father

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Father

by NicKriS

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

Notes from Author: This is my first full piece of fan fiction I've ever posted (not counting EFX, cos that was just a corny little spoof, so I wasn't so scared about putting it up). It will probably change a bit if I ever decide to complete it (I would need to set it up). Anyway, please be nice 'cause this is really scary for me.

*(also I know the Robert has "read" this story and really seemed to like it.)

**********

Sandoval fired his skrill at the replicant, but it had no effect. He fired again. And again, becoming weaker. Nothing. It kept coming closer. Sandoval raised his arm to fire again, but lost his footing and fell down against a rock. As he raised his head he saw a spatter of blood on the rough grey surface, but could not feel any pain. He looked up and saw the Jaridian machine now standing directly at his feet, arm extended, shakarava glowing. Sandoval tried to move, but became dizzy. *This can't be the end for me,* he thought.

He took a deep breath, trying to gather his last bit of strength, and turned quickly, firing his skrill as he pulled himself over the edge of the cliff. He knew this may be the end, but it was better than being blown away by a replicant, and this was his only slim chance of survival.

He grabbed for anything he could get his hands on to stop or break his fall. He was able to get his hands around a small root. Sandoval looked down and realized this was the end of him. The bending root was so small, it was impossible to hold onto. As his hand slipped from the small brown piece, another hand reached down and grabbed his arm.

Sandoval was so surprised, he almost pulled away from the hand that saved him. Liam Kincaid pulled him back up to the top. Sandoval was happy to be saved, but also slightly angry with the Major. He did not like being saved yet again by this man. He wanted to think that he could have survived without any help.

Sandoval looked over at the lifeless replicant. "Now how could that have happened Major?" he inquiered sneeringly. "Even my skrill did not stop that thing!"

"It was already damaged when I fired on it," Kincaid said. "You must have damaged it more than you realized."

Sandoval remembered his final skrill blast before pulling himself over the edge of the cliff. He knew that what the Major said was possible, but he still had doubts. The replicant didn't seem to be affected at all with the previous blasts.

"We need to hurry," said Kincaid. "We need to set up a field around this replicant. It's not dead. It's simply repairing itself."

Just as they stood up, the replicant also stood up again as well. As the replicant raised its hand, Kincaid jumped in front of Sandoval, and barely grabbed the ball of light the machine fired at him between his glowing palms, sending it back at the replicant, finally shattering it.

This blast was much more powerful than the others however, and sent Kincaid flying, knocking down Sandoval in his path.

Sandoval watched as the Major slid over the side of the same cliff that he himself had dangled from near death a few moments earlier.

He scrambled over to the edge. Kincaid was there, barely holding on to a rock that was embedded in the side of the cliff. Sandoval moved before the Major could see him look over the edge. Sandoval was surprised that the Major was still alive and had the strength to hold on at all, but that didn't matter now. He was about to die, so any questions about him, would die with him.

Sandoval's first instinct was to let Kincaid fall. That's what he wanted. That's what Zo'or wanted. Kincaid would finally be out of the way, and he had an explaination of how he died that was true. Kincaid was simply killed by the Jaridian replicant. Sandoval could feel the corners of his lips curl up as he came to this realization.

As Sandoval carefully stood up, he could feel blood dripping from his head and began to feel dizzy. As he turned to leave, he could hear a slight groan from the edge of the cliff. A sudden rush of sympathy came over him, and he turned back to the cliff as he fell to his knees. He felt throbbing as he put a hand to his head. He could hear the loud wave and pumping sound of his blood rushing. And the groan coming from the side of the cliff.

Sandoval stammered to the edge, but not far enough to see the Major. Why did he feel this compulsion to save Liam's life? Sandoval wondered why had Liam saved his life so many times. *He knows I've tried to have him killed.* Was this why Sandoval felt he needed to save Liam this time? No. There was something else he couldn't put his finger on.

Sandoval could not ignore the moaning. He moved further to the edge and looked down at Liam. Liam looked up at him, with a dirty face, smeared in blood.

"Sandoval! Help me, please," Liam whispered. " Sandoval... " Liam stopped when he saw the look on Sandoval's face. His heart sank as he realized it was hopeless. He knew that Sandoval wanted him dead, and he was too weak to hold on.

Sandoval could see that Liam's energy was draining from his injuries, and he wouldn't be able to hold on much longer. He could see Liam drop his head, diverting his last bit of energy to his fingertips to hold on. Sandoval knew that Liam had given up on thinking he would save him. But for some reason, he couldn't stand that thought. He couldn't stand the thought of Liam giving up and not having faith in him. He couldn't stand to see Liam so vulnerable and weak... dying.

Liam was barely alive. He was not even conscious. His fingers were the only part of his body that were not limp... barely holding on unconsciously as he had diverted his last bit of energy to them until they could no longer hold on. But when his hands lost their grip, he did not fall... Sandoval was holding his arm.

Sandoval used all the strength he could muster to pull Liam back to the surface. Sandoval sat in the dirt, with Liam's head resting in his lap. He opened his global and called for help, then dropped it on the ground. He looked at Liam's bloody, torn face as he grabbed one of his hands. He was surprised at how limp it was. It was cold and pasty from the mixture of dirt and blood.

He felt for a pulse. Liam was alive, but his pulse was very weak. Sandoval didn't know why, but he put a hand on Liam's forehead very gently and moved his hand over Liam's hair. *There is something so innocent about him*, Sandoval thought.

"Liam," Sandoval whispered. He grasped Liam's hand tighter. "Liam," he said again, but it caught in his throat this time. He could feel his eyes well up as he held Liam's hand as tight as he could. "Liam, Liam!"

Liam's eyes fluttered. His eyes opened just slightly and he looked into Sandoval's eyes. He tried to move his mouth, but nothing came out. Sandoval dipped his head down closer to hear what Liam was trying to say. Liam's lips moved slowly as he whispered, "Father."