to go find." Alex sighed slightly, breathing carefully against the bandage. It was just semantics, after all. Selling, leaving, what was the difference? "I don't know what yet, but that's the best part."

Evan nodded, satisfied with the answer.

Alex looked around the room, still unable to locate anything that would tell him how long they'd been on the ship. "Have you seen Zane?"

"He was in for a few minutes yesterday, while you were sleeping."

"God, how long have I been sleeping?"

"A few days. Your mother was here."

"I know. That was a surprise. Did she talk to you?"

"Some," Evan shrugged. "She told me Zane was taking care of the children. They're safe and doing fine."

"Good," Alex nodded, looking at his ring. He desperately wanted to know what his mother had said to Evan, and what her attitude had been when she did, but he couldn't find an appropriate way to ask. If she'd been rude, the Sha'erah wouldn't think she was, so it would be impossible to judge. "He'll know what to do with them."

"They'll have to be kept somewhere secret, or their Keepers will want them. They can't hide what they are, and they can't be left alone."

Alex chewed his bottom lip for a moment. Evan was right, of course. With the tattoos and black eyes, everyone would know the children were Sha'erah. Zane would have to find homes for them with people who wouldn't treat them that way, or take advantage of having something they felt they could sell for large fortunes. And if the Keepers who had already paid for them realized they were alive and living somewhere, there was no telling what they'd do to regain what they felt was their property.

"He'll have to find homes for them until they're at least old enough to manage on their own."

Evan shook his head. "But they never will."

"What do you mean?"

He sighed as if he was trying to be patient. "They're Sha'erah. They've been trained since before birth to have a Keeper, someone who will control their lives. It's security. You still don't understand, do you?"

"No." Alex made a face. "But I'm learning." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Okay, so he'll have to find people willing to make that commitment, and keep the kids safe."

"Oh believe me, Alex, I'll be keeping them safe." They turned to see Zane enter the room, smiling at them both. "Although I have a lot to learn about watching what I say." He held up his right hand and waggled his fingers. There was a silver ring on each one.

"What happened?" Alex stared at the rings, then looked at Evan.

"Well, in order to get them to trust me, I told them to think of me as their Keeper. I didn't realize what that meant to them."

"Finally getting a small taste of what it's like, are you?" Alex raised an eyebrow. He didn't remember seeing the kids with any rings, but he did remember seeing something silver glinting from under Eddie's shirt. "Where do the rings come from?"

"Right here." Evan held up his palm. "They're a part of our implants, then transferred when the Keeper takes possession."

Alex looked back at Zane. "So, what now?"

"Well, first things first. I've had to rename some of them." Doctor Zane gave Alex a scolding look. "Eddie is fine, but two of them seem to believe their names are Frik and Frak, and the other two insist they are both referred to as The Twins."

"Oh for crying out loud, I was improvising." Alex rolled his eyes to hide the shock he felt hearing how seriously those kids had taken him. "So they think you're the Keeper of all of them now?"

Zane sighed, nodding. "Temporarily, it's easier for them to understand. They realize their original Keepers are going to be looking for them, and we'll need to keep them somewhere secret. At least for a few years." He shook his head sadly. "For children, they're amazingly intelligent."

Alex glanced at Evan. He knew his friend was, and must have been since early on. It didn't surprise him, really, to find out Sha'erah that young were well ahead of their years in intelligence and maturity. "I understand you met my mother?"

"Yes, I did. Interesting woman." Zane sat on the edge of Alex's bed so he could easily speak to both of them. "When I realized the two of you were onboard that escape pod that ejected, I was able to talk the captain of the cruise ship into giving me a search party and a ship. We followed your chloratic trail, then found a signal and the pod floating empty in space." He shook his head. "I don't mind telling you, that had me pretty upset. But the pilot found another trail from a larger vessel, intercepting the pod's, so we followed that. When it entered the Gordian cluster, and we had five privately-owned and highly restricted moons to choose from, things got a little confusing."

"That's where we were, then? A privately-owned moon?"

"Within easy travel distance to and from the Allesandro system. Some of the most populated commerce planets in the known galaxy."

"So how did you pick the right one?"

"A small ship passed by, launched from the third moon. The navigator on the rescue ship traced the registry and found it had been leased by Lewis VanHolt. Coincidences like that simply don't occur."

Alex looked at Evan. "We didn't see him while we were there."

"He must have been present when the first five boys were given to their Keepers." Evan looked at Zane. "There were ten when we first arrived."

"Well, I have to apologize to the both of you," Zane's expression turned serious. "Everything that happened was my fault. I talked you into this venture, never realizing it would turn out this way. Granted, I didn't think far enough ahead to wonder what I would do if I ever found the source. Though I had contemplated finding a way to put an end to it." He shook his head sadly. "I definitely wanted to save as many children as I could find and give them the opportunity of a life more like what Evan has with you."

Alex felt his face flush at the compliment. "We're grown men, doc. You didn't talk us into anything." He shook his head. "Besides, we weren't even close. We didn't find what we were looking for, it found us. And used a computer-generated likeness of you to lure us there."

Evan agreed. "I'm sure that message was created. He used your image, but there was something not quite right with it. I should have noticed sooner."

"I take it you found the people in charge?"

Alex glanced at Evan. He didn't really want to go into it with anyone, even though Zane of all people would be the most sensitive to the information. He knew no matter what he told his friend, Evan was always going to think of Maker as a father of sorts. The man responsible for his creation. And the creature who'd put him through hell for his own selfish motives. Right now, he just wanted to keep the entire experience between the two of them, and not let anyone else inside. They both deserved that much.

"There was one person in charge." Alex shrugged one shoulder. "He wasn't . . . sane. We didn't get to see much, actually, before the explosions destroyed the place."

Zane nodded slowly. A look on his face suggested he understood what Alex wasn't saying as well as what he was. "Well, you both survived. That's all that's important. And," he said as he pulled a chart recorder from his lab coat pocket, "I expect a full recovery from both of you. Serious injuries, but no permanent damage."

"Good." Alex settled for mentally sighing in relief. "Now, what were you saying about my mother?"

"Interesting woman, that one." Zane smiled. "After we found you and got off that moon, this cruise ship was passing by, so we hailed a ride. I was surprised when she came into the medical unit here and declared she was your mother."

"How did she know we were here?"

"She was meeting the head physician for lunch, I believe, and saw your name on the surgical roster. We had an interesting talk about the children."

Alex glanced at Evan. "Sounds to me like you were able to get somewhere I couldn't."

"Well, sometimes it just takes a different perspective." Zane patted Alex's leg paternally. "She and I are from the same generation, more or less. It's easier for us to relate on certain levels. Besides, you're her son."

"Yeah, well, whatever you did, I'm glad you did it." Alex suppressed a yawn. He could see Evan's eyes drooping as well, but he was fighting it.

"Now, the pair of you get some rest." Zane stood decisively. "We're on the way back to Scotian. That gives me time to figure out what to do with these children." He waved his ring-laden hand again. "Meantime, I'm keeping them under wraps in my suite. No one on board knows who or what they are, so we're hopefully leaving no trail for anyone to follow."

"Was there anything left, after the explosion?"

Both Alex and Zane looked at Evan.

"Not much, I dare say. Some destroyed equipment, a few sections of rooms with nothing in them." Zane glanced back at Alex. "I'd go so far as to say anyone stumbling upon that place will assume there were no survivors."

Evan nodded. "As long as no one sees the children, that's probably what they'll think."

"Yes, I think you're right." Zane smiled, then turned for the door. "If either of you need anything, press your call buttons and the nurse will send for me. I'll be back this evening to see how things are going and change those bandages."

Alex wanted to quiz the doctor about any chance he and Evan could have shared a nightmare, but he suddenly didn't want to share that with anyone else, either. "Thanks, Doc." He waited until Zane left, then allowed himself to yawn fully. Maybe it was just coincidence. Certainly with what they'd both been through, it wasn't a stretch to come up with the combination and share the same general dream.

"You doing okay?"

Evan looked up. "I'm fine." He nodded and looked at his hands, fidgeting with the edge of the blanket for a moment. "Thank you, for not telling him about Maker."

Alex watched his friend's face for a moment. "It wouldn't have done him any good to know, anyway. Now that it's all gone, no one really needs to know what we saw or did. Right?"

Evan nodded slowly, then looked toward the far wall, his eyes very distantly focused. "Most people come from love, or understanding. I come from madness."

"No, Evan," Alex shifted his position and sat up more, turning to his friend. "Most people come from convenience, or selfishness, or just plain accident." Evan wasn't looking at him, but he continued, hoping he was getting through. This was one kind of pain he could at least try to help heal. "You think where I came from was perfect?" Finally the Sha'erah turned and met his gaze. "Listen, it's not where you come from that matters. It's what you do with yourself that does. It's who you are, not who they are. How many times have you told me I'm not my father? And Maker . . . He wasn't even your father."

Evan shrugged.

"My opinion of you hasn't changed. That's all that matters, isn't it?" Alex grinned to emphasize the humor in that statement.

"Of course."

He nearly laughed. "I was joking, mostly."

"I wasn't."

They looked at each other, equally serious in their opinions. Finally they both yawned in unison.

"Okay, I think we both won that round." Alex eased the bed back down and watched Evan get situated.

It was impossible to tell which of them fell asleep sooner.

The next five days passed in a blur, delineated only by the routine visits of nurses, Doctor Zane and Alex's mother. Madame Duvia made a habit out of visiting every evening to check on her son's health and discuss anything that didn't involved delving too deeply into what Alex and Evan had been doing. There was a look in her eyes that suggested she knew more than Alex had previously assumed, but he didn't want to ask. Her visits had become a pleasant distraction, now that she was actually making an effort to accept Evan for who, if not what, he was.

Alex noticed her previous disinterest had morphed into an embarrassment that kept her from looking at Evan for very long, or speaking too directly to him, but she no longer avoided it completely, and hadn't once referred to him as if he wasn't in the room. The change was startling, and moving. And, Alex knew, was completely due to Doctor Zane and those five children. His mother had her cold moments, but she'd always had a soft spot for children.

Just knowing she would never again insist Alex sell Evan, or think of him as property again, was more than he could have asked for. Whatever Zane had said, he was grateful for it.

The children stayed in the doctor's quarters on the ship, hidden from all passengers and crew for safety's sake. Zane had become so involved in their care and future, he seemed perfectly happy despite Alex's lack of disclosure concerning what he and Evan had found or been through, accepting the explanation of his injury as shrapnel from the explosion. Regardless of the fact that he'd wanted confirmation of his own theories, and answers to so many questions, he asked none. Alex assured him there was nothing alien about Sha'erah, and left it at that, glad to see Zane accept it without pressing the issue. He came in several times a day to change bandages and check up on his patient as well as give them both status reports on the children in his care.

"Clarice has been spending time with them every morning." Zane's smile held a glint of something that startled Alex.

Clarice?"You're kidding." Alex glanced at Evan, eyebrows raised in silent question of the doctor's expression.

"She seems to be enjoying them. Granted, she's understandably confused by their Sha'erah attitude, but we've been discussing it over dinner and I believe she's making great strides." Zane finished recording their health in his hand-held and clicked it shut. "Must be where you get your sensitivity, Alex."

My God. "Gee, Doc, I didn't realize she was your type."

Zane blushed slightly. "She's a very interesting woman. We're enjoying each other's company, as we older folks are wont to do, nothing more."

Alex glanced at his partner again. "I don't know if I can take many more of these surprises."

Evan looked at Zane. "Does she understand the need to keep the children secret?"

"Oh yes, completely." Zane gave Alex's leg a pat and stood, smiling. "She's offered to help me find a suitable secluded spot to keep them. Ah, which brings me to another important issue, Alex." His expression turned more serious. "I'll need to be with these children until I can find suitable homes, which could take years. And frankly, while the Ascalon might not be a bad place to keep them out of sight, I'm not convinced it would be the safest."

Alex nodded and held up a hand. "Don't worry, Doc. I understand. An exploration vessel isn't the safest place for kids. Even Sha'erah. Besides, I think one is about all I can handle." He grinned and noticed Evan out of the corner of his eye shooting him a look. "We can find another physician for the next expedition."

"Good." Zane's smile returned. "Though I must say, I enjoyed it. And if I can find homes for these children before I'm too old to work, I'd love to come back."

"And we'd love to have you, right Evan?"

"Of course," Evan agreed. "I think it's the right decision. You're the best one to raise the children to understand what their lives can be, instead of what they're expected to be." He looked at Alex. "They should have the opportunity to learn what I have."

"Without going through someone like Spencer first," Alex added.

"Yes, of course." Zane nodded once, satisfied. "Well, we're landing tomorrow." He turned to Alex. "You need to take things slowly and stay off your feet as much as you can."

He agreed, if somewhat reluctantly. Assured by the fact that by the time they got home, they could spend their new-found leisure time scouring the exploration grapevine for something new to go in search of. They'd have to refit the Ascalon with another crew, and now a new physician. Evan insisted he pick out the new crew if they needed to replace any that didn't sign back on from the nebula excursion. Alex agreed, and unhesitatingly gave him complete control of the staffing. Losing so much of his crew at the Turbidium mines because they'd been working for his father all along effectively jaded him to any new personnel.

When the ship they were on finally docked at the Scotian orbital station, they were more than ready for a change in scenery. It was agreed Doctor Zane and Madame Duvia should get the children off as quickly and quietly as possible, and take them temporarily to the apartment she kept on the station.

Alex remembered the last time he'd been there and what it had felt like. Evan was a new and frightening experience for him then, and his mother hadn't taken to the idea one bit. Now, he felt more comfortable with the Sha'erah than without him, and his mother had shocked them all by insisting she be allowed to take the five children in until Zane found a more permanent safe house.

"I thought it would be white." Evan glanced around the large main room of the apartment in surprise.

"Yeah, this place is easier on the eyes. She doesn't have anyone to impress up here." Alex glanced around, appreciating the soft mix of colors and comfortable furniture. Normally when his mother was spending much time in the apartment, she had Sylvester with her, but since she'd planned to return home after her vacation, he assumed she'd left him on the planet.

"You know, Zane's right, your mother is an interesting woman."

Alex laughed shortly, an action that was easier now that it didn't hurt so much. "Sure, you can say that now that she's speaking to you instead of treating you like a new couch."

Evan shrugged. "She had every right to, it wouldn't change the fact that she's an interesting woman."

"Well, you're right about that at least," Alex relented. "She can be pretty interesting, and she's very well educated, if maybe a bit old fashioned." He shook his head and found a comfortable chair he wouldn't sink too low in. "I can't quite wrap my brain around her and Zane, though."

"I don't know, I think they could be perfect together." Evan crossed the room and sat on the couch, facing him. "At least if she stays in touch with him, we'll be able to find out how the children are doing when we're in port."

"Yeah, I guess." Alex had every intention of staying in touch, he just hadn't planned on his mother playing such a role in it all.

Further discussion on the subject was interrupted by the arrival of the subjects of their conversation. Alex's mother busied herself with settling the children into the many guest rooms upstairs, fussing over their comfort even though they would have happily settled for sleeping on the floor. It amused him somewhat to see someone else going through what he'd experienced so many months ago, but on a much lesser and tamer scale. At least his mother hadn't been completely ignorant about Sha'erah existing. And although they all acted and thought like Evan, they were thankfully void of his experience and anger.

And no one was chasing them down with an offer they couldn't refuse, backed up by guns and assassins.

Alex enjoyed the sight, amused by the fact that his mother was learning the hard way to watch what she said around people who would take her literally and respond without question. By the time she'd found them all beds and lunch, and left them happily discussing details with Zane, she joined them downstairs, completely exhausted.

"More than you bargained for, Mother?"

Madame Duvia sat beside her son and let out a heavy sigh. It was the only display of exhaustion she ever allowed herself to express, even in the company of her son.

"I'm amazed by them, I must admit." She shook her head and repositioned a lock of artificially tinted hair. "It's so easy to forget they're only seven year old children. And Phillip, he's told them to listen to me as seriously as they would him. I never realized they'd take things so literally."

Alex chuckled lightly. "Phillip?"

His mother waved a hand, dismissing the implication. "We'll keep the children here until he can secure a more permanent place. I've told him about the island Commodore Wilcox has for sale. It would be perfect, in these conditions."

"Commodore Wilcox is selling the island?" Alex glanced at Evan. "He owns an estate on Bellus Island, real secluded. The only other occupant is a religious group that practice silence at all times." He turned back to his mother. "That would be perfect, considering."

"Yes, I believe so. I'll contact the Commodore tomorrow and see if it's still for sale."

"I suppose Zane can afford it."

"Between the two of us, we can offer Commodore Wilcox his asking price."

Alex's eyebrows arched. "The two of you?"

"Of course." Madame Duvia shifted on the couch. "I've offered what help I can. It's what you do for a friend, Alex. You know that."

He grinned and gave Evan a quick wink. The change in his mother was astounding, but not one he wanted to question or threaten in any way. Even if it did mean she was getting romantically involved with Zane. He was a good man, at least.

"Well, the two of you need to relax. You can stay here, if you don't mind sharing the one guest room I have left." She stood, sparing Evan a quick nod and slight smile. "Or you're welcome to go down to the house. I'll tell Sylvester to expect you." She started walking away, then paused, glancing back. "He seems to be having slight lapses in memory lately, I might have to have him looked at."

"Oh?" Alex blinked innocently. "If you like, Evan can take a look at him for you."

"Yes, perhaps that would be a good idea." She smiled at the Sha'erah again, briefly, then nodded at her son. "I'll tell him to expect you."

Alex watched his mother walk back up the stairs, his features a perfect mask of innocence. The look of tolerant disapproval he saw on Evan's face nearly made him laugh. He shrugged. "I suppose we should at least change that trigger word. With Zane around, the word "discount" might actually be spoken in her presence."

Evan rolled his eyes but said nothing.

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