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Post by Belle Starr on Jun 22, 2015 6:46:04 GMT
Belle Starr watched Volodja's back as he left the conference room, a little surprised that he left before the meeting was adjourned or the matter at issue really settled, but not much. She was beginning to suspect that was how Volodja dealt with confrontation, having to retreat and contemplate the issue rather than just charging in and taking the bull by the horns, which was Belle's way. Belle had to admit, her way sometimes got her into trouble, but she believed everybody had to deal with conflict in their own way. Her philosophy was that there wasn't any one best way to resolve conflict, just a best way for the individual. Belle knew from the look in Erika Widowmaker's jade eyes that she was not happy with the turn of events, although Erika's face remained passive as she stiffly stood up, saying coldly, "Its seems that in the Triumvirate majority rules on all decisions on this base, even those of a personal nature. Both in the Votan Collective and the E-Rep, final decisions of a medical matter concerning a comatose victim are decided by the closest living family member, which would be myself in Kara's case. Since such a civilized protocol is not on the table, let me suggest Cael, who is ready to leave anyway to go back to the Collective, take Kara back home for treatment. I will turn myself in to the authorities there, then the Collective will not have any reason not to give her the best care possible. I will miss contributing to the good the Fortress K'shaa team does, and especially with the coming war between the Collective and E-Rep almost inevitable, but I must consider the safety of my Kara, and placing a defective and dangerous machine in her quarters is - not - safe!" Belle sighed, then replied, "Erika, please sit down! Y'all know, we have one or the other us running off like a chicken with it's head cut off every time we have a team crisis, so let's just stop that there past counterproductive practice right here and now, shall we? Now, Volodja might have the right idea on tabling the decision as to Kara until the base doctors and their staff do a medical examination! With Kara comatose, moving her might not even be an idea worth consideration if they say it would endanger her even more to do so! Everybody respects your position as a mother Erika, but even you will admit that your emotions are owning y'all as to this matter! We all want what is best for Kara, so let's let the experts do their thing!" Erika sat down sheepishly as Belle continued, "As to Kaj, we have to recognize that AIs have come a long way, and our own EGO psyches are testament to the fact that with sentience often comes what my religion would say is a soul! Once you accept that a sentient machine has a soul, then it's easy to accept it as human, capable of making good and bad decisions when God puts a moral dilemma in front of us! When we humans make a bad mistake, God forgives us, and hopes we make a better decision next time! Kaj made a bad mistake acting unilaterally in this instance, and maybe two if you count Lena Marr, but as Atticus says, we were all fooled by her, although we didn't sleep with her and tell state secrets, but that's beside the point! Kaj learns from each mistake, but if we abandon him, like somebody must have Lena at some point in her life, then he could turn as evil as she is!" Erika stared at Atticus as Belle talked on, although Belle realized, as she had a sixth sense about such things from her experience making presentations in the VBI boardroom, she was fast losing the attention of her audience, so needed to sum up her point, "English poet Alexander Pope said, To err is human; to forgive, divine, and his point made in 1711 is as good a one now as when made then! Kaj maybe needs more experience dealing with other sentient beings before putting him in such an important position as Chief of Security! We may have given him too much responsibility too fast, and we all bear the blame for that being senior team members! Let's just help him get past this crisis first, then let him decide about whether he wants to stay here, but maybe in a lesser position! Let's not throw the baby out with the bath water so to speak!" Silence ensued, which Belle took as her cue to exit, seeing as it was obvious that Atticus and Erika had much to discuss that was personal. Belle stood up and smiled warmly at both of them, "Y'all know, we are all family here, and sometimes we need to discuss things all together as a family, and sometimes two members of a family have just got to work things out for themselves, between themselves! Me, I'm plumb tuckered out from all the dancing, so I'll take my leave now!" With that Belle stood up, lifting up slightly the hem of her ballgown so as not to trip, and gracefully left the conference room for her quarters, leaving the Irathiant brother and sister alone to hopefully resolve any differences that might remain between them.  |
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Post by Volodja Uljanov on Jun 22, 2015 7:22:19 GMT
"What do you think Wolfram?" asked Volodja. "We could try treat Kara's symptoms with benzodiazepines or lorazepam, but eventually we have to treat underlying cause of her catatonia anyway. Electroconvulsive therapy is still our best option, because if we are going to use antipsychotics then things might get worse."
"Jawohl. We should not take unnecessary risks with such a fragile mind as Kara's, but how we are going to resume therapy when she doesn't believe into our illusions any more? We need to offer her a real thing, but God knows, where the rest of her family is, because they are our so called best shot."
"Give us some time Wolfram. Our shiny social event turned to be a business meeting as well and I received an offer I could not refuse, but I had my modest conditions and one of them was tracing Kara's family, so we just wait and see how organized crime syndicate tries to do something good for a change."
"Don't play with fire, Volodja. You might get burned," warned Wolfram.
"Too late for that. Somebody should tell me that decades ago. Ever since I became into my early teens, I have balanced on the blade of a knife. Sometimes slipping but getting my balance back. I don't look for a trouble, but seems that troubles love to look for me, because I manage to solve them usually. And now I will meet Stahma Tarr one moment of my life. For the greater cause. If she does her part of the deal, then I must fulfil my promise and meet her." Two old friends looked at each other seriously. They knew that break won't last forever so they used time they had to make plans for the future. Tactics are good and effective, but if you want to last for long then strategy is essential.
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Post by Erika Widowmaker on Jun 22, 2015 7:53:39 GMT
Erika Widowmaker rubbed the temples of her head with both forefingers as she sat at the conference table alone with her long lost brother, Atticus Batman. She wasn't sure how to address his outburst about being abandoned at six, so she began as she often did when trying to solve an emotional dilemma, with a recitation of the known facts concerning it, "When the arkship I was on crashed to the Earth, I know not why, I was found in a lifepod by a Votan Collective military squad, and told I was the only survivor. I was only seven or eight at the time, and only remembered my first name as Erika, maybe because of the long cryo-sleep or the shock of the crash, but I don't know for sure. All of the ships records as to who was on that ship were destroyed, so there was not record of who my parents were or even who was my tribe, although the squad members had similar if not exact tribal markings as myself."
Erika stopped rubbing the pain from her temples as he looked at Atticus with her intense jade colored eyes, "At the time, all I knew was that I was freezing cold and in pain, but alive. I remembered having a mother, who had kind eyes, green as the Irathient forest, who was always busy with paperwork, and a strong muscular father, always busy practicing with Irathient melee and energy weapons. I also remember a younger brother, always following me around and," Erika hesitated and smiled slightly at the memory, "Getting me into trouble, if I remember correctly. Anyway, I remember him being under my care, and under my feet, almost constantly, for our parents were so busy, I believe, getting ready for the flight from our home planet to Earth, but that is supposition."
Erika sighed, saying, "I don't have many memories of before the ark fall, maybe because of the crash trauma or the cryo-sleep or both, but my memories of after the crash were vivid. I remember begging the soldiers to find my family, and them assuring me that the Votan Collective would continue the search, but that their first priority was to get me somewhere safe and warm. Only much later would they tell me no one else was found alive, but the squad's tribe adopted me and I was raised from then on as one of their own, with a respect for Irathiant customs and the Votan Collective. The squad that found me in general and the non-commissioned officer in particular adopted me, so suddenly I had a half dozen fathers teaching me martial skills and no mother teaching me social ones. The women in the tribe did their best to civilize me, despite the fact that I was, as the humans say, a tomboy. When the Pale Wars began, it was only natural that I immediately join the Votan Collective's army even though I was a young teenager, and the rest I believe you know."
Erika looked again at her reflection in the highly polished conference table, "I wish I could tell you that I often wondered where that younger brother was and sought information as to his whereabouts to this day, but that would be a lie, and I won't lie to you. I have always lived my life moving forward, one day at a time but always looking at the horizon. Like the sharkgator that must always swim forwards in the water to keep alive, I felt that to stay alive I could not - should not - dwell on the past, and if I did so, it would spell my doom. When the Pale Wars ended, it almost did kill me, for I saw no horizon until my now dead husband showed me different. Then when he died, the lives of my children kept me going forward towards the future. I am sorry we were not reunited sooner, but I have lived my life for the present and the future, not the past, to survive this post apocalyptic world, and that is a fact I have no regrets about."
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Post by Lady Christianna on Jun 22, 2015 8:04:06 GMT
Sandy waited for Volodja to return for a long while, until the candles on the small table burned down to a nub in their holders, and before blowing them out. With a thought, her red party dress disappeared replaced with the military brown camouflage she usually wore. She took one last lingering look at the view of pre-war Paris before turning off the hologram of Volodja's richly furnished apartment replaced with the real life austerity of his Fortess K'shaa quarters, then disappearing back to her duties in Lady Christianna's EGO device.  |
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Post by Volodja Uljanov on Jun 22, 2015 10:44:11 GMT
Old friends looked at each other, sighed and suddenly Volodja asked: "Do you play chess, Wolfram? It's funny that I never asked you during all these years we have known each other." "Actually I do, Volodja. Would you like to play a game?" Without waiting any answer from Volodja, Wolfram took out his pocket chess, put pieces to the miniature chessboard and since he got white ones, he had right to start. First pawn was put into the game. "You know Wolfram," said Volodja suddenly "Maybe the best thing, an incompetent like I feel at moment again, can do, is to leave for good and let real pros handle everything. You can stay of course. I am the sinner who gets accused most of the time. They don't touch you." "Nein, Volodja. If you will go then I will follow, because next one to blame is me. If they know us better than we do, then we better leave and let them make everything right, what we did wrong here. But first we play to the bitter defeat of yours."  "Why not. We will play this game to the end," replied Volodja. "Like I will fulfil my duties here to the bitter end. I won't leave this ship, although it seems to be sinking fast. Knowing myself, I would stay on board Titanic until the last boat leaves and then dive into the ice cold water. I have serious issue with self preservation. I do wonder if I am related with Leopold Sacher-Masoch's antagonists. Not in sexual way, but in general." Volodja said and grinned widely, because he saw potential combination he can try, if Wolfram won't notice the trap. "By my opinion, Volodja, you have enough inner strength, because you seem to be surviving every coup you receive and get yourself back to your feet. Oh. Do you REALLY think that I will fall into that trap of yours? Wrong!" "Supplies aren't endless, Wolfram," replied Volodja. "One moment I might break permanently. By the way. We must call it a draw. Nobody won this time but I enjoyed the beauty of the game. Especially when everything else is messed up, like my dates tonight and after our meeting I started to doubt about my professionalism again. Another game, perhaps? Maybe it is something I can do without screwing it up." "Warum nicht," said Wolfram. "As long as we will remain to be here and have to wait what will happen next, I don't see any reason not to play. Your turn to play with white ones, I assume." "Time to prove that white ones will start and win," said Volodja peacefully, moving his white pawn. "Let's see what can I do when I have the first-move advantage." |
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Post by Atticus Batman on Jun 22, 2015 11:00:53 GMT
I quit staring at the ceiling as Erika finishes talking, and glance at the door to make sure Belle security locked it to only Senior Command on her way out, which she did. Then I look at Erika as I say in a hoarse but currently calm voice, "It is good that you have no regrets. I learned long ago that you must never regret anything or it will drag you down and get in the way. Let's see where should I start? Perhaps the easiest thing for me to get off my big chest and relate to."
I open the collar of my jumpsuit and show her my severely scarred throat and even show her the back of my neck where Cooper's bullet came out. "That is a permanent reminder of how Kabule and I got out of the Pale Wars, and why my voice is always so deep and raspy. At the Battle of Defiance Kabule and I had a minor fight over this body and honestly....Belle thinks I won that battle. However the truth is neither personality really won. Kabule kept control of our body and turned himself in to Cooper and Nolan. However Pooper saw an unbridled rage in that Irathiant and felt it best to exterminate him. According to the doctors at the secret E-rep facility we were shipped to, the experimental EGO and my sudden will to live are all that saved me. You see during that coma, Kabule's personality gave up and retreated into our mind. The sudden will to live the doctors saw, as well as the rage Jackass Pooper saw, was my personality taking advantage of Kabule's retreat and taking over the body. I was in a coma for most of a year, during which time Kabule was reported first as MIA and then when his EGO signature was eventually found in the Fort Defiance ruins, he was declared KIA.
EMC and VBI, after discovering that my EGO was failing thanks to Pooper's bullet hitting it's casing, removed it and kept me in a coma until they could put one of VBI's very first prototype EGOs in my head. Some bigwigs at that base thought I could be useful if I ever recovered, so they staged my EGO and regulation armor in some wreckage at the ruins, to be found so Kabule would be classified officially as dead By the Collective. So I would never be missed. For almost a year I was forced to do their bidding. And when I wasn't needed I drugged and put into a coma, shackled to hospital beds, or all of the above by Psychiatrists; claiming that they were strictly doing so to help me. During my time in the Votanis army as Kabule, they hade their shrinks treat me pretty much the same way after we were given our symbiote. It was when that second EGO, VBI's prototype, failed that I realized that it had some secret programming that allowed my 'handlers' and the psycho-babbling bastards to keep me in their control for the most part. Honestly that control was put in place by Carl Von Bach's father. Although a EMC/E-rep general decided I had done enough during that year to earn my freedom and released me, E-rep and VBI still continued to hire me for black ops and as Atticus Batman became a known name as being an extremely ruthless bounty hunter, The VC. also started hiring me for jobs, not knowing that I was once known as Kabule. If they had I would have probably been killed for faking my death and turning traitor.
Since then I have been in complete control, and as you know became a ruthless Bounty Hunter. I even mentioned vaguely a serial killer. If you were to take most of the records of when I was hunting a bounty, and look up Serial killers, you would discover that while Atticus the bounty hunter was chasing a pricey bounty, ruthless criminals without bounties in that area at the time, were turning up dead. All with the same signature. They were dismembered or atleast decapitated, and all their hearts were removed and placed in their mouths...by me. It was a message to them and those around that there was somebody better out there. You see the message was taken from an old Earth saying that was said a lot by those that felt they were superior when I or Kabule was growing up in Omec Colony. The saying was meant I am better than you, and was simply: Eat your heart out.
That was what happened after the Battle for Defiance. However I am sure if Belle were in here she would say,...'That's interesting Atticus. But which of your personalities is Erika's brother?' Well as the shrinks would say, we both are since we are both technically split from the same mind. However I and Kabule have discussed who is the original mind a few times over the years. Mostly when one of us is in a mood, and we start fighting over the body. Kabule has always maintained that it didn't matter who was first, what matters is who controlled the body the most growing up. Of course he says that because he was mostly in control, back then, when we were called Ithmah by the Earthlings. It means orphan and that is the name they listed me as. Until we were implanted with our grid and we...well he took the name Kabule. As Kabule it was always a tossup over which of the three of us you would talk to because the Grid implantation took an already unstable mind and made it even more so. Anyway when it comes to our past, we can both agree on the same thing. No matter who was in control, it began when we woke up in a medical transport on the way to Omec Colony. Neither of us have any memory of before that, and the explanation for that is also simple. Permanent memory loss from extreme head trauma."
I glance at the door again, then I remove my mask and toss it on the table near Erika's gun. Then I turn my back to her completely and lean forward. I lift my long fuschia ponytail up and show her the huge scar on the back of my head that it hides. Then I turn back around, knowing she is now staring at my uncovered face, perhaps for the first time, not counting when she saw it on Caele. "as you can see it is a huge scar. The doctors didn't think I would survive because my head was split open and my brain exposed in the arkfall I was found in. They thought I would die before getting me medical aid but miraculously I didn't. As you must have guessed that is also most likely where the split personality started. As I said neither of us remember before waking up in that transport and never will. However we do know we have been together from shortly after that."
My eyes glow and my aura flairs up showing extreme emotion but staying blue as I smack the table and say, "Here's more dakking honesty for you. Since I have no reason not to believe you are my sister, you deserve it! Kabule and I have always maintained that we do NOT know which is the true owner of this body, just that I am currently the strongest and therefore alpha personality. However we had an... I guess Belle would say, an epiphany during my last hospital stay when I was fighting severe depression and praying to any gods that would listen and offering them my life to bring Lady back because she deserves life and I do not.....Anyway we had an epiphany. You see it finally dawned on us who was first to wake up in this body. I can not say for sure, which inhabited the body before the crash, but can say who was the first to inhabit it after...."
I take a long pause and grab my mask and twist it in my hands as I prepare myself to finally be honest, not only with somebody else about my personality disorders, but finally with myself as well. Then my aura and eyes turn green as I manage to find my center, as I say, "You see Erika...I woke up in that transport. I was the one named Ithmah by the Earthlings. I inhabited the body for a week, until I got beat to a bloody pulp by humans for like the 50th time in my week there. Then Kabule emerged and took over. You see Erika, Ithmah was......I was to dakking weak to survive! If it weren't for my other personality, Kabule, I would never have lived past that first week! Kabule controlled the body and grew very vindictive, while I watched from the shadows.
As I came to love the darkness, I grew stronger and very hateful of all that treated us like less than yesterday's trash. Human and Votan alike. As time went by a big Sensoth, Torc Mok, came to our aid several times. When we were around 16, The war was just starting and Torc got us into the Ekaru Kome. With the vindictive and ruthless behavior Kabule /Ithmah showed he was quickly welcomed into the Shkathe'Nado. Then at 18 ordered to volunteer for an experiment that would make him an elite soldier, best of the best. That experiment was to get Kakusi, our Grid symbiote. After Kabule survived...I, yes I took control of the body and released my pent up rage on the scientist, killing them. Then just as quickly Kabule regained control of the body. That is also when he quit going by Ithmah and 'encouraged' the others to agree to nickname and call him Kabule.
At the battle of Defiance when Kabule couldn't bring himself to kill his only friend for helping humans, or kill the humans they where helping, I re-emerged and fought over the body. As I said Kabule won the battle and surrendered. I id NOT like that at all, and my unbridled rage that had built for years, showed in Kabule's eyes. That is what Jackass John Pooper saw. Belle believes that John was reacting to instinctively to Kabule's appearance and that Josh Nolan saw a confused warrior lost in indecision. However the truth is, Pooper wasn't reacting to Kabule, but to the unbridled rage that he saw...to me. Pooper was trying to kill me. They both saw extreme intensity. To Pooper it was a uncontrollable raging beast fighting to come out and he would have been right. To Nolan it was the soldier's more judicial side. He was right as well.
For I was always the voice in Kabule's head urging him to just pull the trigger and kill the evil that we were ordered to hunt. However Kabule only hunted those that he was sanctioned to hunt, and I was always urging him to hunt any that I felt needed to die. As you know, I did and still do just that, since I reawakened in this body after the battle of Defiance. I did a lot of reading during my first year after that battle since as I said, I was mostly in the hospital shackled to a bed. I came across some Batman comics and found that interesting. However I took my name over a year after the battle of Defiance. When the general released me from my bondage. They just called me Red Devil during my stay with them. After my release I needed a name and to figure out what to do. I said I wanted any profession that allowed me to continue to deal out death to those that deserved it. Somebody said that reminded them of a quote by a fictional character named Atticus Thorne. So after I read about him, I agreed and became Atticus but hated the last name Thorne. During that brief research is when I saw a wanted poster for a war criminal wanted dead or alive and decided what I would do. I would become a bounty hunter but only go after those wanted dead or alive so I could judge who deserves death. However I needed a strong last name. One fitting of a hunter that stalks from the dark. That is when I remembered those comics the soldiers read in the hospital of the Vigilante hero Batman. I may have been planning to kill which Batman didn't in those comics, but bounty hunting could be considered a profession of the good, and I atleast wanted the E-rep guys to think I was staying on the side of good so they would not take back my freshly won freedom. Thus was the day I finally had a name. I was and still am Atticus Batman. Jackass Pooper, not knowing that I am the guy he thought he killed at Defiance, nicknamed me The Harbinger of Death when I first came through Paradise as Atticus Batman: Bounty Hunter. Then to his dismay I came back on the New Freedom back when it crashed and chose to stay this time. I am guessing he loved it last year, while I was 'gone' for almost a year. Anyway it was long getting out but there you have it. It is my body and always has been as far as Kabule and I know, but he came into existence because....I was a weak little street rat! Ithmah was a weak street rat that needed Kabule and Torc to protect him at all times. However I vowed: Atticus Batman will Never be the weak little piece of crap that Ithmah, the pathetic Irathiant orphan boy in Omec Colony was! So, after I retook control of MY body after the Battle of Defiance, I trained with every weapon fighting style that I could as well as doing massive workouts on my downtime.
So to recap, I was a weak little piece of trash that needed another personality to protect him so much that, the other personality took over and then after Pooper's gunshot we split completely and officially became to different beings in the same body. I have some memory lapses from when one of them takes over and visa versa. Now I am strong and just recently found people that want me, and even love me. I found friends and adoptive family. I found my soul-mate in my wonderful fiancé Lady, and we are having twins. And now I now that the one Irathiant woman I was starting to consider an adoptive sister, is my biological sister. So I not only have an adoptive family but a biological one as well. Guess that means not only am I now a brother and uncle, but that you will be an aunt in about 5 months as well. When I officially become a father. That is if you don't kill me for some good reason, before then.
Enough of my horrible childhood. It is what it is and made me what I am. So no regrets. I am also not upset that you never thought about me, your brother. You thought I was being looked for. Then were eventually told we were all dead. So you had no reason to look or think otherwise. I can't fault you for that. Besides the brother you knew and loved 'died' or went into a comatose state during his first week in the Omec Colony, when the vindictive assassin named Kabule, was born from his fear to take his place and keep him safe. The weak little boy's personality grew stronger, more confident, more ruthless and very rage-filled protected deep in the dark confines of his mind, with his vindictive bodyguard personality Kabule in charge of the body, and eventually what was left of your innocent little brother arose to become Atticus Batman: Bounty hunter and secret serial killer.
If it is any consolation I haven't done any of that serial killing in a couple years. So forgive me for not appearing happy about the news just yet because I may be your brother, but you may not want to claim me as such now that you know a lot more about me than your records revealed. However I am happy to hear that I actually do have family and that I was wanted by my living sister, up until she was told I was dead. If you can accept me as your little brother, even knowing who and what I am, then I am very happy to call you sister. If however you can't accept a monster as your once innocent little brother, then I understand and we will just go back to being colleagues if you prefer.
I would point out that Belle and maybe even Volodja would say that this is where we are supposed to hug and bury the hatchet, however I doubt you will want to hug me anytime soon, provided you do decide you still want me as your brother, given that you are upset with me and may even hate me for what has happened and what I have said on the matter. Besides I would not want that hatchet buried in my back, so if you are feeling the urge to strangle or hit me, perhaps it is better if I do not get within hugging distance of you." My eyes sparkle blue and I flash her my mischievous smile, hoping that she realizes that I am trying to make a joke.
Then I notice her rub her temples again, and my aura and eyes glow a steady green as I decide that I have something else to say. "Look I know I am new to the whole emotions and family stuff, and you just revealed that I am your brother, and we both revealed a lot of hidden things about our past. However I am concerned about you. You keep constantly rubbing your head in pain. So even if you decide to hate me or pretend we never found out that we are siblings once we leave this room, I am still your brother for the time being, so at least tell me what is with the constant headaches and if there is something that I can do to help you.........................To help the big sister that I have always wanted growing up but never knew that I had."
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Post by Belle Starr on Jun 22, 2015 15:55:11 GMT
Back at the shack by the water, Lena Marr was ready to go get her sentient EGO device. She had both her duffel bag and her shoulder bag packed, and was going over her check list to make sure she had everything she might need once she and Marcel arrived in Defiance. When he asked her about an available aircraft, she didn't have any concrete information, just suspicions that Varus and Tomassino both MAY have one hidden somewhere, for they seemed to come and go at will both to and from places a long way away, but she didn't know for sure.
Lena knew that Marcel was now disappointed in her for not knowing for sure, and that he was outside having a smoke by the bay, or - her sky blue eyes got wide with the thought - maybe racing away in his big black car and abandoning her like so many men in the past had before. Lena wouldn't fault him if he did, for she knew that she was damaged goods as well as mentally unstable by civilized standards, although she thought both facts made her more interesting in the long run. To reassure herself that Marcel had not fled, She took a quick peak out the shack's window above the sink, smiling as she saw him by the pier still deep in thought as he took another drag on his cigarette.
"Maybe Marcel is the real thing," Thought Lena to herself, "He said he loves me, but so have so many men before him, and he really wants to help me get a sentient EGO for no other reason than I want it - I think!?!?"
Hope seemed to agree with her, but the rest of the voices in her head representing the seven deadly sins quickly drowned Hope out, chiding Lena for being so gullible and naïve. They reminded her that she had told Marcel she loved him too, but she had told many men that before as a bald faced lie to get her way. However, Lena was pretty sure she meant it this time, and Hope agreed with her, noting her sincerity when Lena said it.
Lena shrugged her chalk white shoulders, still smiling as she went back to checking her mental checklist knowing that if he lied to her, she would have his testicles for earrings, although she kind of liked them where they were. Switchblade knife, check! Quickblaster MK II, check! Ironclad Shield, check! Piper AR, check! Torture kit, check!...
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Post by Erika Widowmaker on Jun 22, 2015 16:28:20 GMT
Erika didn't know what to say when Atticus revealed his personal history, abhorrent as it was. Anything she could say would seem pitful, and she knew that the last thing a man like Atticus would want is pity, even from a long lost sister.
Concentrating on something else he said seemed the best course of action, so when he mentioned her headaches, she said, "I have always been prone to migraine headaches, although they have seemed to gotten worse since The Mistress of Judgment had her control collar on me. Haele and Dr. Orion have checked me twice over, and have said it cannot be the collar's effect anymore, so..."
Erika stopped in mid sentence, seeing the very real concern in his eyes, and although she was going to blame the growing frequency and intensity of the headaches on current tensions, she decided she couldn't do that to her newfound brother. From his history, Erika could tell Atticus had been lied to his whiole life, and she would not add one more to the list, even if it was a lie of omission.
Erika sighed, the pain intensifying in her temples, causing her to rub them once again to ease it as she told truthfully, "Actually, a small brain tumor appeared shortly after the collar was detached, and Amber was able to keep it small and even diminish it, but this factory EGO psyche seems unable to do either. I think that is why Dr. Orion was compiling the medical data base as to Irathiant base personnel in a vain attempt to find some way to treat me. Dr. Orion has told me the tumor is inoperable, unless I would like to a quadriplegic, which would be worse than death for me. I asked him to tell no one, for I wanted to continue to work... until I was unable to do so anymore. I ask the same of you."
Erika watched herself rubbing her temples in the polished finish of the conference table, knowing she would not cry, for she used up all her tears when her husband and her infant daughter died on the same day many years earlier, only saying, "You can see why I was so happy to see Cael regain his sanity again, and probably why I was so frantic to see Kara regain hers and be reunited with her children, but probably now... won't, if Dr. Orion is correct in his timetable as to... my demise."
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Post by Marcel Lestrange on Jun 22, 2015 16:51:47 GMT
"Nothing is true, everything is permitted," said Marcel Lestrange and spat into the ocean. They still needed an aircraft. Lena suggested that they should turn to Varus or Tommasino to acquire theirs, because they may have an access to ships. Both ideas were worth trying, so Marcel took out his hailer and dialled a six digit combination.
"Bon jour, mon ami. I am not sorry for disturbing you because I have some business to do and I need an aircraft. No. I am not insane. Lot of honourable people possess one and I need an aircraft too. You don't have any at moment but you know who has? A certain Australian drug dealer Loorea Moree supposedly has one. Supposedly or for sure? I thought so. And where that lovely girl lives?....I see. We are going to pay her a little visit and I am going to find out why you were so kind and pointed at her. Perhaps you want to get rid of competition....or me? You better tell the truth, because if anything goes wrong, then I will make you famous. Bye!"
Marcel threw his cigarette butt to the water and sighed. Everything started to remind a damned video game where you have to do lot of quests before reaching anywhere or become somebody. To get every item, he needs, means a new quest. Merde! But he knew that he will go to visit that Loorea anyway because Lena wanted an EGO implant and Marcel will help her to get one at any cost. As long as it costs lives of others.
Marcel marched to their car where Lena already waited for him and said: "We are going to pay a little visit. I know someone who knows someone who has an aircraft which soon will be ours, Lena-darling."
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Post by Atticus Batman on Jun 22, 2015 23:28:48 GMT
Looking at Erika, my eyes and aura still glowing a bright green, I say, "We will do everything that we can to get Amber back so she can help you, and will help Kara and find her children. I will do everything that I can to make all of that happen. I do know that you are a very strong willed warrior, apparently we both got that from our parents. So I am sure you will hold on long enough for us to find Amber and for her to save you. I just got a sister. I will not let a stupid little tumor take her from me now."
" Look we are scheduled to go to Defiance in the morning, which is in just a few more hours, unless you ask that we postpone that. If you prefer I stay behind to go to Lima and hunt down this Askaru and find OUR family instead of going to Defiance to hunt the Casti Coward Aveis Havph, then I will. Just remember it will most likely involve lots of bloodshed if this is what you choose. I do not know any other way to get the most information in a limited time, and it is known that I can have quite the disdain for Castithan males and from what I understand Askaru is Castithan so I can not guarantee I can question him without torture and bloodshed, but will try my best not to hurt him.
However I insist that you go with the others to Defiance, either way. Then have the EGO expert help you and Amber first. That could easily be something that this triumvirate could vote on. So consider it voted on. The two Triumvirate members present agree that you be the first helped. Although Volodja may be upset with being left out of the decision and want to know why we made that decision without him. However it is not my place to give him the reason, so I will not, even if he asks, for that is your call and for now a family matter until you decide our adoptive family need know. You can say it's for medical or personal reasons or tell him to mind his own dakking business or just to dak off, whatever you would rather say if asked or just ignore him like I do, on occasion. Then Amber can do all that she can to help you and re-diminish that dakking tumor! Perhaps the expert can even enhance Amber's medical protocols so she can eliminate it for good.
As for Kara, I still say, we let Kaj see her and see if the feelings she seems to have for him do help her come out of her current state when he talks to her. However you are her mother, so it is ultimately your call. I know your disdain for Bio-men and specifically Kaj, however he is currently the best option and as Volodja said it couldn't hurt. Besides Kaj is striving to find a place where he belongs and even be more human. It was his mistake that put Kara in a comatose state. So he does deserve a chance to see her and try to make it right and he does seem to care for her. Besides Wolfram and Volodja will be supervising and I will have Chris arm Kaj's guards with those Bio-man Tasers, as well as make more. As soon as I have a chance I will also make sure that Kaj is moved to medical and placed under suicide watch with guards armed with those Tasers; if the others haven't already."
"I have great reason to hate all psycho-babblers and always have, and it is even in all my records that I hate shrinks and have even killed a couple just because they admitted that they were shrinks. However those two have not given me a reason to believe they are like the rest. I am sure Volodja took my disdain for psycho-babble personally, but he takes everything personally. So he will either get over it or he will not. That is his choice. Besides, although I do not and probably never can personally approve of any psycho-babbler methods, Volodja has done nothing but try to help this team...this family, our family and now his family, at his expense; including helping me even though we all know I am not easy to like, get along with or want to help; and he speaks highly of Wolfram. So even though I can not stand and have little to no faith in all of those psycho-babble techniques and tricks, I do like and trust those two enough to have some faith in them personally and give them the benefit of the doubt.
Either way, they are your decisions to make. Then you need rest....and I will do my best to show that I can be your little brother, if you want that; but if you prefer we go back to before, as colleagues and perhaps friends then I will respect that choice as well. And do not worry. I will not tell anybody about the tumor unless it becomes a requirement to try to save you. I have vowed that I will do all that I can to protect all under my care, all those in Fortress K'shaa. Which I will, however all those I consider family take priority, Lady, our children, and my new-found biological family first, followed immediately by our adoptive family. Then the rest of the crew.
I will also not tell Caele or Kara that I am their uncle. That is also your choice, besides I doubt that knowing that they are biologically related to Kabule, the assassin that was used in both of their brainwashing delusions; and Caele was made to look like and believe that he was; would be helpful to either of their recoveries. So that choice is yours to make and whether or not you seek and listen to the advice of the doctors and 'professionals', Volodja, Wolfram and Orion, is also your choice. However I am not going to keep my new relationship with you from Lady. I will not lie to her, EVER. Keep her in the dark about certain things until she asks me, yes. Lie to her NEVER. Now Erika...Big Sister, make your decisions. Then please get some rest. You need it and I have realized I want and need family. So, I know it may sound selfish but, I want you to be around for as long as possible so I can get to know the family that I never had and used to pray for...until I could no longer hold onto such a childish dream and had to let it all go, in order to get stronger and survive in the world that I was thrown into unprepared and that almost ate me alive. Now that I am a strong warrior and have started to regain humanity and a soul, I would love to be able to know my sister; now that I know that long dead dream is a living reality."
"If you agree with me about you going to Defiance still, so you can be the first helped by the EGO per the Triumvirate vote, then I suggest that you move your gear to the ship after you have made your decisions and rest in your Ship Quarters. Ralph already has the ship's kitchen stocked and a crew on board, Orion has ship's medical prepared and a medical crew set to board first thing in the morning. Chris and Zork already have maintenance and Engineering crews on board and ready to go. I believe that given our newest dilemmas Chris has decided to stay behind and handle command and send Zork in his place, but not sure for certain. From what I understand Lady and Sandy already have a flight crew on board to finalize everything. So we can leave as soon as we are ready."
I continue to twist the mask in my hands as I turn my gaze to it, and my aura and eyes start to glow a steady gray. As I try not to look at Erika, and try to fight my current emotions unsuccessfully. Since I am still not sure if she cares what I say or more importantly if she really will ever want to have and embrace such a monster as her little brother. Lady may not see me as a monster, however Erika is older and more experienced and knows most, if not every, horrid thing that I have done without regret. So Erika does know just what an evil monster and abomination I am. So why would she even consider accepting me as her long lost brother, no matter the situation.
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Post by Erika Widowmaker on Jun 23, 2015 4:17:22 GMT
Erika Widowmaker looked at Atticus with her piercing green eyes as she said after a sigh of resignation, "Irathient spirituality believes there are three parts to a person. Gyabire, the brain is the seat of intelligence; Gyagbe is the heart, the source of vitality; and Gyargye, the stomach, is the house of emotion. Irzu assigns paths for people to follow and they may not always be the easiest or even comfortable, but there is a reason it is given. My path has always emphasized the Gyabire, and perhaps that it is why it is there that I am attacked by an enemy I cannot defeat with the strength of my warrior's arm. Perhaps it is my hubris that finally doomed me, for I was so sure that logic conquered all, and that the Gyabire was superior to the other two parts of my spiritual person." Erika stood slowly up to her full seven foot height, looking like a sad Amazon warrior of ancient human legend, as she said while holstering her magnum, "Now I find myself unable to help my children like I was unable to help my brother despite all my rationality, and I am overcome with emotion: The Gyargye rules my life perhaps for the first time ever. Now I find my vitality sapped by a unseen enemy, and the Gyabe that I always took for granted may be silenced forever. If that is what Irzu wishes, then I am ready, but I hope she will let me introduce my Irathient family to my brother before I die, as I hope you, my brother, will safeguard our Irathient family and hopefully do a better job at it than I ever did. Perhaps you will also find the spiritual balance of the three better than I ever did. So do as you will as patriarch of our family as to Kaj and Kara, for I trust you will protect her." Erika walked slowly to where Atticus still sat at the conference table, and hugged him from behind, kissing the top of his head gently, than laying her red clay cheek on it as she said, "Maybe this was Irzu's plan all along, that when I lost my way on my path, I would cross yours before succumbing to the sinking ritual." "The sinking ritual?" Asked Atticus, unsure of what she meant but not liking the sound of it. Erika smiled replying, "The sinking ritual is an Irathient funerary rite. The deceased's belongings are sunk into a liquid broth, followed by the deceased themselves. The liquid strips away the flesh and organs, but leaves the bones behind. During the rite you must say in Irathient as part of the ritual: Áábegna rógur aagbáárahaa. Kwáázaala shehítu Írzu gyaanáágnazwaa li-Erika maai, étegna nígya nudéke shehibaaktúhe shegdááhaa udékazwi gyaa záábaak shezelélu nenéme. Gyaabirbúri sa gyaagbbúri. Étegna tei úthuma ubishízwi ur ízaa. Thehurthékazwaa sígya sizízi. Seté shushááktu udékazwi sa ruthé shevúhe thógur rikiéra rikáágni lutáágnazwaa (We stand here on sacred ground. While Erika’s spirit will soon join Irzu, her bones remain to adorn this place so we will always remember her. In our minds and hearts. Her belongings must proceed her. This broth is her purification. It will spare her bones and return the three elements of her body to nature)." Erika reluctantly broke the embrace, walking to the conference room door, opening it and saying, "Perhaps it will not be necessary, at least not yet. I will take your suggestion and sleep tonight in the stratocarrier in preparation for our trip to Defiance. However know brother, that if the worse comes to pass, know you did your best and I am grateful for that. More importantly, my life was enriched with me knowing you both as a friend, and now a brother. If my sinking ritual is tomorrow, know I have no regrets, but also know I would have had them in the afterlife if I never had met you."  |
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Post by Belle Starr on Jun 23, 2015 5:16:02 GMT
 Two human men, one tall with a uni-brow the other short and pudgy, sat at a rickety table playing cards in a hidden hanger in Madera. "Do you have any nines?" Asked Bert, the tall one. "No! Go fish!" Said Ernie, the short one happily. Suddenly they saw an attractive Castithan woman in 7th Legion garb closely followed by a distinguished gray haired man in a black trench coat and cigarette dangling from his thin lips come through the hangar doors. Ernie drew a his Wolverine pistol from his shoulder holster as Bert picked up his pump shotgun leaning on the table next to him. "Excuse me folks," Said Ernie with an easy smile, "This here is private property! You aren't allowed here!" "Yeah," Said Bert gesturing with his shotgun, "Go away!" "Sorry boys! Nothing personal," Said the pretty Castithan woman, a wicked smile grin on her chalk white face as she took a switchblade out of her cleavage, opening it with a quick flick of her wrist, as she glanced at the small plane in the hangar with her long lashed sky blue eyes, "We need the plane and you are in our way to getting it." "No we're not!" Ernie exclaimed as he dropped his pistol to the ground, holding his pudgy hands up in front of him in surrender. "Wh-what?" Asked Bert staring at his friend incredulously but still clutching his shotgun. Ernie glared at Bert, not believing his friend could be so dense, "Don't you recognize these two Bert! They're the up and comers in the criminal underworld of the Bay Area! We saw the guy fight one of Tommasino's guys at the Fork and beat him to a pulp! An that is Lena Marr! The Lena Marr!" Bert dropped his shotgun as the blood drained from his face, then raised his hands too, repeating, "The Lena Marr! Oh, crap, game over man! But what about the boss?" Ernie rolled his eyes at his friend, stating, "The boss is dead, man, remember, we just heard, and no boss, no paycheck!," Then facing the dangerous looking couple, "Hey, you guys starting a mob? We'd love to work for you two! If you kill us, you'll have to find the plane's ignition keys and security codes. I can fix you right up with both." "But Ernie, those are right in you coat pocket," Blurted Bert as his friend glared at him. Lena's sky blue eyes lit up as she regarded the two flicking her knife from open to closed, and then open again, then turned to Marcel with a wicked grin, asking, "Oooooh! Can we keep them? It would be SO much fun to have minions!" |
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Post by Marcel Lestrange on Jun 23, 2015 5:30:28 GMT
Marcel Lestrange looked at those two - his glance was very long and really evaluative - and said after consideration: "As long as they won't get near something that really matters, we can keep them. They seem to be nice guys. Or they have acting skills which would make even greatest actors to envy them." Then he grinned devilishly, made a bit sad and serious face and turned to Bert and Ernie:
"We are going to take over this hangar with everything, including you two and keep it ourselves. Seems that Loorea died suddenly and left us mourning her premature death. Maybe this aircraft and you two will help us, her inheritors, to get over the pain of loss. Consider yourselves hired, boys. I think that you can keep an eye on this hangar while we are away, but I do have to ask you not to team up with other people who might acclaim this place to themselves. Loyalty will be well paid, treason will be severely punished, so would you be so kind and deal with any trespassers who might appear here with bad intentions. I do hope that plane is ready to take off."
Marcel fondled their new hangar with his eyes. This morning seemed to be really profitable - a hangar with plane and two...creatures belonged to them now and they just had to be first ones there to claim this property. Hopefully those two are reasonable enough to protect it from others until Lena and Marcel return from Defiance.
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Post by Atticus Batman on Jun 23, 2015 6:29:30 GMT
I actually relaxed some when Erika hugged me from behind, kissing the top of my head gently, then lay her red clay cheek on it. I even found myself pushing against her and enjoying the loving embrace of the Big sister, I just discovered. My eyes and aura even turned green showing that I once again found some kind of internal balance. When she talks about the Sinking Ritual and her impending death, my aura fades most of the way and flickers gray then, goes back to green, though it is now barely noticeable, and my eyes stay green for the time being. When Erika breaks the embrace and heads to the door, I put on my mask and get up.
After she finishes talking and heads out, I grab her gun and follow her. I step next to her and slider her gun back in her holster and she glances at me and actually smiles a little again. "Can't let my new big sister forget her firearm. Always be prepared for anything." I then walk with Erika to her quarters, where she is presumably going to get her to-go gear, then head to the Strato-carrier. Besides I must walk past hers to go to Kaj's and I still feel it best to get him into medical and under watch right away given his depression after tonight's events.
As we walk I talk quietly to Erika. "I may be a godless savage in most people's eyes but do know of our gods and have a photographic memory so I would do everything in my power to do it like you want. I have even prayed to them a few times. Of course I do also worship one of Earth's Patron Saints. St. Julian the Hospitaler, a patron saint of travelers and several other things including murderers, that would be me. Anyway I inscribed his markings on the hilt of every Amakune blade that I have ever owned, and several other blades and my favorite fire-arms for that matter. So maybe I am a godless savage, since I pray to a saint more than I do our gods. Not sure, but do know that I am indeed a savage. Doesn't matter. I am what I am and am usually fine with it." I show her my blade's hilt then return it to my belt.
"As for our Irathiant gods. I have already admitted I believe mainly in strength and vitality, the Gyagbe, due to my life in squalor. It is well known that I am an expert tracker and tactition so I suppose that is where Gyabire comes in, and recently have prayed to Irzu several times for guidance. I am also sure you have realized my emotions change my eye color and sometimes cause a noticeable aura of that color. So my powers are emotion based, Gyargye. Although before meeting all of you, the only emotions I knew were fear as a child then anger and hatred since. Thanks to all of you I am learning other emotions, and am glad for that. Anyway, if your sinking ritual is tomorrow, then I will make sure it is done correctly. However I would rather it not be for a long time. I just got a big sister, so I wouldn't want to lose her now. However I know: Whatever can happen, will happen. So as I said, a few seconds ago: Always be prepared for anything."
We reach her doorway and I say, "One more thing though. I do not have any memories of before waking on the way to the hellish Omec Colony, however I am haunted by something, and perhaps you can tell me why. Shortly after I became Atticus Batman: Bounty hunter, I hunted down a Irathiant who was wanted for murder, of course. I of course would do it because it was a job and he was wanted dead. I didn't care that his victims of choice were women and more specifically mothers of newborns. That wasn't my concern. Anyway when I tracked him down, it was near the window of one of his intended victims. He died too quickly for my taste. However that is not what bugs me or haunts me, and I doubt you want details anyway, so I will get out with it. I peaked in the young woman's window and she was rocking her baby and singing to him unaware of everything that just happened. She was a young Irathiant woman, probably not much older than Lady. What haunts me is that Irathiant lullaby. I know it was the first time I had ever heard it since waking in that medical transport.
However, even though it was a young woman rocking her baby, when I heard that lullaby, I swear I pictured a young Irath girl with piercing green eyes...such as yours, only a few years older than that baby boy, definitely only old enough to be a sister or cousin and not mother, rocking him and singing that Lullaby. This lullaby."
I sing part of the song I heard, not aware of the fact that it is the same one that Kara sang earlier in holo-therapy. Erika simply smiles with some slight shock in her eyes at my confession. Then she let's me know why. "I told you I had some memory of taking care of you when we were children. I vaguely remember rocking and cuddling my baby brother, you, and singing that song to get you to sleep more easily."
I say, "Thank you for telling me that, Erika. I was certain it was just a forgotten childhood dream resurfacing and haunting me...or something else. I guess it must have been a flash of a memory, of the loving sister I lost. At least I now know that one of my haunting dreams is actually a good one. Anyway get some rest, and I will see you tomorrow. Besides one of us should sleep and it will not be me. I need a lot less sleep thanks to Sazri Kakusi and our unique physiology and relationship, and given all that happened, it is best to get Kaj into suicide watch as soon as possible. Then check in on Kara's status. If Wolfram or Volodja are in the Therapy wing, I will see if they agree with my idea to reintroduce Kaj to her, and if they do, how soon they want to do it. If it is while I am on base, then I will personally supervise as Director of Security. Then after she is better you can introduce her and Caele to their uncle, once Volodja and Wolfram are sure they can handle that new information. Goodnight Erika...Goodnight my big sister."
I look down the empty halls and then give Erika a quick hug, still uncomfortable with hugging somebody other than Lady, even though Belle and I have hugged like family a couple of times. After she enters her room and closes her door, I contact Lady, and tell her the news that Erika is actually my Big sister. I of course also tell Lady that I love her and wish her goodnight before I hang up, also promising that I will get some nutrients to keep my energy up and if I don't sleep at all tonight, that I will sleep on the flight to Defiance.
Then I contact Chris and tell him I need the Tasers that are locked in engineering and to meet me at Kaj's with them right away. I also tell him I need several more made and why. I also contact security and have two EGO-equipped guards sent to meet Chris and myself at Kaj's quarters.
As I get there, I contact Volodja via hailer, "Fool.. shouldn't call you that should I? Old habits and all ...Volodja. Hmm perhaps I should start calling you by what you prefer, so here goes. Volo. Volo, sorry to disturb you at such a late hour. I just thought that you should know as Director of Psycho-babble...I mean Psychiatry, more old habits and prejudices I am afraid. Anyway, no matter what your official title currently is, I am personally moving Kaj to medical and placing him in a private room under suicide watch. Guards armed with side-arms and Bio-man Tasers will be stationed outside his door at all times. If you prefer he moved to the Psychiatry wing where the rooms have two-way mirrors so he can be better watched, then I will do so. It is probably a better and safer idea than Medical anyway. I am at his quarters now. In case you or Wolfram want to meet us wherever you want him placed, under suicide watch. So you can assess your newest patient now, if you two prefer. Also Erika gave her permission to allow you to let Kaj see Kara at least once, with his guards and you or Wolfram watching through the window of course. But only if you and Wolfram feel that it is a good idea. If it is while I am on base, I will also be there as Director of Security to handle and shutdown Kaj if needed." |
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Post by Volodja Uljanov on Jun 23, 2015 6:55:50 GMT
"You may call me a Fool if you like to, because believe it or not, it's much easier to call you the Giant than Atticus. Actually we are in Wolfram's office and just finished hard battle....on the chess table. If you want to transport Kaj here, then we are ready to receive him and will see, what we can do about his last wish which might not become the last one after all, because if he manages to avoid doing something drastic with himself then it will be just a wish amongst others. By the way - do you prefer to see Kara in catatonia or could we try to bring her out from that condition? Both options suit us here. It's up to you to decide, because you are her relatives after all. See you soon, guys."
Volodja put his hailer down, turned to Wolfram and said: "Prepare to meet another patient. Lieutenant Kaj Oenfer arrives to our tender care and under surveillance. He feels suicidal, so we just have to disrespect his will and wishes and keep him alive even if he doesn't want that. Except one wish which we fulfil - he wants to see Kara despite of her catatonia. We can wake her up if needed, of course. I cant predict results of their meeting though, so I let family to decide what will be our next move. For our knowledge - Kaj will be placed under 24/7 monitoring, so I must thank Sophie once again when she returns for creating Di, who is capable of doing that. Damn! I miss my girl so much. Although I can play chess with you, Soph has other qualities that make her irreplaceable."
Wolfram gathered pieces and stashed them into chess table, before sticking it back into his pocket. Both of them sat silently and were busy with their own thoughts until Di arrived from inspection tour and joined them, so they could fill her in with details about Kaj and decide what measures to take to make surveillance to be more effective. Nigh shift of maintenance men finished with instalment of emergency generators and foreman came in and reported about job done to Wolfram like a soldier which made Volodja and Di to exchange glances and smile. Once an officer and gentlemen, Wolfram remained to be one even after decades of heavy drinking and was able to arise respect around him, like he was in charge of an army. That amusing scene took off some more tension, so soon all of three members of the sanity team were chatting about insanity and it's different forms.
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