Well, here is part 4 of Tangled Skeins, folks. This is even more
draft than part 3, and is subject to extreme revisions.
I'd also like to thank the following people who sent me C & C, and
various suggestions, as well as compliments:
Barry Cadwgan
Peter Schell
Jim Franks
Thomas Jefferys (aka Wyrm, and TIme Lord)
Mike Loader
Stanley Teriaca
Louis Philippe Giroux
Michael Maeng
The famous Kergma, the Chaotic Trickster
And a special thank you to Bert Van Vliet!
Twister wrote and/or rewrote several scenes in this. Have fun
trying to tell where I left off and he started!
As always, let me know what you think. If you want to flame it, go
ahead, as long as you tell me _why_ you are flaming it.
Thank you, and have fun reading.
==========================================================================
***********************************
The next morning...
Priss groaned and slowly opened her eyes. Had seeing...IT been just a
dream? The singer looked at the couch she was on and recognized it. Wait a
minute, I'm in Darlene's place! she realized. She looked to the kitchen when
noises from that locale caught her attention and there her mage friend
stood, regarding the surprised Priss with amusement.
"Good morning, sleepyhead," Darlene cheerfully greeted the blinking
woman, smiling impishly as she held a bowl containing breakfast.
"Faint...er, sleep well?" Priss recalled at that moment just WHY she had
fainted.
"You... You.... I ought to strip you naked, dip you in honey, and dangle
you by your feet at Leon's front door!!!" Priss declared ominously as she
slowly rose from the couch. "Where have you been?! Who...WHAT the hell WAS
that last night?!"
Darlene blithely continued making breakfast, totally ignoring Priss'
mood, much to the singer's rising ire. "That was Raj, or rather, Rajish
Perumal. I usually call him Grimreaper or Grim though. He's a friend that I
knew in my home universe before I originally left it, along with Dave but
you didn't see him. The 'Death' bit was something I made for Grim a long
time ago and we both get a kick out of it," she finished with a smirk at
Priss.
"I bet," Priss grumbled, giving the red-head the Evil Eye. "Are they here
now?"
"Well," Darlene said, tasting whatever was in the bowl, "they thought
they'd hang out in Mega-Tokyo on this little 'shore leave', party for a
while, then come back."
"Shore leave?? What'd ya mean by that??"
The mage looked a little abashed. "I... It took me a while before I
decided to visit here again. I wanted to look older and you know how long it
takes me to age. I got involved in a few things and... well..." She looked
at her friend with a little trepidation. "It's been almost four centuries
since I left."
Priss stared at her, then numbly sat on the couch as the fact sunk in.
"Four...?" She had to admit, the mage DID look older, a little over a year
more.
Darlene sighed at the expression on the singer's face. "I haven't really
changed too much, just a lot more memories in my head now." She giggled.
"Certainly you could tell by the joke we played on you."
That reminder made Priss scowl, and would have retorted but then they
heard a door downstairs open and excited voices could be heard. Darlene
grinned.
"I left a few messages around so that should be the others."
Indeed, Priss could hear Nene, Linna, Sylvie, Anri, and the more subdued
Sylia. Priss thought of something to ask the mage, "Hey, do you have
anything to do with this Goldeneyes character?" Darlene blinked and looked
at the singer in honest confusion.
"Who?"
* * *
"Minerva.. have I ever told you just how much I hate getting up in the
morning?"
The computer laughed. "Only once a day for the past twenty years, b'wana.
You simply aren't a morning person. Don't worry.. I fixed you an entire pot
full of Morning Thunder."
"You _are_ thoughtful, pretty lady." He yawned and stretched, heading for
the shower. "Nothing like a mix of black tea, chickory and mate' to start a
morning right. Unless it's Jamacan Blue Mountain coffee, eh?"
"Covered that too, boss. Breakfast has already been prepared, and it's on
the table. I thought you might need it, after last night." She made a
disapproving sound. "Along with some of your cuban cigars. Bleah. Boss, I
honestly believe you'd be better off smoking a piece of old roap."
"Some of those _taste_ like old rope, m'dear.. that's why I like 'em."
Minerva gagged. Loudly. "You have the most atrocious tastes, lover."
"Yep.. that's me. The man who grossed out an entire planet."
"Well, so far, so good, boss. No signs of Genom yet, the morning is clear
and bright, and all in all it looks like a pleasant day ahead. You don't
have any appointments for the day aside from your regular lunch with Sylvie
and Anri." She paused briefly, and Bach filled the break as she checked the
morning news. "Nothing about any accidents at Genom tower, boss. All's quiet
on the Western Front, so to speak."
Ed humphed. "Maybe Quincy learned a lessen from the previous times
someone's trashed his office. But I doubt it." He finished up his shower and
dressed, then turned towards the breakfast nook. "I'll head downstairs just
as soon as I finish breakfast." He paused. "Minerva..?"
"Yes?"
"Stay alert, baby. I don't know why.. but I have a bad feeling about
today."
"You're still edgy over last night, that's all."
"Maybe. And maybe not."
/*
** <more stuff>
*/
"bortaS bIr jablu'DI' reH QaQqu' nay'."
(Revenge is a dish best served cold.)
- tlhIngan proverb.
"Revenge.. is better than Christmas!"
- Elvira, the Mistress of the Dark
Ed looked to the door as a beautiful young woman entered. Something about
her seemed.. wrong, but he put that down to a case of nerves over his little
confrontation with Quincy the previous night.
"May I help you? Is there something in particular you're looking for,
Miss..?"
The blond shook her head. "I'm here on business, not pleasure. I have a
message for you, Mr. Edwards."
His brows drew together. "And the message is..?"
Long, humming, claw-like blades slid from her fingertips. "Genom doesn't
like it when little people refuse to accept their proper place in the
world."
"Their proper place in Genom's schemes, you mean." His lips thinned. "If
they programmed you with even the slightest bit of information about me,
you'd know that those little toys of yours can't even scratch an itch on my
back, you cheap-jack Terminator knock-off. So leave my place now, before I
decide to disassemble you for spare parts."
The razor doll smiled in a disturbing fashion. "Oh.. I know." She waved a
careless hand through the air, the claws effortlessly cutting gashes in a
walnut bookcase. "These are simply to get your attention, sir. So that we
might ask you one more time. Will you accept Genom's generous offer for your
services?"
"What? Do I have to tatoo it on Quincy's forehead? I said _no_. No books,
no teleportation. Nothing. Now leave this place."
The boomer nodded. "Mr. Quincy has your answer, sir. Now, here is his."
* * *
As Darlene and her guests chatted, a sudden explosion interrupted them.
Sylvie ran to a window, and saw smoke pouring from the shattered storefront
of the bookstore down the street.
"Oh my god! That's Ed's place! Someone call emergency services!" she
gasped.
Priss had been hot on Sylvie's heels, and looking out the window at the
devastation, shook her head. "Don't bother. It doesn't look like anyone made
it out alive. Looks like the entire lower floor is trashed. Need the fire
department, though." She put an arm over Sylvie's shoulder. "If it's any
comfort, he likely didn't feel anythin..." Her jaw dropped.
Sylia looked over from the phone. "What is it, Priss?"
"Hoooooly FUCK! There's someone coming out!"
Sure enough, when Nene and Linna poked their heads around her, they could
see a figure wearing smoldering clothes slowly picking it's way around some
of the larger chunks of rubble that filled the street directly in front of
the now ruined bookstore.
It turned it's face towards the sky, and in a voice that could have
shattered steel, the figure screamed, "QUINCY!!!"
* * *
As he stood in the middle of the street, watching the fire department put
out the blaze, Ed's temper flared hotter than the flames. The bomb inside
the razor doll had been most carefully calculated. Most of what had been
inside the buma had been a firebomb, intended for arson, not blasting. Aside
from the windows and furnishings, little had been damaged. The building was
still structurally sound, and he could rebuild any time he liked. But the
books had all gone up with the fire.
"I've been sent a message," he muttered. "A message from Genom." He felt
a hand on his shoulder, and turned to see Sylvie standing there.
"Are you all right, Ed?"
The muscles around his left eye twitched wildly. "No. I'm not all right,
Sylvie. Genom just pushed me. And now I'm going to push back." He gave her a
quick hug. "Looks like your friends are coming, and they'll ask questions I
can't answer. You take care, and take care of Anri. I'll try to be back." He
whirled, and ran off down the street before the other women arrived.
Sylia walked up, and frowned at the running figure in the distance.
"Why is he leaving, Sylvie?"
"I don't know. And I'm afraid I don't _want_ to know."
* * *
As he shimmered into visibility on the main transporter pad, Minerva saw
the grim expression he wore, and winced inside.
"Get the Enforcer ready, Minerva. Quincy is going to pay for this one. He
went too far with this. Now it's my turn."
"No, boss! Please! This isn't right!"
A snarl answered her. "I am _not_ concerned with what's right or wrong at
the moment, girl. It's payback time. Get. The. Enforcer. Ready. Do you
understand? Or will I have to use the override codes?"
She answered him reluctantly. "Aye, aye. I understand and will comply.
But.. boss?"
"_WHAT_?"
"It was your farewell gift from the Sommerset Strikers. Do you really
want to take it into this? You'd hate yourself if it was damaged." She
hesitated. "We still have several of the Chameleons.. and I can prep one of
those just as fast, if not faster."
He stood and stared for a moment, then nodded curtly. "A Chameleon, then.
Prep it. You have an hour."
* * *
He looked up at the 10 meter tall, 50 ton BattleMech lying prone on the
deck of the Calypso's cargo hold. A marvel of 31st century technology in its
native reality, where it served as the ultimate war machine.
A mirthless grin crossed his lips, failing to reach the cold rage in his
eyes. "Ready or not, Quincy.. here I come."
Popping the hatch, he stepped inside the cockpit that filled the head of
the anthropomorphic machine. Since the battlemech was lying on it's back,
everything was on its side. That didn't bother him. Strapping himself in the
pilot's seat, he began the start-up procedure.
Once the fusion engine had started, he slipped on the neuro-helmet and
put the battle computer on-line. He didn't bother with the medical monitors
nor the cooling vest. He didn't need either one, and he wasn't trying to
hide his differences from fellow mercs any longer.
He punched a button on the command console, and began the identification
sequence. A computer-generated voice sounded through the neuro-helmet's
speakers. "CLN-7X Chameleon 450376YM2232 online. Proceed with voice
identification."
"I am Edward Anthony Becerra."
"Voiceprint pattern match obtained. Working... Please give the password.
Warning: If an incorrect password is entered, intrusion countermeasures will
be taken. You have one opportunity."
His next words rang with unconscious irony. "Killing a man is never easy,
and never should be."
The computer responded with, "And who taught you this?"
"Kai Allard-Liao."
"Welcome aboard, Lieutenant Becerra. Note: There have been two authorized
modifications to this machine since it has last been used. The three small
torso-mounted lasers have been replaced with small pulse lasers and linked
with the anti-missile system. The large laser mounted on the right arm has
been replaced with an extended-range particle projection cannon."
As he listened to the machine make its report, his eyes drifted to the
coaming overhead, and the symbol painted there, am iron gauntlet
superimposed on a stylized, flaming sun. The symbol of the Federated
Commonwealth. Below it was stenciled a quote. "It's time to earn your
princely pay as a Mechwarrior." - Natasha Kerensky. *I wonder.. do they even
remember me?* Then he shook the memories from his mind and spoke up.
"Minerva, prepare to beam me to whatever open plaza is closest to Genom
tower."
He twitched slightly as he felt the transporter effect take hold. A brief
moment later, the Chameleon was standing in the middle of a large square,
with a crowd of terrified bystanders running away from him.
The HUD in his neuro-helmet stabilized, and suddenly popped up a map
display. Less than two kilometers from Genom tower, he noted. Aside from the
plaza surrounding the tower itself, the map didn't seem to have anything
closer. A few taps on the Optisight-12 battle computer, and a cursor traced
a bright red line from the target to his current location. He nodded,
satisfied.
"You attacked me in my own home, old man. Now I'm coming for you in
yours."
As he looked over the plaza, a ironic smile darted across his face. If he
was going into battle with Genom, he was going to do it _right_. He reached
over to an auxiliary console, and touched a hidden switch. The front panel
swung open to reveal a strictly non-regulation CD player tucked away among
the circuitry. A moment later, music filled the cockpit. As he turned back
to the controls, trumpets and drums played in the background. "Ride of the
Fire Mares" echoed in his ears.
The 'Mech began to slowly walk down the street, all sensors extended. Ed
wanted Quincy's head, but some tiny remnant of common decency kept him from
deliberately harming any civilians. He carefully stepped around and over the
automobiles and trucks, taking care to avoid damaging the street any more
than he could, given the immense weight of the war machine.
As he headed towards the tower, a threat display began bleeping quietly
at him. Something with military potential was on the other side of the
corner he was approaching, but the battle computer didn't recognize the
configuration.
*Stupid of me,* he thought. *All the threat profiles are set up for
weapons and vehicles from its native reality. Should have updated the
database, dammit.*
He cautiously rounded the corner, and was confronted by a hastily erected
barricade manned by members of the ADPolice. He zoomed the sensors, and
grimaced. "Figures."
"Halt and dismount from your mecha, in the name of the law," announced an
officer at the front of the barricade.
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Officer Bochinski. In fact, I'd appreciate
it if you and your men would kindly remove yourself from my path. I have a
bone to pick with Genom, and while I don't want to hurt any cops, I don't
intend to let the ADPolice interfere with me."
Bochinski looked startled, and peered at the mirrored canopy. Despite the
distortion caused by the loudspeakers, the voice sounded familiar. "It's
you, isn't it. The person from the bar. The mystery vigilante."
"Got it the first try, Officer. And thank you for not using that
_annoying_ nickname. Now, if you'd kindly step aside...?"
Bochinski shook his head. "I can't allow you to go any further. Please
dismount your mecha, and surrender yourself. Otherwise, we will be forced to
open fire." The other officers behind the barricade leveled anti-buma
weapons at the 'mech.
A arm swung up and rubbed back and forth under the cockpit, giving the
'mech the eerie appearance of a man pondering a difficult problem. "I aim to
get Quincy, Bochinski, and get him I will. But I understand duty. If you
must, then you must. Nothing personal, I know. So, to make it simple, go
ahead and open fire."
Bochinski gawked at him, but when the 'mech took a step forward, he gave
the order to fire.
When the smoke cleared, the ADPolice received a rude shock. Aside from a
few scorch marks and some slight dimples where grenades and rockets had
struck, no damage had been done to the machine.
"Ten tons of armor, Officer," said Ed from the cockpit. "And every ounce
of it a rhenium-tungsten-tantalum alloy that makes vanadium steel look like
cheap tin foil. You can keep trying, if you like, but it will take more than
the ADP has to stop this machine."
The Chameleon took another step forward, and a pair of pulse lasers
lashed out, burning away the wheels and engines on the vehicles used in the
blockade. "That's simply to keep you from following me. I really don't want
to hurt _anyone_, aside from Quincy. And if you want to try to keep people
safe, call ahead and have them evacuate Genom tower. Now. But leave Quincy
there." Then it carefully stepped over the barricade, and continued on.
As it left the roadblock behind, Bochinski watched it head towards Genom
tower. He threw up his hands. "You know.. I think Quincy just might have bit
off more than he expected to. This isn't going to be pretty." Then he
grabbed a mike and called it in.
* * *
At 65 kilometes per hour, it didn't take very long to reach the tower.
Most of the delay came from trying to avoid hundreds of panicked motorists.
Vengance or not, rush hour traffic in Mega-Tokyo remained the snarled-up
nightmare it had always been. Even a 10 meter tall war machine had trouble
picking its way around the cars jam-packed in the streets.
Entering the plaza around Genom, he noticed the array of combat model
boomers lined up before the tower. *Looks like he wants to do this the hard
way. Fine with me.*
A group of twenty BU-88 missile buma's opened fire simultaneously. The
smoke of their launch obscured the front of the tower. Ed turned control of
the torso-mounted pulse lasers over to the battle computer, under an
anti-missile program. Then he started in swinging.
BU-12's and a swarm of C-55's used the cover of the missile smoke to try
and rush him. One managed to leap up upon the left leg of the Chameleon, and
clawed it's way up to the cockpit. Swinging wildly, it tried to smash in the
canopy. Unfortunately for the buma, it was neither glass nor polycarbonate.
A large hand rose and mashed the C-55 against the thick Aluminum Oxy-Nitrate
that formed the Mech's canopy.
*Personal note,* thought an irreverent corner of his mind. *Install
windshield wipers.*
As he crushed, lasered, and otherwise destroyed the attacking boomers, he
began to grow suspisious. This was all too easy. Far too easy. It had to be
a distraction. So when the threat board signaled an aerial assault, he
actually felt relieved. The trap had been sprung. Until he got a close-up of
what was about to attack.
It wasn't hard to mistake them, even though he'd never actually seen them
before. Oh, there were the infrequent pictures of them he'd seen on the news
at night, and sometimes in the newspapers. And there was Bert Van Vliet's
description of the cursed things from his `Bubblegum Zone' stories. But that
wasn't quite the same as seeing them in person. The black and white
coloration of their external armor, along with the clawed extremeties, was
all the ID he needed.
Dobermans. Twelve of them.
*Judas Priest! Where the FUCK did Genom get _those_?!* Then he banished
the thought from his mind, and opened fire with the particle cannon on the
'Mech's right arm.
He got three of them with the first shot. The particle projection cannon,
an anti-mech weapon which had been designed to vaporize nearly a ton of
armor with a single shot, went through the Dobermans like a bullet through
jello. The remaining bumas, seeing the ease with which the PPC had reduced
their companions to slag, broke formation and attacked him from every
direction. They were moving too fast for him to hit again with the arm
mounted anti-battlemech weapons, and the pulse lasers in the torso were too
low powered to do much damage with a single shot.
"Damn! Fast little S.O.B.'s." He stopped for a moment, and the bumas took
the opportunity to charge him. Things started to get serious at that point.
Their claws, sharp as they were, couldn't do much more than gouge the
rhenium armor plate. But if they took it into their minds to go after the
canopy.. the ALON was tough, but it couldn't stand up very long against such
a concerted attack.
"No wonder the USSD uses them," he muttered. "The little buggers make
C-55's look like Robbie the Robot, combat-wise. They move faster than a
cheetah on crack! I can't kill what I can't _hit_!"
He slaved the twin 30mm chainguns to the battlecomputer, and quietly
thanked Minerva for filling the ammo bins with depleted uranium rounds.
Between those, and the pulse lasers, he got another two. The seven Dobermans
left closed with him, clinging to the 'mech and trying to dig their way
inside with their claws. Several frantic minutes of slapping later, he was
left with several small dents in his armor, and half a dozen crushed bumas.
A six-inch gash in his canopy attested to just how close one of them had
come to getting inside the cockpit.
The final one attemped a suicide dive straight at the head of the
Chameleon. It ran into the massed fire of four lasers, two chainguns, and
one particle projection cannon. It didn't just blow apart, it simply
_vanished_ in a fireball.
Then Ed turned and stepped the 'Mech over the wrecked bumas littering the
plaza, and across to the tower. Scanning it indicated a section that was
mostly structural steel, and he tapped on that gently, like a man knocking
on a door. The building rang like a bell.
"Yoo-Hoo! Can Quincy come out and play?! I'm in a hurry!"
"Quincy isn't here at the moment. Did you want to leave a message?" came
a voice from around his feet. Ed closed his eyes painfully. *Please. Not
now. A joke _that_ bad can come from only one person. And _him_ I REALLY
don't need at the moment.*
He shook his head, then opened his eyes and looked down. It wasn't the
day for his prayer to be answered. Standing there below were four hardsuits
of familiar design, along with a fifth of a type he'd never seen before, but
recognized instantly.
The entire plaza echoed to his next statement.
"Goddess, I _HATE_ my life. I _really_ do."
The mech turned slightly, facing the five armored figures. "Look. All I
want is Quincy and to remove Genom from the face of the earth. Can't you
just go away and let me have him? We'd _all_ be better off, and that's the
truth! Please?"
The white Saber stepped forward. "That's impossible, and I think you know
that as well as we do. While destroying Genom is a commendable idea, the
collateral damage that would result would cause irreparable harm to the
lives of millions of innocent people."
Ed shouted into the mike so loudly, it squawked, overloaded for a moment.
"I DON'T CARE!! CAN'T ANY OF YOU SEE THAT?" Then less violently, he
continued. "This is the second time that something of Genom's has stolen my
life. No more. It ends here." He killed the loudspeakers. {Minerva? The
Sabers have a private, encrypted com-link. Find it, break it, and put me
through to them. Now.}
A few seconds later, a display lit up on the comm console. {It's done,
boss. Maybe you can talk your way out of this?} She sounded hopeful.
{Only if I get to leave with Quincy.}
The hope in her voice died quickly. {Inshallah, boss. Inshallah.} she
replied in dull tones.
{I stopped believing in gods the day Largo attacked me in Utopia
Planetia, girl.}
He switched over to the comm console and tried the channel. "Am I correct
in thinking I'm addressing the Knight Sabers? As well as the Crystal Knight?
I certainly hope so, as I don't particularly care to blast the rest of the
conversation all over Mega-Tokyo, for the world to hear."
A slightly shocked Sylia answered him. "You are.. but _how_ did you
access this channel? It should be impossible."
"There is very little that's impossible for me, Sylia. And right now, I
WANT QUINCY. I'm going to get him. No matter _who_ stands in my way. Nothing
is going to stop me. Not the ADPolice, not you and your Sabers, and not
Twister."
There was a hiss of indrawn breath over the speakers, and a male voice
replied, "Twister? Who might that be?"
"No games, Darren. I know what you are, and where you're from. And I
won't let you stop me either."
Right about then, things got worse. Much worse.
At the base of the tower, a small contingent of bodyguards emerged,
surrounding a single man. One of the guards lifted a portable loudspeaker.
"I'm glad to see you here," said Quincy. "I was afraid you might not have
received the message. Are you willing to discuss arrangements to transfer
your data on teleportation technology to the Genom corporation?"
"When hell freezes over, you waste of skin!"
"A pity," Quincy sighed melodramaticly. He nodded to the Sabers. "Take
care of this problem for me, won't you? I'll speak with him again after
you've disarmed him. Be assured, you'll be well paid." He turned to leave,
and the left arm of the mech snapped up.
"Not this time, monster!!" Paired lasers fired, striking Quincy in the
back. The results surprised neither the Crystal Knight, nor the Knight
Sabers. Lying on the ground, smoking and damaged, stripped of the organic
skin that had camoflagued it, was an android. "Nooooooooo!"
"You didn't ..#SKRRT#.. expect me to be ..#BZZZT#.. that foolish, did
you, boy? #ZAKK# Perhaps my offer of ..#BRZZ#.. employment was ..#ZZZT#..
premature. You are rather.. imma..#SPZAK#.. immature, emotionally. We'll
meet again. After you have ..#BRZZT# outgrown these ridiculous ideas of
justice and fair play." Then the android exploded.
"DAMN YOU, QUINCY!!" This time he lashed out with the heavy weapons,
vaporizing the metal carcass, and the buma bodyguards along with it.
"That's the way you want it, FINE! I'm going to yank your company out of
Japan like a rotten tooth!"
/*
**
** Knight Sabers & Crystal Knight battle Ed at Genom Plaza
**
*/
Everyone froze as a synthetic voice began to loudly announce, "WARNING!
WARNING! FUSION REACTOR INTEGRITY COMPROMISED. FUSION CONTAINMENT AT 35% OF
NOMINAL AND DROPPING. MAGNETIC FUSION CONTAINMENT FAILURE IMMINENT. EVACUATE
AREA IMMEDIATELY. REPEAT, EVACUATE AREA IMMEDIATELY."
Inside the Chameleon, Ed swore as sirens howled and swept his eyes across
the status panel. Charcoal, knowing or not, had taken out most of the engine
shielding when he'd rammed the 'Mech. *NO! It's gonna blow, and there isn't
a damn thing I can do to stop it!*
{Boss! Punch out! Punch Out!}
{Not now, baby.. I'm busy. Talk to you later.} He shunted her frantic
pleas to the back of his mind as he desperately tried to dump the reactor
core. *Shit. Isn't gonna work. Damn dragon of Twister's couldn't have done
more damage if it tried. Core ejection system's off-line big time.*
"WARNING. WARNING. REACTOR BREACH IN 120 SECONDS."
*Fuck. Damper plates are jammed. Jump jets are dead, too. Gotta try..*
"WARNING. WARNING. REACTOR BREACH IN 90 SECONDS."
{Boss!!} Minerva wailed.
*Can't let this happen. Not again. No more innocent blood on my hands.*
"WARNING. WARNING. REACTOR BREACH IN 60 SECONDS."
{Can't leave this one, baby..} he muttered over the link. {Not this time.
Too many good people would fry. If I screw the pooch on this one, love, take
care of yourself. Promise me.}
{Nooooo! Punch out! Please!}
{Too late, baby. Promise me!}
She sobbed. {I.. promise.}
"WARNING. WARNING. REACTOR BREACH IN 30 SECONDS."
*I did it once before by accident.. Can I do it again by design? Guess
I'm gonna find out.*
He shut down the link, cutting Minerva off abruptly. *Don't want you to
suffer, baby. Here goes nothing..*
"WARNING. WARNING. REACTOR BREACH IN 10 SECONDS."
"This is probably going to leave a mark..."
"WARNING. WARNING. REACTOR BREACH IN 5 SECONDS."
"4...."
"3..."
"2.."
*I love you, Ailuro..*
"1."
There was a bright light...
* * *
Three minutes earlier...
"WARNING! WARNING! FUSION REACTOR INTEGRITY COMPROMISED. FUSION
CONTAINMENT AT 35% OF NOMINAL AND DROPPING. MAGNETIC FUSION CONTAINMENT
FAILURE IMMINENT. EVACUATE AREA IMMEDIATELY. REPEAT, EVACUATE AREA
IMMEDIATELY."
The Sabers and the Crystal Knight froze at the horrid words blaring from
the external speakers on the war machine facing them, and Priss flashed back
to another day, when she'd been faced with the price of Sylvie's life as the
cost of saving Mega-Tokyo from a 0.5 megaton neutron bomb.
"FUCK! What can we do now?!"
"WARNING. WARNING. REACTOR BREACH IN 120 SECONDS."
"It's not a bomb, this time.." said Sylia quietly. "Unless Edward can
stabilize his engine shielding, it will explode. There is nothing further we
can do."
"WARNING. WARNING. REACTOR BREACH IN 90 SECONDS."
Twister's voice interrupted. "But there might be something Darlene can
do, Saber Prime." He vanished, and brief seconds later, his place was taken
by Darlene. She began to chant under her breath, and a lambent purple circle
sprang up from the ground to enclose the damaged battlemech. "You'd better
bail.." she ground out. "I don't.. know if.. I can.. hold this.."
"WARNING. WARNING. REACTOR BREACH IN 60 SECONDS."
"Why?" asked Linna calmly. "How far could we possible get?"
The circle began to extend itself upward, slowly forming inward curving
walls. A dome began to take shape. *Too slow! Too slow!* was Darlene's
agonized thought. *I have to close it!*
"WARNING. WARNING. REACTOR BREACH IN 30 SECONDS."
She stopped listening to the countdown and poured all the energy she had
into closing the dome of purple light. She gave it everything she had. In
the end, to her vast surprise, she was almost successful.
* * *
"And with the power of conviction/There is no sacrifice."
- Pat Benetar, _Invincible_
The universe was bright light and bitter pain.
*Where am I? WHY am I*
-You are where you were once before.-
*I know you, don't I.*
-That you do, grandson.-
*Coyote?*
-I'm pleased that you remember me.-
*Hmmm. I thought I couldn't die. But if I'm here.. is this hell? And if
it is.. why's it so bloody bright? The pain fits, but I always had hell
figured for a dark and forbodding kind of place, you know? And you are the
_last_ being I'd expect to meet there.*
-This isn't hell, grandson. You tried to do something, and you took a
step beyond. Quite a _few_ steps beyond, actually. Now it's your choice.
You've come a very long way in a very short time, and this time you did it
by deliberate choice. You can stay here and learn, or you can return to your
previous course.-
*That would mean leaving my friends, wouldn't it? And more important,
leaving the people to Mega-Tokyo to suffer from my shameful behavior.*
-Yes, it would.-
*If I return, would I be able to stop the reactor from devastating the
city?*
-THAT would depend on how much courage and strength of will you bring to
the task, grandson.-
*Ayuh. Figures. In the final analysis, it isn't even a choice. Will we
meet again, Coyote?*
-We will. And ... -
*And what?*
-You do an old trickster proud, boy. Very proud indeed.-
*I do what I must, old one. And I do what I _am_. Sometime again...
grandfather.*
* * *
The Knigh Sabers could see the armor around the reactor in the center of
the Battlemech's chest melting away like ice on a hot summer sidewalk, as
Darlene's shielding spell rose above it. But before that shield had a chance
to close, the reactor failed.
The 'mech vaporized as a ball of brilliant, white-hot plasma swept out
from the magnetic fields that had held it constrained seconds ago. There was
no time for action, no time for thought. The five people and one dragon left
in the plaza stood their ground as the fireball expanded.
Then it stopped.
"What the _HELL_?!" goggled Priss. She couldn't believe what she was
seeing. A glowing ball of seething nuclear hellfire, hovering in mid-air,
that had stopped just short of the shimmering purple spell Darlene had cast.
A voice she could barely recognize as Linna's croaked, "I hope I'm insane,
because if I'm actually seeing what I _think_ I'm seeing, the world has gone
mad."
Sylia spoke up then. "None of us are mad. We're witnessing something to
which the rules of nature as we know them simply do not apply. I'd suggest
that you finish closing your spell, Darlene, and then.. then we wait."
"How.. how can you take this so calmly, Sylia?" got out Nene.
"There's no other way to take it, Nene. If that explosion hadn't suddenly
stopped in mid-air, we'd all be dead by now. With the possible exception of
Darlene, there is very little any of us can do to affect the outcome of
this. So we wait."
"For how long?"
The white armor didn't move. "For as long as need be, Priss. For as long
as it takes."
* * *
Nearly fifteen minutes has passed, and the tension was palpable. Then
Nene pointed something out. "Sylia? It's getting smaller!"
"Are you certain?"
"I am now. It's shrank by nearly ten centimeters in the past ten minutes.
And it's speeding up, as well. If it keeps up.. it should be visible to the
naked eyes in seconds... There!"
All eyes turned towards the fireball. Even through filters, it was
difficult to look at directly, but Nene was right. It _was_ beginning to
diminish appreciably. The rate of shrinkage was increasing.
Suddenly, it collapsed inward, and dwindled to less than two meters
across. Darlene cautiously began to move her spell walls closer to it, and
cast a second spell to cool the molten pavement this action revealed. Then
the globe dropped to the ground, burning a second, smaller crater in the
bare rock the initial blast had bared.
/*
** <more stuff>
*/
* * *
"She's alive! Alive!"
- The Bride of Frankenstein
Ed grimaced right after he re-materialized on the transporter pad,
smoking clothes and all. "That.. could've gone better," he muttered under
his breath while heading towards the living area of the ship. After his
impetuousness (it sounded better than sheer bloody-minded, mule-headed
stubbornness) he hoped the interference that prevented them from rotating
out of this universe had dissipated enough to leave.
Minerva heard him and also knew what had happened on the planet serenely
rotating below them, even through the clashing interference of some
downright WEIRD forces she was still trying to give parameters to. "That
could definitely be labelled as an understatement, boss," she commented
worriedly, more concerned with his mental state than with events below.
The suddenly-weary Ed sighed as he rubbed his face. All he wanted to do
now was collapse into a nice comfortable chair and relax; he'd clean the
soot off later. The door to his cabin whooshed open and he stomped into the
room.
"Well, it's about time," a merry, amused voice...chimed?...unexpectedly.
Ed's head shot up as his body stiffened, ready for some form of assault,
but the being casually relaxing in his chair with a ease that looked
disgustingly natural was a total surprise. Long, flowing purple hair,
gracefully pointed ears on an elegantly angular and beautiful face, and
violet clothing with a strange-looking upper torso armor all conspired to
give Ed the uninvited guest's name. Darlene's older elven form, Valanna! She
was flashing an enigmatic smile his way as she steeped her fingers over her
previously crossed legs.
{Minerva!}
His ship's ACI seemed flustered when she replied. {She just appeared,
boss! I can't tell if it was because she was hiding herself or she just
arrived!}
Ed noted Minerva sounded nervous, and she had a right to be since
Valanna's powers could very well tear her apart from the inside out. But why
weren't her eyes glowing? The elf's lips twitched upwards.
"Oh, I've been waiting a while, Minerva; sorry to upset you." Her smile
deepened at Ed's start; she'd heard! "And there is no need to be upset."
"No?" Ed replied warily. "Since when did you change your mind?"
"Mmm.... About a thousand years ago."
His mind went blank for a moment. "Hanh?"
She cocked her head coyly. "I may not like time travel much, but as I'm
immune to paradox it has it's uses at times."
{Boss, is it just me or is this getting too strange for words?}
{Unfortunately, it's just not you, pretty lady} Ed replied as he stared
at the amused elf. He rubbed his temples with his fingertips, trying
desperately to prevent the headache he could feel coming on. Time travel. He
repressed a tingle of anger at the thought of yet another possible conflict.
"So," he finally said out loud since she could hear him either way, "you're
an... older version of Twister?"
"Very good," Valanna complemented, clapping her hands mockingly with a
twinkle in her eyes. Despite the sarcastic gesture it didn't anger Ed the
way it should've. It seemed... oddly right for her. "Much, much older,
actually," she added, placing her hands down on her legs as she looked
directly at him, "and much, much stronger."
*Oh shit...* Ed didn't care to wonder how much that meant, but it was a
good bet it wouldn't be wise to piss this elf off, mostly for Minerva's sake
and the ship's. "So why ARE you here?" he asked her cautiously.
"To aid you by offering a few choices," she stated and started ticking
them off with her long, slender fingers. "One, do not accept my help; two,
shorten your journey in a more useful way; or three, go straight home. Which
do you want?"
He blinked, then swallowed as the elf watched him. "Wh-what?" he
stammered. Was she telling the truth? COULD she send him home??
{Boss...} There was nervousness in Minerva's voice, but Ed ignored her as
he stepped towards the curious Valanna.
"CAN you send me home?" he demanded.
"Oh, yes," the purple-eyed elf agreed, "I can send you home...." she
paused significantly, "if you so desire."
"And why shouldn't I?" he asked, suddenly suspicious as her reply had
been layered with something he felt was labelled 'Road Hazard Ahead'. In
huge flashing day-glow letters. Ten meters tall. He was surprised when the
elf smoothly rose from her seat and walked over to face him directly. There
was something about her that she had to a lesser degree in her 'present'
self that gave him an uneasy feeling, yet faintly exciting. It was like
wanting to whoop for joy and throw up at the same time.
"You know you have enemies, Legion," she said plainly, losing her smile.
"Do I have to tell you what might happen if you went home, totally
unprepared for what they may throw at you?" Valanna nodded sympathetically
as Ed's face fell. "I see I don't."
His fists tightened in helpless rage at his sides; he could guess only
too well and he wanted to howl in fury. There was an opportunity to go home,
NOW, and yet he knew that he couldn't. It was so frustrating! Maddening!
{I think she's right, b'wana,} Minerva added reluctantly.
{I KNOW that!} Ed snarled through the link. He was so focused with his
internal torment that the kiss from Valanna came as a complete surprise. His
eyes widened as he felt a tingling sensation pass through him from scalp to
toes.
Whaaaa???
{HEY!!!} Minerva protested heatedly as the smiling elf broke off the kiss
and drew back from the confused Ed. Wasn't Twister's female self afraid of
that sort of contact with the opposite sex?
"I thought... you didn't like that?"
Valanna twirled with a little laugh. "Things change. I AM change.
Besides, you needed it," she said with certainly. The elf shook her head.
"You can't dwell on what you can't do, Legion, or you won't do anything.
What you DO need to do is LEARN," she told him firmly. "Find out what you
can do as you journey so you can defend yourself and your home when you DO
return."
"So... what did you mean when you listed choice number two?"
"Let's shift first; the interference is gone. Minerva?"
{I'm not taking any orders from an... an off-color Tolkien reject!}
Ed sighed; his ACI was still peeved from the kiss and Valanna's smirk
told her she knew it as well. {Minerva...}
{Oh, all right,} she grumbled. {Shifting.} There was a pause, then she
reported, {We've arrived at a dead world.}
Valanna didn't waste time. "What I would do is this; you would no longer
shift purely by random but each world you come to will hold a key or lesson
you must learn in order to control your powers. It will cut down your travel
time by going blind by at least half what you would originally have taken,
even if you do visit each world." She fixed him with her purple eyes. "It is
the best course for you, but it is all up to you to decide."
Ed grimaced. "Is it a choice?"
"Yes."
{B'wana?} Minerva asked quietly after he had remained silent for a few
minutes. He heaved a sigh.
{Not much of a choice, baby. Hobson's choice, in fact.} "I can't take the
chance of leading them to my home and leave it undefended." Ed looked at the
waiting elf. "I accept."
Valanna nodded and smiled. From out of nowhere she pulled out a ornate,
multi-colored staff about five feet long and glowing with power. Then she
unexpectedly slammed it, to Ed's alarm, into the floor.
{GAH! BOSS!!} Minerva shrieked in panic.
The whole ship shuddered from the magic-charged impact and when the light
around the pole dimmed he saw a good foot of the staff was merged with the
floor, leaving the rest of the object to stand in the middle of the room.
The elf smiled at the rattled Ed. "It is done. The next rotation will
begin your training and your shorter path home."
{A twisted path no doubt...} the ACI muttered.
Hesitantly, not sure to be grateful just yet, Ed extended his hand.
"I'm... sorry our first meeting wasn't what I had hoped," he apologized,
"and I'm glad our second was more friendly."
{A little TOO friendly...}
{Minerva!} he chided. {What on earth's bugging you?! You've never acted
this way before when I've flirted!}
His ACI was silent for a moment before reluctantly answering him. {She's
more like you than the others, I suppose. Unique, powerful, odder than last
year's leftovers...}
{I get the message, pretty lady.}
"Don't worry, Minerva," Valanna assured the ACI as she playfully waved Ed
to sit in his chair, which he did to his relief. "I've done what I came to
do and I'll be going now."
"Thank you, Valanna," Ed told her with rising spirits.
"It was not a problem," she assured him, then snapped her fingers as if
she had just remembered something. "Oh, yes! I almost forgot my second
surprise!"
Ed blinked at her, confused. "Forgot what?"
<< Weird Science, Oingo Boingo >>
Valanna winked playfully, eyes flashing purple light, and the next thing
Ed knew there was something soft, warm, pink, shapely, female, nude, and
very, very surprised to be sitting on his lap. What's more, to his startled
disbelief, Ed recognized whom it was.
"MINERVA?!?!?"
The familiar face of his ACI was indeed on the confused and terrified
human female, who seemed to be in understandable shock. "Boss!!" she cried
in her panic, realizing that the impossible had just occurred. "What...?!?!"
Minerva gaped down at her naked human body before recovering enough of her
wits to cover herself with her hands and arms, blushing furiously.
Ed was in a state of shock. {Minerva??}
{Boss!!} came the surprising and terrified response from his link. {I'm
HUMAN! But I'm still HERE! I'm in...} Astonishingly, the Minerva on his lap
spoke out to finish the sentence, "... TWO places at the SAME time!"
They stared wordlessly at each other for a moment. Then Valanna, who had
silently walked up to them, twisted her head towards the grinning elf and
kissed her deeply for a few seconds before pulling away.
"Ha... haba.... Wha.... This..." Minerva was totally rocked to her core
by what was happening, with Ed not much better off.
"Magic is the spice of life, is it not?" Valanna laughed, a merry,
faintly wild sound that had both staring at her. "She can survive as either!
Have fun, kids!!!" She quickly vanished with a swirl of her cape, the
gleeful laughter remaining in the air seconds after she left.
Leaving a speechless Ed with a naked woman, who was also his ship's
guiding computer intelligence, on his lap. Minerva shifted on his legs,
unused to and uncomfortable in a human body purely hers.
"So... what NOW, b'wana?" she finally asked him.
"Uhhhh...."
She sighed. "That's what I thought."
* * *
At Darlene's place, Sylvie was trying to explain to Sylia _why_ she
hadn't told the Sabers about Edward until now. Sylia, Nene, Linna, and
Darlene took it surprisingly well. Priss was another matter entirely.
"YOU KNEW?? You KNEW he was the vigilante and you didn't tell me?!" she
shouted. "I _told_ you I wanted to get back for what he did to me! Why
didn't you let me know?"
Surprisingly, it was Anri who defused Priss' temper. "We didn't tell you
for the same reason we don't tell our other friends that you are a Knight
Saber.
Priss was taken aback. "Huh? I don't .."
"You trust us to keep your secrets, Priss. And we have. Edward trusted us
to do the same. And we did."
"But it's not the same! It's.. ahh.. uhm.." Priss flushed a deep red.
"It's just different," she ground out.
"If we can't be trusted to keep one secret, we can't be trusted to keep
_any_ secrets, Priss," Anri said quietly. "Trust is an all or nothing
situation."
Darlene put a hand on Priss' shoulder. "Priss, I'm angry too, but Anri is
right. It _is_ a matter of trust. He trusted them to keep his secret, even
from their own friends. Just as you trust them. They can't break that trust
simply because you might find it convenient."
"OOOOH... DAMN! I'm going to go riding." With that, she stomped out.
Sylia watched her go, then turned to the sexaroids. "She'll get over it.
You were right, and she knows it. But her pride won't let her admit to it
right now. She'll come back, after she works it out." Her eyes narrowed.
"Now.. as trust and secrecy are no longer an issue here, I need you to tell
me all that you know about Mr. Edwards."
"Mr. Becerra, actually," said Anri sadly. "That was his real name. I'd
better get us all something to drink. It's a long story."
The Sabers nodded, and everyone took a seat, while Anri went for some
refreshments.
* * *
Minerva had left to cloth herself. Ed, on the other hand, had a death
grip around the neck of a bottle of single-malt scotch, and nothing short of
total obliteration was going to make him let go.
T'was a pity he couldn't get drunk, anymore.
*What do I do now? I've royally screwed up things in Mega-Tokyo, Minerva
is flesh and blood now, and it's very likely that Darlene wants my head on a
plate. Although, as fights go, that would be an.. _interesting_ one, to say
the least.* he thought. *We _both_ possess nearly unlimited power. However,
both psionically and magically, Twister is oriented for offence. My
abilities seem more defensive in nature.*
A pair of warm hands caressed his shoulders, rubbing the tension away.
"Thinking black thoughts again, love?"
"Just.. musing, pretty lady." He set the bottle down. "More important,
how are _you_ holding up? This has to be as much a shock for you as my
accident was for me!"
She smiled, the joy in her face lighting up the room. "It's _very_
strange, but it's also very wonderful, b'wana. I just tried my first drink
of water! Now I understand the human obsession with taste. I want to try
everything!"
He smiled and hugged her. "I understand, love. It must be very different
from using the holo-emitters to simulate a solid form." He took one of her
hands in his and marveled over the warm flesh. "But there are things we have
to see to, first."
She blinked at him, worried. "You're not planning on anything stupid, are
you?"
"I made a mess there, love. Now I have to clean that mess up. We already
_have_ the co-ordinates for Twister's version of Bubblegum Crisis. We're
going back."
"Lover.. you are just too noble for words."
He laughed. "Noble? More like too terminally stupid, Minerva."
She kissed him on the nose. "Noble is as noble does, boss. A stupid
person would simply skip out on this. Which you are _not_." She laughed, as
he blushed, and her face twisted in concentration. "We'll be ready to rotate
in just a few minutes, b'wana."
"Thank you, pretty lady." He began to change, removing the ruined
clothing he'd worn in the 'Mech. "If I'm going to do this, I might as well
look presentable."
Minerva's eyes went wide. "Boss? There's something distinctly odd,
here..."
"So what _else_ is new?" He rolled his eyes. "What is it _this_ time?"
"The co-ordinates..? They've already been set, b'wana. And I didn't do
it."
They both glanced uneasily at the staff embedded in the floor. Ed finally
shrugged. "I guess Valanna has me figured out already. Or else there's a
lesson still waiting for me to learn, back there." He slipped into a fresh
shirt. "No use fighting the inevitable, girl. And no sense in it, either. Go
ahead and rotate."
"Right, love. Rotating..."
* * *
The fire trucks and police vehicles had left some hours ago, most of the
sidewalk gawkers had long since gone home. So there was no one present to
witness the sudden shaft of light that appeared inside the gutted first
floor of `Rare Books'. When it faded, Ed took a look around, seeing the
water and foam soaked ruins. He clenched a fist, suddenly furious.
*Quincy won, damn him. He won this round.*
{Don't go there, boss. It'll just make you crazy again. Please.}
He nodded. {I won't, pretty lady. But somewhere, somewhen.. Quincy is
going to get his. As you've said before.. I've got eternity on my side. I
can afford to wait. Quincy's going to learn that, to his regret.}
He slowly made his way around the burnt remains of books lying on the
floor, and made his way to the door. Ducking under the yellow crime scene
tape, he stepped out into the street.
{Baby? If I can manage to pull this off without the Sabers trying to tear
my head off, I want you to see if there's a range limit to what Valanna's
given you. If there isn't... then I'd like you to come down and join us.}
He felt a warm smile inside his head. {Thank you, boss.} Then he squared
his shoulders, screwed up his courage, and started down the block to
`Flights of Fantasy'.
* * *
As Darlene and the Sabers absorbed the tale Sylvie told them, there came
a knock at the door dowmstairs. Anri stood and went to answer it. When she
looked through the peephole, she got a shock. She quickly unlocked the door
and threw it wide.
"ARE YOU CRAZY?! You can't come back here! _They're_ here right now.. and
so is _she_! It isn't safe for you!"
"I didn't have a choice," replied Ed. "When I got to my ship, there was
someone waiting for me, Anri. An elf."
She looked at this face. He didn't _look_ like he was joking. "Valann.."
"SHHHH! Don't say that name!" He clapped a hand over her mouth. "Look,
there's something I _have_ to do, and if that means I have to let Darlene
& Company beat the crap out of me.. well.. then I _have_ to. It's out of my
hands, now. I think it's even out of the hands of the gods." He pulled his
hand away. "But there _IS_ something we can do to try and keep the shooting
from getting started in the first place. IF you're game."
"I'll do anything I can to help you, Ed. You know that."
He nodded. "Thank you." He reached under his coat and brought out a pair
of items. He kept the first, and handed the second to her. "Get the idea?"
She shook her head. "You _did_ warn us you had a warped sense of humor.
Do you really think they'll buy this?"
"Maybe not.. but at least they won't shoot first. It'll buy me a few
seconds of time.. and that may be all that I'll need." He looked at her
pleadingly. "I _have_ to do this, Anri. Please."
"All right. But this has to be one of the looniest ideas I've ever heard
of." She nodded slowly, and he snapped the handcuffs around his own wrists.
Then they both started up the stairs, Anri carefully backing up them,
holding a pistol on Ed.
/*
** <more stuff>
*/
Sylvie passed by the bedroom door where they'd put Ed up for the night.
He'd protested, saying that it would be much simpler for him to return to
his cabin aboard the Calypso, but Sylia and Twister insisted that he remain
in Mega-Tokyo for the nonce. She could hear him tossing and turning rather
violently in the bed, and she started for the door when she heard a faint
humming noise. A sparkling light shimmered on the wall opposite the open
door, and Sylvie quietly crept to the bedroom door to see what was
happening.
As she looked in the room, she noticed the beautiful black-haired woman
she'd been introduced to earlier. *Minerva. That's her name.* She still was
amazed at the idea that Valanna had simply.. _created_ a living body from
thin air. Then she noticed that Ed seemed to be in the grip of a nightmare.
She watched as Minerva approached the bed. Her sensitive ears could hear
him muttering a name repeatedly in his sleep. It sounded like Ailuro. She
didn't _like_ to eavesdrop but this seemed important.
"Don't.. Aili.. please don't leave me.. don't leave me.. not again.."
The computer turned flesh sat on the edge of the bed and stroked his
forehead gently, brushing the hair from his eyes. "I'm here, baby. Aili's
here," she whispered. "I won't leave you. I'll never leave you again. I
promise."
He didn't wake, but his breathing calmed, and his violent motions slowed,
then stopped. Sylvie blushed and turned to go, embarrassed to intrude on
such a private moment, when she heard Minerva start to quietly sing.
"Dream... dream, dream dream.., Dream... dream, dream dream..
When I want you in my arms, When I want you and all your charms,
Whenever I want you, all I have to do is
dream... dream, dream dream.
When I feel blue in the night, and I need you to hold me tight,
Whenever I want you, all I have to do is
dream... dream, dream dream.
I can make you mine, taste your lips of wine, any time, night or day
Only trouble is, Gee whiz, I'm dreaming my life away.
I need you so that I could die, I love you so, and that is why
Whenever I want you, all I have to do, is
dream... dream, dream dream.
I can make you mine, taste your lips of wine, any time, night or day
Only trouble is, Gee whiz, I'm dreaming my life away.
I need you so that I could die, I love you so, and that is why
Whenever I want you, all I have to do, is
dream... dream, dream dream.
Dream... dream, dream dream, Dream... dream, dream dream..
Dream... dream, dream dream.."
Ed let out a tiny sigh, and relaxed. Minerva looked down at him and
whispered, "I'll never leave you, lover. I'll always be here for you.
Forever." She brushed the hair from his forehead one more time, then
carefully rose from the edge of the bed, and left the room. Still wondering
at what she'd witnessed, Sylvie failed to notice her exit, and the two women
bumped into each other in the hallway.
"Oh!" exclaimed Minerva. "I'm sorry. I'm still unused to having a human
body. I'm a little.. clumsy yet." Then her eyebrows drew together. "Why are
you here? Were you watching us?"
Sylvie nodded towards the bedroom. "I heard Ed. He was having a
nightmare." She blushed slightly. "Does he know you love him?"
Minerva nodded slowly. "Yes. And I know his heart belongs to someone
else." She looked away. "But.. she made him happy, Sylvie. I can't hate her.
Not when his memories of her are what keeps him going when everything else
fails him. Sometimes.. sometimes that's all he has left. Just his memories.
I can't take those away from him, Sylvie."
Sylvie watched as a tear slowly started down the person's? computer's?
cheek. "What you need is some hot chocolate and a sympathetic ear, girl."
She took Minerva by the hand. "I have the ear, and there's plenty of the
former in the kitchen. Let's go."
/*
** <more stuff>
*/
/*
** <more stuff>
*/
"In my life I've seen the mystery begin/And in my time I've felt some
wonderful things/Winds will change bringing us something new/So little
time still there's so much we can do..."
- 'Find The Key To Your Life', "TMNT2"