FanFic: Sovryn's Song | Conclusion

[Sagasu]

Alright, so I ended up posting this much sooner than planned. Origionaly, I began the thought process of this fiction somewhere around the beggining of one that I have discontinued. Mainly due to the expirimentation of converting the plot into novel form, and switching it to my own alternate universe.

Right, so whats so special about this ficcie? I'll tell you. I basically plan to write this at a much higher standard than my previous fictions. Thusly, I shall write it as if I where actually writing a novel for the pso universe.

This meaning a few things. It is going to be large, extremely loong chapters, and who knows how many of them http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

You may wonder just what I plan to do with this story, and yet you may not. First and foremost, this is quite a colorful fiction. For you innocent, it means that it will contain some very, very descriptive scenes; These consisting of blood, gore, some sexual interaction, etc. Stuff many would not consider appropriate. If you do not wish to hear such things, then leave this thread, now, and I mean it. This is by far will be my most detailed work, life in all of its glory, and all of its vulgarity. I wont tell you anything else, because then there wouldn't be any point in writing this little story now would there?

Just one more thing to point out. I post upon production, so there is no real shedule I can give you to when another chapter will roll around. But I will attempt to give you guys estimates, and try to keep to my assigned deadines ^_^

Lets get started shall we?



Sovryn's Song

Prologue
Rampant Crime



Even in modern society, foolish individuals rule in high stature. Whether through inheritance or blackmail, we cannot help but be forced under their dominion. It is up to the independent figure to decide if they shall follow blindly and live out their lives gaining simple pleasures; Or perhaps struggle against the oppressive system of illusionary peace. Choosing the latter, one might die in futility, become corrupted in their own ideals, and even give birth to a monstrous system even worse than the one you live under.


***


The pioneer project came to a swift end, once the two terrors where defeated it seemed there was nothing to stop the citizens from colonizing Ragol. The brave warriors who fought and died to free the planet enjoyed their position of honor, however, only for a short time. Raised as hunters, many a man was stuck with no enemy to fight, and no need of his profession. Thusly, a depression. Some became laborers, helping construct the new homes on Ragol's surface. Others led their lives as body guards, law enforcement, anything that their skills would help them in doing.

The planet itself proved costly to build upon, since the wild creatures where still considered hostile. Mainly the rich and wealthy settled on Ragol first, enthusiastic designers racing to claim the best land. The Pioneer 2, a ship designed for planet fall, settled down approximately 100 miles south of the Pioneer 1 in a somewhat less tropical climate. Many workers had been sent to restore the original dome of the first in the pioneer line. And in a short amount of time, the civilians gained a firm grasp over Ragol.

Most of the construction work being done, hunters proved to be the ideal explorers. Such quests taking some across the Ragolian globe. It seemed that much of the planet was either tropical forest's and plains, mixed in with a few desert patches of more arid climates. Pioneer 2's scientists suggested that Ragol was a much younger planet than Coral was. The creatures encountered over sea's where not hostile, merely territorial. A greater variety of animals came to the people's knowledge. Griffins take residence in the fields, where they preyed upon buffalo like creatures. While creatures similar the mutated De Rol Le have been found to swim in freshwater. Saltwater creatures are rarely seen, mainly schools of small fish; Though the occasional whale like animal has been sighted, they are fewer in number.

Land born mammals also seemed to follow a short line of evolution. Evil Sharks where keenly named, based on their X-rays, scientist have determined that the first life forms must have come from the sea, smaller species of fish stayed inside the safety of the underground caverns where larger predators could not reach them. From there, the hunters adapted to the situation, mostly a peculiar breed of shark, miniscule compared to the others, but still large enough to feed off of the collected communities in the caverns. There are traces of the first mammal on solid ground. These where birds of prey, that hunted from the abundant supplies of fish. Creatures such as the boomas are the stage after the walking sharks, adapted to the weather, but still prefer underground where they eat the large insects that filter through the soil making it extremely fertile.

The hunters found that Pioneer 1 had decided well upon its location, though those who desired more privacy and had some heavy cube moved out to more rural areas. But even the adventurous stayed remotely close to a supply shipment depot. Others became self sufficient farmers, seeking a more subtle life than that of the technological thirst of the city. Many old warriors that could let their weapons rest chose such a environment, seeing little other enjoyable profit otherwise.

In the major cities, it seemed as if though the people fell into either one of three categories. Those without homes, those that had somewhere to return to after work, and the insanely rich. Within these fell sub levels, on the ground you where a prostitute, bum, small time shop owner, or a drug dealer. If you had a home, you where a student, laborer, law enforcement, maybe even working in a business. Insanely rich folks come in three flavors, militia leaders, government officials, or running a large company. Each class within the citizens society formed clans, to keep some order wrought from power. Some clans became powerful and moved on to making a profit for themselves, others simply claimed turf in the slums.

To the civilians down on their luck, and even high up in position, the black market remained a constant throng of valuable resource. In the beginning days, there lay amongst the whispered names one title that brought a flare of interest in the mind, Black Paper. The small organization began as a simple free market, but sentient minds are easily consumed. They began to deal in illegal goods, stolen from the military, modified through their contacts in high places, and sold through the market. It wasn't until a man named Mome Kizagaru took over did the company pick up heavy business, more professional work. Mome was a scientist who became over interested in the secrets of the Pioneer 1. On his own as a simple researcher, he had little power to promote his studies. But combined with the BP organizations growing wealth, he was able to dig extensively into the past. He soon became not only eager to learn about Dr. Osoto's work, but he wished to continue it, revise it, and create something even more powerful.

During this process, the hunters that where fighting through Ragol's surface trying to unearth the truth. Some of them, discovered too much. These individuals where captured by BP specialists, their tracks hidden, minds washed, it seemed that things would progress without a hitch. Until one day a hunter by the name of Kroe, during the frantic search of her lost sister, discovered the truth behind the kidnappings. By this time, Black Paper itself had become a bustling corporation. But when Kroe interfered, with the help of a few hired hands, she discovered BP's secrets and the organization was forced to disband.

The officials that where caught where immediately imprisoned after a mere one week trial. Mome Kizagaru himself was assassinated in court by a vengeful fanatic, leaving the others behind to pick up the pieces of the once industrious power.

For a time, the black market itself seemed to grind to a halt. Other prior providers hiding in the shadows until things settled down. Many private companies that had been supporting the BP organization where uprooted and tossed aside. Thusly, illegal goods became as scarce as an honest heart. It was two months after planet fall did such activities begin to pick themselves up and set up their feeble business'.

In almost a years passing, traces of the old BP group collected together to start anew. They started up a private company called Scarlet Drop, dealing in bio-engineered organs and blood; Also specializing in humanoid and nannite manufacturing. Using their business as camouflage, the black market once again truly thrived upon their return.


***

Though Ragol remained a paradise, the newfound inhabitants soon where irked by the apparent social insecurity. Trouble started in the restless. Arguments about humanoid rights, cyborg limitations and nano-weaponry, all became heated discussions over the table, while they boiled into revolts on the streets. Older model androids that where suddenly cast aside took liberty to fight in order to receive rights as citizens, not as slaves. Scarlet Drop branched out in this area, specializing in pleasure androids. Several took their example, and soon a fierce competition arose between rival brands. Most men and women of Ragol simply accepted issues as working out the problems of setting up society in a primitive land.

Energy was in abundance through geothermal activity and rich deposits of fossil fuels. Environmentalists fought their damnedest to prevent the old crude methods of sapping the resources from the planet take effect. But their voices where blown away in the storm of excitement the politicians created. Soon territorial boundaries separated one region from another, and the democracy quickly spread outwards. News of Pioneer 3's departure from coral was intercepted after several years of such a life style. Its passengers mounted up to another thirty five thousand to add on to Ragol's increasing population. A cause of more disturbance was the fact that a seventh of the third pioneer's passengers where military.

Thousands protested upon such a large and unnecessary force coming to Ragol. When the colonization shuttle arrived, its descent upon the planets surface was delayed and put off for quite some time due to such complaints. It was organizations like Scarlet drop that reached out to the Pioneer 3 and provided the much needed funding to clear space for its planned land fall. In half a month after SD placed its support for the carriers arrival. Except that the ship never came to Ragol, through a web of black mail and bribing, the Pioneer 3's fate was decided upon.

Since there was to apparent need for massive militia force on Ragol, Scarlet Drop switched sides and helped persuade the third pioneer to act as a colony. From there they would receive supplies from the planet surface, while they began mining from a nearby asteroid belt. Environmentalists where also funding this, instead of tearing up Ragol, they would ship in ore collected from the mineral rich asteroids. So far, construction was costly due to the pioneer 2's lack of mines established. Now, the two stations began to rely upon one another for their resources, and a trade peace was obtained between them.

Through the illusionary peace, we travel to the streets of Pioneer City. Here the trouble starts again. As life goes on, the disturbances in make shift society built in a rush will cause a rift. Will people be able to realize the fatal wound before they bleed to death? Or will they be able to fix the errors before it comes collapsing in upon the innocent...
____________________

If you thought the prologue was long, just wait till chapter 1 http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

As you may have noticed, this was all rather dull. I'm sorry, but this information had to be established for you to truly grasp the story. But now with the background established, I can promise you much more excitment ^_^

Hopefully I've caught your interest, cause I wouldn't want you to miss out! http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wink.gif





<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Sarunakai on 2004-07-23 17:17 ]</font>


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Sagasu on 2004-07-23 22:01 ]</font>


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Sagasu on 2004-08-11 15:03 ]</font>

[MQuantum]

Very good, Saru. Though it was a bit of a long intro, like you said, I found it far from boring. It is imperative to know the background details, and you have provided them quite nicely, and in wonderful accuaracy. I can tell you have spent a long time (Or you're insanely good!) at imagining this new world after the PSO plot.

I look forward to seeing more of this, hopefully sometime in the near future. From what I've read if Chapter 1, it ought to make a story to be remembered.

Work your best on this, take your time, and don't rush regardless of how much your readers will want you to. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif Quality over quanity; the old saying proves true time and time again.

Oh yes, and I believe I will be sending you a PM with more... helpful... information. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif

[mr_rubbish]

Death of Mome eh? I'm sure lots of people will be pleased!

It looks like you've taken all the argument material you beat me over the head with and condensed it into fan-fic form. Well done!

Now bring on the RAmarls!

[PhotonDrop]

Nice, but I noticed you said 'Dr. Osoto' in paragraph 8.

Ooh, the length! And you say chapter1 will be longer! Must... stay... a... reader!

[Sagasu]

http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_lol.gif

Hey thanks guys..

MQ- I realt appreciate the advice, will edit sometime today/tonight(Late night is when the creative juices start flowin)

Mr. Rubbish- I didn't really mean to do that, but yes, the RAmarl makes her appearance in the next chapter ^_^

Photon drop- Oops, I'll look into that http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime2.gif Thanks for dropping(forgive the pun http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif) by! Glad to have you aboard http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

[Lone_Wolf_Nasca]

Very interesting Saru, society after the fall of Dark Falz. I will keep a close eye on this one http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif.

[Sagasu]

Glad you enjoyed it Ookami-san ^_^

Hopefully chapter 1 should be arriving on thursday, if not friday http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

[Sagasu]

Alright, I'm somewhat enthusiastic about this project, so I ended up typing 15 1/2 pages in two days http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime2.gif

But who's complaining?


ph43r teh uber insanley long chapter!



Sovryn's Song

Chapter 1
Curse


There are some people who will make something of their lives, and then there are those who will not. But since most know that life's a bitch, most won't leave the pub and get a job. Miserable slobs living off of their filth, cheated their way through the schools and now their trying to blackmail it through life. So here they sit in this dismal den of poverty, sucking the last of their cash right on down their gullets, to out of tune to care. But that was normal, the average beggar, the average slut, trying frisk up some profit from the young and foolhardy. And that was life in the slums and that's how everyone accepted it. Broken men a common factor, broken lives littering the ground creating a slush of chaotic despair. Like pigs, others will frolic in it, knowing their doomed anyway. They too are dragged into the cold shadow, that cannot be outshone.

Yet here, amongst the filth and the oppression lies one who is not so foolish, one who is not so blind, one who has a chance to become something, someone. This figure, a glowing coal upon a bed of dead ash, must struggle against damnation, against the damned, and against herself. Yes, being female is worse than being a male in the slums, but that's how things worked. If you had a limp left in you, you where a whore, and woe be you if god cursed your being with a pretty face. This little bird, caged in poverty, must find a way to fly free.


***



"You've killed me"
"You've damned my soul"
"You are the only one that can see"
"But choose to create another hole,"
"In my tattered plea"
"Unable to feel whole"
"I couldn't let you go free"


The words of the music started to fade to the point where they became mere hums, mix-mashed together with the occasional thump that ran through her chest every time the beat tried to salvage the song. This group wasn't that popular, but through some ridiculous contract signing they managed to have it blasted through every pub within the Pioneer City. That's right, she remembered where she was now. A small joint, overly crowded for its small confines. The air, if you really could call it air, was a mere fog of smoke made from greasy cooking and cheap cigarettes. The place was dark and she was thankful for that, the crowd and the dark helped hide her condition. She had to admit it, if anybody tried to grab her right now she'd be almost powerless to stop it. She had avoided many run ins the like of this by tying up her hair and wearing a tattered hat over it. Also by wrapping her breasts with a tight, white cloth she avoided most unwanted attention.

Sovryn opened her eyes wearily, red rimmed and black outlined from many sleepless nights as they where, she had to force them to comply. The counter was of some cheap plastic, done up so it resembled stonework. It was quite dirty, grease spattered, dented, chipped and slashed. The RAmarl sorely wished to raise her head from the disgusting mess, but instead she gripped the handle of her Bravace, its reassuring warmth pulsed in her sweating palm. Now she brought her attention to the reason for opening her eyes in the first place. Someone joined the bar table on the stool beside her, fortunately it was a preppy looking HUnewearl. The wench obviously didn't know what she was getting into, or did she? She sat cross legged, and leaned across the counter, shirt being pulled dangerously low. With a honeyed voice she asked the bartender for something sweet, she didn't care what as long as it was sweet. Keeping her eyes open for a time reminded her why she had closed them, to suppress the urge to vomit, and now the nauseating feeling came sweeping back.

Somehow she forced herself under tabs, the acrid taste of bile coated her tongue as she swallowed the mess. Her throat caught fire and her stomach churned in protest. She thought to herself, just a little longer, the exit is everything. Sovryn took advantage of a man, he was dressed in rags, drooling, bewitched by the HUnewearl's body. He made his move slowly, trying to slip through the packed crowd to his curved angel. In the mean time the bartender came back, and offered a relatively clean glass mug to the hunter. She smiled and refused, instead she pressed it back to him, and traced a bare finger down his chest. She spoke, her seductive methods starting to prove to much for the humble man.

"Would you like some honey with that?" The man flushed red, his face sweating profusely. All at once, this woman had kindled a fire within every male in the pub. The rag clothed man chose this moment to take action, as he leaped for the apparently defenseless beauty, Sovryn gripped the handle of her weapon like a vise, it was time to move. She stopped herself just in time to prevent the blade of the dagger from gashing a deep line across her face. With a vicious force, the HUnewearl decapitated the lustful fool. She spoke again, this time her voice was cold, practically dripping with malevolence.

"Every man should leave now, except for you, Monsieur." The bar tender swallowed, wondering what this insane woman was going to do to him. He let his mind travel a dirty path, what a divine pleasure it would be! That woman would provide hours of relentless entertainment. The man's eyes drifted away from the HUnewearl's bobbing breasts and overly exposed legs to the rifle underneath the counter. By the time he had come to a decision, almost everyone had left the pub. Good, he didn't want any witnesses. The single roomed building seemed much clearer now, the cooks remained hidden in the kitchen, them all being males. Sovryn and the HUnewearl where the only females that had been in the pub. The hunter winked, almost certainly to the figure that still sat, trying desperately to avoid the bar keepers attention. This woman, she concluded, was no fool. Men where cowards, and even the desperate ones would not forfeit their lives for a mere brush up against some ample curves. Sovryn's focus drifted to the only man's right arm, presumably gripping something under the counter.

As the HUnewearl sat down again, she ordered a drink. "Something strong, I despise sweet drinks." Sovryn noticed that the hunter had not once betrayed her own location by looking at her. After few moments she became irritated,

"What are you just standing there for?" The bar-keeper smiled alarmingly, his crooked yellow teeth bared turning the facial expression into more of a twisted grin. "Of course." With a half bow, he retrieved the rifle and poised it to fire. With unerring speed, and with all the liquidity of a fleeting shadow, the uppermost portion of the man's head blew off in a cascade of blood. The RAmarl took a deep pull from her own mug with one hand, the other still extended holding onto the Bravace. Yet again she forced the bile down by swallowing the beer, none too good of a combination. The body slumped to the ground, most of his head missing, life fluids pouring out staining the gray, scuffed floor. His brains lost somewhere among the bottles arranged by price on the rack in front of them. The HUnewearl stared at the scene with disbelief, then her face split with a hearty grin.

"You sure showed that perv! Nice shot, thanks for covering me." Sovryn barely managed to nod, then she jumped up from her stool and ran off to a corner to begin retching her guts free of their befouled content. The other female found this hilarious, and started to laugh uproariously. She stopped just about the time Sovryn gave off the last heave, now only puking acid. The HUnewearl helped her back to the stool, and jumped behind the counter.

"I owe you a life, the least I can do is do something about your little hang over." Sovryn winced, this wasn't just a little one. The female hunter began rummaging through an assortment of bottles, sipping appreciatively at some, while casting others back disgustedly to be shattered to the floor. The liquid mixed with the blood and the other fluids created a dark ooze on the ground, Sovryn looked quickly away. In a moments time, she concocted a strange mess of altered booze. The RAmarl took it in her hands, eyeing it warily. The HUnewearl laughed again, her voice was gruff but nice, almost homely, nothing like the sugar coated seducer she had seen a few beats ago.

"Go ahead, drink it. Its an old family recipe." This just making it even more suspicious, but whether she liked it or not, this woman was being very open and caring for her. She downed the mess in two, seemingly endless swills, after which left her gasping for air. Her throat was on fire, whether it was this foul hangover cure or the puking that did it, she did not know.

"Thanks" She managed with a cough and a splutter. The HUnewearl, still smiling, patted her on the back. "Strong stuff eh? I'd drink it myself if I was up for it. Say, I never caught your name, I suppose a cute gal like you ought to have a name worth hearing!" The RAmarl fell silent for a moment, and the Newman hunter waited patiently.

"My name is Sovryn." The HUnewearl shook her head respectfully, "Damn, wish my parents had given me a name so downright pretty as that one, I?m stuck with Kay, but I've grown used to it so I never bothered to change it." Sovryn sighed, her life was about to get a whole lot more complicated.


***


They did not stay in the gruesome air of the pub much longer, the stench of the corpse and the sweat of hundreds of bodies long gone mingled together doing little good to Sovryn's guts. With the help of Kay she staggered outside. A rare gust of wind found its way through the packed buildings to them, its gentle cool caress passed too soon, leaving her within the space of a heart beat. She felt hot, unbearably hot, sweat trickled down her forehead making paths through several weeks worth of dirt and grime. The HUnewearl's face stiffened as she caught a whiff from her new friend.

"Oiy Sovryn, when's the last time you took a shower?" The RAmarl wasn't in any condition to answer. Each breath was a drag through a barb wire fence, sending needles of stabbing pain through her lungs. Her vision wavered and blurred, the Kay's anxious face a mere tan blob. Sovryn was no longer able to support herself, her knees buckled and folded. The ability to catch herself passed, she slipped from the hunters grasp and fell to the street and all of its filth with a sickening thud. Kay winced, why did she have to be the clumsy one in her family? Sovryn did not try to stay in contact with reality, it seemed to be a useless battle, one that she never won.

"Damnit girl don't fade on me now!" But she went unheard, the RAmarl fell into a deep unconsciousness, unlikely to wake up for some time. Kay cursed silently to herself, why couldn't she have picked a different pub? But somehow, just being there bound their lives together, and it would be more of a burden upon her not to try to save her. A soft moan escaped Sovryn's lips, what was she doing? This girl was dying and there she was wondering about whether she should leave her behind or not! With an affirmative nod, mainly to convince herself of her own newmanity, Kay heaved Sovryn's frame over her shoulder and she nearly dropped her. Instead she staggered, trying to get her balance back. Once she had righted herself again, Kay set off at a healthy trudge down the street, attempting to ignore the surprised stares from the women and the suddenly all to horny for their own good guys.

"Good god girl, how in blazes does someone.. anyone weigh so much?" It was true, Sovryn weighed a ton, and it took all Kay had just to keep walking. Silently, a swift nighttime rain started to drizzle, and then turned to a pouring storm. Soaking the two figures, one the helper, and one the helpless.

"Great, just.. great."


***


Kay laid Sovryn gently upon the mattress, she had somehow made it through the rain to her apartment. But unfortunately, her room was up four stories of stairs, and the elevator was out of service. Shouting and cursing, beyond the point of caring, Kay half stomped, half dragged herself and Sovryn up the stairs.

"How the hell do you expect handicapped people to get up these stairs!?" Kay's shouting drew the attention of a few, who poked their heads around their half shut doors to get a glimpse of the two. Some doors closed immediately, others stayed open out of interest, but one was thrown wide and a figure came rushing out to help them. It was Kay's room-mate, a RAmar named Hiro Toranaga, the HUnewearl smiled gratefully and offered the body to her long time friend.

"What's up with the girl? Owe you money or something?" The HUnewearl switched Sovryn between them, and laughed as the RAmar staggered and fell back onto his rear. For a moment the RAmarl's body was pressed tight to his. With a good deal of blushing and apologia's, they took her into his apartment.

Kay looked around her, they actually didn't share one room. Instead they attached two apartments together with a set of stairs, living space down, and living quarters up. It took some heavy bargaining, but they finally had convinced the manager of the complex to agree. They had been living like this for the past four months. Hiro had disappeared into the bathroom, to collect medical supplies and run a hot bath. First, Kay removed the crude hat from around Sovryn's head, and took out the three silver pins holding her hair in place. A surprising amount came free, shoulder length iridescent strands of dark purple hair fell loosely down, shining in the light. The Newman hunter held her breath, she had never felt something so perfectly soft, nor as smooth.

"No wonder you have this thing." Without the hat, and her hair free, Sovryn really seemed like another person altogether. Kay continued to remove a heavy and thick coat, with rusted buttons and faded colors. The older female sighed, she must have led a hard life. As she removed the coat the reason for the RAmarl's weight came apparent. Armor, fairly expensive at that. The dark metal glinted eerily, shoulder pads, breast plate, all the way down to a sort of tough leathery pouch at the groin area and thigh covers. Golden swirls decorated the metal itself, while it was bound together and lined with a bright white substance, a photon material variant of some sort. Along her arms where gauntlets, apparently from the same set. Kay whistled, this armor would fetch a heavy cube on the black market. Then she shook her head, it didn't belong to her, and it was her duty to see that she lived through this. Under the armor, her upper torso was wrapped tightly with a white cloth of sorts. Kay sighed in bewilderment, what was this girl afraid of? It was just plain paranoid to go this far, especially under armor as heavy as that.

She made swift work of removing the rest of her clothes and getting her into the tub, being filthy wasn't going to help her in any way. Hiro retreated to the downstairs living room, quite too embarrassed to prove helpful. After a few good scrubs, she had to empty out the bath, for it had become much to dirty to do any good. Kay had to repeat the process two more times before the worst of the grime came off completely, and then just one more to get her satisfactorily clean. With some difficulty, the HUnewearl dressed Sovryn's limp form in some of her sleeping wear. To be truthful, the young RAmarl had quite a nice figure, and the only reason for the clothes to be bagging was because she was taller than Sovryn.


Kay slumped down on the couch, Hiro leaned forward from the recliner he was seated in. "So, how is she?" The HUnewearl took a moment to rest her eyes before speaking.

"She'll be fine," with one arm she propped herself up to be able to look at the RAmar, "No thanks to you." Hiro began to protest but Kay cut him off, "I know, you don't have to explain yourself. But I doubt you'd think twice about helping with the bath after you saw what I did." The man blushed,

"She's cute, but I would never-" yet again, he was interrupted, "Whatever Hiro, there's just something about her though.." After this, both of them fell silent for a time. And when Hiro was ready to speak again, Kay had fallen fast asleep.


***


When Sovryn awoke, she didn't know where she was, and for a moment she doubted she was who she remembered herself as. The last time she had been in a bed, was the last night she had lived in her fathers house. As the RAmarl sat up she slowly became accustomed to her surroundings, and found herself liking the look of the room. The walls where painted a dark blue, and so was the ceiling. The plush velvet colored carpet was soft under her feet, she smiled realizing something, this was a water bed. The ground underneath her shifted with her weight, if she had fallen she would've doubted that she would sustain injury. It was an airy room, with several windows along the wall, and a large fan spinning its blades at a lazy pace on the ceiling.

Where was she? As Sovryn scanned the room, her eyes fell upon her armor. Someone had placed it upon a large desk, Bravace cleaned and holstered sat beside it. The RAmarl's attention was immediately diverted by the opening of a door. She froze in her position, the man that entered the room paused as well. For a moment they stared each other down, but the silence was quickly broken.

"Who the hell are you?" Sovryn menaced, she quickly retrieved her weapon from the desk top and aimed it at the RAmar's head. Hiro gulped, and took a step backwards. They stood for a long moment, sunlight streaking into the room catching the vibrant color of her eyes. Then behind the figure appeared another. Kay shook her head and stepped past the RAmar,

"No need to be alarmed. This is Hiro Toranaga, a long time friend of mine." Slowly letting the Bravace to her side, the RAmarl spoke. "Where am I?"

"You at my house, Hiro and I share it." Sovryn nodded, "You two are.. a couple then?

The HUnewearl burst into laughter while the RAmar shifted nervously. She tilted her head to one side and stared at Kay inquisitively. After a time, the hunter managed to control herself enough to speak. "Sorry about that.." Lifting her eyes to meet Sovryn's, she continued.

"No, we're simply friends. I've known him since, well.. at least when we started fighting on Ragol." Hiro nodded,

"If you two will excuse me, I really should be checking on breakfast." with one last glance around him the RAmar exited the room. When the door closed behind him, Sovryn cast a furtive glance at her armor.

"Why are you doing this?" Kay returned to reality, her gaze too had fell upon the excellent piece of craftsmanship that sat on the desk top. "Hmm? Doing what?"

"Helping me! I don't have any money, and I can't give you anything of value" she hesitated before finishing, "Nothing I'm willing to give anyway"

The HUnewearl smiled, "Cause you where dying on the streets, and you saved my hide. What other reasons do I need?" Sovryn fell silent, yesterday's thoughts merely blurry images. But now that she mentioned it, the pieces fitted themselves together into something more stable. She remembered, but was still confused.

"How long have I been asleep?" the RAmarl questioned.

"Just through the night, why do you ask?" Sovryn shook her head, "That doesn't make sense, I've passed out like that before and haven't woken up for days." The HUnewearl winced,

"Happens to you often eh? I admit the Pioneer 2 was lacking in research for the new diseases that infected a good deal of us upon land fall, but a company has started manufacturing nannite injections that repair and stabilize the system."

"Nannites.. nano-machines, correct?" Kay nodded, and waited for the RAmarl to think. "What's the corporations name?"

"Scarlet Drop, its actually a relatively new business. But because of it's break through in nano and bio technology.. Well business grew like a weed, and soon began buying other smaller companies and expanded their research." She paused, noticing the RAmarls movement towards her armor and weapon.

"Hey Sovryn, what in blazes are you doing?"

"Leaving.." The RAmarl spoke matter-of-factly.


***


"Stupid! Just stand there and deny nothing why don't ya?" Hiro muttered to himself as he collapsed into a chair. Before him lay a Rati, its twin still at the owner's home. It stood deactivated in a prop, a series of tools and parts littered the table top sorrounding the figure. The RAmar was glad his parents hired a tutor for him while he was at the hunters academy, otherwise he would have been stuck without a proffesion after the liberation of Ragol. Mechanics came to him swiftly, though after some trouble. Even though Hiro was a fast learner, he had no previous knowledge in the subject what-so-ever. After that, moving on to robotics wasn't too hard, but his studies where cut short by being put on call to Ragol after the mysterious explosion.

His BEE communicator beeped softly, reminding him that he would need to get down to work in around ten beats. "Guess I'm going to have to work on you later." The RAmar stood from the chair and wandered into the living room/kitchen space. He had subconsciously set out breakfast for two, and slowly his brain registered that it didn't make a difference anyway. Hiro retrieved his jacket from the rack and slung it over his shoulder. Though it was sunny outside, Pioneer 3's satellites predicted another storm system would reach them by mid afternoon. With one last glance behind him, the former hunter left the apartment into the day.


***

Hiro glanced at the large red letters that spelled out the companies logo "BF HUMANOIDS" From the outside one could peer into the display cases of the newest models, every week the oldest on show would be swapped out with the newest. Almost every other day further advancements where made, so naturally the products had to be updated. A few men stood gazing at a Humanoid Hiro himself had help design. One was playing guessing games at her measurements whiles the others argued back.

"I'd say at least a 56'. "

"No way man! Just look at her, I say 59'." Chuckling to himself, the RAmar stepped up behind them and spoke.

"She's 165cm tall, 45kg, bust 88, waist 54, and hip 56.." A man with short cropped black hair and a pale face turned and stared at him incredulously, "Any questions?" Again silence. Still smiling on the inside, Hiro entered the shop's front doors, catching a few snatches as their conversation started up again.

"Told you she had a 56"

"what does he know? Look at her for Coral's sake!"

The RAmar was greeted by his cohort-in-crime, Ethan. He spoke looking out the large glass panels in the entranceway. "Anyone buying today?"

"Nah, just ogling the Victoria model. Got something for me, Ethan?" The mechanic shook his head, "Some people.. Oh what? Yeah.." Hiro took the clip board from his zoned out friend's hand. After a quick glance, the RAmar lowered the requested repairs in disgust. Reading the expression, Ethan nodded.

"Its even worse once you've seen it. It's like people enjoy abusing these things."

"These people." Hiro corrected. The man sighed, this RAmar had always shown compassion for anything he worked on, whether it was Humanoids or engines.

"She cant be de-activated?" Once again he woke up Ethan from his trance. He began to walk towards the shop, where the damaged machine undoubtedly waited for him.

"Yeah, her owner did some harsh meddling with her system."

"What now?" Hiro exclaimed, quite exasperated.

"Her sensory levels where turned so high a brush up against her must have felt like shove. Voice chip's been taken out, probably so she couldn't scream. Stretch marks, dented structure. Not to mention the slashes in her synth skin. I didn't dare log into her memory playback"

Hiro shook his head in frustration, "Bastards"


***


"You don't have to go Sovryn."

"But.." The two hunters sat across from one another at the kitchen table. The RAmarl suddenly felt tired, like talking was draining her strength. Eating had helped, but she only allowed herself to intake so much as to not upset her still uncertain stomach.

"What would I do?" Kay exhaled deeply, Sovryn spoke again. "I will not stay here and do nothing!"

The HUnewearl's eyes flickered to and from her new found friend. "What ever comes natural." The RAmarl stopped herself from speaking up again and thought for a moment. Kay continued, "You have time to think things over. I would go so far as to suggest trying out a few jobs here and there, see what you like."

Sovryn remained silent, staring into the half empty mug of coffee as if searching within its depths for the answer. Kay's mind again traveled to the RAmarl's appearance, and then her face lit up with the realization.

"Well Vinny.."

"Vinny?"

"Hey! That's a good nick name for you." The HUnewearl stated defensively. "Anyway, your going to need some clothes of your own, so I think a little shopping trip is in order." Groaning inwardly, Sovryn again let her eye's take refuge in the rich brown of the coffee. A lot more complicated


***


Hiro looked up from his work suddenly as his BEE communicator bleeped cheerily at him. Ethan paused in his search for another compatible sound chip to nod at the Humanoid that lay stretched out on the table.

"I'll take over if you need to take that."

Noticing the caller I.D., The RAmar waved his thanks. "Be right back." exiting into the hall, Hiro accessed the call and raised the piece close to his mouth.

"What do you want Kay?" He said with a touch if irritation vibrating in his voice.

"Aren't we the grouch?"

"Sorry, it just that sometimes the number of idiots in Pioneer City baffle me. So, what's up?"

"Don't argue with the deaf. Anyway, Sovryn doesn't have any other clothes so I plan to do some shopping. Anything you need while I'm out?"

"You sound more and more like my mother every time I talk to you" The RAmar sighed,

"I'll take that as a compliment, if I can. But seriously, need anything?"

"A life, and don't get one from the discount section this time." Hiro heard laughter over the line and relaxed a little. "Alright then, I'll see you when you get back from work."

"Speaking of work, your break ends tomorrow right?"

"The sad truth."

"Oh don't mope, I can't stand that."

"Alright.. see you."


"Bye" The RAmar shook his head and leaned back against the stone wall. Letting the cool temperature have its comforting effect upon his over taxed body. How many cards does that woman plan to max out anyway? Hiro's mind was wiped clear immediately after he re-entered the specialized shop area.

He had managed to deactivate the Humanoid, though just the thought of replacing all the costly parts thrummed inside his head like an obnoxious tune. Turning to Ethan, he let out a deep breath.

"We're going to have to send her through a heat wash to remove the synth skin without further damaging her frame." His friend stood up from his sitting position,

"Plan to finish her repairs tonight?"

"Be damnded if I didn't"

Ethan nodded and lifted the Humanoid figure, her own body size seemingly smaller when compared to the larger man's own bulk. Hiro let Sovryn drift into his mind momentarily, just who are you?


***


The RAmarl gazed out of the Hover bus window. Through the translucent reflection of her face she could see towers that spiraled up into the sky. Thousands of glass panes placed strategically around their structures allowed the employees to glance outside at other buildings that rivaled their magnificence. All of this passed by in a blur as the terminal sped onwards, deeper into the heart of Pioneer City. It was built quite simply, on the cities fringes lay more rural homes, as you moved in closer, you would reach the residential areas where many apartments took root. Farther along, you met up with smaller shops that gradually grew into larger ones, and eventually corporation buildings.

Inside the walls of where she was born, The RAmarl seemed to be making a new life. Sovryn looked away from the city and to the HUnewearl that sat waiting, somewhat impatiently, for the Hover Bus to reach their destination. So kindness still existed even in the lowest of positions. But she had known this all along, and this knowledge is what kept her alive through out the years. About a month ago, a kind old woman offered her shelter in her home. Sovryn had gotten herself into a bar fight and ended up betraying her femininity to the group. A gang of the ruffians had followed her along the streets and she had narrowly slipped by them.

That night, the same band broke into the ladies home and murdered her while she was sleeping, bashing her skull in with a steel pipe. Sovryn ended up killing five men that night, desperately trying to avoid what seemed to be the inevitable, rape. Fortunately, the Pioneer guards had showed up. The men fought them while the RAmarl managed to escape out the back door into the streets. She ended up using the meseta given to her to drown her spirits in cheap alcohol. Guilty, it was always the same story, forever staining her past with the blood of the innocents. It was the kind who suffered during the depressions, always the kind that where hurt for someone else's foolish actions. She could never repay them for their actions, but she would try none the less.

"Vinny?" Sovryn took a moment to remember the nick-name the HUnewearl had given her.

"Yes?" She replied, now clear of her lamenting. Kay sighed, "You've got that look again, something wrong?"

"Sorry, no, I'm fine. Are we at our stop now?" Receiving a nod, the RAmarl followed her friend from the Bus and onto the landing platform. The all to familiar crowds of down town Pioneer City washed by in waves like those of the Coralian sea. Mostly blank faces, hardly a smile amongst the multitude of sentient life. The sound of the terminal once again lifting from its landing ruts filled her ears for a moment, and then was replaced by air rushing by them as the bus made its ascent into the canopy of buildings. Kay nodded westward,

"The mall I'm taking you to is that way, its only a short walk." Sovryn Followed the HUnewearl trough the throng of warm bodies, feeling somewhat uncomfortable in the clothes she was wearing. The black denim of her pants fit somewhat snugly to her legs, same with the maroon fabric of her shirt, though it stopped at least two inches from her belt line. The RAmarl was overly conscious of the unrelenting male attention they where receiving. Kay pointed to a large light gray building with black windows,

"That's the West Point shopping mall." The HUnewearl grinned as her companion gaped at the thought of buying from the high quality goods that the mall stocked. Sovryn shook her head,

"Your not thinking of," Kay laughed and tugged at her hand, leading her onward.

"Damn straight!"

Sovryn relaxed and tagged by her friend as she made her way through the crowd. The HUnewearl didn't bother to move out of other people's way, since they seemed more than inclined to do so for themselves. Soon they reached two sets of Huge doors, "West Point" was spelled out over them in large, swirling, golden text. The RAmarl shifted the unusual presence of the fanny pack that hung down below her hip. The only reason to carry such an obstruction was to conceal her Bravace and several recharge cells. Kay had a pair of daggers stashed inside the purse she was supporting, so both women where prepared for the worst.

In order to look less conspicuous, the RAmarl let her body relax. She was in good company, nothing bad would happen. Sovryn swallowed air as the entrance hall gave away to the gigantic hallway. Ground level shops bustled with movement, shoppers flooded the floor in either small or large groups, so the lonely couple that they where made them stick out even more. Kay once again took her hand,

"So what style do you wanna go for?"

"What?" Sovryn stated, quite confused.

"Oh never mind, well just have to see what looks best on you." The RAmarl took a breath, something told her that they would be at this mall for quite some time.


***


"Finally!" Sovryn collapsed on a bench, laughing to herself. Kay settled down beside her and laid several bags on the ground. The she grinned,

"Who would have guessed?"

The RAmarl shrugged, "I guess black just looks good on me" After a moment, she picked herself up again.

"We should get going." As the HUnewearl groaned and stood, Sovryn looked about her. She noticed one of the smaller groups eyeing them Kay retrieved the bags and set off at a leisurely pace. And she followed her, trying not to glance back and see if the men had decided to follow them.

They had, her friend merely accepted the fact with a grunt when she pointed this out to her.

"We can't do anything until they start something, otherwise we'll land ourselves in a cell in east quadrant." Sovryn sighed, knowing it to be true. The eastern quadrant of Pioneer City is where the detainment facilities where located. Many bad rumors ran, but most of them pointed to one thing, the place was a living hell. She remembered a close call, being at the wrong place at the wrong time as she always seemed to be. The RAmarl had nearly been hauled up and tossed into the back of a hover truck because she was seen with a group that had vandalized a weapons store. The leader of the gang was considerate though, she spoke up for Sovryn, and denounced the thought of her having anything to do with them.

The guards shrugged and told her to get lost, then they crowded them up into the armored vehicle and sped off. Now as they rounded the corner to the entrance/exit hall she caught a glimpse of a man tucking a knife up the sleeve of his shirt.

"Just keep walking." Kay whispered, Sovryn acknowledged this by doing so. In a few moments they reached the Hover Bus platform just as one was pulling out of its station. Cursing silently to herself, the HUnewearl took her friends hand once again.

"The next bus will be here in seven beats. And personally, I don't want to wait around that long." The RAmarl looked back, the men that had been following them were now lost in the crowd, but she was certain that they where still pursuing her. Kay snapped her out of thought,

"Come on, lets see if we can get a taxi."

They headed over towards the west quadrant plaza, soon a row of white hover cars came into view. Along their sides where a yellow bar of color, inside this was the word "taxi" and a number spelled out in bold. Seeing their objective, four men broke into a run and headed towards them. Sovryn glimpsed a short android running ahead of them, but only for a moment.

"Outcast?"

"Sovryn what the hell are you doing! Get into the cab!" Turning sharply, the RAmarl identified her friend who was holding open the vertical door of a hover car. She quickly covered the distance between them and half jumped half slid into the taxi. Kay quickly followed, bringing the door down behind her.

"Home?"

"Yeah, thanks Lorenzo." The black Newman chuckled, his deep mellow voice vibrating in his chest.

"No problem missy, who's your friend?" Kay laughed nervously, and then began the introductions with a well practiced tone.

"Sovryn , this is Lorenzo Farham, another friend of mine." The man turned, grinning.

"A pleasure." The RAmarl nodded, somewhat uncertain.

"Likewise." Still smiling to himself, the Newman turned back and activated the hover car's repulsors. The engine whined for a moment, but then the heavy noise of rushing air replaced it.

"Buckle up." Kay advised, Sovryn opened her mouth to complain but was soon thrown back into the cushioned seat as the vehicle lurched out of stand still. The RAmarl strapped into the safety harness, no questions left in her mind.


***


Hiro stretched, he had been working non-stop for most of the day. He decided to take a small break. Ethan returned with two large mugs, one filled with tea, the other with coffee. The RAmar accepted the cup with tea, and took a long drought from it. The man glanced over their work, and sighed.

"So we've replaced the damaged software, wiped her memory chip, and put a security lock down on her system to prevent such tampering from happening again." Hiro nodded,

"All that's left is the frame repairs, and replacing the synth skin." Ethan took another glance at the bare metal and wire of the Humanoid, and then took a deep pull from his mug. "Do we have enough of the D-type plastic?"

The RAmar shrugged and stood up from his workbench. "I'll check, I hate how they don't give us stock in repair materials for the older models." His friend picked up a tray of metal plates that would replace the dented and fractured ones she had come in with.

"I know what you mean, only the Vivian has compatible replacement parts. I'll get started on this, you go ahead and look for that plastic now, it may take a while."

"I'll just check the computers."

"Don't bother, Jason hasn't updated our stock files in the last week. I wouldn't trust a rappies ass to those read-outs."

Hiro chuckled as he left the room. Ethan never relied upon anyone or anything to get a job done, mainly because he didn't trust them. The RAmar was an exception, he had helped the civilian through some tough times, and in return earned the his respect.

Instead of turning left to go out into the lobby area, he took a right and continued down the hallway. Passing through a door marked "Employees Only" led him into the back area of the store/repair shop. Here there was another hallway, this one, like the other, was carpeted and had ebony colored wallpaper. Three wooden doors separated at the end of the western side would lead him to the offices, while a single heavy set metal one stood at the eastern would take him to where he needed to go. Hiro made his way towards the door, his shoes leaving no marks upon the clean sea green of the carpeting. The metal slab of an entrance was locked with a key card access panel. Taking the I.D. from around his neck, the former hunter slid this through the terminal and watched three green lights illuminate as he did so. He could hear the metallic click that signaled that the mechanical locks had lifted, and then proceeded to open the door.

It swung slowly outwards, making no noise as the large pins turned in their hinges. Behind this door was a sizeable store room. On the far right lay two more sets of metal doors. Both of them led to two different dipping pools. One for the plastic that covered over the metal framework of the Humanoids, the other for applying the soft synth skin over it. Both of the thick substances where heated in the pools, you would submerge the android into the mixture, and then pull it back soon afterwards. Chemicals added to the material cause it to dry instantly, to avoid the liquid from running. Then you would have your near completed Humanoid.

From here Hiro traveled down a row of shelves, briefly scanning over the labels on the black metal of the large canisters, murmuring to himself as he did so. "G, E, where the hell is.." He paused, looking at the place where the D-type plastic should be located. It was there, though the container indicated that it was only half full.

"That's funny, I would've thought we carried more of it."

Shrugging to himself, the RAmar began to head back to the shop room. He stopped, noticing a canister that was opened. The label simply read, "A-class shoulder joints" Hiro frowned and walked over to a PDA counsel, he pressed the single button on it and spoke briefly.

"Office, we have a problem in storage. Have crew look into the A-class shoulder joints." After a moment he added, "And Jason, get your ass into gear, I want an up to date supply withdrawal print out in twenty beats."


***

Ethan did not look up from his work when the RAmar entered the room. Instead, he guided the super heated tip of the welding gun smoothly across a long section of the Humanoids shoulder plate. After which he took a small, rounded piece of metal and fitted it to a vertebrate in her spine. The thin rod glided along the edges with one, fusing the piece permanently in place.

"Something wrong?" Hiro sighed and shook his head, then sat next to his friend on the work bench.

"Nah, probably just some guy carelessly left the container open." Ethan nodded, then picked up a file to remove a little piece of previous welding that stood in the way of putting in the next section of spine.

"We have about half a canister of D-plastic." The RAmar stated, watching his friend work.

"Thats enough for this one. You can go ahead and leave, I'll finish up the repairs for the night." Hiro contemplated his options tiredly. He could either argue with his friend who had noticed his exhausted condition, or he could graciously accept the offer..

"No, I'll continue to work." Well he couldn't just put his pride up for the stake could he?

Ethan now looked him in the eyes, his own a crystal blue framed in his tanned face bordered by a mop of messy blonde hair. Hiro's own black hair was cut short, his piercing green eyes stared his friend down.

"Fine, but I'm going to hog all the repairs tomorrow." Ethan laughed and selected another vertebrate piece and lodged it firmly in place. Standing now, the RAmar said his good-byes.

"Oh, one more thing." His friend grunted in acknowledgement, "Don't hand her back over to the owner, if he asks say we don't have the supplies."

"I wouldn't worry about the owner, he's most likely dead."

"Dead!?"

"Yeah, a group from the android rights movement brought her in. They simply told us that her owner abandoned her. My guess he left her behind when a squad of them crushed his skull into the ground."

"Ah well," Hiro paused, somewhat disturbed at Ethan's toneless mention of the loss of life. "Whatever, I guess." His friend nodded and moved on towards a section of the Humanoids lower back. The pelvis joint had been brutally shattered underneath the burnt synth skin, their guess was from the blast of a photon weapon of sorts.

"See you tomorrow then."

"Say hi to Kay for me will ya?" The RAmar grinned, remembering his friends feelings towards the HUnewearl.

"I'll give her your regards."


***


When Hiro returned to the doubled up apartment, he found two figures that where in no condition better than his. Sovryn lay asleep on the red futon that served as their guest bed, Kay was slumped in the lazy boy, she too seemed to have left consciousness. On the table sat five bags, the RAmar approached them while shaking his head. He peered cautiously into one, a mix of black and dark blue/red, apparently Sovryn preferred gloomier color schemes.

"Pervert" Kay chuckled, Hiro turned to see her staring at him through half closed eyes.

"I wasn't-"

Before he could finish she drifted back into sleep. The RAmar smiled to himself and then gathered some blankets from upstairs and laid them over the two hunters. Satisfied that they where comfortable, Hiro took a can of cold tea from the refrigerator and disappeared into a side room that had been turned into his study.

There lay the Rati, just like he had left it. Ethan had requested the repairs be done by Hiro, he said that he didn't fully understand the process it would require to fix the Mag. He sat down again, grateful for once that he would not have to be leaving the comfortable chair for some time.

After about a half an hour, the RAmar too slipped away from reality. The household of friends was quiet for once, and forever.

They slept in peace..



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Sarunakai on 2004-05-18 21:15 ]</font>

[PhotonDrop]

Holy hell! I'll have to get back to you on this... its almost my bed time(sooooooooo tired)...

*rightclick*
*copy*
*opens wordpad*
*paste*
*print*

[Sagasu]

Goodnight Photon Drop

I too have had a long day, and shall retire for the night soon.

I expect to get the next chapter up by Saturday, maybe sunday. Hell, it might even be earlier http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif


Okay, time for http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_sleep.gif

[EJ]

This one of the most detailed chapter I have ever read. It like a novel which I enjoyed it all and I don't mind the long chapters so keep up the good work.

[Sagasu]

Seeing how that was my intention, its good to hear that http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

I only hope that I can coninue to produce tis level of quality for all of the fiction. Sometimes minds waver http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime2.gif

[mr_rubbish]

It's very good, it's got that kinda hook that draws you in. Though I am saddened by the thought of the abused humanoids (._.)

Some typos here and there, nothing major. And you're still formatting speech in the way I don't like but what can I do about it eh?

One complaint though...

The bar scene with Kay, Soveryn and the men seemed.... Unreal? I know you had to bring them together but there is something I don't like about how the scene played out... I just can't describe it in words is all.

Well roll on chapter 2! http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

[Sagasu]

Hmm..

Unreal eh? Dunno, maybe the whole kicking everyone ou of th epub deal was too much for you. Should I have Kay kill a few mroe guys to get the poitn across? http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

Speech, you don't like it? http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_cry.gif What about the format bugs you?

Anyway, thanks for teh comment ^_^

<-- 1000th post! w00tness!

[Skett]

Jeesh. Shows how many times I go to PSOW anymore. I had only found out that you created a new story around twenty minutes ago.

And here I thought that your other stories chapters were long (for this boards standared). This is crazy. Good thing its going well. I can't wait for more chapters.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Skett on 2004-05-19 16:29 ]</font>

[Sagasu]

Alright!

Sketts aboard for this little trip of mine. I shall begin chapter two tonight, work through tommorow, and perhaps have the chapter up friday! http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

But first, I must have coffee http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wink.gif

You can expect ch 2 to be of the same length, if not longer http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime2.gif

[PhotonDrop]

Wow, I just found it stunning. I really did.

[Lone_Wolf_Nasca]

Wow, just WOW http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_eek.gif !! It took me quite a while to finish reading this monster of a chapter, but that is not a bad thing, you just gave us quality in quantity http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wink.gif . Very descriptive and who the hell would make a poor Humanoid suffer like that http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_frown.gif !?!? Makes me think that the people of Coral are truly barbaric.

Keep it up Saru http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif !! I might not post as often as you like, but I can asure you that I am reading all of this ^_^.

[Sagasu]

Thankies! ^_^

Who would make a humanoid suffer? An author who loves to toy with human emotions http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

Anyway, I expect to finish the chapter sometime early tommorow morning. That is if I don't get too distracted.. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime2.gif

[MQuantum]

Garbles...

Quite a few minor punctuation mistakes, mostly erroneous typing I suppose. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

I see exactly what Rubbish means with the dialogue, your format leaves the reader confused at some points. Maybe I can hunt up a good dialogue guide somewhere...

Great story so far, I'm loving most moments of it. Not the humanoid abuse part- that scumbag got off way too easy.

I look forward too, and eagarly await, the next scraps you may decide to throw our way. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

[Kadou]

Very amusing, Saru. It glows with all the dramatic heirs of a corny anime series.

I have to agree with Rubbish and MQ about your dialogue format. Didn't you learn how to write in elementary school English?

At any rate, this a stunning work so far. Bravo..

[Sagasu]

Now I know I'm just spoiling you guys http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

But here's Chapter 2, even longer than the first so beware http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime2.gif



Sovryn's Song

Chapter 2
Sacrificial Path



Everyone has their dreams. Love, wealth, power, all created from wishful thinking and a struggle for a higher status in society. Even those who deny such goals hold onto some thin thread that is their hopes. But through the long road towards our ultimate passion, the once docile ambitions can be tainted. When we are young, we try to take in everything we can from our surroundings. Someone else's language, generalizations made in culture, anything that is tangible to our fragile minds. During this process of adaptive learning, we assume the roles laid out before us.

Despite the people who tell the child that they can become whatever they want to be, a doubt lingers.

Children are not taught to be dreamers, immediately they find their thoughts imprisoned by the rules of everyday life. Most advice is given in the affect of achieving an easier path, or a simpler one. But what if you took away such boundaries, what if a child was allowed to live in a non-influenced pattern of behavior? Then they would become hopeless romantics, caged in by public opinion. It would take one devoid of self consciousness to achieve such a state of mind. A figure that could ignore the hatred and step away from the kindness that would destroy their self-reliance. If this happened, the individual would be able to live amongst their own true dream. But who is willing to give up their social position merely for a fantasy that they could only experience in their minds? After all, wishes don't come true.. do they?


***

Sovryn sat alone in the apartment, anxiously contemplating the thoughts running through her mind. Hiro and Kay had left for work, and within the space of a few minutes the rooms fell into her silence. She watched the glass of water before her, a ray of light hit the patterned crystalline surface of the cup and split into other directions. She had just set it down, so the liquid inside rocked back and forth slowly, creating shimmering lines in the bottom cup from the strands of photons that had made it through the clear surface of the glass. The RAmarl watched this blankly, she remembered the memories of her childhood without meaning to, their importance lost upon her as she fell deeply into reminiscence.

Her father used to be a kind man, caring in every way. But soon after a promotion at the lab, he spent less and less time at home. She could faintly retrace the path that she had traveled so often around the Everglade Park. Through the wispy images that vanished quickly as smoke on the wind she could picture her favorite place in solitude. The warm, black asphalt under her feet was comforting as a strong cross breeze disturbed the leaves in the trees and tossed playfully with her dress. Rays of sunlight streamed through the early autumn foliage, creating a mesh of glowing patches upon the worn path, shifting with every passing movement as if shadows were alive. He was there, smiling, and they had been happy. Back on Coral, life was simple and pleasurable. Sovryn had friends, family, even traces of romance. Though one day, her father told her that they would be travelling to a new home, somewhere far away.

They had left their beautiful utopia behind for a space craft of epic proportions. The RAmarl would spend many hours watching the ships construction, fascinated by the process of which it was completed. But when it came time to leave, she despised it, simply because the Pioneer 2 was going to take her away from the life she had so lovingly built. It was during the prolonged period time spent aboard the colonization ship that she learned of her father's secret, and just the remembrance of the moment sent her thoughts into turmoil. He had betrayed the life made from kindness and peace for one built of power, greed, and cold arguments. Sovryn knew she hated her father, but soon afterwards her own afflicted mind became consumed by the possibilities. It started with a keen attraction to a young HUmar, though now she remembered his name as more of a curse.

Outside a heavy breeze rippled through the buildings, erasing the last traces of the storm that had lasted through the night and into the early morning. There would be clear skies tonight..


***

"And you are?" Hiro asked patiently, though he was somewhat intimidated by the mans presence.

"Samuel Lafayette, an agent." The RAmar glanced over his I.D. with a minor note of laughter, the man had given the automated camera the middle finger as it scanned the image of his head and shoulders. A good thing about the machinery that ran most everyday appliances was that you could get away with cases of humor like this.

"Alright, Mr. Lafayette. What brings you to our humble shop?" Samuel adjusted his tie uncomfortably, it was obvious he wasn't used to being dressed up.

"Just making sure that you doing your humble procedures. I need to see the files on your previous ten models to make sure that the new programming SD introduced has indeed been installed into their systems." Such check ups where routine, every six months agents like these would show up and request to take a look at the records. But something wasn't right about this..

"I can assure you right now sir tha-"

"Listen.." The man leaned over to scan the RAmar's identification patch sewn onto his white lab coat, "Alright, listen Hiro. Our corporation policies prevent us from taking your word. I need to see the evidence."

"But that's jus-" Interrupted again, Samuel spoke in a tone that almost made the engineer jump.

"We don't give a damn whether you say you are sure of the laws compliance. I myself have to see the data, or I would be failing in my duty. Now you can make this easier for the both of us and show me what I need to know, and then we can get on with our lives. Or you could be difficult, and spend a night in East side." Hiro gritted his teeth and stared the man in the eyes, they were amber like Sovryn's. Though the RAmarl's reflected depth while his seemingly shone in the bright light that poured down upon their figures.

"Fine, but you'll have to leave your buddies behind." The RAmar stated, looking back at the three accompanying agents. Samuel nodded, and gestured for the men to stay put. Then he followed Hiro farther into the Humanoid shop. The engineer led the agent down a long corridor to a inset computer terminal that lay embedded into the eastern wall. Within the space of a beat, he accessed the model schematics directory file and pulled up the bio on the latest ten Humanoids. Stepping back allowed the man in the dark suit space within he could easily view the data.

Samuel nodded , high-lighting the necessary 'details' in his mind in every time he came across them. Hiro let out a relieved sigh when the agent straightened up and grunted in acknowledgement.

"Will that be all?" The RAmar asked politely. The man's face was suddenly washed over with a serious vibe.

"Yes. Though I will be reporting your reluctance to comply company orders."

"Go ahead," Hiro said through clenched teeth, now beyond the point of caring.

Ethan poked his head out the door and called out down the hallway, "Yo Hiro, I need you for a moment." The RAmar sighed and looked back into the agent's eyes.

"I'll wait." Samuel said stiffly. The engineer nodded and backed off a few steps before turning around, then proceeded to advance towards the repair shop. Once inside he spoke quickly,

"What is it?"

His friend grinned, "Is that the thanks I get from saving you from that agent? What's he doing here anyway?"

"Just the six month routine." Ethan looked puzzled by this,

"Are you sure that's what they're here for?"

"Yeah, the guys got the right I.D. and everything. Something wrong?"

"No its just strange, I received a BEE message stating that the check up will be held on next Wednesday."

"What?!"


***

Samuel couldn't stop laughing as he ran down the street, closely followed by his three friends. They too found it hilarious that the engineer had so easily fallen for their ruse. One of the men stopped, a wide grin of his face.

"So did you get a good look at their measurements?" Still smiling, Samuel nodded.

"That and more, the Victoria model doesn't have the new programming that puts the Humanoid on lockdown when their systems are tampered with."

"Why wouldn't it? I doubt the android mobs would be too happy to hear that." He nodded as he removed the dark coat and jacket. The poser agent swung these over his shoulder and began a leisurely pace down the street. He shrugged, but frowned as he remembered a bit of information.

"Oh and Nathan, your wrong."

"About what?" The man questioned, Samuel nodded at one of the three behind him.

"Rodriguez was right, she does have a 56."

"I knew it!"

"Oh shove it.. But there is one thing though. How on Coral did you get your hands on an SD agents I.D?"

"Black market, where else?" Glad they don't know the truth..

"Nice, hey lemme see it!" Samuel side stepped out of the man's attempted to take the card from his hand. No one saw his actual face flash on the picture as he quickly stuffed it in his trouser pocket.

"Get your own Nate." Nathan nearly tripped over himself into a face long smash into the ground, after recovering, he spoke.

"So what are we gonna do tonight? It been a while since you've been in the city."

"I say we start a bar fight, I can't remember the last time we had good one." Said Rodriguez. The third man finally piped up,

"That's cause you where always too wasted to notice a damned thing." Samuel shook his head and turn around so that he was facing his companions.

"Sorry guys, that's going to have to wait till tomorrow. I plan to have dinner with my sister this fine eve." Rodriguez sighed,

"I remember you mentioning her once, you haven't seen her in a while have you?"

"Yeah, a long time ago.."


***

"Eight years! Eight long years! Just what happened?" Kay sobbed over the comm. unit. Several of the other nurses stepped out of the lounge area to give her privacy, some whispering to their friends, others shaking their heads.

"Oh come on sis, don't cry." Samuel tried to comfort her over the line, a nearly impossible task.

"Sorry, but the last time I saw your hide you where refusing to go into the academy. Something about a debt you had to pay off."

"I won't talk about that over the units, but we'll speak more over the dinner table."

"You mean your finally coming back?" The HUnewearl sat down, feeling that her legs where unstable. So many memories of playing with her younger brother came back in a rush of images. She wiped the final tear from her eye and listened to his response.

"I don't know for how long, but I'm here on business. A month at most, entirely depending." The HUmar sighed, they where at Pioneer City on a search mission, but he couldn't tell her that.

"Oh yeah, I remember Ma calling and telling me she had done some research of your whereabouts. Said you had joined the Scarlet Drop corporation after BP collapsed."

"They keep me busy.. how's father?"

"Died in the epidemic, mother was sick as well, but she lasted out until SD came along with the nano-cure."

"Damn, that's going to haunt me for the rest of my life. But anyway, just give me an address and I'll be there around 211 beats from now.."


Kay yawned as the call ended, then typed a quick BEE message to Hiro. Mainly to inform him to expect company. The HUnewearl herself couldn't make it by six 'o clock but the RAmar would be there. She stood and straightened out her uniform, pink and white really where not her colors. Her long dark brown hair was tied up in a pony tail that fell to behind her back so that it would not interfere with her work. With a sigh, she placed the nurse's cap over her head and paced towards the exit. Kay pulled back the heavy wood work of the door and stepped into the white stone of the hallway. The overhead lights shone brightly upon the washed walls, which only intensified the shade and made it seem like they where glowing themselves.

As she rounded the next corner, the waiting room came into view. Mainly older folks occupied the benches, raspy breathing, their peculiar odor, all was too familiar to her. She spent some time comforting the sickly, reassuring that the doctor would be seeing them shortly. But her mind was elsewhere, racing along the questions she would have to wait to ask.


***

Hiro returned home to find Sovryn sitting at the table motionless, staring at a glass of water. He stepped precociously over to her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, you alright?" She turned her face towards him, recognizing his voice seemed to bring her out of her trance.

"Sorry about that, yeah, I'm fine." The RAmarl looked back at the glass cupped in her hands, light no longer danced within its depths, instead the painted rays stained the skies in early sunset. Outside the occasional cirrus cloud was tinged golden, floating in a sea of orange that faded gradually into a blue-ish purple. Such beauty did not get the respect it deserved, as for most of the life was settling down in their homes. Nature did not ask for thanks, maybe that?s why it received so little..

The RAmar selected a few items from the refrigerator and set them out on the available counter space. Nothing fancy, he was just going to make some stir fry for dinner. Kay hadn't told him much about her brother, not even his name. She never really talked about her family much, somewhat ashamed of their history. He was convinced that?s what drove the HUnewearl to her problem. She had become a heavy drinker over the years he knew her, despite his protests. Hiro himself did not favor alcohol to greatly, just the occasional glass of wine more than satisfied him. But it had come to the point where his friend wanted a heavy drink every day.

Since the nano-cures where out and available, he had stopped complaining so often. But still such medication was costly, it was only when he found her retching her guts out in the bathroom did he really step in. After such occasions she might stop for a week, but she always returned. Bad habits die hard, and this one was bringing her down with it.

The organisms in Pioneer City where truly amazing. Able to cope with a hellish existence with a smile, merely adapting to what suits them and staying away from what doesn't. Even today surviving is a difficult game, yet billions of us live to see the next day. Through technological advancement the average life span was increasing every day. A child born during this time was expected to live at least two hundred years. But enthusiasts claimed they could do more. Already could the nannites repair damaged and old cells. Cancer, Aid's, any known ailment could be righted by the replacement and or rejuvenation of the physical mishap. Thus meaning no more blind, no more mentally handicapped/challenged, any defection in the human/newman body could be easily fixed. Doctors had to have extensive knowledge of the nano-technology field. At the hospitals, patients where cured from their ailments in minutes, not weeks or months.

Of course, people were researching ways to improve their bodies in any form or fashion. Hair could be of any color of the spectrum, growth and removal systems now where also nano-injections. The only real thing that held them back was the fear of something going wrong. The militia struggled for nannite weapons while the informed public claimed no need for such deadly devices. Here at their feet was the ultimate tool, and they where fighting over what should and should not be done with it.

Hiro diverted his eyes for a moment to check on Sovryn. She was sitting on the futon, writing something down on a sheet of paper. The white slip was pressed firmly against a large book, the pen in her hand paused its motion as she noticed his eyes scanning her actions.

"Something on you mind?" The RAmar turned back to his cooking to hide the flush that crept into his face.

"No, just thought I would mention that we're having company tonight."

"Oh, when will they be coming?" Hiro thought he caught a trace of disappointment in her voice, mingled with curiosity.

"He should be arriving in.." The man glanced at the digital clock on the stove top, "Actually any minute now. If what Kay told me was correct anyway."

Sovryn nodded and glanced at the lines of words before her. Cannot repent for.. She brooded over the possible ways to portray the crime. The RAmarl found herself staring out the window. The star Ragol orbited, dubbed sol, had sunk farther into the horizon. That's right, the winter brings early sunset. Her thoughts where interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell,

"Hey Sovryn, will you get that for me?" Hiro questioned.

"But this isn-"

"I don't know him any better than you do, and I'm trying to cook dinner. So please?"

"Alright.." The RAmarl stood, setting the collective items that laid in her lap aside on the glass table top that stood as a center of the lounge. She then quickly crossed the distance between herself and the door, and opened it after a moments hesitation. Sovryn stared at the figure in shock, and then yelled angrily.

"YOU!"


***

Samuel was taken by surprise as the figure tackled him to the ground. He had instantly recognized Sovryn when she had opened the door, but now had to defend himself as she attempted a grab at his throat. Now despite the HUmar's confusion, he still acted instinctively off of his training as a grappler in agent academy. In a moment he had her pinned to the ground, his own legs locking hers out while on arm wrapped her own behind her back. His left hand waved to the man rapidly approaching them from inside the house.

"This is not what it looks like!" The RAmar's eyes lit up angrily, seeing the man who had played the hoax on him earlier today. Samuel let Sovryn go and stood up quickly, but did not back off.

"Shit!" Samuel cursed himself silently.

"Just what the hell are you doing here!?" Hiro raised a spatula defensively as he spoke. The HUmar attempted to keep a straight face at the sight of a man in a apron threatening him with a kitchen utensil.

"Calm down already, I came here to visit my sister. Though she never told me her room-mate was a lunatic." Then he glanced at Sovryn, who had been glaring angrily at him the entire time.

"Or that she had picked up an old friend of mine."

"What's that now?" Hiro now was uncertain of what he felt, he fuming because of what he saw, not because of what happened earlier that day. When he looked at the RAmarl, she hid her eyes on the ground, not wanting to accept or deny anything. With a sigh, the RAmar took hold of the situation.

"Very well then, why don't we talk inside, before the neighbors call the pioneer guards."

"We can't just let him in!"

"Sovryn, whatever you have against your friend here has nothing to do with our household. He is Kay's guest, and he is welcome to our home. Understood?"

"He not my-"

"Do we understand each other?" Hiro pressed, the RAmarl nodded, but did not move. Samuel stepped past her, following the man inside. But before he did so, the HUmar whispered to her briefly..

"We'll talk later tonight."


***

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Sovryn questioned the man across from her that was comfortably seated on the lazy boy.

"Why do you ask questions that you know the answers to?" The RAmarl shook her head. He hadn't changed one bit. Samuel's almond shaped eyes reflected a lighter amber than her own in their somewhat tanned face. His black hair was cut short and hidden by a bandana of the same color, with the white symbol of anarchy printed across the forehead. He was wearing a rather worn dark leather jacket, under this was a relatively new, unadorned dark gray T-shirt covered what she knew to be a muscular frame. His lower body covered by a pair of baggy black pants that had frayed cuffs. She remembered him dressing in similar attire before, except back then his hair had been longer and his appearance less solemn.

"That was a long time ago, before you betrayed me."

"Your father didn't like me much either, and I don't blame him." He sighed,

"But the funny things is, he entrusted some knowledge to me that he never had told anyone else. Or at least so I thought." Sovryn's eyes narrowed, he was giving her bits of information to keep her interested, and to make her think. Typical Samuel..

"You better have a good excuse for all the grief you've caused me."

"One thing I can tell you though. If I hadn't done that, neither of us would be alive in time and place."

"Just what are you-"

"Dinners served you two! I got another BEE from Kay, she's supposed to be arriving within the next 5 beats." Samuel was the first to stand, he quickly paced over to the futon and offered his hand to the RAmarl.

"Don't.."

"Sorry, I guess the habits gonna take a while to break." Sovryn looked down, but then to his surprise she accepted the gesture.

"I suppose your right."

Hiro watched the two somewhat uncomfortably, what was it that he felt? Jealousy? He shook his head, they where on bad terms but it was obvious that they had cared a great deal for one another, at one time anyway. The RAmar was the last one seated, and just as he did so Kay entered the room from the front door. The HUnewearl literally tossed aside everything she was carrying to run over and grip her brother in a tight embrace. Samuel, who had barely just stood from his chair, was sent toppling backwards and yet again found someone on top of him for the second time that day.

Once Kay finally relaxed her grip he rose and helped his sister to stand. They sat down facing one another, Sovryn to Samuel?s right and Hiro to his left. They ate wordlessly, most at the table thinking of their questions, one thought of all the answers. Soon thanks where made and the RAmar collected the dishes and took them to the kitchen sink. He would wait to wash them until later, the conversation was just to promising to miss out on. When the engineer returned to the table, they continued to sit in silence for a time. Samuel traced the patterns on the white table cloth, and then let his eyes return to Sovryn. She sat quietly, looking down at her hands folded in her lap. The HUnewearl eventually broke the ice,

"So what type of work do you do for SD?"

"I'm an agent, actually. I basically go around and do their dirty work. Nothing to serious though, I make a few arrests here and there but that?s pretty much it."

"Tell me then, why did you join Black Paper?" His sister inquired.

"I was interested in promoting free trade, but their intentions quickly became warped. I think I've only told this to Sovryn before but I guess its high time for it to come out." The RAmarl looked up at him, was he serious?

"You see," Samuel continued, "BP's only way to really function was through the black market. My parents where addicts, they bought huge amounts of costly illegal drugs from them. But they where caught and where imprisoned for 45 years."

"I thought you were Kay?s sister?" Hiro stated, somewhat confused.

"Her parents adopted me at the age of eight from the orphanage I had lived in for three years. While they raised me and cared for my somewhat traumatized mind, BP looked for relatives to pass on my parents amounted debt on. After a while, Kay and our family went aboard the Pioneer 2. Black Paper came with it, and eventually they traced the lines down to my name. Only because I joined them, if I hadn't then they would have never found me."

"But Black Paper was disbanded, so your debt free right?" Sovryn finally spoke, Samuel noted the minor thread of concern in her voice.

"Not entirely, there is one thing that has carried over. Just a promise that I made near the end of the organization, and intend I to keep it." Again they fell silent, two of the four sat somewhat satisfied, while the others had much more they wanted to say but knew the time was not appropriate. Tonight..

"So what about you Kay? How's life at the hospital?" Samuel asked, attempting to divert the conversation in a different path. His sister caught the hint,

"Its alright I guess. The hours are long but the pay is good." And so small talk commenced. After about an hour of such conversation Hiro said he would call it a night, and headed up for bed. Sovryn wandered off, remembering the life she had shared with the HUmar for two years. In the end the RAmarl had to admit it, she and Samuel had been through a lot. Secrets about one another that would completely destroy their new attempts at life. She had vowed to leave her old one behind, but now the past was coming back to haunt her.

It was a long time before Kay hesitantly went to bed, the HUmar reassured her that they could talk more later. Since it was late, she offered him the proposition of staying the night. He accepted, and after giving her one final hug, she too disappeared upstairs.

"Lets go to the roof top." Sovryn suggested. Nodding, Samuel followed her out the front door. They quickly padded up three flights of stairs before reaching the final set that would lead them to their destination. Upon their arrival, a gust of wind blew through the apartment complex. The HUmar traced the figure before him with his eyes, she had not changed much either. Sovryn turned, yet he did not avert his gaze. Overhead the cloudless night revealed a blanket of shining stars. Each dead light so far away, taunting those below with their beauty. It was chill autumn night, the air around them settled down into a deathly hush. The noise of the city seemed so far away, as if they where not there at all.

"First things first, what in the name of Coral drove you to betray me like that? I though you respected me!"

"I still do, and now I realize I should not have gone against your wishes not to see your father. But one thing, I had no knowledge what so ever that it was a trap."

"Damn right you didn't! They nearly killed us both, and you left me to die." Sovryn's icy tone chilled him more than the cold night breeze that had started up again.

"After we fought them off, you where dying. I tied up your wound and left to get help. From that point a second ambush caught me and knocked me unconscious."

"Why the hell where you taking me to him in the first place? The last time I was with my dad I woke up on an operating table surrounded by his scientists!" Sovryn continued, undaunted by what he told her.

"Outcast helped you to safety, but then had to run because they where searching for him. The android and I met up with your father before his trial, and told us to protect you from a new organization. It wasn't until I began my work for Scarlet Drop did I recognize it as Black Papers clone." He paused, letting her absorb the information. But then he continued,

"There are people there that want something from you, and they want it badly. Outcast was imprisoned, but with we managed to bust him out before the syndicate could access his memory files. He's been searching for you, and they him. They're convinced he knows of your whereabouts." He relaxed as her face softened, at least she's accepting some of the info..

"I saw him yesterday, or at least I think I did." She hesitated, but only for a moment. "But what could they possibly want from me?"

"I don't know, I'm still trying to figure that out myself." She saw Outcast? Damnit, I've got to get in touch with that android, to much is at risk. His thoughts where interrupted by a weight along his side. Sovryn leaned on him, against the cold and the bitter wind. In years past he would have accepted the action as an invitation to hold her close. But times had changed, and now he was unsure of how to react. She sighed, feeling his warmth against her chest.

"You still betrayed my trust, that?s something I can't let it pass by easily." The female nuzzled closer, "At least not yet, anyway."

"I damned myself for these past few years, I don't expect penance." He paused, not sure if to continue. Sovryn's weight against him was reassuring, like it always had been before.

"Your father wanted to apologize, and that?s something I thought the man deserved." Samuel looked sadly into the RAmarl's eyes,

"Black Paper sabotaged itself. Corruption and deceit claimed some of the men that actually had power. By the time the secrets where spilled, the corporation had already had become a battle for power. Your father was the man who tipped off the hunters about BP, he wanted to end the feud between greedy men. For this he knew he would die, that?s why he wanted to see you one last time, to beg forgiveness for the monster he gave birth to." He could feel Sovryn's tears through the fabric of his shirt. In a moment time the RAmarl had given in to any of the feelings she had been suppressing. To tired to care, she wrapped herself up in his arms. Three years of being alone, living in the slums, feeding off of the kind. All of it flowing away as she cried in her grief.

"I don't want to be.."


***

Sovryn watched the rays of sunlight tint the clouds the color of peach, though the RAmarl could not see sol rise through the dense city, she was still content in merely watching the afterwards. She had woken up alone on the futon, a heavy blanket placed around her frame. Her last memory of the night before was crying in Samuel?s embrace on the roof top. Now she turned to see him asleep on the lazy boy, first day of a new life, and here my past is gathered around me.

The sound of movement diverted her attention towards the stairs. Hiro nodded as he came down the flight of steps,

"Morning."

Sovryn smiled in return. Blushing slightly, the RAmar made his way quickly over to the coat rack. Kay soon followed afterward,

"Morning Vinny, would you wake that lazy brother of mine? If memory serves me well he'd be out of it for a while otherwise." The RAmarl sighed, the truth she knew all to well. Hiro waved as he moved towards the entrance/exit of the apartment.

"I'll be seeing you guys, I've got to get to work early today."

"Take care!" The man laughed and closed the door behind him with a soft click. The HUnewearl yawned and sat heavily down on the futon. Sovryn looked at her questioningly,

"Not going to work?"

"I haven't seen my brother in eight years, there's no way in hell I'm going to the hospital today." The RAmarl sighed and the turned her attention to the man that lay sprawled out on the reclining chair. She shook his shoulder none too gently, another habit. He merely turned away, mumbling something tyranny. Sovryn nearly chuckled at the memory of Samuel's pride and joy, a hover car he had illegally modified. The piece was an older model, he used to spent more time fixing it than actually riding. She let one of her hands slowly slide down his chest, knowing his quirks by heart.

"That time already?" The HUmar mumbled, still half asleep. The RAmarl had only usually done this when she had awoken and wanted attention. Now he turned to face her,

"Hey, no fair!"

"What did you expect?" Sovryn stated, trying to keep the humor from her voice.

"One can hope can't they?" HUmar leaned forward, retrieving his gun belt from the side table with one hand while propping himself up with the other. The man stood, attaching the weapon harness over his shoulder so that his modified Yasminkov hung between his shoulder and its left blade and the Autogun in a slightly lower position to the right. Two daggers where quickly found their sheaths built into his boots, and one at his hip. Kay shook hear head in awe,

"Damn, didn't even notice most of them before now."

"And people say I wear baggy clothes for looks." Samuel replied, grinning. The HUnewearl laughed and surveyed her brother in a new light.

"You seem.. I don't know, less serious."

"I'd like to see you crack a smile when your being interrogated."

"Hey!" The HUmar laughed as he stood, as he walked by his sister he received a glare, though he knew it was in jest. The man stroked his face appreciatively, duly noting the stubble.

"Don't think old apron man would mind If I borrowed his razor do you?"

"He might if he had heard that, but go ahead."

"I'll go get cleaned up then." The HUnewearl yawned and looked at Sovryn inquisitively. She shrugged and took a seat next to her friend.

"So how long have you known him?" Kay asked playfully, the RAmarl blushed and looked down at her lap.

"About five years, though we've been separated from two of them."

"That long eh? Don't know how anyone could stand to be that close to him for three whole years."

"Apparently you weathered out seven of them yourself." Sovryn replied. Kay merely shrugged and leaned forward.

"Its one thing to live in the same house with someone, but to share their bed is an entirely different matter." The RAmarl found the red burning in her face again, and she cursed herself for not being able to control it.

"What makes you think.."

"Oh come on Vinny! Its plain as day. But I have also heard of some tension from Hiro, like the whole trying to strangle him when he you opened the door ideal."

"Sorry about that, guess I just saw red for a moment there." The HUnewearl nodded at this,

"Yeah, but why?"

"Just a really big misunderstanding, also he can be a little.."

"Idiotic, rash, and hot headed at times. Yes I know, but you have to admit one thing." Both of the females turned in surprise, Samuel stood behind them, smiling about the whole ordeal.

"I'll be there when it counts" Sovryn shook her head and stood up, then she circled around the futon until she was facing the man directly. The HUnewearl watched, deeply interested.

"When it counts for you of course, but for others its a different story."

"That goes without saying, I won't sack my life for some bum I don't even know. Unless there's something I have to prove." He moved closer, till the point where their faces where mere inches from one another's.

"You yourself know that its how strongly we feel for someone that determines our actions. That?s why your father asked me to do his favor, that?s why I've been searching for you these last two years." She sighed, why does he always have a comeback? Its like he knows something about everything.. Kay rose as well, and then broke the terse stand still.

"So what do you two want to do today? Out and around.. go see a movie, or maybe you would prefer to fight one another all day long?" Samuel took a step back and looked at the ceiling thoughtfully, his eyes skimming along the edges of the white tiles that made an even grid across its surface. Sovryn had a preference though,

"I've been cooped up inside for too long, maybe we could take a walk in the park or something. What about you guys?" Samuel shook his head in response,

"Don't really care. Though I'm somewhat up for a tavern brawl myself.. that can always wait till later."

"Alright then," Kay said, chuckling, "Lets go up to North Side Memorial, that one is somewhat less run down than the others."

"Damn," The HUmar stated, Sovryn questioned him with her eyes.

"Should have brought some paint, I hear there's still some space for graffiti left." The HUnewearl laughed ad the RAmarl closed her eyes and smiled, just like old times...


***

On the seventy fifth floor of the Scarlet Drop corporation building stands a female. Her long, dark red hair lay in a thick braid down her back, reaching her shoulder blades. Cold green eyes stared out of thin rimmed spectacles. Her beauty had come naturally, for she did not care much for nannite enhancement, only the profit she gained from it. The woman was forty seven years old. Fifteen of them spent investing in business', four in the BP organization, and another three in SD's funding. Power, sheer financial power beyond what many believed plausible, all at her fingertips. In her mind, this world was a game, the life of others merely an obstacle. Her own was spent in the ruthless pursuit of worth while companies, for one simple reason. She enjoyed the control she had over their futures.

Black Paper was crudely built, and therefore doomed for failure. Instead of waiting for it to crumble down around her, she helped in the process of sabotaging it. Unfortunately, one man had seen through her illusion to the plot that was quickly taking hold in the back ground. Thanks to him, she had received an extravagant blow and had almost been the death of her. Yet she had survived, learned, and crafted a business of her own. And now life had reached its limelight, few competitors could keep up with her, let alone cover all the branches Scarlet Drop has seized. But one thing bothered her, despite her success..

Traitors,

All around her were the back stabbers, yet fate had blessed her once again, and she had found that they where so easily deceived. So now she stood, enjoying the fruit of her labor. But this woman was like a child, building something isn't half as fun as tearing it down. Though destruction was short lived unless planned carefully. Over the years, she had become tired of all the fools with no purpose. Soon the woman began to seek out the flaws in society. Built so quickly, previous lives left behind as people looked forward to a new life. In her opinion, the past should not be forgotten, because with its departure goes all of life's lessons. In time she had realized that they did not want to learn, they simply wanted to exist in a world that would pamper their every desire.

We have no need for parasites..

With that thought she turned around to see the emptiness of her office. The woman smiled , from here she had started to build the castle. Now it was high time to take to knock it down. But first she had a fight to pick with the Pioneer 3. She reached out for the PDA unit on her desk and hit a silver button,

"Jane? Will you come to my office for a moment please?"


***

"So are you going to report that agent?" Ethan asked calmly, somewhat distracted by the return of his Rati mag. Hiro shook his head and glanced over the stock withdrawal for the previous week. Apparently there had been no purchase made of an A-class shoulder joint, but he still had a few more pages to go through. His friend sat, staring in bewilderment at a list of damage that had poured in this morning. Apparently there had been another battle over humanoid rights. Three of them had been brought in, just of the sight of them brought sickness to the stomach and hatred to the mind. No doubt the owners home had been leveled to the ground.

The RAmar leaned back in his chair and sighed, nothing. He turned to Ethan, and just by reading his expression did he acknowledge what the man must have been thinking. It seemed that sanity was at an all time low in the streets.

"Ethan, why don't you go ahead and get the supplies we'll need for the Lillian model. I've got to write a small report about the stolen part and send it in to Jason. But after that we really should get started." The man grimaced and moved over to the door from his standing position.

"Things are getting worse you know. If this doesn't stop soon they'll be assigning more corporate trained engineers to this place."

"A fate worse than death, but what can we do?"

"Absolutely nothing"

Hiro lowered his head and then shook it. After all the people had been through to set up a life on Ragol, here they were already destroying it. Nothing makes sense anymore..


***

Three figures surveyed the state of the Memorial, it wasn't too bad. In the middle of it was a large statue that paid tribute to the souls who had died in the battle field. Samuel gazed across their traditional costumes and shook his head, it seemed like so long ago when he himself in the outfit of a HUmar had went to Ragol. Though his intentions where not to purge the planet from the hostile creatures, but to trap the hunters themselves. Now that he was thinking about it, his entire life wasn't even vaguely honorable. A fact that he regretted up to this point..

The park itself wasn't to thoroughly trashed, just the minor litter piles here and there. Rows of trees where planted along its four sides, so now in the autumn a fine bed of leaves where scattered thinly across the large land space of the memorial. A cool breeze swept across its expanse, picking up the light weight fragments and sending them into a swirling motion. The ground underfoot was left firm from the dew point that had turned to frost in the morning. During this time of year, it alternated between hot and cold quite often. One mistake the scientist had made was to set up a home without doing a full research project on the yearly climates, and now they paid the price. But it didn't matter all that much, some unusual weather patterns, nothing serious though. Sovryn strolled forward, closely followed by her two companions. The HUnewearl sighed as she glanced across the statue that had been literally painted by local troublemakers.

"You wouldn't actually spray graffiti on that thing would you?"

"A good question," Samuel said somewhat placidly, "I guess not, though the thought of defiling a memorial set up to defend the honor of the hunters in autumn does have a poetic sense to it."

"How do you figure that?" The RAmarl turned to him, expecting an answer. The HUmar sighed and looked up at the blue sky and the fast moving clouds overhead.

"Autumn is where the old plants hang their heads and give birth to the new ones. I suppose it seems that's what the warriors who fought and died for this planet must do as well."

"Its ironic how we see ourselves above things like nature, but here we are repeating its cycles none the less."

"Not to mention that the ones that notice these things are powerless to prevent them." Samuel was somewhat irked by Kay's flat out tone, like as if she had given up on changing life a long time ago. He spoke at a slow and even pace,

"The ones that are powerless are those without dreams, once you give up hopes there's little left to struggle for."

"Without dreams, or have had theirs beaten down to the ground." Sovryn added,

"True, but then there are the pieces. The fragments of a dream are enough to take pleasure in." The HUmar paused, silently noting that the conversation had once again drifted over to the RAmarl's and his past. She too had made the connection but had said nothing of it. The HUnewearl drifted over to a tree that stood half bare and leaned against it,

"This is too depressing, lets find something else to do." She watched her brother and her friend nod. Yet again Kay had felt a tension rise between the two, and now she had merely eased their burdened minds into a slower stream where they weren't constantly opening old wounds. Trying to avoid another spell of uncomfortable silence, she tried again.

"Anything you two would be interested in doing?" For a moment she thought her attempts had died in vain, but Samuel snapped out of past and returned to the present.

"I actually didn't have breakfast, and its about noon now so." He let the statement explain itself. Sovryn finally smiled, and the HUnewearl let a mental sigh pass through her body.

"I actually know of a fairly decent joint not to far from here. They make good soup, but the other stuff I've strayed from." They all agreed, maybe there was some peace to be had after all.


***

Samuel sat on one side of the both while the two females where together on the opposite. While waiting, they could observe a light drizzle that fell from the sky. It was an off and on system of passing rain clouds. The droplets would descend in the blink of an eye, sometimes they lingered, others they passed just as quickly. The gray overcast contrasted against the colors the restaurant favored, red and white. Inside the air was pleasurably warm, not humid at all. The place was fairly packed that day, so they had to wait for a table to become available to be seated. The food had been ordered at least a good ten minutes ago, but with the amount of customers that had arrived before them they had no doubt it would be a while to go before they where to be served.

Kay watched her brother lean back and close his eyes tiredly, and for a moment she could see life?s rough toll take a visible effect upon his body. But the fatigue passed quickly, though his eyelids remained shut. Sovryn noticed the same,

"Make you wonder what he's been through." His sister said in a hushed tone, a hint of worry lingering in the air. The RAmarl shook her head,

"Nothing he can't handle, I've seen him when he was worse than this." The HUnewearl chuckled at that, looking between the two of them.

"I guess there's no secrets between lovers eh?" Sovryn blushed and took a sudden interest in the napkin dispenser. Kay suppressed her laughter and patter her friend on the back reassuringly.

"You don't have to be embarrassed about it, Vinny." The RAmarl sighed and looked up at the taller hunter,

"I'd rather not think about it.."

"Only because your afraid you might find yourself longing, am I correct?" Yet again the HUmar had deceived them with his appearance. Samuel opened his eyes and waited for a reply. Sovryn was slow in giving one,

"Yes and no, as much as I would physically would enjoy it I doubt I could forgive myself afterwards." She could be honest from time to time as well.

"Just giving the pain a chance to heal. A scar is only left behind if you pick away at the scab."

"Also depending on how deep the wound is." The HUmar winced, both of them had their fair share of mental injuries. He returned to the task of studying the city through the window, though somewhat dirty and smeared with fingerprints, the man could see the gray clad buildings with surprising detail. Sovryn looked up at the sounds of crashing ceramic dishes, the HUnewearl followed her stare towards a group of androids that had a man pinned against the wall. Samuel stood up but only to find the RAmarl up beside him. She tried to push him back down,

"This is no time to get involved in other people's business." He pushed her hand away, something he had never done in the three years they had been together.

"You know I can't just sit here, I'm tired of these people ruining our lives." Sovryn was surprised with the emotion that went with his words. She looked away just as a waiter that had taken up the role of peacekeeper was smashed aside by a metallic fist.

"Fine, get yourself killed for all I care." Samuel let a hand reach out and touch her shoulder instinctively,

"If you wish."

The HUmar made his way quickly over towards the group of five androids, the man was pushed up against the wall, a vice grip claiming his throat.

"Come on, can't you take a joke?"

"No.." The HUcast replied. With a deadened snap, the offender broke the civilians neck and then tossed his body to the ground. Then he turned his attention toward the mans girl friend, crying in horror of what had happened and what the droid was going to do to her. With one hand it grabbed her left breast and pulled her from the booth. The female screamed as she fell upon her dead fianc?many had left the place in a hurry, others had merely back away not wanting to cross their path. A RAcast ground a large foot into her back, ripping the fabric of her clothes as he did so.

"THATS ENOUGH!" The group turned towards the man who opposed them, he had an Autogun drawn and aimed at the android who had been stepping on the female. The HUcast, their apparent leader, stepped forward proudly and brandished a gladius as he did so.

"We don't take lip from fleshies too kindly. And you've just signed your death warrant."

"You asswipes think you have the right to judge man kind, merely because you don't understand life."

"You cannot understand what we-"

"You have been treated like everyone else!" Samuel menaced, but then let his tone lower but still hold its authority.

"We are all tossed aside like discarded waste. It just that some people cant just grasp that they mean nothing to others. Not because of race or injustice, simply for the selfish qualities that define us as intelligent leeches." The HUcast roared and threw himself forward, androids never listened to talk. The man jumped aside and shot out the attackers leg joint, sending him spinning the ground. Delivering two more hot rounds into the back of its head, the HUmar floor dived to avoid the cover fire from the 'cast's buddies. Three hot photon streaks blasted large holes into the floor. Revealing the fact that there was a floor beneath the one that they where currently on.

A female newman came up behind the distraught group of androids and let loose a powerful charge of RAzonde. The yellowish white bolts of power leaped between their metal frames, delivering a serious shock to their systems. Samuel ran up and severed the pelvis cables of a RAcast with the keen edge of his hip knife. Making fast work of the temporary paralysis of the group, he HUmar managed to completely disable another droid by bringing the tip of his blade in a half circle around the inside of the neck armor and a quick thrust into the power unit that was stored in its chest. The newman force retreated for a moment, not wanting to cause friendly fire while the hunter was having his way with them. By this time a HUcast of smaller standard recovered enough to lash out at Samuel, the sheer force of his blow sending the man crashing backwards into the stone table of a booth.

Kay leapt into the fray, the sight of her brother being pummeled to much to bear. She slashed viciously at an android's torso, the photon daggers digging deeply into the 'cast's energy system. Sovryn sniped out the last one with her Bravace, blowing it's head section clear off its shoulders. Then the RAmarl quickly hurried over to the body of the HUmar, after thanking her fellow newman for the support the HUnewearl joined her. He didn't seem to be hurt badly, but underneath the skin who could tell?

"Does it feel like anything is broken?" Samuel grimaced as he sat up.

"Other than my pride, no. Goddamn, this is going to put me through hell in the morning." Sovryn smiled and helped him stand, their differences momentarily forgotten.

"You'll be sore alright, its what you get for picking fight androids." The HUmar shrugged, sending a minor wave of pain coursing down his back. For a moment he leaned heavily on her side.

"On second thought, I think I might have fractured my hip" He grinned, for a moment their bodies where pressed closer together and two pairs amber eyes met.

"You'll just have to carry me." The RAmarl shook her head and pushed him away.

"Don't push your luck." Samuel took an uncertain step forward as she spoke, looking at the FOnewearl who was tending to the female that had been harassed by the 'casts. His face suddenly became solemn.

"It was worth it. You know how I loathe abuse."

"I know.." Always something to prove..

Sovryn looked at the scene around them. It had been a relatively short fight, little damage to the store except one trashed booth and some holes in the floor. The problem was that the old android warriors where looking for battles. Here they had been, sitting in a place that was of no use to them since they couldn't eat just waiting for someone to give them a wrong look or a smart mouth. These foolish action result in irrational deaths, but then again, it was those who died who brought us back from our distant illusions. Dreams of kindness had no place in reality.

So why do we seek it?
___________________

Not the best fight scene have written as of yet, but it adds spice.

I'll be going back and editing chapter 1-2 and the prologue after I take about a days break. Gotta get a good night rest. My brain has been bogged down because of the huge amounts of plotline for this story, time for some R&R http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

Hope you all enjoyed..

[BOC]

"Just what the hell are you doing here!?" Hiro raised a spatula defensively as he spoke. The HUmar attempted to keep a straight face at the sight of a man in a apron threatening him with a kitchen utensil.


Ha! he should not mock! many have met their end to the unyielding power of the mighty akidos frying pan!

kitchen utensils can be quite deadly. Why i frequently bash the crap outa people with a meat tendiser!

but holy E shit saru. this is DAMN good. i think i may have went partially blind starring at my screen so long, but it was worth it.

and dam those evil androids!!! and evil humanoid mutilators. i got mental images of that pic kafka posted. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_eek.gif

keep up the good work!

PEACE!!!

[mr_rubbish]

Intriging... Everyone knows everyone... Black Paper never truely dies... Androids are the root of all evil...


Now for the crits....
Some typos here and there, a couple of missing words and a few extra ones. (hopefully you'll catch 'em on the re-edits).

Watch out for places where you use 'where' instead of 'were', I spotted at least 3 instances. Minor though.

Dialogue formatting is still bugging me slightly.

And the dialogue for the roof top scene between Sovryn and Samuel was more confusing than it should have been. If there is a change in perspective after someone has spoken, add line breaks. And attribute speech to the speakers more often especially when they are interupting each other or continuing.

example:


"I still do, and now I realize I should not have gone against your wishes not to see your father. But one thing, I had no knowledge what so ever that it was a trap."

"Damn right you didn't! They nearly killed us both, and you left me to die." Sovryn's icy tone chilled him more than the cold night breeze that had started up again.

"After we fought them off, you where dying. I tied up your wound and left to get help. From that point a second ambush caught me and knocked me unconscious."

"Why the hell where you taking me to him in the first place? The last time I was with my dad I woke up on an operating table surrounded by his scientists!" Sovryn continued, undaunted by what he told her.

"Outcast helped you to safety, but then had to run because they where searching for him. The android and I met up with your father before his trial, and told us to protect you from a new organization. It wasn't until I began my work for Scarlet Drop did I recognize it as Black Papers clone." He paused, letting her absorb the information. But then he continued,


This could be redone as:


"I still do, and now I realize I should not have gone against your wishes not to see your father. But one thing, I had no knowledge what so ever that it was a trap."

"Damn right you didn't! They nearly killed us both, and you left me to die." Sovryn's icy tone chilled him more than the cold night breeze that had started up again.

"After we fought them off, you were dying. I tied up your wound and left to get help. From that point a second ambush caught me and knocked me unconscious." (who is speaking this?)

"Why the hell where you taking me to him in the first place? The last time I was with my dad I woke up on an operating table surrounded by his scientists!" Said Sovryn continued, undaunted by what he told her.

"Outcast helped you to safety, but then had to run because they were searching for him. The android and I met up with your father before his trial, and told us to protect you from a new organization. It wasn't until I began my work for Scarlet Drop did I recognize it as Black Papers clone." He paused, letting her absorb the information. But then before he continued,


You do realise that I will harass you about this until one of us is dead?

Good work, roll on chapter 3.

[Sagasu]

I realize that Immers, but in the mean time your giving me valuable critisizm. Right, I'll look into all of this when I go back through it.

(Editing 39 pages of work may take a while http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime2.gif)

Anyway thanks for the tips and comments people! http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

P.S. Glad to hear you enjoyed it BOC, and I hope to live up to you guy's expectations http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wink.gif

[Sagasu]

OKay, here's an update for you all..

I'm going to be moving to a new house that has not yet recieved internet access, so that means I won't be on at all for anwhere from 2-7 days.

But when I come back I'll try to get back on shedule. Only time will tell..

[Lone_Wolf_Nasca]

Quite a good read http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif !! I almost fell from my chair laughing at the spatula scene http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_lol.gif. Another thing, it seems like everyone is armed to the teeth now http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime2.gif, fights must be fairly common now http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime2.gif.

[EJ]

This is quite good and everything that rubbish said about putting where instead of were are just minor mistakes but the dialogue I can understand fine can't wait till chapter 3 to come

[Sagasu]

Im back!

Well, sort of. Due to a hectic life style chapters may not come by regular intervals, and most likely much longer ones.

I hope to finish chapter 3 by friday. Estimated length: 30 pages http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime2.gif

[PhotonDrop]

I enjoyed reading this a lot, although Robo got mad because I used the last of the printer paper. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_lol.gif

Like others have said, the Spatula scene was hilarious!

and one thing bothers me, like mr.rubbish has pointed out, you say 'where' instead of 'were' a lot... Lets not do that in Chapter 3 please.

[Skett]

Finally got around to reading it. I barely go to fanworks anymore and have not posted in it for several weeks. However, I am glad to what I came back to. Long but well worth it.

I must say, writers are a special breed. How you can type that long a chapter, that detailed, realistic, and interesting at the same time I will never know.

Right now, my complaints are little. Few confusing dialog here and there but not too bad. Now I have to wait for the next chapter and probably longer to read it.

[Sagasu]

First of all, I am extremely sorry for the delay in bringing this chapter to you. But as I have mentioned before, life is interfering (Got an electric Guitar, w00t! http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif)

*ahem*

Anyway, I thank you all for your patience. To let you know, this chapter did not come out as long as expected,(26 instead of 30 pages http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_nono.gif) but I do hope it is satisfactory ^_^

I should be getting my own internet connection soon, so I might be able to pick up a more speedy production again.

WARNING: The following chapter contains 'explicit' content; Meaning that if your mind is under the average level of compitence you may not want to read it.

Now thats taken care of, I give you the long awaited installment to Sovryn's Song.





Sovryn's Song
Chapter 3

Human Scourge


Boiling tempers and lust full minds fill our world, men and women acting on selfish impulse. Fulfilling a dream, one more name crossed off the hit list, finally getting that pretty waitress into your bed, in what fashion will you achieve what you desire? Any means that a clouded mind can grasp. A desperate man is more likely to go against their morals than one in a stable enviorment. Their rash and unpredictable behavior cannot be justified, and yet it seems it cannot be prevented either. One placed in such a dire position has few choices that they would force themselves to undertake. Therefore, if a like case scenario presents itself to an individual no immediate outcome can be determined. The variables are the figure's personality, and the condition of the mind. Many would resist as a trained reaction, and others would submit also upon a trained reaction. I.E. Someone frightened and confused might put up an endless struggle, yet you cannot rape the willing.

Willing or not, one always has their hopes. Hope for a cure, hope for a godsend, hope for a painless death.. In the end, the random outcome can be altered in a much more favorable path if such wishes are fulfilled. But what about those who didn't have their angels swoop down from above and save their virgin minds? What could it be possibly be like to be let down, to have your savior who had promised to be there for you never show up? Actions, pain, the misery forced upon you as your thoughts slowly come across the fact that there is no escape, and that there is nothing you can do to save yourself. Those who go through this are blinded during the process, whether the darkness fades and the light returns is up to the individual. But afterwards a survivor still has a bitter pill to swallow. Choking on what they see as betrayal, souls may carry the thought in their heads for the rest of their life. Some live in the shadow of the past, while others are capable of basking in the warmth of possibility. But how can you expect them to forgive and forget?

An indefinable emotion runs through those left behind in the cold, they see the few who shine through and are swallowed by their own spitefulness. Trapped inside self wrought cages, its seldom seen that one actually takes time to look up to see freedom, instead of staring through the black bars at the free.

Hope for us, we are the blind..


* * *



Far Away
I walk along a lonely night
Blindly chasing the only light
I hear a voice, it's sound so true
Only to find
I'm so far away from you..
I follow a nightmare for reasons so slim
I swallow a nightmare through seasons of dim
Slowly I crawl to obey each and every whim
Of the one who betrayed me for reasons so thin
Now I see I'm here to stay
Out of the fright and into the day
How I see you mean little to me
Shining so bright but nothing to say
In this path's end I can break free
Though from what?s right I cannot stray
The doors are closing and I've lost my voice
And there you stand, resisting but caring all the while
You offer your hand, I have no choice
It seems existing is to be my trial
You fade into the darkness and quickly the cold returns
Leaving me to build a sky from a sickly field of black clay
My throne of solitude filled, my kingdom of peace burns
My dreams have withered

And my love is too far away..

Sovryn tapped the cap that was attached to the end of the ball point pen against the metal clamp of the clip board. The words she had just written had come without effort, thus meaning they reflected deeply of her past. She had decided that one cannot simply erase their history, because it is where the old path ended that one must choose a new road. In high hopes of a better future of course. At a first glance, the RAmarl was convinced that it was Samuel's presence that had inspired the poem. The miserable time after their forced separation could easily be associated to the black ink that was neatly scrawled across the ocean of flawlessly white paper. But now as she continued to read through it a few more times, it seemed to be closely linked with the day her father had been assassinated. Even though he had shattered her peaceful life, news of his death was still a heavy blow to the chest.

Leaning back now, she yet again found herself tracing the ceiling tiles. Sovryn Mushin Kizagaru.. Her full name, one that she dare not use in public. That's what Samuel had called her when he had left the day before the previous one. In doing so, he firmly lodged all of her past life memories in their respective places. A day in a new life was enough to tell her that you don't get second chances, not to start all over again anyway. Instead you may acquire the ability to look upon it without losing your sanity. The HUmar had also told her that in the upcoming weekend he would try to spend some more time with the "family". His persistence in the matter remotely bothered her. She didn't really mind and verbal reminders, but the fact that he anted the same way around her as he did a few years back, minus everything physical. As if nothing had changed, besides that they no longer slept with one another.

But what could she expect? Samuel had treated her in a relative manner even before their relationship matured. Always had his own opinion on everything, always somewhat curious even if he did flatter a bit too much. Still working in an organization that was literally running the black market.. Sovryn shook her head in a cascade of dark purple hair. She still had many unanswered questions, though most where directed at herself. The RAmarl sighed, it seemed she always had an inquisition yet she knew she was not quite ready for the answer. Her eyes drifted to the ceiling fan, the long shadows of the spinning blades played amongst the soft light that poured in from the windows. She watched one darkened spot meld into another as the slow rotation brought two more out of five along the patch of gray that was formed by the hub with all the fan leaves where attached to.

A tap against glass brought her out of the trance, it seemed that she had spacing out quite often recently. Twisting slightly in her sitting position she caught glimpse of a figure perched in the window frame. Sovryn's eyes widened as it forced the glass pane open and tumbled inside. Now before her the miniature RAcast struggled to stand, apparently quite battle scarred. Its right shoulder was missing the protective armor and a bare replacement joint's chromed surface stood out against the dusty black of his shell, while the arm it was attached to was lacerated somewhat; as if it was dragged through something extremely sharp. His body battered and split in places. A large hole in his left thigh revealed the inner circuitry, cracks from the wound traveled upwards to his chest giving one the impression of a smashed mirror. The RAcast's visor glowed happily as it identified the RAmarl before him as the one he had been searching for all the way through the better part of two years. Orange highlights along his side as well as across the curved horn like pieces of metal that circled along his temple to the back of his cranium and the familiar 4'4 height of the android erased all doubt from Sovryn's mind, so he found me..

"Outcast?" She asked, her voice sounding somewhat timid. He nodded and took a few steps forward. After a moment, the RAcast rushed into and embrace. Though she had to stoop somewhat, the RAmarl patted the nanny bot's back affectionately.
"So this is where you've been hiding!" The android stepped back his visor still lit up in glee at the prospect of finding the person he had raised in the place of a father who couldn't find the time to do it himself. Sovryn gently touched the wound on his thigh,

"What happened to you?" The RAmarl questioned with notable concern.

"Well.." Outcast looked at the ground, his advanced personality chip coming into play.

"It seems that they believed I knew where you are taking residence, which I did not know up until a few days ago." He replied,

"Why are they looking for me? Samuel said something about me having something they want. Do you know anything about that?" When Sovryn mentioned the HUmar's name she saw a flicker of movement shiver down the RAcast's frame.

"So that old hooligan found you first.. Are you still hanging onto that crazy enfatu-"

"Don't change the subject." Sovryn said, interrupting.

"Fine, fine. I'll begrudgingly admit that Samuel had saved my metal rear more than enough times these past two years." A somewhat stern glance provoked the android the get on with the answer instead of beating around the bush.
"
So when he told me they where actually searching for you." He said as a way of continuing.. "I realized that something your father told me long ago was indeed the truth."

"And what was that exactly?" The RAmarl asked, already knowing the answer she would receive.

"I'm afraid, Sovryn, that the information you request to hear is best kept confidential for your own safety."

"Please, how many times have I heard that one?" She said with a trace of exasperation,

"One to many, yet you never seem to learn do you? For instance, I knew from the start that there was no way on Coral that a lasting relationship between you and Samuel Layafette was even remotely plausible."

"Deep water, Outcast, deep water."

In saying this, Sovryn had related back to an old set of terminology she had used many times while under the RAcast's care. The meaning of this particular phrase could be easily translated as, don't go there with me. As in most cases where one spends a prolonged period of time with one or more individuals, certain experiences are remembered, whether from a movie, some mistake, or a remarkable event, the group will often summarize the occasion in a phrase or perhaps a quote. Over a great passing these remote sayings build up to the point where the common passerby may become lost in many conversations within the selected few. Such acts are mainly considered childish, yet it is usually when one is older that they truly find meaning in calling up scenes from their past lives. From here, you may recover joy even in the most sorrowful of times.

It began with a flash across Outcast's visor. As the brightness faded it did not return to it's usual dull glow, instead the dark smothered away the light completely. The RAcast fell, the last of the energy gathered inside the damaged energy core had finally given its last. The RAmarl could see a line of some sort of thin colorless fluid trickle its way down and drip off of the jagged shard of fractured thigh armor and fall upon the beige carpet. Sovryn took a few steps backwards before rushing towards the phone. She retraced her memory and found the communication number of Hiro's BEE unit. After dialing in the string of digits, she waited impatiently for the network to patch her through, and then for the RAmar to pick up.



* * *

A drop of sweat streaked down Hiro's face as he lowered a Humanoid frame into a pool of synthetic skin. He was standing in a section of the dipping pool room, separated off by a set of three walls and a large panel of two inch thick dura-glass. A control lever grasped firmly in his right hand, the engineer guided her body gently yet swiftly out of the mixture. His comm. unit chimed, announcing the call as one of his contact numbers with a slightly more strong tone in the ringing. With a sigh, the HUmar nodded to Ethan who was standing nearby. The man grinned and took up the BEE communication device Hiro had removed from his wrist in order to prevent it from hindering him.

"Oh hi Kay.. yeah he's here but the man is in the middle of something right now, can I take a message?" A moments silence passed as his friend retrieved information from his roommate, the engineer continued working regardless of his curiosity. A series of photonic barriers formed at his command, lifting the body close to the surface of the half sphere indent in the ground. With his left hand, he flipped a switch that drained the excess fluids from the dipping pool.

"Alright then, I'll tell him for you.. By the way, do you have anything planned for the weekend? If not I was thinking maybe we could-" Smiling to himself, Hiro tuned himself out of the conversation once more. There was no need to pry into Ethan's and Kay's business. Now he guided the grappling arm that had taken a cushioned grasp upon her frame soon after the synth liquid had been completely removed from the container up, out, and over to the waiting holding chamber. Inside this, the humanoid would undertake a series of nannite treatments that cleansed the skin of some residual chemicals and made repairs to the flaws if they had surfaced. Usually there wasn't many defects in the artificial tissue, the most common of the standard consisted of such minor things as a slight warping or ripple in the surface, perhaps even a few tiny bubbles if the synthetic covering was of a lower quality. Hiro blinked at the exposed flesh, for some reason the thought of a soulless creature caused his usual shy self to become somewhat less sentimental. If she were human, his face would be as red as the capsules that items classified as rarities where stored in at the weaponry stores. Some might call it a perk, but personally to him the feeling he came across was more like that of a proud father than experiencing a lecher's dream.

Ethan shrugged and set down the comm. unit, but before he could relay the HUnewearl's message it rang out yet again. Hiro shook his head and took up the singing bit of metal and strode towards the door.

"I'll take this one, go ahead and finish up here for me will ya?"

"Right, keeping my nose to the grindstone sir!" His friend said with a mischevious grin. The engineer rolled his eyes and pressed the 'receive' button on his BEE communicator with one hand while opening the door with the other. Soon Sovryn's melodic voice filled his ears, she had a request, and by the worry etched into her tone, he could tell this was either serious or important. A brief flurry of words were exchanged, and then before he knew it Hiro found a series of rapidly forming questions passing through his mind. He pressed his own thoughts back to a far recess and poked his head back into the room he had just left..

"Looks like something else has turned up." The man stated, Ethan nodded in his usual mellow fashion.

"So be it. But your beginning to make a habit out of this, Hiro." Looking up they grinned at one another, then his friend proceeded to scan a series of read outs on the humanoids condition. The engineer shrugged and headed back out the door.

"Kay says she'll be working overtime again.." Ethan called out after him. Hiro felt a slight depression inside of him, knowing that his roommate was probably going to turn up drunk as a wasted dog sometime in the middle of the night. Never a dull moment is there?



* * *

Sovryn had laid out Outcast's body best she could on the floor. Even though his frame was relatively small, the RAcast still weighed more than she was able to lift. She did not have any knowledge of mechanics, so she was at a total loss for the moment. What the androids condition was, or what would happen in the next ten beats, she did not know. Hiro had said that he would arrive as soon as possible, so the RAmarl tried to keep her anxiety at bay. The android had been with her for a good deal of her life, so naturally many fond memories came back to her in abundance, as well as the not so pleasant ones. Outcast originally had two primary functions, to protect her, and to keep her away from Mome Kizagaru's secrets. He had seen Samuel as someone that would seriously jeopardize his mission, and he was correct. The HUmar had literally opened her eyes to the outside world. He was the one responsible for teaching her how to survive in a living hell, and how to create your own private nook in a depression. Almost hand in hand he showed her everything, Black Paper's secrets, her fathers position, and the android that had been hiding the harsh truth from her for so long.

Many times Sovryn would hear Outcast and Samuel arguing over what would be best for her. The androids protective nature wanted to keep her separated from the system, while the HUmar stated that BP was a stable organization, even if a criminal one, and if she did not grasp onto something beside her fathers position then she would be left with nothing. The RAcast knew of the chain power struggles that composed black paper, but was convinced that getting her involved with the conglomeration would only induce further chaos. So Sovryn moved in with Samuel in an attempt to break free from the limitations that Outcast placed on her. And for the most part the two lived happily together. But now as she sat looking helplessly over the androids damaged body, she was forced to reconsider her decision.

Over time, the RAmarl became more and more entwined in BP actions. She became an agent of the organization, and eventually fell into doing more of the dirty work. Sovryn had helped put an end to many lives, whether they be a civilian or a politician against black paper's work. Even today she could remember the first person she had killed, before all the deaths had been of an indirect effect of her work, but seeing a corpse you yourself created was quite a memorable event. Gaping hole in the woman's chest, her insides a mix of burnt organs and still wet guts that now had somewhere to escape from. A fine red spray had exited her back and stained the wall behind her, the larger chunks of flesh and other organic matter had quickly found a home upon the stone floor. The woman's eyes rolled back in their sockets and her mouth hung agape in a silent scream, and all the RAmarl could do in her shock was so close her victims eyelids hiding the blank whiteness of what was within. That night she had a long discussion with Samuel, and she sat staring at the sky until dawn wondering whether an afterlife actually waited the souls that had passed on. Despite what most people thought, the evidence was piled up against its favor.

Sovryn stared dully at the door as the man entered it. He was carrying something of obvious weight across his shoulders, but further details where obscured by the pack that surrounded it. Hiro seized the situation in a glance, and motioned for the RAmarl to get a hold of the android.

"Help me get him into my shop."

Together they managed to haul Outcast's body into the engineers private work space. The Rati that had once occupied the heavy set table returned to its owner, they had clear space to lay the battered figure upon. Without a word, Hiro removed a few tools that he'd thought might be usefully in the present situation. Though the man doubted he had all that was required, since all he had was a basic description of the RAcast's condition and intuition to make a feasible conclusion. Making quick work of the situation, he proceeded to select several more items from his pack. Sovryn watched in silence for a moment, deciding that for the time being he should be left alone.

Hiro recognized the liquid easily as stabilizing fluid. Finding the source proved to be of little difficulty. The energy core's adapter had taken an indirect hit by some form of photonic weaponry. Thus causing a minor leak, but over time the androids system must have been shutdown automatically to prevent the power cells from overheating and eventually shorting out. That was something that would have to wait, a section of the androids innards would have to be replaced and such high quality pieces would take a little while to get your hands on legally; but then there was always the black market. By removing the chest plate he discovered something else. The battery itself apparently had been drained of its very last dregs because it hadn't been through a recharge station in so long. Therefore it hadn't shut down because of a pre-programmed precaution, but because its cells died. The reason of this is varied, either the creator was confident that it would get recharged frequently, or that there is a good reason for the android to die out if it didn't make a routine re-energizing period. So it could be of a crappy design, or the owner has some secrets hidden somewhere within its memory banks.

The engineer frowned. If it was the latter, then when the power died so did the protected data. Sort of a temporary memory catch that gets swiped in dire situations. Hiro took a breath as the traced a finger along different parts within the power core. Right underneath the adapter/filter was something he seldom seen, a device designed to jump start a dead battery and give it life again. Such things where quite hazardous, since the reasons for a power cell dying are usually damage or being drained directly.

A resurrection unit of this size could easily do one of two things, give the battery life again before the memory catch does not get to replenish its own tiny cells every so often, or completely fry the android; simply making it a pile of useless scrap. The creators had been thorough indeed, if the RAcast had been injured, then the data would be forever protected by deletion. But if it was merely in a dire situation, then it would merely revitalized and give him another chance to get back to the owner. In total, there where six jump starts positioned inside Outcast's body, five of which had already been drained. If this last one activated, then its memories would be forever lost unless he could fix the adapter. In time, that is, but Hiro had no honest clue of when it would kick in. So it would be best to start immediately.

All of this he explained to Sovryn, who in return listened in rapture. When he had given her the basic rundown of the situation, a question nearly burst out of her.

"What happens if the jump start activates while your working on the adapter?"

"I would get fried by many volts of electricity, and Outcast here would be, well lets just say he won't be breaking into any more apartments." He said plaintively. The RAmarl opened her mouth to protest but he held up a hand,

"But that wont happen."

"And you are so confident, why?" Sovryn questioned, somewhat anxious about the ordeal as a whole.

"Simply because I'm one of the best engineers you'll meet in a lifetime." Hiro replied with a grin. The RAmarl shook her head, but the humor helped lighten the environment so she didn't mind to terribly. As he turned, the engineer spoke again,

"Also, your friend here has a tracing beacon on him. Such things also have a system designed like that of the jump start's. They'll usually take a replenishment to their battery from the main cell every eighty beats or so."

"What does that have to do with anything?" She said, somewhat irked that Hiro was talking instead of working.

"The tracer is dead. Meaning that the other identical jump starts, well technically only the first one, started up after the beacon gave its last. So I have a good amount of time to work with." He stated smugly,

"Yet all the less if you count the time you took to get here, and then the amount you spent talking."

"Quite right, would you hand me the box on the third shelf in the far left corner? Yes that's the one, I believe there is something I can use from spare Rati parts."

After giving him the requested item, Sovryn leaned back against the wall and watched the engineer work. He seemed to be in his element, a strange tool in one hand while fiddling with something within the androids body with the other. The beats dragged one, the RAmarl completely clueless to what the progress made was. Eventually Hiro sat back for a moment and selected a different piece of metal from a rack. Leaning forward again, he asked a question that had been heavy on his mind for quite some time.

"So what's your history with this guy anyway?"

"He's my nurse. Designed and built to protect and serve me. You might say I came from wealth, but then somewhere along the way it was destroyed in such a way that it left me living in the slums of pioneer two." She said matter-of-factly,

"Am I correct in asking you to give me a more detailed description later?"

"Of course, but I'll wait until Kay returns though. Saves me re-living a past twice, or is that unfair?"

"No, I wouldn't ask that of you. But I'm going to need some quiet now, so.." Sovryn nodded and headed towards the makeshift entrance and exit of the engineer's work space. But before she left there was one more inquisition to bear, though it was more like verifying a statement.

"Is Samuel mixed up in this somehow as well?"

"Yes.." The RAmarl replied after a moments hesitation. Hiro merely nodded and waved for her to go.



* * *

"Ma'am I'm not sure you should be having another one.."

"Shut up.. I have the money and that's all you need to know. Now serve me my god damned drink!." The HUnewearl snapped tersely. She didn't care what happened to her, as long as the memories left her alone. A mental shiver ran through her body, she wasn't sure how much longer her body would hold out. Kay's hands grasped the mug from the bar keep and immediately moved the rim of the structure to her lips and took a deep pull. She consumed half of the liquid inside in two gulps, and then the remaining in one. Slamming it down upon the counter, she reached back and pulled out a card that the man standing across from her received it with a sigh. After the item was returned to her, the HUnewearl staggered to her feet and spun around sharply. This particular bar wasn't packed to thickly today, so when she made her way towards the open door she saw the two men that stood up and started to follow after her.

There was no breeze to comfort her when she reached the streets, and behind her the number of pursuers had doubled. Kay forced her body not to shake visibly and to walk in a erect position; didn't want to make the small band that had decided she was good fodder to know what her real condition was. As she wandered down the street, Kay realized that this road would take her nowhere and that she would have to change her course. But the men following her did not allow many options. One was speeding up to get in front of her, two had her sides covered, and the final was undoubtedly sneaking up behind her. What left was there for her to do? The HUnewearl broke into a headlong dash, something that the ones attempting to trap her expected.

Down the street and into a narrow alley way, they followed her like a shadow. As Kay pounded down along the uneven pavement she ran into a few other civilians that where loitering around. One woman she smashed into was injecting something into her system through her wrist, the HUnewearl caused her to slip up and jab the hypodermic needle deep into her skin. The first man knocked the bystander to the ground while another kicked her in the face as she struggled to rise. The final saw her as fresh meat, he dragged the civilian up and slammed her up against the brick wall. Kay reversed her direction immediately at the screams of the woman and drew the daggers that rested at her hips. This action startled the man directly behind her, and he fell victim to a brutal horizontal slash to his face. But her next pursuer was armed with a lead pipe, and she was forced to block it as the tip cam up over head in hopes of knocking her out.

The photon blade of her dagger cut away half the length of his weapon, but the remaining momentum carried the jagged stub down across her arm and chest, cutting away from her skin and then the shirt that covered only about seventy percent of her torso. The HUnewearl followed up with a kick that sent him flying backwards, with a gift of several broken ribs.

Kay glanced at the man's fallen body for just a moment before the pain erupted in the back of her skull. Before her vision faded, she could see another felled human, apparently one the civilian had struggled free of and gouged out one of his eyes with the hypodermic needle, for there it lay embedded in his skull. The HUnewearl fell, and watched groggily as the remaining man smacked the other female across the face with the back of his fist. The last thing she remembered for a time was the final pursuer running a hand down the other woman's pants, his intentions obvious as the fact that there was no escape. God.. please no, don't let him do this to us..



* * *

"Where is she?!" Sovryn exclaimed. Even if her friend was working overtime, she would have been back by now. Hiro sighed and then grabbed a coat and tossed it towards the pacing RAmarl.

"Lets go find out shall we?" The engineer said, even though he knew of Kay's habits, he quite worried himself. Outcast had received the jump start only a few beats after he had finished shaping a section of Rati shell to his adapter. Afterwards there was some minor conversation, but he had insisted that the android should take a recharge. The power cell had been replenished sufficiently, but since it was revived more than one time, the collected energy is spent much more rapidly. They would purchase a new battery for him, and hopefully some more armor as well. Right now the RAcast was hooked up to a temporary charge station, not of the best quality, but it was suited for their purposes. So now he could push that all back into the far corner and focus his attention on the task at hand, finding his room-mate.

He himself donned a jacket, preparing himself for the temperature outside. Autumn evenings where cold in Pioneer City, a fair warning to the harsh winter that always followed after. Sovryn was already halfway out the door, she was overly anxious to get started. I don't want to see any more of my friends get hurt.. Bitter thoughts ran through her head, each one placing an extra burden upon her already laden conscious. Samuel, Outcast, Hiro, Kay, all of them where going through so much, and all of it was her fault. She was the one that had brought her past into the household, the one that cause her nanny android to become a wanted item by Scarlet drop. And here they where, still supporting her when she can give almost nothing in return. Why? Why the sacrifice for one you barely know? One that ran away from you? Someone that cannot place her trust in his willing hands? If she ever got the four of them into the same room, all at once, she would ask the very same questions. But in the meantime she had to repay them.. somehow. Someone taking her hand brought her back to the present, Hiro smiled and waited.

"Are we going or not?"

After receiving a nod, he closed the door behind them and paced towards the stairs. They traveled quickly down several flights and took a left turn that opened up into a large corridor that would lead them to the parking lot. Here the engineer quickly spotted the hover car that Kay and himself had pooled meseta together to buy. They alternated weeks, so if one of them wanted to go somewhere and it wasn't their turn with the car, he or she would have to ask the other if they could take the vehicle. Since their schedules had become somewhat flexible, conflict usually did not arise. But there still was to occasional argument over whose appointment was more important.

Sovryn circled around to the passenger side and lifted up the handle that released the door. The red painted metal traveled outwards and then the bottom of the door was raised high. The RAmarl sank down into the cushioned seat and pulled it down behind her. Hiro had managed to de-activate the locking mechanisms before she had done so by pressing a switch on a key chain attachment. If he had not, his friend would have been repelled by an electric shock and the car alarms would had gone off. Shaking his head, the engineer entered the car and inserted a key into the ignition switch. Letting the intricate pattern set in place, he turned the flat side of the key forwards and activated the engines. Taking some amusement in the way that Sovryn smiled at the purr the car made, he disengaged the system lock on the brakes by entering a password on a touch sensitive screen that lay a little to the right to the steering wheel. They backed out of their pre-paid slot in the parking compound and headed towards the exit of the lot. Hiro spoke briefly, answering a question he felt sure was to come,

"We're headed for the hospital. Got to check and see if she was telling the truth about going overtime."



* * *

The HUnewearl kept her eyes shut for a moment, trying to let the pounding that had commenced when she first opened them subside a little before attempting the feat again. In the brief instant that her mind had entered her surroundings, she had only seen that she was in a different position than the one she had fallen unconscious in. Something reached her now attentive ears, what was it.. whimpering? Yes, she heard a female whimper and the rustle of clothes. Another whine, this time it was followed by ragged breathing. Finally she opened her eyes again, but only to close them again in horror. The civilian that had only gotten involved because of the HUnewearl's own clumsiness had been chosen as the first to be raped. Tears where streaming down the woman's face as she lay helpless, drained of strength, and having such actions forced upon her would most undoubtedly leave trauma. And by the looks of the remainder of her battered body a fair deal of abuse had been put into play as well. Just the thought of such bondage instilled fear into her, yet here she lay, gagged, bound in both hands and legs, and next on the list.

A sickening crunch alerted her senses. The man had stood up, apparently bored of this particular woman, and stomped on her chest. A faint gurgle could be heard behind the dirty strip of cloth that prevented the civilian from screaming. The sound of her choking on her own blood undoubtedly. He turned, the sight of his completely nude form sickened her, so she forced her eyes to burn holes in his. Moving his sweat covered self closer, she could see the streaks that ran through the grime on his face.

"Awake I see. All for the best, I like it when you bitches struggle." The one who captured her said through a wicked grin, the stench of his breath lingered for a moment causing her stomach to churn uncomfortably. Kay tried to remain oblivious to her fate, and kept herself from hoping. The only chance now was to save herself, as it should be. You can't do something stupid and then expect others to clean up for you. As he neared her form, she readied herself to do one of the few remaining choices. The man lowered his head reaching to the opposite side of her waist to pull her body towards him. Straining her trained abdominal region, she forced her upper body to swing upwards and then out towards him. The top of her head connected with the bottom of his chin, the force sending him flat on his back arms flailing out wide. Not giving him the chance to recover, she crawled up and knelt on his chest, one shin pressed tight to his neck. The man used his right arms to grab her hands that where bound behind her back.

Tugging backwards he managed to get her on the floor again an quickly mounted her.
One hand on her chest, he reached down past her waistline for the one of the few articles of clothing?s that separated their bodies. His hand gripped down in her groin area for a moment, causing water to well up in the corners of her eyes. Straining every muscle in her body she twisted away from his intentions so that she was facing the ground. The man simply grinned and ground himself into her backside. Luckily he hadn't been able to remove her denim pants, but she didn't know how long that would last.

"It doesn't matter which side, I like to fuck em both." The HUnewearl suppressed a wave of tears, but there was no time to think. She turned her head against the ground, cheap wood of some sort, and forced her legs to come up under her torso while one side of her head was grinding into the floor. Adrenaline fueling her system, she spun around onto her back and kicked out with her bound legs. They caught him squarely in the chest, sending him backwards several feet. She heard his head make a loud crack upon the hard floor and fought for breath around the gag that was bound tightly around her head. Please may that have knocked him out..



* * *

"So you're telling me that she didn't even show up for work today?" Hiro inquired, his fears being confirmed.

"Yes sir, and let me tell you if she keeps this up Kay wi-"

"Come on Sovryn, lets go." The engineer said, interrupting the baffled clerk that sat behind the reception counter. The RAmarl merely nodded and followed him out of hospital. Once back in the hover car, they traveled in silence. All BEE messages they had sent to Kay had not been returned, which either meant that she was in trouble or needed some time to herself. So when his communicator rang out Hiro immediately jumped to answer the call.

"Ethan? You wouldn't happen to know where my room-mate is right now would you?"

"Can't help you, Kay and I where going to meet up sometime tonight for dinner, but she's later than usual."

"Damn it.. Oh wait, hold on a minute, getting another call." Hiro hit the 'receive' button again, somewhat irritated that he was being interrupted at a time like this. But the HUnewearl?s voice drove his mind into an absolute stand still.

"Hey, I've got myself into a bit of a jam. Can I get some help?"

"Kay? Where the hell are you?" the engineer demanded, concerned beyond belief

"To be honest, I have no clue. Your best bet would be to trace my call." Kay said after a sigh.

"Will do, but what's going on here anyway?"

"Well.. I sort of got drunk, again."

"What do you mean by sort of?"

"Fine, I was wasted, okay? But I pulled myself out of the bar cause these guys where giving me some funny looks. And it turns out that they're a regular gang of rapists."

"Jesus H. Christ, they didn't really do that to you did they?" Hiro gasped in disbelief. Sovryn gave him an inquisitive look, traces of worry touching her eyes.

"Actually, no. Me and this other girl killed two of them, and I knocked out the third. Don't think he'll be getting up anytime soon.."

"Just what do you mean by that? Are you talking about the guy you drained?" the situation was beginning to become more confusing by the moment.

"Um.. no, but I doubt that one will make it through the night. I was talking about the fourth guy. Crept up behind me and bashed me down he did. I couldn't really say it was fortunate but the civilian that got in the way was raped before he turned his attention to me, and then he killed her once he was done. I, of course, wasn't about to let that happen to myself. So after some scuffling about I managed to bring him to the floor and bash his brains in."

"So he's dead then?"

"Not really, apparently he had also drugged me so after our little fight I was drained of energy and passed out. When I woke up I managed to chew through my gag, nasty stuff that was, and locate my BEE communicator and contact you." She said tiredly..

"So what happened to the final guy?"

"I don't know, probably took off to lick his wounds and find some more of his buddies. I suppose you should hurry up, never know when he'll be back." While they had been talking, both Sovryn and Hiro had entered the car. They didn't know exactly where she was, but the slums of Pioneer city was a fair place to start looking.

"What about you? You don't seem to be reacting like one who was nearly raped ."

"Guess the shock hasn't worn off yet. But don't expect me to go to work tomorrow. And don't worry too much Hiro, I'm only lost and in the dark, hands and feet are bound and I am currently unable to free them, I had to dial your damned number with my teeth for Coral's sake. So yeah, I'm fine. How about you?" The HUnewearl said mockingly.

"All right, alright, point taken. If you hear sirens its probably me speeding in your direction being pursued by a few dozen police cars."

"Take your time, we're in no hurry here." Kay chuckled after saying the line, the pure insanity of their situation fell under few categories, one of the more obvious ones to her was humorous.

"Okay, hang on till we get there.."



* * *

"THEIR COMING!"

"Fuck.." Kay swore profoundly under her breath. The last thing I need right now is an angry mob of androids that like to play with fire.. Thinking angrily to herself, she struggled to get free. Luckily the rapist had thought her daggers of value, and had taken them with her and then tossed them carelessly on an adjacent table. Though somewhat awkwardly, she was able to grab one by the hilt and angle the deactivated blade towards the tough bindings around her hands. After slicing cleanly through the rope and a little bit of her skin as well, the HUnewearl winced and cut away the fibers that bound her ankles to one another.

Standing now, she quickly ran to the door of the room and threw it wide open. Once she stepped out into the hall it became clear where she was. Kay had just exited a rather large storage area of a building, and by the state of her surroundings and a sign that hung outside the window, it was a condemned one. Several of the smaller constructions that where made hastily upon landfall where soon outclassed and seldom used. And over time they had to be torn down to make room for the larger ones. Many of the poorer citizens of Pioneer City chose these old shells as temporary homes, providing some shelter for their fragile bodies.

Outside the HUnewearl could hear people screaming, and the sound of blaring sirens of the approaching law enforcement. She would have stayed put till the situation calmed down but a thermal grenade smashing through on of the windows of the building changed her mind. Kay was currently located at the bottom level of the complex, apparently the guy who had brought her here was to lazy to drag her up a few flights of stairs. Not to mention the impatience he must have shown about getting his business done. A pity the civilian had died, she probably owed her a life, if not her newmanity. This building would be the woman's grave, but Kay no intentions of being buried in the rubble. The HUnewearl ran for the exit, daggers clutched tightly in her hands.

There was a fairly big party of androids heading down the avenue to the east, while ahead of her lay a lonely little street. It seemed that the entire block consisted of condemned buildings, out of door frames and sitting on the cracked pavement sat the men and women that where down on their luck, if they had any in the first place. Some that heard the commotion merely shook their heads in dismay, others began to cry, yet no one ran. Why? Where these people so tired of their lives that they would forfeit them willingly? Wasn't the pioneer project's objective to create a peaceful home on a new planet?

"Hey Mark! Lookie here at them fleshies sittin on the street. Don't know better than to run do they?"

"Lets liven em up shall we?"

Kay shot a venomous glare down the street before slipping away into the shadows. How do you protect someone who wants to die?



* * *

"What's with the interrogation, Samuel? You've never really questioned your work before, so I don't see the reason to start now."

"Your asking me to cause a lot of trouble, something that most wouldn't even dare to think about. And on short notice as well, you can't just expect me to cast away my plans in order to assassinate a few Pioneer 3 officials."

"Ha! That's where you are wrong. You don't seem to realize just what I can do to your life. I have the power to crush your hopes, and also to grant your wishes." The woman smiled and leaned back in her chair. Her dark red hair fell loosely about her, not being held back by the usual thick braid. The man that stood across from her frowned, and his amber eyes met hers searchingly.

"Why me? And why are you asking this to me in person? You've always had one of your lackeys inform me about my missions. So just what is it that drove you to do this?" Samuel asked, barely controlling his temper.

"Oh, that's simple. You've got a good head on your shoulders, a strong mind and a stronger will. that's why I'll enjoy breaking you. That is, if your not already broken." She stood up and flipped a switch that pulled aside the shutters of a large window. They now had a clear view of late night in the city. After a moment she continued,

"And this isn't an official order, and hasn't been voted upon by the council. This is a personal request, one that you cannot refuse."

"Just what the hell do you mean by that? I don't owe you personally anything, my parents debt is to someone else."

"Exactly, that's why I want you to understand my intentions. Do you see this city? See it as it really is?"

"What are you getting at?" The agent asked cautiously,

"Look at it! Pioneer City is tearing itself apart from the inside. Its only a matter of time before something drastic happens. But humanity is stubborn, and they won't give up their dreams merely because they've lost most hope. I merely wasn't to prevent this from happening, but it will take some doing."

"And some killing as well, apparently."

"What are a few lives to thousands? I'm trying to give the people a chance to redeem themselves. And if they can't then there is nothing you or I can do to save them."

"Your mad, and I'm not your willing vassal. Start your own war." Samuel said defiantly, this woman's attitude was really starting to grate on his nerves. I'm not your damned pawn..

"I know that I am, but not half as mad as you are." She said with a mischievous smile. Her eyes where dangerous, looking at him as if her where a trapped lamb.

"You realize that we are alone is this room, and that I am the only one that is armed right now, correct?" The agent's tone hardened, flecks of anger breaking through to his voice.

"Absolutely, but that is what makes it interesting isn't it? You have a weapon and I have none, yet here I have the power to keep you at bay all the same."

"I have no idea what you talking about."

"But you do don't you? Your just hoping I haven't figured out the truth yet aren't you? The last time you where here, you went through the routine health test didn't you? Well the doctors, by my request of course, placed a tracing beacon inside your body. So yes, I know that Sovryn Mushin Kizagaru is taking residence with Hiro Toranaga, and that your sister is also there as well."

"If you knew all this, why haven't you hunted her down yet?"

"That girl is the councils problem, not mine. Only I and some of my more faithful followers have possession of this knowledge."

"And you didn't sell me out to the board?"

"Of course not, you and that information are much too valuable to give away freely. But it does provide the proper inventive to take up my request doesn't it?" She said, her voice dripping with smugness.

"Damn you.." Samuel's eyes fell to the floor, realizing just how badly trapped he was. The woman stepped around her desk to directly in front of the man, she touched the bottom of his chin with one finger and lifted his eyes to hers.

"The next shuttle to pioneer three leaves in one hundred and twenty beats, I suggest you go get your gear packed up and be on your way." She nearly shivered with delight at the defeated look on his face. Such power that she controlled, there truly was no greater thrill then breaking a strong man's will, especially when that man had something to protect. As he turned to leave, she made one more stab at his pride.

"And I trust that no one will be getting word of our little conversation, otherwise, I cannot assure you of Sovryn's safety."

"I understand." Samuel said, drained of emotion. The female yet again suppressed her desire to laugh out of the pleasure she had gained from this. So your willing to kill for the woman you love, eh Samuel? As to be expected..



* * *

The dawn of a new day spreads over Ragol. Some see Sol's radiant surface over the rooftops of the high buildings in the cities, others view its magnificence from the depths of outer space. But a few are hardly aware of is presence, like the three figures that sat around a rectangular glass topped table in a doubled up apartment. Two of them eyed the one, one of the three met their gaze with a disciplined firmness. Though she broke it soon after deciding what needed to be said, the silence lasted for quite some time. Kay, rescued and rejuvenated, watched her new found friend somewhat worriedly. Hiro waited patiently, respectfully giving the third figure the chance to think. Sovryn, finally ready to speak, took a deep breath and began the process of unraveling her past.

"I'm not who you think I am." she said carefully,

"And before I start, understand one thing. Aside from being extremely grateful for your kindness, I'm afraid I can't let a criminals burden to be placed upon your shoulders." Silence, the only response she received was a few empty looks. The RAmarl continued before she lost her voice.

"My full name is Sovryn Mushin Kizagaru. My father is none other than the crime lord Mome Kizagaru, while my mother was a simple business woman by the name of Iris Mushin." This time the reaction showed a considerable amount of surprise. No one said anything, but Hiro nodded for her to go on.

"I was an agent, working for the Black Paper organization. My work included such categories as sabotage, detainment, and in my later years they moved my agenda up to things like assassination. So I myself am a criminal in all respects." Kay shifted uneasily, somewhat disturbed by this knowledge.

"Somehow its hard to believe, just by looking at you I wouldn't of dreamed such things where true." The HUnewearl replied. Sovryn sighed and pointed to the Bravace that sat in the middle of the table before them.

"That weapon there has claimed many lives, and I was the one who pulled the trigger every single time." The RAmarl waited for a another response, but found both of two unwilling to offer a comment. Kay remembered the night at the pub when she first met Sovryn. It had only been about a week ago, so she could easily recall the unnerving ease Sovryn had shown when blowing a hole in the barkeepers head. The pieces slowly started to fit together, and this time Hiro spoke.

"Where does Outcast play into all this?"

"Outcast was sort of a nurse and a protector. My father designed him to play the role of a father since he himself was too wrapped up in business to care for me himself. Also, he was supposed to keep me from discovering Black Paper's secrets. And that's where Samuel comes into the picture." The engineer sat back after hearing this, somewhat satisfied by the answer. The more she unwound the strands of history and presented them to him, all the more did the questions come. But he waited for his inquiries to answer themselves as more information was fed to him.

"Samuel and I, well we used to be.."

"Lovers?" Kay said helpfully, Sovryn nodded and took another breath.

"Yes, he was working for BP at the time, and showed me the truth from the lies. Outcast saw him as a hazard in his mission, and he was correct. I chose to leave my fathers home and my nurse droid behind to go live with Samuel. And it was soon after this time I discovered his connection to the organization he operated in. In time I decided to try to help him pay off his parent's debt that had been passed down to him after they died. that's how I become a part of Black Paper, and that's how I ended up.." She paused, almost unable to continue. The two on either side of the one waited, the third needing time to continue, they themselves processing all that had been said. Kay leaned forward, wishing to know more about her brothers problem.

"You followed after Samuel because you loved him, and because he was truthfully to you... But tell me, was he also a criminal at the time? And did you know his position in BP?" Sovryn lowered her eyes at these questions, the answer somewhat painful to bear.

"I admit that I knew that he worked as a hit man for Black Paper, but I understood what he was going through, and I felt entitled to help him break free of the situation. Though my intentions where soon swept away by the company manipulating Samuel and I to their will. And so after Black Paper broke down, and my father was killed.. Well I was forced into the slums of Pioneer City, since my Life as a criminal would surely put me under a death sentence if caught by the guards."

"So you are wanted by the law, but why not my brother?" Kay asked, confused.

"He is, but Scarlet Drop is protecting him because he still is worth something to them. As far as I know he still doing their killing for them."

"Just a minute here, are you saying that SD is somehow linked to Black Paper?" Hiro said, several thoughts running through his mind. One of which was being that if what he just said was true, than the company he worked for was owned by a criminal organization.

"Yeah, basically. Those that where not hunted down laid low for a while, assumed new identities, and then re-built BP when Ragol was under the process of urbanization."

"Samuel sent me a BEE message sometime last night. I didn't get around to reading it until earlier today but it said that he wouldn't make it over here this weekend. It seems that he has to leave on company business to Pioneer 3 for a while. You would happen to know what he means by that would you?" Kay questioned. Sovryn merely shook her head.

"Your guess is as good as mine. Samuel and I never used to talk about the jobs we received that often, whenever we where together we usually tried to forget about the fact that what we had done that day at work was wrong in every sense of the word." Hiro stood up after hearing this,

"Please excuse me, but I need some time to think to myself. And somebody around here has to get some work done." The two watched the one grab a coat off the rack and make his was out the door, the one thinking hard about his new found knowledge. Kay let out a sigh and stood up as well. Sovryn remained seated, looking at the beige carpet dismally.

"Well I for one don't give a damn what you've done before in your life, as long as you haven't done nothing to my person your fine by me. Besides, its not like you go out into the streets to kill for fun, right?" The RAmarl smiled halfheartedly and joined her friends side.

"Thanks Kay, but you have to realize that I have no idea what to do with the rest of my life, what's left of it anyway."

"Oh that's simple. all you really have to do is live." The HUnewearl said, meaning every word of it.



* * *

The planet shone out in the black sprinkled white of space like a shining jewel in the dirt that caught the sun's light. Sol seemed to be doing its best to render Ragol in all its glory, the blues of the oceans contrasting with the greens of the lands. The orb was loosely wrapped in little cotton clouds that reflected brightly from the solar rays hitting their surfaces. Leaving atmosphere was an experience like none other, though this time around the man did not care to see the sights. Mind in rapture, the vision before him burred as he drifted. This world is going to go through hell before that woman is done with it..

A man's voice rang out through the ship, his calm tone helped smoothed out some people's anxieties about space travel as he declared that they where running ahead of schedule and would be arriving at Pioneer 3 in approximately forty beats. In a short manner of time a stewardess came down the aisle and offered the passengers refreshments. Samuel politely refused and went back to his contemplation.

"Hey, you alright?" The woman seated next to him asked,

"You look kinda zoned out."

"I'm fine, thanks." She gave him an thoughtfully look for a moment, but only to shrug and go back to reading a magazine. His mission was to eliminate four people and then await further orders. The first was David Chapman, chief director of Scarlet Drop interactions on Pioneer 3. The second on the list was a man known as Wilson Brown, one of the many officials that ran trade between the two space vessels sent from the home planet, Coral. And the final was a married pair, Terry and Candice Rockfeller, attorney general and wife. The connection between them he had yet to discover, but Samuel had decided that he would figure out the woman's plan and perhaps try out some tinkering to it himself. In doing so the man was practically asking to be killed, but it didn't really matter if you compared the risk to the stakes that the outcome of his mission where based upon. This was going to be no easy task, so apparently he had been assigned a partner for the job.

The female he was to meet up at the docking bay this shuttle would land in was named Natalie Collins. Apparently she was also a long time running agent of Scarlet Drop, and just by reading through her profile he could tell she was more the professional assassin than he was. So when they met at the landing platform her appearance startled him to a minor degree. Her hair was a natural dirty blonde and it fell to just below her shoulders, she had blue eyes, and body that many would consider eye candy. The woman's voice when she spoke to him was light and airy and there seemed to be laughter hiding somewhere in it.

"Samuel Layafette? So the pictures in your profile weren't lying to me." She said, smiling.

"Sorry that I can't say the time, never thought that Harriet would pair me up with an assassin that flounces around like a school girl." The man replied, the photo of this woman had been of a somber individual, nothing like the female in front of him.

"Ha! So they weren't lying when they said you where the honest type."

"Funny how I ended up with a dishonest job isn't it?" He wasn't giving her much quarter to be loose in, she was almost too friendly. Natalie just turned and started to lead the way,

"Dishonest? Not really, its just that anyone that does this job has to find some sort of thrill from it, or else they wouldn't continue at all. So your not dishonest to yourself or others by seeing your duty through, your being truthful. And sometimes the truth is frightening, or unusual, so we usually hide from it." She said, facing him again. Her tone was still cheerful, but her words struck something within him. So maybe there is more to this woman than I thought. He couldn't say that he felt bad about killing, just the thought that taking ones life is bad makes the task mildly unpleasant. But even he had to say that fighting kindled something inside of him. Guess I can't forget how to fight after all..

"How about you then, what is it in this job that stirs up excitement in you?" He looked into her eyes as she asked this question. Was there any point in lying to her?

"I'm sorry, but if I told you that I'd have to kill you." Samuel said, now grinning to himself. Natalie laughed,

"That so eh? Well for me its quite simple, The screams, yeah its definitely the screams." The HUmar blinked, what the hell? Seeing the expression on his face she explained herself.

"I was born defected, deaf, you would say. Over time I've learned to read people's lips, and that's why I'm always facing you when I speak. Its hard to tell emotions of someone when your eyes are concentrated on someone's mouth. But when they scream their last, you can pr

[mr_rubbish]

Okay, first things first....

You exceeded the character limit when posting this one so the end has been chopped off. Don't forget to check after you post (a few ' & " have been transformed too).

Good but a few negatives:

1. The intro seems well... Unecessary? It feels like you are preaching because you can. Try tying it more strongly into the chapter content.

2. A few typos and quite a few swapped words. In the first half there are many, many.

3. Some of the dialogue seems... kinda corny (though I could be hypocritical in saying that of course), the lines stand out, so I would say it detracts from your story as a serious work. Others may not notice though.

4. Not a negative per se, but maybe you're over descriptive with things that don't need it. That's personally preference and every writer is different so feel free to disregard this comment.

Positives:

1. You've got the dialogue formatting under control now. Well done! I only spotted one instance where it might be awkward but again, most people won't notice.

2. Kay's predicament was quite... tense.

3. We're getting the plot twists now!


Inclosing, roll on chapter 4.

[Sagasu]

KSO!


* * *

"I was born like this, deaf, you would say. Over time I've learned to read people's lips, and that's why I'm always facing you when I speak. Its hard to tell emotions of someone when your eyes are concentrated on someone's mouth. But when they scream their last, you can practically feel their lives passing through you. Its an experience that you cannot substitute with any other, Samuel." The man was taken aback by the ease of which she spoke about such things, but a thought crossed his mind as odd as he listened to her situation.

"Why didn't you get nannite treatment? Its something that doctors today can easily fix."

"Because the worlds you and I live in are completely different. Not many are like me anymore, and I find myself noticing things that's others don't. Like I can read body language really well, something that's helps me out in my job quite a bit. The things I gain from not being able to hear are special to me, and I'm not willing to give them up to recover something I never had.." Samuel nodded and looked at the open space through the many inches of dura-glass that was set in the landing area's ceiling. Much more..





* * *


I'm a killer.. and they still accept me? Doesn't it bother them that I've slain innocents? Of course it does, but they're forgiving me for no reason at all.. it just doesn't make sense.. Huh? lunch? Sovryn shook her head, the HUnewearl had called out to her and beckoned that she eat a noon time meal. She complied willingly, talking about her past always seemed to use up a lot of energy. For a while they ate in silence, neither one of them certain of what to say to the other. Eventually, Sovryn spoke.

"Hiro seemed.. upset."

"Don't worry about it, hes never been one to take things easily" Kay said, trying to prevent her friend from sinking further into depression.

"Yeah, but still.. The odd thing about it was that he only got emotional when Samuel became the topic."

"Well, you know Hiro is actually somewhat taken by you, though I doubt he'd say it openly." The RAmarl look at the food on her plate, as if searching through it for reassurance.

"Samuel and I aren't in a relationship anymore, I don't see why he's all tense about something that happened even before he knew me."

"I've seen evidence against that. Speaking as one that has seen this happen more than once, I can say that once you love someone you can never really just dismiss your feelings for the person. You can tell by the way that you and Samuel look at each other that something still connects you to him.. So Hiro doesn't know what to do, its obvious that he likes you, but whenever my brother is mentioned he has to remember your feeling that did and still exist" Sovryn thought a moment about this The truth was that she still found herself thinking fondly of the HUmar, despite what they had been through the last two years.

"He still doesn't have to get jealous, its not like just because Samuel's back that I'm going to just jump into his arms and forget about Hiro. Your room-mate is a really nice guy but sometimes he takes things a bit to personally."

"Who knows what goes through the minds of men. But honestly, I don't really want to know. I'm satisfied with the knowledge that the ones that I'm close to are good at heart. After all, life is a learning process right?"

"Sure is, though sometimes you have to repeat certain lessons."

"Only if you don't pay attention in class." The HUnewearl said with a chuckle. Sovryn smiled, and now that her appetite returned, she continued with her meal.





* * *


"Do you know.. why we've been sent here?"

"Of course, to kill people, what else?"

"No, I mean like why are we killing these people? How does Harriet profit by having these officials eliminated?"

"Not sure, haven't found a link between them. I suppose its either something personal, or we just haven't figured something out yet." The female replied, watching the man test the scope of his sniper rifle critically. From their rooftop vantage, the pair could see a good deal of Pioneer 3's scenery. They basically tried to model the sky like that of Coral, but the artificial weather control kept things comfortable, unlike the real life harsh differences on the planet Ragol.

"Maybe, though I'm thinking that she's trying to start a dispute between Pioneer two and three." The male rested the butt of the weapon against his shoulder and peered through the lenses at a man sitting on the patio of his house. Slowly he lined the cross hairs up with the politicians head.

"Wait a minute Samuel, let me get out my binoculars." He turned to face his partner, she watched his movements as his mouth moved. Though sound waves vibrated through the air, she could not hear a thing that was said. But the female still replied.

"Of course I want to see him scream, why else would I have come with you on this little escapade?" The HUmar just sighed and aimed the weapon at the mans chest, remembering that a head shot would sorely dissapoint his fellow hit man.

"A single death is a tragedy.." Started Natalie,

"A million deaths is a statistic." Finish Samuel as he fired the silenced sniper. It was a clean shot, took the man through the heart. He did indeed scream, causing his female counterpart to smile. Another yell, the man's wife came rushing out of the house and bent down by his figure. Saves me some trouble..

Another bullet splattered the woman's guts over the ground, and their work was finished. As the two assassins made their hasty retreat, the HUmar spoke.

"Terry Rockfeller.. Wasn't he against SD's recent proposal about how the Militia should be managed?"

"Yeah, nobody listened to him though. Why do you ask?"

"Cause I think I just figured something out.."




Two sat across from one another.
One remembering, the other reminisicing.
The one that remembered the other from long ago is lost in the past of another.
Together, the two are still separate others,
Yet they are both bound to the same another.
But that one that the others are bound to..
Is the one that found another.


***

You guys didn't miss much actually http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime2.gif

The little bit on the bottom is problably very confusing. It might be a while before you truly understand the meaning, so don't think on it to hard http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wink.gif

Thankies Immers!

In response..

Preaching: Of course it is! But this paticular sermon relates to the chapter in more ways than you can possibly dream of. Yet since you don't have the entire story mapped out in your head, I guess it may seem a little 'off subject'. Though I garuntee that if you re-read you may understand it better. I'm not suggesting that you guys read this paticularily long fiction over and over, but that will most definatley help solve some questions if you decide to do so.

Spelling/grammar: Well, I have a few things to say about this. As a writer, you yourself know how difficult it is to thurougly edit your own work. Most writers have the tendacy to think of whats supposed to be happening in their minds, not just what happening on the screen. So, I haven't really been able to filter out all the little errors through the gargantuan amounts of text. But I'm trying! Sorry that I haven't got around to editing the entire fiction as a whole, but as I have mentioned many times before, I have another life besides that of the one on the internet. But now I do have a steady connection inside my own room, a new computer, and a guitar.

So alls good http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

Corny?: Hmm.. I've actually done some thinking on this. In reality, strictly speaking, how many people can pull up clever witty comments out of the air? If you listen to the average conversation nowadays, many threats, jokes, ect. Are quite lame. I am not trying to make an excuse for myself, but I just would like to point out that not every one is a smart alek. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wink.gif

Yumm.. corn.

Idle Descriptions: Personal preference of course. Sometimes I find that once one is familiar with a set (the livingroom of Hiro's/Kay's apartment, bedrooms, etc.) it is quite redundant to repeat the basic layout of the area over and over again. And by just describing in detail an object you can remind the reader of the previously mentioned assets of a room. But perhaps, since apparently you have not grasped this, I may need to change my tactics.

General: Sovryn's Song, to sum it all up, is a writers laboratory. I'm performing different expiriments with styles of writing an portraying pictures through text. I'm playing with human emotions, seeing how far I can bend ones mind so that the situation is still believable. Its fun to work with characters that have backgrounds as deep as the alantic ocean, and untill I can really say comfortably that I have found a style that suits my liking, several oddities will be appearing in the text before you.

Thusly, I am a newcomer in many aspects. So therefore certain things may seem awkward, or ill described. This is mainly because of my in-experience in the matter. I started writing on a serious level (more or less) around one year ago, and because of this I ask you to forgive my youth and simplicity. In not living an extended period of time, my knowledge of world matters may be somewhat limited. So I reqest that you give me mayhap an ounce of leniennce, since I wont grant any for myself.

I thank you for your patience, gratitude, and advice. Hopefully, I may continue to serve the universe of fan-fictions to the best of my abilities.





<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Sarunakai on 2004-06-22 18:44 ]</font>


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Sarunakai on 2004-06-22 18:48 ]</font>

[mr_rubbish]

I'll keep those points in mind, but i'm an old man, it's difficult for me to change at this point in my life... http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wink.gif

[Sagasu]

If your an old man than I am an infant. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wacko.gif

I'll do my best to keep your crits in mind as well, though I'm a stubborn young fool so its hard for me to change. But at least we seem to have come to an overall agreement. (finally w00t! http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif)

I'm going to give the others a chance to catch up with the fiction, but I won't delay for too long. So chapter 4 may be arriving tuesday or wednesday. All depending on how the situation looks by then ^_^

[AUTO_]

I wish I could frequent the fanworks more often, I really like the approach you take in your writing.

I read the intro and really like how you delivered it, and I'm impressed by the length of the fic-it's hard for many to think of ideas 1/4th this size.

Congrats on your work thus far and I hope I get around to reading it completely.

[BOC]

jesus that was a monster. thought id print it out and read it in bed last nite, but it was like 20 pages! and that was only the first post!

once again saru you have proven that you can have quantity and qualiTy (with a capital T) at the same time.

the plot is coming along nicely. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif

can't wait for chapter 4! sorry it took so long for me to read it!

PEACE!!!

[Sagasu]

Thankeis! ^_^

Unfortunatley, due to a serious lack of motivation http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_nono.gif I have been unable to complete chapter four. Not sure when I'll get around to finishing it..

But it sounds like you need a break anyways http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Sarunakai on 2004-06-30 14:55 ]</font>

[MQuantum]

You had better step on it, and don't use vacation as an excuse! >.<

I finally read it, after so long, and it's getting very good. And now you're going to disappoint me? http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif

Very good work, Saru, and congrats on making it to the character cap. Not certain that's been done before, at least not here, and quite an accomplishment.

[Newdroid]

Samuel?That's my name!

[Sagasu]

On 2004-07-14 21:03, Newdroid wrote:
Samuel?That's my name!



Please, that does fall under the classification of spam.

Chapter 4 is on its way, two days at most.

[BOC]

can't wait buddy!

bring it on!

PEACE!!!

[Sagasu]

First of all, I am extremely sorry for the long delay in presenting this chapter you you and I thank you for sticking with me through times of void. I hit the proverbial ditch for a while back there, and just recently have I struggled to climb my way out. This chapter was mostly writter in the last day or so. I started writing it again after dinner, and finished it before dinner today. Now I'm tired, and need a good break. But because of my state of mind, I'm not not sure how well this one turned out. I feel that It could have been better, but your opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Alright, on with the show! http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif



Sovryn's Song
Chapter 4

Brutal Silhouette


A man or woman is asked daily a thousand questions, whether they be from themselves, or others it does not matter. What does matter, is the answer that we subconsciously respond to the regular inquisitions. Discipline, pride, love, regret, what is the motivation that spurs our replies? What is the cause of our lies? Lying to them, lying to yourself, salvaging a false illusion of honor. We will nurse our broken self esteem, forgetting for the moment the reason why we became the fractured individuals we are now. For that special someone, for that special dream, for that special hope to live better. The selfish may survive, while the selfless must bear the cruel weight of kindness.

In the end, what is left? The special one has gone, the special dream shattered, and our hopes of a new life dashed. The selfish and the selfless ride side by side, sleeping under identical skies, so if they fell, it wouldn't matter how heavy your conscious was. The very same pride that they shared, when torn away from them, left behind the very same gaping hole. Why didn't matter, where didn't matter, it was who brought the devastation down upon their heads that burned vengeance into the virgin minds. Break ones heart, you'll live to tell the tale. Break one's pride, and you have become the hunted.



* * *

Samuel stared long and hard at the eventide sky, as if trying to bring its magnificent bulk to him with just the desire to be far away from where he was as possible. Celestial bodies of the stars shone out brightly, despite how early it was in the day. The moon a mere silver paper cut in the sky, did little to mask the light from the long dead forms that dotted the sky like pebbles strewn across a beach. In the east, a conglomeration of cirrus clouds painted hues of purple and red gave off an eerie feel. There was no escaping what he had been dragged into, and his task left no room for mistake. He studied the effect the tainted light had his figure, playing across the tan skin of his scarred forearm. The man's body was solid, literal coils of muscle where at his beck and call, and his profession with his weapons left no doubt in his mind that he was the best one suited for this job. But even in his security, he felt so powerless, because he knew that his life and the one he was struggling to protect where two threads in a huge tapestry.

Hateful memories coursed through his mind, and he closed his amber eyes to try to block out the meeting he had with Harriet only a few days prior. But the image was still fresh, and his anger fresher. The HUmar had been called back to Pioneer City as soon as his original mission had been completed. Again, he had met the woman in her office, still smarting from the fact that she had complete control over him. Samuel stood before her, with all but the might to strike the vile witch down to serve proper justice. But the man did not even harbor such thoughts, he wanted a clear head, for here a well placed word could answer more than a hundred prayers.

"I trust you realize I had to call you and your partner back because an emergency has arose." She said With a harsh ring in her voice, not in her usual playful mood.

"And," Harriet added icily, "If what you started reaches the publics attention, I'm not going to be the only one with a price on my head."

"The deaths on Pioneer 3 are untraceable, and you know that. So just what has you all worked up?" Samuel inquired, trying to retain a slight command in his words. At least he could act with pride.. The red haired woman sighed, and then sat back down into her chair which she had risen up from when the agent had entered her office.

"Not too long ago, about a half week back, a full week after you left, we discovered that some information had leaked its way out and into the hands of someone working within the facility here."

"As if Scarlet Drop has secrets to keep." Samuel said sarcastically, pressing his luck. But that's what this game was about, taking risks, and continue on until one or the other succumbs to the better player. Harriet let out a deep breath before continuing,

"So naturally the culprit was caught, but he had already sold the information to some civilian. After some, persuasion, he was more willing to talk sense." Her eyes stared out of thin rimmed spectacles, piercing into his. After a moments pause, letting his imagination wander to what they had done to the man, she went on.

"Apparently, some civilians became too suspicious of our organization for their own good. And right now, they are out there, with that information, and most likely with the means to collapse this entire company. And the reason that they started butting into our business, is your fault."

"I don't understand." And it was true, the woman was yet again beating around the bush, never getting to the point of her little rant. And here she just berated me about how quickly this task needed to be carried out..

"Your sisters room-mate, and a friend of his, have gotten their hands on the information regarding Sovryn's use to my corporation. If they de-code that we're done for." She paused, letting him absorb the information. Even in her own frustration, she managed to smile at the inner torment going inside this man. He knew what was going to be asked of him, and he would be tempted to end her life there and then. But he couldn't, her noose had to firm a hold on his mind.

"You want me to.."

"Hiro Toranaga and his friend, Ethan something or another, they both have to be.. eliminated." She placed special emphasis on the last word, ensuring that the full meaning of the message got across to Samuel. The HUmar needed no such verbal reminder, since he very well knew what was expected from him as an agent. And as a slave.

"Your sister as well, Sovryn is the only one permitted to live." Harriet couldn't help but giggle at the fierce tension that rippled through the large man's body. His face hardened with determination, and this time it was his turn to bore holes through her eyes.

"There is no way in hell you cal expect me to do this. I'd rather take my own life than theirs."

"So true! And that's what I admire about you, a selfless man clinging to the selfish people." She rose and stepped around the table, and walked forward almost to the point where their bodies would brush up against one another's. She stared into him fearlessly, her words resonating through the crevices in his conscious, clawing at every sense of morality he had.

"But just think, think what would happen if you disobeyed my order. You might kill yourself, and save your petty being the task of killing your own friends.. Yet you very well know what will happen to your little, family, over there." She traced her arms up and around his neck, interweaving her fingers there and letting her frame move closer to his.

"I hear she's a pretty one, Sovryn is." Samuel closed his eyes, the strain of resisting the urge to rip this woman's arms off her body was overwhelming, and she taunted him, by abusing every essence of him she could. Just because she could..

"That traitor who stole the information was tortured.. maybe an hour, with just simple measures of inflicting pain. But Sovryn, oh I suppose my agents.." She was now pressing herself to him, knowing that being so close to her just made him burn hotter with rage. She was tempting this man's will, but she knew she had won this battle, because she had never truly lost before.

"I believe they could devise some more interesting ways to have a little fun. And your sister too, I guess she would provide entertainment for a bunch of bored men as well. Wouldn't surprise me, good looks most certainly run in the family." She caressed the side of his face with a unadorned finger, hooking off at the chin and then ever so slowly pushing her feminine frame back away from him. Samuel looked at the ground to hide his tears of indefinable rage, his own frame quivered, and all the training he had went through rushed into his head. What would it take to destroy this woman? More or less in control of himself again, he looked up, ready for the final blow. She spoke again, no longer using her sweet, seductive tone when up close.

"Go ahead and die your selfless death, just remember the fate you are placi-"

"I've had enough!" Samuel waited for his blood to stop seething before continuing.

"I'll do it, just.. don't. touch. Sovryn." Smiling again, Harriet sat down at her place behind her desk. The HUmar was all the glad of it, for the presence of this woman was more of a trial within himself than he deemed possible.

"Oh and Samuel? I want to see their corpses." Without as much as a nod he left that foul room that he had only succeeded trapping himself further in. Now as he stood atop the roof of the apartment Hiro, Sovryn, and his sister Kay took residence in, the cool wind brought back another memory, one of earlier that day.

Samuel had it fixed in his mind that the only ones that would die, are the ones necessary. He had shown up again at the humanoid shop that Ethan was known to work the early and late shift at. The HUmar wanted to see if he could find the one with the data disks, and only have to take him out. The agent, this time played his rightful role, though his intentions even more wicked. He began by greeting the tall man with a warm handshake.

"Ethan right? My name is Samuel Lafayette."

"Ah yes I remember, clever trick you played on us earlier on." The man took the gesture in good will, no trace of anger or surprise showing on his face or tension in his body.

"I'm sorry to really cut our meeting short, but I have real business to attend to this time around."

"Is that so? And What would your business have to do with me?" Samuel must have talked a good twenty more beats before he extracted any information from him. He was willing to talk, just not about personal affairs. It wasn't until he mentioned that Kay was of his kin did the agent sense that he could actually achieve anything worth while at this place. After a few more cleverly placed lies, he had cracked the mans vault.

"Yeah, I finally broke the code not an hour after Hiro retired for the night. You wouldn't believe what on that little disk! I figure with this we can really do some damage to SD."

"You have something against them?"

"Just the same everyone else has against it. A hidden monopoly, I didn't realize it for myself until they bought out our company."

"Well, I need to be going over to my sisters house for dinner, anything I can bring over for you?" Ethan looked at Samuel for a few moments before answering.

"Actually, you can take the disk and the encryption breaker I designed for it over to Hiro, he's gonna want to take a good look at all this. Stay here, I'll get it for you." The agent sensed a serious distrust in the man, no matter what resolute calm he donned, the HUmar could see through his guise. Ethan stepped over to a counter top, and from it he withdrew a standard military issued hand gun. This aimed at his head, the man still sitting wasn't all too inclined to move.

"Hiro said that this was between two of us, though I must admit you had me foo-"

Boom

Samuel stepped over to the body of the fallen engineer and retrieved the bulge in his pocket, something he had sighted instantly when they first met. Sure enough, a little crystal disk and another one next to it in a small pouch rewarded his intuition.

"H-how?" The word came through a raking cough, so he had missed the heart. Samuel, instead of hitting the mans heart blew a hole into one of his lungs, causing him to choke on his own blood. Even though the shop was closing up, and Ethan was the only one left, the round from his own firearm would attract unwanted attention. He needed to run, forget the body, SD would cover his tracks well so he had little to worry about. But he could not leave the dying man's question unanswered. The agent leaned close to make sure the engineer could hear him.

"You talked, I shot, its that simple." Ethan spurted some unclear reply through blood flecked lips and then faded away. Taking a moment, his fears where confirmed, a copy of the code breaker had been sent via the BEE mail to Hiro, meaning that he probably had a version of the data for himself. Setting down the dead man's communicator, he took a swift exit from the building.

Samuel had come up to the apartment door, but had been unable to knock and bear to face his loved ones within. Instead, he fled upstairs to wait for his mind to clear. He was sparing them a horrible death, but then again, would someone who died because of a betrayal be more saddened by that? Or one that was raped? Shaking his head, the question did not dissolve the heavy stone that seemed to lodge itself inside of him. The worst part of the whole ordeal was, he had warned them. The agent himself had told the group not to interfere with Scarlet Drop, and that no good would come of it. Yet here he was, blown aside by the pure guilt rushing through him, sided with the anger that they had not taken heed of his advice. Using this fire within him as a motive, he marched towards the stairs, down the hallway, another set of stairs, and finally the man was confronted with the apartment door. Samuel took a deep breath, and let his knuckles fall upon the wood.



* * *

Falling.. why am I falling? His body had been knocked into the air by the initial blast, that took him high in the shoulder, near the collar bone. He heard a shriek, a gasp, and a curse. Oddly enough one individual was concerned that for the second time he had failed to pierce the heart, therefore denying him a quick death. Am I dying?

"No your not! Your going to be just fine." He never realized that the thought had actually escaped his lips in the form of a question. The truth was, he knew he was dying, for each breath dragged itself across a blade, and exhaling sent splinters flying into his abdomen. The whole situation seemed surreal, but Kay's voice brought him back to the present. He had been shot, by a man he considered if not his friend an allie. That in itself sent another pang through him, just a small one, but it acted like a small rock tumbling down mountain, dragging down larger ones, until he felt crushed under the weight of betrayal. Hatred, no.. anger welled up inside him, but by glancing at the sad faces around him that quickly dissipated. His time had come, but he did not want to die. So many things he had been looking forward to in life, had just been stripped away from him. But this just made the frigid grip around him tighten, and sent a fresh wave of pain to wash through his body. His eyes rested on Sovryn for a moment, and he forced himself to speak.

"Sovryn.. I.." His words were silenced by a second shot, this time hitting its mark. Hiro Toranaga now lay lifeless in Kay's arms, dreams, hopes, his pride, All taken from him in less than the space of a beat. The brother pointed the gun at his sister, sparkling wetness streaming down his and her face, showing a life time of passion, and a life time of hardship..

Samuel pulled the trigger.



* * *

It had started off, pretty much an uneventful week for her. Samuel again had to delay another meeting with the 'family', since the mission he was undertaking was taking longer than expected. So her life was a constant struggle against boredom. Feeling so useless, Sovryn had taken to talking with Outcast, re-living the tales of the past two years, and updating her knowledge on the happenings of the world. Despite all what they had been through, it did not take her long to grow tired of her care android's protective manner. Besides the little tid bits she did on the sides, the event of the week boiled down to one evening. She herself had been simmering, feeling like a locked up bird in a cushioned cage. Hunted by Scarlet drop, there was no way for her to seek work, and the others where afraid to let her out of the house without an armed escort, this usually being two of the three other residents of the doubled up home.

Sovryn had been glooming over this thought all day, and finally had decided to go up to the rooftop to get some fresh air. The others took sympathy to her situation and did not protest. But after hours of silence, night fell, and the RAmarl had yet to return. Hiro beckoned for the others to stay, while he went up to face her alone. The engineer found her sleeping figure at a far corner of the large roof top, the cold wind biting through his own clothes he knew that she must be chilled. Crossing the space between them, he confirmed his previous thought by taking notice of her visible shivers. He sat next to her, waiting for the added warmth of him resting beside her to draw Sovryn from her slumber. She stirred, once, twice, and eventually turned her head to look at him.

Hiro merely sat, watching at the fast moving clouds travel through the starry sky's expanse. The RAmarl leaned against him, and for a long time they remained silent. Eventually the female spoke, enjoying the comfort the male had provided.

"Im sorry about all this." In response Hiro shook his head, and wrapped one arm around her.

"Don't worry about it, it'll all be okay"

It will all be okay? How can I not worry? Glistening tears caressed down her face, the sun's red flare catching their mirror like surfaces and set them ablaze. Shining like jewels they streaked down and dripped off, landing on the cold shadow of her departed friend. Another shot rang out, its target the HUnewearl cradling Hiro's pale head. But the bullet missed its mark intentionally, and instead blew off the leg of a nearby chair, sending it careening to the floor. For a moment silence reigned, each of the three remaining lost in their own private hurricane of emotion. Again, Sovryn was up on her feet, a mixture of hatred and confusion pulsing through her veins.

"Why.." It was the only word she managed to utter, but it asked a million questions in one. By this time, Outcast had emerged from the upstairs landing and was pounding down the stairs. The android took up the situation in one glimpse, and stopped, still seeing a fire arm aimed at one of his own new found friends. But the droid was much more capable of speaking than the others.

"Samuel! What in all the seven bloody hells do you think you're doing!?" He bellowed, causing the sentient figures to snap from their trances. The scarlet drop agent's ears honed in to the sound of many footsteps rushing up stairs, and he cursed his stupidity.

"All of you get out of here! Go! Right now theres a fully armed squad of SD agents coming to finish off the job. So if you don't want to see any more bloodshed, get the hell out of this place!" The man's voice was etched with authority, a deep grievance sending shivers down the two female's spines. Samuel went to the door, and ducked out of sight when a troup of ten men slamming civilians back into their apartments and advancing upon their vicinity reached his own eyes. Outcast recognized such noises, and though curiosity of the situation ran deep, he still saw the logic of it as well.

"We best be going.."

"No!" Sovryn shouted defiantly, not caring what was going to happen. It didn't matter anymore, nothing mattered. The android shook a dusty black head, and smacked the girl upon the back of her head with a metallic hand, knocking her unconscious. They had no time to argue, so Outcast turned to Kay.

"We have not time for the body, are you going to come along or will I have to do the same to you as I did her?" The droid said, indicating to the figure tucked underneath his right arm.

"No.. come on, we'll take the fire exit." Taking nothing but themselves, Outcast kicked down the window pane, not wanting to bother with opening it. He pushed Kay through first, and then followed afterward. Before he went, the android had one last thing to say to the remaining defender.

"Don't die, I still have a few questions for you to answer." Receiving a nod, he ducked outside the window and left the HUmar to deal with his overwhelming odds.

Brought it upon yourself..



* * *

"Ma'am?"

"You heard me, send a squad down to kill any one that moves in that apartment. Say what you have to in order to cover up, and don't be afraid to twist a few fingers."

"Yes ma'am."

Harriet laughed as the door clicked behind one of her more trusted employees. Samuel.. Hiro.. you both know far too much. Earlier that day an agent she had sent to keep tabs on the man had reported in, and she had said that he indeed was snooping around the background. But that was to be expected, and even if the squad she had sent didn't finish the job she could always send Natalie out to track them down. The red haired woman pressed a silver, rounded button on her desk.

"Have you planted the bait?"

"Yes ma'am."

Smiling to herself, Harriet went back to her sky scape view of the city she had helped cultivate, and now was seeking to destroy.

"Soon.. soon it would all begin."



* * *

Thump... thump.. thump.

clink, clink, clink..

His heart beat with the empty cartridges that hit the floor from his fire arm, unfortunately, only one man out of three fell. A rain of bullets showered the sheet rock of the outside walls, digging it down to its metal over frame. More footsteps of agents advancing told him his time was running out. The HUmar retrieved a flash grenade from his hip, and tossed it out the doorway. A pure white light flooded the area for a few seconds, leaving those who did not close their eyes it time permanently blinded, those who did where still left clawing at their faces as if to extinguish a non-existent fire residing there. Samuel took this time to run out and grab one of the agents and push him over the railing, the man fell down six flights of stairs, and then connected with the ground level with a sickening crunch . Another over the side, and a third ending up with a new air hole in his head, he tried to make quick work of his adversaries.

Samuel was forced to wince as someone blindly shot at him, catching the side of his left shoulder. He dispatched the rest of them swiftly with either a knife to the throat with his left hand or a shot from the pistol in his left. Downstairs he could hear reinforcement coming, so back into Kay's apartment he went. Out and onto the fire exit, Sovryn and the others were no where in sight, all for the better.. The HUmar ran, down, down, and onto the streets. Dull painted buildings loomed overhead as he headed deeper down into the alley way, like angry giants examining a mouse running about their feet. A few puddles still remained from the chilling rain where the sun's kiss could not touch the ground. The occasional bum and beggar crossed his path, but he used his momentum to either smash or brush by them. He stopped for a moment to consider what he was going to do, and then with an affirmative nod to himself he redirected his course to a less dismal section of the slums of Pioneer City. After about ten minutes of non stop running, he paused again to take a few mouth fulls of fresh air, and to inject a nano-system into his blood stream. Now that he knew Harriet had tagged him, he also knew the cure. What he had just put his in his system would scramble the tracing beacon's signal from inside his blood stream, the second, which he was about to introduce to his chemistry, was something used back from the science laboratories. When the scientists wanted to keep track of the animals on Ragol, and see how they interact with their environment, they would want to be able to find them again. So they also had made an injection to disable such probes, nano-machines that sought out the source of the radio waves and scrambled them permanently. It may take a little while for the second cure to take effect, if at all, so the first was merely a act of precaution. Now that he had lead them away from his destination, Samuel doubled back, seeking out a friend that had once come to him in need. And now it was going to be time for him to repay the debt.

The HUmar now merely power walked, the dull throbbing of the pain in his left shoulder only a hindrance, and a reminder of his humanity. It took him a good half hour to reach his destination, since he did not want to take any modern mode of transportation in his current state. But now he was confronted by an apartment door, this time, he did not have the befouled intentions of earlier that evening. Three raps on the door with his right hand queued some one inside,

"All right, give me half a beat."

Sighing to himself, the agent turned and looked at the darkening sky. Sol had set, and now only a few rays of light were left to fend away the oncoming night, depicting a pretty sight, if he could see the horizon that is. The door opened behind him and a short man of twenty years of age stepped out to greet him. Samuel turned to his friend and raised his left hand in greeting, cursing himself for doing so for the piercing pain that was induced by the movement.

"Hey Rodriguez, got a spare couch I can crash on?" The man stepped forward and smiled, then started to guide the HUmar into the apartment he lived in by himself.

"Of course, you know your always welcome here. Got yourself into trouble again?" Samuel winced again and pointed at the bathroom.

"I guess you could say that, have any alcohol to wash this in?" Rodriguez laughed,

"Your crazy man, you know that?"

Yeah, I am aren't I?



* * *

Sovryn stared blankly up at another unfamiliar ceiling, the pleasantly warm air around her deemed the use of sheets unnecessary, so laying there in but her clothes she felt somewhat bare. Her mind slowly absorbed the information it gathered that evening, and excreted the useless hate and sadness that would only whittle away at her sanity. Now her mind was a mere void, only prone to the emotions caused by her surroundings. So she felt somewhat uncomfortable, sleeping in a strange bed, in a strange house, with perhaps not so strange people. Lorenzo Farham, the taxi driver, and his wife had been kind enough to give refuge for the three of them, the black Newman couple being quiet generous and even helped them with their arrangements to leave the city. She could remember the four figures sitting around the table, three of them nursing drinks while Outcast gloomed over their situation. Bertha Farham, had bit her lip thinking the android would crush the chairs set around the table, but the droid knew better and merely stood rather than sat, and his head only cleared the edge of the table by a few inches because of his height.

Long into the night the predicament was argued. It was obvious that they couldn't stay in the city, but to leave it unnoticed was a challenge of all challenges. In the end it was decided that the best course of action to take would be to have Lorenzo, since as a taxi driver he has access to many security district areas, escort them to a shipping dock, where they would meet up with a contact that worked in the over sea's delivery of cargo to some of the settlements in the rural areas of the Genacine continent. There, the contact would see them over to a uncle of Kay's who owned a ranch out there on the green. Once the discussion had died down, and the appropriate BEE messages sent, they had been given the guest room to sleep in. Outcast recharged in the kitchen, awaiting the morning like a statue awaiting life. The HUnewearl promptly went to bed, and for a time Sovryn could hear her friend sob herself to sleep. The RAmarl lay awake, contrasting the differences of the ceiling of the house to the ceiling of their previous apartment. It wasn't until much later did she actually drift off to an unconscious state, her closing thought was about Samuel. And she had found it vaguely amusing that this was the second time he had betrayed her, before she lost control of her will, Sovryn made a mental note to write a song about it later on.

When the RAmarl awoke, she was propped up against the side of Lorenzo's cab, the familiar way he drove and the feel of the seats confirmed this. The HUnewearl was sitting up front, but noticed her movement.

"Welcome back, Vinny. Are you feeling okay?" She said with a sad smile on her face. Sovryn leaned over and rested her head on the middle seat, letting thin strands of her silky smooth hair spill out every which way.

"Besides the rock in my stomach, I suppose I'm doing well." Kay sighed, and watched her friend close her eyes in an attempt to block out visions of the day before. Lorenzo patted the HUnewearl's hand.

"Don't bother the gal now.. and best you be getting more rest as well, you where up early this morn if I recall correctly and we've got quite a ways to go as of yet."

"Thanks, but no, I'm alright."

"If you say so.." Lorenzo now paid full attention to the road, and Kay went back to her thoughts. Why? What on earth would push Samuel to do something like that? She knew that the organization he worked for had a lot of strings attached to him, but her brother was a stronger man than that. And now that she looked back at it, he could have easily killed them all, but the agent could only truly kill the one that did not really mean anything to him. But he had gone off the edge of being forgiven, what she wanted was answers, and for each mile that they where driving away from the city she knew it was one more mile away from the truth. But the truth is always ugly, did she really want that? Yes, Its what we deserve for this misery.. and its far less than sovryn is ever really likely to get. Poor gal, one incident piled on the next. Must be truly overwhelming. With another deep breath she succumbed to Lorenzo's advice, and leaned against the car door and let her mind wander. The driver smiled at this, he had known Kay for several years now, and was glad to be of some use to the lass. He himself had children grown up and out of the house, and the two in the car reminded him so much of his own daughters just before they had taken flight from the nest. Looking into the rear view mirror he could see Sovryn laying there, delicately sprawled across the back seat next to Outcast. She hadn't said anything last night, and hadn't drank or eaten anything either. Kay refused refreshments of any kind as well, but did try to drown out her sorrows with a long hot shower. In the trunk they had packed some borrowed personal possessions, mainly clothes, since they had fled from their homes there hadn't been any time to gather gear. The fact that Sovryn had left her armor and bravace behind smarted like a sore in her mind, the last two keepsakes of her father.. lost to the same damned parasite.

Black Paper and Scarlet Drop, the two names that had truly screwed her life over. A moment of hatred stirred, but was quickly extinguished by the heavy depression within her. Outcast laid a hand on her shoulder, knowing that the RAmarl wasn't really sleeping. Sovryn looked at him gratefully for a moment, and then closed her eyes again. The android spoke to the driver once he was sure both of the females where sound adrift.

"Just looking at these two is enough to bring tears to your eyes."

"Aye, some people have all the luck, and then the others seem to collect their bad." He said with shake of his head, causing the three large brass rings in his right ear to jingle lightly.

"So do you know much about this uncle of hers?" Lorenzo shifted in his seat uncomfortably at this, making the android form a few speculative thoughts.

"No, not really no. I met the Gilhaden once, a right frightful one he is. But Kay seems to think highly of him, so I have no room to argue. I heard that he's an old hero from the hunters guild, probably explains why he prefers the country life." Outcast nodded at this,

"Hunters aren't taken kindly to these days, but that does explain a number of things." Lorenzo grinned at this, and took another glance at the two figures behind him.

"Just you wait, son. This planets going to need the hunters again. The real question is if they are still willing to fight after all they've endured." The android looked at Sovryn's now serene face and relaxed frame, and was glad that she slept peacefully. Its true, and I suppose it will be up to these young ones to make the decision.



* * *

Samuel glared at the the cold stone ceiling as if to will it to fall and crush him and everyone in the damned prison. But he had no such luck, and was left to brood over the fact that Rodriguez had sold him out to SD, they had lost little time catching the HUmar and tossing him into a holding cell in east side until the day of his trial. Scarlet Drop had no more use for him, so now here he was, along side the worst of the criminals and the innocent. Some men coughed and groaned, others complained and cried. He and some others just shut their eyes and screwed out the world, too busy planning how to get out of the place rather than to waste away their time by just talking about it. Hands cuffed behind his back, Samuel attempted to get comfortable on the hardwood bench that served as his bed that was only slightly more comfortable than the cement floor, and that was because it was wet. He had to keep himself under control, since this was a 'temporary' cell, it was not equipped with a toilet or sink. Some men pissed their pants while others where more lucky and actually managed to get their pants down and up again. But the smell of such excretions created a noxious odor to the entire facility, and the HUmar was now comfortably settled into trance. He himself needed to relieve himself, but he knew that since he was listed as a multi-murderer, he would be the first one to receive the life sentence, if not death.

Sure enough, a few hours later a man wandered in to take him from his cell. As they passed together through the line, many of the men booed him, because he had gotten out of there and they hadn't. When they left the clink and into a sort of back entrance where he was going to be shoved into a car and hauled off to 'court', Samuel spoke up.

"Knowing that my record can't get any worse, I wouldn't mind smashing your skull on the ground right now since I might receive a less painful death. So how about you let me take a damn piss before we get into that car of yours?" The man looked at him incredulously for a moment, glancing over his well muscled body and unshaven face, he decided to give him some time in the bathroom. But not to let it seem like his authority was daunted, he gave an order.

"Fine, you've got half a beat. If your not out by then we'll be coming in after you."

Samuel took well over a beat, but no signs of protest from outside where shown so he wasn't worried. He also made sure he was well hydrated before leaving the bathroom, but when he did, the HUmar found that the first officer was now flanked by two others. The ex-agent smiled, at least he could still intimidate these men, even as a victim. After being hauled over to their vehicle, he was roughly tossed and locked inside. They took him to his trial, and when they asked him how did he plead, Samuel said that that he accepted guilty. The judge frowned at this, and sentenced him to a life time in the east side security complex for his crimes against society. The HUmar had laughed at this and was about to make a comment, but the bailiff smashed him on the back of the head and ended that idea quickly.

When he came to again, he had been placed on a bus with several other convicts. They each at their own seats, and had their hands cuffed to a thick metal slab behind their backs, and he like them felt the dull edges of the bar rub painfully against his forearms. The men around Samuel reminded him of many movies he and Sovryn had watched together during the period of a few years where they where actually for once at peace with their lives. After a time they passed through a high archway that melded into razor wire topped stone walls. He knew this was for intimidation mostly, no one ever even made it that far before either being caught by the guards or killed by the dogs. Broken men were lined up and herded off the bus once they had come to a stop. One look at his surroundings told the HUmar that this was the last place he wanted to spend the rest of his life in. And he didn't plan to, there were one too many wrongs to right, not to mention avenge. So he couldn't afford to spend his hours here, but the chances where slim, putting a literal dampen on his spirit. I've had nightmares about this place, and yet, here I am..



* * *

Sovryn let the cool breeze envelop her body and tug playfully at her clothes, and for once since the day Hiro died did a smile flickered across her face. Around her the dark, sorrowful tones of the ocean reflected serenity and wisdom, with brighter splashes of Copenhagen and forest green when the sun's ray hit the water just right. If you could get close enough you could see little golden particles streaming down into the seemingly bottomless depth in an equally endless weave. Small waves melding into each other lapped up against the hull of the ship, its shooting through the water like and arrow caused frothy bubbles to form in its wake. The crew of this vessel where all below decks, since it was fully automated all that was really required was terminal help inside. And because they where traveling at a decent click the wind above decks was fierce, constantly pressing at you from nearly all sides. So she was alone in her enjoyment, and in her sight seeing. She had taken a cruise once before in her life, and that was back on Coral many, many years ago. But this brought back those memories, some of the few pleasant ones that occupied her thoughts. The bright sky met the ocean in all directions on a straight lined circle, like the spinning axis of a wheel, they seemed to be moving nowhere, while the world around them was constantly changing if you looked close enough.

This was her second day aboard the ship, and she had quickly found her place at the helm, away from everybody else and able to enjoy her solitude. The captain was kind, if a bit gruff, so she didn't have any problems with him. Kay respected her privacy, and the crew was kept busy so her bliss was only interrupted by her own brooding. The most recent of which was the fact that Hiro's death was placed upon her shoulders, as was most of the discomfort in the family. They had taken her in, and with her came problems, problems that she alone should've have had to deal with. Her HUnewearl friend quickly dismissed this thought as foolish, but that did not prevent the haunting guilt from lingering. Sovryn looked up, what had started as a mere disturbance in the water became a rising wave. It took her a moment to realize that it wasn't an actual moving mass of wetness, but a creature easily five times that of the ship. Eight huge spouts of water erupted from a crest in the dark hulk with a deafening roar, creating a fine mist that spread a great distance. Sol's light played across the miniscule droplets, creating a large rainbow wherever you turned your head. Then a breeze passed, going towards the colossal beast. It was sucking in huge amounts of air, preparing to dive again no doubt. After a time the wind died away and the air stood still, that is, until it started to move towards them.

Just the sheer amount of water moved by the creature caused the entire ship to rock violently. It was now close enough for the RAmarl to be able to see the smooth texture of its skin. But then it started to turn away, heading towards the north while they were headed east. For a moment it dipped down deep into the water, now substantially far away from their position. Then a field of white froth gathered and spurted up while the creature propelled itself into the air by the use of its massive sinuous body it traveled in a glistening arc, putting the sun into a momentary eclipse as it cast a shadow upon their location. Sovryn suddenly felt extremely small, as if an ant was staring up at a human jumping rope. All she could do was gape in awe at the sight of something so large travel in such a manner. But then it landed. Diving down into the ocean causing massive waves to smash up against their ship, threatening to capsize it at a moments notice. Salt water stinging her eyes, she struggled to keep hold of the boats railing. After what seemed to be an eternity the energy flowed away and dispersed itself evenly into the surroundings, causing the boat to steady once more. It wasn't long until Kay and the captain came rushing out to find her, they feared that the beast might have washed her away. Once relieved that she was okay, the RAmarl managed to put in a question.

"What was that thing?"

"That was Nessie, we actually see a lot of her. You see, she runs along a ocean current that we run along on our yearly route. So she will often stop by to say hello if we're in the same neighbor hood." The man said, smiling. Kay was next to speak.

"How does something that large possibly get enough to eat? I heard that these oceans where scarce of such huge mammals."

"That's where you be wrong lass, that's what they thought. Most fish hereabouts follow a cannibalistic nature, seeing that these oceans are much deeper than those on coral, plant life around here provides little other sources of food besides one another. The smallest fish probably eat bacteria, while the largest, like Nessie, must snack on thing like other whales of smaller size." Sovryn shook her head at this, and rose to join the others heading back towards below decks.

"Planning to be social?" Asked her HUnewearl companion.

"Actually, I was planning to get some dry clothes. But I suppose I can stand to spare the evening off to join you duller types."

"As long as you get to do your star gazing right?" Kay said jokingly,

"Yes," Sovryn nodded her head sagely,

"Ocean skies are like a clear map, must have been where the origional charts came from."

"Oh is that so? Well I suppose I shall have to join you tonight then." The HUnewearl tested, wondering if her friend was ready for company again. The RAmarl just shrugged.

"If you wish."

They walked back together along the sea sprayed deck, yet again letting silence have its way with their words. Once back in her cabin Sovryn quickly dried off and changed into dry clothes, with a few quick brushes through her hair to make sure it wouldn't tangle she was ready to join the others below decks. Instantly the smell of noon-tide cooking met her senses, causing them to tingle with delight. One might think they would be dining on seafood while out on the blue, but there they ate more or less whatever they felt like having, providing that they had the materials to cook it. Today there was some extensively prepared chili, and by the looks of those already eating it's spice was that to be reckoned with. The cooks and the maids had long given up with trying to get the RAmarl to help out around the ship, apparently they think she should be gung-ho about getting free passage to nowhere. It wasn't the voyage that bothered her, but the thought of the other side. She had been born and raised around the city, so she wasn't sure what to expect. This is something she brought up to her friend when they sat down to eat.

"Kay? What's it like.. on a ranch, I mean." The HUnewearl laughed at this, and patted her on the back.

"You'll like it there, Vinny. Trust me on this one."



* * *

"Get up maggot, you've got a visitor."

Samuel blinked and sat up from his worn, dirty cot trying to suppress a sick feeling within. Three thin strands of light made it through the window, twirling together to cast a narrow patch of yellow on the scarred floor. The HUmar stepped past this and to the the many vertical bars of his cell door. One prison guard slapped cuffs of his wrists while the other pushed him forward, not a word passed between them, and he preferred it that way. The ex-agent took this time to try to examine and memorize their path, who knows.. the information may come in handy one day. The guard behind him cuffed the back of his head none to lightly.

"Watch your eyes boy."

They led him by several more rows of disabled men and took a right to a flight of stairs, from here down another hall and another right. A short while later he came to a white washed room, with little cubicles where you could sit and speak to your visitor on the other side of a dura-glass panel. The HUmar had no idea of who would want to speak to a man like himself, maybe one of his closer friends from the city? Out of them all, he had trusted Rodriguez the most, and now here he was because of his faith. The wound on his arm had been treated, so now it was only an ache, and a scar. I suppose that mark will stay there to remind me of yesterday, great.. For a moment, when he stepped into the privacy booth, a spark of hope strike within him.

"You look good in orange, but I don't really think its your color." Samuel took a seat opposite of Natalie, and she saw his eyes flicker from her to the hidden camera hidden in the western corner of the cubicle.

"Don't worry about those, they're motion only, so what we say is just between us." After receiving a sigh she continued.

"You've really gotten yourself into a mess, its going to be difficult getting you out of here."

"You have ideas?"

"No, not yet. I just got wind you where here so I came to give you a little hope." She said with a smile. He had to admit a certain comfort he felt around her, especially in the position he was at.

"Your here because SD sent you?" Samuel asked tiredly,

"I came out of my own free will thank you. And besides, if Scarlet Drop had any more use for you, well, you wouldn't be in this situation in the first place." Natalie's voice held a decent note of concern in it, formulation several ideas in the HUmar's head. Seeing no response, the deaf agent continued.

"I've got a few friends in high places, we might be able to bribe your way out. But a life sentence is what it is, so we're going to have to travel a less subtle path here." Samuel nodded,

"This I understand, but why are you helping me? I don't understand how you profit from this."

"I don't, but I've grown to care for you. And no friend of mine is going to spend the rest of their life rotting away in a cell." Natalie watched his eyes examine her, as if trying to justify what she just said. His lips moved, and she read them intently. With a sigh, she stood from her stool and stepped back.

"Take care of yourself, hon. I'll be back in a few days, hopefully with more to say." Samuel watched her leave, but then cast his eyes aside from her feminine frame. He constantly feel as if he were a mere piece in a play, and that someone else was constantly pulling the strings. All he had to do was react, guess that's how we all feel.. But just what is your game?



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Sarunakai on 2004-07-23 17:13 ]</font>

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Sarunakai on 2004-07-23 17:15 ]</font>

[Sagasu]

* * *

The Genacine chief harbor was located in the town of Creed, there as they strolled down the gangplank/walkway Kay quickly identified her uncle and rushed ahead of the others to meet him in a warm embrace. Sovryn stood in front of outcast, so she could get a good view of the man in question. Indeed, he was human, and a large one at that. A good two heads higher than his cousin and garbed in a dark cloak with a large scythe strapped across his back he definitely was quite the spectacle there in the small port town. Long, spiky black hair spilled over his wide shoulders, and a trimmed beard of equal color gave off sort of a disciplined calmness that radiated off from him. An eye patch marked a battle trophy, and a scar traveled horizontally along the edges of the leather that it was constructed of. Once caught up with he two, the RAmarl could hear the conversation that had ensued.

"Didn't Kanashii come with you?" Her HUnewearl friend asked. The Gilhaden sighed and shifted the massive scythe on his back, the black heavy blade strapped so that it was resting half a foot off the ground and a few inches away from his ankles. Such weapons where not even seen in collectors shops around the city, let alone set as someone's carry piece.

"She's meditating down by the falls again, didn't want to disturb her peace. So this is.. ach, I've never been good with names."

"Sovryn," Said the RAmarl, stepping forward and accepting a handshake. She was surprised at how such a large man could be so gentle with his actions.

"That's right, and you must be Outcast." Not even phased by the man's gargantuan size, the short RAcast offered his own hand. Gilhaden took it with a laugh, the android seeming nothing but a infant when placed next to the man.

"A pleasure." Outcast stated, and the introductions where done. They where led out of the town to a wide dirt road, their host took a moment to explain what their plans where.

"Alright, out here on the green we don't have much use for hover cars and the like. So we usually either travel by foot, or Lyrite back." He took them over to a small clearing where two large beasts where tethered to a post. Sovryn looked at what appeared to be a large barbarous wolf, not just large, but huge. There where differences as well. They had long white manes that traveled from forehead all the way down to their tail, which plumed off at the end like a fan. One yawned, revealing it's short, blunt teeth, indicating that it might be a herbivore. Their scales also had more of a jade hue to them, that seemed to absorb the light instead of reflect it.

"A Lyrite stands at seven feet shoulder height, and about four and a half when they're crouched down. Let me show you how to mount them." Gilhaden let the creature inhale his familiar scent, and then after receiving a tap on the foreleg lay down on its stomach so that the large man could sit astride it. Now Kay mounted up behind him, and it stood up again leaving Sovryn to deal with the second Lyrite. The HUnewearl uncle spoke again, pointing to the long mane of his own beast.

"These creatures don't take kindly to saddles or harnesses of any kind, so you can use their manes to stable yourself. And don't worry about hurting it, the hairs are also embedded through their scales so they don't feel a thing if you tug it. Just give yours a moment to catch your scent."

Sure enough the wolf like creature came to her, and took half a beat to examine her over. After Sovryn received a lick from a somewhat rough tongue it moved on to Outcast. The Lyrite took longer with the android, apparently it had never smelled anything quite like him before. But eventually he received a dash of the tongue, apparently a sign of approval. The RAmarl tapped its foreleg, and sighed with relief when it crouched down. She mounted up first, and then helped Outcast scramble onto the beast's back.

Sovryn was unprepared when the Lyrite stood, the sudden motion nearly toppling both figures from their positions. Gilhaden gave them a word of caution, and then urged his mount forward with just a mere tap of his heels. The RAmarl and RAcast took a firm grip of their beast's man and then the female imitated their host. Except that she hit her heels in a little bit too firmly, and the wolf like creature lurched forward into a padding gallop. Struggling just to prevent herself from falling off, she took some time to open her eyes and affirm that Kay and her Uncle had passed them, going at an insane speed. Wind blowing her and the Lyrite hair into her face, Sovryn lowered her head again until her body had become to the thrumming motion of the beast. Outcast seemed to have a easier time adapting to wolf back, so he was up and looking around at the landscape.

The RAmarl joined him in this activity, and quickly wiped away tears that welled up in the corners of her eyes. Right now they where running through an expanse of long green grass, the fast moving air causing it to bend and shift, sending cascading waves of light across the plains. What brought a mixture of happiness and sadness to her was how much this reminded her of the few nature preserves on Coral that her father and she would spend much time together in. Ahead they could see Kay and her uncle treading the path, both seemed to be enjoying themselves, and conversing with one another. After a time she came to appreciate the powerful strides the Lyrite made, once her body had fallen into its rhythm she urged it to go faster, the freedom of speed starting to influence her actions. A little while later they stopped at a stream crossing the path, a make shift bridge provided a good spot to sit while their mounts rested and took some time to drink from the creek. So far, she had not seen any sign of other inhabitants since the port town of Creed.

"Are towns out here really that far spread out?" Sovryn asked. Gilhaden nodded and pointed up ahead to the east.

"Most of the major towns of Genacine are all located around the coastline. We'll follow this path for about another thirty five beats to reach the town of Jules, from there we travel north for a good while to reach the ranch. I suppose we'll be rained on before we get there though." He said, diverting her attention to the gray overcast on the southern horizon.

"You get supplies from Jules correct?" Outcast stated more than questioned. Their host smiled,

"Aye, we're mostly self sufficient up there on the ranch, but we do have a separate honey farm further on down the ways. From that we can trade for the few supplies we need from town. Other than that we just enjoy our solitude, Kanashii and I."

"Who is Kanashii?" Sovryn inquired, now turning her attention away from the lyrite that had nuzzled her on the back.

"My foster daughter, she's only of about fourteen years of age." Gilhaden said, starting to ready up his mount again.

"Foster?"

"I found her about five years back stranded in my woods, poor child was covered in cuts and scrapes, a few bad wounds too. But the worst pain of them all was her amnesia, she recovered from sickness and trauma, but her memories never returned."

"In the state I found her in, I'm not sure its best that she remember anything at all." He added gravely, tapping his lyrite's foreleg with two fingers. This time Sovryn and Kay traveled together, while Gilhaden heartily accepted Outcast's company. They talked some, mostly about the ranch, but soon they fell into silence. By the time they had reached Jules, it had started to rain. Only a drizzle at the beginning, it was now a steady down pour. Thunder rumbles across the skies and flashed amongst the heavens, while their mounts splashed through the now muddy road side. The RAmarl watched the grass sway and the ground churn underfoot, as they moved north, the path narrowed and they traveled in single file, with a good space between them to make sure that no one accidentally splashed the other. She noted the sudden change of heart that the land portrayed, the horizon met the plains to the east, west, and south, while up ahead to the north a forest grew. The HUnewearl behind her was obviously in trance, while Gilhaden was ahead leading the way. So Sovryn was alone again, left with her thoughts, left with her memories.

A concoction of remorse, guilt, and anger swirled inside her chest, she remember feeling like this once before. The first betrayal left her feeling like this, and now the second left her in no better condition. A harsh wind slapped the pellets of rain hard up against them, to the point where it started to numb her limbs. She rubbed her hands over her arms to try to regain their previous warmth, the chill early winter weather taking its toll upon her frame. Once they passed into the forest, the rain loosened but darkness overwhelmed her. Sovryn was lost, but the Lyrite seemed to know where it was going so she didn't worry about it too much. But out of the surreal night came an illumination, sudden, and bright. Then just as quickly as it started, the light vanished, and was replaced by another. Something brushed past them, and for a moment the fear returned.

"Don't worry about the Capri, Vinny, their just bugs." The number of insects rapidly increased, and soon entire of the twisting forest where glowing in alternate sections. Each time one of the Capri would glow, a slight hum followed. The pitch of such noises varied, so wandering through the forest was like listening to an entire orchestra play from every direction. Sovryn also noted that they shone in alternate colors of soft whites, blues, and a mixtures of pinkish purples. Her attention now drifted to the fact that the usual steady rhythm of the Lyrite's stride has become irregular and jerky, she realized that their path was twisting and turning in different directions. The RAmarl could only assume that they were nearing their destination, but it was nothing more than a thought. A thought confirmed, by her HUnewearl's next soothing statement.

"We're almost there, maybe another five beats."

"Good, I think this strap is wearing a hole in my shoulder." Sovryn replied, indicating the bag that contained her clothes and meager possessions strapped to her back. Kay nodded, and adjusted her own pack at her hip.

"Gilhaden mentioned an alternate way of recharging Outcast, since they don't have any electricity out here. Did he give you any specifics?" Asked the RAmarl.

"No, but I presume Kanashii has something to do with it."

"And why do you think that?"

"She's a magical adept, I haven't seen any force so in tune with the elements, let alone one at her age." Sovryn fell silent after hearing this. She had always been somewhat fascinated by those with magical abilities, though she never knew one personally. Even to the point where she had asked her father to be trained as a force, but he did not see her fit for such a cause. A Capri landed on the Lyrite for a moment, and then quickly hummed off again. But for a moment she caught glimpse of a metallic blue beetle with red striped on its wings. A single angular horn arced up from its head, to a white tip. If she could see its underside she would have seen another white bulb on the end of its backside. The insect was actually quiet heavy, so flight wasn't really possible for them. Instead the Capri hopped from branch to branch, looking for food. They would light up in mid flight to attract other bugs such as moths, and a sticky substance on their exoskeleton trapped them there, and therefore they could reach back with their jointed antennae and scrape off the captured ones which would then be transferred to the insects mouth. This particular breed emitted a ghostly green light, and for a while she watched it trace a path through the forest until it disappeared from sight. Up ahead she could see a bright light, and for a moment she thought it was just another Capri. But it didn't flicker on and off, but remained a steady beacon. Sovryn realized that it was illuminating the porch of a large house, for she could recognize details more easily.

The rain had stopped, but a cold wind reminded her that wet clothes don't provide much heat. They dismounted, and the Lyrite's wandered off into the woods surrounding them. The RAmarl puzzled this, but decided that they must have been adequately trained to come back if the master beckoned. Gilhaden led them to the porch and into a dimly lit hallway. Here they removed their shoes and boots, and for their host he removed his big black cloak but did not hang it up, since it needed to dry out someplace warm. Underneath that he wore a faded grey sleeveless shirt, revealing well muscled arms and tan skin. His green eye met her amber ones for a moment, and then it struck her. He reminded her of a larger version of Samuel, except he was larger and had longer hair. Her previous lover had been related to Kay by law only, since he was adopted. That's right, both of his real and foster parents are dead.. Sovryn lowered her gaze sheepishly, realizing it was only by chance did the two look alike.

Gilhaden took them into the den, where the warmth from a blazing fire made their skin tingle with pleasure. The RAmarl took another look at the fire, discovering it was not feeding on anything. Magic? Her eyes shifted to the lone figure sitting on a rocking chair, completely absorbed in the task at hand. Her long white hair was done up in a thick braid that bunched up at the back of her head and fell past her shoulders, while blue slanted lines forming a pattern around her left eye and right cheek glowed with an eerie blue light. Such symbols ran all over her the skin that remained exposed from her bright, thick winter robes. From inside her sleeves light could be seen shining from them, indicating that more mystic figures ran down the length of her body. She had a slight frame, though ample in certain qualities, she seemed almost frail as if she was withering away. A thin mouth set in determination rested below blazing sapphire eyes, their piercing gaze drilling through an object that hovered a few inches away from her breasts. A golden metalic orb, with lines and symbols that glowed with equal to color to those of the figure in the rocking chair. Pale hands where placed half a foot away from the orb each, the flawless skin displaying the illuminated lines well. From the golden sphere projected images of runes, their symbols painted in different colors. All around it did these images form, shift, and change. Light suddenly bursting from one or subtracting from another where the implements of such change. The females bangs drifted closer as she leaned forward, as if reaching the climax of a movie. Sovryn could see the effort building in her eyes, and her body tremble. The runes projecting from the orb flared a violent shade of purple, then increased in intensity until they had brightened to white. The RAmarl could feel the power pulsing from both the object and the user, flowing through one another, testing, provoking, battling. But then it all stopped, and the golden sphere fell into her lap. The female's body shivered as a tear streaked down her face, slowly the teel colored symbols on her body faded away, leaving a mere fourteen year old girl sitting alone in a rocking chair. Gilhaden stepped forward, and spoke calmly, though a hint of concern resonated through his voice.

"Kanashii.. Your past can wait, you shouldn't press yourself so hard like this." After wiping her eyes and regaining her composure, the force lifted the orb again, it hovered in the air for a moment, and then drifted over to a cushion that sat on the mantelpiece over the fire. Sovryn could only assume she had used some sort of telekinesis, though she had no idea how it worked. The FOmarl turned back to her faster father.

"Perhaps.. I see you have brought back some company. Good to see you again Katherine." Kay raised a hand,

"That name died with my little sister long ago, just call me Kay. And yes, its good to be back to the country side." Sovryn looked between the two for a moment, and then contemplated the past that the HUnewearl did not care to share with many people. They talked for a good deal of the night, some about Hiro's death and how it happened, some comforting words and then the topic turned. Gilhaden and his daughter inquired of the RAmarl and Outcast. They told them as much as they dare, which wasn't much. Their host frowned,

"You are reluctant to tell us the whole truth, if any. Do you not trust me?" Sovryn shook her head.

"No, you've been kind, and I will hand you some respect for that. But I do not trust you, trust is something to be earned, not given. Once you have my trust you have my friendship, but until then its not wise to press me any further." Kay was going to protest at her abruptness, but Gilhaden stopped her by placing a hand on her shoulder and shaking his head.

"Well spoken, I hope in the morning that we can start proving ourselves to one another." Their eyes met once again, the more and more she talked to him, the more he reminded her of Samuel. Calm, sometimes joking but always seemed to be able to make an intelligent reply to what you've said without making you feel foolish. If only life hadn't happened the way it had.. After some more conversing, they where given a room to share, and a tour of the house. Then Gilhaden retired for the night, and Kanashii went back to her cushioned rocking chair and became absorbed in thought. Sovryn and Kay took their host's example, and headed up to their rooms. Before they fell asleep one last question was asked.

"Why don't you use the name Katherine anymore?"

"I'll tell you, but not now. There's a time and place for everything, Vinny, as you pointed out to my uncle earlier on today. Perhaps.. once we set out to get answers to all our questions." Sovryn knew she was referring to Samuel. She and snuggled closer into her blankets, letting her problems rest until another day.



* * *

Morning came with a sweet stillness to it, the crisp air a result of a cold night and a cool dawn. Sovryn was awoken by Kay shaking her shoulder gently,

"Time to get up. Breakfast is ready and after that we've got to go to work." The Ramarl sat up, rubbing sleep sand from her eyes. Something about what her friend said puzzled her.

"Work?"

"Exactly, you didn't think we where going to freeload off of these kind people did you? They need a hand getting the ranch prepared for winter, so its best that we lend ours."

Breakfast was a simple affair of omelets and toast, with some odd tasting milk on the side. Afterwards she followed Gilhaden out into the forest to do such things as gather fire wood, for when Kanashii meditated once a week the usual magical fires and illumination were no longer available. While she was there in the early light Sovryn could pay closer attention to the odd trees that inhabited the woods. To be truthful, they reminded her of vines, since that described the odd way they grew to the closest fit. Their roots traveled above ground, snaking their way from tree to tree. Like posts, smaller tap roots extended down into the soil. the woods gre in clusters, about a good twenty or so, all grew like this in close packed circles, within the circumference you would be walking on a literal web of tree. The Branches overhead did a similar pattern, meshing together to form one large canopy of orange and red, allotting little light below. But in the spaces in-between the suns golden face was clearly visible. It amazed her that even so late in the year, the forest still retained its maple shaped leaves. Gilhaden had dragged her out here for more than firewood, he wanted to talk as well.

"Its occurs to me that both you and Kay have lost your parents, and that those around you often share a gloomy past. But the odd thing is, many seem the happier for it." He switched from specifically addressing her, to a general audience. Maybe in an attempt not to become too personal with the subject. The RAmarl shrugged as she dislodged a dead branch from a tangle of roots.

"Not really, misery seeks company. We need someone to confide to."

"Aye but insecurity seeks security, and sadness tends to wreck ones sturdiness." Gilhaden replied almost a little too quickly, as if he had been expecting her answer all along. Sovryn chose her next words carefully.

"But just by looking at someone, most of the time you cant tell if they have problems or not. So most relationships are made off of first impressions."

"Ah, so if misery seeks company how do you find another by such shallow , brutal silhouettes of someone?" He smiled kindly, taking the bite our of such a question.

"You don't. You live your life, and if a person comes into constant contact with you then the truth starts to show. And since most of us don't like the truth we move on until we find one that is less bitter than the others." The RAmarl said, turning to face him.

"You met Kay by chance, not by prolonged company."

"Wrong, I saw Kay by chance, and we were more or less forced together because she cared. And luck was on our side, so we can bare one another's truths. The only reason that happened is because she is kind, haven't you noticed how kindness tends to pile people up around you?" Gilhaden laughed hard, and patted her on the back

"Well met, here let me take this. You go on back up to the house and see if Kanashii needs some help."

"But we have time, we can talk more."

"That we could, but its best if we reflect upon what has already been said than to rush into the future blindly. We'll talk more tomorrow, if you wish." Sovryn nodded, and helped pile her load into her host's large arms. Back at the house she found kay tending to the odd tid bits that needed to be taken care of. Kanashii was reading from some large leather back volume at the moment, but she was going to head out to do some work around the ranch later on, so that left Sovryn some free time. The RAmarl decided to stay around and help prepare lunch, and to go out and explore the property lines after aiding the FOmarl in any way she could. Kay watched her friend work around the kitchen, and smiled.

I think we've found the road to recovery..


* * *

Yeah, as you can tell, that was quite a long chapter http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime2.gif

Hope it was worth it to you all!

[Skett]

Good chapter. No complaints here. So I noticed you changed your name. Many seem to be doing that lately. Well, a few. Well, can't wait for the next chapter.

A bit off-topic: how did you get your name changed? Who did you talk to?

[Sagasu]

On 2004-07-24 13:50, Skett wrote:
Good chapter. No complaints here. So I noticed you changed your name. Many seem to be doing that lately. Well, a few. Well, can't wait for the next chapter.

A bit off-topic: how did you get your name changed? Who did you talk to?



Glad you liked it http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

I should start the next chapter tommorow, if not the day after.

[off-topic]
To get your name changed you need to PM Saladwood and ask to have your forum name changed, and tell her what you want it to be.
[/off-topic]

[mr_rubbish]

Is Kanashii one of Blaze's children?
Unexpected plot twist, I certainly wasn't expecting Samuel to go into killer mode there.

However...

Minor points:
Capitalisations on names: Outcast and Scarlet Drop are the worst offenders. A few typos here and there otherwise solid.

The conversation between Sovryn and Gilhaden at the end seemed pointless.

(Not so) Minor points:


"Oh and Samuel? I want to see their corpses." Without as much as a nod he left that foul room that he had only succeeded trapping himself further in. Now as he stood atop the roof of the apartment Hiro, Sovryn, and his sister Kay took residence in, the cool wind brought back another memory, one of earlier that day.

Samuel had it fixed in his mind that the only ones that would die, are the ones necessary. He had shown up again at the humanoid shop that Ethan was known to work the early and late shift at. The HUmar wanted to see if he could find the one with the data disks, and only have to take him out. The agent, this time played his rightful role, though his intentions even more wicked. He began by greeting the tall man with a warm handshake. A transition between 3 different scenes, might need clearer separation.


Falling.. why am I falling? His body had been knocked into the air by the initial blast, that took him high in the shoulder, near the collar bone. He heard a shriek, a gasp, and a curse. Oddly enough one individual was concerned that for the second time he had failed to pierce the heart, therefore denying him a quick death. Am I dying?

"No your not! Your going to be just fine." He never realized that the thought had actually escaped his lips in the form of a question. The truth was, he knew...These 2 paragraphs give the impression that it is Samuel who is dying since he was the last one mentioned in the previous paragraph. It's annoying to read it only to discover that the scenes formed in my mind were of the wrong person. It means i have to re-read it to understand it.


Sovryn had been glooming over this thought all day, and finally had decided to go up to the rooftop to get some fresh air. The others took sympathy to her situation and did not protest. But after hours of silence, night fell, and the RAmarl had yet to return. Hiro beckoned for the others to stay, while he went up to face her alone. The engineer found her sleeping figure at a far corner of the large roof top, the cold wind biting through his own clothes he knew that she must be chilled. Crossing the space between them, he confirmed his previous thought by taking notice of her visible shivers. He sat next to her, waiting for the added warmth of him resting beside her to draw Sovryn from her slumber. She stirred, once, twice, and eventually turned her head to look at him.

Hiro merely sat, watching at the fast moving clouds travel through the starry sky's expanse. The RAmarl leaned against him, and for a long time they remained silent. Eventually the female spoke, enjoying the comfort the male had provided.

"Im sorry about all this." In response Hiro shook his head, and wrapped one arm around her.

"Don't worry about it, it'll all be okay"

It will all be okay? How can I not worry? Glistening tears caressed down her face, the sun's red flare catching their mirror like surfaces and set them ablaze. Shining like jewels they streaked down and dripped off, landing on the cold shadow of her departed friend. Another shot rang out, its target the HUnewearl cradling Hiro's pale head. But the bullet missed its mark intentionally, and instead blew off the leg of a nearby chair, sending it careening to the floor. For a moment silence reigned, each of the three remaining lost in their own private hurricane of emotion. Wha? Sovryn falls asleep on the roof. hiro hugs her. she cries. suddenly kay is holding the dead hiro and they are not on the roof? Sentences missing!


There is a noticible difference in quality between the 2 halves. I think i can almost see where you took that break for writing it. Though I doubt you'd ever do it or if it was even necessary, re-writing the first half for clarity's sake would be something to put on your 'things to do if i had the time pile'.


Roll on chapter 5

[Sagasu]

Well..

Most of what you have mentioned has come the lack of attention paid. In chapters such as these, one must pay close attention to the details. From the details scene transitions reffering back to them are possible. SS will be cleaned up later on, right now I'm trying to concentrate on going on.

No, Kanashii is not one of Blaze's children, and such things will be explained in due time. Mayhap that you are correct in all this, and we see whats happening differently. But right now I'm in no condition to do anything about it, if I get myself together a re-write, or maybe just some extensive editing may be in order. But in the mean time, just try to bear with me okay?

[mr_rubbish]

Just remember that it's only my opinion. It only has as much value as you place upon it.

And while i did mention a suggested re-write, I would probably be strongly against it. Unless you plan to re-publish this fic somewhere else it will be effort that will pass forever unnoticed. Sad but true...

Focus on the future, not on the past! http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wink.gif



These are my last comments here until ch 5

[BOC]

wow, samuel forced to kill the two heroic engineers?!

didn't expect that myself, but adds more intensity to this story!

i'll admit, that part where it seems to be jumping around between scenes was a little confusing, but overall damn good.

get cracking on chapter 5 and dont worry about re-writes. or coming up with another snazzy name http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wink.gif

PEACE!!!

[Sagasu]

I see..

So Mr. Rubbish isn't the only one confused.

Alright, I'll keep that in mind. Don't know when chapter 5 will come around, I feel that I am not sufficiently up for the task right now, so you will have to exercise a little bit of patience.

Apologies in advance.


Snazzy? Perhaps..

[TheOneHero]

I am ashamed http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_nono.gif I have only read the prologe and chapter 1, its turning out really good. I like how you make it so the females have to live in fear *No, im not really that sick* but it adds alot more suspense to it. I will most likely read chapter 2 and 3 after a grab some food, Chpater 4...I'll save that before i write my next chapter in my fan fic.

*you know, make me feel inspired* http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_yes.gif

Great job!

[Sagasu]

Pace yourself, you dont have to read it all in one go if you dont want to.

You may blind yourself by staring at the screen so long. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif But I'm glad you find some inspiration in my writing.

Right now, chapter 5 is a work in progress, but I'm working on another project alongside this one at the moment so it shall be a while in coming. Sorry for another wait folks http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime2.gif

[GothicAngel]

After reading the whole thing, I'm sure that it'll get better, although I hope you can lay off the philisophical ramblings ^.^;;;

[Zzzzzz]

Sorry for posting VERY late. I didn't want to post until I read all of chapter 4, and by that time I had to go over to a friend's house with internet not working, so yeah.

Damn, you're good. It kinda bothers me that most men can't control themselves when a lady comes by, but it's you're fic, not mine. What I really like is howmost of the world is created by YOU. It's not some giant spaceship in the air and Ragol isn't populated and Falz still controls all the creatures. It's like, if you changed a few things around, it could be an completely original sci-fi novel.

[Azbats]

Well it's taken me a while to plough through all 4 chapters before commenting but at last I have http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

As a general rule of thumb I think the charcaterisation of the piece is excellent, even if you did kill off my favourate character [Hiro - ffs]

There [as there would be] were things that did piss me off slightly, but in some cases it was as a plot twist [which is a good thing]

I didn't like Samuel when he first entered the picture and I sure as hell don't like him now either. [Good writing though]

What on earth was Kay doing in the pub at the beginning of the piece? There was absolutely no reason for her to go there at all. It came across as very contrived to advance the story line. Later in chapter 3 we find her again in this situation where she is being chased down by the rapists. When she was in town with "Vinny" she as so careful, so why when it comes to nightime does she go out to a bar that's riddled with murderers and rapists. It makes no sense to me at all. I was totally repulsed by the rape scene too. It just rang true of too many nasty animes where women are sexually abused and weak and helpless. And that kinda grates my cheese!

Now I don't understand why Samuel is such a lap dog. Considering he broke the fight up at the end of chapter 2 [through a sense of justice] his motives just seem all over the place to me. One minute he thinks he's a hero, the next he kills the best 2 people in the piece itself.

But Hey!!! It's twists and turns like that, that make people like me want to read more.

I'll PM you later with some other stuff [that need not go here]

Looking forward to Number 5!

[Sagasu]

On 2004-08-01 15:21, Azbats wrote:
Well it's taken me a while to plough through all 4 chapters before commenting but at last I have http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

As a general rule of thumb I think the charcaterisation of the piece is excellent, even if you did kill off my favourate character [Hiro - ffs]

Glad you made it, though I'm interested in why Hiro is your favorite character, there are more pressing questions at hand. Characterization is something I've been working on for a while, glad to hear its paying off http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif



There [as there would be] were things that did piss me off slightly, but in some cases it was as a plot twist [which is a good thing]

I didn't like Samuel when he first entered the picture and I sure as hell don't like him now either. [Good writing though]

Heh..

Samuel is not a very likeable person, unless you can read deeper into his motives and emotions. Perhaps your feelings will change over time. Plot twists are abundant in most of my fictions, so be prepare to be surprised.



What on earth was Kay doing in the pub at the beginning of the piece? There was absolutely no reason for her to go there at all. It came across as very contrived to advance the story line. Later in chapter 3 we find her again in this situation where she is being chased down by the rapists. When she was in town with "Vinny" she as so careful, so why when it comes to nightime does she go out to a bar that's riddled with murderers and rapists. It makes no sense to me at all. I was totally repulsed by the rape scene too. It just rang true of too many nasty animes where women are sexually abused and weak and helpless. And that kinda grates my cheese!

Well, as an alcoholic, only the tiniest things can get someone upset. Sometimes your don't even need a reason to drown your spirits. Here we have Kay's flaw, something I intend to elaborate upon in the next few chapters.

So in order not to spoil, I attempt to offer reassurance to pay special detail regarding such events.



Now I don't understand why Samuel is such a lap dog. Considering he broke the fight up at the end of chapter 2 [through a sense of justice] his motives just seem all over the place to me. One minute he thinks he's a hero, the next he kills the best 2 people in the piece itself.

Samuel is a very..

Twisted character, and much needs to be understood. Perhaps that he will also become more well developed, and his motives clear as time progresses. As you all may have realized, chapter 4 was supposed to do exactly as it has.

Throw things into pandemonium, with can be smoothed over, and turned into coherent plot devices. If you think about it, these last few chapters have merely been eye openers and thought provokers. Questions are formed, and now as the story reaches its true beggining, answers will be unveiled, slowly, but surely. Or this is what I hope to do, and will struggle to attempt to achieve.



But Hey!!! It's twists and turns like that, that make people like me want to read more.

I'll PM you later with some other stuff [that need not go here]

Looking forward to Number 5!



So am I,

so am I..

There will be more to read, much, much more. I'm not quite sure how manty chapters there will be, but right now I am esitmating 15-18, mayhap I can give you a clarified evaluation at a later time.

I, to the highest regard, am extremely gratefull for your time taken here. Whether you are late in coming or early in discovery, your input has undoubtedly not only helped in the continueation of this fiction, but has boosted my self morale and confidence.

Your comments and crits help me, or any writer, to a degree you cannot fathom unless you have been in the writing buisiness for a while. What the viewers like, what they dont, how they respond, and how can things be altered to get the desired effect.. All these things are unaccomplishable without the support and thought out comments that you are capable of providing.

A special thanks goes out to Mr_Rubbish; For his constant support has proved irreplacable. I value crits just as much as praise believe it or not. In fact, I prefer them. Praise does inspire me to move onward, but helpful reminders and sometimes strict ones as well, help me, or any writer to become better. Through the few fictions I have written, Rubbish has been constanly there for me. This, in turn, has helped my skills elevate at a rate that I could not have hoped to achieve without him.

As for the progress at which my fiction will progress, there are a few things I must speak of. Life, is going to finally settle down in about two weeks time. After this, I hope to maintain a regular schedule. Right now, though, there are still some difficulties that must be sorted out before I can truly start in earnest on my projects. Such as establishing a part-time job, preparing materials for my home school studies, etc.. After which I should be back, in earnest, and ready to go.

Chapter 5, should be put under progress. I am aiming for taking maybe 3 or 4 days to finish, but with abrupt plans being made around now, it could take any where from seven to ten days.

Thank you all, sincerely, for staying with me this far. I know Sovryn's Song must contain many thoughts amongst other things that you may be personally conflictory with, but still you have remained. We're almost out of the woods, but then we come to the long, beaten path. Perhaps my limited talent will remain long enough to see us through, perhaps not. I would like to make a small note about writer's stress. After one chapter of magnitude is finished, the mind goes into a sort of a null state. Even for people who have clear, descisive plots, the sheer amount of what we must imagine, and depict for you, the reader, can cause some serious tax upon the mind. I merely ask that you not place demands, for they will only prove to hinder the situation more. Its a scratch my back and I'll scratch yours situation. Both the writer and the reader provide nutrients for forum fictions, distrupt the balance, and things will come crashing down.

At this I will let you think. Writers take an enormous amount of pleasure from just reading your comments, and re-reading them over and over. That goes for all of us. I, as both a reader and writer, encourage such actions.

Aaaand anyway,

Thats the news, and I look forward to seeing familiar faces yet again, whether for or against me. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

[Azbats]

Just to answer a quick question you raised about why I like Hiro the best. To me [anyway] the answer is simple. Hiro was the most believable character in the piece, that's why I mourn his passing.

Honestly I could care if you turned Samual into the Pope http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif There is nothing you can do to make me feel any sympathy towards him, or even dare let myself empathise either. Whether he dismisses it or not he is purely self driven.

I just hope he meets the nastiest end of all... does Pioneer 2 have any combine harvesters ???

[Sagasu]

http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_lol.gif

I can't really tell you anything without posting spoilers http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

Though it makes me wonder how you will react to the rest of the story..

<_<

>_>

You'll just have to be patient http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif

[Sagasu]

Sovryn's Song has been cancelled, for reasons stated here (http://www.pso-world.com/viewtopic.php?topic=88252&forum=12&0)



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Sagasu on 2004-08-11 15:51 ]</font>