Being Different

Another Lie Never Hurt Anyone

A/N: Meet Lord Darius Zarynthian... (original artwork originally found on Metal War Games - mwogame.com)

Observer POV

Darius was immediately taken aback by Lord Prion's mention of his name.

"How did you find me, Prion?" Darius cocked an eyebrow at him.

"What? The greatest pirate-commander that ever scoured the galaxies? You disappeared eons ago. It was said that you'd been devoured by a black hole..." Omega grinned, patting Darius on the back.

Deke and Gerry looked at one another, as Bryant's eyes went wide, his mouth agape. The untimely revelation that Darius was more than he let on to be, had caught everyone by surprise, especially his sons, Damien and Bron, who both stared at the man whom they had called father – in shock and disbelief.

"I needed to find you. I needed to find you so that our species could be saved..." Prion continued, "Our planet could not survive the onslaught. We were being driven off our home planet by the swarms of immigrants from Old Earth. We fled with only the necessities, making sure that everyone was accounted for. We left no one..."

"And so, you came here..." Darius ended the sentence for him.

Omega Prion nodded, "Yes, for the sole purpose of gathering the rest of our community, especially those who had gone before us, back so that we could build our lives anew. I had to seek the one who would lead us to our new destination..." and with that, he gestured directly to Dante, who was totally oblivious to the conversation, as he stood in the far corner, hugging and holding onto his family for dear life.

Dante felt the pull again, immediately turning in the direction of the men, who were now the source of attention in the room, as everyone began to settle down. He came forward, eager to hear what Prion had to say, as it referred to his destiny.

"You are Zarynthian? The Zarynthian???" Ilya and Mara asked Darius, who felt the crimson rise in his cheeks, owing to the sudden referral of his own true identity.

"But...but you're human, aren't you?" Bron was the one who asked it...the question burning on everyone else's minds.

"Yes, from New Earth, whose settlements were still under construction. I was kind of a fugitive, hence the 'pirate' title, who refused to follow the new government. They had openly declared the entire Universe suitable for re-settlement. Old Earth was dying, its' resources almost completely depleted by the year 2050, and the government felt that it was imperative for the human race to survive.

They sent out AI scouts to scour the planets, in order to the determine whether humans would survive living in those atmospheric conditions. I never adhered to anyone's rules, I made my own...commandeered a ship and fled..." Darius spoke, eyeing his two sons who seemed slightly relieved.

"And you aided and abetted in the escape of many different species, secretly helping them settle on other planets unknown to the human settlers..." Mara continued, marvelling at the man, whom she now deemed as their saviour.

"It was the least I could do, especially after both Prion and Gaia had helped me, when I was stranded...but that's another story..." Darius chuckled.

"But the government here..." Prion stood shocked, upon learning that The Organization, though powerful still adhered to the rules and regulations of one similar government.

"Allows me to be in full control, and they have no inkling except for the people in this very room who now know where I truly come from...and before you boys say anything, know that I love you no matter what..." Darius turned to his sons.

"Is that finally it? No more secrets?" Damien stood, his arms crossed, clearly miffed at his father for having lied to them...again.

"Yes, Yes, no more secrets...that's my last, I swear" Darius plodded towards Damien, hugging him tightly, then Bron.

Darius then made the others, Deke, Gerry and of course Bry not to disclose any of this conversation to the others, especially not to Marcus. Darius related to them regarding Marcus as a man who never knew how to keep secrets and had the disposition of being a motor-mouth, to which the men guffawed.

"Wow, who'd have known that our dad was from the future!!!" Bron remarked, still reeling from the news. However, Damien calmly looked into Darius' eyes, reared back and punched him right in the jawline.

"OUCH!!!" Darius yelped out loud, staggering back against a desk, rubbing his jaw vigorously, as he commented, "My son certainly can pack a punch! I suppose I deserved that. Please forgive me?"

Damien glared at his father, then grunted out a reply, "Yeah, in a million years..." He slammed the release button on the door but before he was about to step out, Dante managed to grab his hand, pulling him back into a calming embrace, reciting the very powerful words that Damien had taught him - the Gayatri mantra.

Both Mara and Ilya engulfed the two young men, also helping Damien calm down with their healing touch. Damien finally settled, the anger no longer dwelling within him. Damien slowly opened his eyes, and they were the color of golden amber, as the boiling point of his emotion had reached its' peak and slowly dissipated, much to the relief of everyone, especially Darius.

Once they had released their hold, Darius came forwards gently, asking his son once more, "Forgive me, please? I had to protect the ones I cared about. Their lives depended on it. If I had told you boys then, would it have made a difference? I'm really sorry for lying to you, for keeping things from you both, but it was for your protection, as well as theirs. Please understand, Damien..."

"I'd forgiven you so many times, father. Firstly, when I didn't know that I even had a father and that you were a top agent in some government-funded secret operation. Secondly, when my mother was actually some Russian spy whom you had a one-night stand with. Thirdly, when Bron came into our lives only to find out that we were brothers...Fourthly, when you denied having feelings for Bryant..." Deke and Gerry raised their eyebrows at that comment.

"Okay, that's enough. Let's all take it easy," Bryant took a step forwards, laying a gentle hand on Damien's shoulder, but the young man shrugged it off.

"I just need a break...I'll be fine..." Damien walked towards the door, releasing the air-lock. Dante nodded to his parents and to Darius before following Damien outside...