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Post by Atticus Batman on Mar 8, 2015 9:34:44 GMT
As they arrive at the lab Kakusi says, "I am Sazri Kakusi. I am not here to like you or listen to you. I am here to protect Fleshling and his youngling. Keep that in mind and all is good, meatbag. Now how about you and the pale one just tell me where to place her. I do not know why Fleshling puts up with all of you pitiful insects."
After entering the lab he looks around and says, "Now, wether you mind or not, I will sit next to the cot and hold the Youngling's hand and make sure she keeps getting what is needed to keep her alive. I am to keep giving her my energies, but if you must provide ship energy to make you feel better, then that is fine, IF it does NOT hurt or kill the Fleshling or Youngling. But I will NOT let her hand go. Do not worry this body can handle pretty much any energy that may touch it." Kakusi then sets Lady on the cot that Haele indicates and sits down and re-grabs Lady's hand.
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Post by Taffer on Mar 8, 2015 9:59:33 GMT
When Taffer met Daiden carrying Lady to the base, he led them to the base's infirmary but saw it being mostly desolated. In the emergency situation, his thief's instincts promptly kicked in, making him quickly search for the most precious thing he could find now — a reserve med kit. Dr. Orion had left the facility with the first group and was clearly rushed in packing his belongings, so something should definitely be left in some nook. He found one on a high shelf of the locker with lab coats and quickly brought it to Lady's cot. He took off her torn space suit and worked fast to stop her bleeding. After it was done, he injected the heal stim and readied his Stingray to charge her EGO but then noticed that Minx is not working effectively on healing her. He had another heal stim on the ready, the Stingray and even his own EGO could give some charge, but it all could work only combined with the patient's EGO working properly. Without it, the only chance they have left to save her was a fully equipped medical lab which was hopefully deployed on their space ship.
He called Chloe to return and got the reply that Belle had already called her and she's on her way. The mech squad was safely retreating to the base with Atticus now calmed down which was good too and promised no more casualties.
"Vo, once the ship lands, please get a spare space suit for Lady to transport her to the ship, then give this medical scan result to Haele and Orion and help them with all that's needed to prepare the chamber for Lady".
When the ship landed and the team got busy transporting the wounded Lady, Taffer programmed the Progenitor Core to a self-destruction so it won't leave any resources and information including Atticus's Grid signature the their enemies. Then he boarded the ship and went straight to the bridge. Once he confirmed that everyone had boarded, he turned the thrust engines on again and made the ship softly take off and gain speed. Actually, "gaining speed" was not a technically correct term, as the ship's engines were now working to reduce the tangential velocity the Moon had to make the ship's orbit decline and move it closer to the Earth. The gravity were working to their benefit now, and the only danger on their way home was the Ark Belt now, which he ordered Em Dash to scan for the appropriate window.
"It's all good", he answered to Volodja, "you covered our crew's retreat and that's all that matters. Now do everything you can to have our Lady back to living and I'll bring us back home".
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Post by Volodja Uljanov on Mar 8, 2015 10:36:50 GMT
"Do as you wish Kakusi. Just keep compu-lady Sandy safe too. That's all I ask," said Volodja. "As for safety measures...We need a a device to act as a safeguard so Lady and Kakusi don't get an overdose. Some kind of electric substation. A transformer. What can we do about it Haele? You are an expert here so try to figure out what we can use. Grid or not, but we can't use Giant's body solely for that purpose, although we need him as our middle man, delivering energy to EGO units. It's not safe. After all - we are in lab so there is plenty of equipment. We can connect Kakusi with transformer and thus guarantee permanent but not fatal energy flow. He can resist damage and act as other safeguard to girls."
"I see, I see," said Haele "Genius often hides in simplicity. We can connect transformer with ship's electric circuit and turn industrial power our equipment uses, into domestic one. That makes Kakusi sustain power for a longer time period. Voltage is not that high then. There might be some energy losses but energy flow is lasting kind. That compensates losses that occure and you have your BMG too in case of a need. Better give it a try."
Haele started to work. Volodja stood near by, still powering Sophie and was really worried. Things with Atticus, Taffer and Daiden were settled, but rest of them weren't. And these things were worse. There was Erika who was pissed on him. And if anything happens to Sandy...There was only fear and hope left in his heart and he was not sure, which he had in bigger amount. He did not want Sandy to die. Lady must live too, but Sandy was the number One for him.
They were ready. Haele turned power on so Sandy could get support she needed, Volodja released hold of his BMG, asked Sophie to remain with Minx and Sandy, turned his glance to Kakusi and Lady and waited in sad silence what will happen next. There was not anything he could do any more. He needed some music back up so he made his choice and used his pad. Sophie was still inside Lady's mind so he had to help himself.
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Post by Erika Widowmaker on Mar 8, 2015 14:35:24 GMT
Erika Widowmaker stowed her Mech in the cargo bay, monitoring the space ship crew's communications and her team's EGO chatter, when she spotted Belle making sure that the airlock was properly sealed and that everyone was accounted for on board, which they were. Belle was obviously keeping herself occupied with busy work, so Erika walked over and stood near her until Belle noticed her. "How are you holding up, Belle?" Asked Erika, who knew of Belle's close relationship with the terribly injured Lady Christianna. Belle forced a smile and said, "Much better than most of our team! Especially poor Lady! Dr. Orion reports that both arms and both legs are broken, and he has them in casts already, but the extensive internal injuries. She needs her EGO, and Minx, its Psyche, has just... just disappeared!" Then Belle just dropped her head, closing her blue eyes as tears streamed down her freckled face, confessing, "I should have been there for Lady! Bocar made me her godmother! I'm her clan mentor! Most importantly, she's my friend, my family! And I failed her!" Erika hugged Belle until Belle's gentle sobbing stopped, then led her to a quiet corner of the cargo bay, sitting them both on small crates facing each other. Erika held both of Belle's pale hands in her large clay red ones, and locked her jade eyes on Belles blue diamond ones. Once Erika was sure she had Belle's attention, she asked, "Did you offer MOM's energy to help your team mates keep Lady stable?" Belle shook her head in the affirmative, adding, "But Daiden and Haele have a better energy solution, but MOM is helping as much as she can!" Erika nodded curtly, and asked, "Are you a medical doctor or an expert in the sciences that might help Lady?" "Noooo!" Admitted Belle, somewhat reluctantly. "Then we may merely wait, and if anyone asks out help we will," Advised Erik sagely, then asked, "Is there anything we can do now to help Lady?" "I guess... we could pray!" answered Belle with a sad smile as she wiped away her tears with the back of her pale hand. "Then that is what we do," Concluded Erika decisively, "We will sit here and pray that Lady will recover fully." "But you don't even believe in the same god I do," Belle raised a blond eyebrow as she made the statement. "Does it matter?" Erika asked in all seriousness. "You will pray to your God, and I will pray to my Gods, and we both will hope that they will answer out prayers to either save Lady or usher her to a better life." Belle nodded her head slowly in understanding, taking out her mother's worn rosary beads from a secret pocket in her armor, then both women bowed their heads as they held hands, praying for Lady Christianna's recovery.
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Post by Lady Christianna on Mar 8, 2015 15:21:20 GMT
Lady Christianna found herself transported from the darkness to the cabana in Bora Bora, and when she felt Atticus' arrival, she ran to the bathroom and locked the door. She knew it was all an illusion in her mind, and no mere lock, or door for that matter, could keep Atticus out if he wanted in, but that memory of her happiness with Atticus there, even though it was in a hologram room, was too painful to bear under the circumstances. So she sat on the closed toilet, her small legs drawn up under her with her thin arms, her alabaster chin sitting on her knobby chalk white knees as she sobbed quietly, listening to what Atticus said.
Atticus said, "Snow Angel, an Earth writer named Edgar Rice Burroughs once wrote, “A warrior may change his metal, but not his heart.” Thanks to you, I have learned that he was right. I was not a warrior I was a killer. Now I am a warrior. I believe what that quote meant is that: No matter who I fight for or what weapons I may choose. I can not EVER change what is in my heart or what it wants or needs. All it wants and needs is YOU! So no matter what you did, or who you may end up with, my heart will ALWAYS be yours. I will always be with you in any way that you want. If you need me you just need to call. I will always be there for you! I give you both a Warrior's promise and a Lover's promise. I do NOT care what you think you did to betray me! You could never do so! Betrayal is NOT in you! You are MY Beauty! I am the Beast here! So whatever you think you did, it can never compare with anything that I have done or imagined! Look MY Love. I will move Heaven and Earth to be with you, in whatever way you want me. No matter what you choose, I will always be here for you and only you. If you need me, all you must do is call me and I will ALWAYS drop EVERYTHING for you and you ALONE!"
"Did betray you! Betrayed us!" Lady wailed, "Not beauty! Ugly troll! Don't deserve you! Ugly troll betrayed our love!"
Lady quit sobbing, and was quiet for several minutes as she tried to find the words to explain herself, grasping at the few she could think of and said, "Somehow felt something somewhere I shouldn't for someone I shouldn't if I'm true to you, to us!"
Then she uttered another pitiful wail, sobbing uncontrollably, saying between the tears that flowed freely from anguished pink eyes, "Don't deserve you! Don't deserve to live!"
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Post by Volodja Uljanov on Mar 8, 2015 15:53:30 GMT
Volodja was anxious. He wanted to know what was going on in Lady's mind, but was afraid that even minor interference from his side will ruin everything. He thought about contacting Sophie to ask, is there any progress there but his heart was full of fear about Sandy. He knew that she had enough energy, but what if Lady dies? What will become to Sandy?
So he took a chance and asked Sophie for a field report. What he heard, made him scratch back of his head and take a chance on contacting Sandy:
"Sandy, my Love," he hoped that his voice didn't trembled. "You are only adult there at moment so try to talk some sense to her. Her death wont affect only her, but us - you, Giant, Belle, me and so on! So put her feet on solid ground. She didn't nothing wrong, God damn! Thought is a thought at moment - not a deed. And she should understand it and gain her will of living back. Please. I need you back. Please, Sandy! She will listen you."
Volodja was really scared now. He could not enter Lady's mind to talk with her. All he could do was hope that Sandy hears him and tries her best. And if she fails then...He could not think further but bit his lower lip. Once he already did it when he thought that Sandy will be dead. Now it happened again. It was third time already...
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Post by Atticus Batman on Mar 8, 2015 15:59:31 GMT
Listening to Lady's sobs, I quickly grow tired of trying to reason with her from a distance. Even though the door is technically not real, I am in Lady's mid so it is solid enough. So I remove my armor and mask to show her that I am still willing to show myself to her, then I kick open the door and walk into the bathroom. I walk in pick Lady up and carry her back into the room. I sit down, with her on my lap and hold her. Look you didn't betray me. You may have felt something for somebody else but you didn't act on it and it obviously disgusted you that you could feel that way for that person, so there was no betrayal. If you truly felt that for him or her in your heart then you wouldn't feel this upset and afraid that you may have betrayed me. You would be more concerned that this killer would be finding who it is, hunting them down and exterminating them. But their feelings and safety never came to your mind, only mine did. And you are my Beauty! I will always save you. I just didn't think that I'd have to save you from you.
Tell me. Do you want to be with this other person?"
She says firmly, "NO!"
I say, "Do you love them?"
Again she responds with, "NO!!!"
I say, "Do you love me and want to be with me?"
She says very loudly and forcefully, "YES BOTH!"
I respond with, "Well then it doesn't matter what your body felt. Obviously both your brain and heart only want and need me. So there was NO betrayal, only confused feelings. Battles do that. You just have to sort your true feelings from the confused battle emotions. And as long as you didn't act on those battle induced emotions to go against your heart then you didn't betray me, yourself or our love. Now please quit crying and come home with me. And remember You are the Beauty and I the Beast, as it should be. So lets keep it that way. Besides you have a birthday coming up. How can I celebrate it with you and dance with the birthday girl if she leaves me over confused emotions? Besides I can feel deep down in the hellfire I have for a soul that you want and need only me clear down to your wonderful soul! So let's go home, because I am NOT leaving without my Beautiful little Snow Angel!"
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Post by Lady Christianna on Mar 8, 2015 16:05:36 GMT
Sandy had just about had enough. She heard everything Lady and Atticus said, for it was kind of hard not to, and frankly, she was a little bit nosy for a ghost. As she watched the drama enfold, she spoke to Sophie and Volodja in a bitter tone, "I would give my eyeteeth to have what those two have; they are so fucking lucky and don't know it! Sure, he is a homicidal killing machine and she is a teenage emo, but they have each other, flesh and blood other. They are both so damn immature sometimes it makes me want to scream!"
Sandy thought about it for a second, truly envious of what Atticus and Lady have and what she wished she could have with Volodja, then said to Volodja, "You know, I think I'm going to have to stay here awhile. Looks like Minx is really gone, and Lady needs me so much more than Erika does, so please explain that to Erika. Okay coach, I'm going in to help our star-crossed lovers!"
Just then Atticus and Lady affirm their love for each other, and Atticus explains to Lady that her emotions were not a betrayal, but natural under the circumstances, and Sandy smiles thinking maybe for a homicidal killing machine, Atticus isn't so immature after all.
Lady looked deeply into Atticus eyes and said with conviction, "Love us!" As she laid her head on his chest listening to his steady heart beat, she added meekly, "Want to go home. Want to dance again, my King."
Lady played the following music video for Atticus and herself before they left virtual reality to the real world, just because it summed up her feelings in a way the arts often do when people can't find the words themselves.
In the infirmary in the team's spaceship that was returning to the Earth, Lady's pink eyes fluttered open and she smiled when she saw Atticus sitting next to her, then noticed that both arms and legs were in casts and that she was in traction as she lay in the hospital bed.
With a small pout and a wiggling of her small chalk white nose, Lady said, "Nose itches."
Sandy grinned inside Lady's EGO, taking command there and starting the slow process of repairing Lady's many extreme injuries, but thinking, "Our Lady's back!"
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Post by Volodja Uljanov on Mar 8, 2015 16:46:03 GMT
"Cut the power please," ordered Volodja. Then he sighed. Sandy was alive and well. Lady was alive and recovering. And Sandy will be busy with fixing Lady's injuries, so he said with a smile: "Very good news. Think I will leave you on your own now. I need shower, to change my clothes and a decent drink. And since everybody will be busy, sharing hugs and kisses as usual, I have to settle with these simple pleasures. Thank you Soph, Sandy, Dinara, Giant, Haele, Daiden...and Kakusi. You are irreplaceable."
He smiled again and turned to the door to get those things he mentioned. There was nothing else for him anyway. No hugs. No kisses. Not even a single: "I love you" from Sandy. But she was alive. That counted. And maybe he will hear those words later when Sandy has time for him. Or if she has time.
He had one more thing left to do - he reported to rest of their team about their success: "We are done here. Lady is back with us. It was a close call. And if anyone needs me today, then I am in canteen, getting myself nicely drunk. I think I earned it."
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Post by Atticus Batman on Mar 8, 2015 16:51:55 GMT
As I leave Lady's head, I thank Sandy. Then, as I return to my body, I hear Lady complain about her nose so after I remove my helmet, I itch her nose, then kiss the tip of it. Then I stand up and I bend over to whisper in her ear."I love you and US too, MY princess, and am looking forward to many more dances with you." I then kiss her gently, but lovingly and passionately. Then I sit back down,remove my goauntlest and run my hand through her hair.
I then quickly say, "Fool, Mr. Arrogant, Haele. Thank you for your help. And of course thank Sophie as well, Fool."
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Post by Vo Kshaa on Mar 8, 2015 21:42:35 GMT
Vo spent most of the Lady's rescuing episode sitting in the generator room, watching the power flow from the generator's end and ready to switch to the reserve one in case of power outage. It was not the most spectacular job, but still important for everyone's success, so he was fine with it. After Volodja sent his "Cut the power please" order, he switched off the link to the transformer, checked again that none of the other ship's systems were affected and exited the generator room, exhaling a sigh of relief. Thinking of what he could do next he was about to check the mechs, which probably needed some repairs, but to his surprise he found Belle's EGO signature in there. Not being sure if he could join her or she's better be left alone at the moment, he asked MOM and she replied they had just had a sincere talk with Erika. Taking a mental note he still did not see Erika's EGO, Vo decided to leave girls to talk for he thought it's been a while since they last met.
He went to the room he shared with Belle and when he saw their bed, he suddenly understood how tired he was from the fight and especially from the mental strain Lady's situation caused him. He stumbled onto the bed, the next moment he fell into a dreamless sleep. Somewhere in the far edge of his consciousness Shirra, his EGO psyche, thought she should probably talk to him about pushing his boundaries that much and then mentally sighed, knowing for sure this talk wouldn't change anything in his behavior, especially when his friends' lives are at stake.
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Post by Taffer on Mar 8, 2015 22:59:53 GMT
"Commander Taffer! They connected my generator to the med lab! It's tickling! But I'm giving them the energy! It's helping the alabaster pilot girl, and I like the girl, she's so accurate and attentive! Me good?" Taffer heard the familiar childish voice. He rolled his eyes up for a moment then put a smile on his face and answered, "You're the best, Lexy. Now, the girl's name is Lady Christianna, you may call her Lady, so please call her by name from now on".
"I'm good! Yay!" the kid exclaimed and then continued, "Commander Taffer! Could you answer please? Why is the Moon so dusty? Why are those Volge so angry? Why Chloe called me a cockleshell? What is a fuck muppet? Why…"
Taffer heard Chloe chuckling and answered reluctantly, "Okay, Okay. I'll answer all those if you find a good route through the Ark Belt while we're descending. And please keep delta-v to a minimum, we don't want Lady to hurt more, right?"
He frowned, seeing the proposed route as it had two chunks of Arks that needed to be destroyed with the ship's cannon, and shared with Em Dash his suspicions that the AI preferred that route so that it had more things to shoot. Em Dash confirmed it was indeed the lowest acceleration route, but he frowned again, as it heard to him as if Dash was giggling in his head too. Nevertheless, he confirmed the route and started following it, unlocking the weapons yet again and giving Chloe targets to shoot.
Taffer noted this was indeed a low acceleration trajectory, even the sub-orbit flight time to reach San Fran was minimized. Soon they were making a final circle around the base before they finally land and meet their ground crew congratulating them on their successful return.
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Post by Belle Starr on Mar 9, 2015 0:16:08 GMT
Belle Starr and Erika Widowmaker left the cargo bay as soon as they heard that Lady Christianna was awake in the infirmary, finding her laughing with Atticus. They visited and chatted with her for a little bit, Belle promising her a girls' night out and maybe a road trip as soon as she was well, then left the two lovers alone for more quality time. They then headed to the Bridge, passing the canteen, seeing Volodja there drinking alone. The two women thought about joining him, when Sandy's hologram appeared next to him, although she wasn't dressed in her EMC uniform, but a pretty strapless cocktail dress. Soon they too were laughing, and again Belle and Erika felt it was time to move on. The two women found Taffer on the bridge, and Erika thanked him for her rescue. He set up a decrypted communication with her son, Kaele, the Senator in the Votanis Collective. Erika was warned by him not to come home yet, as it wasn't safe for her, although he and his sister were fine. Governor Skarr still had many political allies in the Collective, and they were clamoring for Erika's blood, some even saying she instigated the Collective's ill fated space ark venture. Belle escorted a quiet Erika to a state room on the space ship, promising her a new state-of-the art VBI EGO implant and that she could stay at the San Francisco base as long as she wanted to. Belle went to her own state room, doggedly tired but still proud of the team. The hadn't saved all the innocents in the space ark as they planned, but did save Erika and the Sensoth, destroyed crate loads of mind control devices, and stopped a Volge plot on the moon to do God knows what, with no fatalities on the team - not bad all things considered! And on a note very personal to her, she had finally gone into space and even walked on the moon, surpassing a dream she had since childhood! Belle smiled as she saw Vo already asleep in the bed they shared, so she stripped off her armor and undergarments, and crawled naked into bed, spooning his back as she fell fast asleep smiling to herself.
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Post by Atticus Batman on Mar 9, 2015 4:26:29 GMT
In the infirmary with Lady, I stand by her side holding a bottle to her lips, so she can sip some water. A crew member had brought me, my personal datapad, as I had requested earlier. So it is sitting on a talbe near her bed. I have a song playing on it quietly so as not to disturb anyone, but loud enough for us to hear.
After Lady is done quenching her thirst, I set the bottle down and pick up my datapad. Then I sit down in a chair right next to her bed. As I look through it, I think about just how much the playing song reminds me of Lady and myself. Her the wandering Mermaid just drifting into my life, and me the Lost and violent Captain. After it is over I smile at Lady then I read a poem to her.
The Tiger
By: William Blake. 1757–1827 TIGER, tiger, burning bright In the forests of the night, What immortal hand or eye Could frame thy fearful symmetry? In what distant deeps or skies Burnt the fire of thine eyes? On what wings dare he aspire? What the hand dare seize the fire? And what shoulder and what art Could twist the sinews of thy heart? And when thy heart began to beat, What dread hand and what dread feet? What the hammer? what the chain? In what furnace was thy brain? What the anvil? What dread grasp Dare its deadly terrors clasp? When the stars threw down their spears, And water'd heaven with their tears, Did He smile His work to see? Did He who made the lamb make thee? Tiger, tiger, burning bright In the forests of the night, What immortal hand or eye Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
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Post by Volodja Uljanov on Mar 9, 2015 7:03:09 GMT
Volodja felt really good although his plans getting drunk were spoiled. But they were spoiled in most perfect way. Sandy was with him. She put aside her duties as a soldier and became a girl for this night. And this girl looked so adorable in her cocktail dress. They were chatting and laughing and had the time of their life. She even accompanied him for a stroll to his cabin, walking by his side. There they were - virtual image of a gorgeous girl and a man, in flesh and blood, but their feelings to each other were true. All of this made Volodja to wish once again, that Sandy was a real girl because...he felt that if Sandy was alive at moment, he could get lucky tonight. But he managed to steal some virtual kisses from her, or to be precise - she stole them from him. And she stayed with him a bit longer, although Volodja tried to convince her to return to Lady. Before he went to sleep, they had a long lasting kiss and he finally managed to find suitable video for them. He hoped that she would like it too.
"Pick your favourite era and costume and maybe we can be in a same dream tonight. Or we can be them all, if you want. As long as we share the same dream, my Love," he whispered to her virtual ear. After another everlasting kiss, he fell asleep with a smile in his face, video still playing in background.
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