It was an exhausted bunch of people that staggered into the new Resistance headquarters early that morning. Several were nursing minor wounds but there was nothing too serious.
Augur fussed around the ODK personnel. At least the Resistance members knew which of his possessions were off limits; these ODK idiots were beginning to get on his nerves - how many times did they have to be told?!
The operation had apparently gone smoothly, these joint operations were infrequent but it was always important that they go well. Liam, correction both Liams, should be happy.
Where was Liam anyway? It wasn't like him to be so quiet. Augur looked around and saw him slumped in his favourite chair. He went forward to congratulate him when he saw the lines of pain etched round the other man's eyes and mouth.
"Liam, you're hurt!"
"I'm okay Augur."
"Like hell. Who did you have on standby tonight? Belman or Park?"
"Dr Park said she'd be available if I needed help."
While this exchange had been going on Colonel Liam Kincaid had watched first concerned when his counterpart had revealed he was injured, then bewildered at the talk of doctors on standby. ODK had a trained medic with them. Why was there a need for another doctor?
Liam grasped Augur's arm as he began to move away. He whispered something to the other man. Augur sighed and just nodded.
Colonel Kincaid watched as Augur made the call to this Dr Park. He was about to query the reasoning behind it when he realised Augur was not finished. The cyber-wizard was checking on the status of the Companion personnel involved in the night's little altercation. What was going on?
Augur called out, "Liam, he's fine. Back on board the Mothership."
"Augur, what is going on?" asked the Colonel.
"It is not relevant to ODK, Colonel. If Liam wants you to know you'll be told, not before. Check on your people and keep them away from my computers!"
An hour or so later Dr. Park had been and gone. She obviously cared a great deal for her patient and she had made it blatantly clear that the ODK personnel were accepted on sufferance. In fact she had not been the only Resistance member whose feelings had been made clear on that subject. Liam accepted them so they were accepted, that was all.
The few senior Resistance members present went further, they were protective of him. Colonel Kincaid didn't understand it. From what he had figured out most of them didn't know his full history either, yet they protected him.
He hated mysteries. Just as he was about to confront Liam he found himself face to face with an Augur he had never seen before, one in full protect mode.
"Keep away from him." The menace he heard in Augur's voice surprised him.
"I want some answers."
"When he's ready and not before."
A tired voice interrupted them both. "Tell him, Augur. But only him."
"Liam, are you sure?"
Liam nodded his confirmation just before sleep finally claimed him.
"Okay, Colonel. Get your group home and meet me back here in two hours. You'll get your explanation."
Kincaid returned at the time of the meeting to find Augur alone in the 'hideout'. Augur was sitting at one of the tables with a couple of drinks sitting in front of him. He sat down opposite him and took one of the drinks.
Augur looked up at him with an unreadable expression on his face.
"What is said in this room stays here. If Liam ever gives you permission you can tell the rest of your organisation. If I ever find out that you have talked without his permission I'll crash ODK's entire computer network and make sure the information about ODK's existence is passed to the media."
Kincaid frowned, "I don't respond well to threats."
"It's not a threat it's a promise."
Augur took a sip of his drink.
"What do you know of the events surrounding Boone's death? Did you hear about the alien the Companion Protectors were hunting?"
Kincaid paused at the unexpected question. "Not much. The alien was killed but Boone was severely injured in the fight. He died shortly afterwards."
"Ha'gel was a Kimera. They were an alien race supposedly wiped out by the Taelons. The Kimera were considered a threat due to their knowledge and abilities. Ha'gel was the last member of his race.
"This is where things get complicated. Before he died, he took over Sandoval; and using his form, seduced Lt. Beckett."
"What?!"
"You heard me. Ha'gel died, Sandoval recovered with no memory of the incident. Beckett, however, encountered complications. She was pregnant. She came to term and had the baby within the space of a day."
"Don't be ridiculous."
"If you keep interrupting you'll never hear it all. Every word is the truth. I witnessed it myself. The baby was a boy - do you see where this is going yet?"
Augur looked at Kincaid to find an expression of sheer disbelief on his face.
"Liam transformed to about age four within the space of five minutes of being born, that's when he spoke his first words. Within a few hours he had matured to the age you see now.
"Think about this, Colonel. By the end of your first week of life you were still a totally defenceless infant. Liam, on the other hand, was a full-fledged member of the Resistance and Da'an's protector.
"Now almost a year later his mother is dead, he is leader of the Resistance and tonight he helped orchestrate a raid on a Taelon facility that nearly cost him the life of the only parent he has left.
"Keep in mind this is a parent that would as soon arrest him as not. He's never had the proof, though.
"If I hear one more sanctimonious statement from your personnel about how long they've given up to this fight I won't be responsible for my actions.
"Liam has been a member of the Resistance since the day he was born. He risks his life every day he goes near the Taelons. He has three strikes against him. He's a deep-cover operative for us, he leads us and he's the only Human/Kimera hybrid in existence. Any one of these things would be a death sentence for him if the Taelons ever found out.
"He's our best chance against the Taelons, and the Jaridians, if it comes to that. More to the point, he's one of our own and the Resistance will keep his secret."
Colonel Kincaid just sat there, stunned.