Spring RTS Engine

Whats this...like three episodes within a few hours from one another?

Bah, no matter. I find it funny that in a few days I've already gotten within ten pages of Waste's lenght (79 pages) and I'm still going strong. Who knows when I'll stop...

right now. I do need sleep. At least untill tommorow.


Mike remembered

├óÔé¼┼ôWelcome to Hiroshima!├óÔé¼┬Ø the director of research said, raising his arms wide in welcome. He was a squat, slightly rounded man of Asian decent. His face was a bit flabby, and he had laugh lines abundantly displayed around his lips. Mike instantly took a shine to him, sensing that this was a nice person. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, reaching out with his hand. The director took the hand and pumped it swiftly ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're Mr. Dobson├óÔé¼┬Ø the director said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike nodded, jerking his hand out of the man's name. Mike didn't like his last name. It connected him to his parents too much. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd you're Simon Tarat├óÔé¼┬Ø the director took Simon's hand. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight in one├óÔé¼┬Ø Simon said, grinning, showing his prominent canine teeth.

├óÔé¼┼ôI am Director Tabuchi├óÔé¼┬Ø Tabuchi was grinning as he walked down the hallways of the base. It was a standard starport design, two rings that slowly spun to create gravity. The outer ring was a docking port, with the inner ring being the living quarters. They had already walked out of the outer ring and into the inner ring. It was clean, the people in it nice looking. It looked very happy and family friendly. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is our living section├óÔé¼┬Ø Tabuchi said unnecessarily ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd this is my office├óÔé¼┬Ø. His office was large, larger then most of the bed rooms.

It had a large sweeping desk and three chairs on the outside. The chair behind the desk was a complex affair, with computer screens in the armrests and a fold down hologram projector on the back. It could show the user anything the user had programed. They just couldn't walk around while doing so. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Tabuchi said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm under orders to not tell you anything until you singe here and here├óÔé¼┬Ø he slid two pieces of paper over the table. Mike gulped. Paper was incredibly valuable. Hell tree's were practically endangered, after World War Four. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry├óÔé¼┬Ø Tabuchi said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe papers get recycled after we singe it. I like to use paper. It gives you a nice sense of finality...doesn't it?├óÔé¼┬Ø

Mike read the paper. It covered the normal operations that all security personal were expected to do. But at the bottom it said ├óÔé¼┼ôYour memory is forfeit if you fail to uphold the bla bla bla bla├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou'll mind wipe us!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked, almost standing up and walking out right there. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts necessary├óÔé¼┬Ø Tabuchi said ├óÔé¼┼ôstate secrets├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike gulped and read the money he would be paid. Then he read it again. Then he singed. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Tabuchi slid the paper away from him ├óÔé¼┼ôNow you are probably wondering what this base is for...├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike was pretty sure he was about to be told, but he kept silent.

├óÔé¼┼ôAbout five years before World War Four a ship limped home. It was a star ship sent out by the Bio-War corporation├óÔé¼┬Ø Tabuchi said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd it was sent into the quarantine zone, before it was known as such. There it found...Darkside├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike's eyes widened fractionally ├óÔé¼┼ôThats impossible├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôDarkside is a myth├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats what we thought to. The entire myth however is founded in fact. The neo-Christians, not the Islamic front were the one's who colonized the planet and only one ship ever made it there, but Darkside is pretty much what we thought it was. One of the oldest, most developed interstellar colonies├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôAnd Darkside being real also proves another legend. You may have heard of Elizabeth Montoya├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôThats...├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôEverything you know from legends about Montoya...is true├óÔé¼┬Ø Tabuchi said ├óÔé¼┼ôShe did steal a lighthugger. She did defeat two other lighthuggers and survived. She did lead Darkside to independence and freedom├óÔé¼┬Ø Tabuchi grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôBut Darkside itself is more interesting then Elizabeth Montoya├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow so?├óÔé¼┬Ø Simon asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Tabuchi said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe bio-war ship managed to get some incredible information, all of witch have been classified as a state secret├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI want to hear more about Montoya first├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. He had always wished that she was real.

├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Tabuchi said ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's probably still alive. According to our Intel she was a brain core├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike blinked slowly. A brain core. Some how he felt a connection to this legendary figure, despite a century gulf between them├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Tabuchi said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe ship even brought back a picture of Montoya. Its the only remaining picture of her, after the Computer Virus├óÔé¼┬Ø. He pulled out a data slate and after some typing he handed it to Mike. Mike looked at the picture[/i].

├óÔé¼┼ôI know who you are!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike practically shouted, sitting up convulsively. He wished he hadn't. His entire left side felt like it was trying to tear itself away from his body. He bent over, gasping in pain. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy walked up to the bed, dropping an apple core on the ground as she did so. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know you!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, still feeling delirious from the dream. Or had it been a dream? The contract. He had singed a contract saying that he would get a mind wipe. But what wipe could keep down memory's for fifty years? Mike supposed he was going to find out. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôYour her├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Lizzy felt scared. Mike looked like a madman, the bandages unraveling slightly showing the scars and damage underneath. But what stuck her was the conviction in his voice. He did know who she was. ├óÔé¼┼ôI've seen your picture├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe only one left after the war├óÔé¼┬Ø. He took another step and fell to one knee. His hands clenched in pain and he gritted his teeth. Lizzy helped him to his feet. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôMankowski has the good sense to remain comatose. Why don't you follow his shining example├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour Elizabeth Montoya├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike gasped.

There was silence. Lizzy's arms slowly slid out from under his armpits, where she was helping Mike. She was staring at the wall of the police station. It was gray. Of all colors, why did it have to be gray? It could be mauve, green. Hell Lizzy would have loved pink. Her mind was wandering. How strange. She had just been called her real name by Mike, a marine she knew almost nothing about. Her real name. Lizzy, or Liz, hadn't thought about her last name for sixty years. Hearing it rather then thinking about it somehow broke an invisible barrier that Lizzy had put up.

Mike staggered to the bed. Lizzy's face was as pale as it could get. Her muscles were slack, eyes vacant. ├óÔé¼┼ôElizabeth?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked ├óÔé¼┼ôLizzy!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy shook her head ├óÔé¼┼ôIts just├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts all happening again├óÔé¼┬Ø. The last words were spoken almost as an afterthought, meant to be heard only by Lizzy. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's happening?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked ├óÔé¼┼ôI've always wanted to meet you! I mean...your a childhood hero of mine...but I'd given you up. I mean├óÔé¼┬Ø he was grinning, no matter the pain it caused his face ├óÔé¼┼ôI mean...wow├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike was feeling an odd elation. He supposed very few people got to relight their former...passion about a hero.

├óÔé¼┼ôListen├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't tell anyone. No one else can know├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike looked away ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôStevenson...├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho is Stevenson?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe was another member of our outfit. He was killed by the target. He loved the legend of Darkside, more then me even. I mean he still believe it, even...up to his death├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy leaned back ├óÔé¼┼ôGod├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI wish it was just a legend. I wish that damn planet never existed├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike sat down on a table and looked out the window. It was dark. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not going back to sleep├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôSo why don't you tell me your story...from the beginning├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy shook her head ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôBut├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôYour a legend. You...you're story has been the talk of the universe for eighty years. You saved a colony from destruction, overthrew an evil government. You uncovered conspiracy's, defeated army's and...and├óÔé¼┬Ø he trailed off ├óÔé¼┼ôYour a hero├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI didn't do half of those things├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy spat ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I did those for my own reasons. Not for some lofty goal, not for human kind...but for ME! Myself├óÔé¼┬Ø she pointed at herself. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't believe you├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôYour just trying to hide behind a facade├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy gulped. She was hiding. It was odd how someone could do something for decades and never notice it till someone else pointed it out.

├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôTell me what happened├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy closed her eyes ├óÔé¼┼ôDistilled to the basic points...├óÔé¼┬Ø she thought ├óÔé¼┼ôI fell in love. He died. I fell in love again. She died. I fell in love a third time and he...he went away. I decided to ditch Darkside. I went from solar system to solar system and tried to just...get away. But thanks to tac-cons, the Colonial government and inertial suppressors my legend had spread everywhere. World War Four started. I came back, after it was over, to help├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike smiled. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou came back to SOL, after everyone else abandoned it after World War Four...to help├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, almost laughing ├óÔé¼┼ôI knew it. You are a hero├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôI am not├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts just...i grew up in the Belt. I couldn't just let the Homeworld and SOL sit there and die. So I helped as best I could├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThen what?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI went back out to the DS systems and ended up here. At Dantana. Where my life just seems to be tangling up again. Prime, a handsome Transcendi. Species O two....thats my name for the aliens we've been seeing├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMakes sense├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said absentmindedly. Then he started ├óÔé¼┼ôWait...did you just call me handsome?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy inched slightly away from him, looking away ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø she said.

They were both leaning against the wall, sitting up on a counter. Mike was feeling oddly lightheaded. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats the second time├óÔé¼┬Ø he said softly ├óÔé¼┼ôThat you've called me handsome├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy was aware of how close he was. She had been alone for...for so long. Then she remembered what happened every other time. No matter how it started she knew that there were only one ending. It was the one that ended with Lizzy burying the other. Then she felt Mike's fingers on her chin, turning her head up wards. She looked into his one exposed eye.

Mike leaned in, not caring half his face was covered with bandages. Lizzy was frozen, unable to move. ├óÔé¼┼ôLizzy├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike murmured. This had been a adolescent fantasy, something a fifteen year old would want. But then reality intruded and Lizzy pushed him away. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry...I can't├óÔé¼┬Ø she got up stiffly and walked away, her eyes downwards. Mike was still sitting there when dawn broke, about ten minuets later. His lips were still parted, as if expecting a kiss. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey Mike├óÔé¼┬Ø July said, walking into the room. She threw a tangled and ripped cat's cradle into a trash can ├óÔé¼┼ôNice to see your up and about├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Lizzy stared at herself in the mirror and wondered. She felt like she should be crying, sobbing. Tearing her hair out and rolling on the floor. But nothing. She just felt a mild regret that she didn't let Mike kiss her. She should have changed her face pigmentation, gotten a new tattoo. Something. Anything to make her NOT look like her photograph. But she had thought it had been lost along with most anything digital in World War Four. Now it was coming back to haunt her. She wasn't sure what to do. What would people say, knowing she was out and about still. That she was real, that Darkside was real.

That the quarantine zone was there to keep people from getting to Darkside. Lizzy had connections with the newfangled Colonial government. Her existence had been a state secret. She had promised to not reveal herself, as the Colonial government thought she would...destabilize their hold on the galaxy. So she had kept quite, not exactly willingly. But now she knew it had been right. For about fifty odd years she had felt free and able to live her life. She didn't have responsibility's, people to care about or planets that need saving.

Now she had three. She walked out of the bathroom, feeling more like herself then this entire day. ├óÔé¼┼ôAll right├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, walking into what had become the common room ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are going to move out as soon as Mankowski can walk├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarge nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI think the battle is going down outside├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan we scout the area out?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need to know whats going on out there├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôJuly and I will go├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are the two remaining marines that actually have use of all their limbs and didgets. No offense Helena├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNone taken├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said, looking at her jagged half stump of a hand. It was still bandaged and was throbbing, despite the painkillers she took.

├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI want you two to just check out the surrounding area and report back├óÔé¼┬Ø she looked at Eve and Helena ├óÔé¼┼ôYou two keep watch and shoot anything thats not July and Sarge. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou stay here and get better├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôPermission to go with the watch├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôSo I can at least watch something├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy thought about it for a moment ├óÔé¼┼ôSure├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôas long as your careful to not hurt yourself├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike nodded. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets get to work├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. They all set off.

Sarge slowly leaned around the corner, gun in his hands. Nothing. The last fourteen corners that he and July had checked were all clear. It seemed as if, at a pre-chosen time, everyone had stopped fighting. There were no soldiers, D.G or otherwise. The looters were either dead or in hiding. But Sarge still went gun first around corners. July was keeping as quite as he was, moving through rubble with even less sound as she had moved through the underbrush. Sarge stepped over a broken bottle and started going down the clear street.

Then he caught July motioning him down with her hand. Sarge ducked into the wall, trying to make himself have the smallest profile possible. Then two men walked across the other end of the street, holding a large computer between them. Why they were lugging something so huge and valueless at a time like this was a good question. Sarge was about to step out from his hiding place, knowing that neither of the two men would see him. Then one of the men dropped his end of the computer. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou fuck!├óÔé¼┬Ø the other one shouted, looking at the now smashed computer.

├óÔé¼┼ôWe can still salvage the battery├óÔé¼┬Ø The other man said hurriedly. The computer, when it had burst open, had disgorged its innards. That included a battery that had rolled slowly to a stop. Right at Sarge's feet. Sarge closed his eyes, groaning inwardly. The man who had dropped the computer walked down the alleyway, even as his partner started rummaging through the parts and bits on the ground. ├óÔé¼┼ôHere you are!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, walking up to the battery. Sarge kicked him in the face. The man fell back, blood streaming out of a freshly broken nose. Sarge was wearing metal tipped boots.

├óÔé¼┼ôHuh?├óÔé¼┬Ø The other man muttered, looking dumbly at his partners unconscious body. ├óÔé¼┼ôHands up!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge shouted. July ran up behind him, gun ready. At this range neither of them would miss. The man reached for a gun, his eyes bugging with surprise. Sarge and July fired. Their guns flashed in the darkness and the man fell, a bullet hitting his leg and shoulder. He hit the opposite wall and slid down it, his gun clattering out of his hands. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø He asked, looking at his injury's even as blood started to pool under him ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy did it have to...├óÔé¼┬Ø he trailed off as his eyes rolled back into his head.

├óÔé¼┼ôSorry man├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said, clapping his hand on the dead man's shoulders. He picked up the man's gun. It was a pulse laser pistol, great for anything, unless it was a mirrored armor. It's battery was half empty. He wondered, for a moment, if the man had used it to get the computer. Or if he had used it to keep the computer. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey├óÔé¼┬Ø July said softly ├óÔé¼┼ôThis battery could come in handy├óÔé¼┬Ø she pocketed the small energy source. They started on their way.

July thought about how easy it had been. Bang...bang, your dead. Now a man was lying against a wall, dead from bullets she had put in him. And now she was moving on, walking with Sarge as if nothing had happened. The day was getting brighter, shadows becoming less long and menacing. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe should head back├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe area looks clear├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø July said, sliding her gun back into its holster. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't holster it just yet├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're not safe yet├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen are we safe?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen were home├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said, walking past her. July stood still for a moment ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere is that├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked the air. The air had no answer.

Mankowski woke up at eleven. The day was a bit more foggy then the last day, with a hint of rain. Lizzy was in the bathroom at the time, looking at her reflection in the mirror. She remembered that Mike had called her a hero. ├óÔé¼┼ôSome hero├óÔé¼┬Ø she said to herself ├óÔé¼┼ôShaking because someone calls you your name├óÔé¼┬Ø. And damn it she was shaking, her hands jittering slightly as she stood. Then there was a knock on the door ├óÔé¼┼ôHey Lizzy├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena's voice was muffled by the door ├óÔé¼┼ôMankowski is up├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMy fucking head├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski felt the bandages on his scalp. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey at least its not your face├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, pointing at his face ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm going to need new skin here, once we get back to the Hannibal├óÔé¼┬Ø.

That managed to still the conversation. Mike and Mankowski sat alone, contemplating their injury's. Then Sarge walked into the room. He had come back from the recon rather optimistic. Witch was to say he had growled at Mike ├óÔé¼┼ôShould be clear enough├óÔé¼┬Ø. July had told him later about the ravages that the asteroid impacts and S-02 rampages. Let alone the looters and renegade D.G members. The D.G who remained loyal were a almost heart breaking sight. They were defending the parliament, even though rumor had it the Prime Minister had up and left.

How July had gotten the rumors while skulking around the back alleys and side passages, Mike didn't even want to ask. Now Sarge was positively beaming ├óÔé¼┼ôCome with me├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôBoth of you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike noticed that he had a rather large cigar clamped between his teeth and looked the most like Sarge had before the mission had begun. They followed him, Mike looking at Mankowski, who was just as puzzled as he was. They walked down the stairs and into the armory. Before the armor was a bunch of steel lockers, with complex locks. The locks were made to literally explode if tampered with, so Sarge had left them alone.

Now the lockers were opened and the gun racks extended like metallic claws. Each gun rack was a triple railed affair, with sockets for guns. And in those sockets were guns. Lots and lots of guns. Most were old ZX-47's, including some very old ZC-22's. Lizzy, oddly enough, was overjoyed at the sight of them. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey should have never left the ZC sires. Those damn ZX's never worked well, even with EMP protection├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know guns?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked, looking the ZC over. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I can just shoot by what...magic?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked, smiling ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to know guns or I'd have died a while ago├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said and was about to go on, but he was interrupted by a furry of profanity

Surprisingly it was from July. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck!├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck fuck fuck!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski asked, brows knitting. ├óÔé¼┼ôArgh!├óÔé¼┬Ø July kicked one of the lockers closed and started rummaging around in the guns. ├óÔé¼┼ôAll these guns├óÔé¼┬Ø July said ├óÔé¼┼ôGrenade Launchers, machine guns, sub machine guns, pistols├óÔé¼┬Ø she kept rummaging through more stuff ├óÔé¼┼ôbut not a single sniper rifle├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIs that what your so mad about?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked ├óÔé¼┼ôAt least you can USE a sniper rifle├óÔé¼┬Ø she waved her mangled hand in the air. July winched sympathetically ├óÔé¼┼ôBut still, you'd expect...something! Anything!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôHows this?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked, pulling a rifle off the wall. July looked it over slowly. ├óÔé¼┼ôNeeds a scope├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut it'll do for small, soft targets├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôCause I think I hear some soft targets├óÔé¼┬Ø. They were all silent at that, listening intently. Then Mike heard the gun shots outside. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome on├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy waved them back up the stairs. She stopped at the corner and leaned around the corner, as if thinking they would be attacked through a locked and bolted door. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI open the door, you├óÔé¼┬Ø she pointed at Mike ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd you├óÔé¼┬Ø she pointed at Sarge ├óÔé¼┼ôGet ready to shoot. July, you cover them. Helena and Eve stay back├óÔé¼┬Ø. Everyone nodded, ready to go.

Lizzy pulled the door open, and Sarge and Mike knelt down, guns up and aimed. There was nothing there, but the gun shots were louder when the door was open. ├óÔé¼┼ôright├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe head out. July you cover this door. Any thing not me, Mike or Sarge...you shoot├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about me?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski asked ├óÔé¼┼ôHeal├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd don't get any more injured. Or I'll kill you myself├óÔé¼┬Ø. And with that she closed the door.

Lizzy gestured to the end of the ally, gun ready. Mike leap frogged ahead of her and nestled into a bit of cover. Then Mike looked around the corner. ├óÔé¼┼ôClear├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing out here├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarge and Lizzy walked up, guns still ready. The gun shots in the distance were getting slightly louder. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think those are the D.G├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, listening to the sound ├óÔé¼┼ôPossibly raiders, if they got their hands on something├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then a completely inhuman sound echoed over the city, a loud, warbling howl that continued to sound long after the gun shots ended.

Mike winced as the sound continued, getting louder. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôS-02 doesn't make noise...and...I've never heard something like this├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then the sound stopped as suddenly as a light bulb going out. Then there was a crash. Dust started to drift up and over the city, as if something large had been shattered. Then Mike felt something at his hip, something he had half forgotten. It was his scanner, the HEPE scanner he had been using. It was buzzing. He pulled it out ├óÔé¼┼ôThere is a rather large HEPE source right behind us├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike whispered, sliding the scanner back under his belt.

Mike, Sarge and Lizzy slowly turned around. They saw nothing behind them. But Mike had learned by now to look up. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet down!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted, shoving Sarge out of the way before a large bit of masonry smashed into his former position. Lizzy was firing, for all the good it did. The Target simply stopped the bullets in their tracks. Lizzy stopped firing, her pistol clicking as the last of the bullets were stopped by the Target. The bullets floated for another second, then fell to the ground. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou've followed us back into the city├óÔé¼┬Ø. The target smiled, her eye's deadly ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts really the only thing I could do├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Eve had felt her face...change. It had melted and reformed into something new, something sleeker and deadly. Her hair had gotten longer, her eyes reshaped and her body changed. Then her head moved up and looked at the mirror in the bathroom. Eve looked at her new face. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow lets have some fun├óÔé¼┬Ø the other said, aloud. Then she moved to the window. ├óÔé¼┼ôOy Eve!├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena was pounding on the door ├óÔé¼┼ôI really need to use the damn bathroom!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôLooks like you've got a problem├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, practically laughing. ├óÔé¼┼ôIf they discover me├óÔé¼┬Ø the Other said, venom dripping from her voice ├óÔé¼┼ôThen I'll have to kill them├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôEve?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked. The Other opened her mouth, about to say something.

├óÔé¼┼ôNo!├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve pleaded ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't! Don't kill my friends├óÔé¼┬Ø. The Other paused, mouth still open. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm fine├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, using Eve's voice ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll be out in a second├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOkay├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôI really need to go├óÔé¼┬Ø. The Other smiled and slid the window open and slowly crawled out. Eve found it a somewhat exhilarating experience, sticking to the wall like a spider. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is what you could do├óÔé¼┬Ø the Other said, her voice sweet in her mind ├óÔé¼┼ôIf you just...let me have Mike├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said flatly. The Other and her had been discussing this for some time, if you can call constant wheedling and flat refusals a debate.

The Other wanted Mike. What she wanted him for she refused to elaborate on. Eve knew that whatever the other wanted, she wanted to deny her. The Other had clambered onto the roof. She stood up and slowly started undoing her shirt. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you doing!├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou don't fight nude, do you?├óÔé¼┬Ø. The Other smiled slowly, dropping the shirt on the top of the building ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts embarrassing when your human. I am not├óÔé¼┬Ø. She started to walk over the roof, slowly and sedately, her hair whipping through the air. Eve noticed that the hair, somehow, managed to cover her body. Barely. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour controlling that, aren't you├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø The other said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts best to be mostly nude, rather then all nude├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve was about to ask. Then she heard Mike saying ├óÔé¼┼ô There is a rather large HEPE source right behind us├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow the fun starts├óÔé¼┬Ø The other said ├óÔé¼┼ôUnless you...let me have Mike├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, still remaining firm. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou've decided what happens next├óÔé¼┬Ø The other said softly.

The Target dropped to street level, between Lizzy and Mike. Lizzy slapped a new clip into her pistol and aimed at the Target. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou still think that will work?├óÔé¼┬Ø the Target asked. Then there was two sounds, one like a loud thump, and the other like a wet snap. Lizzy flew backwards, crumpling in the middle like a rag doll. She landed limply, wheezing slowly as she clutched her ribs. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike snarled, swinging his hand at the target. She ducked it effortlessly. Then Mike felt a hand on his neck, invisible and hard. Then he was picked up and slammed against a wall.

├óÔé¼┼ôSarge├óÔé¼┬Ø the target said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou'll do├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike heard a yelp and Sarge was dragged into his field of view. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø The other said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts your choice├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you talking about├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike gasped. His hands went up to his neck and felt the hand. It was just like a real hand, but invisible. ├óÔé¼┼ôSilence├óÔé¼┬Ø the target said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm having a discussion├óÔé¼┬Ø. She looked away, as if listening to someone else. Eve and the other were talking in their mind. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have a choice├óÔé¼┬Ø the Other said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou let me have Mike. Or I start hurting Sarge until you give in├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôYou wouldn't├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôIf you did├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIf I did, then what?├óÔé¼┬Ø The Other said ├óÔé¼┼ôI could kill them all in an instant. I can live on this planet if its flattened, smoldering day and night or glowing in the dark. It has no bearing on my, or my species├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve, for once in the entire time she had been possessed by this thing, felt completely lost. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut....├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut, but├óÔé¼┬Ø the other said, sneering ├óÔé¼┼ôYou are really a weak, sniveling thing. You can't even formulate a reason why I shouldn't do this├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarge was lifted up onto his feet, his shirt crumpling on his shoulder as if a hand had grabbed him.

Then his arm was ripped off. Bone broke, veins tore and tendons snapped in the open air. Blood started to pour out of the wound and Sarge was screaming, cigar falling out of his lips as he grasped the wound. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø the other said softly, talking aloud ├óÔé¼┼ôCan I have Mike?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou bitch!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike struggled at her hand ├óÔé¼┼ôLet him go!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan...I...have...mike?├óÔé¼┬Ø the other asked slowly. Eve was hammering at her body, telling it do something. Anything. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo?├óÔé¼┬Ø The other said softly. Sarge felt a slight tug on his other arm, pulling it away from his shoulder.

├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said softly ├óÔé¼┼ôYou...you can have him. Just proms to leave them alone├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry├óÔé¼┬Ø The target said ├óÔé¼┼ôI have every intention of not hurting any of your friends. Or Mike, for that matter├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarge suddenly fell forward, let go by the target. Mike slid to the ground. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø The other said, speaking in Eve's mind ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have to give me full control of your body. You need to give me your thoughts, your mind. Everything. I promise I will not hurt anyone├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve was silent for an eternity. IT was only a few seconds, but it felt like forever.


├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Darkside Extermination will now have a brief hiatus.

Why?


Cause I'm an evil, sadistic son of a bitch.

Your joking.

That is a threat! Take my internet-threat seriously or else!

Well...I...don't know. Shalt I listen to reason and not take a week long break?

Or shall I try out my blisteringly cool NEW story Idea that I need to work some kinks out of. But don't worry. Darkside still has two more parts left.

In case you never checked back at the begging, this has been Part 0: Hunt. The next part is Part 1: Extermination (no, really?) and the then Part 2: Death and Rebirth (No it has nothing to do with Evengelion)

Part One: Extermination


Keller was sitting at his desk, hands under his chin. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI think we should destroy the Tac-con├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø His first asked ├óÔé¼┼ôThats...crazy!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo, Ron, here me out├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôIf there is a spy on board, I want to stop him or her before we tell the crew about our plan. And I can stop him or her by destroying the Tac-con. We won't tell anyone else about it, but we will do it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ron asked, still looking agitated ├óÔé¼┼ôBut what if...what if we need reinforcements. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe'll send a report of everything that has happened├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd we can also break it enough so that it can be repaired. We put guards on rotating shifts and make sure no one tries to 'repair' the Tac-con├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Ron sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôI still think its a bad idea├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut fine├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go├óÔé¼┬Ø. They both started to walk down the many long hall ways of the Hannibal. Some corridors were still smashed, with plastic bubbles around breach's in the hull. Three area's were still burnt and dangerous to walk through. Five times Keller had to be rerouted around broken and destroyed areas. Then, finally, he and Ron got to the Tac-con.

Tachyons, or faster then light particles, were discovered before world war four. Then forgotten about just as quickly, as the Virus hit the nets. The computerized nets that kept SOL alive were destroyed in a few hours as a smart computer virus tore every single computer system. It destroyed digital records. And by the year 2150, everything was digital records. However the colony worlds had records of history and science and math, and beamed it back to Homeworld and Mars and the Belt, using high powered communication lasers. Humanity rebuilt, as it always did. Personal records, pictures, books, movies were all lost.

However Brian Olushola had rediscovered Tachyons and managed to harness them and created the first ever FTL communication system. Then he died, after creating the Star Drive and would be forever remembered by the human race. Keller had never actually seen a Tac-Con, as it was in the deep bowels of the ship. It looked like a very long, very slender purple tube with four wires wrapped around it. The wires hummed loudly, and the entire thing pulsated once every three seconds. ├óÔé¼┼ôhuh├óÔé¼┬Ø Ron said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts less impressive then I thought├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôThere is a control Key that can be taken out of the center of the tube. That'll stop the thing from transmitting tachyons. Or receive any, for that matter├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Ron said. Keller reached up and into the tube. His arm felt prickling, like when your blood vessels are blocked off for too long. Then he found the key, a small shard of diamond crystal. He jerked it out and the entire Tac-Con stopped, as suddenly as a heartbeat. The pulsing stopped half way through a 'pulse' and froze. It was still alight, but it did not move. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Ron said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere should we put our key?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight here├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said, slipping the key into his pocket. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Ron said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll go and tell the crew about our plan. We should be able to get the asteroid into shape in about three, four hours├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said, looking at the Tac-con one last time ├óÔé¼┼ôPut three...four guards on the door and put a computer block on the Tac-con├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø Ron said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats...a little extreme, seeing as how the Tac-con no longer works├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't care├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can not afford any leakage about this mission├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts Sarris, isn't it├óÔé¼┬Ø Ron said softly. Keller's shoulders slumped slightly. He knew that it was a foolish hope that he could have kept it secret, but still. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm resining after this mission, so you can court marshal me, or you can fuck off├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ron smiled softly ├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is me├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Keller turned around ├óÔé¼┼ôHow long have you known?├óÔé¼┬Ø He asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôAbout three months├óÔé¼┬Ø Ron said ├óÔé¼┼ôbut hell, you've never let it get in the way├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller smiled wryly ├óÔé¼┼ôThanks├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I think if this comes out all it will mean is you get screwed too├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Ron said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut this is my last mission too├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôReally?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked ├óÔé¼┼ôIs your contract expiring too, or are you just going to quit├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMy contract has expired├óÔé¼┬Ø Ron said. Keller blinked slowly ├óÔé¼┼ôReally?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Ron said. He walked out of the Tac-con room and looked over his shoulder ├óÔé¼┼ôI hope this go's well. Or we're all screwed├óÔé¼┬Ø.

The asteroid was rotating slowly, a small cloud of iron floating around it, possibly sheered off by impacts and kept around by the very low gravity of the asteroid. Space suited marine engineers jetted across, using compressed air to push themselves along. Once they got close enough they fired magnetically launched toe cables. They reeled themselves in and got to work, using laser cutters to bore out holes in the asteroid. Once the holes were bored and the material sent drifting around the asteroid, the marines set up small smelter units. They fed the iron ore and rock into them and made some crew linings for the holes, so the shuttle's wouldn't just smash them apart.

Now that each shuttle had a place to sit, the marines started to set up some other goody's. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø General Sarris looked around the small room ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is this?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell, sir├óÔé¼┬Ø The engineer said, chewing his lower lip ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's a command and control post├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarris slowly looked around the room. It looked like a completely bare sphere of iron. She was floating about an inch of the ground, her stomach fluttering at every tiny motion. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt looks like a storage cabinet├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell, sir├óÔé¼┬Ø the engineer said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're going to move in some new equipment, mostly off the shuttles. It'll be able to monitor every marine commander your sending orders too, and keep tabs on the soldiers. It even has a simple point and click interface I've cooked up... you know. Like a video game.├óÔé¼┬Ø

Sarris looked at the young man and frowned ever so slightly. A frown from a General, even a low ranking one, was nothing to laugh at. ├óÔé¼┼ôMy soldiers are not computers├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I take every single thing seriously├óÔé¼┬Ø. The engineer gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry, sir├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're going to move in the equipment now├óÔé¼┬Ø. He saluted and Sarris nodded. She looked around the room again, wishing she had logged more time in a zero gee chamber. ├óÔé¼┼ôVideo game. Right├óÔé¼┬Ø she stopped her slight spin by running her hand along the wall.

The equipment was moved in, the shuttles readied and the marines told exactly what to do. Keller was sitting at his desk, wishing that half the screen would stop flickering. The desk had been smashed up a bit by one of the many shots fired by the Agamemnon. Now its display was partially uncalibrated, causing the constant flickering. But he could still see the asteroid. It would have looked almost exquisitely beautiful, twenty pin pricks of bluish light as the shuttles ignited in tandem, but he was too worried about Sarris.

The asteroid was starting to move, and the Agamemnon would never know it had never started moving. The asteroid would be pushed out of a small cloud of dust, and because the Agamemnon was in orbit around Dantana, facing away the Hannibal. The asteroid picked up quite a bit of momentum, roughly a kilometer of rock starting to hurtle through the night. Keller called up a estimated course and overlaid it from the feed given in by the telescope that was watching the asteroid. It would zip past the Agamemnon in about an hour. Keller started to wait.

Down was her feet. Down was the push of gravity. Down was the only way to go. Down, down, down. She was not resisting, not pushing back or fighting at all. The Other shoved her down, to the corner of her mind. Eve waited, body less. She thought she might even be able to enjoy the lack of anything. She faintly felt the other, and Eve realized how much of a strain it was to feel the Other constantly hammering on her mind. She was now at peace. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour insane├óÔé¼┬Ø A voice echoed dimly through her ear drums and was repeated again by the Other's mind as it processed the words. ├óÔé¼┼ôMaybe├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve felt her mouth moving, but it wasn't the normal feeling of ghostly displacement that she had been feeling.

Now that she thought about it, the fact that it was 'normal' to be possessed by another entity entirely, was damn terrifying. Eve felt a flicker of something. It could have been anger, mixed with the same undercurrent of lust and attraction that the Other always had for Mike. Eve was curious at why that was. The other knew Mike, and yet Eve had never seen him. Eve had also not been able to shape shift, or use her mind to destroy objects and people. Eve was beginning to realize that she was a monster. And it was not as terrifying as she would have thought.

├óÔé¼┼ôYour insane├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike gritted his teeth. ├óÔé¼┼ôMaybe├óÔé¼┬Ø the Target said, tightening her hold on him ever so slightly. It was an odd picture, the target standing as naked a jaybird, hair whipping in the wind, arms at her side. Mike's imagination kept painting a third arm coming out of the Target's back. Sarge started to back away with his left leg. Every push caused him to shudder in pain, teeth gritting. He let go of his severed stump of an arm for a split second and grabbed his cigar off the ground and slid it behind his ear. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can't let you do that├óÔé¼┬Ø The Target said, not turning around.

Sarge slid back into her effective range, eyes squinted shut against the pain as his stump bumped against the ground once or twice. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø The Target said ├óÔé¼┼ôI want Lizzy to see this too├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy was standing back and away from the battle, more then six meters away. She was aiming her gun at the Target, but knew it would be wasting bullets. Then suddenly her shirt was crumpled as an invisible hand grabbed her. ├óÔé¼┼ôI've won├óÔé¼┬Ø The target said ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't you understand! The weakling is gone!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy was thrown to the ground at her feet, pistol sent flying.

Lizzy tried to get up, but then there was a snap and she was thrown back to the ground, wincing in pain. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe next one will snap your spine├óÔé¼┬Ø The Target said, her voice deadly ├óÔé¼┼ôSo listen up mother├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy slammed her fist into the ground and pushed her self up. Then her hair was jerked back, almost tearing. The Target slid a blade out of her right arm, like she had before. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll start with you├óÔé¼┬Ø. She pressed the blade against Lizzy's bared throat. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't do it├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike snarled, trying to pull himself up and above the invisible hand.

The Target's eyes flashed, looking at Mike. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou'd chose this lying bitch over me?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI wasn't aware there was a fucking choice├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike gasped as the hand holding him up spasmed, cutting off his air flow for a few seconds. The Target let him go. Mike hit the ground, knee's buckling. He gasped and felt his neck. It would probably bruise and his burn scars were in severe pain. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø The Target said, pulling her arm back slightly ├óÔé¼┼ôThe famous Elizabeth Montoya dies├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike saw Sarge's eyes widen slightly as he heard the name.

Then the Target plunged her blade into Lizzy's neck.

Won't she survive losing her head? Transcendi and that?

Also: What happened to your one week haitus?

I never said one week.

Did I? I forgot. It was a one day hiatus. And I can compress an entire week into a single day, via my amazing time collapsing device. Also I played around with my idea some more and got it to work better, by a bit.

And you never know about anyone's survival! NEVER! Any one could die...at any moment!

Including me

Denial. Eve felt a fury battering at her mind, an anger she had never knew before. She remembered. She knew who Lizzy was, she knew who she was and she knew who the Other was. The Other was shocked, bowled over by the force of her mind. Then Eve was in control of her own body again. She reveled in the experience for a split second, feeling the wind on her skin, rather then feeling it second hand. Then she remembered what the Other had done. She jerked her arm out, leaving a nasty and large hole in Lizzy's throat and picked Mike up. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet some wraps!├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Mike was completely nonplussed. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Target is gone├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts just me├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Mike still looked completely blindsided. His face was white, eyes dilated in shock. Blood was pouring onto the ground from the rather large hole in Lizzy's neck. Eve, frustrated, ripped part of Mike's jacked off and pressed it onto the wound. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet a trauma kit├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôBitch!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge snarled ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the fuck is this?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike was scrabbling for his pistol. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, looking at him ├óÔé¼┼ôGet the trauma kit, or Lizzy will die, now. Here. On this floor├óÔé¼┬Ø. She was trying to stare at his eyes, but they were covered by his pistol.

├óÔé¼┼ôPlease├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, a single tear running down her nose. She was fond of Lizzy, but the idea that Mike and Sarge and the rest hated her was almost too much to bear. ├óÔé¼┼ôPlease├óÔé¼┬Ø she repeated. Mike slowly lowered the pistol. ├óÔé¼┼ôIf your lying├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, voice dripping with venom ├óÔé¼┼ôIt will take you ten days to die├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI deserve it├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. Mike dropped his gun and started to run. Eve looked back at Lizzy. Lizzy's eyes were filmed over and she was getting dreadfully pale. Even someone as loaded with implants, replacement organs and artificial bone tissue couldn't take that much blood loss easily.

├óÔé¼┼ôMother├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm so sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy probably couldn't hear, not after such an injury. But Eve felt that she understood. ├óÔé¼┼ôI hope that bastard├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge grimace, pulling his cigar out from behind his ear ├óÔé¼┼ôbrings two god damned trauma kits├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow many of those do we have?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked, still pressing the bandage into Lizzy's throat. ├óÔé¼┼ôEnough├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge gasped, falling back onto the ground. He also couldn't live much longer.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is going on?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo time├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI need a trauma kit. Lizzy's been injured├óÔé¼┬Ø. Helena started rummaging through the medical supplies. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about Sarge, is Sarge okay?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked. She had been doing her third cats cradle, but now it was lying on the floor, forgotten. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôTwo trauma kits!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe only have one├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said, pulling out the stretchy thing. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike was shocked. It made no sense to expect that a small police station, that was already stuffed with far more guns and ammo then Mike expected, would have an overabundance of high tech medical gear.

├óÔé¼┼ôWe only have one kit├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena repeated. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike muttered. For a split second his mind was stuck, running between the two options. Sarge is a base line human. Lizzy is a brain core. Lizzy is losing more blood. She needs it less. Sarge can put up a tourniquet. Lizzy would suffocate. Lizzy doesn't need as much air. Sarge can put up a tourniquet. These thoughts, and more like them, traced through his mind. But Mike was, and had been for twenty years, been a Marine. He was used to making fast decisions, based off whatever information he had.

├óÔé¼┼ôSarge gets the tourniquet├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôHelena, your with me├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do I do?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôMankowski├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôHot wire one of the police cars├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do I do?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked again. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know how to drive, right?├óÔé¼┬Ø he flashed a smile, somehow. Mankowski grabbed July's arm and pulled her out with him. Helena and Mike set off at a run. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo what happened├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Target├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôRipped Sarge's arms off, put a big hole through her throat├óÔé¼┬Ø then they were running out of the alleyway. Helena staggered to a stop, seeing the blood and the Target leaning over Lizzy, placing the makeshift bandage over her wound.

├óÔé¼┼ôAnd now she's helping us├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike finished his truncated summery. Sarge had tied up his arm, but the tourniquet was very base. Blood was still leaking out of it. Helena slapped on the trauma kit onto the shoulder and it immediately tightened around the shoulder stump, cutting off the blood flow. ├óÔé¼┼ôLizzy├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry. You can live a lot longer with a lot less blood then base lines humans├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy nodded slowly ├óÔé¼┼ôJust don't talk. Or move├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. Then he noticed something very odd. The Target was clutching Lizzy's hand, hard enough to keep it there, despite blood slicking down both of them. ├óÔé¼┼ôRemember├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôIf you do anything├óÔé¼┬Ø. The target wrenched her eyes away from Lizzy and looked at him ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI deserve it├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Mike felt disquiet at the expression in those eyes. It was self hatred, so complete that it would have pushed most people to suicide. Then he was distracted by the sound of a engine revving. Then the garage door that was next to the police station exploded outwards and a police car trundled into the streets. The two piece's of the garage door were completely bent aside. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet her on board├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said to Helena ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll get the feet├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø The Target said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll carry her├óÔé¼┬Ø she stood up and picked up the woman. Lizzy was small, but her body was crammed with implants, bone transplants, artificial lungs and a amour plated skull, putting her weight over two hundred pounds.

But the Target held her delicately, keeping her almost completely steady as she walked to the car. The Target laid Lizzy down with enough gentleness so that Lizzy barely moaned with discomforted. ├óÔé¼┼ôBefore we get in this car├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI want to know one thing├óÔé¼┬Ø. He looked straight at the Target ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is your name├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI was called Weapon One├óÔé¼┬Ø The Target said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut you can call me Eve├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike looked at Helena. Mankowski was leaning out of the passenger side of the door. He looked just as dumbstruck as the others. July stuck her head out of the window ├óÔé¼┼ôGet in!├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWe really need to be going!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then she saw every one else's expression. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked.

Mike remembered, in a flash.

├óÔé¼┼ôShe has a tattoo?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, looking over the picture. The face that smiled back was Caucasian in construction, black in coloring, and had a lurid pink tattoo running over her left eye. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Director Tabuchi said, smiling like a school boy. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo what else did the ship bring back?├óÔé¼┬Ø Simon cut in. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome with me├óÔé¼┬Ø Tabuchi said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll show you├óÔé¼┬Ø. They started to walk down the metallic halls of Hiroshima station. Then they got to an air lock.

Tabuchi opened the air lock and they stepped inside. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have the actual research station different from the living ring├óÔé¼┬Ø Tabuchi said as the air lock cycled ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have to go through an intermediary ring, so there are three more air lock's to go through├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhats in the middle ring?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôTen anti-matter bombs├óÔé¼┬Ø Tabuchi said. Simon gaped and Mike spluttered ├óÔé¼┼ôYour crazy!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Tabuchi said ├óÔé¼┼ôIf our...subject escaped the human race would be put in extreme danger├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you researching here?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked ├óÔé¼┼ôArmageddon?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAfter a fashion├óÔé¼┬Ø Tabuchi said.

The air lock finished its cycle and they walked about four feet into another air lock. Then another. Then a fourth. Then they were in the center ring, witch was rotating at point five G's. Tabuchi opened a door and led Mike and Simon in. The research alcove was a large half circle, with a huge window in one side. Mike, not sure what to make of it, walked up to the window. ├óÔé¼┼ôIs this what they brought back?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. The window looked in on a sphere, glass, and inside the sphere was a girl.

It looked like a girl, from what he could see. Not that he could see much. Her black hair was splayed around her head, but her arms and legs were strapped together by long straps, at least fourteen of them. The top of her head was visible, showing her forehead. And her eyes, which were staring fixedly a head. She didn't even bat an eyelash as Mike looked at her. It seemed as if she was in motion, with her hair spreading, but yet in complete stillness, like a fly caught in amber. Mike swallowed, anger beginning to build in his mind.

├óÔé¼┼ôThis is the containment facility├óÔé¼┬Ø Tabuchi said, walking up to Mike and clapping his hand on his shoulder. ├óÔé¼┼ôI never would have guessed├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, leaning back and away from the window. Tabuchi glowered at his sarcasm ├óÔé¼┼ô The inner sphere is a inertia amplifier. It'll stop a fucking star drive. It'll stop her├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike looked back at the sphere. Now that he stared intently he could see the faint implications of differing spheres inside of the outer one. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about the other├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, counting the spheres as well as he could ├óÔé¼┼ôthree spheres?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôEach one is a amplifier. If one fails, there are three others to stop her├óÔé¼┬Ø Tabuchi said. Simon was watching this little interplay with little interest, as if he already knew something. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat warrants theses measures? A twelve year old girl?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike snapped, turning around. The eyes of the girl was unnerving him. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe is not human!├óÔé¼┬Ø Tabuchi said ├óÔé¼┼ôShe would kill you as soon as thinking!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike was taken aback by that ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's...not human?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo!├óÔé¼┬Ø Tabuchi said ├óÔé¼┼ôshe is a completely different species!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Mike looked back at the girl. Her eyes had not changed in the slightest. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is she?├óÔé¼┬Ø Simon piped up, leaning against the far wall. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe is a species that evolves when environmental stimuli alter enough. She's the end product of a hostile galaxy, a near perfect being, capable of integrating and eliminating pretty much any opposition. She is not just a shape shifter, or just a telekinetic. She's both of them, and everything else├óÔé¼┬Ø Tabuchi said, his voice getting a bit quieter. He was no longer the rather rotund nice guy he had been. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Simon said ├óÔé¼┼ôHow do you use it without it killing you as well├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWe have been hard at work. She was adopted, for lack of a better words, by two human parents. Unfortunately they were...they died├óÔé¼┬Ø Tabuchi's eyes darted away swiftly at that. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou mean├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôThat the Corporation scumbags killed them. Shot them for their daughter!├óÔé¼┬Ø. He started walking for the door ├óÔé¼┼ôI think I see why a therapeutic mind wipe is included on the contract├óÔé¼┬Ø. He pressed the open button on the door, and it slid open. Then, just as soon, it slid shut. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the fuck?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked.

├óÔé¼┼ôBREACH! BREACH! BREACH!├óÔé¼┬Ø someone shouted, and an alarm went off. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the fuck is going on!├óÔé¼┬Ø Simon shouted. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know...this isn't even supposed to be possible!├óÔé¼┬Ø Tabuchi was almost hysterical, eyes dilated and sweat already beginning to run down his face. Mike turned around. The spheres, all four, were cracking. Then they imploded as one, glass shards contracting. Mike reached for a gun that had been removed by the security as he entered the place. ├óÔé¼┼ôEvacuate├óÔé¼┬Ø he found himself shouting, ├óÔé¼┼ôGet through the air locks!├óÔé¼┬Ø. People started to hurry, running for the air locks. Tabuchi and Simon stood alone, locked in horrified silence.

The twelve year old floated in a vacuum, hair suddenly moving with an invisible and impossible wind. Then the straps holding her down, blew apart as one. The straps writhed around the girl, moving like snakes. Then one of them shot forward, faster then Mike's eye could tack. It smashed into the window that held the room apart from space, and the window cracked visibly. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats...impossible├óÔé¼┬Ø Tabuchi moaned. Simon had opened the air lock, the cracks on the window galvanizing him, but Mike ran forward and grabbed Tabuchi. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe should be going!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said into the directors ear.

Then he was dragging the man back as another strap slammed into the window, spreading the fractures wider. The air lock jammed shut, a red and white door cutting off all view of the room. But Mike could imagine those impossible writhing of the straps as they battered down plate glass. Mike couldn't guess at the force animating those straps, but he knew that they scared the crap out of them. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do we do, what do we do!├óÔé¼┬Ø Simon was babbling. ├óÔé¼┼ôShut up├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike snapped. There was a loud smash on the other side and a hand shaped indentation appeared on their side of the door, hellish claws reaching for them. Tabuchi was white as a sheet ├óÔé¼┼ôShe cracked a stasis field strong enough to stop a dreadnought├óÔé¼┬Ø he moaned ├óÔé¼┼ôShe can rip this door off by its hinges├óÔé¼┬Ø. Another loud smash and the door was smashed again. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe doesn't seem to tear very well├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike commented, praying for the cycle to end. Then, mercifully, it did. But a split second before the outer door opened, the inner door was ripped off its hinges. A vacuum started to suck air, but Mike and Simon were already dashing out.

But Tabuchi had remained, looking at his right hand. Every finger had been sliced off, as neatly as if a surgeon had cut him with a laser. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt hurts├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, voice tinny in the depleting atmosphere, as if he couldn't believe that the universe could hurt like that. He took a single step forward, but then his chest deformed madly, ribs bending outwards, yet not cracking. He took another step, lungs bared in a welter of blood. Then his ribs gave into the pressure and snapped wetly, sending blood and bits of bone splattering. Mike's mouth was open in a silent grimace of horror, transfixed by the grotesque sight. Simon, for once, had more presence of mind. He kicked madly at the door shut button and the air lock clamped shut, cutting off the whistling of the vacuum drained air.

Then the door started to groan, as if something was tearing at it. Mike grabbed an intercom off the wall. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is Michal Dobson, I'm taking command of this station. Get everyone off this place now and detonate the A/M bombs in ten minutes, whether everyone else is off or not!├óÔé¼┬Ø. He slammed the phone down even as a sniveling woman on the other line said ├óÔé¼┼ôYes sir├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then Mike threw Simon, who was splattered with Tabuchi's blood, into the air lock. Then he closed the door and turned around. The air lock they had gone through was torn open, and the child stepped out, hair billowing in the wind. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey bitch!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike shouted and threw the intercom at her. The intercom went half way towards her face before it was sheered in half, and the sides flew past her head harmlessly.

Then Mike started running, the wind buffeting at his clothes. But it was not to great a pressure difference, between one earth norm and nothing. Not enough to blow him into space. But it made things difficult as he pushed against the air, trying to run down the side of the ring. He hoped to get to one of the yellow marked partitions, where a large bulkhead could be dropped to the floor. He just needed to distract the girl for ten minutes, and preferable get off the station alive. Then he stumbled forward, falling against a sudden lack of wind. He rolled onto his back, pushing away from the girl with his legs.

The Girl was standing beside the air lock, the door jammed back into place. She was untouched by the blood that had spilt from Tabuchi, the crimson liquid pooling around her feet rather then actually touching it. Mike started to push back, wanting to get behind the partition, but then. ├óÔé¼┼ôDaddy!├óÔé¼┬Ø the girl sobbed, falling to her knees and hugging him. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh daddy!├óÔé¼┬Ø she sobbed again, burying her face in his shirt. Mike sat there like a deer in the headlights.

yay!

Yay what?

I'll leave that for you to figure

Hmmm. Day bugs me to write darkside.

I wrote Darkside.

Day says 'Yay'.

Durrrrr.

Guessmyname also says 'Yay!'

Zoombie says: "Day says: ""Guessmyname says: Yay!"""

yay!

Ironicaly this story is about 3 forum pages long

Waste is about Seven forum page's long.

Waste is 79 pages long, in a word doc

Darkside: Extermination is 74 pages long in a word doc.



What?

wastes shouldv been longer

Pshaw!

Thrills, chills, spills and a girl who really needs to see a shrink.


The little girls arms were incredibly frail, but she was hugging him with all her might. Mike, who had never even thought of being a father, did what his dad had done when he was sad. He shushed softly and stroked the girls hair. That bought him time to think furiously, trying out his new mental hardware. It still jolted him that his parents idea of a twentieth birthday present was to shove implants in him. While he was asleep. Now he was beginning to realize that faster processing power gave him a lot of time.

├óÔé¼┼ôI knew you'd come, I just knew it├óÔé¼┬Ø The girl was saying. Mike snapped his attention back to her. His arm had kept stroking and his mouth had kept shushing. But now he stopped the shushing in listened. ├óÔé¼┼ôDid mommy come too?├óÔé¼┬Ø the girl asked, looking up. Her eyes were different, alive and dancing. Tears were running down his face, but from what Mike could tell they were tears of joy. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said softly ├óÔé¼┼ôMommy is here too├óÔé¼┬Ø. The girl shoved her head back into his shirt and started crying again. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm so happy├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI knew you'd come. I just knew it├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike slowly stood up, picking the girl up in his arms. She was so light, as if her bones were made of dust.

Then the air lock door opened and Simon ran in, armed with a rifle. Behind him were two other security guards. They stopped and aimed. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike! Get away from her!├óÔé¼┬Ø. The girl's back stiffened in Mike's arms, and he raised up one of his hands, shouting ├óÔé¼┼ôNo wait!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then one of the guards fell apart, half his head sliding off his skull, lower torso splitting in two. ├óÔé¼┼ôFIRE!├óÔé¼┬Ø Simon shouted. The remaining guard squeezed the trigger, but Mike could tell he was inexperienced and panicking, because almost everyone of his shots went wild. Simon aimed better, his controlled three round busts aimed straight for the girl.

The bullets stopped in aid and then fell to the ground. Mike was still holding the girl, shocked into stillness. ├óÔé¼┼ôShould I kill them daddy?├óÔé¼┬Ø the little girl asked. Mike, still trying to understand the girl's dementia. She thought that he was her father, that much was obvious. Then the second security guard fell forward, his face constricting madly as an invisible hand clenched shut on it. Then he skull crumpled under the strain and brains started to leak over the remnants of the man's face. Simon skipped backwards, firing more bullets. The girl tensed, as if readying to do something. ├óÔé¼┼ôStop!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike got his mouth to work.

Simon, amazingly, stopped. The girl relaxed slightly in his arms. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey were shooting at you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike wanted to drop this girl, this thing that could kill with a thought. But he forced himself to hold onto her, not wanting to betray anything. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're going home├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, looking at Simon. Simon tilted his head questioningly, his face practically saying ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the fuck├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike jerked his head to the air lock, trying to tell Simon to get out. Simon nodded slightly, and turned and ran. The air lock clamped shut.

Mike turned around and started to walk down the intermediary ring. ├óÔé¼┼ôDaddy├óÔé¼┬Ø the little girl said ├óÔé¼┼ôHow did you find me?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôI just never stopped looking├óÔé¼┬Ø He said. The girl closed her eyes and snuggled with him. Mike waited, standing as still as he could. Then the girl was asleep. Mike stood a second more and looked around for an intercom. There were none in his area, but after walking slowly, as to not disturb the girl, he quickly found another. He keyed into the same channel he had used before ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is Mike├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I have a mild problem here├óÔé¼┬Ø. The response was slow, but when it arrive it was Simon saying ├óÔé¼┼ôMike! Mike what are you doing!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôThats quite a story├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike slowly juggled the girl until he could hold her one handed. She was sleeping like a babe, probably completely spent after her vacuum trot and tearing apart a few doors. Mike's eye caught the pool of blood. Tearing apart a few people too. ├óÔé¼┼ôFor one├óÔé¼┬Ø Simon said, his voice fuzzy through the intercom line ├óÔé¼┼ôIs that girl really your daughter?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNO!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike yelped. The girl moved slightly in his arms, snuggling deeper ├óÔé¼┼ôBut she thinks I am. Why, I don't know├óÔé¼┬Ø. Simon sighed slowly ├óÔé¼┼ôThe A/M bombs are going to go off in three minutes├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut we can still turn them off├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike looked at the little girl in his arms. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll be there├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.

He gently laid the girl on the ground. She was still sleeping. Mike stood up and turned to the door. His fingers hovered over the button. Then he looked at the girl one last time. He knelt down, wondering why he was doing this. She was naked, curled in on her self. He knew what Tabuchi had said. She wasn't human. He had seen her kill three people. He reached forward and gently smoothed her hair down. Then he unbuttoned his over shirt and draped it over her shoulders. Then the girl's head slowly rotated to look at him. ├óÔé¼┼ôThank you daddy├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Mike stood, shoulders trembling slightly. Then he pulled the intercom off the wall and turned it on. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe girl is asleep├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI shot her├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou...you shot her?├óÔé¼┬Ø Simon asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, putting his best poker face on. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Simon said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll just turn off the A/M bombs├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll meet you soon├óÔé¼┬Ø

Mike gently knelt down and slowly picked up the girl. His over shirt was draped over the girl's shoulders, and protected her modesty. A little. Mike started to walk down the slope of the intermediary ring. From what little he knew of the place, he hoped he could find a shuttle port somewhere. He knew that this was insane, suicidal even. But he couldn't put the girl who thought that she was his daughter down. Something about her just made Mike unable to not help her. Then he got to a shuttle port. It was marked off by red and white lines surrounding a smallish air lock. Mike reached forward and found a opening latch. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike?├óÔé¼┬Ø Simon's voice bounced off the walls, piped in through the P.A ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you okay?├óÔé¼┬Ø

Mike blinked, knowing that he couldn't respond. So he just flipped the opening latch and the air lock opened, a latter sliding down to let him into the shuttle. He climbed up, a little awkwardly one handed, but he made it. ├óÔé¼┼ôDaddy?├óÔé¼┬Ø the girl was awake. ├óÔé¼┼ôBad men are coming├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, laying her in an acceleration couch ├óÔé¼┼ôSo you have to stay in here├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWill you be coming with me?├óÔé¼┬Ø the girl asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, smiling ├óÔé¼┼ôI have to stop the bad guys├óÔé¼┬Ø. The girl frowned slightly, looking away. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, running his hand through her hair ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll find you├óÔé¼┬Ø.

A white lie. Something to make someone feel better, something to help ease reality into something more palatable. Now it was coming to bite Mike in the ass. The mind wipe, and the reasons behind it, where obvious now. Now he wondered how the hell he could have been so incredibly stupid. Had he really been that naive, that short sighted. That easy to be won over by a pretty face. Then he looked down at the floor of the police car, at Lizzy's face. Yes, he was that easy to be won over by a pretty face. The car jolted and everyone inside was jerked around. Sarge gritted his teeth, trying not to bump his stump against anything. The trauma kit had sealed it off nicely, and he would have a nice, clean place for someone to attach an arm too.

├óÔé¼┼ôJuly!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike shouted through the window that separated the passenger cabin and the front seats ├óÔé¼┼ôDrive carefully!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can't!├óÔé¼┬Ø July's voice was dim through the window. July was sweating, driblets of it running down her forehead and nose. She whipped it away, driving one handed for a bit. The roads were destroyed, packed with rubble and very hard to navigate. But she was more worried by the people shooting at her. Mike heard the first ricochet off the car door, leaving a dent. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho's shooting at us?├óÔé¼┬Ø He asked. Lizzy gargled, looking even worse for wear. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can't drive├óÔé¼┬Ø July shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôWith people shooting!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can't aim├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski snapped back ├óÔé¼┼ôIn this kind of driving!├óÔé¼┬Ø

├óÔé¼┼ôTake the fucking wheel!├óÔé¼┬Ø July shouted. Mankowski leaned over and grabbed the wheel, and July stood up, leaning out of the door. The car careened slightly off course, smashing through some rubble. July almost fell out of the car, but then she stabilized and aimed. She fired once, twice. Then a enemy gunner fell out of his hiding place, hitting the ground with a wet thump. Some more people fired back, but the slow moving car was beyond their range. July clambered back into her seat and started to drive again. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou've been shot├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski pointed out.

July looked down at the spreading red stain on her stomach. ├óÔé¼┼ôoh├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôThere's the hospital├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then she slammed on the breaks, starting to feel the pain. The car didn't slow down quite fast enough and broke the plate glass front windows of the hospital. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said, helping July out of the car ├óÔé¼┼ôJuly's been shot├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSon of a bitch├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike muttered, looking at Helena. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou, Sarge, get Lizzy to the atoudoc. I'll help Mankowski get July to the other atoudoc. ├óÔé¼┼ôDoes this place even have an atoudoc?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôFive of them├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. She still looked like the Target, but her voice was Eve's familiar, friendly one. It was downright disturbing. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said and started to carry Lizzy.

The atoudocs, thankfully, had been built to be used even if the entire city had been nuked. So, after sliding a complaining Sarge, a comatose Lizzy and a very pained July, into the three atoudocs, Mike looked around. Helena could only use her left hand, he still didn't trust the Target, Mankowski was crippled by the bandages keeping his wounds closed. And Mike was not in so hot shape. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis hospital is not secure├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd according to the atoudoc is going to take six hours to patch up Lizzy, two for Sarge and ten minutes for July. So we'll have a sniper soon├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWell thats good at least├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo we secure this room. We have rations, right?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike looked at Mankowski. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have two weeks of rations├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo lets block off these doors, pool our guns and get ready to wait it out├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. Then they heard a skittering above them. It skittered to the left, then to the right. Then there was a thump, and the skittering stopped. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat was that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked. But Mike was already pulling out his scanner. ├óÔé¼┼ôThere is a light HEPE source above us├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. The skittering started again.

├óÔé¼┼ôIts them├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. Mike looked at her. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can...feel them├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôPut her under guard├óÔé¼┬Ø he said to Mankowski ├óÔé¼┼ôIf she mover's, shoot her. Twice├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can kill it!├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôRight now!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShut the fuck up├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike snapped ├óÔé¼┼ôJust get in the corner, and stop moving!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve opened her mouth, as if about to say something. But then she stepped away, to the corner of the room. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow lets block off those doors├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said to Helena. They both set to work.

The skittering started again, after about ten minutes. Mike had moved a table in front of one of the doors, and July and Mankowski together had managed to tip over a cabinet and slid it in front of the larger doors. Mike looked up, pulling out a pistol and aiming it up at the celling. July and Mankowski did likewise. The scene held for a few moments. Then the celling collapsed downwards and a S-02 fell into the room, rolling over the floor. It slid across the ground and slammed into the wall, causing the wall to cave in slightly, sending a pattern of cracks radiating outwards.

Then it rolled into the main floor, still spinning madly. It looked like a sphere of blackness, veined with deep blue, and four tentacles thrashed out of it periodically as it spun. ├óÔé¼┼ôFire!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike shouted, firing at it. His bullet tore a large chunk out of the creature, but before he could follow it up, it kept spinning and moving the injured area's out of his aim. Then a tentacle shot out of the thing and grabbed Mike's wrist. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh crap├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted, backing up. Surprisingly, he managed to jerk his hand out of the creatures grasp, and it stopped spinning, as if momentarily confused.

Then July shot it again, sending more black grit flying. Mankowski followed up with his own shot and Helena fired as well, but the creature leaped up and slammed back into the celling, breaking it some more. When it landed it had grown some legs, and started to run. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck this├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, picking up a chair and throwing it at the thing, hoping to get it to stop moving. Rather the creature grabbed the chair with it's tentacle and chucked it straight back at him. Mike ducked and the chair slammed into the wall behind him, shattering.

Eve was still sitting in the corner of the room. She saw the battle, and just sighed, her eyes looking up at the celling. Then she looked at the creature in the middle of the room and it stopped. Then it shrank down on itself, turning into a small sphere. Then it rolled out of the room, rolling up and through the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat happened?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI sent it away├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was simple enough├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike looked at her. She was sitting still, but her face was slowly shifting back to Eve's normal one. Her hair couldn't seem to sit still, it was constantly shifting slightly to the left or to the right. Mike pulled up a chair and sat down next to Eve.

├óÔé¼┼ôStart talking├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. The others were putting the room back together, but they stole glances at Mike and Eve. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere should I begin, the beginning or middle?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe begging├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts a long story├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike looked at the atoudoc counters ├óÔé¼┼ôFive hours and some odd minutes├óÔé¼┬Ø he looked back at Eve and put his gun on the table, a not so subtle reminder of Mike's prior threat. Eve breathed slowly, trying to marshal her thoughts under control. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt all started├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen the universe did├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Mike sat back ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose you weren't over exaggerating about the long story bit├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe first race to begging to prosper was the Creators ├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd those were the one's who needed to create the most. The universe was a hard place, bathed by young suns that put out far more radiation then those sun that do now. So they created a teraforming tool, a microbe that could alter worlds to be what the Creators needed it to be. And for a millennial they waited, waited for US to change their worlds. But we evolved, better then they expected├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Eve paused slightly, as if wondering what to say next ├óÔé¼┼ôThen, billions of years later, and I was born. I was not the first of my kind, not the first Third Stage. But I was the first Third Stage that was created by interbreeding with another species. The Third Stage that was made in your form, Prime, did something no Third Stage had done. She was accepted├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you mean?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked, his mind not quite grasping the scope of this spice's antiquity. It was hard for someone who hoped to live two, three hundred years to grasp millions and billions of years. ├óÔé¼┼ôThird Stage's are capable of controlling the force's that allow my species evolve. They can conform with other sentient creatures they have met. But Prime, my mother, was the first one who was accepted by the people around her├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôBy accepted you mean loved├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, smiling ├óÔé¼┼ôThird Stage's across this universe were either tyrants or orchestrated, pariahs and psychotics. Most race's are incredibly xenophobic. Its how they survive in a incalculably hostile universe├óÔé¼┬Ø. She looked away from Mike, looked out the window ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose its because you didn't evolve in the Galactic Core, where it takes weeks to get from start to star, rather then years. In that environment you have to be defensive├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôI never would have thought another race would describe humanity as benevolent├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Eve laughed ├óÔé¼┼ôMaybe Prime just got lucky and landed next to someone who could love someone like her. Or maybe humanity is actually worth six thousand years of evolution├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike heard some gun shots in the distance and a all to human scream. ├óÔé¼┼ôMaybe not├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôI was born├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve started her story again ├óÔé¼┼ôafter Prime's death├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike opened his mouth to say something, but Eve shook her head ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll explain├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôPrime had died. I still don't know why, but she had. But the autopsy on her found me. They took me out of her womb, placed me in a regenerative chamber and managed to resuscitate me├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôThats no mean feat, even with great med tech├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was a medical miracle├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôAided by the fact that I can't really die...at least not easily├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo you were raised by your father├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôMy father, Daniel. And his new lover, Elizabeth Montoya├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôSo Lizzy is really your step mother?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAfter a fashion├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey were never actually married, but they raised me. Until the kidnapping. It was night, and I was sleeping. Then I heard gun shots and a scream, then they were in my room├óÔé¼┬Ø she breathed, remembering something horrible ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I was carried away├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôHow old were you?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI was ten, at the time├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôThen there was Hiroshima. I don't remember that fucking place...but I remember my father was there. I know it was insane, but my father was there and he rescued me├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike felt cold, not sure what to say. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe must have found me, somehow├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôNo matter how hard it was for him├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe sounds like quite a fellow├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said softly.