On The Hills Of Fire

by Seven


Disclaimer:  Earth: Final Conflict and its characters are copyrighted by Tribune Entertainment Company.  All rights reserved.



Notes from Author:      I'm sorry, after that comedic wedding story that I was kinda ashamed of, I had to write a non-alt-universe ending for the Susan/Liam story. Do not read without hankies. This, unlike "I Cannot Find the Words To Say" and "I Love You", takes place in the EFC universe we know and love.

This really is the end. I REALLY mean it this time.



**********



Susan Armstrong checked the cartridges in her gun as she crept in the door, her black bodysuit blending in with the dark wall. Her blond hair was bundled into a black cap, eyes glinting in the darkness.

As she walked through the compound, a thin stream of Resistance members followed her, similarly attired, black paint streaking their faces. Her hand closed over the doorknob...

"Freeze!"

Susan froze in mid-step, one foot raised. Three shadow-cloaked figures emerged from the mist, holding their rifles to bear. Susan slowly raised her hands...

... and flung a bomb into their midst. As the tiny sphere hit the floor, thin beams of light enveloped one of the screaming Volunteers, tearing him apart.

As her squad dissipated into the compound, Susan uttered a silent prayer of thanks that Augur had modified the tiny bomb sufficiently.

Something hit her in the back, throwing her forward over a trash can. She shoved herself back onto her feet with faint annoyance... and felt something wet trickling over her pants. She slowly scraped her fingertips over the front of her bodysuit. They came away red-stained.

Dying, she thought numbly as her knees buckled, jolting her to the floor. For a moment, her blank eyes glanced over the shadows. For a moment, she thought that she saw him standing amid them. As she crumpled to the floor, she breathed, "Liam... Liam..."

The Volunteer squad leader walked over, and grimaced a little. As the Resistance woman moved a little, his boot flew forward to kick her in the ribs. She moaned and curled up, a gush of blood streaming from the wound in her back.

"We have one wounded but alive," the Volunteer announced to his remaining squadmate. The younger man walked over and looked the writhing Susan over, her face contorted by agony. "Get a medivac team."

****

Sandoval watched in astonishment as the blond, dark-clad woman was wheeled past him into the mothership's medical bay. "Doctor Armstrong!" he exclaimed.

Susan turned her head limply, smiling at him with lips beginning to turn blue. "Hello, Agent Sandoval. Nice to see you too." The orderly shook the gurney a little, making her wince and groan as they passed out of the room.

Sandoval pressed his lips together and turned away from her to the Volunteer squad leader. "Have Doctor Belman care for Armstrong. We'll need all the information we can get from her."

****

As Susan Armstrong was wheeled in, Belman gasped, horrified. One hand flew up to her lips, as one of the orderlies stared at her. "What happened?" she breathed.

Susan rolled sick eyes at her. "Little altercation," she said with a faint smile.

The orderly shoved her in the side, extracting an agonized cry from the young woman. Belman's face darkened like a thundercloud. She pointed at the door, her eyes making it clear that no arguments were permitted. "Out. Now. I will tend to Miss Armstrong ALONE."

****

In the now-deserted Flat Planet, Liam glanced from the red rose to the pink one, then back again. He still wasn't certain which one to bring her. He liked the red one, it reminded him of her, but perhaps the pink one would be more to her taste. I'll give her both, he thought with a hint of satisfaction.

BEEZERP!

Liam reached under the bar and yanked out his global. "Yes?" he asked urgently. "Doctor, I'm expecting Susan for our date and I really-"

"She's dying, Liam."

Belman's voice, soft and sympathetic, stopped the young man cold. He stared unseeingly at her for a moment, then asked, "What... how..."

"A Resistance raid. One of the Volunteers shot her..." Belman's voice broke, and her kindly face crumpled for a moment. "I'm so sorry, Liam... she won't live out the night. I haven't told Sandoval yet, so..."

Liam slapped the global shut and ran out of the Flat Planet, to where his shuttle was parked. As he settled into the pilot's chair and waved up the controls, his mind spun.

Susan couldn't die. She had just... she had just told him she loved him, and he her. Liam had been certain that she was the woman of his life, that they would always be together, that they were happy... and then something like this happened!

Rage rose within Liam. He had lost his mother to the Taelons, one of his fathers, and now he lost the woman he loved more than anything else, more than life itself.

"Susan," he whispered.

****

Liam burst in the mothership sickbay like a tornado, his hair and clothes rumpled. He stopped short as he saw a pale, limp figure in the dimmed area, blond hair shining like a beacon. The stomach of her Taelon medical gown had been ripped to reveal a bloodstained dressing. "Susan," he whispered.

The head slowly turned, and blue lips smiled. Liam rushed to her side, fumbling in his pocket. "I'm sorry," Susan wheezed. "I'm so sorry..."

"Sorry for what?" Liam asked, hurriedly pressing his lips to her forehead and slipping an arm under her lolling head.

"Sorry I didn't... get the mission done," Susan gasped, her eyes widening a little. "Liam... I failed... sorry..."

"Shh," Liam soothed, rocking her a little. "It's okay... you didn't fail anyone. You've done more... more than anyone ever expected. You're a hero, Susan."

"I... love... you, Liam..."

"I love you, too..." Liam felt hot tears streak down his cheeks, mingling with the dried ones on Susan's smooth pale face. He reached back and fumbled in his pocket, bringing out the two roses. In the dim lighting of the medical bay, they gleamed like twin jewels. "I meant to... I meant to give these to you on our date tonight..."

Susan's long, pale fingers slowly caressed the blossoms, unmolested by thorns. "They're beautiful," she whispered. "But someday... we'll have... all the time... to ourselves... all the roses, too... we can both be patient for that day.... can't we?"

"We can," Liam agreed, stroking her hair. "I love you..."

"I love... you... too..."

Liam felt Susan shudder in his arms, her fingers snapping the pink rose's stem in half. Then her hand fell laxly to her side, the dead flower still clutched in it. No more warm, halting breaths touched Liam's cheek as he pulled away, still hesitating to let her go.

For a long moment, he watched his love. Then he pulled one of her limp hands up, and tucked the red rose between her fingers. "I'll be patient," he whispered, tears mingling with her long hair. "I'll wait forever for you..."

"On the hills of fire

The darkest hour

I was dreaming

Of my true love's pyre

Who will bring a light

To stoke the fire?

Fear not

For you're still dreaming..."

THE END...