"Enough,"
Nirix spoke, no emotion was written upon her face, a mask hid them from any view. Snow-white tresses damp and bathroom robe hung loosely upon her frame, it was obvious that she had been in a hurry. But for what? All that mattered was that she had made it out in time and before Arthur had laid a finger on Ketin.
Ketin, who hated her. Ketin, who was done with any involvement with her. Ketin, who Nirix had affectionately given a nickname to, who earned her trust nearly quicker than most. Ketin, who...
"Arthur, just leave Ketin alone," Nirix answered, voice usually cold. It was odd, the way she had said is name. There was no emotion when his name rolled off her tongue. No affection nickname or even a hint of emotional attachment to his name. He was just Ketin now. As it should be.
But that wasn't right. Nirix didn't want him to be just Ketin. It hurt her deeply to even think of him that way, it hurt just trying to keep back the tears. Though Nirix had been doing this for at least a century, hiding her emotions was a skill she had perfected and she would use it.
"Allow him to rest, the days have been long for him no doubt" She reasoned, lips forming in a line of a smile that held no warmth. Her heart was cold once again, locked away for now. The Eoclu would have to reforge her heart, strengthen it back to where it had once been. No more emotions, not right now at least. Her heart was shattered but she could do nothing about it.
Nirix spoke, no emotion was written upon her face, a mask hid them from any view. Snow-white tresses damp and bathroom robe hung loosely upon her frame, it was obvious that she had been in a hurry. But for what? All that mattered was that she had made it out in time and before Arthur had laid a finger on Ketin.
Ketin, who hated her. Ketin, who was done with any involvement with her. Ketin, who Nirix had affectionately given a nickname to, who earned her trust nearly quicker than most. Ketin, who...
"Arthur, just leave Ketin alone," Nirix answered, voice usually cold. It was odd, the way she had said is name. There was no emotion when his name rolled off her tongue. No affection nickname or even a hint of emotional attachment to his name. He was just Ketin now. As it should be.
But that wasn't right. Nirix didn't want him to be just Ketin. It hurt her deeply to even think of him that way, it hurt just trying to keep back the tears. Though Nirix had been doing this for at least a century, hiding her emotions was a skill she had perfected and she would use it.
"Allow him to rest, the days have been long for him no doubt" She reasoned, lips forming in a line of a smile that held no warmth. Her heart was cold once again, locked away for now. The Eoclu would have to reforge her heart, strengthen it back to where it had once been. No more emotions, not right now at least. Her heart was shattered but she could do nothing about it.
Before he had a chance to react, Ketin found himself being slammed against the wall and helplessly pinned there. Eyes widened slightly to look into that menacing crimson light, but it was clear that a sudden, distinct sense of absence had fallen over him. Not to be mistaken for resilience, eyes seemed to stare blankly through Arthur and his face lost all expression.
But however much it seemed that he was not paying attention, the boy was in fact listening.
Arthur had so much to say, and in his head Kete had a reply for most of it – but obviously there would be no chance for him to retort, and did he really want to anyway?
Admittedly, a pool of resentment toward the robot’s actions had sprung up in Kete’s gut…Even if the dominant trait was consistently a total, miserable apathy.
He wanted to insist that he had never asked for help, that he had survived so long merely by chance and through a blatant disregard for his own existence, that even though his three-and-a-half centuries of life were nothing compared to the higher powers they still failed to understand the nature of the human brain. (Kete was indeed not ‘human’, but half-breeds were a sub-division of human and ‘human’ enough to be lumped in with them for philosophical purposes) and the concept of ‘timesense’ in beings that were not meant to be made immortal. He wanted to explain that he had never claimed to be anything but incompetent.
He stared blankly through the spiel and when he was least expecting it came a vicious strike, metal fist combined with a tazer-like shock that rippled sickeningly through his body. It knocked the wind out of him and it took seconds for him to gasp and regain it….
Or, that was what had been about to happen.
It was Nirix’s voice, icy and surprisingly intense, even for her, that halted Arthur before he could strike Kete.
She had saved him from that, at least – but it seemed that he intended to test not only Arthur’s patience, but hers as well.
He laughed.
It was a tiny, hopeless wheeze more than anything – yet still distinctly a laugh. After all that, the intolerable little **** was going to laugh in his face? Apparently one of Ketin Clarke’s greatest talents was being thoroughly insufferable and infuriating…And he seemed to take some kind of detached delight in it.
”Y’sure know a lot about th’human brain for an oversized talking toaster.” he spat at last, giving Arthur an enraging, obnoxiously provoking little smirk. He had been faced with a potential opportunity to get out of this mess, and yet he had intentionally thrown himself back into it.
“I wish someone programmed my head. Then I’d have all the answers.” Again, his words were arrogant, spoken hoarsely and through great exertion but still positively dripping with vehemence that was entirely unwarranted.
Where had all this come from? It was unlike him to say the least, yet here he was, being an absolute arrogant jackass in the face of overwhelming peril.
Then, after allowing his words to sink in for a time, he added in a louder, more grating and outright taunting spat “C’mon HAL, teach me a lesson, huh? C’mon!!” He lifted an arm weakly to make a challenging, beckoning motion with his fingers.
”Well? What th’**** y’waitin’ for!? Every word y’just said went in one and out th’other big guy, so let’s have it!” And if by this point Arthur had not taken to continuing his assault, Kete would actually initiate the first strike, lunging forward with a clumsy, uncoordinated and absolutely, positively futile fist which would probably make contact, but obviously do nothing whatsoever. Was he that stupid? That far-gone in the head? He had never been known to make rational decisions but none of this was adding up. The disturbing, overwhelming sense of static that had been present with his furious outburst in Glades’ office was not present now – confirming that he was likely not excessively angry, even though he looked the part.
Was he really insane enough to instigate a fight that he had no chance in Space of winning? A situation that he had just been virtually saved from? It should have been obvious, even in his sorry state, that this was only going to result in excessive pain. It was almost as if he were indirectly stabbing at his savior for trying to help, outwardly refusing it, fighting it, making himself that much more of a desirable target.
Did he have some trick up his sleeve?
What in Space was the idiot thinking?
But however much it seemed that he was not paying attention, the boy was in fact listening.
Arthur had so much to say, and in his head Kete had a reply for most of it – but obviously there would be no chance for him to retort, and did he really want to anyway?
Admittedly, a pool of resentment toward the robot’s actions had sprung up in Kete’s gut…Even if the dominant trait was consistently a total, miserable apathy.
He wanted to insist that he had never asked for help, that he had survived so long merely by chance and through a blatant disregard for his own existence, that even though his three-and-a-half centuries of life were nothing compared to the higher powers they still failed to understand the nature of the human brain. (Kete was indeed not ‘human’, but half-breeds were a sub-division of human and ‘human’ enough to be lumped in with them for philosophical purposes) and the concept of ‘timesense’ in beings that were not meant to be made immortal. He wanted to explain that he had never claimed to be anything but incompetent.
He stared blankly through the spiel and when he was least expecting it came a vicious strike, metal fist combined with a tazer-like shock that rippled sickeningly through his body. It knocked the wind out of him and it took seconds for him to gasp and regain it….
Or, that was what had been about to happen.
It was Nirix’s voice, icy and surprisingly intense, even for her, that halted Arthur before he could strike Kete.
She had saved him from that, at least – but it seemed that he intended to test not only Arthur’s patience, but hers as well.
He laughed.
It was a tiny, hopeless wheeze more than anything – yet still distinctly a laugh. After all that, the intolerable little **** was going to laugh in his face? Apparently one of Ketin Clarke’s greatest talents was being thoroughly insufferable and infuriating…And he seemed to take some kind of detached delight in it.
”Y’sure know a lot about th’human brain for an oversized talking toaster.” he spat at last, giving Arthur an enraging, obnoxiously provoking little smirk. He had been faced with a potential opportunity to get out of this mess, and yet he had intentionally thrown himself back into it.
“I wish someone programmed my head. Then I’d have all the answers.” Again, his words were arrogant, spoken hoarsely and through great exertion but still positively dripping with vehemence that was entirely unwarranted.
Where had all this come from? It was unlike him to say the least, yet here he was, being an absolute arrogant jackass in the face of overwhelming peril.
Then, after allowing his words to sink in for a time, he added in a louder, more grating and outright taunting spat “C’mon HAL, teach me a lesson, huh? C’mon!!” He lifted an arm weakly to make a challenging, beckoning motion with his fingers.
”Well? What th’**** y’waitin’ for!? Every word y’just said went in one and out th’other big guy, so let’s have it!” And if by this point Arthur had not taken to continuing his assault, Kete would actually initiate the first strike, lunging forward with a clumsy, uncoordinated and absolutely, positively futile fist which would probably make contact, but obviously do nothing whatsoever. Was he that stupid? That far-gone in the head? He had never been known to make rational decisions but none of this was adding up. The disturbing, overwhelming sense of static that had been present with his furious outburst in Glades’ office was not present now – confirming that he was likely not excessively angry, even though he looked the part.
Was he really insane enough to instigate a fight that he had no chance in Space of winning? A situation that he had just been virtually saved from? It should have been obvious, even in his sorry state, that this was only going to result in excessive pain. It was almost as if he were indirectly stabbing at his savior for trying to help, outwardly refusing it, fighting it, making himself that much more of a desirable target.
Did he have some trick up his sleeve?
What in Space was the idiot thinking?
".. You know..." he started even if she probably didn't want him to say anything, "... Some people don't like it when others copy them..." Christofer himself wouldn't have minded her copying him with things, but he wasn't sure about her and wanted to take it into the calculation as a possibility, just in case...
He sighed innerly as Royanna, yet again, was struggling to have a conversation with him. He was clearly troubling her by making her do that. He would stay silent for now, just let her try figuring out her words and to not be rude by cutting her off. At some point he'd want to let her to calm down and collect her thoughts though, let the two have soeme alone time and if the environment was not against it, maybe he could go and just wander off alone on his own for a bit.
Christofer would react with a slight confusion and surprise when called not asshole. He was certainly not expecting that. This now made him and his thoughts a bit disoriented and there was no comeback for what she had just said. He'd only nod quietly in return to her "You know what I mean" and try distracting himself with the food instead - and he would get a good deal of it eaten until Kallenger would talk again, a bit over half to be exact, even with the slow pace he was going with at the moment; taking his time and chewing each forkul of food for a bit longer than usual. At least he didn't have many difficulties with it.
"? Huh? Uhh... Nothing, I guess?" The boy looked at Royanna again, lifting his eyes from the plate that had the - surprisingly good tasting - food on it, and placed the fork away while he listened and thought of it. "Well... I could say people travelled to the Moon with spaceships some years ago and they say there might be aliens that use flying saucers? I don't know to be honest..." At this point he was a bit more focused and invested on the food than her questions, thinking that maybe it was better if he didn't mind her words all that much as she seemed rather bothered everytime they talked.
"Umm... No? Why would I have been on one. Those trips are super expensive and I don't want to try it because there are many chances for me to die. And I mean it. Haven't you heard of all the accidents? And, and...." Toffi started to struggle with his words. "And then there is the whole you must be extremely fit for the trip thing. I might work for the army, but I'm no astronaut for sure."
He'd try catching his breath after having to explain all of that to Kallenger, but it wouldn't stay that way for long.
"?! Nonsence!" He'd raise his voice at her suggestion, partly forgetting that they were in a public place at the time being. A slight expressing of annoyance could be somewhat seen on the boy through the stiffened and a bit poofed up fur - some sort of natural reaction for animals to try and make themselves seem bigger and scarier when treatened. "That's so stupid, why would you even say things like that?? I... I mean..." A part of is talking pattern would remind ihm of how the woman used to talk to him most of the time when having trouble. "I mean... Not to bash on your dreams or anything, but... But seriously... Is that all you ever think of? Space and the whole Universe. It's good to have dreams, but, why do you insist on it so much?" He'd look at her with a slight anger but also some regret due to getting all worked up because of it. He had raised his voice at her way back in the forest, although that was more due to just hunger and overall aggression and frustration surrounding their meeting. Still, it would probably have been better if he'd just stayed the meek weak person he had been so far.
She was sure to be angry with him because of the outburst now...
He sighed innerly as Royanna, yet again, was struggling to have a conversation with him. He was clearly troubling her by making her do that. He would stay silent for now, just let her try figuring out her words and to not be rude by cutting her off. At some point he'd want to let her to calm down and collect her thoughts though, let the two have soeme alone time and if the environment was not against it, maybe he could go and just wander off alone on his own for a bit.
Christofer would react with a slight confusion and surprise when called not asshole. He was certainly not expecting that. This now made him and his thoughts a bit disoriented and there was no comeback for what she had just said. He'd only nod quietly in return to her "You know what I mean" and try distracting himself with the food instead - and he would get a good deal of it eaten until Kallenger would talk again, a bit over half to be exact, even with the slow pace he was going with at the moment; taking his time and chewing each forkul of food for a bit longer than usual. At least he didn't have many difficulties with it.
"? Huh? Uhh... Nothing, I guess?" The boy looked at Royanna again, lifting his eyes from the plate that had the - surprisingly good tasting - food on it, and placed the fork away while he listened and thought of it. "Well... I could say people travelled to the Moon with spaceships some years ago and they say there might be aliens that use flying saucers? I don't know to be honest..." At this point he was a bit more focused and invested on the food than her questions, thinking that maybe it was better if he didn't mind her words all that much as she seemed rather bothered everytime they talked.
"Umm... No? Why would I have been on one. Those trips are super expensive and I don't want to try it because there are many chances for me to die. And I mean it. Haven't you heard of all the accidents? And, and...." Toffi started to struggle with his words. "And then there is the whole you must be extremely fit for the trip thing. I might work for the army, but I'm no astronaut for sure."
He'd try catching his breath after having to explain all of that to Kallenger, but it wouldn't stay that way for long.
"?! Nonsence!" He'd raise his voice at her suggestion, partly forgetting that they were in a public place at the time being. A slight expressing of annoyance could be somewhat seen on the boy through the stiffened and a bit poofed up fur - some sort of natural reaction for animals to try and make themselves seem bigger and scarier when treatened. "That's so stupid, why would you even say things like that?? I... I mean..." A part of is talking pattern would remind ihm of how the woman used to talk to him most of the time when having trouble. "I mean... Not to bash on your dreams or anything, but... But seriously... Is that all you ever think of? Space and the whole Universe. It's good to have dreams, but, why do you insist on it so much?" He'd look at her with a slight anger but also some regret due to getting all worked up because of it. He had raised his voice at her way back in the forest, although that was more due to just hunger and overall aggression and frustration surrounding their meeting. Still, it would probably have been better if he'd just stayed the meek weak person he had been so far.
She was sure to be angry with him because of the outburst now...
By this time for Arthur, reason has just left and now the in its place was just, the incompetent thought process that just go through his mind. Of course he would obey Nirix's order if Kein didn't instigate a conflict in which the machine will gladly do. His eye turned right back to red and he yelled "YOU INSUFFERABLE LITTLE RUNT!I WILL GLADLY GIVE YOU THE BEAT DOWN YOU WANT NO MATTER WHAT YOUR WHITE HAIRED FREIND SAYS!" After his small phrase, he realizes that Ketin was about to strike him. His plan was to shock him senseless as he grapples him to the floor.
But that never came since a loud *BANG* was heard down the hall, right next to Nirix. Doctor Glades, in her Kampfer get-up, wielding an unusual pistol with the chamber poped back. Upon further inspection one could see it was a tranquilizer gun and the needle itself is making its way to Ketin's bare chest. With the aid of Kampfer's optic eye and her own skill, she fired the pistol at a pretty great distance, next to the assassin, pass the guarding Electron units and through a narrow gap by Arthur, straight to Ketin, an impressive feat for anyone. If it connects to the kid, it would be only a matter of moments till he blacks out, for a couple of hours.
"Sorry to sneak up on you, but this has to be done...Ketin will be resting with me" she said to Nirix in a very serious tone and a serious look on her face that says "I had enough" After looking at Nirix she gave the same gaze at Arthur and yelled "ENOUGH! STAND DOWN, THAT IS A DIRECT ORDER!" She yells at him as she tenses up a little bit, thinking on what Nirix will do...
But that never came since a loud *BANG* was heard down the hall, right next to Nirix. Doctor Glades, in her Kampfer get-up, wielding an unusual pistol with the chamber poped back. Upon further inspection one could see it was a tranquilizer gun and the needle itself is making its way to Ketin's bare chest. With the aid of Kampfer's optic eye and her own skill, she fired the pistol at a pretty great distance, next to the assassin, pass the guarding Electron units and through a narrow gap by Arthur, straight to Ketin, an impressive feat for anyone. If it connects to the kid, it would be only a matter of moments till he blacks out, for a couple of hours.
"Sorry to sneak up on you, but this has to be done...Ketin will be resting with me" she said to Nirix in a very serious tone and a serious look on her face that says "I had enough" After looking at Nirix she gave the same gaze at Arthur and yelled "ENOUGH! STAND DOWN, THAT IS A DIRECT ORDER!" She yells at him as she tenses up a little bit, thinking on what Nirix will do...
Nirix was relieved at the conclusion of the conflict. Though she would've used a more....humane method of knocking Ketin out, she had relaxed all the same when the tranquilizer dart hit the Half-breed with pristine accuracy. Briefly the Eoclu’s mind wondered as to why he seemed so eager to press the matter, to let his anger override his judgement. He obviously seemed disoriented, it was evident in the sluggish way he had lunged forward. Maybe his actions were influenced by what he had been doing while they were separated, whatever that had been.
If that was the case, then maybe Ketin hadn't really meant those words. Maybe he had-
Nirix shook her head, a blurb of laughter that held no mirth, tumbled from her lips. She was fooling herself, getting her hopes up for nothing. There was no way that he had been lying. The words he had said, the way he had said them; arrogantly and dripping with enough venom to murder an entire race of people. Those were not things you could fake and make up on the spot. Nirix had felt them, a sharpened dagger plunged into her heart and pulled out slowly to prolong the bleeding.
"Take him," Was her response to the Doctor, She had already turned to leave the scene.
"I can't promise you that Ketin will be too happy to wake up with you and even more so since you put him down like an animal." Nirix muttered before returning to her room. Her presence was cold and her words colder.
Nirix had changed.
If that was the case, then maybe Ketin hadn't really meant those words. Maybe he had-
Nirix shook her head, a blurb of laughter that held no mirth, tumbled from her lips. She was fooling herself, getting her hopes up for nothing. There was no way that he had been lying. The words he had said, the way he had said them; arrogantly and dripping with enough venom to murder an entire race of people. Those were not things you could fake and make up on the spot. Nirix had felt them, a sharpened dagger plunged into her heart and pulled out slowly to prolong the bleeding.
"Take him," Was her response to the Doctor, She had already turned to leave the scene.
"I can't promise you that Ketin will be too happy to wake up with you and even more so since you put him down like an animal." Nirix muttered before returning to her room. Her presence was cold and her words colder.
Nirix had changed.
The first thing that hit Royanna was a distinct irritation at the arrogance of the boy – an old worlder talking down to her? It took all of her present willpower to recall and convince herself that it was not his fault – that what she was saying was indeed madness to him, he had no way of knowing any better. Still, physical reaction was not entirely avoided, and her hand tightened grip on her fork. Exasperatedly, she started, without really thinking; “Wh-…because it’s a part of li-“ but before she could finish the frustrated words, an announcement rang out from a speaker overhead – almost as if on cue, if still poorly timed. There was a mild chime tone, followed by that soft, not-quite-human female voice that had been occasionally making minor announcements.
“Attention passengers, personnel and crew. Skip-drive has been approved, and will proceed in thirty minutes. Please be sure to report to a skip-sanctioned area prior to engagement of the drive. Planetfall on…Ardella is scheduled for...forty-five minutes from now. Thank you.”
Royanna froze for the duration of the announcement, and seemed somehow effected by it, though it was virtually impossible to tell exactly what she was thinking.
This was both convenient and disturbing news to the woman. On one hand, it provided the perfect opportunity to prove to the boy that she wasn’t mad. On the other, she knew very well that there was only one reason that skip-drive capabilities would be approved for use on a cataloguer-class without immediate danger; that being her…And there was only one reason that someone on Ardella would want her shipped expedited, especially given the unusual circumstances of her presence aboard the ship in the first place.
Royanna appeared to be deep in thought for a moment, looking down into the food in the seconds following the end of the announcement. Eventually she took a bite and chewed thoughtfully, and at last said in a voice that could very well have been taken for continued irritation at Christofer’s earlier response, though it was not intended that way; “Well isn’t that convenient. Eat up kid, I’ve got something I wanna’ show you.”
Some ten-or-so minutes later, the two would have finished their food – or, Roya would have anyway, and insisted that it was time to leave whether or not Christofer had finished – and the woman would proceed to lead the boy out of the canteen, back into the hallway. It was another ten minutes before they reached their destination – a sliding door with the word Control in glowing red letters above it, and an armed guard standing just outside. He looked not unlike a German soldier from 1944, save for a general ‘sleekness’ to his uniform and a very high-tech looking rifle in his hands, all in the general color scheme of greys and blacks.
Without saying a word, Roya held up her badge to the man who – also without a word – glanced to Christofer, and then did nothing, allowing the two to pass through the sliding door which opened upon their nearing it.
It opened to the bridge of Battlestar Galactica – more or less. The room was large and brightly lit, bustling with people sitting at stations and working away at…whatever they were doing. There were terminals and controls, monitors that glowed in bright reds, greens and blues – even some holographic displays. The centerpiece of the room was a large, holographic starmap projected from a solid looking square table connected to the floor – it was mostly for decoration, not really serving any real purpose.
Nobody paid the least bit of attention to Royanna and her slightly unusual companion as they entered, and despite how generally fascinating the place was, Roya did not seem exceptionally interested in any of it. It was busy, though quiet. Occasionally someone spoke out some technical sounding jargon. There was a two-dimensional map of the ship – long, sleek with defined curvature, divided into sections and lit up differently, each labeled with words like ‘Stardrive’, ‘Fuel Reserves’, ‘Bridge’, ‘Observation Deck’ and so on.
Obviously despite the importance of this place Royanna had been given clearance for entrance and nobody was surprised at her presence…Except for Captain Perry.
Sure enough, there he was – leaning over someone’s station and talking lowly, noticing her out of the corner of his eye and standing up immediately to storm over in their direction.
“Kallenger what in Space are you doing on my bridge!” he demanded in a harsh, but hushed voice. “Haven’t you caused enough pro-”
Royanna did not even stop walking. In fact, she actually interrupted him this time, sounding more than fed-up with him. “Can it Perry, I’m not in the mood. I’ve got clearance to be here so would you kindly **** off?” she said, loud enough that the staff in the near proximity to them would be more than capable of overhearing. Curiously, nobody said a thing – they just lowered their shoulders a tad and focused that much harder on their work…Evidently they did not want to get involved.
And before Perry could even respond, Kallenger had brushed past him, striding toward the back of the room where a narrow, spiral staircase stood centerfold. With a cursory glance to be sure Christofer was still close behind, she proceeded up the stairs, leaving Perry red-faced and furious…and humiliated in front of his entire cabinet.
Atop the stairs opened a grand, domed chamber which was featureless in regards to a total lack of furnishings, but fantastic in terms of…’view’.
The domed ceiling appeared, for all intents and purposes, to be a gigantic window that looked out into stars in all directions – essentially a massive planetarium.
But the pinpricks of light were not stationary – they moved…in one direction. They did not circle about the shape of the room, rather they glided slowly, gradually from one end to the other – as if the room was flying through space itself at an incredible speed.
Knowing there was little she could really say, Kallenger spoke not a word. The room was impressive enough as it was, really – whether or not one was aware that it was actually looking out into the depths of space or simply a computerized rendition of it.
Still, despite the impossibility of it, the room was certainly a very, very convincing replica of what it would look like to fly through the Galaxy. Luckily there was no real sensation of movement, which might have dampened the reality of the effect, but it also kept the newcomer from getting motion sickness at the grandness of it.
Saying nothing, Kallenger merely took a moment to enjoy the view with little expression, then proceeded to stroll toward one end of the room – the end from which the stars appeared. Hands in pockets, she stood and watched for a moment.
Idly, she said after a moment “Just give it a few minutes. I think you’ll find this interesting.”
Ketin’s ears, which had been flat back on his head, perked up suddenly with the loud bang echoing from down the hall. Startled right out of how he had been acting, the boy’s head turned rapidly to look in apt fear at the figure appearing in the doorway and brandishing what appeared to be a sidearm of some kind – he identified it almost immediately as a tranquilizer.
Heart sinking like a rock through snow, Kete’s whole demeanor changed in a heartbeat. Instantaneously he went from furious provocation and arrogance to timidity and helplessness – and worst of all, it truly seemed just as genuine as the previous set. No matter how Kete was acting at any given time, it always seemed to be completely genuine – even if his words did no always meet the same criteria.
But there were not many words to be said this time, and that would only – possibly – make the distinction all the clearer.
Realizing who he was looking at and what she was holding, ears folded back again and he doubled, tripled his efforts – not in provoking or retaliating, but in trying fruitlessly to escape. He flailed and struggled desperately against the robot who still had him pinned to the wall. He glanced in Nirix’s direction with cowed eyes and she may or may not have caught it – either way the previously distrustful glare had changed tune in an instant and the silent plea went unanswered.
Again, his inferior stature played against him as he squirmed and writhed frantically in the machine’s grip.
The dart hit him squarely. He yelped loudly and fumbled at it in a futile attempt to remove the thing before it could knock him out.
Panic washed visibly over him in the seconds it took for the drug to take effect. He inhaled sharply, feeling for that sickening moment the substance overtake him internally. He whimpered something, a syllable or two that might have been a pointless plea of some kind but was ultimately incoherent.
And almost as suddenly as it had all started, the rapid breathing and tense panic relapsed into a near deathlike stillness.
“Attention passengers, personnel and crew. Skip-drive has been approved, and will proceed in thirty minutes. Please be sure to report to a skip-sanctioned area prior to engagement of the drive. Planetfall on…Ardella is scheduled for...forty-five minutes from now. Thank you.”
Royanna froze for the duration of the announcement, and seemed somehow effected by it, though it was virtually impossible to tell exactly what she was thinking.
This was both convenient and disturbing news to the woman. On one hand, it provided the perfect opportunity to prove to the boy that she wasn’t mad. On the other, she knew very well that there was only one reason that skip-drive capabilities would be approved for use on a cataloguer-class without immediate danger; that being her…And there was only one reason that someone on Ardella would want her shipped expedited, especially given the unusual circumstances of her presence aboard the ship in the first place.
Royanna appeared to be deep in thought for a moment, looking down into the food in the seconds following the end of the announcement. Eventually she took a bite and chewed thoughtfully, and at last said in a voice that could very well have been taken for continued irritation at Christofer’s earlier response, though it was not intended that way; “Well isn’t that convenient. Eat up kid, I’ve got something I wanna’ show you.”
Some ten-or-so minutes later, the two would have finished their food – or, Roya would have anyway, and insisted that it was time to leave whether or not Christofer had finished – and the woman would proceed to lead the boy out of the canteen, back into the hallway. It was another ten minutes before they reached their destination – a sliding door with the word Control in glowing red letters above it, and an armed guard standing just outside. He looked not unlike a German soldier from 1944, save for a general ‘sleekness’ to his uniform and a very high-tech looking rifle in his hands, all in the general color scheme of greys and blacks.
Without saying a word, Roya held up her badge to the man who – also without a word – glanced to Christofer, and then did nothing, allowing the two to pass through the sliding door which opened upon their nearing it.
It opened to the bridge of Battlestar Galactica – more or less. The room was large and brightly lit, bustling with people sitting at stations and working away at…whatever they were doing. There were terminals and controls, monitors that glowed in bright reds, greens and blues – even some holographic displays. The centerpiece of the room was a large, holographic starmap projected from a solid looking square table connected to the floor – it was mostly for decoration, not really serving any real purpose.
Nobody paid the least bit of attention to Royanna and her slightly unusual companion as they entered, and despite how generally fascinating the place was, Roya did not seem exceptionally interested in any of it. It was busy, though quiet. Occasionally someone spoke out some technical sounding jargon. There was a two-dimensional map of the ship – long, sleek with defined curvature, divided into sections and lit up differently, each labeled with words like ‘Stardrive’, ‘Fuel Reserves’, ‘Bridge’, ‘Observation Deck’ and so on.
Obviously despite the importance of this place Royanna had been given clearance for entrance and nobody was surprised at her presence…Except for Captain Perry.
Sure enough, there he was – leaning over someone’s station and talking lowly, noticing her out of the corner of his eye and standing up immediately to storm over in their direction.
“Kallenger what in Space are you doing on my bridge!” he demanded in a harsh, but hushed voice. “Haven’t you caused enough pro-”
Royanna did not even stop walking. In fact, she actually interrupted him this time, sounding more than fed-up with him. “Can it Perry, I’m not in the mood. I’ve got clearance to be here so would you kindly **** off?” she said, loud enough that the staff in the near proximity to them would be more than capable of overhearing. Curiously, nobody said a thing – they just lowered their shoulders a tad and focused that much harder on their work…Evidently they did not want to get involved.
And before Perry could even respond, Kallenger had brushed past him, striding toward the back of the room where a narrow, spiral staircase stood centerfold. With a cursory glance to be sure Christofer was still close behind, she proceeded up the stairs, leaving Perry red-faced and furious…and humiliated in front of his entire cabinet.
Atop the stairs opened a grand, domed chamber which was featureless in regards to a total lack of furnishings, but fantastic in terms of…’view’.
The domed ceiling appeared, for all intents and purposes, to be a gigantic window that looked out into stars in all directions – essentially a massive planetarium.
But the pinpricks of light were not stationary – they moved…in one direction. They did not circle about the shape of the room, rather they glided slowly, gradually from one end to the other – as if the room was flying through space itself at an incredible speed.
Knowing there was little she could really say, Kallenger spoke not a word. The room was impressive enough as it was, really – whether or not one was aware that it was actually looking out into the depths of space or simply a computerized rendition of it.
Still, despite the impossibility of it, the room was certainly a very, very convincing replica of what it would look like to fly through the Galaxy. Luckily there was no real sensation of movement, which might have dampened the reality of the effect, but it also kept the newcomer from getting motion sickness at the grandness of it.
Saying nothing, Kallenger merely took a moment to enjoy the view with little expression, then proceeded to stroll toward one end of the room – the end from which the stars appeared. Hands in pockets, she stood and watched for a moment.
Idly, she said after a moment “Just give it a few minutes. I think you’ll find this interesting.”
Ketin’s ears, which had been flat back on his head, perked up suddenly with the loud bang echoing from down the hall. Startled right out of how he had been acting, the boy’s head turned rapidly to look in apt fear at the figure appearing in the doorway and brandishing what appeared to be a sidearm of some kind – he identified it almost immediately as a tranquilizer.
Heart sinking like a rock through snow, Kete’s whole demeanor changed in a heartbeat. Instantaneously he went from furious provocation and arrogance to timidity and helplessness – and worst of all, it truly seemed just as genuine as the previous set. No matter how Kete was acting at any given time, it always seemed to be completely genuine – even if his words did no always meet the same criteria.
But there were not many words to be said this time, and that would only – possibly – make the distinction all the clearer.
Realizing who he was looking at and what she was holding, ears folded back again and he doubled, tripled his efforts – not in provoking or retaliating, but in trying fruitlessly to escape. He flailed and struggled desperately against the robot who still had him pinned to the wall. He glanced in Nirix’s direction with cowed eyes and she may or may not have caught it – either way the previously distrustful glare had changed tune in an instant and the silent plea went unanswered.
Again, his inferior stature played against him as he squirmed and writhed frantically in the machine’s grip.
The dart hit him squarely. He yelped loudly and fumbled at it in a futile attempt to remove the thing before it could knock him out.
Panic washed visibly over him in the seconds it took for the drug to take effect. He inhaled sharply, feeling for that sickening moment the substance overtake him internally. He whimpered something, a syllable or two that might have been a pointless plea of some kind but was ultimately incoherent.
And almost as suddenly as it had all started, the rapid breathing and tense panic relapsed into a near deathlike stillness.
After hearing the demanding orde from Glades, he instantly backed off, but his eye was still red. As he back off so too the Electron units, standing at attention on the walls of hallway. "I didn't exactly have a choice, it was either Ketin gets the lights beaten out of him with electric bolts going through him or tranquilize him...can't hesitate on your choices" the Docotr said to Nirix as she went to the incapacitated Ketin. As she walks by Arthur, she gives a evil glare and says "Cool..off" and continue towards Ketin. Arthur then tilted his head down in shame on what he had just done, and started to walk away from the scene in a depression, he just couldn't believe how could snap like that a boy who he tried to help, for it was just mind boggling.
As Doctor Glades approaches Ketin, he kneels down and carries him within her arms, his legs dangling off the side of her arm and his head resting on them. With Ketin in her arms she goes ahead starts walking to her room, passing Nirix if she was still there. Soon they came to her room, a room that has a settle down Floridan kind of home, the walls was were dimly white, with various nautical things on the wall with various plants like small palm trees in the corners of the room. For one its very homey and calm. She places Ketin on the bed and starts to change him from what he barely already has on to a fresh set of pajamas. With all of his old clothes, she set them out in front of her room so one of the bots can take them. She made sure too take out all of his belongings out of his pockets and placed them on the dining table, the only thing she threw away was the drug that Ketin has been smoking. Once she tuck him into the covers of the bed she petted his face and started to tear up. For 300 years she hasn't seen the poor boy and very limited time being with him back at the lab, since Addler was always busy with him. The only time she could see him was when he slept, she took a chair by his cell and sat and watched him as he slept...so peacefully. This was different now, she was able to touch him and feel how smooth and soft he was...still her hypothetical baby boy for her.
No matter how much Ketin hates her or any negative emotion he may have to her, she will always and forever...love him. The only regret that she has was one of being there for the past years once he escaped. Just like all those years ago, she took a chair and sat next to him and just watched him as he slept, smiling as tears rolled off her face. She was just happy to see him again, and just...only just wished he could stay with her and be the mother she wanted to be with him. All of dreams with just sleeping on her bed, that just makes her...happy in way that words are unable to describe. Ketin with Glades once more...
As Doctor Glades approaches Ketin, he kneels down and carries him within her arms, his legs dangling off the side of her arm and his head resting on them. With Ketin in her arms she goes ahead starts walking to her room, passing Nirix if she was still there. Soon they came to her room, a room that has a settle down Floridan kind of home, the walls was were dimly white, with various nautical things on the wall with various plants like small palm trees in the corners of the room. For one its very homey and calm. She places Ketin on the bed and starts to change him from what he barely already has on to a fresh set of pajamas. With all of his old clothes, she set them out in front of her room so one of the bots can take them. She made sure too take out all of his belongings out of his pockets and placed them on the dining table, the only thing she threw away was the drug that Ketin has been smoking. Once she tuck him into the covers of the bed she petted his face and started to tear up. For 300 years she hasn't seen the poor boy and very limited time being with him back at the lab, since Addler was always busy with him. The only time she could see him was when he slept, she took a chair by his cell and sat and watched him as he slept...so peacefully. This was different now, she was able to touch him and feel how smooth and soft he was...still her hypothetical baby boy for her.
No matter how much Ketin hates her or any negative emotion he may have to her, she will always and forever...love him. The only regret that she has was one of being there for the past years once he escaped. Just like all those years ago, she took a chair and sat next to him and just watched him as he slept, smiling as tears rolled off her face. She was just happy to see him again, and just...only just wished he could stay with her and be the mother she wanted to be with him. All of dreams with just sleeping on her bed, that just makes her...happy in way that words are unable to describe. Ketin with Glades once more...
He'd lean a bit back into his seat upon noticing that he had indeed made her angry. And as much as he was supposed to take the punishment, he still didn't want to get hurt and would ry to avoid it at all cost. The announcement did save him from what was possibly going to be a fork at his face, yet he didn't really give two ****s about the announcement. He did listen to it, but as he wasn't understanding much of what it wa about, he'd return back to just feeling bad for having angered Royanna.
Christofer had the reputation of taking and thinking of people as people, not by what their ranks were. He would see everyone at their base level. A commander was still a human to him. A liutenant or a general was a human to him. A thief, a king, a shopkeeper, a bartender, all just human to him. Certainly he'd try to act in a slightly more respecting way when adressing to those in high position, but thy were still human to him. And with arguments he'd throw all of their ranks out the window.
It was one of the qualities some people really hated about him.
When given orders, Christofer would often wonder if it was the right thing to do and if they were actually doing the right thing - to which his comrade would only reply with: "You are not supposed to think about it." Right... Because the higher-ups would do the thinking for them and it was your job and your order to listen... As true as it was, Christofer never wanted it to be the defying quality of him. He didn't like it when people didn't think themselves. And this is what often made him to clash with people.
Christofer in return would stay silent, not feeling like angering the lady more after the announcement and what had happened. He'd more or less eat his food in silence just like Kallenger. Once she was done and about to leave, the boy wouldn't state out complainments as he followed her out, mostly only hoping that they'd be going somewhere to calm down...
It wasn't exactly what he'd get however. The long walk made him nervous and every passing minute felt like an eternality of sorts as he didn't know where they were going and the direction was not the medical office like he had hoped. Instead it was something very else. The glowing red on the door was a big contrast to him after all the black and white. Before it the boy could have swore that the food made him colorblind. The guard only slightly weirded him out, making him remember the weird scary other man from before. Why were people dressed like that? Were they crazy?
What was on the other side of the door weirded him out slightly. The, what he assumed to be, the control room reminded him slightly of all those science-fiction movies and other space related things that he had just happened to see. It was interesting, but at the same time it was scary. The German knew that he was in a place where he was not supposed to really be at. He was definitely an outsider. What was this place even? Was this where they controlled the minds of others? Where they made them believe that something inter galacic was going on? What where they doing? What are these things? Chritofer would not be asking any clearing questions from Kallenger as he didn't want to get too carried away. This was all probably forbidden anyway.
The sight of Perry did not make Christofer any more comfortable. Thee second he notticed the two and rose up made the German want to run back to the door they had come from, get out and appologize they even came in. And again, this wasn't because of Perry being higher in rank than him or whatever, but because Christofer did see him as a scary person that made him feel uncomfortable.
Kallenger certanly wasn't afraid of Perry what so ever, passing through the area like it was none of his business. Christofer had dropped all his comfort and confidence upon the sighting of the man, but he had no such choice as to turn back and scurry off for Kallenger just kept going - and Christofer was sure that, after what happened, Perry would be sure to follow him out of the control room and gut him if he'd catch him. So, in the end, again, the German would follow after Kallenger with his head lowered, ears glued to the back of his head and tail to one of his legs...
The next room was something very else. It took him a while to note it at all as he was more focused on being afraid of the thought of Perry following them. Once he did get the time to focus on the room itself, he couldn't really grasp it. What was this? He certainly wasn't sure if it was what he thought it was, or wether it was real or just extremely well fabricated. He moved slowly towards what he assumed were either windows or some sort of wall with images being projected onto it - he'd look for the projector later if he remembered. He'd touch the images, if Kallenger wouldn't stop him midway, and feel that they were cold, very cold. As he stood there with the big fluffy tail mostly between his legs, he'd start feeling dizzy.
It made him feel sick, sick and dizzy in the head like it would when you were looking at another train moving even if your's wasn't, because your brain tricked you on thinking that you were indeed moving when you weren't..
The boy had to back off, sit down and slowly move to the corner of the room and curl as he laid down there, afraid and feeling horribly sick. Closing his eyes wouldn't be able to help him out of the situation, so he kept them open. The boy certainly wasn't exited over Kallenger teling him that he would be finding it interesting. He was terrified and wanted out more than anything else, but he was too afraid to speak a word.
Christofer had the reputation of taking and thinking of people as people, not by what their ranks were. He would see everyone at their base level. A commander was still a human to him. A liutenant or a general was a human to him. A thief, a king, a shopkeeper, a bartender, all just human to him. Certainly he'd try to act in a slightly more respecting way when adressing to those in high position, but thy were still human to him. And with arguments he'd throw all of their ranks out the window.
It was one of the qualities some people really hated about him.
When given orders, Christofer would often wonder if it was the right thing to do and if they were actually doing the right thing - to which his comrade would only reply with: "You are not supposed to think about it." Right... Because the higher-ups would do the thinking for them and it was your job and your order to listen... As true as it was, Christofer never wanted it to be the defying quality of him. He didn't like it when people didn't think themselves. And this is what often made him to clash with people.
Christofer in return would stay silent, not feeling like angering the lady more after the announcement and what had happened. He'd more or less eat his food in silence just like Kallenger. Once she was done and about to leave, the boy wouldn't state out complainments as he followed her out, mostly only hoping that they'd be going somewhere to calm down...
It wasn't exactly what he'd get however. The long walk made him nervous and every passing minute felt like an eternality of sorts as he didn't know where they were going and the direction was not the medical office like he had hoped. Instead it was something very else. The glowing red on the door was a big contrast to him after all the black and white. Before it the boy could have swore that the food made him colorblind. The guard only slightly weirded him out, making him remember the weird scary other man from before. Why were people dressed like that? Were they crazy?
What was on the other side of the door weirded him out slightly. The, what he assumed to be, the control room reminded him slightly of all those science-fiction movies and other space related things that he had just happened to see. It was interesting, but at the same time it was scary. The German knew that he was in a place where he was not supposed to really be at. He was definitely an outsider. What was this place even? Was this where they controlled the minds of others? Where they made them believe that something inter galacic was going on? What where they doing? What are these things? Chritofer would not be asking any clearing questions from Kallenger as he didn't want to get too carried away. This was all probably forbidden anyway.
The sight of Perry did not make Christofer any more comfortable. Thee second he notticed the two and rose up made the German want to run back to the door they had come from, get out and appologize they even came in. And again, this wasn't because of Perry being higher in rank than him or whatever, but because Christofer did see him as a scary person that made him feel uncomfortable.
Kallenger certanly wasn't afraid of Perry what so ever, passing through the area like it was none of his business. Christofer had dropped all his comfort and confidence upon the sighting of the man, but he had no such choice as to turn back and scurry off for Kallenger just kept going - and Christofer was sure that, after what happened, Perry would be sure to follow him out of the control room and gut him if he'd catch him. So, in the end, again, the German would follow after Kallenger with his head lowered, ears glued to the back of his head and tail to one of his legs...
The next room was something very else. It took him a while to note it at all as he was more focused on being afraid of the thought of Perry following them. Once he did get the time to focus on the room itself, he couldn't really grasp it. What was this? He certainly wasn't sure if it was what he thought it was, or wether it was real or just extremely well fabricated. He moved slowly towards what he assumed were either windows or some sort of wall with images being projected onto it - he'd look for the projector later if he remembered. He'd touch the images, if Kallenger wouldn't stop him midway, and feel that they were cold, very cold. As he stood there with the big fluffy tail mostly between his legs, he'd start feeling dizzy.
It made him feel sick, sick and dizzy in the head like it would when you were looking at another train moving even if your's wasn't, because your brain tricked you on thinking that you were indeed moving when you weren't..
The boy had to back off, sit down and slowly move to the corner of the room and curl as he laid down there, afraid and feeling horribly sick. Closing his eyes wouldn't be able to help him out of the situation, so he kept them open. The boy certainly wasn't exited over Kallenger teling him that he would be finding it interesting. He was terrified and wanted out more than anything else, but he was too afraid to speak a word.
As the small Arado class cruiser came closer to the mother and son ship, it activates its hardpoints showing off its huge twin plasma accelators and its numerous gun implacements. Sadly for Nelyan and her son, there are too close for comfort towards the listening ship and don't want to take the chance in getting spotted and seeing them having bounty for there heads, there wasn't any sympathy for the mother and son death since some money for the crew will increase morale. So the Arado took aim and fired its twin plasma accelators, firing two purple projectiles at them to deliver the crushing blow.
Neylan rolls her eyes as she brings out her gun which quickly turns into a small glowing amythest blade as soon as the two blasts touched the blade as it was about to hit her ...they where completely absorbed into the blade.Her son then smirks remembering that his mothers soul gem tech had the ability bro absorb a foes attack and deliver it back at 80% more power then previous. Soon enough the blade erupts sending a similar looking projectile back at the ship but this time a lot faster stronger and more durable...for even kampfer they dimensional lord of technology knew nothing of his mothers personally developed soul gem tech because only she and her son knew the ways to aquire the materials and build such a device
Of course the material to make such a thing is unknown but the concept of absorbing and reflecting is nothing new to the Lord of technology, but either way, blast takes the Arado class by surprise and takes a nasty hit by it damaging it severely. Seeing that it's daughter ship being heavily damage, the listening ship decides to bug out by getting out of the asteroid belt and starts to warp out. The Arado seeing firing another shot would be pointless decides to fire up the engines and puts all power to them, intending to ram the wanted vessel as one last ditch effort to destory them.
Neylan sighs " they never learn do they...Nako take care of them" she ordered her son as she sat back and drank her small glass filled with a strange pink liquid.Naki nods at his mothers orders he pulls out his own soul gem wepon...a hand gun as well and points it at the ship he yawns as a large amythest blast admits from his wepon engulfing the entire enemy ship and disintegrating it completely in one shot
" such is the power of the gem inside " Neylan remarks as her son walks over to her in her chair and curls into a ball on her lap like a dog
" such is the power of the gem inside " Neylan remarks as her son walks over to her in her chair and curls into a ball on her lap like a dog
Royanna stood for a few long moments, just staring into the infinite, ever expanding starscape before them. It was impossible to tell where the stars appeared from – not coming from one point, but from all around, all flowing in the same direction.
Without turning, the woman’s stony expression changed suddenly to a glowering frown – and despite herself there was a slight flare in temper at the boy’s reaction.
“Are you really going to just-…” she stopped herself before getting to the point of sounding openly hostile – it was more of a mild irritation than anything else, nothing too serious…Though it had already been revealed to her long since that even the mildest irritation came off as furious rage to the timid kid. Royanna gave a huff.
It wasn’t his fault. It was the umpteenth time she had told herself that, insisting upon it over and over.
It wasn’t his fault because he had never been on a starship before, let alone one with windows – and certainly not on an observation deck. It was an acquired skill that she often took for granted.
Or, rather than a skill, it was a mindset.
The vastness of space, the lack of points of reference, the way starships never felt like they were actually moving – all of it made so that one must condition themselves to understand the required perspective.
That’s what it was – perspective. In space, everything one saw could be altered and re-shaped by altering perspective, just how in zero-gravity any direction could be up.
She recalled a quote from somewhere, unable to conceive where it might have been picked up, but it applied – ”The enemy’s gate is down.”
So she turned and walked briskly over to Christofer, seated in a ball by one of the walls. She squatted beside him and moved so that she was in position to wrap an arm around his shoulders – it was only in her focus on the task at hand that she was able to absently, unconsciously produce such an ‘intimate’ gesture. If she realized what she was doing, the woman would surely recoil from it.
But Royanna wrapped an arm around Christofer’s shoulders, leaned in just a little, and looked forward. She held up one finger at arms-length in front of them. She positioned it so that behind it was where all the stars seemed to be coming from, facing ‘forward’ the flow.
“Toffi, I want you to focus your eyes on my finger here, nothing else, let the stars stay in your periphery. Good? Okay, now I want you to – without looking directly at them – imagine that you’re walking down a corridor, with walls on either side, a floor below you, and an open ceiling above. The stars are printed on those walls, and you’re walking by them. Got it? Now, take a few deep breaths. Deeper – try to control your heartbeat…Now, I’m going to help you stand up – don’t take your eyes off my finger and remember that you’re walking down a corridor.” She helped him stand – it was a slow and awkward process, but eventually the two of them would be standing, and her arm would be around his shoulders again.
“Alright, keep your eyes on my finger. Everything else in the periphery.” she repeated, and proceeded to gradually move her hand closer until it almost touched his nose, then farther away until she could reach no further, and then back to center. Then she moved it up, then down, and back to the original position. “Now look past my finger – refocus so that it’s in the foreground, like you’re looking through it at what’s behind, looking down the corridor – and remember, you’re on solid ground. I’m going to lower my hand, don’t follow it.” she did.
“Now, how do you feel?”
The whole strange process was the standard procedure for orienting newcomers to space vessel perspective. It worked along the same lines as a picture which revealed itself only after unfocusing ones’ eyes, or an animation that could spin either direction depending on how the view willed it – an optical illusion.
The amazing part was that it actually worked – ninety nine percent of newcomers to starships were able to at least function normally in the environment after undergoing that routine if it was done right – and Roya knew how to do it right. Ironically, the principle behind the whole technique was convincing the individual that they were on solid ground, moving at their own pace, and not at lightspeed through starclusters. The human mind did not tend to appreciate the visual implication of movement without the physical implication as well – until it could be convinced that everything was in fact as it should be.
More likely than not, Christofer would find that, rather suddenly, the sense of vertigo had been severely dampened, if not eliminated altogether – like some kind of mental sorcery.
A short, knotted bit of copper wire, a metallic red five Standard coin, a pair of handcuffs and respective key – a souvenir of his earlier binge – a half-circle shaped coppery thing with PocBan printed on it that supposedly could unfold into a miniature musical instrument in the right hands, and that patinad silver flask with the stars and planets, the ringed gas-giant window and the delicately engraved words ’Billions and billions’ along the top. All of these items would remain on the table after Kete’s pockets were emptied. The drugs were disposed of, but hopefully despite the fact that it still held a fair sum of potent liquor the flask would not go with it. Ketin would be furious if someone got rid of that on him.
There was also, of course, a myriad of more mundane little things, enough to make one marvel at how in Space he could fit all of it in those pockets and yet from outside have it look as though they were empty. There was actually no reason for the phenomenon, one of the few great mysteries still remaining in the Universe.
He was first aware of a surprising sensation of comfort. His jeans were soft and well-worn but the cotton pajama bottoms which had replaced them were better still. He still wore no shirt, but there was softness there too, and warmth. It was quiet.
And then, very suddenly, the Devil’s Eye kicked in – not that it had ever deactivated – and began to work its’ magic, clearing his conscious as best it could, helping him focus himself into coherency. He awoke with a violent start, letting out a small cry and flailing wildly about as he sat up, scrambling to get out from under the blankets and…where?
The panic lasted for hardly a couple of seconds before he found himself sitting atop the covers with back against the wall, facing a probably somewhat startled Doctor Glades. His expression was dazed still, mind still working to figure out just what to make of everything – and at last a look of venom fell over the boy and ears flattened back.
”What, does the half-beast blood mean you can tranq’ me t’make me behave?” he growled lowly and icy-cold, with a surprising sharpness in both vocabulary and awareness. He even used the most offensive, racist term for his kind, ‘half-beast’. Of course, Ketin rarely considered his subspecies to be a point of oppression – save for situations where it was beyond obvious – he did not like to pull the ‘racist’ card unless he was certain it was true, and even then he usually didn’t care if people were ‘racist’ toward him. Even now it was spoken more in facetiousness rather than real accusation, driving home the point he was really upset with.
“You haven’t changed a bit. Just knock me out t’get me t’go where you want, whether or not I would have gone willingly. And I don't care if it wasn't you who always used to do it. The fact that you did it just now proves that you're no better than the rest of them so don't even try it.”
It was a telling reference to all the times, so long ago back on Ardella, that he would be tranquilized or drugged before being taken to where Aller wanted him to be – usually the operating table, sometimes other things – but for most of those instances the boy was docile and obedient enough that he would be easily convinced to go, and he seemed to feel that the same applied for this most recent scenario.
It was disturbingly uncharacteristic, the way Kete was talking – he was so serious, so in-the-moment and on-point. The bitterness was not necessarily too strange, but how harshly he spoke, the words he used – the general feel of cluelessness was simply gone and replaced with someone who knew far, far more about life than they should have.
There was, after all, nothing to hide in the face of someone who had worked with Duros Aller.
“Well you’ve got me. Now what? And don’t give me any of that horse**** about wanting to help, because the only thing I’ve wanted since the beginning is to be left alone. I don't want friends, I don't want affection or comfort. So what is it, huh? Just too fond of your favorite little mass-murdering war-criminal psychopath?" He was being positively vicious now, more than aware of the genuine sense of affection in Glades' mind and not believing it legitimate for a second. "Or maybe you're feeling guilty over helping turn me into a bloodthirsty monster and are trying to make up for it? What the **** do you want with me, Glades?”
Without turning, the woman’s stony expression changed suddenly to a glowering frown – and despite herself there was a slight flare in temper at the boy’s reaction.
“Are you really going to just-…” she stopped herself before getting to the point of sounding openly hostile – it was more of a mild irritation than anything else, nothing too serious…Though it had already been revealed to her long since that even the mildest irritation came off as furious rage to the timid kid. Royanna gave a huff.
It wasn’t his fault. It was the umpteenth time she had told herself that, insisting upon it over and over.
It wasn’t his fault because he had never been on a starship before, let alone one with windows – and certainly not on an observation deck. It was an acquired skill that she often took for granted.
Or, rather than a skill, it was a mindset.
The vastness of space, the lack of points of reference, the way starships never felt like they were actually moving – all of it made so that one must condition themselves to understand the required perspective.
That’s what it was – perspective. In space, everything one saw could be altered and re-shaped by altering perspective, just how in zero-gravity any direction could be up.
She recalled a quote from somewhere, unable to conceive where it might have been picked up, but it applied – ”The enemy’s gate is down.”
So she turned and walked briskly over to Christofer, seated in a ball by one of the walls. She squatted beside him and moved so that she was in position to wrap an arm around his shoulders – it was only in her focus on the task at hand that she was able to absently, unconsciously produce such an ‘intimate’ gesture. If she realized what she was doing, the woman would surely recoil from it.
But Royanna wrapped an arm around Christofer’s shoulders, leaned in just a little, and looked forward. She held up one finger at arms-length in front of them. She positioned it so that behind it was where all the stars seemed to be coming from, facing ‘forward’ the flow.
“Toffi, I want you to focus your eyes on my finger here, nothing else, let the stars stay in your periphery. Good? Okay, now I want you to – without looking directly at them – imagine that you’re walking down a corridor, with walls on either side, a floor below you, and an open ceiling above. The stars are printed on those walls, and you’re walking by them. Got it? Now, take a few deep breaths. Deeper – try to control your heartbeat…Now, I’m going to help you stand up – don’t take your eyes off my finger and remember that you’re walking down a corridor.” She helped him stand – it was a slow and awkward process, but eventually the two of them would be standing, and her arm would be around his shoulders again.
“Alright, keep your eyes on my finger. Everything else in the periphery.” she repeated, and proceeded to gradually move her hand closer until it almost touched his nose, then farther away until she could reach no further, and then back to center. Then she moved it up, then down, and back to the original position. “Now look past my finger – refocus so that it’s in the foreground, like you’re looking through it at what’s behind, looking down the corridor – and remember, you’re on solid ground. I’m going to lower my hand, don’t follow it.” she did.
“Now, how do you feel?”
The whole strange process was the standard procedure for orienting newcomers to space vessel perspective. It worked along the same lines as a picture which revealed itself only after unfocusing ones’ eyes, or an animation that could spin either direction depending on how the view willed it – an optical illusion.
The amazing part was that it actually worked – ninety nine percent of newcomers to starships were able to at least function normally in the environment after undergoing that routine if it was done right – and Roya knew how to do it right. Ironically, the principle behind the whole technique was convincing the individual that they were on solid ground, moving at their own pace, and not at lightspeed through starclusters. The human mind did not tend to appreciate the visual implication of movement without the physical implication as well – until it could be convinced that everything was in fact as it should be.
More likely than not, Christofer would find that, rather suddenly, the sense of vertigo had been severely dampened, if not eliminated altogether – like some kind of mental sorcery.
A short, knotted bit of copper wire, a metallic red five Standard coin, a pair of handcuffs and respective key – a souvenir of his earlier binge – a half-circle shaped coppery thing with PocBan printed on it that supposedly could unfold into a miniature musical instrument in the right hands, and that patinad silver flask with the stars and planets, the ringed gas-giant window and the delicately engraved words ’Billions and billions’ along the top. All of these items would remain on the table after Kete’s pockets were emptied. The drugs were disposed of, but hopefully despite the fact that it still held a fair sum of potent liquor the flask would not go with it. Ketin would be furious if someone got rid of that on him.
There was also, of course, a myriad of more mundane little things, enough to make one marvel at how in Space he could fit all of it in those pockets and yet from outside have it look as though they were empty. There was actually no reason for the phenomenon, one of the few great mysteries still remaining in the Universe.
He was first aware of a surprising sensation of comfort. His jeans were soft and well-worn but the cotton pajama bottoms which had replaced them were better still. He still wore no shirt, but there was softness there too, and warmth. It was quiet.
And then, very suddenly, the Devil’s Eye kicked in – not that it had ever deactivated – and began to work its’ magic, clearing his conscious as best it could, helping him focus himself into coherency. He awoke with a violent start, letting out a small cry and flailing wildly about as he sat up, scrambling to get out from under the blankets and…where?
The panic lasted for hardly a couple of seconds before he found himself sitting atop the covers with back against the wall, facing a probably somewhat startled Doctor Glades. His expression was dazed still, mind still working to figure out just what to make of everything – and at last a look of venom fell over the boy and ears flattened back.
”What, does the half-beast blood mean you can tranq’ me t’make me behave?” he growled lowly and icy-cold, with a surprising sharpness in both vocabulary and awareness. He even used the most offensive, racist term for his kind, ‘half-beast’. Of course, Ketin rarely considered his subspecies to be a point of oppression – save for situations where it was beyond obvious – he did not like to pull the ‘racist’ card unless he was certain it was true, and even then he usually didn’t care if people were ‘racist’ toward him. Even now it was spoken more in facetiousness rather than real accusation, driving home the point he was really upset with.
“You haven’t changed a bit. Just knock me out t’get me t’go where you want, whether or not I would have gone willingly. And I don't care if it wasn't you who always used to do it. The fact that you did it just now proves that you're no better than the rest of them so don't even try it.”
It was a telling reference to all the times, so long ago back on Ardella, that he would be tranquilized or drugged before being taken to where Aller wanted him to be – usually the operating table, sometimes other things – but for most of those instances the boy was docile and obedient enough that he would be easily convinced to go, and he seemed to feel that the same applied for this most recent scenario.
It was disturbingly uncharacteristic, the way Kete was talking – he was so serious, so in-the-moment and on-point. The bitterness was not necessarily too strange, but how harshly he spoke, the words he used – the general feel of cluelessness was simply gone and replaced with someone who knew far, far more about life than they should have.
There was, after all, nothing to hide in the face of someone who had worked with Duros Aller.
“Well you’ve got me. Now what? And don’t give me any of that horse**** about wanting to help, because the only thing I’ve wanted since the beginning is to be left alone. I don't want friends, I don't want affection or comfort. So what is it, huh? Just too fond of your favorite little mass-murdering war-criminal psychopath?" He was being positively vicious now, more than aware of the genuine sense of affection in Glades' mind and not believing it legitimate for a second. "Or maybe you're feeling guilty over helping turn me into a bloodthirsty monster and are trying to make up for it? What the **** do you want with me, Glades?”
Glades had fallen asleep on the chair when Ketin woke up and which indeed startled her awake and looked at Ketin with concern. Her concern look then went into a depression like look and tilted her down, feeling ashamed and let Ketin talk. In truth, Glades didn't want to use the tranquilizer, but how else would she able to get Arthur from not hurting him so bad that facial reconstruction would be out of the question. Even in Arthur's state he wouldn't exactly listen to orders and what if she was successful, what then? Ketin will only just speak to her with venom in his mouth back at the hallway. For her it was a hard choice but it was choice she made on her own and understood the consequences. After Ketin had his angry speech to her, she still had her head down as she grabs onto her pant seems, tears rolling off of her face. Before Ketin had awaken she took off Kampfer's optical device and placed it on the nightstand in which it was a good call, not ruining by having it drenched in tears. "Ketin..." she merely utters as the tears land on her pants creating darker spots on the already black pants. "To tell you the truth, if you were any other test subject I would have brushed you off and have you quickly dispose of when you broke out, but..." she tilts her head up showing her teared filled face, eyes slight bloodshot from the crying with red rings underneath her eyes and continue "...you were the only one who broke my cold heart, with...with your innocent smile back then" she then breaks down and collapses on the side of the bed on her knees crying loudly into bed sheet. "I'm sorry Ketin...I'm so very sorry! I didn't want this to come to how you were back then! I-I just didn't!" she cry's as she rubs her face onto the soft bed sheet, her heart so broken. "After putting that eye in you I was so against...I never wanted you see go to war! I wanted you to stay and continue on being the cute little boy I once knew! Even though it was in a lab!" she adds as she continues to cry. "I even had plans to kidnap you from the lab and take you away from Aller, b-but he was determine for me onto to see you since he determine me as an outside unnecessary influence to you...and so I could only see you when you slept in that cell" she continues to cry, even though it may sound far fetch, but in actuality it was true, she had driven up plans and plotted a route for escape, but of course that never came to fruition. "Once I was brought back into seeing you not your cell...you changed, you had death in your eyes and were fond with Aller seeing him as your father, and I k-knew kidnapping you is out of the question" shes adds as she continues to hide her face on the bed sheet.
Then she stopped crying, and became silent. She raises her head and gives a couple of sniffs, her face red from all the crying and tears. "Now that I think about it, I could have easily been in the same position like you were Ketin...be experimented because of this..." she says as she puts her arm on the bed and extend the large thick black blade of solid carbon. "If he knew my body skeleton was made out of this...I would have definitely be used as a test subject and see how it came to be and how it works" continues as she gives a face of one without hope as she stares at the large blade. "Funny...if things went completely wrong on my end...you may have tried to kill me instead of that man as your first victim all those years ago when the eye was first installed into you. That would have been two test's done, one see if the eye truly worked and two, see if I can be killed by the eye" she said as she continue to have the same look on her face as she stares into her reflection on the blade. She looks up at Ketin with a sad look on her face and said to him "No matter how much you hate me, despise me or even if you wanted to kill me, I will and forever love you as Ketin Clark, the child I wish I could have raised and care for as a proper parent" and then she tiled her down back onto the bedsheet, with only small amount of tears coming from her face once more. "I'm just so glade I am next you now" she added as kept her face hidden from him.
AS Arthur walks down the corridor with his head down feeling ashamed on what he had done, a discrete crackle could be heard behind him with a slow clap. Arthur looks behind and sees who the mystery person was. Out of the invisibility cloaking device, came two rather tall automatons both of the same model, a cone shaped head, a solid metal shield like face guard that covers up there mouths, menacing metallic red eyes and slick aerodynamic body frames with two inverted wings behind there shoulders with a small symbol of a skull with Kampfer's style of hair and his optical device on where the eye is. One of with crackling and clapping is a vomit like green color while the one behind him was white and black straight down the middle creating perfect symmetry on its body. "Hehehehe, good work there, light bulb, losing your cool like that" the green one said. "Aww poor thing it *KRRRRR* WOULD HAVE BEEN INTERESTING TO SEE YOU BEAT HIM UP, MWHAHAHA!" the black and white said as he looks at Arthur. "Who are you two?" Arthur could merely ask, looking at them dumbfounded. The green giggled and jumped up slightly and gave a bow "I am Knight Loki and this is Knight Hel" as he points to the black and white one. "We are part of the Asgardain Knights, former protectors of our Lord Kampfer, there used to be twelve of us but now only four" he said as he looks at Arthur. "Uhmm if you count Juno then makes it five" the Hel said in a very innocent voice to Loki. "Ah, yes, five if you count Knight Juno, but she went missing a couple of years ago and never heard her since. The other two is Knight Odin and Knight Thor" Loki explained as he hops on his feet in place. Arthur scratched his head and said "Loki? Thor? Why would Kampfer name you guys after Norse gods for since Dimensional Lords hate the gods?" Loki snickered and replied "Well Kampfer saw the funny's in it by naming a couple of robots after the gods to more or less insult them" he snickered even more. "I have so many more questions to ask" Arthur said as he looks at them, slight admiring them on how cool they look, but also slightly concern about two's mental stability.
Back at the Asteroid belt, after seeing the Arado get obliterated the spy cruiser zipped into warp speed out of the there not wanting to attract any attention they have all ready, the only thing left is a small pink fighter like craft flying around erectly like a fly around trash and slowly approaching the mother and son vessel.
Then she stopped crying, and became silent. She raises her head and gives a couple of sniffs, her face red from all the crying and tears. "Now that I think about it, I could have easily been in the same position like you were Ketin...be experimented because of this..." she says as she puts her arm on the bed and extend the large thick black blade of solid carbon. "If he knew my body skeleton was made out of this...I would have definitely be used as a test subject and see how it came to be and how it works" continues as she gives a face of one without hope as she stares at the large blade. "Funny...if things went completely wrong on my end...you may have tried to kill me instead of that man as your first victim all those years ago when the eye was first installed into you. That would have been two test's done, one see if the eye truly worked and two, see if I can be killed by the eye" she said as she continue to have the same look on her face as she stares into her reflection on the blade. She looks up at Ketin with a sad look on her face and said to him "No matter how much you hate me, despise me or even if you wanted to kill me, I will and forever love you as Ketin Clark, the child I wish I could have raised and care for as a proper parent" and then she tiled her down back onto the bedsheet, with only small amount of tears coming from her face once more. "I'm just so glade I am next you now" she added as kept her face hidden from him.
AS Arthur walks down the corridor with his head down feeling ashamed on what he had done, a discrete crackle could be heard behind him with a slow clap. Arthur looks behind and sees who the mystery person was. Out of the invisibility cloaking device, came two rather tall automatons both of the same model, a cone shaped head, a solid metal shield like face guard that covers up there mouths, menacing metallic red eyes and slick aerodynamic body frames with two inverted wings behind there shoulders with a small symbol of a skull with Kampfer's style of hair and his optical device on where the eye is. One of with crackling and clapping is a vomit like green color while the one behind him was white and black straight down the middle creating perfect symmetry on its body. "Hehehehe, good work there, light bulb, losing your cool like that" the green one said. "Aww poor thing it *KRRRRR* WOULD HAVE BEEN INTERESTING TO SEE YOU BEAT HIM UP, MWHAHAHA!" the black and white said as he looks at Arthur. "Who are you two?" Arthur could merely ask, looking at them dumbfounded. The green giggled and jumped up slightly and gave a bow "I am Knight Loki and this is Knight Hel" as he points to the black and white one. "We are part of the Asgardain Knights, former protectors of our Lord Kampfer, there used to be twelve of us but now only four" he said as he looks at Arthur. "Uhmm if you count Juno then makes it five" the Hel said in a very innocent voice to Loki. "Ah, yes, five if you count Knight Juno, but she went missing a couple of years ago and never heard her since. The other two is Knight Odin and Knight Thor" Loki explained as he hops on his feet in place. Arthur scratched his head and said "Loki? Thor? Why would Kampfer name you guys after Norse gods for since Dimensional Lords hate the gods?" Loki snickered and replied "Well Kampfer saw the funny's in it by naming a couple of robots after the gods to more or less insult them" he snickered even more. "I have so many more questions to ask" Arthur said as he looks at them, slight admiring them on how cool they look, but also slightly concern about two's mental stability.
Back at the Asteroid belt, after seeing the Arado get obliterated the spy cruiser zipped into warp speed out of the there not wanting to attract any attention they have all ready, the only thing left is a small pink fighter like craft flying around erectly like a fly around trash and slowly approaching the mother and son vessel.
Sleep seemed to avoid Nirix at every turn. Though the walls of the living quarters were no where near thin, the Eoclu could hear everything, imagine everything as clear as if it was playing out in front of her. Ketin had finally awoken by now, venomous in his words and eyes as he discovered where or more so who he had woken up to.
Would he have reacted the same, if she occupied that room instead?
Doctor Glades seemed and for all attended purposes, sounded remorseful. She wailed and sniffled, sobbed and begged in her sorrow to appear as if she really cared for the normally energetic half breed. But Nirix could already see how this would play out. Her Da'l-Ketin, she had to remind herself, wouldn't believe none of what the Doctor was saying. He would've rather believed that the sun was made of ice than listen to someone from his darken past. Ketin Clarke was like that, stubborn till the end.
Somehow the thought brought a glimmer of a smile to the distant Eoclu. She was supposed to be forgetting about him, closing off her heart for good. But it was hard and worse, very very painful.
In her lack of sleep, the faint bleeping of her communicator, caused her ear to twitch. Sitting up and sliding off of her bed, she made the small walk to her things that had been placed neatly in a pile. A new set of coordinates had been sent to her, an assassin was needed. The smile that had been on her face instantly dropped, replaced with a thin line of indifference. It was time to move on.
Would he have reacted the same, if she occupied that room instead?
Doctor Glades seemed and for all attended purposes, sounded remorseful. She wailed and sniffled, sobbed and begged in her sorrow to appear as if she really cared for the normally energetic half breed. But Nirix could already see how this would play out. Her Da'l-Ketin, she had to remind herself, wouldn't believe none of what the Doctor was saying. He would've rather believed that the sun was made of ice than listen to someone from his darken past. Ketin Clarke was like that, stubborn till the end.
Somehow the thought brought a glimmer of a smile to the distant Eoclu. She was supposed to be forgetting about him, closing off her heart for good. But it was hard and worse, very very painful.
In her lack of sleep, the faint bleeping of her communicator, caused her ear to twitch. Sitting up and sliding off of her bed, she made the small walk to her things that had been placed neatly in a pile. A new set of coordinates had been sent to her, an assassin was needed. The smile that had been on her face instantly dropped, replaced with a thin line of indifference. It was time to move on.
But Ketin Clarke was always full of surprises. He rarely made sense, his behavioral patterns were hardly patterns at all, he ran hot and cold, up and down and just when someone might begin to think they understood him he would blow them out of the water and make them start again. He had done it to Nirix a number of times already.
He was about to do it again. It was not intentional, even though he was aware of her presence nearby in the back of his mind he was not paying the slightest bit of conscious attention to her.
As glades went on, breaking down further and further, Kete’s hard glare grew softer, softer still. Gradually he realized that, frankly, he had been an ass. It was hypocritical – to live on a policy of doing no harm to others and then being so cold and cruel – or, at least, letting his emotions get the best of him, letting bitterness overtake sense.
If Glades was acting, Kete decided at last, it was a good enough act that it was worth playing along with – but he doubted it was an act.
He sat there for a long, long time, just watching the woman, pitying her.
Kete didn’t want to hurt anyone – he never wanted to hurt anyone. Whether in atonement for his past sins or in his natural personality – or some combination of both – Kete had always done his best to not hurt anyone. Whether or not Glades was really putting up a front suddenly did not matter so much to Kete.
Without warning, Glades would feel a pair of arms wrap around her shoulders and squeeze. She was not given the opportunity to return the embrace however, given the position – he just rested his chin on her shoulder and stared blankly, eyes glazed, at some meaningless spot on the floor behind.
“Thank you, Doctor Glades.” he said solemnly after some time, still squeezing.
There was no doubt about it – there was no twisting it around or changing perspective – he was comforting her. It was most revealed in the tone of his words, the sad, distant sort of knowing in them. He seemed genuine – but then, Kete’s emotions always seemed genuine where his words did not necessarily follow suit. Yet this time it did sound legitimate – or just too forlorn to matter.
He pitied her.
Every mention of Aller put a knot in his stomach, but he fought it down. The whole situation made him sick but it wasn’t time for that now.
Those four words were the only ones he uttered for a long, long while. He just stayed there for what seemed like hours.
Ketin was stubborn – possibly one of the thickest-headed, strongest-willed and mule-brained people in the Galaxy. Yet here he was, giving in to what seemed to anyone else like a bad show of melodramatic emotions?
Whether he really believed her, or he just pitied her, that would never be known except by himself. But truth and meaning did not matter now.
And besides…He recalled that the terrible nightmares which had plagued him for his early time on Ardella had subsided rather suddenly into nothingness.
The flitting of aetherwave communication caught Kete’s metaphorical minds’ eye. He gave it little thought, but the nature of it became immediately clear and immediately disturbing. It was a set of coordinates, and though no explicit information was included, the implication was more than clear given who the message had been sent to.
After that seemingly endless period of time, just being there with arms wrapped around Glades, Kete at last released her and before she had the chance to react at all, he was standing and moving toward the door. His clothing had been returned moments prior by a more primitive of the Z-Bots, who stuck his Giskard-esque head through the crack of the door, saw the wailing Glades and hastily set them down on a nearby table before disappearing unnoticed. They had even found his T shirt – or, at least, another bright pink T shirt that was just like the one he had mysteriously lost during his binge.
He dressed promptly, then moved back to the other table and began the process of returning all the little things back into his pockets.
The metallic red coin which constituted five standard dollars did not return to his pocket, however. He picked the little thing up to examine it remotely. It was no ordinary piece – it had been a misprint, with both sides instead of just one bearing the universal ‘5’, and one side being slightly crooked. It was a rare and valuable find, to a collector – but the most telling feature about it was the little hole punched in it, close to the edge. It made it so the coin might act as a pendant if a thin chain or cord were strung through it. It was Kete’s lucky coin – he couldn’t even remember where he’d found the thing, but he’d been using it in magic tricks and bar bets for as long as he could remember.
Spinning it slowly between his fingers, he watched the florescent light reflect off the bright crimson metal. Then, with one last look toward Glades, he deliberately set the coin back on the table.
Then he walked out the door without another word, and he was gone.
Kete had a job to do.
Christofer laid curled on the floor, shaking lightly as Kallenger approached him. She didn't look all that happy with it all, again, that was her expression most of the time, but Christofer couldn't help assuming that she wasn't pleased with him. With the hand reaching for him and going towards the back of his neck, the boy shivered and prepared to have the neck gripped like that of a dog's when it had been bad. But instead, Royanna was being soft with it like before and the stiffness would lessen, allowing the woman to pull him slightly out of the curled position.
In return, the German would slowly look at the intergalactic master woman, that he now thought Kallenger was. He slowly nodded as he listened to what the lady had to say, following the instructions as they came and tried to not think of it too much.
Eventually they were both up, with Christofer still feeling slightly dizzy and his hands would have a tight grip of Royanna's coat - or what ever clothes she had managed to get for herself. Standing without any sort of support could have resulted in him just falling back onto the floor. His ears were still glued to the back of his head and the tail wasn't hanging around loosely either.
To Christofer the introductions were some next-level knowledge. In his eyes Kallenger was some sort of master mind for knowing things like that. To him it was super advanced. How could anyone have ever thought of that? Or, why? How easily it worked was surprising to him too.
"... It's... It's so w-weird..." The boy stuttered lightly as he spoke, gripping her clothes a little bit tighter. "I... I guess I just need to get used to it then... ..."
And just like that, even if he physically felt significantly better, his mind itself was the one spinning. He had so many questions, most of the like "where exactly was he" and "why was he there" and "what happened to the others". But those questions would have to wait. He'd probably have time to ask them later. For now his focus was on trying to not get dizzy again...
In return, the German would slowly look at the intergalactic master woman, that he now thought Kallenger was. He slowly nodded as he listened to what the lady had to say, following the instructions as they came and tried to not think of it too much.
Eventually they were both up, with Christofer still feeling slightly dizzy and his hands would have a tight grip of Royanna's coat - or what ever clothes she had managed to get for herself. Standing without any sort of support could have resulted in him just falling back onto the floor. His ears were still glued to the back of his head and the tail wasn't hanging around loosely either.
To Christofer the introductions were some next-level knowledge. In his eyes Kallenger was some sort of master mind for knowing things like that. To him it was super advanced. How could anyone have ever thought of that? Or, why? How easily it worked was surprising to him too.
"... It's... It's so w-weird..." The boy stuttered lightly as he spoke, gripping her clothes a little bit tighter. "I... I guess I just need to get used to it then... ..."
And just like that, even if he physically felt significantly better, his mind itself was the one spinning. He had so many questions, most of the like "where exactly was he" and "why was he there" and "what happened to the others". But those questions would have to wait. He'd probably have time to ask them later. For now his focus was on trying to not get dizzy again...
She found the clothing amusing; the off white tunic was tied against her middle with a woven leather belt while the moss green pants and leather foot wrappings all fit her perfectly. The Z-Bot had brought her simple clothing, clothing that avertedly reminded her of her home. (A meal had also been provided but Nirix hadn't bothered to eat it. She had lost the feeling of hunger awhile ago.) Briefly her mind dwelled on the appeal of returning home and forgetting all about what had occurred but it was merely a daydream.
A daydream that the Eoclu could not afford to dwell on. Sandioh was far away after all, settled amongst the glow sea of stars and moons. The distant jungle planet would have to be a memory in her mind, as would her frequent dwelling on Ketin. She had been assigned a mission, coordinates with no exact directions afterwards. It was no doubt someone new with seeking out a deal with an assassin. Normally coordinates would indeed be sent, but so would a contact name. Dealing with such an amateur gave Nirix pause, debating on if she should truly seek this out. Money was nice and sticking to the mission would provide a distraction and purpose. It was a grim way of thinking about it but Nirix needed something to clear her mind. Prayers were nice but action and adrenaline provided more, it allowed her to get lost in the one art she was good at performing.
Without another thought, Nirix collected her things and strapped her sword to her back and trusty pistol to her side before heading out the door.
She had a job to do.
A daydream that the Eoclu could not afford to dwell on. Sandioh was far away after all, settled amongst the glow sea of stars and moons. The distant jungle planet would have to be a memory in her mind, as would her frequent dwelling on Ketin. She had been assigned a mission, coordinates with no exact directions afterwards. It was no doubt someone new with seeking out a deal with an assassin. Normally coordinates would indeed be sent, but so would a contact name. Dealing with such an amateur gave Nirix pause, debating on if she should truly seek this out. Money was nice and sticking to the mission would provide a distraction and purpose. It was a grim way of thinking about it but Nirix needed something to clear her mind. Prayers were nice but action and adrenaline provided more, it allowed her to get lost in the one art she was good at performing.
Without another thought, Nirix collected her things and strapped her sword to her back and trusty pistol to her side before heading out the door.
She had a job to do.
Glades merely looked at him as he gets himself ready, tears slowly coming down her face. For her the hug meant everything...almost as if she was craving it from him. As she stares at Ketin as he leaves out she says to him after he leaves "Good bye, Ketin, my boy" and then plants her head back into the bed.
As for Arthur, he asks Loki "Who are you actually?" confused on the Asguardian purpose. Loki cackled and replied "Well my dear friend if you must know, we were the original bodyguards for Kampfer or at least acted as his representatives. We were a project of three individuals" he brings up his fingers as he starts naming them off "Lord Erica Codsworth, she supplied our Lord the nervoual structure of a Dendril, Doctor Glades made sure everything cooperated as we were created and our Lord Kampfer is the one who actually built us" he looks at him as Hel adds "Basically Erica supplied Kampfer the brain and the nervous that we use" "In which technically we are consider living beings with imagination and creativity and such" Loki butted back in as he steps in front of Hel, slightly angering him. "I would love to chat with you, Arthur, but I have orders from the big man himself and he needs me now" Loki said as he giggles past Arthur and starts juggling three knives that he has. "From Kampfer?" Arthur said as he looks at him, cursorily. "So Hel-" he cut himself off seeing Hel isn't around anymore and bugged out. Arthur let out a large sigh and said "I still have questions though..." and starts to walk away going to attend few problems that have risen with the Electrons.
Kampfer was in the hanger with two ships ready, his own personal craft similar to his daughter's Corvette and a dropship. He got the news on what happen after he awoken form his blackout and got ready to go, wearing a new black shirt, pants and boots, his head feeling fine from all that partying. He wanted to be prepared for anything, two separate rides for Nirix and Ketin just in case. The hanger itself an impressive and very large area with various ships in it from small fighters to the large battle cruisers going in and out, a star port within a large military space station. Kampfer stood in front of both ships and waited on the two's arrival, knowing eventually they will come to the hanger if they follow the signs that point to its direction. Once they would arrive he would ask them either together or separate "Ready to go?"
As for Arthur, he asks Loki "Who are you actually?" confused on the Asguardian purpose. Loki cackled and replied "Well my dear friend if you must know, we were the original bodyguards for Kampfer or at least acted as his representatives. We were a project of three individuals" he brings up his fingers as he starts naming them off "Lord Erica Codsworth, she supplied our Lord the nervoual structure of a Dendril, Doctor Glades made sure everything cooperated as we were created and our Lord Kampfer is the one who actually built us" he looks at him as Hel adds "Basically Erica supplied Kampfer the brain and the nervous that we use" "In which technically we are consider living beings with imagination and creativity and such" Loki butted back in as he steps in front of Hel, slightly angering him. "I would love to chat with you, Arthur, but I have orders from the big man himself and he needs me now" Loki said as he giggles past Arthur and starts juggling three knives that he has. "From Kampfer?" Arthur said as he looks at him, cursorily. "So Hel-" he cut himself off seeing Hel isn't around anymore and bugged out. Arthur let out a large sigh and said "I still have questions though..." and starts to walk away going to attend few problems that have risen with the Electrons.
Kampfer was in the hanger with two ships ready, his own personal craft similar to his daughter's Corvette and a dropship. He got the news on what happen after he awoken form his blackout and got ready to go, wearing a new black shirt, pants and boots, his head feeling fine from all that partying. He wanted to be prepared for anything, two separate rides for Nirix and Ketin just in case. The hanger itself an impressive and very large area with various ships in it from small fighters to the large battle cruisers going in and out, a star port within a large military space station. Kampfer stood in front of both ships and waited on the two's arrival, knowing eventually they will come to the hanger if they follow the signs that point to its direction. Once they would arrive he would ask them either together or separate "Ready to go?"
Harlan stumbles backward, letting out a quick yelp when the self proclaimed Ice Queen bursts out, sending random debris behind her soaring through the air. He quickly whips up his rifle, aiming down the ironsights and begins slowly backing up, his finger now slightly resting on the trigger.
"Listen... alright... Now, we can definitely back up those threats, but I don't think we'll have to, alright? We definitely wouldn't want to, of course... uhh, your Majesty. Now me and my squad here," he nods his head towards the other two, "are going to be heading out. Base is all yours once we leave. Sound okay?" He glances at the others and beckons them to follow him with his eyes.
"Listen... alright... Now, we can definitely back up those threats, but I don't think we'll have to, alright? We definitely wouldn't want to, of course... uhh, your Majesty. Now me and my squad here," he nods his head towards the other two, "are going to be heading out. Base is all yours once we leave. Sound okay?" He glances at the others and beckons them to follow him with his eyes.
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