Invid Lullaby

Chapter 11

Confrontation
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His body was tense, ready. With a cold glare in his eyes, Scott stepped into Hunter's office. He didn't expect Admiral Hayes Hunter and Dr. Lang's presence there, but it didn't matter. Scott's mind was set. He would find his son, no matter what he had to do.

After the salutes were done, silence reigned. Rick and Lisa stared at the irate officer. What do you tell a father whose newborn son has gone missing under your command?

"Scott, I'm very sorry for what has happened," ventured Lisa lastly.

"We are doing all we can to locate your son, captain," added Rick quickly.

Scott swallowed anger. His jaw grew tighter. Before he entered the room, he could have predicted every apologetic word that he would be told. "Sorry" wont help my son. He thought bitterly.

Rick noticed growing tension on the young man's face. "At ease, Scott," he told him. The captain tried hard and succeeded at regaining some of his self-control momentarily. They are not the enemy. He reminded himself.

"I understand the situation is hard for you and Marlene." Rick started slowly. "It was never our intention for this to happen. On the contrary," he looked at his wife, "all that we wanted was to provide you, Marlene and your child with a safe place away from earth."

"Well, it didn't work, did it?" Scott couldn't contain his sarcasm.

"Unfortunately, groups with ill-feelings for the Invid seem to be strong on the moon as vell," put in Dr. Lang.

"Don't be so vague, doctor!" An angry tempest was breaking loose on Scott again. "Not "some groups", the ones who did this have a name: Karbarrans!"

"We don't have proof, captain," said Rick serious. "The Council can't act without solid evidence."

"What more evidence you want? My son has been taken away! Are you going to wait that he's dead to do something!" Hot pumping blood rendered Scott's entire  face crimson with rage. "What kind of admiral are you?"

"Mind your words, Bernard!"

"You must kalm..." started to intervene Dr. Lang with concern.

"Don't tell me to calm down!" An edgy Scott cut the old scientist off. "It's my son, damn it!" Then looking to both Rick and Lisa. "Would you be calm if it was your son missing? Accusation drove his tone. "A defenseless baby at the mercy of who knows what kind of deranged criminal?"

Rick and Lisa where at a loss.

"Scott, sekurity eez skouring the base, they vill find your son. It eez just a matter of giving them some more time."

"Security?" Bernard snorted. "Were were they when that bastard Karbarran tried to kill Marlene?" He shot back at his godfather and faced Rick and Lisa. "Where were they when my son was taken? Where!" His mouth twisted into a scornful smile. "Sorry admirals, doctor, your security forces are pathetic! Don't expect me to sit on my ass down here a minute longer and wait for that useless party to find my son!" Immediately, he turned to storm out of Rick's office.

"Captain!" called Lisa upset. He didn't stop.

"You can't take things in your own hands, this is not the old wild west, Bernard! Don't do something you'll regret!" warned Rick.

The father froze. "I already regret what I've done." Scott turned, his blue eyes reproaching Lisa, before resuming his exit.

"Stop right there, young man!" Lisa yelled. "It's an order!" Rick looked at his wife and saw what was on her mind. Anger couldn't cloak the guilt she felt from his eyes

Scott bit his lip, a battle ragging inside him. "Admiral?" The soldier had won. He faced her once more.

Lisa Hayes looked at her husband. Her green eyes asking for support. Rick you must be with me on this one. And he was.

"All right, Bernard. What do you need to find your son?" Rick inquired lastly.

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Marlene was on her feet, pacing in her room, restless. She was grateful that the nurses had left her alone at last. Her reddened eyes showed she had been crying. Despite this, her mind was focused.
 
Where? Where are you?

Silence.

Still, she was desperately trying to find her son telepathically, still, she hadn't found anything. Sobs pushed and collected on the back of her throat.

Oh, Scott. Come back soon.

She had promised she would wait for him before attempting to use any of her less discreet Invid abilities. He had been gone for what seemed an eternity by now. My Invid abilities, she mused with sadness.

Since her baby was taken out from her, things had changed inside Marlene: her confidence crippled, her feelings forlorn. Their energies had been intertwined, feeding and strengthening each other. But he was gone now and with him, Marlene's mental bond with his father.

In the lab, when her eyes caught sight of his shattered crib, she lost it. She fought against the nurses who held her down. Out of desperation, she tried to transfigure into energy and escape their firm grip, but she was not able. Then, she attributed it to the shock and the pain, but now, the Invid wasn't sure anymore. Some purpose you serve! She loathed her heritage.

I couldn't protect you, my baby. The tears welled again. Am I just a helpless Invid in a human shell? She felt a mother's rage building insider her.

Vengeful feelings washed over the once peace-loving Invid. Marlene's thoughts wandered and set on the Invid Regiss and her long and violent struggle to protect her offspring. How much I understand you now, mother, Marlene realized. If those Karbarrans were anywhere next to her now...

This isn't the way. The Invid shook her head and along it, those dark thoughts.

Suddenly, the door of her room hissed open. Scott walked to her and hugged her tightly. Through moments of pain, their human bond had strengthened more than ever. After a while of letting each other find comfort in their closeness, she peeked into his eyes. In his tired blue irises she discovered a gleam of hope. It comforted her.

"Still nothing?" he asked unaware.

She sighed. "No."

He expected that much, yet his head hung low. He couldn't hide his pain. "Help's on the way," he told her.

_____

The shuttle's hull rose open to expose Moon Base's bustling docking bay. Sera saw civilian and military personnel going around minding their tasks. Mingling together were Praxians, Humans, Garudans and Karbarrans. She felt a chill.

After Scott's call -he'd probably done a lot of maneuvering to find them-, it had been hard for Sera and Lancer to push aside their reborn dreams of a peaceful life and leave Santa Fe's safe haven behind. Rook's, Rand's, Annie's and Lunk's concerned faces hadn't helped either, but the couple couldn't deny their aid to the distraught parents. They owed Marlene. If it wasn't for her, Lancer and his wife would have never been reunited.

The princess hoped that just like the Invid prisoners at New Liberty had once reached the Invid Queen-Mother with a joint mental effort, maybe together, her sister and her would be able to find the former's missing baby.

Lancer held Sera's hand to help her down from the ship's high exit. Below, a lone soldier waited and when they touched ground, he saluted. The couple had been provided with military uniforms aboard the shuttle and politely requested to change into them prior to docking.

Captain Bernard had taken care of clearing the way for his guests, limiting their welcome committee to the minimum. Nothing that could draw attention to the newly arrived visitors was near, not even himself. Bernard's involvement with an Invid female wasn't a secret anymore, at least not for whomever had taken the hybrid baby away.

The infantryman led the way through Moon Base's long corridors. "Lieutenant" Belmont discreetly held his wife's cold hand for a brief moment. Scott had assured him Sera would be safe, still, with all that the singer had learned about Marlene's ordeals, he couldn't help being nervous.

Finally, their escort stopped in front of a guarded door. The soldiers flanking the entrance saluted and stepped out of the way. The seemingly random stripes and bars embedded in her courtesy attire started to make sense to Sera.

Inside, a reunion waited. At last. She could already feel her sister.

_____

Baraka enjoyed the sight. Finally, he had extracted from the gullible doctor the prize he had longed for. The alien watched blissfully how a pair robotic arms placed the Invid's egg to be fully scanned.

He had reserved the pleasure of the first pulse to himself. Mercilessly, his paw proceeded. The rays shimmered in his yellow eyes. Baraka grinned.
 
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Posted on: 2005-04-02

• New Beginnings
• Investigation
• Intervention
• Freedom Lost
• Heaven and Hell
• Missing Pieces
• Panic
• Hit of Miss
• Night Watch
• Awakening
• Confrontation
• Revenge
• Council
• Unraveling
• Finality
• Epilogue