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Post by Volodja Uljanov on Aug 13, 2015 9:26:04 GMT
Loneliness has always been a friend of Volodja Uljanov. He was actually able to feel alone even in most crowded places. If he was born earlier he would probably avoided pop concerts because he never managed to forget himself to be part of adoring and roaring crowd. He was more classical music type and he would enjoyed the opera or symphonies. especially when people act decently and put away their candy bags and switch off their cell phones. Now he was yet lefty alone. Medics were gone, Belle was asleep and rest of the team was away. And being chained into hospital bed wasn't for Volodja. Since they put his wheelchair further, he had to look around for other means to get there. Silently he stood up and supporting himself with his hand he hopped towards it, using only his good leg. With a sigh and sweat on his high forehead he finally lowered himself to the seat and rolled himself quietly away. With leg like that he can't walk very far so making a City tour was out of the question, but if he can find himself a nice place on the roof and watch City from there. Why not to enjoy panoramic view. Shame that he could not share the sight with anyone, but even that was normal to him. Most of the times when he found a scenic sight or sat down to enjoy the colours of the rainbow or different shades of the sunset, he was alone. Only thing he took with him (except his pistol of course) was his boot flask. Soon he was sitting near the edge, looked Red Deer (still an impressive sight although their little war with Esthete Sr. caused quite a damage). Making things right took it's toll as usual. The mission cost him some blood, his ability to move around (temporarily), lot of finances and his personal life, although the latter was his own fault. But at least citizens were free from thetyranny and Vo was with them again.  He had another gulp from his flask. Then another. Sky was empty. City was still empty after the battle. His soul felt kind of empty as well. But at least he had a view to enjoy. And some Brandy. And future perspectives to continue his path as soon as he can move without this damn chair. |
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Post by Wolfram von Eschen on Aug 13, 2015 10:01:00 GMT
Wolfram von Eschen had his daily walk. Just like Immanuel Kant he developed a habit to walk on exact time and exact route very day. Soon the crew got used to it just like inhabitants of Koenigsberg and started to adjust their watches according to his daily routine. Punctuality, you know. Even when Wolfram was dead drunk, he was precise, because his Schnapps demanded dedication, exact measurement of ingredients and perfect timing. Otherwise it would be ruined.
When he passed holo training room, he could hear sounds of moaning behind it. "Pleasure!" registered his brain. Since it was not Wolfram's business, he continued with his walk. When he reached to infirmary area on his way back, he heard moaning again. "Pain!" announced his brain. This time he decided to have a look, because he might be useful there. He opened the door and entered into Dr. Orions hive...
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Post by Atticus Batman on Aug 13, 2015 11:11:58 GMT
Still holding Lady as much as I can, Dr. Orion looked worried, and said, "Atticus, you know I'll do everything in my power to save your family - all of your family - but there are so many complications. I have to ask this question as you are the next of kin: If I can only save either Lady or the twins, which do you choose?"
My aura and eyes, by this time have turned a very pale gray, as I registered Orion's question, and without thinking, I responded with, "I choose Lady. Always and forever, LADY. I love them all and want them all saved, but if I must choose.....then there is NO choice. It IS and ALWAYS will be, LADY! So save my wife." I then lean my head against hers and close my eyes as some tears, that I don't notice, drip from my eyes and onto her cheek causing a tiny and harmless electric spark as they touch her skin.
Kaj was looking at the drones and the now stationary Monolith that he had crippled, when his hailer beeped. He put in his earpiece and answered it, and heard Taffer's voice.
"The plan is really simple now", Taffer voiced to the group channel including Kaj's failer, "We're going to the last known location of Chloe's plane, and then start spiraling away from it, scanning the ground for traces. With the Monolith and its scanner at our disposal we can double the scan radius, covering the area faster. Once we find something, we'll act accordingly. All the team, please stay in place, I'll pick you up."
Kaj said an affirmative, then disconnected his earpiece. As he did, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby building. So he went to it and started unblocking the entrance. He had just finished helping it's inhabitants out of the damaged building, when the team's flight-craft descended near him. He made sure all were cleared from the building and uninjured, some of Esthete's drones coming and helping him clear the path by that time. Then he turned and saw the cargo hold of the craft open with it still hovering above ground. Kaj quickly climbed in and was greeted by Vo, who reclosed the door. Then they joined the others in the craft's common area.
A little while later, after Taffer got everybody who was to be going on this newest endeavor, Kaj heard Sandy introduce herself and he looked into her eyes and listened the whole time she talked about death and rebirth. Then about Biomen and the Pale Wars. Then Sandy looked wistfully into space with her big blue eyes in retrospective thought, then turned back to Kaj, "Sorry to bend your ear with old war memories big guy, but I feel so out of place, because most people - I guess all the people - I knew back then are dead - died while I slept! Most of those who fought in the Pale Wars who are alive don't want to talk about it, but I died before the terraforming, back when the war was all patriotic and all the human nations were all finally on the same page forming the EMC and we really thought we were going to win and we felt so good about ourselves and... I guess that all turned to schatko when the terraforming began! The dream of a united humanity became a horror story..."
Sandy looked at her Pulser SMG in her hands, saying before she let the conversation drift into quiet, "But I sure do miss those guys in my old squad..."
Kaj nodded and smiled, then said, "Little soldier, you have nothing to apologize. Everyone needs somebody that will listen or they....well they do something stupid and end up dead or in Doctor Von Eschen's ward on suicide watch. However he does not treat me like a tool or a stupid oaf, so I would recommend his company over one's own bad thoughts. However if you prefer to talk to a big purple giant then I will gladly listen. Besides I do know how you feel in a way. I always feel so out of place, because most people see Biomen as tools or idiots, and it is hard normally being the only Bio-man around. Even worse, I am the last of the Lincoln line. My creators tried to make us the best at everything, a sort of jack-of-all-trades. However in doing so, it gave us more empathy, sympathy and freewill than they intended. As such most of the Lincoln line became pacifists or soldiers that only killed when it was the last choice. Neither one was a good thing for a Killing Machine. So most were forced to be on the front anyway and died because of it. Others reassigned. Actually most..........most were killed in battle or decommissioned, another words terminated by our own creators and comrades, before the terraforming...Anyway, I was reassigned to guard duty at Fort Benning, for the last year or so of the war. I had been stationed there for over two months at the time of the terraforming. Even other Bio-men once saw the Lincolns as a huge failure just because we would not blindly kill.
Perhaps they were right. I was constantly moving from location to location and job to job, until Atticus hired me on at Fortress K'shaa, where I tried too hard to be human and it ended in failure. It was because of me that Lena Marr almost succeeded in killing Miss Lady and would have if it were not for you. Then Commander Widowmaker asked me to speak to her daughter Kara because kara met me in the infirmary and saw me as a kindred spirit or some such thing. I agreed to. However the doctors felt it was best to continue Kara's delusion that she was the Mistress of Judgment. unfortunately, as I was created with a genetic decree to not lie to any in my team and she is the daughter of one of my commanders, I told her the truth. I ended up temporarily deactivated after it left her catatonic. Then I was confined to quarters and removed from duty. Also because I felt so bad for possibly irreparably damaging an innocent, and one that I was developing feelings for, just hours after meeting her, I felt Commander Widowmaker was right that I should be terminated. So I was placed under Doctor Von Eschen's care in suicide watch. However Atticus gave me a chance to fix my mistake with Kara and my talking to her helped this time. So I was allowed to have meals with her. Now, because Belle needed my strength, as well as a Bioman bodyguard for appearance sake, she got me out and brought me along. Now I think I have found a friend in Chase and one in Volo, not to mention saving Vo, who was the first to treat me as an equal. And as you seem alright with Biomen, perhaps a friend in you as well.
You know I was always told that I did not talk enough. However since coming to Fortress K'shaa, I also seem to have gotten, as you said, diaheria of the mouth. As it seems I am always saying everything that is on my mind. Especially when trying to defend myself or my kind. Or when trying to make a friend, or a point. So if emotions seem so bittersweet for you, a human and therefore designed to have and listen to emotion, imagine how hard it is for me. A man-made soldier and killing machine designed to NOT have or listen to emotion, and yet somehow ended up with them and no idea of how to deal with them. I kept striving to be human in every way. Yet the closer I seem to get, the more it hurts when my naïve actions hurt or upset somebody that I care about. How do naturally born humans handle such a thing? Does not matter. I know you can not explain. Neither could Doctor Von Eschen when I asked. He simply said, learning to live with and handle emotion is part of being human and impossible to fully explain. I am sure he would have tried to explain if I wanted him to. However I did not ask further. I am starting to realize that all he meant was, perhaps, that emotions are better learned to handle and live with from experience rather than from my books."
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Post by Volodja Uljanov on Aug 13, 2015 17:43:32 GMT
"What do you think, Sophie dear?"
"I think that if you keep drinking up here you may fall and that would be a really dumb thing to do. You almost died twice today. But both of them were battle situations...sort of. But falling down from the rooftop after the battle...there are more heroic ways to go, Volodja."
"I am careful, Sophie dear. But you know how is hate doing absolutely nothing but feeling useless. At moment I would like to be a part of the search party to help find Chloe. Or be down there and help people to restore their homes. Instead of that, I am forced into this wheelchair. I agree with you that playing an elevator is one idiotic way to go. I'd prefer to go in more meaningful manner. Actually, I would like to grow old and...Never mind that. I am obviously not a suitable for domestication. "But the wildest of all the wild animals was the Cat. He walked by himself, and all places were alike to him." Rudyard Kipling."
"If you think about wandering away,Volodja, then I have some bad news - you can't. Unless you steal this wheelchair and I know that you are not going to do it, because you are a damn sentimentalist. Stealing hospital's property is against your principles."
"You are right about that, Sophie. Sometimes I do wish that I could have more calculative cynicism like Marcel has. Unlike me, he doesn't care about consequences. He just acts and succeeds, unless I mess up his plans like I used to. But now...I'm not half the man I used to be. There's a shadow hanging..."
"Oh no! Not The Beatles again!"
"Sophie dear. I haven't bothered you with them as long as I remember."
"Actually you did. Don't you remember that? When you had me already and the we got into that trouble in..."
"Sophie dear. Don't start now. You know how it's usually goes. You provoke me and then I will have another damned flashback. Spare me from Pavlov's conditioning, please. I beg you. I had enough of them already during this mission and not exactly the good ones. Let's enjoy the view instead of contemplating. You know, Sophie, lot of us having voices in our heads these days and nobody puts us away because of that. Speaking of...I wonder what Wolfram is doing and does he want an EGO implant as well? I sure like hearing your voice in my head. Maybe my old friend could use one too. Especially when I am not around to play Jiminy Cricket."
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Post by Sandy Bell on Aug 13, 2015 19:36:47 GMT
"I sure could use a friend, thank you big guy," Sandy said with a broad grin on her tan face, "I feel like I'm a stranger to the team ever since I got my real body back, like I'm a raw recruit again, and have actually had to fight the urge to start saluting everybody!"
Sandy laughed good naturedly, but then her blue eyes took on a serious look as the grin disappeared, "As to emotions, I don't think there are any experts on them, even psychiatrists like Wolfram only can guess. Far as I can tell, you seem to do as well as the rest of us in dealing with them - we all kind of just muddle through, taking our feelings as we find them. The stronger we feel about something - or someone - the more we are lost, just treading water. I know I feel like I'm caught in a torrid ocean in a tropical storm on a surf board when I'm dealing with how I feel about Volodja. Just when I think I'm almost to shore, or think I might have caught a wave just right, I get thrown for a loop and feel like I'm drowning."
Sandy's big blue eyes lost focus as she stared straight in front of her, and said bitterly, "Kaj, if there is one emotion you want to avoid, it's love. Love can take you the greatest heights, but then smash you so deep into the ground that you'll think you'll never find your way back to the surface. Trust me on this: Like is so much better than love, and lasts longer." Sandy turned towards Kaj and grinned at him, saying in her normal cheerful tone "I LIKE you Kaj, so you may damn well consider me your friend. Shake on it?"
Sandy spit into her hand and held it out for him to shake, but when he stared at her in question, she remarked, "Oh, it's just a ritual we had in my old unit to show we accepted a new member as both a friend an a comrade-in-arms."
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Post by Belle Starr on Aug 13, 2015 19:55:20 GMT
Belle Starr woke up with a start in the hospital bed, but feeling completely well, so she queried her EGO psyche, "Am I as fit as I feel, or just delusional Alfred?"
"Another test of your Volge physiology passed with flying colors," Answered Alfred with pride in his work at grafting her genes with Volge ones when she was in the womb.
Belle put a pale hand to her forehead as she closed tightly her blue diamond eyes, saying, "Great, just great! Another way I found not to die!"
"You don't want to die, do you Belle?" Asked Alfred with a note of concern in his voice, which surprised Belle for she even believed it was sincere.
"No, not really - I guess!" Answered Belle, "I don't want to die, I just get so tired of living! Never mind, don't worry! By the way, where is everybody?"
"Mr. Uljanov is on the roof, recovering from his leg wound, the rest have gone on a rescue mission, as Ms. Mac Guyver's plane crashed near here," Answered Alfred.
"God, I hope she is okay! I'm the one who ordered her to get out of Red Deer as soon as the razor rain storm passed!" Said Belle with alarm, "I'll never forgive myself if she got harmed - or worse -because of it!"
Belle found a hospital robe in her room closet and put it on, not wanting to wander the halls of the hospital naked. She walked around aimlessly, deep in thought until she found herself on the roof, not by conscious intention but perhaps by subconscious one, looking at the back of one of the men she loved as he sat in a wheelchair looking at the city of Red Deer. She walked up to him, putting a pale hand gently on his shoulder and smiled warmly, not moving it when his moved up to cover hers.
Belle looked over the city with intense blue diamond eyes, her free hand swiping her blond locks from in front of them as she said, "Y'all know, we did good work here today! We saved a lot of innocent lives here, and relatively bloodlessly! The whole team really pulled together! You and Vo especially, y'all make a good team! Which is why I'm leaving - no don't say anything yet, just hear me out! I love you both too much, and if I remain, I'll just keep being not only divisive but a diversion, and sooner or later I'll get one of you killed! Maybe that's what I need to do anyway - to got into the world and prove I don't need a man to love to keep doing good, although I'll miss all of y'all horribly!"
With that Belle leaned over, closing her eyes tightly as she kissed him longingly with her soft rose petal lips, her robe inadvertently opening showing her firm milky white breast. She opened her beauiful blue eyes, but unexpectantly didn't blush as she casually closed her robe again, remarking with a sad smile, "It's nice to leave with a win!"
Truth to tell however, Belle Starr didn't feel like a winner; in fact, she felt like she was losing everything that made life worth living, for what is a life worth without love?
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Post by Luuzuk Kshaa on Aug 13, 2015 20:51:38 GMT
Lu watched the Monolith putting her Hellblaser Nomad on the ground with grim look on her face. This roller was her best tool, working as a transport, a shelter, a winch, a generator, a light source, a ladder, a transceiver and many other uses she found for it while traveling through the desert. Seeing it scratched and dented so badly gave her a feeling like she had just hurt a good friend although she fully understood it was just a machine and all the damage that was done to the thing was necessary to help good people in their fight or transport the injured to the hospital. Surely her brother promised repair it but she still wasn't sure if he really meant it, and there might be other circumstances beyond his will which might force him to leave the city before he could fulfill his promise. "Don't worry Miss Lu, I'll get your transport repaired in no time!" She heard Esthete's voice coming from one of the drones which evidently was examining the truck as well, "I have all the diagnostics done by Shirra already, so it's just a matter of towing it to one of my repair shops and actually applying all repairs needed. Shirra is Vo's EGO AI if you didn't know." "And the cost of these repairs is?" Lu asked with suspicion, noting to herself that Vo at least tried to fulfill his promise once he had some time at least for diagnostics. "All the damage done due to the Esthete's malfunctioning will be rectified free of charge of course", Esthete replied, "besides, if there's something I can do for my friends…" "Careful with that", Lu said in a serious tone, interrupting him in mid-sentence, "You're kind of top hat here now and people might get pretty much upset if they knew you had some special friends who might be getting some special benefits from you which all other folks can't. Having you as a friend is all nice, but all the cookies better come either from official channels or from well-hidden ones." "Got it", whispered Esthete, as the drone crawled closer to Lu's ear, "I'm still learning all this administrative stuff, so thanks for the heads-up". Their conversation was interrupted by Taffer's spacecraft landing next to them. "My bus is waiting!" Lu exclaimed to the drone, "See you byte-muncher! Ah, and if you're real about all this repair stuff, please don't make it look too shiny. Don't like people getting all envious just because of the looks of my roller." "Got it! Don't you worry, everything will be on wheels!", Esthete said as a big automated platform started to pull the roller. Meanwhile Lu entered the ship and was immediately met by Vo who took her by hand and led her to the pilot seat. "We're about to meet my best friend", Vo whispered, "Put your best face on please. So Taf, meet Lu from Calgary!" Taffer stood up from the seat and stared at two grinning faces stunned at the striking resemblance. "So you are…" "Twins, exactly!" Vo mouthed with a winning smile, while Lu suddenly started to search through her pockets. "Shtako, shtako, shtako", she muttered in a feign hastiness, "here's a famous DJ Taffer and I don't have a skrugging piece of paper to get an autograph from him!" "You already have one", Taffer replied warmly, "Back there in Calgary in the equipment rack under the decryptor module in a form of a code which you can use to contact me through the encrypted channel on any time. Well, I'm afraid I have to go back to my duties as a pilot to carry our rescue team and then to perform an aerial search for the missing plane. And Vo will have to control the Monolith on our way, so I'm afraid we both will be too busy to chat no matter how badly we might want to." "Hey, if Vo could control your Monolith so good it even managed to carry my truck without turning it into a pile of scrap metal, so can I", Lu proposed, "So you could chat with each other and I could have some meditation and some training in case you might need another mech driver." As both friends agreed to her proposition and shared the control codes with her, Lu walked into the passenger cabin, sat silently in a dark corner and concentrated on the image from the Monolith's camera her EGO projected on her retina. The Monolith came into motion and followed the spacecraft, sometimes racing ahead and then falling behind by performing a vertical loop.  |
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Post by Lady Christianna on Aug 14, 2015 0:47:17 GMT
As Atticus watched, Dr. Orion carefully made the Ceasarean incision into Lady Christianna's belly, the extracted the first of the babies. As Dr. Orion carefully cut the umbilical cord connected to the mother, Atticus could see that the baby was a girl. However, when Dr Orion slapped her behind to get her breathing, bright green eyes flashed open in anger, and for a second Atticus wondered if Caprice was ging to do something violent, but instead she cried like a normal newborn, as Dr. Orion handed her off to a nurse to be cleaned. The next delivery was tricky, as Cosmin's umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck cutting the flow of oxygen to his brain. Dr. Orion worked as quickly as he could, keeping in mind Atticus' plea to keep Lady alive at all costs, but as he unwrapped the cord, he had to slap Atticus' son several times before he too began breathing and crying. As if in tune with the newborn's cries, the machine monitoring Lady's life functions let off a clarion call of it's own, signifying that Lady's heart had stopped beating from the strain of birthing. Dr. Orion called for defibrillator, but the nurse had to rush out of the room to get it, and in the meanwhile Lady was dying.  |
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Post by Volodja Uljanov on Aug 14, 2015 6:31:32 GMT
Volodja was sunken into the flow of emotions when Belle kissed her on the hospital roof where they looked over the liberated city of Red Deer and it's people who started to restore their living place and putting out fires on the horizon, so smoke pillars, polluting the air and the landscape started to disappear one after another. City was torn and wretched by the mini war, but it still looked amazing because it was ALIVE.
"We are of the same blood you and I," said Volodja, quoting Kipling again. "And not because you saved my life with the blood transfusion. We both believe in better world. We both did everything we could to save this place and avoid spilling any blood although I failed that part." He pointed ta his wounded leg. "So did rest of our team, because we all followed you in that cause. And now you are planning to leave while I cant even run after you, but have to crawl. Last time we were in similar situation in Freedom, it turned into a disaster, but you know - maybe it was necessary mess so we could write couple of chapters of our lives. Maybe this situation ends better, but if you leave, you will never find that out. You was the one who told that maybe we are meant to be together and now you are planning to leave everything behind just like I usually do. You are better person than I can ever be, so avoid making my mistakes.
I lived that life you want to try - wandering around, saving innocents and doing everything to remain to the light side. That life style suits me, because I am the wandering knight-errant, a bard and the jester. You are an icon just like Jeanne d' Arc and you symbolize hope to the people of Paradise and everywhere else. You did that in Freedom, now you are doing it here and you did that even in Defiance. I beg you to hold on some more and wait until I get better, so I could have a fair chance to run after you and bring you back where you belong. And if I fail that mission then I can move myself away from the sight, because I am used with that kind of anonymous life.
I am glad that I infiltrated to our fortress, because I fell in love with two wonderful girls and started to think about terms of settling myself down at last. At least I had that chance. Lot of people don't have that kind of thing. If you leave then I am going to be alone and we both will lose. If I go, you will have a chance to rebuild your life again just like these good people in here. Look - they already started doing that.
And I can keep the memories about my time with our little family and my dreams about you and me. My belongings may stay behind. Just store them somewhere, so I can come after them one day, if I don't manage convince you not to leave yet and wait. You don't lose much if I am not around. I would like to stay and fight to the end and write our story, but if my leaving eases things for you then I have to go. I can't be that selfish. You still have something to win. You need to love and to be loved. My evasive and shy love might be not a big thing but it's still love and I want you to be happy."
Volodja squeezed gently Belle's hand, knowing that he doesn't want to let her go. She must stay, because people need her. Volodja loves and needs her, but unlike Belle, he was the wanderer. A rolling stone. For him leaving meant returning to his old life he was used with that. You know the routine - knight arrives, hears about some monster, kills the monster or convinces him to leave the place alone and moves on after that. Princess has to stay to her kingdom and be everything for her people - a good example, a source of hope, a saviour when they needed one. And a dream for a wandering knight-errant. But at least for a moment he could share the sight of this beautiful City with someone, so close to him. And he shared something else with Belle - a gentle kiss, he put to her soft rose petal lips. Wherever he goes, this special moment stays with him. And Belle can be happy once again when he is not around. That was the small price to pay for Belle's happiness.
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Post by Wolfram von Eschen on Aug 14, 2015 10:14:43 GMT
"Scheisse!" exclaimed Wolfram. "She just left to fetch that thing and it takes ages to load. Time for some good old handwerk." And with few quick steps he rushed over Lady's bed and started to give her a heart massage, explaining: "Even if it takes few broken ribs, it will be small price to pay. And now pay attention everyone. When I was young I met an experienced paramedic who taught me how achieve the right tempo, when you are doing this. All you have to do is to sing The Bee Gees song "Stayin' alive" while you are doing the massage. Not only because it has a message. It also has a perfect rhythm for CPR. Ooh ooh ooh ooh stayin' alive stayin' alive...."
And Wolfram von Eschen started to bring back the Lady while the nurse was searching for the defibrillator...
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Post by Belle Starr on Aug 14, 2015 10:20:50 GMT
Belle Starr continued to watch the city with sad blue diamond eyes ass he held Volodja's hand with hers as it rested on his shoulder, She mulled his words over and over again through her mind, seeing the truth in them but also wanting to find reasons to deny it. Not finding any rational ones, she had to admit that the only real reason for leaving was a selfish one: Because it was easier for her. It would be so easy to run free and just leave all the problems and responsiblities behind; to start fresh someplace where nobody knew her.
But easy solutions were never Belle's forte, and she knew it. Even after she thought Chase and her sister dead, then had the miscarriage of her and Vo's baby, she left Vo and the rest of her friends for five months, but not the Bay Area, where she would still see them and even work with them on occassion. Instead of leaving, she threw herself into her work with VBI, making great strides there in establising a power base so that she could help transform the corrupt corporation into the force for good it had once been. Belle knew she was kidding herself in even considering a noble exit into the sunset never to be seen again. Unlike the cowboy heroes she had seen do that in the movies of her youth, she had too many undone tasks to ever do that, and too many people who counted on her to do those tasks.
Most importantly, it wouldn't be fair to the family she helped form in Paradise, especially the two men she loved in her life. I wouldn't be fair to leave either of them in such an unsettling manner. Sooner or later, she would have to make a choice, and hopefully not one that would devastate either man. The decesion not to choose was not an option, as she knew she was a one-man woman, and would be true to whoever was the one she chose and the love they shared.
However, that decesion didn't have to be made this minute, so Belle allowed herself and her beloved Volodja to share that moment of victory as they surveyed the city they had helped liberate from tyranny, and so she said, "You're right of course Volo, I can't leave but then neither can y'all! We both have too much good we can do together, whether as a part of a team or as part of a couple! Call it destiny or kismet or whatever, but we were brought together for a reason, whether it be by a higher power as I believe or somethng else, to help this old mud ball be a better place for all, humans and Votans both! We can do it so much more effectively together than apart, so don't ya'll go running to the hills either, you hear!"
Belle knelt down be the wheelchair and kissed him again, less desperately and more tenderly, then stared into his brown eyes with her big blue diamond ones, a warm smile on her freckled face as she stated firmly, "I do love you Volodja Uljanov! Never doubt that! But I do love Vo too! I know I can't just leave things as it stands, as that is not fair to either of you, and I promise to find some kind of solution as soon as I can, but for now let's just enjoy the moment - together!"
Belle stood, pulling the robe closer to her to keep out the growing chill as nightime approached, then held his hand tightly as they watched Esthete's drones slowly return the beautiful city of Red Deer back to it's normal state. Part of her so wanted to make love to Volodja on the rooftop of the hospital regardless of his injuries or of the consequences, just to enjoy the moment that much more; but she knew that wouldn't be fair to either Vo or Volodja.
"Sometimes," Belle thought to herself as they surveyed hand-in-hand their good work, "I do wish I wouldn't worry so much about what is fair!"
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Post by Atticus Batman on Aug 14, 2015 10:41:55 GMT
I heard Wolfram Von Eschen saying something that was obviously important, though I could not say what that was, as I barely heard anything, except the hateful noise of that wretched machine saying Lady's heart had stopped. Then I watched the nurse run out of the room to get a defibrillator and Wolfram von Eschen started to bring back Lady while the nurse was searching for the defibrillator. After a minute or two of being lost in my indecision and heartache, I simply said with determination, "She is NOT dying! Her babies and I need HER to daking much!"
Then I said with a hint of sorrow, "Thank you Wolfram, but time to put my abilities to the ultimate test of love. Please just be here in case I fail, because the twins NEED their mother."
I gently pushed him aside. Then I put a hand on Lady's chest and concentrated. Doctor Orion started to object, then remembered how Kakusi helped Erika, and moved back with Wolfram, and Doctor Orion said, "Atticus are you sure, he can do it?.....wait your eye color is brightening instead of fading like when I saw you let him take control earlier!"
At the same time, in my head, Dinara said, "Atty, let the doctors do their jobs!", and Kakusi said, "Compu-sister, I do believe he is planning on trying this one himself. His power and concentration..... it's increasing."
I looked at the doctor and said with stubborn determination, "Not him this time! ME!!!"
I concentrated more and my eyes and aura turned green, symbolizing that I am finding my focus. Just then the room was encompassed in a green light as even my 'organic' outfit turned green with my focus and I sent several jolts into Lady's heart.
When nothing happened at first, I did so again. After the fourth try, Dinara said in my head, "Atty, the nurse is back! You need to stop and let her take over! You are straining your body's limits! If you both die, then your kids won't have parents! I know you don't want that!"
I ignored Dinara, and shocked Lady again. I felt my strength starting to leave me with that last try, but I refused to give up, because Lady's life is way more important than mine will ever be. So I shocked her yet again, and again. However having exceeded my body's and power's current limits I started to pass out. As I faded into the darkness, I was certain, but not completely sure, I heard Orion say that Lady's heart is beating again. Still fighting the darkness so I can do everything to save my family, I kiss Lady's forehead and mumble, "We need you forever and always. Come back to us. I am nothing without you. If....if this is goodbye, then know I loved you completely."
Then it goes dark, with the last thought that I have, as I go completely unconscious holding Lady's body to mine, being, "Please do not die. If I must give my life for yours, then I will do so freely and willingly, every time." The glow dissipates as my power leaves me, and my 'organic' outfit turns a lifeless looking pale gray-blue.
However, even in my current state, my aura still has a feint blue glow to it, showing that I may now be unconscious but I have not yet given myself to Death. No, I continue to fight my body's limits and stay alive. Even if just long enough to hear that Lady is indeed alive and back to us.
Sandy spit into her hand and held it out for him to shake, but when he stared at her in question, she remarked, "Oh, it's just a ritual we had in my old unit to show we accepted a new member as both a friend an a comrade-in-arms."
Kaj shrugged his shoulders and he said, "What is wrong with a salute? It is a sign of respect, is it not? I just saluted Volo a couple of hours back."
Kaj then spit on his hand and shook Sandy's as she continued to hold it out to him. Next he smiled and replied with, "You are the second woman that has insisted on putting her spit in a weird place on me, since I came to this fortress. However both have turned out nice for different reasons. That first was very pleasurable, but it did end with heartbreak when she betrayed us all. This second is very nice because you say it symbolizes acceptance and friendship. I do think we need both in our lives.
However I do not think one should give up on love. I may be fairly new to it but still cherish the moments I had with Lena, and still want to consider her a friend, despite how it ended. I also love and cherish the time I have had with Kara so far. Although I suppose that must now end, as your presence here means you succeeded in returning her husband and children to her. So she will want to spend all her time with her kids...and him. I can not ask her to give up her love and life with him, for me, when she just recently met me and we were both at our lowest at the time, and they have children together. I can never give anybody that gift. It is just one of the many curses of being a Bio-man. So I suppose I will just continue to be her friend and nothing more no matter how, I think I may, feel about her. One can never have enough wonderful friends. Can they?"
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Post by Wolfram von Eschen on Aug 14, 2015 11:23:07 GMT
Atticus' action came in the right moment, because Wolfram knew that his own heart might not be able to sustain his constant pressure on Lady's heart. No matter how easy it might look in the movies, doing the actual heart massage is a quite exhausting experience. Especially for an elderly gentleman like Wolfram. He actually remembered how much younger men had to replace each other in real situations to guarantee smooth and uninterrupted procedure.
Now he could sit down and wipe sweat from his forehead and observe the situation while he was resting. He believed in Atticus and he believed in Ladys' will to live. But this time Lady had to believe that herself. Then she will return. And Wolfram started to mutter: "Heilige Maria, Mutter Gottes..." At moment Holy Maria seemed to be the universal prayer for the situation, including both pregnancy and death.
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Post by Marcel Lestrange on Aug 14, 2015 12:34:43 GMT
Marcel Lestrange was exhausted as well, but he was sure in more enjoyable place than infirmary. All five Lenas and him sat together after their lovemaking marathon and Marcel smoked a water pipe instead of his usual cigarettes to maintain the Arabic atmosphere. Everyone else might have their tensions at moment, but Lena and him just relieved some of theirs and now they earned some rest.
Only Moira did everything to ruin his mood by playing some British movie clips for him. British! As a patriot Marcel would prefer French cinema, although he had weakness for American gangster and violent indie movies as well. But Moira was merciless - she could not enjoy the feeling of reality because of the sexcapade and now she had her revenge.
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Post by Lady Christianna on Aug 14, 2015 12:45:25 GMT
Lady Christianna stood invisible in the darkness. How she knew she was invisble in the dearkness she didn't know, but she knew she was invisible. Suddenly, there was a light in the darkness, with angleic singing beckoning her to come into it. She walked hesitantly towards the light, but stopped short of entering it.
"Welcome Lady! Your time of strife is over! Enter the light, the peace and bliss will be yours," Said a pleasing voice from the light.
Lady was going to ask MOM, her EGO psyche, what she thought about all this, but could sense that MOM wasn't home, so instead asked the light, "Is anybody I care about and love in there?"
"Well... no," Admitted the voice in the light.
"Then I'm not going," Replied Lady with a pout, her thin chalk white arms crossed over her chest.
Suddenly Lady felt a disembodied kiss on her forehead and heard Atticus'voice from afar pleading, "We need you forever and always. Come back to us."
Lady turned away from the light and headed towards the sound of his voice, as he continued, "I am nothing without you. If....if this is goodbye, then know I loved you completely."
The machine monitoring Lady's life signs in the operating room began a steady "Beep... beep... beep..." again as her heart began to beat weakly. Her eyes did not open, but her arm slowly rose so that she could put one tiny hand on top of Atticus' head as he held her.
"Love you too. Forever and always." Muttered Lady never opening her eyes as she stroked his head once before her arm fell limply to her side.
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