He hated meetings like this - everyone fighting to have their own say about something, but nobody sticking to the purpose for the actual meeting. Every time he or Doors got the conversation back on track, someone would suddenly change the subject again.
"Look, Ilene, we'll discuss that another time," Doors corrected one of their scientists, as she brought up the need for more supplies for the third time. "We are here to discuss the feasibility of developing a vaccine which would destroy CVI motivational imperative without otherwise damaging the implant."
Conversation around the large conference table stopped again.
Boone had had enough. Rising to his feet, he addressed the group.
"Since nobody seems to have any opinion on this subject - one way or the other, I move that we pick this conversation up next time."
There was a general air of agreement around the table as people nodded their heads or muttered 'Thank-goodness' under their breath.
Boone sat down, but was not about to end the meeting just yet.
"Very well. Now that that's been taken care of, and since I happen to be the only person left at this table who hasn't made a personal request during this meeting..."
"Get on with it," Augur interrupted him. "I have places to be and things to do!"
"Your date waited this long. It can keep another twenty minutes," Boone snapped as he pointed a finger at the techno-wizard.
Everyone but Doors laughed at the exchange. The millionaire sat there with his fingers steepled before him and merely stared impatiently at Boone, who again rose to his feet to address the table.
"I've brought up this subject before," he began. "but things are beginning to come to a head and it must now be seriously addressed.
Da'an is the only Taelon we know of who cares what happens to the human race. As many of you already know, he and I have a sort of bond which makes it extremely hard for me to hide information from him. He has been aware of my involvement in this organization for a while now, and has gone out of his way to keep that knowledge to himself."
Boone walked around the table, coming to a stop next to Lili. "Lili here, will back me up when I say that he has proven that his loyalty lies not with his race's agenda, but with a higher ideal. He is a powerful ally and I believe we must provide him with some protection. We cannot afford to lose him."
"What exactly is it that you're suggesting?" came Doors' gravelly voice.
"Lili and I are currently his contacts, but if we should be off on an assignment when he receives important information, or if he is threatened by his own people, he should have a means of contacting this organization."
"You want to give him a direct line to us?" Doors was incredulous.
"Or one or two other contacts," Lili answered as she too rose to her feet. "We can't risk losing Da'an! If he wanted to crush us, he could have had his people obliterate this site from orbit - that's how much he already knows."
Boone winced at the information Lili had spilled even as Doors jumped to his feet and slammed his palms down on the table. The look he fixed the implant with was deadly.
"You gave away the location of this facility....and you didn't even tell us??!!" Doors' face became beet red with ire. "Just who the hell do you..."
"It wasn't Boone," Lili broke in.
Doors rounded on her. "What?"
"It wasn't Boone who gave away the location," Lili said in a small voice, looking like a trapped mouse. "It was me. I...didn't let it slip intentionally. It's just that Da'an and I..."
"Lili," Boone said gently, as he gripped her arm. "You don't have to do this..."
She met his eyes. "Yes I do. It's time to be honest about it. It's not right for you to keep trying to protect me like this!" Turning back towards her fellow Resistance members, Lili continued. "Da'an and I spent a long time in the Appalachians and as you all know, he saved my life. What you don't know is that he and I engaged in a Taelon ritual called 'sharing'. It was a telepathic meeting of the minds which allowed us to see beyond the external and come to truly know each other. I didn't realize just how much he would actually learn until much later on."
Lili sank back down in her seat, and looked like she wanted very much to just disappear.
There was silence around the table as everyone stared at her and tried to digest what she had just said. As people finally began to murmur to each other and excitedly discuss this l