Summary: Peter does a bit of foreshadowing with his current time guardian trainee.
DISCLAIMER: The characters of Peter, Elizabeth, John, Carol, Kenny and Stephen are the sole property of Thames Entertainment and Nickelodeon. Warren and Morlan are characters of my own making.
Authors Notes: This story is quite a bit old considering that it originally was supposed to be the prologue to the first 'Advanced Warnings' story. But then who would've understood it, eh? Now that I'm winding down and nearing the end, I figured it would be appropriate to put in the Archives. And as I've said in my first disclaimer in my first story, I hope to eventually combine both series. This and the upcoming epilogue will do that. Sort of. Just have to read to find out how. And as always, questions are answered but more are raised. The beauty of story-telling. Hopefully (and it's a very good possibility) the whole storyline will be on the Archives no later than early July, since I've been doing these last four at the same time so everything will be coherent. I would like to thank everybody for their patience and support.
And where would these stories by if it wasn't for our ever-vigilant archivist, Wendy.
And as always, any criticisms, good or bad can be e-mailed to me at phdgarrett@worldnet.att.com
Earth year 1096 A.D.
Halls of Time
Peter watched as the space-time warp opened above Earth's atmosphere. The starcraft pouring through the opening contained both viopaths and telepaths. Mostly ATP's were piloting the graceful yet deadly ships. He watched as they went into their destructive dance. The sound of approaching footsteps caused him to turn away. His student, a young raven-haired boy in his mid-teens came up to him.
"So this is it?"
Peter followed his students eyes toward the space-battle that was going on.
"They can't see us, can they?"
Peter smiled, "No. We're quite a fair distance from the fight. Plus we do have cloaking devices to insure that we're not seen. We're only here to observe."
"To a degree," his student corrected him.
Peter stared at his learner, who in turn gazed back at him.
"Your certain points of view regarding time leaves much to be desired sometimes Peter."
"They are there for a reason. As are the rules of interfering with certain parts of history," Peter paused as a thought came up, "as you are well aware of."
Peter watched as the young teen stiffened a bit. The dark-haired youth hated to be reminded of his past mistakes. Mistakes that had almost destroyed any chance of keeping the time-stream stable and defeating the viopaths.
"I was only trying to help my friend. But you wouldn't know about friendship would you?"
Peter saw the challenge in his students eyes. The harshness. The bitterness.
"You time guardians know just about everybody's fate and destiny. And yet you weave and thread their lives for your own purposes."
"Unfortunately yes but -"
"I know. Because it's the best way to fix the mistake that you all made in your ignorance. I remember the speech. Still, it doesn't seem fair."
Peter put a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"I know. And as you should know by now, I take no such pleasure literally manipulating peoples lives."
"So what's going on down below?"
Peter could tell his student was changing the subject on purpose. They walked to one of the spherical time keys and opened it. They watched as the scene coalesced itself to reveal ten people within the ruins of a castle.Most of them were teenagers. A few adults. It looked like they were confronting a telepath....no, an AVP who was levitating himself mere inches from the ground.
"So that's who we have to get to make sure he goes with the Crusaders?"
"Yes. Both of them. And you'll be going along afterwards."
"Have you talked to them about all that's going to happen to them?"
"What needed to be said."
"What about Morlan? Same thing?"
Peter didn't respond to the question that plainly had a bitter edge to it.
His student nodded knowingly, "In other words, on a need to know basis."
How I long for simpler and more innocent days like shooting waterguns at bullies and playing video games.
Peter couldn't help but catch that particular stray thought from his student. It was time to get him back on track.
"There is much at stake here. What happens in the next ten minutes will decide the fate of the whole galaxy."
"Again?"
Peter looked harshly at his student. Then he calmed down. He noticed that the young man seemed to take some pleasure in getting a rise out of him. He relaxed.
"But this moment here. It's the start of it all. This is where they find out about the upcoming threat. Although, at this time, they'll only get a taste of what's to come. I don't know what you think of me, but I take no pleasure in knowing what is to happen to them. From their point of time, I've only met them no more than over half a year ago. I care for them. And I don't like seeing them in distress and there is nothing more I would like than to protect them from all that is to come."
Peter sighed, harshly.
"There's nothing more I would like to do than to break the rules and tell them everything. All the trials and tribulations, the good times and the dark times that are to come. Sometimes it's more than I can bare."
The dark-haired youngster took a closer look at the four telepaths who were trying to protect the one in the middle of them.
"Elizabeth always spoke highly of John, Stephen and the others. I can see why. Even though Stephen is scared to death of Warren, he's still protecting him. Takes a lot of courage."
"Yes it does," Peter barely whispered out the response.
An arm with a finger pointed at Peter came up.
"You've shown me everything that happened in their younger lives, particularly of the leaders, but I would still like to see how all this will effect the outcome."
"Then you will know. It's within your right since you're one of us know. Come. I shall show you the beginning of all this. It will help you when you talk to the Crusaders leader."
Peter lead his student to another time key and opened it up. He proceeded to show him all he would need to know to help them, and the rest of the galaxy.
End of Prologue