fanfic_name = Separate Lives

chapter = Chapter 11

author = LisaV

Rating = O18

Type = Angst

fanfic = “Nothing,” Max said. “Nobody has seen her since this morning and you wouldn’t believe this but Khyron and Mak are missing too.”

At that moment, Miriya walked into the room. “Two planes missing, Rick.”

“Let me guess,” Rick said sarcastically as he rubbed the back of his neck, “Khyron’s and Commander Mak?”

Miriya nodded.

She’s not dead! She’s a fighter, a soldier. She’s alive! Yet he couldn’t stop the despair from forming a hard knot in his stomach and he suddenly felt helpless-- empty.

“Your call, skipper,” he heard Max said.

After a long minute, he stood and took a deep breath. “We proceed as plan. Nothing’s changed. Lisa wouldn’t want it any other way.”

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It was too beautiful to be real. Lisa knew that, knew it even as she dreamed. Yet she couldn’t help but be happy and be filled with a joy so deep she had no name for it. And she had no name for the place in which she found herself either.

The garden was filled with a variety of roses in every color imaginable and sizes. The air was filled with their sweet fragrant scent and birds sang in green trees. A fountain played the melody of running water, and the sky, she noticed was as blue as an artist’s vision of heaven.

The day was perfect. Everything was perfect and the beauty of it all stunned her. But that was not the truest beauty of the dream. The miracle of it lay in the child cradled in her arms—a child with blues eyes and dark hair. Quietly, she began to hum a lullaby to the child, this child of her own body.

A gate creaked, and Lisa looked up. Her heart, already so full, made room for another. He walked into the garden and smiled at her. Oh, how she loved him.

Lisa handed his son to him, watching the wonder in his eyes.

Yes, surely this would be enough. He would never want to go away again. He would be hers forever. He would never leave her. Never.

He met her gaze. She yearned for him with everything inside her, imprinting him on her heart, memorizing his soul.

“I love you…” she said and her lips formed to speak his name but her mind refused to give it up. She could not remember, no matter how hard she tried. And without his name… everything began to dissolve. She reached for him, for their child but her hands passed through them. He was leaving her…. No!

Voices dimly made their way to her. Lisa couldn’t tell who the voices belonged to but she knew they were familiar—somehow. Opening her eyes, she tried to throw off the tranquil void of sleep but it was so hard for her to focus. She tried to move but couldn’t and she quickly realized that her hands were tied together in front of her.

“Good. You’re awake,” a woman’s voice said in a haughty tone and Lisa finally made the connection– Azonia!

Looking up through the screen of her lashes, Lisa also saw Khyron. The shocked of seeing him with Azonia must have register on her face for Azonia suddenly laughed.

“Surprised?” Azonia asked and lifted one of her perfectly arched eyebrows.

“Did you think that your influence was so overwhelming that you could cage him, Captain? Khyron’s a warrior, a killer, a conqueror through and through. I didn’t have to convince him very hard to change side. He knows as well as any true warrior who’d seen my plan that I will be victorious.”

Silence.

“What’s the saying these micronians loved to use at a time like this, Khyron?” Azonia asked without turning back to look at him at all.

“Oh, yes. Cat got your tongue?”

“How- how long have you been in league with her?” Lisa asked as she focused on Khyron’s face, watching for any sign of emotions. She found none.

Khyron’s handsome face was deadly serious when he answered her, it seemed alien, almost frightening and memories of her fear of him when she was his captive came rushing back to her.

“Azonia asked me a year ago to join her but I didn’t see the victory in her plan until two weeks ago. I’m sorry, Captain but you shouldn’t be too surprise. You have always known I can never be trusted. I will always join the winning side and this time, I’m afraid it’s Azonia.”

The last of the color left her face, and Azonia saw the transformation complete itself. She turned a dazzling smile full of satisfaction to Khyron.

“Come, Khyron, it’s time. Their attack should take place in the next hour. As soon as we take care of this little inconvenience, the sizing chamber and the Protoculture matrix will be ours without much trouble. We will crush these micronians once and for all and be on our way to join the Robotech Masters where we belong. Our names will live on forever!”

“What about my command?” a voice said from the doorway.

Lisa turned and saw that it was Commander Mak. She watched as he strolled into the room, his face was flushed with anger.

“We had a deal, Azonia!”

“Khyron, will you do me the honor?” Azonia asked and yawned as if bored.

Sensing danger, Mak backed away, wide-eyed and wary but he suddenly stopped and snarled at Azonia. “You’ll regret this, Az--” but he didn’t get to finish his threat for Khyron had already broken his neck.

Lisa stared, momentary stunned by the sudden violence. But she quickly recovered and schooled her face into one of disinterest as she glared back at Azonia and Khyron, her eyes icy green.

She’d already given them too much ammunition to hurt her with. She knew that if she was going to get out of here alive, she needed to be in control of her emotions. Her training and discipline kicked into play and she suddenly felt strong.

“Thank you, Khyron. You don’t know how much I detest turncoats.” She said and even managed a smile.

“The pleasure was all mine, Captain. I haven’t killed anyone in a long time.” Looking at Azonia, he finished, “And I feel, wonderful!”

Turning away from them, Lisa made sure she was careful to keep her cold rage from showing on her face.

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“Come on, Captain, time to move.” Khyron said as he cut the rope that bounded her hands and shook her out of her drugged slumber. “You’re going to hear a loud boom in a minute or two and then everything’s going to break loose, just like our last battle with Dolza. Can you stand, Lisa?”

“Yes. But—what’s going on?”

“No time to explain, we have to get out of here!”

“No!” Lisa said and stood her ground. “I’m not taking a step out of this room with you unless you tell me what’s going on.”

“I haven’t betrayed you. I needed Azonia to think I did…”

Suddenly they heard a loud whistle and Lisa felt Khyron pushing her to the ground.

The explosion shook the entire mountain. In the room and everywhere else that she could see, Lisa saw debris flying like bullets in all directions. She felt a stinging on her leg but didn’t uncover her head to look.

“Now, can we leave?”

Still dazed, she nodded in agreement for she could smell smoke and when there’s smoke, there’s fire.

Together they got up and made their way out of the room and then through the tunnel that lead to the docking bay. Chaos, shouts and orders could be heard and seen—everywhere.

“Over there!” Khyron yelled above the noise and pointed to an entrance far right of the chaos and they ran toward it. Khyron was slightly a head of her and dragging her towards it for he’d refused to let go of her hand since they’d left the tiny room she’d been held in. But instead of going through the entrance, Khyron had abruptly stopped then dropped to the ground.

“Traitor!”

Lisa whirled to see Azonia leaning against the side wall. Her face was blackened by smoke and she was covered with blood. But there was a gun in her hand. A gun she’d just fired.

“This way, Captain Hayes,” Azonia sneered and pointed for Lisa to move into a room, away from the entrance hall way. “You and I will finish this, one way or another.”

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“I finally have everything I worked for,” she said, turning to watch the hall way in which they would be coming. “I won’t let you or anyone one else take it from me. I will make you regret the day you ever heard of me!”

Lisa heard in her voice the seriousness of her conviction.

“The Zentraedi empire is dead, Azonia,” she said.

Azonia’s face froze and in that moment, Lisa made her move. She had used the full force of her arm behind the blow and Azonia’s head had whipped around as she thudded against the wall and slid to the floor like a broken doll.

Taking her eyes off Azonia, she turned to search for the gun. It was then that Azonia’s boot came crashing into her chest, knocking the breath out of her and sending her flying back a couple of feet.

Lisa had seen it coming and had even expected it but that wasn’t enough to give her time to move or to block the blow. She had no one to blame but herself for underestimating Azonia and now she was going to kill her.

“Bad move, Captain!” Azonia said in a hoarse, violent tone as she stood over her. “Now you die!”

From the corner of her eyes, Lisa saw movement in the entrance. Azonia must have sensed it too for she whirled around to face whoever had dare to enter her sanctuary and Lisa saw her pressing on the trigger.

Lisa didn’t think, she didn’t wait, she just moved. It could be Rick.

There was no pain, just a strange weakness. She pressed her hand to her side, which for some reason was hot, her skin burning, and when she raised her palm; even in the darkly lit room the thick crimson streak was clearly visible. Against her will, her fingers began to tremble. Slowly she sank down on the ground.

“Lisa,” Khyron said. He was kneeling beside her when she opened her eyes, but she didn’t understand how that could be. She saw him being shot by Azonia.

“Rick,” she whispered. “Is he okay?”

Khyron didn’t answer her, he just caught her hand and held it tightly; his strong fingers trembling as hers had when she saw the blood.

From across the room Azonia was angry. Actually she looked as if she was about to explode. Her eyes had gone ice cold, and a vein throbbed in her temple. Her mouth worked, but no words came out the first few tries.

Finally her muscles taut with the effort, she managed, “how touching…. I-- I never expected you to be so soft, Khyron. She’s corrupted you! You’re worthless to me now!”

Raising her weapon once more, Azonia’s eyes narrowed with hatred.

Gun. She needed a gun. Lord, she was dizzy. Lisa searched wildly and saw that Khyron’s gun was still in his holster on his waist. She seemed to be moving in slow motion as she made a reach for it. She knew she would be too late but she had to try.

When she finally turned to take aim but it was Rick not Azonia who was in her sight of fire. Lisa froze. Relief swamped though out her entire body.

“Lisa.”

Rick’s hand was gentle on her arm. “It’s over. Azonia’s dead. Let go.”

She nodded and let him take the gun out of her hand. She saw him pushing Khyron out of the way as he formed a compress and pressed it above her wound.

“We have to get you to a doctor. Don't die on me, Lisa! Don't you dare!” He was cursing beneath his breath. “Where the hell are Max and Miriya? Why are they taking so long? Khyron! Go! Find them--…”

She heard nothing else.

State = Continuará/To Be Continue

feedback = Sí/Yes

email = lisa_vangATmsn.com