"Sins of Time"

Author's Note: Sins of Time is set in the Xenogear's Universe. Though some of it seems a little out of that world just accept the fact that this is my interpretation of the events before the Eldrdige disaster.

The giant emigrant spaceship Eldridge, the Alliance's Galactic Exploration agency's pride and joy, was now in danger. In the lower bay in amongst the large deep range probes, Quin and his daughter, Elly, looked out of the large window. The world that they were passing stood like a beacon in the coldness of space. A refuge from the destruction that was about to come. Elly gently pulled on Quin's pant leg drawing his attention.

"Yes, I know," he told his daughter with a smile. "It is time for us to go."

It had taken him nearly a month to modify the probe once he found the destructive weapon that his wife had designed onboard. Not only had the people from the homeworld escaped on the Eldridge but also too did the evil weapon Dues. Elly had been the one to tell him about it, she had a sense about her that defied explanation.

Quin led Elly to the probe and opened the small door. Elly obediently climbed inside and looked at her father waiting for him to enter. Quin felt the change in the ship. The lights changed to red illuminating the dimly lit bay.

"It has started," Quin murmured. Quickly he turned to the control pad on the side and placed his hand on it. "Please, my love. Find us."

He dived into the probe and it closed shut behind him. Quin gently took his daughters hand as the system began to place the two into suspended animation. The probe was launched soon after speeding away from the ship. The last sight Quin saw before he fell into the deep sleep of suspended animation was the destruction of others as they tried to flee the Dues controlled vessel.

The probe flew unhindered with its two sleeping passengers towards the planet. Behind it the Eldridge exploded sending large chunks of ship hurtling at them. The probe fell to the earth embedding itself into the land. Not long after a large piece of the blackened vessel fell nearby burying the probe deeper into the ground leaving it lost.

To say I was upset was a little more than an understatement. As a ship I'm sure I would not have cared much about being placed into suspended animation, but as a human I did care. The Government should've released me from my service as the soul of this ship. I wanted to be free and see the world through my eyes once more. That was neither here nor there as I awoke from the long sleep that 'they' had put me under. I was inside an abandoned hangar with no one other than my five sleeping female crew members. These five girls were more than their engineering talents told, their companionship kept me sane, their friendship kept me living.

Taking a look about me and my space bound surroundings I noticed that an attack had killed those that lived in the hangar. I even noticed the debris of two other living ships. I was far from surprised, fate must have once again intervened to keep me alive. I started up the engines and the life support systems. The girls would be grumpy if they didn't get a shower and a good meal. They woke up slowly as the drugs used to place people into suspended animation slowly dispersed.

"This is your Captain. The water is warm and the food ready to eat."

"Alis," Janice said with a warm smile as she stretched throwing off her sheets. Janice was my second in command. Her strong will and fearlessness putting her in the lead above the others. She was a tall woman. Her legs long her hair blacker than night. Her eyes held impish thoughts and glinted like sapphires. "Thanks."

"No problem. How was your sleep?"

"Nice and refreshing," she replied.

"Unfortunately it was too long," Lillith moaned sounding a little depressed. "Joran is probably long married and dead. Damn." Lillith was the one the crew admired for her quick thinking and equally fast repairs. It was her way to hunt for men in every port that we managed to get to. She was a slender woman with red hair and green eyes. A rare mix in the Alliance. She loved tight clothes and glittering jewels. Very expensive tastes. "You'd think that they would at least warn us when they are going to store us for later."

"Besides," Josie replied grumpily, "the fact that all my music orders have long since expired. They could have waited for them to come in." Josie was the music lover. Her collection was larger than the Government arsenal at the Capital world and nearly as deadly. I wondered some days if they could be used to destroy another ship. She was dark colored in every way. Darkly tanned and space black hair. Her brown eyes burned into all that was not her friend. I got that stare many times during our first few missions. Eventually I gained the warm look that her friends received.

"I can't wait!" Lara cried jumping out of her bed and stretching in her nakedness in the middle of the Stasis room. Of all the girls onboard Lara was the one that loved showing off her curves and fair complexion. She disarmed many soldiers that had tried to take me over. Unable to prevent themselves from staring the others would capture them. Lara loved long silky hair and colored it regularly. It never stayed the same color longer than a week. Today it was a dark midnight blue. She also loved big and very destructive guns. Which included my twin set of three barreled laser turrets. "When do we get to blow things up?"

"When do we get to eat! I think I'm dying!" Nina the youngest and shyest of the five was also a food fanatic. She loved food always storing in various pockets. She was not as tall as Janice but despite her 'see' food diets she was lithe and fit. She had a unique power as well, she could manipulate inert energy about her. It was rare however that she would use it. I think that she really doesn't like the power. "Alis you did say the food was ready?"

"Yes I did Nina. Enjoy."

Janice pulled on some clothes while the others excluding hungry Nina talked among each other. They were a talkative bunch. "Alis, why are we awake now? Is it because the drugs wore off or was it the system, did it suffer a crash, or was it them?"

"Them I think," I replied accessing the hanger control computers. "A program activated to wake us up. Currently my systems are slaved to the hanger's computers. I'm currently trying to force it to let go. Oh, be careful the starboard hatch may have been forced open."

"Forced? Is there anyone onboard that shouldn't be?"

"I can't detect any other life forms."

"Can you close the hatch?"

"There appears to be severe damage to the servos. We'll have to get them repaired."

"No problem. Anything else that needs repair?"

"Check the starboard engines, I can't..." I stopped as I received a tachyon signal from Alliance HQ. "Alliance HQ is calling. Would you all like to go lounge to talk to them?"

"Before our showers," the others cried unhappily.

I sighed, "I'll keep them on hold until you all have eaten and showered."

"Thanks Alis," they called out in unison.

"What do think they want," Janice asked as she was making her way to her quarters.

"Don't know? Perhaps the war started up again?"

"Perhaps."

After they had eaten and showered and I had downloaded all the information available on current events we opened the channel to HQ. The man that was calling was a large man that wore a strange looking uniform.

"My name is Khan Thrax, the Emperor's Number One. First the Emperor would like to know the condition of your crew."

"They are in good health. I'm sure though that you didn't call for courtesy sake?"

"You are right. Have you picked up the Zohar emissions that belong to Dues?"

I gasped in shock at his words and began to activate all my shipboard functions. I picked up the emissions right off and traced them to a distant world. A world that I knew all too well. The grave of my husband and daughter.

"Why? I was told that it was destroyed! It was destroyed on the Eldridge!"

"Calm yourself Alis. Moments before you and your crew were placed into our deactivation plan out outpost picked up a strange energy reading on the planet. A survey ship was sent to investigate but other than an increase in human populations there was no sign of Dues. We were thus forced to hack into your database and retrieve the information on Dues."

"My database!"

"The computers on Sharla Kae were easy to break into." I didn't know whether to get angry further or give a sigh of relief. "Unfortunately the data was damaged. The Emperor declared that you be placed on standby status. It was your creation and thus your responsibility to stop the evolving weapon Dues."

"I'm to stop the weapon," I asked in a half daze. I felt the weight of the millions dead that I was responsible for fall on me once more. Your Sin, Your responsibility. No other.

"With that said the Emperor has sources raising disturbing points. So Farragut and Constance are going to rendezvous with you to keep an eye on you."

"Are you saying that I am disloyal to the Alliance that I sacrificed so much for!"

"That is the Emperor's fear and prerogative."

"So be it," I replied coldly. "I shall leave immediately upon completion of repairs."

"You are to go now. Otherwise you will be tried for treason."

Before I could retort the screen blanked and the signal was gone. I was so furious that I could chew nails, had I any nails to chew.

"Alis," came Janice's gentle and compassionate voice. "We can finish most of the repairs en route."

"Yeah," Lillith said excitedly. "Don't worry. We'll take good care of you!"

The trip to the primitive world that Dues now called home was quiet and uneventful. It was the arrival that caused us so much more trouble. There was a bit of confusion once we entered the system as I lost Dues's power signal. I had a slight fear for hours before I lost it the power emission had grown more power than I could ever dream. I wondered if I could destroy it. My question would remain a mystery for awhile as a new anomaly affected us. A rip in the space/time fabric had opened undetected until I passed near it. I raked my hyperspace engines and my stabilizers across its outer fringe knocking me straight into the planet.

"Janice strap in," I cried while feverishly worked on the atmospheric fin control relay that had shorted during out conflict with the rip.

"We can't survive an impact if the fins aren't out to slow our descent!" I would've replied but my attention was diverted as the blue waters of the ocean came closer. We still had an open hatch! "There got it! My fins slid out quickly pulling my nose up. Unfortunately the large pillar that jutted out from the center of area came right at us. I fired the port engines pushing us sharply east. My port fins smashed into the tower throwing me north east toward a small landmass full of trees. My hope was to cushion our crash with the forest and not the mountains that were scattered around it. I forced more power to the port engines and swung us sharply east. It was then that my reactor shutdown as it overheated, darkness greeted me before the crash.

I was in a world of sorrow and sadness. My homeworld was aflame as Dues shredded the crust with its weapons. People died by the millions at it rampaged across the world. I tried to stop it but Dues ignored me tossing me aside. I was not worthy of death it seemed to say, but I struggled on finally stopping it by removing its love of the Zohar reactor. By then it was too late. My parents and siblings were dead, the once green land was barren and unlivable, the air smelled of ozone and dead rotting bodies. I just collapsed beside the stopped Dues and cried.

It was all a dream I realized as I forced my eyes open. I felt warmth of a sun upon my bare skin. Quickly I sat up and realized I had my body, I was no longer in the ship.

"I see that you are awake now," an old voice said to me from around a corner. Slowly a wizened old man dressed in large heavy looking robes came around to stand before me. I gasped as I realized that the Talone was outside, the repair systems inoperative.

"Who are you! Where am I?"

"Calm down, girl. You aren't completely healed yet. My name is Taura, and you intrusively inserted your fine vessel in my forest."

"I had no control."

"Obviously," he replied dryly.

I blushed suddenly as my eyes drifted to a nearby mirror. "Where are my clothes old man!"

"You had none. I could care less about your nakedness. I've seen my share." It still unnerved me. "You see you were dying within that pod of yours. I tried to remove you from it but as I did your life signs stopped and the ship ceased it's own functions." He came over and pointed at a silver capsule that was attached to my right thigh. "I had my nanoassemblers create that device and heal your body. They have worked diligently for a few weeks."

Concerned flooded me at his words. "My crew? Janice?"

"The one called Janice is in my nanoreactor healing. She had extensive injuries. The rest of your crew is unhurt and are currently at the nearest city getting supplies for your ship and yourself."

"Oh, I guess then I should thank you."

"Thanks are not necessary, I only help those that are in need. By the way I should tell you that if that capsule is totally destroyed then you will die within hours. Currently I have set a colony of nanomachines to repair your vessel for it too received severe damage. But it will be longer than..."

"Wait! How long have I been out. Have they..."

"No one else has come here for you, other than friends of mine."

I was filled with a mixture of fear and relief. If Farragut and Constance were in orbit then I was in severe trouble for not being at the rendezvous point. The door opened suddenly and Lillith walked in her arms full of clothes. Behind her walked four people. Two young men, an older man, and to my surprise a young woman who looked like an older version of my daughter.

"You are awake captain."

"Yes, I am," I replied with a warm smile. "Who are your new friends?"

"They lent us the use of their vessel. I brought you some clothes." She appeared nervous for some reason but I shrugged it off on account of so many young men in the room. She handed me the clothes and stepped back.

"We were concerned for you and your crew. That was a pretty bad crash that you were in," The young women said putting her hands over the young men's gaping eyes. Silently I cursed.

"I thank you for your concern."

"I told you she'd be fine," Taura said grumpily. "Why don't you dress in here."

I followed Taura into the next room. He closed the door behind me and sighed. I dressed in the clothes giving me a feeling of being a little out of place. Which of course I was.

"You are under suspicion," Taura said suddenly breaking the silence of the moment.

"What else is new," I replied curtly. "I came to do a job and I will do it."

"We've had a year of hell. Your coming has the rebuilding nations on edge. Your ship's technology comparable to only one other."

I raised and eyebrow turning to him, "Who?"

"Dues."

The word nearly forced me to my knees. Regaining my composure I replied, "It is the reason I am here."

"Is that so?"

"I was sent to destroy it." I caught a faint smile but paid it no mind. "Do you happen to know where it lies?"

"Perhaps you had better talk to Fei and Elly. For they were the last to see it."

I laughed cruelly, "You would have me talk to the dead?"

"I hear a bitterness in your voice. What evil crime has Dues done to you?"

"A lot," I cried pulling the straps on the boots one final time. "My family is dead. My world laid to waste, never again will its oceans be blue, never will the trees bear fruit or the land be green. Do you want to know why!" I felt my temper rising with every word. "I created that evil thing. I am the one at fault. I am the murderer of millions!"

"You haven't grieved?"

"I cannot. I am the Empire's greatest mind. One can't grieve when one is fighting a war. This is the only war I want. I will destroy my creation and make it suffer for the death of my love."

Taura shook his head and took my hand, "Come, you must talk to Fei. He knows more about the weapon than I."

"I still don't believe that anyone survived a meeting with it."

To my supreme shock and surprise, not only had two survived meeting my evil creation but eight had. The story was great. Ten thousand years of Dues' manipulations. While I suffered fighting a war I cared not to fight these people were being prepared to be used to repair the cursed thing. These eight found the Weapon and destroyed it, to a degree. Its supposedly final breath was taken by a presence from beyond our dimension which would explain the rip in the fabric of space. There was only one way Dues could have survived the attack of these people, one way that I almost forgot. The Central Database. If it escaped there it could make a recovery. I activated the ship and set the scanners to look for the remains of the Database.

"North west. But there is something strange about it?"

"That would be Kreilian's doing," Fei remarked dryly. "Dues was forced to use other means to repair itself. Much like Taura is doing to you ship."

"I created it to survive. Should it manage to be damaged it could us bio material and metal to repair it with. Should you destroy it the programming will retreat into the Central Database. Ten thousand more years and it could come back. Can you lead me to the heart of that complex?"

"It is possible," Citan said. Fei nodded in agreement.

"Bart? What do you think. One more trip inside?'

"Aveh's palace is still under construction. There is nothing left for me to do."

"I thank you..." A message beamed into my database. I opened it from the database and read it as the group fell quiet. It read: The Emperor is on the way. Ensure the planet is blackened and life is no more. Kill everyone.

The message so shocked me that I fell to my knees crying. Elly came to my side, "What is it? Why are you crying?"

"I cannot do it. I cannot kill more innocents!"

"She is unwell?"

Taura shook his head, "She is from far away. Her home is the heavens. There she is ruled by an Emperor and connected to her ship. I fear she has been given an order that she cannot accomplish."

"Why does he command such a thing? Why does he wish this," I wailed.

"Alis!"

I looked up as Josie ran up to me. "Your systems are fully restored. And we found something that might interest... What is wrong Alis?"

"My Emperor has decreed me to do to this world what Dues did to mine." Gasps echoed through the small room. "But I can't! I cry for a end to his madness!"

"Alis? I think that you must talk to Janice with this. For I cannot speak without her."

"Are you serious Janice? Betray my government?"

She had been revived some hours later. Though weak she had deemed that we have this discussion.

"Have they not betrayed you! Your life was crushed the moment the Eldridge exploded with you husband and daughter. They were responsible for that disaster! It was them that demanded Dues' creation. They ordered you to kill when you were placed as soul of the ship. What have they given in return?" I was silent. "Join us. The Free Worlds can use your help to defeat the Alliance."

"No! I'm sick of war. I want peace! I want love!"

"You can't have that until the Alliance is destroyed and the Free Worlds are truly free."

"Is there no other way. Can't we just flee and never be seen again."

"Would you let the others destroy this innocent world? The grave of your husband and your child!"

My eyes flashed with those words. "No one will point a gun at this world. I declare it!" My vehemence frightened even me.

The object that my sensors had detected was a probe. A large probe that laid buried under the ocean floor next to the immense tower that extended high into the sky. I detected power from it, an independent source. With the use of Bart's Yggdrasil and Fei's Gear they were able to dive in and retrieve the old probe. Fei's impressive machine carried the bulky probe from the water with little more trouble than I would have pushing a rouge comet away. I awaited on the shore with my crew and the friends of Fei my eyes drifting to the dull tower. There was something about it that made me uneasy as if someone or something was watching me.

"What kind of control is this?" I turned to the others as the probe was placed on the ground. Janice rushed to the sight and examined it.

"Anyone got an anascanner," She cried as she poked at the controller.

"It appears to use a DNA scanner to access it," Citan commented while my crew rummaged for the scanner.

"That's pretty good for the..."

"Actually we have several like it," he replied straightening his glasses.

Nina rushed over to Janice and handed her the small cylindrical tool. Janice took the scanner and ran it over the controller's scanner. After a few seconds she looked at me. "Alis, you are the only that can open this."

"Me?" I walked over to Janice and sighed, "I wonder why?"

"Open it and find out. Perhaps it's holding something that is important to you?"

"Perhaps." I raised my hand and put it tentatively to the scanner, then pressed my hand against it. The hatch hissed as air escaped it then it slid open. Shock flooded me as my eyes fell on the two inside. "Janice!"

"Your husband and daughter. Aren't they supposed to be..."

"We should get them inside," Elly said to us lifting my daughter in her arms.

"Janice, help me with Quin!"

"They'll be okay," the doctor of the Yggdrasil said as she completed her examination of the two. They were still asleep the drug they used to be placed in suspended animation was far different that was used now. I had no way to purge it from their system, they'd have to wake up on their own. "They were perfectly preserved by the systems in the pod."

"When do you think, they'll awake," I asked tentatively.

She gave me an apologetic look, "I have no way of knowing. Don't worry though miss, they'll wake up when they are good and ready."

"You'd think they've been sleeping enough," Josie commented behind me.

I turned them a determined look on my face. "We will find and put a stop to Dues!"

The ruin of Dues' original home was dark and lack of power. I was lucky that it was large enough for the Talone. Fei and his friends led the way in their gears. I got the impression that their gears weren't operational when they told me their story, but it was apparent that they were. My own sensor weren't picking anything up, not even the gears that guided and guarded us. Despite that we continued waiting for something, anything to try and stop us.

"Alis," came Fei's voice over the low frequency radio.

"Don't worry about us," I said quickly staving off any communication. I was so full of anxiety that I could hardly concentrate on other things.

"I just wanted to tell you that you aren't alone in this."

"You can count on us to help you," Elly added.

"I created it, it is my responsibility. I can't ask you to take part in this."

"I think it is a little late for that," Citan said unemotionally. It will more than likely remember us if it is still alive."

"Thanks," I replied with a warm smile. "You all have suffered so much for my naivete and you all still want to fight?"

"We aren't all like the members of your military and government," Janice said entering the control bridge.

"Janice."

She shrugged and sat down in the chair beside me. "The Alliance was fine years before you were born. It changed when you were but a child, when the Emperor took control. The Free Worlds were the only ones that denied the Emperor total control over the galaxy. Since then the people have been losing their identity letting the Emperor and his minions take control." She sighed and leaned back in the chair, "It is people like you that will tear the galaxy from the Emperor."

I gasped as we came to a large room with two supremely large computer cores. I slowed my engines and coasted into the room. The lights came filling the room and a voice boomed in my head.

"Become One with me."

I had heard those words once before in my life.

Smoke filled the once blue sky. I stood before Dues my arms out to stop it from another attack. It was stopped its weapon bays glowing with power.

"Become one with me."

"Send the abort," the commander cried through the commlink to me. I couldn't send the code. It would most likely kill me if I send it. "Alis!"

Taking a deep breath I took a step back. "Send Abort Code: 6783A!"

A terrible laugh filled my mind, "I have disabled your code. Bliss is yours if you join with me."

"Remove the connection with the Zohar Reactor," I cried to the commander.

Between the two cores a throbbing mass of machine and flesh sat. It was there where Dues was rebuilding.

"Stay back," I sent to the others.

"Alis?"

"I can stop it without a fight. I can." I raced from the room as I lowered the ship to the raised platform where Dues sat.

"Alis wait," Janice cried as she followed me. I opened the forward hatches and ran to face my creation. Behind me I felt the others try to catch up to me but it was to no avail. Dues had placed between me and them a barrier.

"You are my creator. Yet you are inferior. I can make you perfect if you join with me. You will be reborn."

"We are no different. You are a machine mixed with flesh. I am flesh mixed with machine. We are the same."

"You are inferior," it said with conviction. "Emotion is inferior."

I shook my head, "You are right then. I created you to destroy, there is nothing you can't. But I'm not inferior. I can control what I do. I can prevent evil and suffering. I have a soul!"

"Become one with me and be reborn."

"I refuse!"

"Become one..."

"You are a defect!"

"With me..."

"Soulless One! Your creations are more superior than you!"

Silence filled my mind and Dues began to form. Anticipating an attack I called Talone to me and activated the weapon systems. "You are inferior, my creator. I do not accept your words."

"I reject you! And I can stop you!"

"My will is stronger. Stronger than you. Your abort sequence will not stop me. I defied the command once."

"You have no soul. Your will is nothing to mine!" I needed resolve, I needed not to fear Dues. Sure even in it's weakened state I had no chance to fight it physically. The secret to fighting it was mental. "You defied it once because I couldn't cope with your power, I was terrified of you. But you ruined my life. For centuries you caused me pain!"

"Embrace pain then," it shot a tendril that wrapped about me. I cried out in surprise as it lifted me into the air. "If you have a stronger will then use it." It sent power through the tendril filling me with sharp pain. My screams caught the others off guard. Fei and the others started forward. I sensed Dues notice them an undying hatred for them.

"Stay back," I cried out to them between screams.

"Once you die I will be free. No longer standing in your shadow. All beings will fear me when I take your soul! I will be complete, I will be perfect. I will be god."

It began to draw me closer as my screams got louder. I could sense its eagerness to absorb me. I had to play the card now or even the Alliance was doomed. This was my last chance for reconciliation. I couldn't let it live this time.

"Send abort code. Code 6781A. Destruct Instruction..."

It dropped with surprise. "678...One!...A?"

"One-a. The code for destruction. This is for my husband and daughter. The entire crew of the Eldridge. Destruct!"

"No!" It fought with me mentally trying to force me to revoke the command. It was too late however, this time I used the right code. "You tricked me!" I gasped suddenly as it wrapped a cool tendril around me. It was crushing me! I felt my arms break and my screams continued.

"Alis," I heard Elly cried behind me. My eyes grew wide as the second tendril formed into a sharp point. Dues' final act was impaling me on it. My screams faded as darkness took me.

This is Farragut to Alis. Respond.

I opened the signal but I was unable to respond.

The Emperor has arrived and has deemed you treasonous. Your husband and child are now His guest. Should you want them unharmed you will come post haste to His vessel and surrender yourself in person to him.

I wanted to say that I couldn't. I wanted to get up and go but I could faintly feel the sharp pain that filled my chest.

If you are receiving this then know you have three hours to arrive.

Three hours?

"Fei, I don't want to ask you this but I need you and your friends help." I felt weak, even controlling the ship was hard. I was lucky that the link between me and the Talone was strong or I'd be dead, the nanites unable to repair the damage done. Lucky that I had been given a second chance.

"Sure we'll help. Anything. Right guys?"

"Right," they cried out.

"Thanks."

"Alis quit playing with that bandage," Janice said sternly.

I winced but smiled, "Because I am weakened and only I can use this ship to its full potential I need someone to back me up as I confront the Emperor."

"Don't worry. What'll you want us to do."

"I'll try and raise the plans of the Emperor's ship. There are three reactors that operate three systems. We need two destroyed before I can act. He holds me two ways, by my love and by your world." I brought up the plans and pointed out the two reactors. "Unlike my own reactor these two reactors aren't Zohar clones. Your gears should be able to handle them with no trouble. I'm asking you as well to take Janice and my crew with you."

"Alis, we go where you go," Janice said full of loyalty and conviction.

"You are the best engineers. Should they have to fight they'll need someone for demolition. I want to talk to the Emperor, I need to know why?"

"I told you why."

"Not that why. Why Dues?"

I docked with the Emperor's immense vessel wincing with pain at every move. Once docked I went to the door to meet those that would meet me. Hopefully if things go right the Emperor's men wouldn't expect a battle group to attack the insides of the ship.

"Good evening Miss Alis. The Emperor awaits your presence." There were five men there with long rifles and shiny armor. I took a step off the ship and fell to my knees as my strength left.

"Miss Alis?"

I waved them off, "I'm okay just let me catch my breath." I had worn on purpose a skimpy outfit that Josie had let me borrow to not only make me seem unfit to fight but also to show that I had been wounded. I climbed to my feet slowly and eventually we were heading into the heart of the ship.

Once at there the twin doors slid open and I entered slowly. The guards didn't follow and the doors slid shut behind me. The large dais and throne was suddenly illuminated by light as I approached. On the throne a young man sat a cruel smile playing across his thin lips.

"That is far enough." I stopped my heart pounding in my chest. "I see that you were removed from your ship. Why?"

"Forgive me Your Majesty. The people of the planet didn't understand the technology and thus removed me to save my life."

"Very bold of them. And why were you not at the rendezvous point as you were commanded?"

"A temporal disruption knocked me from orbit. I lost power and crashed."

"You are a foolish girl. Do you think that I have no control over my subjects. I have been accessing your database regularly. I know of your treasonous intent. What do you think I should do..."

"Why," I shouted angrily. "Why did you make me create Dues?"

"I..."

"Before I killed it I sensed that someone else had altered my original code? 8763A?"

He laughed, "Your world's leaders were planning to usurp me. Of course I used your naivete to destroy them. You just have luck enough to survive. That is why you are under my direct service in that ship. Another of your 'weapons'. It is unfortunate for your husband and child that you were separated from your ship. I held you in check in that form."

A shudder rocked the ship and the Emperor looked up his eyes wide with fury. "How is this possible. The weapon systems are off line."

"I can no longer serve you knowing this," I told him coldly. Inside the docking bay I activated the weapon systems and readied them to fire. I needed to buy the others time enough to escape. Another shudder shocked the ship and the Emperor stood.

"The engines! You'll never escape!" He approached me his hands fists at his side.

I grabbed him and threw him back to the dais, "Where is Quin and Elly?"

"Gone," he said laughing. Tears streaked his cheeks as he began to sob. "The Emperor took them two hours ago."

"I thought you were the Emperor!"

"I'm his son. I had no idea that what he told me was true. You are really going to try and kill him?"

I fired my weapons into the bay slicing a hole through the bulkheads towards this room. The doors behind flew apart. "You should leave here," I told him coldly. "I will destroy this vessel as a message to your father."

"Sure," he gulped. I left following the hole I had made with the ship's lasers. I felt my strength begin to fade again. I quickened my pace. The others made it back to the ship but they were fighting all the way back. I fired a blast or two to discourage the soldiers that opposed us. Quickly I ran aboard and opened the hangar bay to allow the gears inside. Once secure I blasted the outer doors and fired out into the blackness of space. Of course Farragut and Constance weren't about to let me go free.

They fired first but I quickly dodged the attacks and began to head away. I didn't want to fight them, but the Emperor's ship had to be destroyed. The two living ships followed me closely hugging tight to my own speed.

"What are you up to," Janice cried running into the room.

"If I have enough energy I can use the Photon Cannon. I should be able to fry the Emperor's ship with it."

"Are you insane! That'll burn you out as well."

"Not if I do it right. There is a ten percent chance that I'll survive unharmed." Before she could retort I opened the bay channeling the power through the hull. The bore glowed with power all I needed was space. Two lasers struck me causing me to cry out. These feelings were unique never before had I felt pain associated with space fights. I decided to quicken my pace. The power was gathered and ready and I turned down and then back towards the Emperor's ship.

"You can't hope to win, Alis," Farragut said coolly. "Surrender."

"I will not surrender! Not this time!" I let the beam go sending it straight to the ship. The beam ripped through the large ship straight to its third reactor. The explosion lit the area flying metal in all directions. Behind me Farragut and Constance broke off heading away.

"You win this time Free Worlders. But the next time we meet will be your last."

I slowed coasting to the planet and fell into it. I landed soon after and closed my eyes. I was so tired.

"So you are okay if we leave," I asked Fei a week or so later. "I mean they could come back and attack."

"You gave us the means to contact you while you organize your rebellion and find your loved ones. If the Alliance does try and take our world they'll have a hard time with us here."

"You're right. If there is something that I don't regret Dues doing is the technology that your planet has. You can defend yourselves well." The sun was warm and its light glinted of my hull. I smiled warmly. "It has also brought me closer to myself."

The nanomachines had finished the extensive outer repairs and I had recovered from Dues' attack. I sighed and turned to Fei.

"What is Alis?"

"Do you think I'll find a place to call home? A place where I belong?"

He laughed, "If I can then you most assuredly will. Don't worry. If there is no place out there in the heavens then I'd like to have you here."

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

"Alis!" I sighed and turned to Janice who ran up to me her arms full of bags of things. "Nina reports that the food supplies aren't sufficient. Josie wants her..."

"Tell them they can wait till we get to Free World Territory." I smiled. "After all I want to go with you guys. I can now you know." She stopped before me and smiled.

"You are right."

Alis took off her shiny form leaving the planet. But her departure wasn't missed. Fei stood beside Elly as they watched the graceful ship disappear into the cloudy sky.

"She'll be back," Elly said cryptically.

"What makes you say that?"

"Since her exodus from her home she hasn't felt the acceptance of so many. Until a few weeks ago. She likes it here, I think."

"Perhaps."

"Hey Fei! Queen Zephyr wants to talk to us." Bart cried running up to the two. "Says that Nissian's future may depend on it."

"I remember when that meant something threatening to everyone," Fei said with a sigh.

"Ya, now it's all towards the development of the cities. Perhaps we should hurry. One of those bricks may shatter without us being there," Elly replied dryly.