Retreat to Fight Another Day

[Julie Lei]

"Loathe as I was to admit it, your hypothetical daughter is Angelica. Was rather natural that her daughter would fall for your son." Julie replied. "You were the mother she needed more than I was. You made her into a leader, stronger than her father, smarter." she looked at Arisu. "And... I probably should have let you and he get on, but frankly... you were not the one he needed. Alice. Noella. Intelligent women, peaceful women. Brains over brawn. Stiletto heels over stiletto daggers. Bringing out the best, not the worst." she looked up. "Even in death, my son Marcus doesn't speak to me. Nor do my other children. I never told you or Nick... or even Ari this. But I had other children by other men. Raised by surrogates of course. But a couple of them are tremendously attuned to the Iljuna. The challenge is finding them, obviously they aren't going to be going by 'Lei' or even living on Earth." she closed her eyes. "Although one is... older than Angelica and Olivia. I... was 17 and had an affair with my sensei. He was a beautiful man and I adored him. What I didn't know was... he and mother were lovers before she married my father. In any case... one thing lead to another and I was pregnant and my mother took me to Van Neys... a transporter embryo transfer later and a bunch of drugs and I tried to forget it. I got a new sensei. I kind of... helped Nick lose his virginity... fell in love with him and put it all behind me."

[Rebecca Talon]

"If we're being truthful we both raised her. You showed her how cruel this world can be. You gave her an iron will. A mind that doesn't take things at face value. You gave her experience beyond her years, that guides her to this day. You didn't get between Nicholas and I. We did that all on our own. We're too much alike, and let's face it, I'm not dangerous enough for him. That's why he was always attracted to you. Like a moth to a flame. Alice and Noella... well, they are completely different beasts entirely aren't they? Nothing like either of us. Far too girly-girl if you ask me, and Alice's posh exterior can get a bit grating at times, but it works for him. He's happy and that's good enough for me. As far as your children go... I can't give you any advice, because I am terrible at that thing. Maybe you should ask Nicholas." She grinned, "Hey something we have in common. Our maternal instincts are off kilter."

[Julie Lei]

"You HAVE met my mother... and you wonder why I turned out the way I did?" Julie chuckled. "Find my other children. They may be useful in balancing the Iljuna and preventing Dominus from starting a complete end of the universe. Although... " she hummed lightly. "One of my children, rather bright, a genius even. I think he's what I would have had instead of Jack if I didn't miscarry and lose my mind a bit and steal one of Noella's..." she winced. "Remember the pain of childbirth? Try reliving it about a thousand times... just because I'm not in the bad place doesn't mean I didn't and not suffering in some ways." Julie gestured. "I don't even know his name but you will sense him. In any case, he's been looking into a theory that 'lost' planets could be... not exactly replaced but their counterpart from another reality, where we stopped the attack, exists and somehow pulling it and those that were lost through into our reality. It may seem like cheating, but then again... what Dominus IS doing is cheating."

[Rebecca Talon]

"I will sense him?" Rebecca demanded exasperated. "With the rise of fhe Ajem'dasis I can't even sense myself... not to mention that I only understood half of what you said."

[Julie Lei]

"The Iljuna will put you on the same path. Trust it." Julie replied.

[Rebecca Talon]

Rebecca glanced at Arisu and raised a brow, and an inclination of her head. "Who am I to argue with a magical space ghost?"

[Julie Lei]

"Our lives were intertwined the moment we met and for how many decades... we keep finding our way together. That isn't just luck... good or bad." she said with a grin. "Keep in mind, it wasn't JUST Nick that linked us."

[Rebecca Talon]

"It WAS Nick," Rebecca insisted. "If it had been up to me I'd not seen you since thar first day."

[Julie Lei]

"Well you know our instructors put us together for a reason. Thought I'd learn something from you and you from me. I think it was the Iljuna..." Julie replied. "Besides, I wasn't always horrible... admit it, we all had some fun together. You were always much smarter than I was, I don't think I would have passed my junior year if it wasn't for your tutoring. Stupid required math courses... "

"Oh I hated those." Ari agreed. "I think the Vulcans just had to rub it in our noses how much better they were at complex calculations. That's why we have computers." Ari rolled her eyes. "Although...

"Even computers go down." Julie and Ari said in unison. "Course, I'm dead so I can honestly say that I only ever really used any of that in the real world... a grand total of once."

[Rebecca Talon]

Rebecca shrugged, "I'm not this genius you think I am. I'm just good at math, and I worked harder than anyone. And as much as I loathe to admit it you helped me a lot as well. Especially after Aimee's father was killed and I suddenly became a single parent trying to complete my doctorate and graduate from the Academy. You, Nick, and Nancy were.... well, there when I needed someone." Rebecca took a deep breath and then let it out slowly, "Yeah, I guess there was plenty of blame to go around, and more than my share of.... what did you call me? A raging bitch? Yeah, I think I deserved that, not that that earned you any brownie points."