“Leave before I do something I may or may not regret.” Kiyan had never wanted to kill someone more than at that moment. In his heart he knew that it wouldn't help matters. Sapphire would never be safe on this planet should anyone else find out about her fire bending. There was only one available path. Kiyan glanced at Sapphire who still sat where her father had left her. A sound behind him told Kiyan that Stout Oak had begun climbing out of the valley. Sapphire didn't even stir at the sound. Kiyan glanced over and saw Kendra. The ascended looked like she could dissipate into energy at any moment. Touching her shoulder the fire inside Kiyan came to life and he offered her his energy. She gratefully accepted and looked much more like herself a moment later.
“I never blamed you mother. Ever since I knew who you were I knew that you had a reason for leaving me as an infant.” Kiyan remembered some of the intense feelings and regrets he had sensed from Kendra. She had carried a burden of guilt for long enough.
“Thank you.... Son.” The word sounded strange coming from her but it sounded right. Tears welled up in Kendra's eyes before she turned towards Sapphire and brushed her eyes with the back of her hand. “She is a fire elemental now. You have feelings for her?”
“Actually it is Luke that is in love with her.” Kendra raised an eyebrow at this and turned back to Kiyan with a searching look.
“You saw me die. You saw all of us die. You changed time. I felt it and came here.” Kendra took Kiyan's shoulders and looked deep into his eyes. Kiyan couldn't help but notice that there was still a trace of moisture around his mother's eyes. “You slipped back in your own time stream. You saw things... Terrible things.” A new look of worry came over Kendra's face. “What did you see?”
“I saw what would have happened if I died I think. I saw every world in this universe consumed by the dark one. I saw a fleet with a mechanical crew come through the portal.” Kiyan shook his head at the memories.
“When an ascended dies a new timeline is berthed. One that is free of their actions. I saw one like what you are describing before you were born. I saw you growing up on the refuge world but also on earth. A different wrong earth. It didn't make sense then but I knew I had to let you live that life or what you saw would come to pass. I saw that happen but I don't know why you are the key to this war.” Kendra looked like she was about to say more but they heard noise behind them. Turning they saw Sapphire standing and gathering her cloak over her shoulders. She took one look at them then turned and walked away as fast as she could.
Kiyan left Kendra and ran after Sapphire. “Wait Sapphire.” Kiyan caught her shoulder and stopped her. She turned to reveals a face that had a rivulet of tears through the black dust.
“You don't understand. I will hurt anyone I'm around.” Sapphire choked and sobbed for a second before regaining her voice. “I'm cursed with fire. I must wander the rest of my life where I can't hurt anyone.” More tears streamed down her face as she scanned the awful desert she proposed to spend the rest of her life in. “I will die here.”
“You can't die. Sapphire, you are an elemental.” Kiyan saw shock when she understood his words.
“Then I will spend eternity here. There is no other choice.” Sapphire shook her head and made like to turn again.
“Sapphire wait.” Kiyan stepped back. He held out his hand and bent fire into it. Red flames shimmered in the air. “Sapphire, there are many firebenders where I come from. It isn't looked down on or feared. Come with us.” Kiyan put the fire out and cupped his hands. Silver nanites began to puddle before they reached out slender threads and wove themselves into a gleaming silver bracelet. Kiyan closed his eyes and Luke appeared next to him.
“Sapphire, I love you. It is an emotion that I never thought I would have felt as an AI but nevertheless it is the truth.” Kiyan and I may be linked never to exceed a distance between ourselves but he is willing to accept you as a sister. Luke looked into Sapphire brilliant blue eyes.
“I... I don't want to hurt you.” Sapphire looked torn.
“You could only hurt me if I had to go through time thinking of you here without a friend.” Luke held out the bracelet. “Please come with us.”
Sapphire stared at the bracelet for several seconds before she glanced up and around as if finding herself again. “This planet isn't my home any more. I will come with you.”
“Good. We will leave as soon as you are ready.” Kiyan prepared the subspace signal he was going to send to Deep Current.
“There so nothing here for me to prepare.” Sapphire saw Kendra for the first time.
“I am Kendra. Kiyan's mother.” There was a hint of pride in the way she looked at Kiyan. “You are quite a girl Sapphire. I plan on getting to know you very well in the future.” Kiyan focused on sending the signal. It didn't take long before the dust near them stirred in the air and the drop ship decloaked. Sapphire's eyes widened at the sudden appearance of the ship.
“It is so big.” There was wonder in her eyes as she stepped towards the ship. “Not as big as our colony ships but it is still huge.”
“This is nothing. I have a hundred of these on my battleship.” Kiyan shrugged then looked at the iris like door that snapped open. Deep Current stepped out and held a hand up to shade his face.
“You would have to call me down to the middle of a desert wouldn't you? No sandy beach or calm lake to be seen.” Deep Current shook his head before noticing Sapphire. “A passenger?”
“He is an elf!” You said no one would have a problem with me being.... Sapphire looked back at the confused Deep Current.
“Did I say something?” Deep Current glanced back and forth between Sapphire and Kiyan.
“I am sure we can clear this up. Deep Current, this is Sapphire. By the way what is your opinion of fire bending?” Sapphire glanced furiously at Kiyan when he asked the question.
“My opinion of fire bending?” Deep Current looked even more confused. “Well, I personally think it is a powerful but unrefined and difficult to control school. Other than that, as long as my quarters don't get burnt I have no problem with it. For me it is one of the easiest schools to beat as a waterbender. Wait...” Understanding dawned in Deep Current's eyes. “Sapphire is a firebender and the elves here still think it is a cursed element. Now I see. Sapphire know that I would never think less of an elf because they are gifted with fire bending.” Silence followed Deep Currents proclamation. “May I ask what level you are? Level one? Perhaps a level two or three?”
Sapphire looked confused for a few seconds. “What is a level about?”
“A thousand apologies. Let us speak of this inside the ship. I feel like to dry up in this sun.” Deep Current stepped back and waved them through the door. Inside it was a comfortable cool contrasting suddenly with the broiled air outside. “A level one can manipulate a flame. A level two can sustain a flame and a level three can create their own flame. There are twelve levels in all.”
Sapphire glanced at Kiyan and Luke still a little confused. “She is an elemental. A level ten at least.” Kiyan supplied the information. The shock on Deep Current's countenance betrayed his surprise.
“Amazing.” Deep Current was speechless for a moment before he changed the subject when he saw Kiyan and Kendra watching him. “I will get us in warp and back to Kiyan's ship. Make yourself comfortable. There is a shower in that room and I will replicate some food. I'm sure you are all famished from being in that desert but first I need to pilot our way off this planet.” Kiyan left Sapphire fingering Luke's bracelet and followed Kendra up to the cockpit.
“Deep Current, I gave the oracles dreams and visions about the first foretellings you told me about. When I got to the one about Kiyan, I couldn't find the right person then I found that they had actually seen the vision.” I had nothing to do with that vision. Kendra crossed her arms and waited.
“He knew that. He also knew that the oracles need credibility in order for the real prophecy to be believed. In fact he has been playing us for the whole time. Bending and
weaving us into the footsteps he saw in the vision. He sabotaged the star drive on the ship he was on so that they would be rescued and brought to the refuge worlds.” Kiyan watched Deep Current's reactions as he spoke. After first freezing mid motion Deep Current had turned with something akin to relief in his eyes. Kendra had gone from surprised to confused then she had looked angry. Finally she settled on understanding.
“It must have been when you reversed time. The aftershock filtered back through the ages.” Kendra gave a brief explanation.
“How did you find out? I always knew someone would.” Deep Current combed his long pale hair with his fingers.
“Sorloc was quite informative.” Kiyan settled into the copilot chair and spun it around.
“That old wind elemental still goes by that name? I should have known he was the only other one to know what part I would play.” Deep Current scowled at his feet.
“Wind elemental?” Kiyan sat up in the chair.
“Yes. How else did you think he is still alive. Not much that could injure the old man.” Deep Current glanced up then averted his gaze again. “He likes to perpetuate the idea that he is immortal for other reasons.”
“Next time you see anything like that just let us know. You don't have anything to fear from us.” Kendra settled into another chair in the cockpit. She didn't look upset any more, only tired.
“So I can still remain in the protectorate?” The look on Deep Current's face spoke of a struggle he had dealt with for some time.
“You tricked us but you did it because you felt that it was required. I met a number of people and changes happened while I was on the planet. We still don't know if the demon fish were of drakken design or not. Riftor lives and he wants to join the protectorate when he is old enough. Sapphire won't have to endure her banishment in a desert for an eternity.” Kiyan stretched his arms and cracked his fingers. “I'm not sure I would have been able to figure another way to make it all work.”
“Riftor.... The name sounds mountain tribe in origin.” Deep Current looked thoughtful.
“He is an orphan from the mountain tribe. He showed considerable skill with both earth and air bending. We left him with Sorloc. If he is the wind elemental you say he is then Riftor will have ample training.” Kiyan's thoughts drifted towards Sapphire. She was still in the other room and he could sense her talking with Luke.
“Oh, I almost forgot. Did you find out what the plot for the planet was?” Kendra was looking better as she slowly regained her energy.
“I found the drakken's ship in a low orbit. It had a radiation weapon on board that would have killed everything on the surface if it had been released. It was only a frigate class so I ambushed it and destroyed it before it could charge the weapon.” Deep Current had piloted the ship beyond the atmosphere so he opened a warp frame and dropped the ship into subspace. Kiyan felt the fraying energy at the edges of his senses but Kendra looked like she was drawing off the energy. Deep Current left the controls and walked over to a small alcove built into the wall. Kiyan watched as the energy was phased into matter. There was some fruit and a dish of something resembling noodles. Kiyan wrinkled his nose when he saw the food. He realized he was spoiled having an AI that liked to cook. Replicated food just didn't taste right.
“How much longer before we get to the Avenger?” Kiyan was looking forward to getting home.
“We are only in a drop ship so I am traveling under cloak. It will be a couple hours at this speed.” Deep Current balanced a dish in each hand and went back towards where Sapphire was. Kiyan found himself alone with Kendra. He knew more about her but she was still a mysterious figure. He shared a connection with Theo but knew even less about him.
“What would have happened if you had raised me instead of letting James and Marisa?” Kiyan felt sorry for asking the question when he saw a flash of guilt on Kendra's face.
“Your father was trapped in the dark universe before you were born. When I saw the competing time lines I examined each as much as I could. You were destined to ascend so I couldn't watch you. I could only see traces like foot prints or ripples caused by your movements. I did see that if I raised you, you would have become a powerful ascended but would have died today. Where or how, I didn't know but I saw that you died and our war was lost.” Kendra looked at Kiyan with pain in her eyes. “You are less powerful now than you would have been yet you are able to overcome greater obstacles. I believe that if I had raised you, you might never have learned to time slip.”
“Does Theo know this?” Kiyan understood more than he had ever about his early life.
“I told him everything I have told you.” Kendra's eyes seemed to go out of focus as she examined Kiyan with her mind. “There is a strong temporal energy build up around you. More than you should have. The flow of time is strong around you.”
“Is that dangerous?” Kiyan could feel Kendra's concern.
“No. It protects you from changes in the timelines and allows you to time travel if you can control it. There is more, like you were or will be the center of some massive temporal event.” Kendra became silent as she thought.
“I did just reverse the timeline and changed it.” Kendra nodded slowly as Kiyan spoke. “I displaced a lot of energy when I moved back.”
“That could be the cause. It could be.” Kendra lapsed into silence so Kiyan decided to move back to where Sapphire was. Kiyan found her looking like she had washed up. Her clothes had healed from the burns and looked like new. Deep Current and Sapphire were deep in a conversation about the nuances of life bending so Kiyan stepped into the med bay to clean himself up. The dirt and grit in his hair only took a few seconds to bend away then he washed the grime off his face. Looking into the mirror revealed a new person. He had to use his hand to brush down the straw colored hair that stuck out like he had been electrocuted. Kiyan focused for a second and the remaining water in his hair went off in a cloud of steam. Looking into the mirror he saw a stream of ships coming through a portal. Blinking his eyes and shaking his head Kiyan only saw himself in the mirror. Must be tired. Kiyan thought to himself. Walking back into the central room on the drop ship Kiyan plopped into a soft chair and leaned back. The animated chatter between Sapphire and Deep Current was drowned out by the constant hum from hyperspace as Kiyan dropped into sleep.
Chapter Twenty-one: Destiny
“Wake up. Deep Current says that we are almost there.” It only felt like a few seconds had passed since Kiyan had fallen asleep. Sapphire was gently shaking his shoulders.
“I'm awake.” Kiyan shook his head and rubbed his eyes. He remembered disconnected dreams about ships coming through holes. With a thought he pushed the images to the back of his mind to deal with later. Climbing to his feet Kiyan followed Sapphire to the cockpit and looked at the holographic windows that were projected around them. It gave the strange sensation of floating through space in a bubble of nothing. Glancing around he quickly found the Avenger with the outlines that were projected on his HUD. Sapphire was looking around but without the aid was unable to see the cloaked ship. Kiyan connected with the Avenger's com systems and asked Alec to decloak for them. Sapphire gasped when the giant ship appeared out of the inky black space in front of them. Disengaging the travel drives Deep Current maneuvered them skillfully towards the open hangar deck. The Avenger grew in size until they were swallowed by the hangar bay doors. They maneuvered into an empty slot and touched down.
“There is so much.... Metal.” Sapphire was standing outside of the drop ship gazing around at the cavernous hangar bay.
“If there is nothing else, I will continue on to my ship.” Deep Current saluted Kiyan and Kendra. “It was a pleasure meeting you Sapphire.” Kiyan returned the salute before Deep Current reentered the drop ship.
“The entire ship is made mostly out of metal of one kind or another but I think I know of a place you would like.” Luke had reminded Kiyan of the atmospheric processing facility. Kiyan interfaced with the teleporters and the group remateri
alized under a tree. Sapphire looked disoriented for a moment after the teleport.
“You have forest on your ship?” Sapphire ran her finger over the bark on the tree.
“Not quite a forest but yes we use plants to purify the air and water on the ship.” Kiyan gave a brief explanation. “If you want you can become the chief gardener.”
“You mean I can stay here?” Sapphire looked around at the exotic foliage that surrounded them.
“I suppose but I can get you quarters if you would like.” Kiyan hadn't expected Sapphire to want to live in the patch of trees but come to think of it, it made sense.
“I can grow a stand of trees there and up there I can grow a house.” Sapphire rubbed her chin as she thought. “If I put the stream closer to those trees, they would grow better and that sparse patch could have a fruit tree. A garden could go over there and..... That is if you don't mind.” Sapphire looked up at Kiyan.
“No not at all. I'm sure Alec would love the fresh supplies.” Kiyan was mildly amused at the changes Sapphire proposed.
“Who is Alec?” Sapphire had a questioning look.
“He is the ship's AI.” Kiyan could sense that Alec was watching them but chose not to reveal himself.
“But isn't Luke an AI?” Sapphire looked a little confused.
“Yes but he is imbedded in my implants. Alec lives in the ship's mainframe and controls the ship. They tend to dislike each other but haven't tried deleting each other since we got back so that's a good sign.” Sapphire began giggling and Kiyan sensed annoyance coming from Luke. “Anyhow, I have some things I need to deal with so if you are fine here.”
“Oh yes I have plenty to do to make this forest habitable.” Sapphire fingered one of the few seed bracelets that had survived the battle.
“OK then. Just ask Alec to teleport you to my location if you have any questions or you could just ask him yourself.” Kiyan was about to teleport to the conference room where he knew Kendra was waiting.