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Post by Lady Christianna on Oct 6, 2015 14:10:46 GMT
Lady Christianna had just decided to dress in her traditional black leathers, as black was the correct color for a funeral, and she figured she would be attending hers as soon as Chase Lockhart got home to enact his revenge. She was thinking that and about Atticus Batman, her husband, and how she could keep him from killing Chase after Chase killed her, when Atticus came surprisingly into the room offering her a temporary command position. Her immediate reaction was to answer with a resounding "NO", but she suppressed that action furrowing her chalk white brow and pursing her thin lips as she thought about it. Law Keeper Cooper, Ara Shondu, and the Paradise judicial system would probably all frown at her being in command of such a powerful fortress so soon after her conviction for high crimes and misdemeanors, but what were they going to do about it - give her a second prison anklet? The more she thought about it, the better the idea sounded, since everybody else was probably needed to bring Chase home, and she was the logical one to watch the shop since she couldn't go anywhere. Furthermore, the faster they brought Chase home, the faster he could execute her, and the faster justice could be done. It all made sense in her teenager's mind.
"Eye for an eye," Thought Lady as she answered Atticus with an enigmatic smile once again on her face, "Umm... okay."
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Post by Vo Kshaa on Oct 6, 2015 20:07:52 GMT
Once the roller stopped behind the gate of Fortress Kshaa, Vo went out of it and waited for the passengers to do the same. He gave Belle a hug and a then excused himself, saying he has an important talk to do. He located Volodja's EGO signal and found out he was in the holo room. Vo went there, thinking of the words he would say to him, surprised how difficult it was to find the right ones for this situation. Volo had every reason to dislike the Irathient as he was the one who ruined his life at least twice. First, when he appeared right out of thin air after a month when everyone thought he was dead, only to form a love triangle with Belle and finally breaking his heart by having Belle returned to Vo. Vo never regretted what he had done as he never forced Belle's decision but provided her with a free choice being ready to accept it whatever it would be. Vo was following his heart's call and he always felt Belle would be happy with him. But the fact that the whole situation had Volo deeply upset could never be dismissed and Vo knew that as well. Second time he ruined Volo's life again when Sandy was heavily injured when Vo was the leader of the group. Volo and Sandy looked like a really nice couple; they really loved each other but just when Vo thought the damage he had done by taking Belle with him could finally be remedied, Sandy was caught in the explosion and ended up being in a semi-unconscious state with no good prognosis Dr Orion could give. Now how was going to make Volo a proposal which would either give Sandy a chance to come back or give Volo a false hope only to ruin his life the third time. That's why Vo didn't tell Volo of his idea, hoping there would be better means or Sandy would come back after some time. But a month passed and no other means resulted in anything fruitful, so he could not hold off any more.
He came up to the holo room and knocked at the door. In fact, the room was soundproof and the knocking sound was emulated by emitters. When Volodja opened the door, Vo greeted him with a nod and said, "Hello Volo. It's really nice to see you, but I'm afraid don't have much time to talk now as we've heard news about Chase. He was found in Defiance and we're going there to bring him back. But there's something I absolutely must tell you. When I was in Red Deer back then, I learned that Esthete had proper equipment and knowledge to convert a functioning brain into a digital form like an EGO device and even convert it back into the body like he did with Yol, his creator. Granted, he did it with Indogene brain, which is much closer to an AI by its structure. But nevertheless, it means he has the best equipment for diagnostics." Vo sighed, as he just came to the part he was the most trouble to tell and continued, "But there's a huge downside. As Esthete's equipment is probably the best one for diagnostics, then if his analysis will return that Sandy is a lost cause, it probably will mean just that. I actually told this idea to Chase and after Esthete performed his diagnostics, it became clear that Chase will never get his memory back. I still think it added to his decision to leave to the desert. Now, as you're Sandy's closest friend, I've told you all that I knew And I leave it for you to decide if you're going to put Sandy through this procedure or not. If you want to give it a try, I'll contact Esthete about it or you can call him yourself if you prefer confidentiality."
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Post by Erika Widowmaker on Oct 6, 2015 20:27:17 GMT
Erika Widowmaker' smile was slight, but proud none-the-less as she watched her son, former Senator Cael, be sworn in as the new Chancellor of the Votan Collective. Cael's message of peaceful coexistence and economic prosperity had resonated with the war weary Votan electorate. His closest opponent in the election, Governor Skarr, only got 22% of the vote whereas Cael received 63%, the rest being spread out among the half dozen other contenders. Although keeping an impassive visage, Erika secretly relished every word of Governor Skarr's concession speech the day before, especially since he had put her and her friends and family through such hardships over the last two years.
However, much as Erika was glad of Cael's electoral victory, she was more even gladder because of something quite different. She had not seen hide nor hair of Cael's other personality, the assassin Kabule, or "Fakebule" as her team mates liked to call him. She was sure "Fakebule" was still there, lurking just under the surface of Cael's friendly and charismatic surface, but during the month she had spent spending every waking moment by Cael's side during the campaign, she had not seen the evil personality that coexisted within him, and that made her both happy and wary.
Still, at this moment and at this time, Erika could not be more happy and proud of her son. She was sure that Cael could do the great things for the Votan Collective, if not the world; that is if Fakebule let him.
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Post by Belle Starr on Oct 6, 2015 21:24:29 GMT
After Vo Kshaa hugged Belle Starr then left to do some personal errand, she was left to wonder what it was. Vo was not usually secretive, and usually confided in her completely, as she did him, but he didn't tell her anything other than that he had something important to do, and she decided not to ask what, respecting his privacy. Her blue diamond eyes narrowed as she tilted her pretty blond head while she watched his lanky form walk from the roller and into Fortress Kshaa. Her natural curiosity made her want to follow him, to see what he was up to, but she fought the urge, going instead to where her VBI VTOL plane was parked to make it sure it was ready for the trip to Defiance.
Belle was met at the plane's door by its pilot, Candace Ashley, called "Candyass" by her friends, although Belle never knew why and always called her Candace, which never seemed to bother the jovial plump and gray haired black woman. Belle could never fathom how such a sweet lady could get such a horrendous nickname, but felt it impolite to ask. So the two of them went through this type of ritual where when others were present who knew Ms. Ashley, Belle would call Ms. Ashley "Candace" while all those around her would call her "Candyass" and neither of them showed that there was anything at all strange in the conversation.
The gregarious black woman and Belle hugged, then Candyass asked, "How many guests we have today, Sugar?"
A frown crossed Belle's beautiful freckled face as her blue eyes grew wide and she answered, "You know, I'm not quite sure! Of course Vo and I are going to Defiance, because we and Chase go back to the origins of the team and were all once great friends before his... accident! I've asked Dr. Orion and Wolfram to come in case he needs medical or psychological comfort during the trip home, and I hope Iri and Eren will also come! I guess Atticus may come to, out of responsibility as team commander if nothing else! That's seven! I suppose Volodja might come, but I know he is loathe to leave Sandy's side, so I don't know - maybe eight?"
"Lordy," Candyass clasped her pudgy hands in front of her exclaiming, "There is no way I have enough fried chicken and beer on board for that many people! I better check with Ralph the Cook and see if he has anything I can add to my picnic basket!"
Belle smiled warmly as the short pudgy lady pushed past her, then watched as she waddled across the tarmac towards the kitchen in Fortress Kshaa, thinking that making friends with Candace had been the best part of her new job as VBI Vice President of Public Relations, although she had to grudgingly admit that a close second was the exciting uptown social life of Boston. Belle found that she thrived at cocktail parties and happy hour meetings, although she felt Vo wasn't as happy there as she was. Where she thoroughly enjoyed the ballet and the Boston Pops, she would watch him and he just looked bored. Life in Boston was exciting to her, but to a true ark hunter like Vo, it couldn't be as exciting as a fight for survival in an ark fall. Although he never complained once, she felt guilty for dragging him away from his friends, his vehicles, and the exciting life he led in Paradise.
There was another thing Belle felt guilty about, and that was how the Boston elite treated Vo Kshaa, and that included her friend and boss, Trevor Tyler. Since Irathiants were not common in Boston, let alone ones with cyan eyes and an EGO implant, Vo was a huge curiosity to Boston's rich and powerful. Belle imagined he must feel like Pocahontas felt when Captain John Smith took the Indian maiden to London in the 1600s. She felt he must feel alone and isolated, so she often thought of new and interesting excuses to return to the Bay Area as often as possible, much to her Boss' chagrin. However, if the truth be known, much as she like the sophistication of Boston, she missed her friends and family at Fortress Kshaa as much as she assumed he did.
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Post by Atticus Batman on Oct 6, 2015 22:29:56 GMT
After I told Lady my decision to leave her in Command of Fortress Ka'shaa while I am away, I could see the indecision on her face as she thought about it. Then Lady answered me with an enigmatic smile once again on her face, "Umm... okay." However I could hear the reluctance in her voice and see the deep sorrow still in her eyes. I was hoping she would be at least a little happy that we would still offer her such an opportunity. However she seemed very reluctant and the look in her eyes was the same look that she had when she tried sneaking off to Canada with the search party to find Chase. As well as the same eerie look that was in her eyes whenever I found her clutching a pistol to herself during the last month. It hurt knowing that she was obviously so obsessed with the idea that she should die, but no matter what I did, I couldn't get her to snap out of it.
So after she reluctantly said yes, all I could do was hold her to my chest in a loving hug, trying to hide my own tormented feelings at everything she has been going through and feeling. After a little longer, I kissed her and said, "I know you will do great and make us all proud. I do hate seeing you like this. So please try to cheer up a little. This should be good news." I held her longer, as long as I could, then I broke the kiss and said, "I love you completely Snow Angel and will happily continue this loving embrace upon my return. But I am afraid that I must go to the War Room and get ready for this trip." I hugged her harder and kissed her again. Then I reluctantly broke the embrace and grabbed my mask and helm. I gave Lady another fleeting glance, not sure what I would be coming back to given her depression, but certain my going was the right thing to do as Commander.
I then walked into the nursery and gave the twins a quick little cuddle and forehead kiss as well.
Next I put my mask and helm back on and went back to Fortress Ka'shaa Proper and straight to the War Room. I informed Lebeau and everyone else that Lady would be completely in charge while I was away and Lebeau said, "Bout dime Mon Commandant. Dat chéri, Lady be a great person and we be lovin ta be under her command while you be away." Several others openly agreed. I nodded at all the happy responses, as I worked on getting ready for the trip. However I couldn't stop thinking about how depressed Lady had been all month and slumped back into my chair again. As I did everything needed to prepare for the upcoming trip, I kept trying to fight off my gloom and doom feelings. As Commander and Lady's husband I needed to have the resolved courage perseverance to keep fighting to help ALL of my family in every way that I can, and to help everyone in my family and under my Command to overcome all of our painful hurdles and roadblocks. So I would always stand up and fight for everyone here, and endure all the mental pain I must endure while helping all of them face their own demons.
  
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Post by Volodja Uljanov on Oct 7, 2015 6:55:07 GMT
"I guess that something is better than nothing," said Volodja, rising his tired eyes from Sandy's beautiful face to Vo's. "At moment I see that all my efforts to bring Sandy back are effete. Just like most of my previous attempts to improve the world and establish a life for myself as well. I wonder...how many times I have to fail to give finally up my hopeless struggle. Every time I see the ruins of my work, part of me slowly dies. Following my heart has lead me to a heartbreak over and over again. So I guess it's time to let others handle important matters and act as a bystander from now on. You can contact Esthete if you want. I believe that you have more chances to succeed than I ever had. You can't fail if you don't try to do something. I have tried many times to make something from my life and the world and yet I have failed, so I have to accept the fact that if I want to remain at least alive then I have to give up trying to be somebody who I never will be. So I continue as Sandy's nurse, her servant not her saviour." Volodja turned his eyes towards Sandy again. It took a really long time for him to realize that ending up with nothing is more easily achievable if you quit trying to achieve something. Results will be same, but at least you save yourself and others from the trouble. There are achievers and non-achievers and Volodja was sure that he was the latter. He remembered a sculpture group of 19th century Russian sculptor Matvey (or Matthew as the Western world knew him) Chizhov: "Крестьянин в беде" (A peasant in trouble) and he could easily imagine what sculptor meant when he put the peasant to sit amongst the rubble which was all that remained from his farm and his life.  |
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Post by Belle Starr on Oct 7, 2015 11:47:40 GMT
After Candace "Candyass" Ashley got back on board after making sure the VTOL plane had plenty of food supplies, she began the pre-takeoff checklist in the cockpit as Belle Starr greeted the passengers at the door. Belle had seen an old training video for stewardesses long ago, and had thought she would have made a good one. She had been twelve at the time, and performed before her Papa Boudreau by demonstrating how to use a seat belt and gesturing with both hands where the exit doors of an imaginary airplane were. She never imagined that a year later she would be an actual apprentice mechanic on a steam boat plying goods up and down the Mississippi river.
"Fate has a way of throwing you curveballs," Thought Belle as she smiled warmly and greeted the first two passengers to arrive, Dr. Orion and Dr. Von Eschen.
The diminutive Liberata and the tall thin elderly human reminded Belle of an old cartoon that used to grace Sunday morning newspapers in the forties called Mutt and Jeff. Back in N'Awlins with her Uncle Boudreau, around the same time as she was playing flight attendant, she had found an old book that compiled their comics in her friend Mr. Lewis' used book store, and he lent it to her. She had curled up with her Uncle Boudreau on the old stuffed coach in their living room as they read the "funny papers" together, laughing so hard until tears flowed from her eyes and she literally fell off the sofa holding her sides and kicking her feet in mirth. Both Papa Boudreau and Mr. Lewis were dead now, and both had been killed because of their relationship to Belle, a fact she never stopped feeling guilty about.
"Yeppers," Thought Belle to herself as she smiled and greeted her Indogene friends, Eren and Iri, remembering that the main purpose of the trip was to reunite the later with her star crossed lover Chase Lonehart found wandering out of the Canadian desert after a month, "Fate throws you some curveballs, and a whole lot of bean balls too!"
Just then she spotted her own lover Vo and her estranged friend Volodja leading her Aunt Sandy up the Tarmac and to the plane. Belle felt a bit strange thinking abut Sandy as her aunt, as they were exactly the same age of twenty-two, but fate had thrown that curve ball as well bringing Sandy, a soldier of the Pale Wars, out for a decades long stasis almost a year ago. Her Aunt Sandy was ambulatory, but appeared to be brain dead ever since a mine exploded under her a month ago during a team mission. Vo had informed Belle via their EGOs of his Plan to have the AI Esthete, an arch tech brain, examine her in Red Deer, and Belle insisted that they bring her on board her plane, and once their party was dropped off in Definace, then her pilot Candyass could take Aunt Sandy on to Red Deer. Candyass could pick up the Defiance team on the return trip, or so Belle reasoned.
Belle bit her lower lip, a look of regret in her beautiful blue diamond eyes as she watched Volodja tenderly strap Sandy into her seat in preparation for the long flight. Belle didn't regret her choice of Vo over Volodja, for Vo was her soul mate who all thought dead when she began a love affair with Volodja. She regretted the loss of her friendship with Volodja, for there had been no one else she enjoyed talking with more than him about literature and the arts. Now days, if they talked at all, it was cold and formal, and only about whatever business they had as part of the Protectors' team. She didn't blame him, for she knew she had handled the love triangle affair badly, but still she was saddened to see him so forlorn, wanting to reach out and comfort him, but knowing that would only make things worse. So Belle kept her distance as she watched him finishing strapping Sandy down, then silently taking a seat next to her.
Finally, the last to arrive was the huge Irathiant-Grid hybrid, Atticus Batman. She knew he would be the last to arrive, for as Commander of Fortress Kshaa, he had many loose ends to tie up before he could leave, not the least being making his teenage wife and Belle's ex-protégé the acting commander in his absence; a decision Belle wasn't sure wouldn't end in disaster, but that she wouldn't buck. Belle knew that if Atticus' mind was set on that as the correct course, nothing she could say would change his mind, and if it did lead to problems, they would take care of them - together! Belle happily hugged her brother-from-another-mother, then closed the door to her plane, taking her seat next to Vo and holding his hand during most of the trip.
As the VTOL plane rose into the air and began its flight to Defiance, Belle's big blue eyes scanned the faces of the motley crew within, and a big smile crossed her pretty freckled face as she thought, "We really are a group of good friends, no matter our differences, going to help another good friend! What could be better than that!"
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Post by Wolfram von Eschen on Oct 7, 2015 12:11:10 GMT
"Hast du eine minute zeit? asked Wolfram politely from Volodja.
"Für dich, ich habe" replied Volodja with a vague smile. "Tatsächlich spreche ich mit jedem, der Interesse zeigt und bereit ist zuzuhören, offen über meine Erfahrungen (As a matter of fact, I talk openly about my experiences to anyone who shows interest and is prepared to listen). At least I did something similar before our flight. What did you wanted to talk about when you asked a minute of my time?"
"I am worried about you, Volodja," said Wolfram seriously. "You are burying yourself alive."
"I am following the natural progress of life. From the cradle to the grave. I broke rules anyway by climbing out from my grave, instead of staying there. No wonder that everything I touch with my hand will become corrupted. Dead man's touch won't bring luck to the living. Or to himself."
"Not everything is corrupted, Volodja," corrected Wolfram. "I am alive after you reached your hand to me and I am intend to stay that way and enjoy what life has to offer to an old man"
"Maybe because it was for others sake, not mine. I will correct myself then, if details are that important to you. Oh they must be, because of the German school you belong to, almost forgot that. They all are known about details and correct descriptions. Everything I try to do for my own sake, will wither. Seems that I can't afford to be selfish even if it's good for me. Chinese proverb says "If you want happiness for a lifetime, help someone else." I have tried to do that, but there is nothing wrong in to practising good selfishness which benefits both ourselves and others. Nature was designed to thrive through self-love. Unless we take care of ourselves first, we will not be well enough to help and take care of others, but lately I haven't managed to help myself, not to mention others." Then he turned himself to look at Sandy again in his silent sadness, holding her hand although she didn't reacted to his touch.
Wolfram looked at his best friend and went silent just like Volodja. Volodja was correct when he talked about helping others more than he could help himself. He saw that Volodja had lost the hope that something good might happen to him and he had valid point to stick with that thought. Recently Volodja went through several traumatizing experiences and his brief moments of happiness were indeed just moments - enough to rise some false hopes for the better life and then everything just crushed. And not only once but over and over again. Someone else would probably be smashed under the burden, Volodja had on his shoulders, and shot himself already, but Volodja kept fighting, although he saw how someone else's efforts to achieve something weren't vain, unlike his. But Wolfram could also see that Volodja was on the verge of rising a white flag as a sign of surrender because he felt that he failed as a lover, a hero and a human being.
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Post by Taffer on Oct 7, 2015 21:40:53 GMT
Meanwhile, Haele was still working on the cure for the drug to save her race from being enslaved. A big room in the mainframe building was converted to the laboratory with all the equipment she might need. Each time she took a step further, Esthete provided her the information about the previous researches that were done earlier and contained the same milestone in them. These researches were held by various Indogene scientists at different times but all of them were left unfinished as those who did it had finally succumbed to the drug themselves and lost all their willpower to continue their research. Haele knew this would never happen to her as she was an energy being now and not susceptible to any drugs, and knowing it made Haele incredibly sad. This sadness grew in her each time she read the diaries of another one of her kind finding the way to actually reproduce the drug and finding their artificial happiness in a sick and unnatural way and quickly forgetting all other goals they had in their lives. She felt miserable because she was missing out a pleasure everyone else of her kind was able to receive and probably actually receiving right now as the city's air was still polluted with the drug. But at the same time she was surprised of having this feeling and tried to analyze it from a scientific point of view. She never tasted the drug in her life, but then why did she almost knew how it felt being drugged by it? Why she always had an urge to create the drug once she first saw its formula even if she consciously knew it would never affect her? Getting to the very essence of this feeling gave her an idea which seemed no one else has tried before. Once she started to work in that direction, Esthete could not find any comparable research that was done before, which made her doubt if she was doing something incredibly stupid. Now she was staring at the bulb filled with nanites as if she was asking them if they are the solution she was aiming for or it was just a red herring she was wasting her time at. Her train of thoughts was interrupted by a call from the control room.
"Haele, be careful, Yol is acting strange", she heard Ada's worried voice from the intercom, "He reprogrammed Esthete to lift all the protection that was set for the laboratory and now she's heading to you. Before I lost the signal from the cameras, I saw he was armed. I'll try to lock your room manually and reactivate the defense system."
"No Ada, don't try to stop him", Haele replied, "If he wants to pay me a visit, let him. Trust me, I know what I'm doing."
Before Ada could answer, the door to the lab slammed open and Yol appeared in the doorway, holding a Volge Thunrderer Pistol in his hand which he promptly aimed at the environment suit which contained Haele's ethereal body.
"Let's get this straight, you talking cloud", Yol said with a sly smile, "I know what you are doing here and I want my share. Don't even try to deceive me."
"I won't. The upper cabinet in that far corner", Haele replied calmly, "It's all yours. It's of no use to me as it does not affect me in any way, no matter what I tried. And believe me, I've tried everything."
"I'd say I sympathize with you, but in fact I don't care", Yol said with the same smile on his face as he hurried to the cabinet Haele pointed for him, "I hope it's what I want to see there, because if not, you will regret lying about it."
Haele went silent and just watched the respectable scientist and usually a reasonable man opening a cabinet and giggling like a child. She watched him dropping his pistol as he breathed in the gas from the can and then slowly fell on the floor with his eyes wide open, his breath uncannily fast and a wide smile locked on his face making him look like an evil clown.
She slowly approached, took his gun and hid it away. Then she poured a drop with nanites from her vial on his face. The slightly glowing yellow drop rolled on his cheek and disappeared in his nose. Seconds after the Indogene jumped up and stood on all fours, coughing and vomiting violently. When his intestines finally calmed down, Haele approached him again and sat next to him.
"How do you feel? Do you remember what happened?" She finally asked.
"Like a complete idiot", Yol answered, "And yes, I remember each second. Can't believe I ever could act like that."
"You were programmed to", Haele said with a sigh, "We all are. In fact, that's why it's so easy for an Indogene to design and control an AI. It's because our brain is an AI in its essence. Programmed to obey its master and to have pleasure when the master gives a command to. I hope I disabled both of the reactions to those commands with the help of these nanites."
"So, do you mean you have a cure?" Yol smiled again, but his smile was now natural and filled with joy, "What shall we do next?"
"First, we need to work on side effects some more. We don't want the entire city population to come through such an involuntary stomach lavage session. Second, we'll task Esthete to distribute these nanites to everyone of our kind. Esthete, could you please ventilate the room? I need the drug purged from the air in here completely."
"Em, about the ventilation", Yol said with uncertainty, "I've reprogrammed it so that the air from the lab would go all over the building. I thought you were spreading the drug here and hoped to breathe it in wherever I go around the facility. Sorry, I told you I feel like an idiot now."
"Oh well, this is going to be fun", Haele said sarcastically, holding the vial with the force field emanating from the arm of her suit and waiting for at least two new test subjects to come.
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Post by Atticus Batman on Oct 7, 2015 22:36:48 GMT
I stayed in the War Room and continued my work for as long as possible, until I had to get up and go to the Hanger. Actually Lebeau was the reason I got up as he said, "Mon Commandant, it be time for de plane ta leave soon. It be leavin in 5 minutes, whedder you be dere or not. So are you still going, or shuld I nodify dem otherwise? After all dey need to be getting dis circus on de road."
So I got up and said, "Alright Lebeau I am going. Remember Lady is in charge and you and Kaj are to help her in any way needed, like you do me."
Lebeau flashed his roguish grin and said, "Aye Mon Commandant. Our chéri will be fine. Of dat I am sure. She may be in a dark mood, but she still loves you and wants to make you proud of her again. Of dis I am also sure. So she will be doin her bes' ta show you that she can fill in for you when needed. Trus' me."
I glared at Lebeau. Then said, "Remmy, I know she will do fine as well. Despite what she may think of herself lately, I still have complete confidence in her succeeding at all that she really wants to succeed at, like the amazing woman that I fell in love with and married would. So notify them that I am on my way. I just need a few more minutes."
Lebeau agreed and I contacted Kaj to tell him that Lady was in Command and to assure him that he was still slated for his EGO procedure tomorrow morning. After he wished me luck, I hung up the hailer and grabbed my helm, as I don't always wear it in the base anymore, but do always have it in reach. However I do keep my mask on unless I am certain I am in private with just certain people that I care about. Still holding my helm, I got up and headed towards the door. That is when Lady slowly and reluctantly entered the War Room. I smiled seeing her here and finally out of her self-proclaimed isolation in our home bunker. Even though I knew she was only here because I wanted it, and she didn't want to let me down any more than SHE THOUGHT that she already had.
I said, "Glad to see you in here Tianna, MY Love. Don't worry. You will do fine and Kaj and Lebeau will help however you need them to. I love you and will miss you while I am gone." Then I gently and lovingly kissed Lady. She returned the kiss and I embraced her lovingly, as she did. Of course I did have to let her go soon. Then as I put my helm on, I blew her a kiss, with my back to everyone else in the room as we are in the doorway and I was on my way out as she arrived. After my helm was on, I gave her hand a gentle and loving squeeze and guided her to the Command Chair that I had made just for her and had set up next to mine. Then I reluctantly left her side and headed to the hangar.
Naturally as the always busy Commander, and a workaholic of sorts lately, I was the last to arrive and board. I visibly had my composure and feelings once again in control, even though mentally I was still letting them torment me, by the time I entered the VTOL.
Belle smiled and happily hugged me, her brother-from-another-mother, as soon as I had entered. I hugged her back, as I really needed it and was glad to see her again. After I somewhat reluctantly released her, I solemnly and quietly took a seat in the far corner, slightly away from the others, sullen and alone. Where, I closed the lense protectors of my helm and made sure the "electrical/Grid energy" dampeners, I had installed in most of my gear, were active. That way if my mood did cause my eye color to change or my aura to glow, nobody would notice. No reason to cause them to worry more about me or to put a damper on this teammate retrieval mission, if at all possible. Even if I still doubted that any part of the man that the others all knew as Chase Lonehart, or even Tom Cody, actually existed any longer.
Belle closed the door and notified our pilot that we were ready to go. Then she took her seat next to Vo and held his hand during most of the trip. As the VTOL plane rose into the air and began its flight to Defiance, Belle's big blue eyes scanned the faces of our motley crew within, and a big smile crossed her pretty freckled face.
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Post by Chase Lonehart on Oct 8, 2015 4:38:16 GMT
Berlin had managed to settle in at the office while Samir continued on with whatever it was that he would typically do during his normal routine since Chase Lonehart was now stable and his mechanical arm had been finally cleaned out of the rotting flesh. She had told herself that when it came to burning Lonehart’s clothes, she was going to let Irisa do it, as Irisa was the only one able to handle the smell better than she could.
She sat down Tommy’s shotgun on the table next to her, rubbing the kinks out of her neck. It had been a long week, but things hadn’t been as insane as they had been following the Omec situation. Honestly, she wouldn’t have minded another one of those “town in extreme danger” scenario again at this point, as things have quieted down to the point where the only thing that she and Irisa had to deal with was the occasional drunk patron at the Need/Want. The only reason why she and Irisa had decided to head outside of Bassil Pass was because there had been report of a minor Arkfall landing outside. And then Mister Smelly came up and ruined any kind of fun that there could have been. Another one of the things that probably kept her on edge was the fact that she hadn’t gotten laid in a while. Berlin took a moment to realize how attractive this Lonehart guy was, figuring he must have looked better with shorter hair and without the massive scar on his face. But she did note his well built chest. She was curious for a brief moment about what was underneath the sheet, but she came to her senses.
Jeez, Berlin, I know it’s been a while, but this guy? she thought to herself. You certainly need to get laid. And definitely not with Mister Smelly.
“I’m going to step out for a bit,” Samir told her. “I’ll be back in a bit. Can I get you anything?”
Berlin shook her head, him leaving her alone with the man who is out cold. She could have used a stiff drink, though not at that moment. What she definitely could have used was someone to drink with. Irisa certainly wouldn’t join in, and Amanda Rosewater would have only put a limitation on the drinking. She couldn’t recall the last time she actually got drunk and had fun. But she remembered the last time she got drunk out of despair, and she certainly didn’t want to go back to that feeling again. She heard some banging from near the window, it catching her attention. She headed over, peering out to see some kids playing around.
Seeing them reminded her of when she was little before the horrific event that ended up without anyone to care about, that lead her to the E-Rep. She did wish that she had a life like she has in Defiance when she was younger. At least she wouldn’t have been alone after losing her family. But the E-Rep filled in that space until they just upped and left the town without even caring. Most of those who left were leaving because they had people in New York they cared about and didn’t even consider the people of Defiance as a priority. She wondered if the whole Rahm Tak situation could have been been avoided if the town had the E-Rep to back it. She knew that caring in this world was a often a bad idea, but when people begin to care together, things can change. She thought the E-Rep cared enough about the people to at least leave half the group. But they all left, and it shattered her view of the Earth Republic forever. After that, she tried to make Defiance home, trying to uphold her view of how things should be. And she took Tommy’s old job as a Lawkeeper and carried his shotgun out of guilt for the things she had done wrong with him and couldn’t take back.
At that moment, she felt a hand grab ahold of the left side of her head and drive it hard into the counter. Berlin was caught off guard, as she felt an arm wrap around her throat from behind. Her assaulter leaned back, pulling her off her feet, and she struggled to breathe. Her E-Rep training kicked in, her delivering a hard elbow to her attackers ribs. She heard him grunt, her delivering another blow has hard as she could to his ribs. She was sure she hear the sound of bones cracking, but her attacker threw her towards the wall on the opposite side of the room. Berlin tried to catch her self, to slow herself down, but she stumbled head first into the wall and the impact sent her spinning into darkness.
———
Amanda and Irisa had completed what was needed for the room. Amanda even double-checked, making sure they didn’t miss anything.
“Looks like we’re good to go,” Irisa told her. “If he could do any damage to himself in here, it’d be a miracle.”
They both began to head towards the door to go to get Chase. But Amanda stopped as a thought crossed her mind. She didn’t feel too happy with the idea of chaining up Chase Lonehart. It wasn’t every day you were put in the spot to chain up someone who used to be a part of the community, let alone a man for whom she owed a bit of gratitude towards due to him willing to protect Kenya from a barstool across the back of the head. There was a part of her who couldn’t believe he had sunk so low since she had last seen him, somehow lost in the bottom of some pit of despair and psychological disrepair.
“It’s not right,” she told herself. “What if we’re wrong by doing this?”
Irisa stood in the doorway looking at her with her massive eyes.
“What’s worse?” she asked. “Tying him up to keep him from hurting himself or not tying him up and him succeeding in killing himself where a month in the desert failed? It’s for his own good, Amanda. You know that.”
“It doesn’t mean I should feel good about it. And it shouldn’t be something so easy.”
“There’s one thing I learned from that incident where Nolan and I shared our memories due to the implants. Sometimes, the hardest enemy a person can face is themselves. And worse, is having to face your enemy alone. Whatever demons Chase is carrying with him, he must feel like he’s alone with no one who can help him. That’s what we’re doing here, Amanda. We’re trying to help him so he can get home, and show him that whatever he’s going through… He’s not alone.”
Amanda took a moment to process Irisa’s words. She was right. They were helping Chase because he couldn’t ask for help himself.
“You know you surprise me sometimes, Irisa. You seem to know a lot more than you let on.”
“I’m still working on it.”
Amanda finally followed the Irathient out of the room, pulling the door closed behind her. As they stepped out into street, she noticed that the sun was in the late afternoon sky, and was soon to make its approach to the horizon with night approaching. She hoped that things with be fine with Chase, considering on having Samir keep him heavily sedated at the NeedWant until the arrival of either Belle Starr or her comrades. But it wasn’t until both she and Irisa got to the doctor’s office when they found Berlin lying on the floor unconscious. Irisa instantly checked for a pulse.
“She’s still alive,” she informed her.
The both of them managed to get Berlin up on the table where Lonehart had been slumbering only a short while before. Irisa saw the open back door.
“Stay here,” she said as she took off out the door.
Amanda had never felt so useless at that moment. She didn’t know what to do. Samir came in, seeing the scene. He carried what appeared to be a box.
“Samir!” Amanda moved over and took the box out of his hands.
He instantly got to work as Amanda sat the box down on the counter, shoving Berlin’s shotgun out of the way. Berlin began to stir, Samir holding her head still.
“Berlin, I’m going to need to be still until I can check you out. Can you feel your toes and fingers?”
Slowly, she began to open her eyes.
“What the chup?” she muttered.
“Can you feel your fingers and toes?” Samir repeated.
“Yeah, I can,” she replied. “Why the hell are you holding my head still?”
“Just making sure you don’t have a broke neck. Just give me a moment to check.”
Samir picked up the nearest scanner and began to run it, checking for any signs of broken bones. Amanda couldn’t believe this happened. She knew Berlin was a pretty decent fighter, but she couldn’t believe that Chase managed to take her out. She noticed Chase’s mechanical arm still sitting on the nearby countertop, no more than few feet from where Berlin had sat down her shotgun.
And he did it, one-handed, she thought. I can’t even believe anyone could have done that.
At that moment, Irisa showed back up.
“I lost him,” she told Amanda.
“Couldn’t you track him?”
“I tried,” she replied. “Even for a suicidal man, he’s really smart. The dirt on the ground was enough to get a clear path, even with others that trampled it, and I managed to follow his trail for a bit. But I lost him at a set of stairs. By the way it looks, he went up to an upstairs apartment balcony and jumped roof to roof for a bit to throw off any trail. He could anywhere by now.”
Samir grabbed a pen light, and began to shine it in Berlin’s eyes, checking for any signs of a concussion. After a bit, Samir cleared Berlin to be able to be sat up.
“Nice friend you got there, Amanda,” Berlin replied. “Damn near tried to kill me. But I think I did some damage. I heard some bones cracking when I elbowed him in the ribs a few times.”
“Why did you leave?” Amanda asked Samir.
“I had to go get a restock of supplies from storage,” he motioned towards the box sitting on the counter. “I was running low on a few things, and figured Berlin could have kept an eye on Lonehart without any problems. Clearly, I underestimated him.”
“It’s safe to say you’re not the only one,” Berlin replied as she rubbed her forehead in an attempt to get rid of the headache she was having at that moment. “Even with one arm, he practically lifted me off the ground while trying to choke me.”
“There’s some thing that doesn’t make any sense. Why would he leave his arm behind? Also, if he was suicidal, then why didn’t take Berlin’s shotgun?
Samir, looked over at the mechanical arm for a moment before responded.
“Maybe he doesn’t know how to reattach it,” was the only conclusion he could give. “Kinda hard to handle a shotgun with only one arm.”
“We’re going to need to find him, and fast,” Amanda told them. “Berlin, are you good to search?”
She slipped off the table and pushed herself up onto her feet.
“Yeah, I’m good to search,” she replied. “But I can’t guarantee I won’t be tempted to curb-stomp him when I find him.”
“Samir, you go with Berlin. Irisa, you’re with me, we’re going to try to check around the area where you lost the trail. We better hurry, too. Not only will our guests be on their way, nightfall is coming and he’s bare-ass naked. If he doesn't get mugged, he'd probably get sick if we don’t find him.”
“Well, he’s not COMPLETELY naked,” Samir responded. “By the way it looks, he took the sheet he was covered with too.”
————
Iri was surprised to hear about Chase being alive, and in Defiance of all places. Her assessment of his demise was greatly over-exaggerated, and she realized it. She was glad he survived, and that she’d get to see him and hold him once again. At least that was the initial thought before she, Belle Starr, Eren Niden and various other members of Belle’s team boarded the aircraft. But as they began the trip, she was silent. As the gears in her mind slowly turned, she went from happy that Chase was alive, to how could he be alive, and eventually to the scary thought of what of Chase is still alive. She knew that from a psychological standpoint, most humans that spent time by themselves without the interaction of other people would tend to go insane. And then she added onto the fact that Chase suffered a psychologically traumatic event, which was her perceived death. She had watched the recording made of Lu Kshaa’s EGO, her seeing what Chase had done to the man who shot her, a clear sign that something broke. Adding those two factors together, there was a chance that Chase may have not been like he was prior to the events that lead him out into the desert was plausible, if not likely.
Iri began to contemplate about how many of the team considered the possibility of Chase not being who he used to be prior to the events set forth by Lady Christianna. All they probably knew was that he could be suicidal and that upon reuniting with her, they may assume that it would be enough to fix him. Not even she could perceive how he would be upon their arrival, or how he’d be upon seeing her alive and well.
Hope for the best, plan for the worse, she recalled Chase’s own words.
“Hey, Iri,” Belle’s voice caught her attention. “We’ve got Chase’s things with us. I thought it was best for you to hang onto them, since you’re the closest thing to a family he has. The bag should be under your seat.”
“Thank you for informing me.”
“Are you okay? You seem rather quiet for a while.”
“I’m just doing some thinking. Nothing to be concerned about.”
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Post by Marcel Lestrange on Oct 8, 2015 5:11:18 GMT
Marcel Lestrange was busy with counting scrip. Last month was profitable, because their little family business managed to cut nice slice from the local drug business. After Lena tried the art of skinning on the drug courier, that little skylark opened his beak and started to sing and thankful audience let him go after that - he was no use to them any more. Especially after their treatment which made him way too recognizable. Maybe he found himself a new job in some freak show, but that wasn't Marcel's concern. After the courier spoke the rest - infiltration, confrontation and decimation were easy like taking candy from a baby. And those job interviews with their new employees. Lena's questions were really SHARP. As a result they got crème de la crème from Askaru Ivu's legacy - best specialists ever. And most loyal to them from now on, because part of the selection was getting rid of their former colleagues and after that little exam all those were found suitable for the organization had to literally cut off their way back because each an one of them executed one of the non selected. That saved Marcel and Lena from doing the dirty work and connected new employees to their employers with bloody ties. Marcel ruled with an iron fist, covered with a velvet glove of diplomacy and motivation packages. Those who stayed with Lena and him were generously paid and the rest...Gods my save their souls. And employers were quite happy with that kind of arrangement, because they saw how the bad seeds were treated in most efficient and painful manner, but the good ones could enjoy wealth, relative power and position as long as they served Lena Marr and Marcel Lestrange. He didn't trusted sycophants but he supported healthy competition between those who's ambition was to prove that they are most useful to the organisation and it's leaders. Numerous intelligent and ambitious, but not overly ambitious members were caught in the race of winning the position of the Number Two in the firm. Lena and Marcel were undoubtedly the top, but the next level was tempting enough to motivate people.  And yet Marcel felt a bit bored at moment. He was a man of action and missed the joy of the hunt and that feeling when his plans were successful. And they had to expand their influence over the Paradise Territory anyway. Their company reminded a predator who just caught it's prey, took the first bite and now was choosing the next piece to grab, chew and swallow...Which piece of action should they choose next? That was the question. |
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Post by Belle Starr on Oct 8, 2015 17:22:54 GMT
The pilot, Candyass, told her passengers that they were on their final approach to Defiance, so Belle Starr replied, "Thanks Candace! I better give Mayor Rosewater a hail and tell her that we are real close!"
Belle's rose petal lips turned up in a smile as she took out her hailer to call Amanda Rosewater, the mayor of Defiance. She didn't know Mayor Rosewater, but she had become good friends with Jessica "Berlin" Rainier when she was in Defiance looking for Joshua Nolan, and although that mission failed, a highlight had been meeting the E-Rep officer who was the acting Law Keeper when he was thought dead. Belle had heard that Berlin was now working as a fulltime Law Keeper in Defiance now. Belle had enjoyed shopping in Defiance with Berlin and talking to Berlin about New York City, especially since it seemed they had both enjoyed many of the same places there before the terra-forming destroyed the city. It had been one of the few down times she had in what had been a very hectic time there in that trip to Defiance. Belle hoped this trip to Defiance would be much less eventful than her previous ones to the town.
"After all, what could happen if all they were doing was picking up an injured team mate?" Thought Belle to herself as she punched in Mayor Rosewater's number into her hailer, then saying into it when Amanda answered, "Mayor Rosewater, Belle Starr here! I can't thank y'all enough for taking - what?... Y'all are kidding... How is Berlin?... Okay, my team will help with the search as soon as we land, and we have experts in that regard among us with Atticus Batman as our lead, but y'all know the territory best so y'all tell use where to look and all!... I do appreciate all your efforts Mayor! Thank y'all kindly and we'll be with you real soon! Bye!"
Belle's smile had fled her pretty freckled face and with a slow negative nod of her blond head, she looked at her team mates with concern in her blue diamond eyes and explained, "Looks like Chase has gone off the reservation and we'll have to hit the ground running if we are going to have a chance of catching him! He knocked out both his doctor and the local law keeper - no easy task for she's an ex-officer of the E-Rep and I know her as being very good at her job! Anyway, he didn't pick up any weapons and they have his bionic arm, so he is armless in more ways than one! Sorry, wasn't trying to make a joke there, but this makes me awfully nervous! If Chase did that all with no weapons and with one arm, he is going to be one formidable opponent if he sees us as the enemy! We need think of what strategy we are going to use when we get down there before we actually do get down there! Atticus, y'all should make the decision as to whether we should break up into teams or not, but I think the composition of the teams is going to be really important! The teams have to be small enough not to frighten Chase, with a least one person who can try to reason with him, but also with good fighters to wrestle Chase to the ground if he gets hostile! Don't look at me that way Iri, I don't want him hurt anymore than you do, but I don't want any of us hurt either! Just trying to be realistic as to our options!"
Belle realized that her hopes that they have an uneventful trip to Defiance for a change were in vain, thinking, "Why is it never easy?" then remarked to her team mates, "Although obviously Atticus has final say, does anybody have any ideas about what we should do when we land?
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Post by Lena Marr on Oct 8, 2015 17:47:39 GMT
Lena Marr was playing mumblety-peg by herself with one of her Bowie knives, her small mouth in a pout but otherwise her pretty Casithan face was impassive and her long lashed sky blue eyes unblinking. She was unhappy that Marcel had made those they accepted into their criminal organization kill those who they did not, although she understood the logic of it. By doing it the way Marcel had done, there were blood ties to the organization as well as evidence of murder to black mail the accepted applicant if he starts to renege on his obligations. However, Lena was not a creature of logic but emotion, and Pride dictated that she should have been the one to kill the rejects.
"I could have done it so much better, and in many more creative ways," Thought Lena to herself. "And I wouldn't be so damned bored either!"
It could be that Envy also had a say in her mind too at that moment.
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Post by Marcel Lestrange on Oct 8, 2015 18:55:22 GMT
Lena was caught into her knife throwing game when she heard polite question from Marcel: "Are you as bored as I am, pussycat? We should do something fun...maybe a hunting trip? I guess that you are upset because you could not take care of those wannabes who failed to pass the exam, but they were not worth of your personal touch anyway. Killing them is just like stepping on cockroaches or Hellbug skitterlngs. But insects are not our level. We should go to hunt one of the most dangerous games in the world - a humanoid. That should give us some action, adrenaline and maybe even a bit scrip. All we need is a worthy target who is not going to be dearly missed and who's death is profitable for us. It is just an idea, pussycat, but it is better than nothing, I think."
He looked into Lena's unblinking sky blue eyes, giving her time to think about his proposition while his hand grabbed one of Lena's Bowie knives and slid it gently over her silky milk white skin, not cutting her, but tickling instead.
"Sorry for touching your property, but I am just trying to stimulate you and offer you a little excitement," he said. "I will stop right away, when you tell me to or hit me to my face. Or some other part. Actually I have nothing against with a friendly wrestling match with you, my love. You are the best partner in any possible way," continued Marcel and whispered into her delicate ear, tickling it with his tongue first: "Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!"
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