PROLOGUE
VOLCANO

It was chaos. The Atlantian machines and viacles, with Milo Thatch and his group riding them were managing to out-gun Rourke's troopers. Meanwhile, the commander and I desperately tried to bring the gyro-evac, with the crystallized princess, Kida, in tow, up to the surface through the volcano shaft... Just then Milo leapt from the machine, grabbing hold of the netting that covered the balloon... It sagged as Thatch's machine hit it...
"We're loosing altitude!", Rourke shouted. "Lighten the load!".
Obediently, I tossed the last of the fuel tanks overboard, but there was nothing else we could lose...
"That's it", I said, "Unless someone wants to jump", I added sarcastically...
I was so intent on keeping up the gyro-evac's altitude that I never saw Rourke come behind me...
"Ladies first!", I heard him say.
Before I could react, he roughly shoved me out of the basket... But I managed to grab a hold of the edge and skillfully swung myself back into the cockpit, taking him by surprise.
"You said we were in this together!", I snarled, landing a fierce kick squarely in Rourke's stomach, knocking him down. My hair coming loose from my braid, I aimed another kick at him. "You promised me a percentage!".
But he had recovered from the shock. This time he was ready for me.
"Next time get it in writing!", he snapped as he cought my foot... then in one rough heave he shoved me over the side again...
"Nothing personal!", I heard him call as I fell, screaming to the bottom of the shaft...
I landed, stunned and in pain, on the cold hard ground... Every muscle felt like it was on fire, every bone in my body felt as though it were broken or shattered... I gritted my teeth, breathing heavily. Anger giving me strength, I managed to raise myself to my hands and knees, pulling the flare gun from my holster... I then collapsed onto my back, but managed to aim the gun directly at the gyro-evac... I fired it straight at the balloon...
"Nothing personal", I whispered as it burst into flames...
For a few moments I just lay there, oblivious to what was going on with Thatch and Rourke above me, barely able to move, certain that I was dying from the fall... Then the ground began to tremble and grow hot under me... I moved my eyes just enough to see it begin to break...
I muttered a curse as I struggled to raise myself to my hands and knees, which was almost impossible. One arm hurt to much to use, and the pain in my legs and in my side was growing greater, but somehow I managed to half-slide half-crawl my way over to a large, cave-like crevice in the wall of the underground volcano... I could hear the loud, panicked voices of Milo, Audrey, Vinny, Sweet, Cookie and the others, but I paid no attention... I bit my lip as I forced myself up and over the rocks and into the cave. I had to get in there before the poisoness gasses were released, or else there would be no need for me to save myself from the coming lava!.
With a gasp of pain, I thrust myself into the cave, barely dodging the loosened rocks and boulders that were beginning to fall, sealing the entrance...
I was to weak from exhaustion and pain to move any more... I could only lay there, staring into the darkness of the volcano's cave as the deafening sound of the eruption filled my ears, but my eyes were growing as heavy as my breathing... My last thought before my eyes closed, and I gave myself up to the darkness, was that if I was going to die, either from the fall or the volcano, at least I was taking Rourke with me...


CHAPTER 1
RESCUE

I was cought halfway between the world of sleep and awake... At first I thought that everything had all been a dream... The journey to Atlantis for the promise of money and the profits made from the famed crystal, the loss of our submarine and more then half of our crew, Rourke's betrayal, the volcanic eruption... It had all been a nightmare and soon I would find myself back home, if ‘home' was the appropriate word, in my suite at Whitmore Mansion... but as my head cleared and I came to my senses, the aching pain throughout my body told me otherwise...
With a groan, I opened my eyes... I was alive! Alive!. Miraculously, the volcano's gasses had not gotten through, and neither the force of the eruption, nor the lava, had distroyed the cave.
Gritting my teeth, I made an effort to get to my hands and knees again... After several tries I finally managed it, then I bit my lip, trying to ignore the pain as I slowly rose to my feet. My legs felt weak and rubbery, but I was able to walk on them at least, just as long as I took small steps...
My right arm was still useless, broken no doubt, but I was able to use my left arm to clear away the rocks and rubble that blocked the cave. The intense heat of the lava had weakened it, turning it into pumice and ash, making it possible for me to make my way out before it all hardened...
Carefully, I climbed down the rocks. Once I reached the the bottom of the shaft I looked around for any possible sign of life... but there was nothing... The ground, and the walls of the shaft were now covered with ash. There was no trace of Thatch, Rourke, nor any of the remaining crew. There wasn't even any sign of the distroyed gyro-evac...
Suddenly, I heard a faint noise behind me... I turned around... but there was nothing... Then I heard it again... I turned the other way... Still nothing... I frowned, narrowing my eyes... After God knew how many years as an intelligence officer, I knew when I was being watched...
Just then, I saw a small light in the dimness nearby... No, it was two... They were coming closer and closer, joined by more small lights... As they drew nearer, I recognized the masks of the Atlantian warriors!. These must be the survivors of the eruption!.
I backed away as the four scouts began to surround me, talking in their strange language, which I couldn't understand... Then one of them pointed a spear at me while another reached out to grab my good arm...
"Forget it!", I snarled. I quickly seized his arm and roughly threw him against the other warrior. Wasting no time, I turned and ran. I had no gun, no weapon, so I would be powerless to fight four armed men.
I could hear their shouts behind me as they effortlessly scaled the rocky terrain. Adrenalin pulsing through me, I clenched my hands and forced myself onward... Finally, I glanced behind me... They were no longer there... Either they had given up or they were working out some other way to capture and kill me...
Gasping and out of breath, I leaned against a boulder and brushed a few strands of hair away from my dirty, bruised face... Then I turned to make my way back to the cave. Maybe I could hide there and keep a low profile until I was able to return to the surface...
Instead, I found myself face to face with yet another Atlantian warrior!. Swallowing back a gasp, I backed away as he drew nearer...
"Now how did you get there?", I muttered weakly...
"I came down the chimney", an all to familiar voice replied cooly from behind the mask. "Ho, ho, ho".
Startled, I felt my weak legs give way beneath me as the pain took over again. I stumbled to my hands and knees, clutching my side with my good arm. "Thatch?!", I gasped as the warrior removed his mask...
He peered at me through his glasses for a moment... then he knelt by me, fingering a familiar blue crystal around his neck...
"Don't touch me!", I snapped as he brought the glowing blue jewel towards me. I backed away, wincing from the pain...
"Hold still", he said, firmly seizing my hand, then he brought the crystal to my arm and gently placed his hand on it...
My eyes widened in astonishment as my wounds and bruises healed... The pain left my side and I was able to move my arm again...
Milo smiled as he lifted the crystal off my arm. "There you go. You know, we thought you'd gotten killed along with Rourke. How'd you survive?".
"Woa, woa, four eyes!", I held up a hand in restraint. "I was about to ask you the same question... and how did you do that... that thing with the crystal?...".
Before he could answer however, another warrior approached us... menacingly raising his spear towards me...
"No! No!", Milo cried, jumping to his feet and restraining the warrior. "Don't!".
Taken aback, the warrior lowered the spear and removed the mask... I recognized the face of Princess Kida!.
Kida turned to Milo angrilly and they both began a heated argument which I couldn't make out because every word they spoke was in Atlantian... Finally, Milo spoke to her in english...
"She was hurt, Kida!", he argued. "It would have been wrong not to help her!".
At this Kida glared at him, her arms crossed in front of her. "Your heart is to soft, Milo. There is nothing more dangerous then a wounded foe...", then her angry gaze shifted to me... "This treacherous seductress will only try the same thing again!".
Seductress?!. That prissy little airhead was calling me a seductress when she was the one who had stripped down to almost nothing right in front of Thatch the other day?!. Anyone could see she had had more on her mind then swimming!. I was about to say these very words when Milo gently put a hand on Kida's shoulder.
"Come on, Kida", he said. "She's unarmed this time, and she doesn't have Rourke and a handful of troopers to back her up".
Shaking her head in defeat, Kida sighed. "Very well then, but don't blame me when our crystal is stolen and our people begin to perish one by one!". She then signalled two more warriors to seize me by my arms...
"Nicht mir helfen. Ich kam mir helfen!", I snapped, shoving their hands away. "Don't help!. I can take care of myself!".
"Achtung! Kommen sie herr schnell!", Kida hissed back at me. "You will come now!".
I bit my lip with a sneer, remembering that the Atlantians could speak almost every language, including my own!.
Kida finally rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips. "Very well then", she said in english. "Stay here!. Stay and die in this volcano if you wish!. Come, Milo".
She and her warriors began to leave, Milo reluctantly following them... I shook my head with a sigh... "Alright!", I finally snapped. "Alright!". I got to my feet and followed them out of the volcano and over the rocks...
For the next few moments we all walked in silence... Then we entered a clearing on top of a familiar hill... I opened my mouth in shock and astonishment at what I saw!... Atlantis was still standing, and it was even more beautiful then I remembered it!...
"What... what happened?...", I whispered. I had thought the city would have been distroyed by the volcano...
"Uhhh... It's a long story", Milo answered with a smile.
Kida's face grew solomm... "Atlantis was spared from the eruption", she said softly. "I am her queen now".
"Queen?", I raised my eyebrow. "But what happened to?...".
At this Kida's eyes narrowed and her hand tightened on her spear. "My father died!", she interupted. "Your commander's handiwork!".
"I... I'm sorry...", I whispered, remembering how Rourke had struck the old man to the floor when he had rufused to tell him the whereabouts of the crystal. "I didn't want it to happen... like... like that...".
Angrilly, Kida spun around. "And you probably didn't want to threaten me and put a gun to my head, but you did!. You probably didn't want to pin my arms behind my back and hold me still while your commander killed my father, but you did!. You probably didn't want to take part in stealing The Heart Of Atlantis and endangering the lives of my people, but you did!. Like a machine!".
I looked at her for a moment... Then, to her shock, I agreed with her, nodding slowly...
"Exactly...", I said quietly. "Like a machine"...
Kida said nothing in reply... Instead she turned her gaze away and continued to lead Milo, the warriers and I onward, towards Atlantis...
The bridge that led across to the city had been repaired from when Vinny had distroyed it to cover up Rourke's and my getaway... As we crossed it, I was reminded of the other day... I could not believe that there were people, a living thriving culture, in Atlantis. At first I had had my concerns about taking the crystal from them... "Commander, there were not supposed to be people down here... This changes everything...", I had whispered... but I did not even blink at the grim reply...
"This changes nothing...".
I shook my head at the memory... "Rourke, you were wrong", I thought to myself...
We soon crossed the bridge and entered the city... As I followed Kida, Milo and the others through the clean, bright streets I was aware of the frightened glances and stares of the Atlantian citizens... No doubt the memory of what Rourke and I had almost done was still fresh in their minds... I hadn't cared one bit about what happened to this city and it's people, so long as I got a share in the profits made from selling their power source... I still didn't care... but now there were more important things on my mind then the crystal...
Ignoring the glares of the Atlantian guards, I looked around in awe as we entered the royal palace...
"Don't drip on the caravaggio", Milo smirked.
I rolled my eyes. "Thatch, you have a malicious sense of humor!".

Moments later I found myself inside a large, airy room with odd, yet exotic looking furnishings...
"This is where you'll be staying", Milo explained. "The main palace guest room".
"Are you sure this isn't the queen's quarters?", I asked as I gazed around. Dispite it's air of eccentricness, it was far grander then even the private suites at Whitmore Mansion...
Milo smiled. "Nice isn't it?. There sure wasn't anything like this back in Washington!".
"No", I had to agree... then I turned to face him... "Thatch, what's going on? Why are you doing all this?".
He looked at me earnestly. "Doing what?".
I threw up my hands in frustration. "This!", I exclaimed. "Healing me, stopping Pocahontas from skewering my hide, bringing me back here!. I was the one who threatened your pretty little princess with a gun! I was the one who sided with Rourke when the rest of the crew stood by you! Don't you remember?".
He looked me in the eye... "Yes", he answered calmly. "Yes, I remember... I also remember who brought me to see Mister Whitmore, I remember who helped the crew escape from the Leviathan, saving everyone's lives".
"Not everyone, Thatch...", I said softly, remembering the people who had been lost in that battle... "Besides, you were the one who was navigating...".
"Yeah, and I was shaking in my seat and clutching the journal to me the whole time!. Helga, if it hadn't been for you, we wouldn't even have made it as far as the air pocket!. I'm greatful for that at least".
I studied him for a moment... He had changed... This Milo, in his Atlantian warrier's attire, was slightly different from the one I had met only weeks ago in the old, rundown apartment... This was not the pathetic, naive, boyish bookworm who would cringe and shudder if I so much as looked him in the eye... I wondered if the voyage to Atlantis had changed me as well... Probably not...
"Well, thank you for your gratitude", I sneered. "When I get back to Washington I'll be sure to tell Mister Whitmore he has a real live heroine in his employment".
Milo shook his head, undiscouraged by my sarcasm. "Helga, I thought you understood... You can't go back to Washington...".
"And who says I can't?. There may be a war going on, Mister Thatch, but it's still a free world!".
"It's a rule Kida decided on", he explained. "To protect this city and the people, outsiders to Atlantis can't leave. We only made an exception for Audrey, Vinny, Cookie and the others because they promised to keep this place a secret, and we know we can trust them".
"So what you're saying is, you don't trust me?".
"Well... not entirely...", he crossed his arms with a knowing look.
I had to smirk. "Mmmm... Wise decision... ".

Later, washed, my clothes newly cleaned, I made my way down the palace hallway, searching for Milo. I intended to ask him more about what had happened, and about the rest of the crew...
As I walked I rebraided my hair, which had come loose during my struggle with Rourke... When I finished, I looked up and saw that at least three Atlantian guards were making their way towards me...
"Oh no", I groaned with a roll of my eyes. "Not again!".
Two guards pointed their spears towards me while the third reached out to seize my arm...
"Don't you people ever keep your hands to yourself?!", I snarled. Before he could reach me, I lashed out with a fierce martial arts kick, sending him sprawling to the floor.
Enraged, the other guards advanced towards me with their spears... I backed away to avoid the sharp ends...
Just then, a familiar voice rang out... The moment the guards heard it, they ceased thier attack...
I raised my eyebrows as Princess, no, Queen, Kida, out of her hunting gear and dressed in colorful, silken robes, stepped from the shadows, and motioned the guards away... Then she approached me...
For a moment we stood there in silence, looking eachother full in the eye, neither of us blinking or flinching...
I felt the corners of my mouth turn up into almost a half smile. Kida may have been thousands of years older then I was, but she still looked, and acted, like a young girl, barely out of her late teens. Her head hardly went past my shoulders!.
Finally, Kida spoke, her voice cool and dignified. "Forgive my men. I ordered them to bring you to my throne room, not to attack you".
"Your throne room?", I asked, surprised.
She nodded, her eyes becoming suspicious. "Yes, and do not even think of trying to take The Heart Of Atlantis again, because it is not hidden there anymore. It is safe, where noone will ever find it!".
"Relax, Queeny", I sneered. "I'm through with crystals!".
"Well, you should have thought of that before you let your commander kill my father!", Kida snapped.
"Well, there's one consolation. You're a queen now. Besides, the old carmudgen didn't look like he had much time left anyway".
I knew I had gone to far when the queen's face hardened in rage. She raised her hand to strike me... but slowly lowered it again, taking restrained breaths...
"You realize", she hissed angrilly, "that I could have slain you on sight back in the volcano?. I only spared you out of pity, and because of my feelings for Milo Thatch, but take care, or I may not let my feelings get in the way of my sense of justice the next time!".
I crossed my arms with a smirk. "Don't flatter yourself, little girl. All I want is just to get back home".
"I am afraid that is impossible. We cannot afford to let traiters and mercenarys leave so that they might bring more of their kind back to plunder our city and harm our people".
This was unbelieveable!. "Look", I snapped. "In the first place, everyone who even remotely believed this city existed has either been killed or forced into secrecy by now. In the second place, how do you expect me to lead anyone back here when Thatch has the journal?".
Kida shook her head. "Be that as it may, we can take no chances. You will just have to accept this. I am sorry". And with that, she turned from me and signalled her guards to follow her out of the corridor.
"No you're not!", I muttered, glaring after her...


CHAPTER 2
ATLANTIS

I was grasping onto the ledge of the volcano for dear life... Soon, I felt it trembling as everything grew hotter and hotter... My grip weakened... I dared to look below me... I was dangling a good hundred feet above the boiling lava... The heat of the flames increased as they slowly rose upward...
I desperatly tried to scramble out... Trying to find something, anything, besides that ledge to pull myself up... Just then, I felt something seize my foot... A familiar face leered below me. His hair was unkept, his eyes wild, but I knew him anyway...
"Rourke!", I gasped... My fear quickly being replaced by rage, I struggled to fight and kick myself free... But he held my ankle firmly in his large hand...
"Nothing personal!", he growled with a cruel smile... then he roughly pulled me from the ledge...
"Nooo!!!", I screamed as I fell down into the firey lava with him...

"No!", I gasped as my eyes snapped open... I closed them again in relief when I saw that I was laying down on the bed in the guest quarters... Sitting up and breathing more easily, I brushed a few strands of blonde hair away from my face and sneered in self-disgust. A nightmare at thirty years old! How jeuvanille!.
This place had always made me feel uncomfortable... It brought back bad memorys... I couldn't stay here any longer. I had to escape Atlantis and get back to the surface tonight... regardless of what might be waiting for me apon my return...
Having made up my mind, I got up and threw on my faded millitary trousers and boots, then, after pulling the black sweater over my thin shirt, I slipped into my worn coat...
I peered out of the doorway and spotted a lone guard, with his back to me, clearly not expecting a threat from behind...
Softly, I made my way over to where he stood... then, quick as a cat stalking a bird, I seized him, making him drop his spear in surprise...
"I have a gun", I hissed softly as I pinned his arms behind his back with one hand, while covering his mouth with the other.
The lie was enough to frighten him into silence.
"Good boy", I purred as I undid the blue crystal from his neck. "You don't mind if I take this with me, do you?. I'm sure you have more where it came from".

Softly, I tread down the stairway to where I knew the Atlantian veacles were kept... If I could manage to take one of them I would be able to make my way back to the surface through the old volcano shaft...
I spotted a machine that looked less fish-like then the rest, though I wasn't sure what the Atlantians called it... It was small and could probably fit no more then two passangers... Perfect!.
Remembering Thatch's constant lectures about these machines, I climbed into the veacle and inserted the crystal in the slot... I placed my hand on the inscription pad and quickly turned the crystal a quarter turn back...
Whoosh! The machine went zooming backwards into a wall, nearly giving me whiplash!.
"Katzen drecht!", I cursed through clenched teeth, rubbing my neck. After three years as a chauffer I should have known better then that!. These advanced machines required gentle signals, not unlike the Dorfenheimer Wildcat...
"Leaving so soon?", came a familiar voice nearby...
I rolled my eyes. "Thatch, what now?", I groaned. Now why wasn't I surprised that that idealistic busybody had followed me?.
He crossed his arms, giving me a dirty look through his glasses. "Where are you going with that?".
"Oh, you know, it's such a nice night I thought I'd go for a little joy-ride!. Where do you think I'm going?!".
He looked at me seriously. "You're going to take allot more then just that power crystal, aren't you?".
"And have the entire Atlantian armada on my tail all the way back to Washington?", I sneered. "Absolutly!".
"Alright, alright", he rolled his eyes. "Dumb question, I know... But Helga, for once be reasonable. It would take weeks to get back in that, and you have no food or supplies".
"I'll manage", I answered. "I've been in worse situations".
"And what do you plan to do when, if, you do get back in one peice?. Whitmore's probably heard the whole story by now from the rest of the crew. You think he'd take you back after what you and Rourke did?".
"Thatch, I've been the man's personal bodyguard and chauffer since our return from Iceland!. I've even saved his life on a number of occasions!. He won't fire me for this!", I argued.
Milo's eyes narrowed. "You're right... Maybe he'll just turn you over to the Russians, or the American and French authorities. It would be all to easy to accuse you of being a spy for Germany...".
I was silent for a moment... Yes, it would be to easy to accuse me of being a German spy, especially after all that had happened... Whitmore had always been kind to me and treated me like family, as he did all his household employees, but that didn't mean he wouldn't turn me in if it meant protecting his country from a threat... Sometimes he had even seemed ill at ease around me, calling me ‘The Ice Queen', because I perferred to be on my own and usually steered clear of relationships... The hyppocrite! As if he was such an extrovert!.
Thatch shook his head. "I won't stop you from leaving, if that's what you really want... I know you're no threat to Atlantis now, even if Kida dosn't agree... but think about what you're doing. You're far safer here then you would ever be back above the surface".
"And since when did I ever care about ‘safe'", I wanted to answer back, but I knew better then that... Thatch had a point... Damn! I hated it when men were right!.
Reluctantly, I took the crystal out of the slot and handed it back to him...
"Alright, Thatch", I sighed. "You win!".

The next morning found me by the outskirts of the palace, near one of Atlantis's large crystaline pools and waterfalls. Lush flowers and greenery grew around it. This place was beautiful enough to be a painting in a museum, but I had so much on my mind I payed no attention.
Had I made a mistake by agreeing to stay in Atlantis?. True, technicaly I was safer here then I would be if I went back... but I could survive. I had always been able to take care of myself before and I could do it again, no matter what happened if I went back... On the other hand, there was not much for me to go back to. There might be even less by now...
I began to warm up, practicing some of the basic martial arts moves I had learned over the years... It would clear my head and help me think better...
I studied my movements in the water... Kicks, punches, and various jumps, twists and turns... I had studied and trained in this type of fighting since I was a girl... Only it had not been able to save me when Rourke turned on me on the gyro-evac...
I stopped, brushing my blonde bangs away from my face with a sigh... Why did I have to be thinking of that right now?...
"Good morning, Helga", Milo Thatch's voice suddenly greeted me...
I turned to see him and Queen Kida approaching. They were holding hands and smiling contently.
"Good morning, Mister Thatch", I gave him a knowing nod. He had not said a word to anyone about my attempted escape the other night, and he had convinced that guard to do the same...
Kida crossed her arms with a cynnical smile once her eyes fixed themselves on me. "You are a warrier as well as a mercinary, are you not?".
"Hmmm, I suppose you could say that...", I answered, crossing my own arms, not sure of what this was leading up to...
Kida nodded. "I thought so. Those movements, they are similer to those tought to our own warriers... Of course our warriers are far superior, having perfected their fighting over thousands of years".
I raised an eyebrow... "Is that a challange?...".
"It was only meant as an observation. However, you may take it as you wish", she shrugged... but the way her mouth twitched up at the sides told me otherwise...
"Now that was a challange if I ever heard one", I said, stepping forward, taking defense position...
Kida stepped forward as well. "I am warning you, I am the most feared warrier in this kingdom!".
"And I'm warning you, you are talking to the 1912 Ladies Kickboxing Champion for the state of Virginia!".
"Whatever that is, I am not impressed!".
"Ladies, please...", Milo began to protest. "There's no need for...".
"You, stay out of this!", Kida and I both snapped at him. He backed away nervously.
The queen and I circled eachother slowly... Then Kida lashed out with a lightning swift kick... I managed to dodge it, but the first kick was only a set up!. A second kick soon sent me sprawling to the ground!.
I scrambled to my feet and managed to block two more blows before I lashed out with some powerful kicks of my own...
For the next few moments it was an even battle between us... with one fighter, then the other in control... Finally, Kida managed to overpower me, pinning me down on my back...
"Do you yield?", she hissed...
I sighed in defeat... "Yes, yes, I yield. Please, have mercy!?"...
Her face softening, the queen relaxed her grip on me... This was just what I was waiting for!. I quickly kneed her in the stomach and tossed her over my head, into the deep water behind us!.
"Kida!", Milo cried, rushing to the edge of the pool.
"Relax, Thatch", I growled, getting to my feet. "The little brat can swim"... I then looked over the edge and down into the blue water... I waited one minute... then two.. then three...
"Kida?...", I finally called. "Are you alright?... Well, you'd better be alright, because I'm not coming in after...".
Just then, my sentance was cut off as the conniving little sneak leapt out of the water and grabbed my arms, pulling me into the pool with her!.
I kicked and struggled up to the surface. Shocked and humilliated, I grasped the edge of the pool, sputtering and coughing.
Kida had already climbed out of the pool and was sitting on the edge.
"Very funny!", I smirked, climbing out of the pool myself.
She crossed her arms indignantly, but with a hint of a smile on her face. "Well, it serves you right!".
We eyed eachother for a moment... then we heard Milo laughing uncontrollably behind us.
"Oh brother!", he chuckled. "You two should see yourselves! You look like a pair of drowned rats!".
Kida and I looked at the pool... then we looked at Thatch...
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?", I asked.
She nodded. "Exactly!".
"Oh no!", Milo backed away, shaking his head with a nervous grin. "Oh no! Don't even think about it!".
Kida and I looked at eachother... Wicked smiles slowly spread across our faces...
"Let's get him!".

Later that afternoon, after the Kida and I had formed that rather grudging truce, I followed her and Milo down the clean, white streets of Atlantis as they admired the whares being sold at the numerous vendors... Strange, this was such an advanced, civilized culture, yet the people dressed in the same way and followed the same customs and traditions as they had for thousands of years... Maybe it was because they didn't feel a need to change as the rest of the world had...
"I think I still have water in my ears", Milo said. "Did you two have to throw me into that pool?".
"Oh stop whining, Thatch. You had it coming".
Kida smirked. "This from ‘the bellyflop champion of Camp Runamuck'!".
"Well, yeah", Milo crossed his arms with a sheepish smile. "I was the bellyflop champ, but you girls threw me in a body slam!".
At this, the queen and I burst out laughing, remembering the way Thatch had hit the water when we threw him in!.
Milo smiled at me. "You know, Helga. It's good to hear you laugh. I don't think you've ever done that before, at least not in a long time".
"And what makes you say that?", I asked, eyeing him.
He shrugged. "Oh, I don't know... You just seem like that kind of person...".
I said nothing in reply...
Thatch spoke up again... "So, how do you like living in Atlantis?...".
"Yes", Kida added. "Is this anything like your ‘Washington'?...".
I shook my head slowly. "No, not exactly... ".
"I don't even miss Washington anymore", Milo confided. "What about you?".
"I suppose not", I answered. "There really wasn't anything there for me to miss anyway... Whitmore certainly won't miss me. He'll probably find another bodyguard and chauffer. Hired help is very replacable".
Kida tilted her head. "You have no friends or loved ones?".
"No".
"Where's your family then?", Milo wanted to know.
I shrugged. "I'm it... at least since...". Here my voice trailed off slightly...
Milo looked at me seriously through his large glasses. "Since when?...".
"Since I left Maryland!", I snapped. "What is this, an interrigation?!".
Milo and Kida both looked at eachother with concern...
I sighed and shook my head. "Both my parents are gone... My brothers were either assigned to different millitary posts, or sent to boarding schools... I never saw any of them again... We could all be on opposite sides of the war for all I know...".
Milo shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry to hear that... I can't imagine having any brothers on Germany's side...".
I shrugged again. "Can't you, Mister Thatch?. Well, people always think war is about right or wrong, but it's not. It's about power".
Thatch adjusted his glasses awkwardly and Kida frowned... "That is what my people thought as well... Then the Meh-behl-moak came...".
"The great flood", Milo transilated.
I shot him an annoyed look. "Thatch, I may not be a linguist, but I'm not an idiot!".
None of us said anything for the next few moments... We continued to walk in awkward silence...
Finally, Milo pointed to a vendor's stand... "Hey! Anybody hungry?".
Kida and I both nodded. "Starving", I answered.
"Well then come on, let's get some lunch!".
I followed Kida and him to the stand and was soon presented with an odd looking delicacy on a stick...
"Mmmm", Kida bit into hers. "Delicious, as usual!".
I studied mine suspiciously... "What exactly is this?", I wanted to know...
Milo grinned. "It's every Atlantian's favorite treat, squid tenticle on a stick!".
"You don't say?". I tried my best to hide my disgust. I was starting to miss Cookie already!.
Smiling and holding hands, Thatch and Kida continued through the market while I stopped to look at the unusual and exotic looking objects and foods for sale... Just then, I felt a tug at my hand... I looked and saw a young Atlantian boy who looked no more then nine or ten. He was holding the hand of a little girl who appeared about five or six... but I knew from listening to Thatch that even the children here were hundreds of years old...
"Soo-puhk!", the boy smiled. "Ah-nik kah-gihn Kash eh seh-toat!".
"Ah-nik kah-gihn Neda eh seh-toat!. Mekh-ah-nik moh-khin eh-seh-toat duhp?", the girl added, looking up at me.
"I beg your pardon?", I put my hands on my hips, raising an eyebrow in annoyance. "Are you two talking to me?".
"Oh!", the little girl exclaimed in English, tugging the boy's hand. "I don't think she speaks our language, Kash!".
"You think right, young lady", I answered with a smirk.
The boy gave me a sheepish smile, then he too spoke in English. "I am sorry!. I forgot, the one called Milo Thatch is the only outsider who knows. My name is Kash, and this is my little sister, Neda!".
"What is your name?", the girl asked.
"Helga", I answered, feeling slightly irritated. I never did get on very well with children. "Helga Sinclair".
Neda gave me an innocent smile. "That's so pretty!. Are you are one of the outsiders that helped to save Atlantis?".
I bit my lip with a sneer. If this situation hadn't been so awkward, I probably would have laughed. "Well... yes.. I suppose you could say that...", I lied.
"You must have been very brave!", Kash said admiringly.
"And you're very pretty too!", Neda added. "When I am a few hundred years older I want to help protect Atlantis, and be as brave and pretty as you are!".
Amused, I had to smile at that. If they only knew!. "I'm sure you will be", I said, then I handed Neda my squid tenticle on a stick. Didn't make sense for it to go to waste, and there was no way I was eating it!.
"Thank you!", the little girl grinned, taking a bite.
I nodded, trying not to grimace as she took another bite. "You're welcome. Now, don't you two think you'd better be getting back to your parents?".
"Yes!", Kash exclaimed, taking his sister's hand again. "Come on, Neda. Mother wants us home in time for dinner!".
"Goodbye, Helga!", Neda waved as she followed her brother.
"Maybe we will see you again another time", Kash added, waving also.
I gave a half-hearted wave in return, rolling my eyes, then I shook my head with a smirk as I turned to join Thatch and Kida at another stand.

Later that afternoon, I decided that if I didn't want to be eating squid and octopus for the rest of my life in Atlantis I had best try my hand at making a few meals of my own... I browsed around to find what these people had in the way of fruit or berries and pastry... Everything I found was from the sea, of course, but seemed perfectly edible...
Curious, Thatch joined me in my ‘grocery shopping', and I soon had what I needed to make a passable dessert...
"This recepie should come out great!", Milo said cheerfuly as he started on the fruit filling. "Maybe I can give some of it to Kida too!".
I grinned, remembering how I had thought up the idea to get Thatch to talk to the princess... Clearly, his feelings towards her were growing...
"You like her, don't you?", I asked.
He nodded with a shy smile. "Yes... I've always been kind of nervous around girls... but with Kida it's different... It feels like... like...".
"Like you have a million things to say, but don't know how to say them?", I smiled. "Like something is over, while something else has just started?".
"Yes", Thatch answered, surprised. "You sound like you've been there yourself...".
I was silent for a moment before answering... "Once... only once...".
"What was his name?". Milo wanted to know.
"Christopher... Christopher Jenkins...", I whispered...
Thatch's curiosity was growing. "What happened to him?".
At once I frowned and shook my head. "If you don't mind, Thatch", I snapped. "I'd really rather not talk about it!". Ever since my husband was reported missing from one of Rourke's expeditions I had never spoken of him to anyone, and I wasn't going to make Thatch the exception!.
Milo's eyes widened... but he nodded... then he very tactfuly changed the subject... "That's allot of dough and filling. I wouldn't be surprised if we had enough for everyone in Atlantis!".
"Well, don't get to excited, Thatch", I answered as I worked on the dough. "It's been years since I've tried this recepie, and I'm not using land ingrediants this time".
"Which makes it all the more interesting. Who tought you to bake anyway, Helga?".
A small smile played about my lips. "My father. He was in the US Army, but whenever he could get time off to come home he loved to try German recepies, though Mutti was always so strict about us eating healthy".
Thatch grinned. "My grandpa was a good cook too, but it never rubbed off on me".
"Anything would have been better then Cookie's escargot and oriental spring roll", I assured him... then I looked at him seriously... "Besides, you've inherited almost everything else from Thadious...".
Milo smiled. "Really? You knew my grandpa too?".
"I was on the Iceland expedition, wasn't I?".
"Yes, I remember, that's how you met Rourke, right?".
I shifted my eyes away from his questioning gaze... "No", I said, biting my lip. "I knew Rourke long before then... He was my instructor at Fort Dix ...".
"That was before you were hired by Mister Whitmore?".
I nodded. "Yes, I was Rourke's assistant and intelligence officer... Then after the Iceland expedition he and Thadious reccomended me... Though, knowing Rourke, it was probably to keep tabs on the journal untill you were ready".
Thatch looked at me thoughtfully as he stirred the fruit filling. "I get the picture... Helga... I'm sorry about what happened... between you and...".
"Don't bother, Thatch!", I snapped, pounding the dough. It's over, so just forget about it!".
Milo nodded calmly, saying nothing, but his eyes looked startled...
I pounded the dough again, rolling my eyes with a sneer. The only real friend I thought I had cheets me out of my fair share, trying to kill me in the process, and people like Thatch and Whitmore still wondered why I was such a loner!. I hoped that when Rourke had perished in that volcano it had been excruciatingly painful!.
Just then, the door to the palace kitchen opened, and in came those two little monsters I had met at the market, Kash and Neda. "Oh no", I muttered, rolling my eyes, "Not them again".
Thatch shook his head with a chuckle, then he turned to greet the little intruders. "Hey guys, how're you doing?".
"Fine!", Kash smiled as the grinning Neda was lifted onto Milo's shoulders. "We got away without having to do the dishes, but Neda almost got us cought".
"I did not!", the girl stuck her chin out indignantly.
Laughing, milo set her down again and tossled her hair affectionatly.
"What are you making?", Kash asked, looking at the sorted ingrediants Thatch and I were working on.
"Oh, that's stroodle", Milo explained. "Helga used to help her father make them when she was a little girl".
Kash and Neda grinned... then before I could stop them they had plunged their grubby little paws into the bowl with the fruit filling!.
"Mmmm", Neda said, her mouth and cheeks smeered with red sticky syrrup. "It's delicious!".
"But it's not as good as Mah-tihm's jellyfish cream", Kash added with an impish smile.
"Oooo, you little rats!", I shoed the two them away, smacking them both on their rears. "That's what my Vati would have given me! Now out! Out!".
Fruit filling all over their mouths and cheeks, Kash and Neda trotted, giggling out of the kitchen.


CHAPTER 3
MAH-TIHM

Later that evening, after dessert had been finished and stored away for later, I found myself practicing my martial arts moves by the same beautiful pool as I had this morning. Again I studied my movements in the water, searching for some flaw, some sign of going rusty from lack of practice. Being in an overly critical mood, I found many.
"Still thinking you can best me, outsider?", Queen Kida's silvery voice taunted from nearby.
I rolled my eyes as I turned to face the royal pain. "I could beat you with both hands tied behind my back, and you know it!", I shot back.
She smirked. "I know no such thing... Of course if you wish to be thrown into the pool again...", her voice trailed off mockingly.
"Forget it!", I sneered. "I've already gone for one swim today!".
"As have I", Kida grinned, sitting herself down gracefully on the white marble steps near the pool, then she looked at me and nodded. "You are permitted to sit in the pressence of the queen".
"Ooo, what an honor. Thank you so much", I muttered sarcasticly, sitting down by the edge of the pool.
For the next few moments we sat there in silence, watching as the world around us darkened and the whitish blue lanterns around the pools and gardens grew brighter...
Finally, I spoke up. "This really is a beautiful place... It's just to bad there's no moon or stars...".
Kida looked at me strangely, and I wondered if she had been offended by that comment...
"I remember stars and the moon...", she answered thoughtfuly. "At night my mother and father would point out all the consellations to me... and they would boast that one day Atlantis would build the most powerful flying machines ever, just so I could reach out and touch them...".
"You really miss your parents, don't you?", I asked softly.
She nodded. "Yes, I lost them both two soon... I never got the chance to say goodbye to either of them...".
I knew what had happened to the king of Atlantis, but Kida had never mentioned her mother before...
"I was only a child at the time of the great flood...", she continued. "The crystal cast it's beam on my mother... I remember, at first I thought it was a star...".
I remembered the crystal shining it's light on Kida that time in the hidden chamber...
"I tried to grasp her hand...", the queen sighed. "But she let go... I called for her to come back... but it was no use... I never saw her again... Now I have both her loss and the loss of my father on my conscience...".
I bit my lip... "That was my fault, princess, not yours", I wanted to say... Instead I nodded. "I know how you feel... I can't even begin to count all the things on my own conscience...".
"I believe that", Kida said cooly, raising an eyebrow...
I cleared my throat... then, changing the subject, I asked, "What was your mother like?".
Kida shook her head. "I can barely remember her... but she was a wonderful ruler, and very beautiful...".
"How do you know?", I asked.
Kida smiled. "Come with me", she said, standing up...
Shrugging, I got to my feet and followed the queen back to the palace... We entered, then Kida led me up a long flight of steps and towards a long corridor, lavishly decorated with gold, silver and pearl...
"This was my mother's private quarters", she explained, leading me into an even more beautifully crafted bedchamber. "After the great flood this was the only area of the palace my father would not let grow worn and decaying... I used to play here in secret as a child...". Kida then pointed towards the shining ivory wall. "Look!".
I looked to where she was pointing... and found myself staring at the exquisit face of a lovely, exotic young woman who bore a remarkable resemblance to Kida, though here eyes were softer and her face had a sweeter, more gentle expression...
Kida smiled, gesturing towards the splendid portrait. "The first Queen Kidagakash, my mah-tihm".
"Mah-tihm...", I tested the word on my toung. "That means ‘mother', dosn't it?. It sounds a little like the word I used in Germany... Mutti...".
"Yes... Yes it does...", Kida smiled, nodding.
I studied the portrait again... "You're right, Kida... Your mother is beautiful, inside and out, you can see that... like mine was... ".
At this, Kida tilted her head... "Now it is my turn to ask, what was your mother like?...".
I bit my lip, suddenly regretting having starting this conversation... "Her name was Katrina...", I whispered. "She was a teacher in Frankfurt... I think she wanted me to become a teacher too, but I never had her patiance...".
Kida nodded. "I see... What happened to her?...".
I looked away for a moment... "She... she was taken from us... ", I finally said.
"How?", Kida wanted to know. "Was she ‘chosen' by a crystal too?...".
"No, she was shot!", I snapped. How could a woman over eight thousand years old be so naive?... But my tone softened when I saw the shocked look on Kida's face... "She... she was accused and found guilty of murder and treason... They came and took her away to be excecuted... Don't ask me where, I didn't bother to find out...".
The queen's gaze was sympathetic. "How old were you?...".
"I was eleven years old...".
Kida tilted her head with a sort of understanding look in her eyes... "That is not even a baby here...", she said gently.
I had to smirk. "Believe me, I was no baby. My father tought me sparring, knife throwing and gunplay almost before I was old enough to start school".
"Well then, it is no wonder you were able to match me that day by the pool... I myself could best warriors twice my size when I was only a young girl".
"I believe that", I gave her a small smile.
Kida smiled back. "It appears, Helga Sinclair, that these two woman warriors have more in common then they first thought"...

"I still can't believe it", I grimaced as I joined Thatch and Kida on their usual outing the next day. "All the technology in the world and you people still eat squid and sea slugs!".
"That's strange, coming from you", Milo chuckled. "Didn't you have squid, caviar and escargot when you worked for Mister Whitmore?".
"Don't remind me", I muttered, rolling my eyes.
Kida crossed her arms defensively, with a cynnical smile. "From what I have heard, you people above the surface have strange customs of your own. Do not be so critical!".
"I am not being critical!", I answered, my hands on my hips.
This led to a rather heated argument between the two of us as we passed the vendors, market stalls, and fishing rivers, while the various atlantian viacles and machines zoomed above... Finally, Milo interrupted our bickering...
"Hey!", he cried suddenly, pointing towards one of the rivers. "Look at that!".
Kida and I looked to where he was pointing... At first the object was so far it was difficult to make out... Kida thought it might be one of the numerous Atlantian sea creatures... but as it floated closer I recognized the helmet of Doctor Joshuah Sweet, our crew's medical officer... Inside the helmet was the burnt out stub of a candle...
"I... I don't believe it... ", I exclaimed. "It's the candle Sweet lighted for those crew members we lost!". I never thought that little memorial would make it all the way to Atlantis!.
Thatch nodded, a sad smile on his face. "Yeah... sure makes you think, dosn't it?... I wish they all could have been here to see this, don't you?".
I frowned... turning my gaze away from the tiny floating tribute... "Yes... especially since I am the reason those people are not here to see this... ".
"Helga, how can you say that?", Milo gasped. "If anyone should be blamed for our crew's losses, it should be me! I was the navigator after all!".
"Yes, and I was the leutenant!", I snapped. "I was responsible for making sure everything on the expedition ran smoothly! I was responsible for keeping everyone alive!".
At this, Thatch stared at me through his glasses. "Helga, I never knew you blamed yourself this much for what happened with the Leviathan... and that fire...".
"Well, I do", I answered.
"Well, you shouldn't!", He argued. "All of that was my fault! I...".
"That is enough, Milo", Kida interrupted, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Neither of you should be blaming yourselves for these past misfortunes. What is done is done".
I stubbornly set my mouth in a firm line, saying nothing...
"I know, Kida", Milo answered softly, squeezing her hand. "You're right".
She gave him a compassionate look and squeezed his hand back...

Frankfurt, Germany. 1895

"But Mutti", I pleaded. "It's still early, can't I practice my knives with Vati when we get home?".
Vati, the boys and I had just arrived back in Frankfurt for a visit. Dispite how much I cherished this time with Mutti before we returned to my father's latest post in Yongsan, I did not want my skills to grow rusty!.
My mother gave me a patiant smile as we left the brick building where she tought. "We'll see, darling", she said. "Maybe after dinner you and your brothers can spend a few minutes practicing with those awful things".
I made a face. She had never approved of my father teaching me the skills he had learned in the army, let alone bringing me and the boys along to wherever he was assigned, and she had tried everything to discourage it... Eventually, Mutti grew to accept my interest in activities like sparring and knife throwing, and permitted me to join my father at his various posts, but she disliked it none the less. She would wince and shudder every time she heard the gun go off when I practiced my target shooting at home!.
"Oh, don't you give me that look, you little sourpuss!", Mutti scolded with a chuckle as soon as she saw the look on my face. She gave one of my long blonde braids a playful tug, making me grin, in spite of myself. "I am supposed to be spoiling your fun, that's what mothers are for!".
"Oh, really", I smirked. "And what are daughters for?".
She grinned. "Giving their mothers grey hair before their time".
Laughing, we made our way down one of the sidestreets... It was nearing evening and there were fewer people about then in the mornings and afternoons...
It was then that I noticed a man, a soldier or guard, about Vati's age, standing nearby... He called out a greeting as we passed him, but perhaps my mother did not admire the way he was looking at us, for she quickly took my hand and marched us hurridly by, giving him only a curt nod...
I grasped her hand tighter when I saw that he was following us... Soon he had cought up, and was standing in front of us...
"Get out of our way, please", Mutti said, civilly but coldly.
"Now now, frauline", the soldier answered with a leering smile. "All I did was say hello, I was only trying to be polite...". He then fixed his gaze on me... "What a lovely little girl you have there!. She looks just like you, is she yours?...".
I froze as he reached out to touch my hair... but my mother was to fast for him. Quick as a cat she moved between us, and with surprising strength she shoved him away.
"You try to touch her again, I'll kill you!", she hissed.
"Oh, come now, do not be like that", he smirked.
The next moment he had grabbed my mother by her arms. She tried to pull away, but he was to strong.
"Helga, go!", she screamed as she tried to break free of his iron grip. "Get back home! Hurry!".
Horrified, I turned and began to run as fast as my skinny eleven year old legs could carry me... but a frightened cry from my mother made me pause and turn around...
The guard had her pinned to the ground. He held her by the throat with one hand, while his other hand was raised to strike her face...
"Leave her alone!", I screamed, lunging myself at him. I tried to punch his face, but he roughly shoved me away before I could raise a hand to strike him. I let out a hiss of pain as I scraped my knee on the street.
"Helga!", my mother cried, trying to reach me. "No! Run home!".
Her attacker grabbed her by her hair and threw her to the ground again. Red in the face, and breathing heavilly, he pinned her down again and started to strangle her...
Franticly, I gazed about for anyone who could help us, but there was noone in sight...
It was then that I noticed the soldier's revolver that had fallen out of his holster... I seized it, just as a painful gasp from my mother was answered by a vicious cuff to her face...
Feeling rage and desperation for the first time in my life, I scrambled to my feet, weapan in hand... Remembering all the lessons in gunplay Vati had given me, I aimed the gun straight at the attacker's heart and pulled the trigger...

"Open up!. Police!", the harsh voices commanded as angry fists pounded on our door...
I sat up in bed, terrified. "No", I whispered. "No, they couldn't have found out!".
I jumped from my bed and, barely taking the time to throw my housecoat over my nightdress, I left my room.
The boys, Thomas, Robert, William, Frederick and Hans, were all awake, and peeking timidly from behind their bedroom doors.
"Stay there!", I ordered them with a hiss and they all nodded. They were just as afraid as I was, but unlike me, they were not to proud to show it...
There was more loud banging on our front door...
"I know, I know!", Mutti cried rushing from the main bedroom, Vati following her. "I am coming, just a minute!".
"Mutti!", I cried, grabbing her hand. "No! You can't!".
She shook her hand free. "I have to, they'll be through the door in a minute!".
Taking a deep breath, my mother unlocked and opened the door... At least three or four armed officers pushed their way into our house...
Vati moved in front of me and put his arm protectivly around Mutti's shoulder, but my mother was in no need of comforting or protection.
"Good evening, gentlemen", she crossed her arms, meeting their angry glares, unflinching. "What can we do for you?".
One of the men stepped forward. "We want the schoolmistress, Katrina Sinclair".
"Well then, congratulations. You have just found her".
Apon hearing this, the men came forward and seized her by her arms. "Frau Sinclair, you are to come with us".
My eyes widened in horror. I wanted to scream, "No! You can't take her! She didn't do it!", but Vati was quicker then I.
"Now, wait just a minute!", my father cried, pulling Mutti from the officer's grasp and standing in front of her. "What is this?!", he demanded angrilly, his faint Scottish brogue growing more noticable as he raised his voice. "Why are you treating my wife like a common criminal?!".
"Because she is a criminal, Herr Sinclair!. Do not be so surprised, after all you are the one who encouraged it!. Teaching your wife and children to throw knives and shoot guns!. It was only a matter of time before one of them practiced their skills on living targets!".
At this, Vati's face hardened as he fought to controll his anger. "That is rediculous! Katrina has never harmed a soul in her life!. She's been against my lessons in weaponry from the start!".
"Save your lies!", another of the officers growled. "We have a testiment saying that Frau Sinclair was spotted near the body of one of our men. Not only that, but she had an army revolver in her hand and was trying to throw it away".
I bit my lip... Mutti had told me to run straight home while she disposed of the weapon... I was trying to decide weather or not to admit this when my mother spoke...
"It's true, Alex", she said softly, bowing her head, putting a hand on my father's arm. "That soldier tried to attack Helga and I on the street today, but I was the one who killed him...".
I opened my mouth in shock as Vati took her hands, his normally tanned, handsome face growing pale.
"What?!", he gasped. "But Kat, that can't be true... You wouldn't...".
"I am sorry to tell you, Herr Sinclair", interrupted another of the officers. "But your wife is a murderer, and a traiter as well. We have it on good authority that she has, on a number of occasions, given aid and information to French and even Russian spys in secret!".
At this, Mutti's head came up and she glared at the officers. "That is not true! Besides, why is that such a terrible crime? It is Germany that is trying to start a war with the rest of the world!".
"Treacherous vermin", the officer snarled. "You and your American Soldier husband!". And with that, he roughly seized my mother.
"Leave her alone!", Vati screamed, lunging at him, but the other officers grabbed him by the arms and dealt him a hard blow to the stomach. He doubled over, clutching his stomach in pain.
"Alexander!", Mutti cried, trying to break away, but her captors held her tight, then struck her face when she tried to resist. She fell against the wall with a sharp cry.
"Mutti!", I screamed as the men began to advance towards her... Vati, wounded on the floor, was powerless to help...
Thinking quickly, I grabbed the sharp cutting knife off the kitchen table, and with a shout of anger, ran towards the officers, my new weapon drawn... I hardly noticed that I had cut my hand slightly when grabbing it...
"Helga, no!", my father cried...
The men saw me coming and their hands reached towards the guns in their holsters...
Quick as a cat, my mother scrambled to her feet and moved towards me... Shocked, I stopped and stared at her in bewilderment...
Mutti's clear, dark blue eyes met my own... "Helga", she said quietly, but sternly. "Put the knife down".
My eyes widened as I stared into her pale, steadfast face... I felt my hands tremble... the knife slipped out of my hand...
At once, the officers relaxed... Their guns remained in their holsters...
My mother knelt by me and gently took my hand, wiping the blood off the gash and kissing it, then she took me by the shoulders. "You are never to do anything so foolish again!", she hissed. "You must take care of your father and brothers from now on, and never tell anyone about what happened, do you understand?".
"But Mutti", I pleaded. "It wasn't your fault! I...".
"Hush! Hush!", she interrupted, drawing me close to her in an embrace, her loose golden hair brushing past my cheek. "I am doing what is best for all of you, and you know it".
I knew no such thing!. All I knew was that my mother was about to be taken away because of what I had done!. I threw my arms around her neck and buried my face in her shawl as she lovingly stroked my hair.
"Du bist frohlich sein, mein engel... Kein es nicht verdufte aus du...", my mother whispered into my ear. "You have a good heart, my angel... Don't let anyone beat that out of you...".
It was then that the officers pulled her away from me, and though she made no move to fight them, they began to drag her roughly away...
"Mutti!", I cried as I tried to follow, but my father rushed to my side and held me by my shoulders as she had just done.
"No, Helga", he sighed brokenly as he drew me close to him. "They'll only take us too, and the boys".
I looked away from the tortured expression on his face, trying to swallow back a sob... Stubbornly, I clenched my hand, wincing from the pain of the gash... I blinked back the tears that threatened to form in my eyes... I had never cried in my life, especially not in front of my family, and I wasn't about to start now...

I awoke with a startled cry, sitting up in my bed as my eyes snapped open.
Gasping for breath, I wiped the sweat off my forehead. What was the matter with me?. I thought I had long outgrown that nightmare... that I had shaken off that memory...
"Damn you, Kida!", I thought... then my face hardened as I gazed at my gloved hand, thinking of the scar... "No, damn you, Katrina Sinclair!". I clenched my hands in anger. "You just had to take the blame for me, didn't you?. You just had to force me to keep my mouth shut, and you just had to come between me and those soldiers when I tried to stop them from taking you away!. You let them kill you! You broke all our hearts!. It should have been me!. You already had five sons, you would have never missed me!".
I shook my head vigorously. There was no point in getting so worked up now over something that had happened almost twenty years ago, especially since I had long made up my mind to move past it... to put it behind me... like I had Christopher's death... like I had Rourke's betrayal...
Feeling sufforcated, I pulled of my black sweater, to reveal my white sleevless shirt, then I made my way outside of the palace where it was cooler...
I walked untill I had nearly reached the familiar pool and waterfall... To my surprise, I saw Thatch and Kida were there already, standing by the water... They both spun around in unison when they heard me approach...
"Who's there?", Milo demanded.
"Keep your toga on, Thatch", I sighed as I stepped from that shadows. "I don't bite".
"Unless you are told to", Kida smirked, her hands on her hips.
"Ooo, very funny! Did one of your slaves supply that one, or did you make it up yourself?".
It was then that Thatch spoke up. "Look, do you two have a word limit you have to hit every day, or may we continue with what we were doing?".
I noticed the helmet and burnt out candle stub in his hands. "What exactly are you doing, Thatch?", I asked, my voice softening...
He smiled. "Re-lighting the candle, I figured it was the least I could do...".
"Not without me you're not", I said, looking him in the eye.
Thatch nodded steadily, realizing, as I did, the first and probably only thing we would ever actually have in common...
"You must have cared for those people a great deal", Kida said gently.
I nodded slowly... "Yes... Rourke used to say that the only family a good soldier ever needed was his troops... ".
"Well, Rourke told you allot of lies, didn't he?", Milo said cooly, crossing his arms.
I glanced towards the water with a sigh... "I guess I can't argue with you there, Thatch...".
The three of us were silent for a moment... then Milo finally took the old burnt out candle from the helmet and replaced it with a tall, new candle... "You do the honors?", he asked, handing me a match...
I took the match, struck it, and lit the candle... Then Thatch set it in the water...
I watched the tiny flame, certain it would flicker out, either from the water or the wind... Strange, this was the second time that helmet was being set afloat... The words Rourke had spoken to the remainder of our crew that day came back to me...
"Seven hours ago we started this expedition with two hundered of the finest men and woman I've ever known. We're all that's left. I won't sugercoat it, we have a crisis on our hands, but we've been up this creek before and we've always come through, paddle or no paddle, and I see no reason to change that policy now"...
"You know", Milo said, interrupting my thoughts. "My grandpa used to say that whenever someone who was really good died they became a star so they could watch over all their loved ones at night... ".
Kida shook her head sadly. "Atlantis has not seen the sun, moon or stars in thousands of years, Milo, you know that".
"Besides, Thatch", I added. "Your grandfather was about as eccentric as Whitmore, even if he was a great explorer".
Milo shrugged. "I know, I know", he said with a thoughtful smile. "But I always like to think about that whenever I miss him really bad... Besides, just because you can't see the stars dosn't mean they aren't there...".
Kida seemed to be considering this... Finally she smiled and nodded. "Perhaps you are right, Milo... Perhaps all those we have lost are watching over us from those stars... even if we cannot see them...".
Milo took her hand... She rested her head on his shoulder while he leaned his cheek against her hair...
I shook my head with a small smile. Was it just me, or was it becoming more and more difficult to win an argument with these two?.
Standing at the edge of the pool, our feet almost touching the water, Thatch, Kida and I watched as the candle's light grew even smaller as it floated further and further away into the darkness... but it did not go out...

A bit later, Kida and I were on our way back to our rooms for the night... As we turned down one of the corridors we ran into Kash and Neda...
The minute the two of them saw us they rushed up, smiling.
"Kida! Helga!", Neda laughed as the queen swept her up into her arms.
"And what are you two doing up so late?", Kida tossled the little girls hair.
"Waiting for you", Kash answered as I reluctantly let him take my hand.
I looked at Kida questioningly.
The queen smiled. "Their parents work here. They are busy elsewhere tonight, and I volenteered to watch them while they are away".
"Come with us, Helga?", Neda asked.
"I... I don't think so... This is Kida's job...", I began to protest.
But Kash pulled me by the hand. "Come on, please?".
I knew I would never hear the end of it from these little troublemakers if I continued to refuse, so I rolled my eyes with a sigh as the little boy led me down the corridor...
I followed them untill we reached one of the palace's beautiful, well furnished suites... While Kida helped them on with their nightclothes and tucked them into their beds, I watched from the doorway...
"Kida?", Neda asked, as she sat up in bed. "Can we give it to her now?".
I crossed my arms and tilted my head. What was she talking about?.
Kida sighed... "Well... I suppose it is alright with me... just as long as you are sure you want to do this...".
"Yes", the girl answered readily, and Kash nodded.
"Alright then, but dispite what Milo says, I think this is a mistake". Kida then turned to me and gestured for me to come over.
"What do think is a mistake?", I demanded, standing beside Kida. "What's going on?".
Kida stood up. "This was against my better judgement, but the children and Milo thought you should have this, as you will be living in Atlantis from now on".
Neda smiled as she produced an object wrapped in a silk handkercheif from the pocket of her nightdress. "Kida says outsiders should not be treated as trusted citizens, but since you are one of the surface travallers that helped save Atlantis, we agreed that you deserved this". She handed the gift to me...
I eyed Kida... "So...", I whispered, so the children could not hear. "You havn't told them the whole story, have you?...".
She returned my gaze, a small smile on her lips. "No... and I have not told them of your attempted escape either...".
I stared at her in shock. "How... how did you know about that?...".
"I am the queen of Atlantis, am I not?", she answered, a mischevious look in her eye.
"What are you whispering about?", Kash asked.
I shook my head with a grin. "Oh, nothing, nothing".
"It would not have interested you", Kida added quickly.
Neda's face grew eager. "Then won't you open your gift, Helga?", she prodded. "Please?".
"Alright", I said. "Alright, I'm working on it". I then folded away the layers of silk... My eyes widened when I saw a blue crystal necklace shining in the dimming light around the room... I recognized it as the same crystal all of the Atlantians wore, to be connected to the larger crystal that was the life and power source of their city...
Kash and Neda smiled. "This can heal you and give you long life. It can also make our machines and everything work", the little girl proclaimed proudly.
I nodded. "I know how it works... Thank you... ". I hardly ever wore jewelry, but this was something far more different...
Kida eyed me thoughtfuly for a moment... then she turned to the children. "Alright you two, since it is very late, and far past your bedtime, we shall have time for only songs or storys tonight, which shall it be?".
I started towards the door as Kash and Neda argued over who would get to decide. Finally, Kida stopped their quarrel by choosing a song... She sang one first in Atlantian, which I could not quite make out... then she sang in other languages, such as French, Spanish and Italian... I felt rediculous by staying, but to curious to leave...
When I thought the songs were over... I turned to leave... It was then that my hand froze on the doorknob... Kida was singing another lullaby, only this time it was one that was very familiar to me... and she was singing it in a toung that I knew only to well...

Schlaflied, schlaflied, mein lieblich
(Lullaby, lullaby, my lovely one)
Intem dein augen sowie susse phantasiere
(Close your eyes and sweetly dream)

Schlaflied, schlaflied, mein lieblich
(Lullaby, lullaby, my lovely one)
Schlaf drin mondhell silberhell strom
(Sleep in moonlit silvery stream)

Ansteigend oben langsam absegelnd
(Up above so slowly sailing by)
Mond wandert durch himmel
(The moon roams across the sky)

Softly and unnoticed, I left the room as the children began to fall asleep... For a second I just stood there in the corridor, my back to the door as I absently fingered the crystal pendant around by neck...
I remembered that lullaby... Closing my eyes, I whispered the final part of the song to myself...

Schlaflied, schlaflied, mein lieblich
(Lullaby, lullaby, my lovely one)
Intem dein augen sowie susse phantasiere
(Close your eyes and sweetly dream)...


CHAPTER 4
VATI

"Alright, ‘Miss I'm the beautiful, special queen of the sea'", I growled, narrowing my eyes. "It's time to get what's coming to you!"...
Unintimidated, Kida leaned forward, accepting my challange. "I have not yet begun to fight! It is you or me this time Helga Sinclair!"...
"Hah!", I sneered. "Prepare to die, ammature!"... I then took my chess peice and expertly moved it across the board, jumping more then half of Kida's peices!. Checkmate!.
"Oh no!", the queen moaned in defeat. "Not again! I was sure I had you this time!".
I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms in satisfaction. "Once again, undefeated chess champion of Frankfurt!", I purred smugly.
"That is not fair!", Kida protested. "You took advantage of me, just because I have never played this game before!".
"Well, it's not my fault you never learned!".
Kida shot me a dirty look. "You had better not tell Milo about this! It would be humilliating!".
I had to smirk. So, Kida wanted to impress Thatch as much as he wanted to impress her. Not that she would admit it outright of course. I supposed she could have had worse taste in men... after all, he was a skilled cartographer and linguist, not to mention a good plumber...
As if on cue, Milo James Thatch entered the throne room, a small handful of guards following him. He looked concerned about something... Kida saw it too and in an instant she was on her feet.
"Milo, what is it?", she asked. "Is something wrong?".
Thatch adjusted his glasses. "Well, we're not exactly sure yet, Kida, but the scouts have important news... They've found fresh tracks and other signs of survivors near the volcano...".
"What!", the queen gasped. "I was sure the lava would have finished those plunderers off for good!".
"Excuse me!", I snapped, indignant to Kida's bluntness. "But in case you two havn't noticed, it did not finish off this plunderer!. I wouldn't be surprised if Rourke or one or two of his troops survived, just like I did".
Milo and Kida looked at eachother for a moment... then Milo shook his head slowly... "No", he said. "If anyone else besides you did survive that erruption it wouldn't be Rourke".
"And why not?", I demanded. Rourke may have turned out to be an insane double-crosser, but he was the first one I would have expected to survive... mainly because he was the first one I would want to strangle, and make suffer a slow, painful death, if he had survived...
"Helga, you're probably not going to believe this", Thatch said. "But Rourke was crystalized on board the gyro-evac... He got cought in the propellers... and...".
"Oh, say no more!". I held up my hand. "I take it that it gets a little messy from there, right?".
"That is not the point", Kida said sharply. "Your commander was distroyed by the crystal, but there is no possible way the crystal would restore him unless there was a special reason or purpose for it".
I raised an eyebrow. "Such as?...".
Kida silently twisted her bracelet around her wrist... "The crystal took my mother as a punishment for my people's arrogance in thinking they could conquer and dominate every other civilization... then it brought be back because we had used it's power to protect the city, and because I am still needed to care for our people...". Here her voice trailed off... then at once her tone changed from sad and whistful to keen and business-like. "Milo, we must take a search party to the outskirts of Atlantis and find out more. Helga, you will come with us".
"Excuse me?", I asked, eyeing them. "Would you mind running that by me again?".
Kida crossed her arms impatiantly. "You were once a warrior and a spy, were you not?'.
"Yes", I answered without hesitation. "But now I'm a former bodyguard and chauffer".
Thatch shrugged. "Hey, close enough!".
I grinned at them. "Don't tell me you actually trust me enough to go on a spying mission with you".
Kida grinned back. "No, it is just that I trust you even less when you are alone here in the city".

Minutes later, I was canning the terrain outside of the city, accompanied by Thatch, Kida, and a small handful of Atlantian scouts... Even though Thatch had doubted that Rourke himself had survived, and if anyone had it was most likely one or two of the troopers or Atlantian warriors, the queen was taking no chances...
As we drew nearer to the volcano, Kida turned and began giving instructions.
"We will each go a seperate way, so that we may cover more ground. This will be our meeting place before dark, but if anyone sees something, or if anything goes wrong, remember to give the signal". And with that, our small spying party seperated...
I made my way through the ashy ground to the cave that had saved my life during the erruption... Once there, to my surprise, I was able to make out a few fine prints in the ash... They were large, so I knew right off they were not from when I was here... Whoever had made these prints had been careful enough to cover them up as they left, but in to much of a hurry to do it throughly...
I was not an expert in tracking, but I knew enough to tell where whoever had left this shelter had been headed... Where they were by now, I could only guess...
Just then, I felt a strong hand grip my shoulder... Before I could even spin around in surprise, I felt a hard object strike the back of my head... I sank to my hands and knees in pain as everything went black...

Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. 1901

Softly, I entered the sickroom in the millitary bases infirmary... When I got to his bed my eyes widened... Major Alexander Sinclair, one of the finest, handsomest career officers in the US Army, lay practicaly motionless, against the pillows. His breathing was shallow, his face pale... I hadn't seen him looking so lost and helpless since my mother was taken away...
I sat on the chair next to his bed and took his hand in mine... Slowly, his eyes opened... He smiled when he saw me...
"Hello, Little Frauline", he grinned saucily, but weakly, using his favorite nickname for me. You really didn't need to come, I'm having a fine time!. I don't think I've ever seen the inside of a base's infirmary before!".
I rolled my eyes with a smirk. "Stick with the army, Vati. You're a terrible commediane".
"You sound like your mother", he chuckled softly...
I said nothing in reply...
Vati shook his head with a sigh. "We're all taking seperate roads now, aren't we?. Thomas, William and Robert are being sent to another post, Frederick and Hans are going away to boarding school... and you'll be starting your formal training... ".
"And what about you, Vati?", I asked, concerned...
He looked at me seriously... "I hate to be the one to tell you this, Lass", he said in his accent, which had faded considerably over time. "But I may not be around to see you complete your training".
My throat tightened... "No!", I shook my head vigorously. "No!. It's to soon!. Doctor Sweet said we have every reason to hope that you'll be fine!".
"Helga", he raised an eyebrow at me. "When are you going to learn you can't lie to me?".
I bit my lip. "Alright, maybe Sweet didn't say that exactly... but you're not even very old, and you havn't gotten any worse!". I gave him a hopeful smile... but he just shook his head...
"Little Frauline", he gently brushed a few strands of my blonde hair away from my face. "There are just some things you have to learn to face, even if at first they seem a bit unfair. That's what being a soldier is all about".
I took his hand. "I could never be as good a soldier as you are, Vati", I said, fighting back my tears. "I'm not strong enough".
"Helga", he placed his hand on my cheek. "You're only seventeen, and already a stronger soldier then I'll ever be!"...
I forced a smile. "You always believed I could do anything, didn't you?".
"And I always will, Lass...", He smiled back, resting his head back against his pillow. "I always will...".
I watched as his eyes closed and he fell asleep...
Soon, I sensed someone behind me... I turned to see Captain Lyle Rourke, the famed war veteran, who had recently retired from the army after touring with the Rough Riders... He was still a first rate instructor though, and had asked my father if he might give me extra training in firearms once we relocated to Fort Dix in Jersey...
"How is he?", the Captain asked quietly.
I shook my head slowly... "Sweet says he isn't getting any better... He might not be here by next month... maybe even sooner...".
"That's a shame", Rourke put a strong hand on my shoulder. "He's a fine man".
"Yes he is...", I sighed... "With Mutti gone, and my brothers being re-assigned or sent away to school, he's all the family I have now...". I lowered my head, biting my lip at the thought that soon I might not even have him...
Rourke took my chin in his hand and lifted my head up to meet his gaze... "If you are going to be a soldier, kid, the first thing you have to remember is not to run around crying at every death that comes your way", he said, his voice becoming colder and steadier. "Do you understand?".
I looked him in the eye. "I understand... What else?"...
The corners of his mouth turned up into almost a smile... "Second thing you have to learn, the only family a good soldier ever needs is his troops"...

Almost one week later, I was standing in the churchyard near the base, dressed in my usual millitary trousers and boots... only this time I wore a black sweater over my army shirt...
Biting my lip, I read the inscription on the latest headstone...

Alexander Thomas Sinclair
US Army Major
1854 - 1901

Vati had died the other night... Now all I had to remember him by was this inscription...
His heart, and body, had been weakening over the past few months, and the high fever was just to much for him to handle... Before he died, he had been in a state of near deliriam, calling out for my mother, Katrina, and mistaking me for her... I was almost greatful that none of the boys had stayed in Maryland long enough to see it...
I shook my head sadly... he had always been a hero to me, an idol. I had been learning from him, and looking up to him, for as long as I could remember... Now who was there to look up to?...
"Helga?", Captain Rourke approached the gravesite. "I thought I would find you here. It's almost time to head out, you know".
I nodded. "Just another moment, Sir", I pleaded... then I knelt down, picked one of the wildflowers and placed it against Vati's grave, as the commander gave the memorial a breif salute...
"Just buried this morning and I miss him already", I sighed as Rourke and I headed back towards the base...
The captain nodded. "I understand, but a soldier has to move past these things quicker then other people do... I guess this means you won't be going back to Germany, right?...".
"No", I answered quietly... I thought of our comfortable townhouse in Frankfurt... Through all of the travalling, all of the different millitary posts, all the different countries, it had been good to have a place to come home to... but that was when both Vati and Mutti were alive... Now the house would be sold, and the money divided between my brothers and I. None of us had any use for it anyway. Frederick and Hans would board at their new schools... Thomas, Robert, William and I would live at whatever location the US army sent us...
"We'll start your training as soon as we get to Fort Dix", Rourke said, enthusiasticly, as we made ready to board the truck that would take us to our new base. "With all the studying you've done in martial arts and weaponry, you should catch on in no time".
I nodded with a small smile. I was looking forward to starting my formal millitary training... I knew that was what my father had always wanted for me...
By now, Captain Rourke had already climbed into the truck and was starting it up to follow the other army viacles that were preparing to leave... He opened the door and held out his hand to me...
"Well, let's get this show on the road", he said. "Coming, Sinclair?"...
I looked at him for a moment... He was right, I finally decided... A soldier had to move past things faster then other people...
Without looking back, I took the Captain's hand and hoisted myself up into the truck...

Slowly, the aching pain in the back of my head brought me to my senses... My eyes flickered open and I bit my lip, rubbing my head as I got to my hands and knees...
It was then that I realized I was not alone... I looked up and gasped, nearly collapsing from shock... He was alive! Thatch had said it was impossible, but there he was, smirking down at me, his eyes cold and emotionless...
"Hello, Leutenant", he greeted me in his usual easy manner. "Still alive I see. Well, you always were quite the scrapper".
"Rourke!". I glared up at him in hatred, my shock melting away into anger. I thought I had made him pay for what he had done to me, and somehow he had escaped!.
I scrambled to my feet and lunged at him in a rage. "I'm going to kill you!", I screamed, trying to strike at his face... but I was to weak and dizzy from being knocked unconcious, and my formor teacher and commander was stronger then I was...
He soon overpowered me, throwing me to the ground and landing a sharp kick in my side. I winced in pain as he jerked me up by my hair and pinned my arms behind my back...
"Close but no cigar", he said cooly into my ear as I struggled to free myself.
"You bastard!", I snarled. "When I get free I'll...".
He swiftly brought his hand to my mouth, cutting me off. "How about you let me do the talking, alright, Helga?", he said tauntingly, I could almost see his leer. "Now, first off, in case you're wondering, I don't know how I survived the volcano after turning crystal and being sliced and diced three different ways, but I do know I'm going to take advantage of a good thing. Second, that crystal is still out there, and still mine for the taking...". He then turned me around to face him... "That's where you come in. You're going to help me find it again. Hah! Just like old times, eh, Leutenant?".
Three years ago I had jumped at this chance... Now, instead I shook my head... "Forget about it, Rourke", I snapped. "That crystal's probably long gone by now, and in a better hiding place. It's a lost cause!".
"Oh, I don't know about that", he answered with a small smile, thoughtfuly fingering the crystal pendant around my neck. "Something that huge can't be to easy to hide... Besides, did I mention I would split the profits with you, fifty fifty?. That's a way better offer then last time!".
I sneered. Did he really believe I was that gullable?. "The last time I got an offer like that, I seem to recall being thrown off a gyro-evac!. Nice try, commander, but your on your own with this one!".
"Maybe I'm not being clear...", Rourke said in a deadly calm tone... The next thing I knew he had landed a swift punch in my stomach, throwing me hard against the cave wall.
"I think you've been hanging around Thatch and his little princess to long!", he growled, pinning me against the wall by my throat. "Don't forget, if it hadn't been for me you'd still be that wayward army brat!, an orphan, with prospects but no real future!. Leutenant, I'm not going to ask you again!".
"Ass!", I gasped, struggling to pry his hands away as their grip on my throat grew tighter. "If you think I'm going to help you find that crystal, just so you can kill me and keep it for yourself...".
My voiced trailed off as Rourke drew his Colt. 45 from his holster and pointed it at me...
I bit my lip and stopped fighting... Rourke's grip lessened and he soon released me... I fell to my hands and knees again, coughing and gasping and grimacing from the pain of my previous beating.
"Alright...", I whispered, lowering my eyes in defeat. "Alright... I'll do as you say...". What else could I have done?. I had been trained to follow Rourke's orders for almost half of my life!.
The commander grinned, looking like a little boy who'd just won a game or had gotten good marks at school. "Nice to see you have some sense after all, Helga, and who knows? If Thatch dosn't blow a hole in our escape viacle, I might not have to get rid of you this time!".

Minutes later, I was making my way towards the agreed meeting place, the spot near the volcano... I must have been unconcious for quite sometime. It was already beginning to grow dark...
Just then, I noticed she shining blue lights of two Atlantian war masks coming towards me from the shadows as they had the day I was found... only this time I did not run...
"Kida?...", I called. "Thatch?...".
"Helga?". Milo removed his mask. "Where have you been?. We've been searching for you?".
I bit my lip, not meeting his questioning gaze... "I... uhhh... I got a little sidetracked... ", I answered, then, remembering Rourke's orders, I added, "But I think I've seen more signs of survivors around here"...
"Where have you seen this?", Kida asked. "My scouts and I have found nothing".
This was my chance. "Over there, by that cave", I said, pointing...
Trustingly, they followed me... But I think Kida must have been telepathic...
"Helga, what is the matter?", she asked after a moment, placing a hand on my arm.
I cringed, that arm had been severely bruised when Rourke threw me against the cave...
Milo and Kida both noticed me cringe. "Helga, what happened?", Thatch demanded.
Kida put her hands on her hips assertively. "Who did this to you and who took your pendant? What is going on?".
I shook my head. "Look, let's just forget about this, alright?!"... then I lowered my voice... "Thatch, Kida... you have to get away from here... ".
Kida's eyes widened and Milo gasped. "What?! What are you talking about?!".
"Just trust me, alright!", I hissed, glancing nervously from the cave and back to them...
"Let us take care of your wound first", Kida insisted, bringing her pendant towards my arm.
I pushed her hand away. "No! Don't you understand?!", I cried. "There's no time!"...
"Oh, there's always time", a calm voice said... and at once Commander Lyle Tiberius Rourke stepped out from the shadows...
Thatch and Kida both let out startled cries, while I held my breath, unsure of how much the commander had seen and heard...
"Nice work, Leutenant", Rourke grinned at me. "Thank's for distracting em'". He then seized Milo before he could get away. "Nice to see you again too, Thatch".
"Rourke!", Milo gasped as he stared at his captor. "You're... you're alive...".
"Yeah", the commander smirked. "Sorry to dissipoint you!".
Enraged, Kida started towards Rourke, her spear drawn... "Let him go, intruder!", she growled...
"Sorry, honey", I purred. "Not today!". Quickly, I seized her and forced the weapon out of her hands.
Kida was almost to shocked to resist. "Helga!", she gasped, staring at me. "How... how could you?!".
I smirked. "What can I say? He made me an offer I couldn't refuse!".
Apon hearing this, Thatch stopped struggling... "I'm such an idiot!", he said with an exhasperated sigh. "I should have known you wouldn't give up on that crystal!. Helga, we trusted you!".
"My people will die without the crystal!", Kida added, trying to break out of my grip. "Woman, children, babies!. Does this mean nothing to you?!".
I was silent for a moment... "Any culture that's so weak it has to depend on an oversize jewel to survive, dosn't deserve to be saved!", I answered coldly.
"And what are you going to do with the crystal?!", Thatch challanged. "Sell it to the Kaiser?!".
"Or the President, or the Czar", I shrugged. "Whoever makes the biggest offer".
"Hah!", Rourke laughed. "Spoken like a true mercinary! I'm proud of you, Helga!".
Milo shot me a betrayed, angry look... the same look he had given me that time in the crystal chamber... when Kida, frightened and overwhelmed by the place, had sank to her hands and knees in prayer, and I had done nothing to help or comfort her... I had only stared at her, eyeing her as though she were some crazy begger on the streets...
"Mercinarys! You're all the same! All that matters to you is money!".
"Oh please Thatch!", Rourke scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Don't start this again!. Less time on the soapbox and more time showing me the secret entrance to the palace!. When you transilated the journal you said it was on the outskirts of the city!".
"Forget it! I'm not showing you anything!", Milo snapped.
Rourke pointed his gun at Kida and skillfully took aim... There was a sound like lightning... and Kida crumpled to the ground... Her shoulder was bleeding...
"Nooo!!!", Milo screamed, his fight returning. He struggled to break free of Rourke's grasp. "Rourke! I'll kill you for that!".
The commander released him and he ran to Kida's side, cradling her in his arms and stroking her long white hair.
"Rourke, there was no need for that...", I said quietly. "If Thatch is right, they'll all be dead in a matter of hours once we take the crystal...".
He frowned, narrowing his eyes. "Are you arguing with me, leutenant?. You know what happens when you argue with me!".
I bit my lip and stared down at Thatch and Kida, who lay motionless in his arms... "Is she?...", I whispered.
Milo shook his head in relief. "No, she's alive... ". He then tore off a peice of his clothing and used it to bandage the wound.
Rourke pointed his gun again. "She won't be for long, Thatch, unless you take us to that hidden entrance!".
Milo stood up, lifting Kida's limp, featherlight body in his arms. "Alright... Alright Rourke, you win... for now...". He drew his pendant towards Kida's shoulder...
"Ah ah ah!", Rourke's finger tightened on the trigger. "Crystal first, Lover Boy!"...
Sighing in defeat, Thatch nodded. "This way"... Still carrying Kida, he led us down one of the worn pathways, leading away from the volcano...

Within moments after leaving the volcano, we were nearing the vine covered entrance to what looked like a tunnel...
"I've already told you!", Thatch continued to argue with Rourke. "The crystal isn't in that chamber anymore! It isn't even in the palace! You're wasting your time!".
"Better let me be the judge of that, Thatch!", Rourke answered. "Don't forget, I'm the one with the gun!".
"Gun! Hah! You wouldn't have the nerve to say that if we had our stone viacles with us right now!. Remember, Rourke? Remember their lazers?!".
The commander's jaw tightened... his eyes narrowed... Clearly, he did remember.
We continued to approach the secret entrance in silence...
Worridly, Milo put a finger to Kida's neck, feeling her pulse, then he gently brushed a few strands of silvery white hair away from her face.
"She'll be alright, Thatch", I assured him, lowering my voice so Rourke wouldn't hear...
At this, Milo glared at me. "Maybe not. She's never had to handle a bullet wound before, Helga!. It isn't enough that you helped kill her father, now you let Rourke shoot Kida and distroy the city just so you can get a percentage?!".
I rolled my eyes in disgust. Thatch, if you think I'm going to pass up this chance just so you can have your dream-land, marry your princess and live happily ever after, you've got another thing coming!".
"Is that what you think this is all about?", he snapped. "You're even crazier then I thought!".
I glared back at him as we entered the darkness of the cave and moved further underground... Thatch and Kida's amulets glowed brightly, lighting our way...
Soon, after a number of twists and turns, we came to a place that looked familiar...
"Bingo!", Rourke grinned. "The crystal chamber!".
Milo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, the crystal chamber!", he snapped. "But in case you havn't noticed, there's no crystal here!".
I smirked. "True, but I'll bet you know exactly where it is, don't you?".
Thatch's jaw tightened and his mouth became a stubborn line.
"Listen to the lady, Thatch", Rourke said with a cruel chuckle. "Where's the crystal now?".
Milo shook his head. "Not untill you let me help Kida!".
"I said the crystal was first, Romeo!".
"Please! There might not be enough time left! She could die!".
Rourke shrugged. "Hey! Survival of the fittest!".
Thatch shot him a look of pure hatred... then he defiantly knelt down, still cradling Kida, and brought his glowing pendant towards the unconcious girl's wounded shoulder...
With an angry growl, Rourke advanced towards them... his hand reaching for the gun in his holster...
"No!", I snapped, stepping in front of Milo and Kida...
Rourke stepped back, surprised... Then he fixed his stony gaze on me, his face hardening... "No, Leutenant?. What is this?"...
Biting my lip, I looked towards Milo and Kida... then back to Rourke... "Let him help her...", I whispered. "It dosn't change anything, and it won't do them much good in the long run...".
The commander and I stared at eachother for a moment... Neither of us flinching, nor lowering our eyes...
Finally, Rourke let out an exhasperated sigh and drew his hand away from his holster. "Alright, what's the difference if she dies now or in a few hours?. Maybe she'll be of more use to us then Four Eyes here"...
I turned and nodded towards Milo. "Alright, go ahead"...
He looked at me strangly... "Thank you...", he whispered...
I rolled my eyes. "Thatch, just get it over with before I change my mind!".
Milo nodded quickly, and once more brought his amulet to Kida's wound... A whitish blue light surrounded her shoulder... then all at once, the bullet wound healed... Kida stirred in Thatch's arms, her eyes slowly fluttering open...
"Milo...", she whispered...
"Kida!", he cried, embracing her. "Thank goodness! I thought I was going to loose you!".
Kida threw her arms around him, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Why, Milo?!", she cried. "Why did the crystal restore life to that insane monster?! Why are we being punished again?!".
"I... I don't know...", he stroked her hair soothingly. "I just don't know...".
I bit my lip and looked away... It seemed like hours, though it was probably more like seconds, before Rourkes amused laugh make me look back...
"Well, this has all been very touching, but we still have a crystal to find and an escape plan to make"...
He strode over and grabbed Kida, still weak and dazed, by the hair. When Milo tried to stop him, he pointed the gun at her head, and there was no more resistance...
The four of us stepped onto the ‘aquavator' that would take us up to the palace...

We arrived in the middle of the calm, reflecting pool in the throne room...
"Step lively", I said as we waded out of the shallow water...
Once we neared the throne, Rourke turned to Kida, firmly gripping her arm. "Alright, Princess, where is it?".
She shoved his hand away. "I am a queen!", she exclaimed with a defiant glare. "And you will distroy yourselves!".
I had to smirk. She sounded just like her father!.
"Nerve and stupidity must run in the family!", the commander said, narrowing his eyes... and before Kida could reply, he raised his hand and struck her face hard, sending her sprawling to the floor...
"Kida!", Milo cried rushing to her. He helped her to her knees as she rubbed her smarting cheek.
"Let's try this again", Rourke hissed as he aimed his gun at Thatch and Kida, who clung to eachother like frightened children. "Now I'm going to count to ten"... His finger tightened on the trigger... "One... two... nine..."...
But before he could shoot, I stepped forward. "Commander, wait!".
Rourke lowered the gun, giving me a disgusted look. "What is it now, Leutenant?. I'm starting to lose patiance with you!".
"Ooo", I purred in a falsely injured tone. "You cut me to the quick, and I was going to offer to get rid of them for you".
He eyed me. "And why would you want to do that?".
"To show there are no hard feelings", I smirked. "I am still your leutenant after all".
He seemed to be considering it... then he smirked back... "Alright then, Helga". He handed me the gun. "Be my guest"...
Standing directly beside Rourke, I pointed the gun at Thatch...
"Go on, do it!", Kida hissed, her light blue eyes narrowing in anger. "We were fools to have ever trusted you!".
Milo just stared at me calmly through his glasses. "So, this is what you've chosen. We helped you, gave you a place to stay, and now you wipe us out for the sake of the almighty dollar!. Congratulations, Helga!. You'll be the richest German war criminal in America!".
I had to sneer at that. German war criminal?. Why did people continually overlook the fact that I was half Scottish?... My finger tightened on the trigger... "Say goodbye, Thatch"...
Still clinging to eachother, Milo and Kida looked away, preparing to meet their deaths... They should have known me better then that by now!.
In one lightning swift movement I spun around and aimed a fierce martial arts kick in Rourke's stomach!. He let out a startled gasp as he landed hard on the floor.
"That was for throwing me off the gyro-evac!", I growled, pointing the gun at the commander, then I turned to Milo. "Thatch, take Kida and get out of here! Now!".
He and Kida stared at me, wide eyed and open mouthed...
"But... what about... you?...", Milo finally whispered...
"Dammit, Thatch!", I snarled. "That was an order, not a suggestion! Now move! Go go!".
Milo obeyed. Scrambling to his feet, he helped Kida up and the two of them ran as fast as they could out of the throne room...
"Not so fast!", Rourke cried. Getting up, he started after them... but I pointed the gun at his chest...
"Take one more step!", I hissed...
He stopped... We glared at eachother... Finally, a cold smile spread across the commander's face... "Well, what are you waiting for, Leutenant, Christmas?. Pull the trigger already!".
My finger tightened on the trigger... I prepared to shoot...
"Funny, isn't it", Rourke said, stepping towards me with defiant smirk. "I was the one who tought you how to use millitary firearms. Remember, Helga?. You were seventeen, and you promised to obey your commanding officer, no matter what?. It'd be a good end to your training, shooting me, so go ahead! That's an order!".
I bit my lip... Slowly, I lowered the gun... "That was then, this is now", I whispered. "I'm not taking orders from you anymore, Commander"... I wouldn't shoot him... Shooting was to good for him... and I wasn't going to let him order me to do anything, ever again...
"Well, that's just to bad", Rourke leered... The next moment, he lunged at me, seizing my arms. We struggled to the floor and I dropped the gun. He managed to pin me down by my throat with one hand while reaching for the gun with the other...
But before he could reach the gun, I lashed out and kicked him right where it hurt a man the most... He fell over backward, with a cry of pain...
I lept to grab the gun... but just as I reached it, Rourke's boot came down on my hand...
"You're the last one I expected to go quality of life on me!", he leered. "You turn on me and throw away a chance to get rich, just to become a bleeding heart idealist?!".
I sneered. "Well, like you said, I've been hanging around Thatch and Kida to long!".
Rourke snatched the gun from me, releasing my hand. "Fine", he scoffed. "More for me then. Just imagine the profits I'll make from selling Atlantis's power source...", then a greedy look clouded his eyes... "Not to mention the praise for capturing the princess of Atlantis and disposing of a dangerous German spy!".
My eyes widened. So that was what he had had in mind for me all along!. I might have known!.
"I'm not a spy for Germany!", I snapped.
"You are if I say you are. Besides, they were already getting suspicious of you back in America. I'd just be proving them right"... He lowered the gun towards me and his finger tightened on the trigger...
Before I could make a move to escape, I felt the ground rumbling beneath me... The vibrations grew stronger and stronger untill it felt as if the whole palace was shaking...
Rourke glanced about in shock as parts of the ceiling began to fall...
"It's an earthquake!", I gasped as I scrambled to my feet. I had to get out of there!. They were likely to be ten times more powerful below the surface!.
I hurried towards the doorway, but the commander made a grab for me, still ready to fire his gun... Before he could shoot, I raised my free arm in an upwards thrust, knocking the weapon out of his hand, then I aimed a swift punch at his face, sending him stumbling backwards...
Dodging falling debris, I ran as fast as I could out of the palace as it began to collapse behind me...
Outside there was chaos. People were rushing franticaly around, trying to get to the emergancy shelters... I spotted Thatch ushering Kash, Neda, the other children and their familys into one of the shelters, but I couldn't make Kida out in the confusion...
Just then, someone clumsily brushed past me in a panic. I stumbled forward, landing on my hands and knees... but before I could get up and rush to an emergancy shelter myself, I looked up... There in front of me was Kida. Unlike the others, she stood there calmly, with a gentle peaceful expression that seemed familiar... then I remembered... it was the same expression as Kida's mother had had in the portrait...
The queen's eyes grew brighter, shining with whitish blue light... She looked at me and smiled... "Kwahm teh-red-seh-nen, Helga Sinclair-toap"...
I did not know what she was saying, but somehow it was reassuring... I smiled back, dispite the terbulance around me...
Just then, a familiar red beam landed on Kida, instantly turning blue... I looked up... There, coming out from beyond the thick clouds and the steam, was The Heart Of Atlantis!. No wonder Milo and Kida had said that it could never be found in the palace!.
I watched in amazement as the crystal's beam drew Kida upwards to it... It was exactly like that time in the underground chamber... Only this time I did not feel afraid...
I was so intent on watching the amazing scene that I didn't notice Rourke had gotten out of the palace too, and was coming up behind me...
The next moment, he had seized me from behind and plunged his army knife into my side...
I let out a strangled cry, collapsing to my side in pain as Rourke withdrew the knife... He stood over me, a cruel smile on his face... "Nothing personal", he leered...
He raised the knife again, preparing to finish me off... Just then, the earth's shaking grew even more violent... the ground began to crack open... I barely managed to grab a hold of the ledge as the ground gave way beneith me...
I looked down... There was fire... more like lava... It was slowly beginning to rise upwards...
Rourke casually walked over to where I was grasping the ledge... Raising his booted foot, he prepared to crush my hands, making me loose my grip...
But I would not be thrown to my death this time!. Quickly, I seized his foot with one hand and pulled him over the side... but he was able to save himself by grabbing onto my foot...
Though I was slowly beginning to loose the feeling in my arms, I looked down, giving my former commander an icy glare... "Nothing personal", I growled, then, summoning all my strength, I lashed out with another fierce martial arts kick, making him let go of my foot... He fell, screaming, into the boiling lava...
Searching with my foot, I found a small ledge below me. With that, I managed to hoist myself up and out of the chasm... Exhausted, all I could do was lay there, breathing heavilly... but soon I began to focus on what was happening around me...
The stone giants around the city were glowing, and their hands were placed together... Blue light and energy seemed to be radiating from them and surrounded the city... The rumbling and shaking stopped... Houses and buildings that were about to collapse were righted... Steaming chasms from the quake began to close... I watched in relief as a pillar that was about to crush the shelter where Milo, Kash, Neda and the others were was stopped and placed upright again...
I struggled back up to my feet... then I saw Milo, who had been the first to leave the shelter, gazing anxiously up at the sky...
More people began to emerge from the shelters as the smoke and clouds above the city began to clear... then Kida floated down from the sky... The crystal had, once again, decided to give her back...
Milo came forward and she landed into his arms... They embraced... sharing a soft kiss...
I slowly approached them... "Congratualtions, you two. You've saved Atlantis again"...
At this, they turned to me, still holding hands. "Helga, you know we couldn't have done it without you", Thatch answered...
I shrugged. "You did it before without any help from me, and you did it again... I just... want to apologize for...". It was then that the aching in my side began to take over... I looked down and saw the blood beginning to stain the lower part of my shirt... I sank to my hands and knees with a hiss of pain...
Milo and Kida knelt by me . "Helga, your hurt!", Thatch said when he saw the wound from Rourke's knife. Kida held me gently by the shoulders, keeping me steady.
"No! Really?!", I smirked with a sarcastic roll of my eyes... then I looked at them seriously... "Thatch?... Kida?... I... I'm sorry... I'm sorry...". But I was unable to finish my sentance before I collapsed to the ground and darkness overtook me...

The soothing coolness in my side brought me to my senses... I opened my eyes to find myself laying on the bed in the guest quarters...
"Hey there! Welcome back!", came Milo's familar, friendly voice.
Kida studied me. "How are you feeling?...".
"Like I was just in a fight with the Leviathan", I scoffed, making a face.
Thatch and Kida grinned at eachother. "Well, it is certain that she did not injure her toung", the queen said with a soft chuckle.
I sat up with a smirk, not needing to be told that she had already healed my wound with her crystal.
"Is everyone alright?", I asked. "Kash?... Neda?...".
"Everyone is fine", Kida nodded... then she smiled. "Thank you, Helga Sinclair".
I shook my head ruefully. "Oh, don't thank me. I was trying to save my own rear end too".
"But you helped save everyone elses in the process", Milo pointed out.
I swung my legs over the side of the bed. "I suppose so", I shrugged... then I eyed Kida... "Not bad for a machine, hmm?"...
The queen looked at me for a moment... "I did not know", she finally sighed. "I did not understand what you had been going through. I only knew what I, Milo, and my people had been going through, not you".
"Because of me and Rourke...", I answered quietly.
"Helga, you're not Rourke", Thatch said firmly. "He may have been your commanding officer, but you are different".
Was I?... For how long?... When I first started training at Fort Dix, Rourke had seen nothing wrong with teaching a young girl to be a soldier. He had been as supportive and encouraging as my own father was... It was only during the past few days that I realized he could never compare to my father... Rourke had let his greed and his arrogance rule over his common sense... and I had barely managed to save myself from making the same mistake...


EPILOGUE
ONLY AN OCEAN AWAY

Because of the part I had played in helping to save Atlantis, Queen Kida informed me that I had been given her permission and blessing to leave Atlantis... I, in turn, promised never to go back on my word to keep the city a secret...

"I wish you could stay", Milo said, two days later, as I was preparing to board the viacle, the same one I had tried to escape in before, which would take me back up to the surface...
I shook my head sadly as I did up my worn army coat. "No, you belong here, Thatch. I don't".
"What will you do then?", he wanted to know.
"Well, you found your home... ", I answered thoughtfuly. "Maybe it's time I found one too... Maybe I could find my brothers out there somewhere...".
"It might be dangerous...", he cautioned me...
I smirked. "Believe me, Mister Thatch, after all that's happened in the past month, whatever I find at the surface will be a picnic!".
It was then that Kida approached us...
"So", the queen said. "You are sure you do not wish to remain in Atlantis?".
I nodded. "I think you have enough problems with surface dwellers here already", I said with a halfhearted grin towards Thatch.
"Hey!", Milo put his hands on his hips, faking an indignant look, as he tried to fight back a smile.
Kida and I laughed... then the queen looked at me seriously... "Helga... I think I understand why the crystal brought Rourke back...".
"And why would that be?", I asked.
She smiled. "I think you know as well...".
I smiled back... but I couldn't think of anything to say to that...
"Where will you go?", Milo asked.
I sighed. "I don't know... Somewhere where I won't be recognized...".
He nodded. "Take care of yourself, Helga"...
"Relax, I've been doing that for years"... I then turned and prepared to board the viacle...
"Hey, Helga!", Thatch suddenly called out...
I slowly turned around... "Yes, Mister Thatch?"...
With a mischevious grin, he stepped back. "Agghh, it's you!", he cried, holding up his hands in mock fear.
I shook my head with a chuckle. He really did have a malicious sense of humor!.
Milo smiled and held out his hand. "Safe journey!".
I took it, smiling back. "You're a good man, Thatch. You're grandfather would have been very proud".
I then turned to Kida and shook her hand. "Thank you for everything... Say goodbye to Kash and Neda for me...".
The queen smiled and gestured to the side. "Tell them yourself"...
I looked to see the little terrors hurrying towards us...
"Helga! Helga!", Kash cried. "Thank goodness! We thought we would be to late!".
"I'm glad you wern't", I answered with a small smile.
Neda had her left hand behind her back while tugging on the sleeve of my coat with her right. "We have something for you", she said. "You must have lost this"...
She withdrew her left hand and opened it to reveal the crystal amulet!. I thought it had been lost for good when Rourke had torn it from my neck!.
I knelt down to meet Neda's small hight and she handed it to me.
"Thank you...", I whispered as I placed the pendant around my neck...
Kash and Neda smiled... then all at once they both threw their arms around me!. I was taken aback at first... It had been such a long time since anyone had hugged me... Finally, I smiled and breifly hugged them back...
"We'll miss you!", Neda said as I got up to board the viacle.
I tossled her and Kash's hair. "I'll miss you too... Stay clever and good, alright?...".
They nodded... and with a last look at Thatch, Kida, Kash and Neda, I climbed aboard the viacle...

Later, as I made my way towards the route that would take me to the surface, I thought of all that had happened... I wondered if I would ever see Atlantis again... I doubted it...
Milo and Kida would have a good life I knew... If everything worked out for them as I expected it would, they would marry and Atlantis would have a new king...
I wasn't sure what I would do, or what I would find, once I reached the surface... I knew I would never be welcome back at the Whitmore Mansion though... I would have to find work, and a place to live, where nobody knew me... It would not be as extravagant and glamerous a life as I had once had, but it was the best I could hope for now...
As my viacle drew nearer and nearer to the surface, I fingered the crystal pendant around my neck... I could always sell it... but I wouldn't... It's healing properties and power of longevity would be usefull to me, wherever I was going...
I thought back to the mother crystal, The Heart Of Atlantis, and how it had taken Kida's mother to save the city...
The words my own mother had said before she was taken away came back to me...
"Du bist frohlich sein, mein engel... Kein es nicht verdufte aus du...".
"You have a good heart, my angel... Don't let anyone beat that out of you...".
Kida had been right... She and I did have more in commen then we thought...
The crystal glowed with it's whitish blue light... I smiled as I touched it...
"Danke, Mutti... Ich werde ihrem rat folgen diesmal...", I whispered. "Thank you, Mother"... "I will take your advice this time...".

I see a shadow every day and night
I walk a hundred streets of neon lights
Only when I'm crying
Can you hear me crying?

So many times you always wanted more
Chasing illusions that you're longing for
Wish I wasn't crying
Can you hear me crying?

There's an ocean between us
You know where to find me
You reach out to touch me
I feel you in my own heart
More then a lifetime
Still goes on forever
But it helps to remember
You're only an ocean away

Was there a moment when I felt no pan?
I want to feel it in my life again
Let it be over now
Oh, oh, over now
Cause I remember all the days and nights
We used to walk the streets of neon lights
Oh, I want you here with me
Oh, be here with me

There's an ocean between us
You know where to find me
You reach out to touch me
I feel you in my own heart
More then a lifetime
Still goes on forever
But it helps to remember
You're only an ocean away

So many times you always wanted more
Chasing illusions that you're longing for
Wish I wasn't crying
Can you hear me crying?

There's an ocean between us
You know where to find me
You reach out to touch me
I feel you in my own heart
More then a lifetime
It seems like forever
But I'll always remember
You're only an ocean away

("Only An Ocean Away", Performed By Sarah Brightman)

The End

E Mail me at karenjade@home.com

All characters are the property of Disney, with the exception of Katrina Sinclair, Kash and Neda, who are my own creations. If you would like to use any of them in your own storys, please ask me first.