PHALANX - The series
Episode twenty-three: Random Happenings.
Quietly, the blue-haired girl slid out of the bedroom, and gently walked over to the bathroom, her bare feet not making the slightest sound on the carpeted floor. Like a silent ghost she activated the door-sensor, and slid into the bathroom as it soundlessly slid open.
The bathroom was quite simple, with a shower on the left, and a mirror and sink on the right. A small cupboard hung on the far will, containing the most basic of supplies. Usually, the closet would contain toiletries, but right now, it was as good as empty except for the make-up some of Ami's friends had brought with them. Directly under the suspended closet was a toilet, which completed these very basic quarters.
Ami knew that both Frederic's and Daphnix's quarters were larger, since they had been modified to be permanent residencies. After washing herself, and getting some fresh clothes from Linda, Ami silently left the room, after leaving a message to notify her friends where she was. Outside, Ami turned to her right, and walked past the first door.
She knew that Daphnix probably was with Frederic and his family, having breakfast. Her hand floated in front of the door chime. Suddenly, she didn't know whether she was welcome. Deciding to make sure, she withdrew her arm, took a couple of steps back, and called in her communicator.
"Hello?"
"Sweets!" Daphnix's rich bass came through the device. His voice sounded both surprised and pleased at the same time. "Sleep well?" his voice asked.
"I did. Thanks. And you?" she asked.
"Just fine, Sweets. Listen, I'm having breakfast with Fred. Why don't you come over?"
"Sure," Ami answered, a smile beaming on her face. "I mean, if it's ok…"
"Sweets, I wouldn't invite you if it weren't okay, now would I?" Daphnix's bass laughed. "Come on over. Fred indicates he doesn't mind, just in case you would like to know."
"Okay. I'll be there," Ami responded. The connection terminated as the girl pressed the device. She once more walked to the door of Frederic's room. She waited a few more seconds, and pressed the chime. The door slid open on Frederic's order.
"Good morning," the people at the large table greeted her.
"Good morning," she replied, not knowing exactly what to do.
"Pull up a chair," Frederic said, pointing to the living room. Ami smiled, thanked him, and retrieved herself a chair. People scooted over, allowing her to sit right next to Daphnix. She smiled gratefully as she sat down. Looking around the table, Ami was still rather unsure on how to proceed.
"Dig in," Frederic urged her. "There's more than enough."
"Thank you," Ami said, smiling gratefully at him, and started preparing some sandwiches for breakfast. Soon, conversation resumed, and Ami found herself drawn into the conversations as they centered on yesterday's happenings, and she was asked to tell her side of the story. Hesitant at first, but as she found out that they were actually listening to her, Ami's confidence grew.
"Poor thing," Daphnix said, putting his arm around her shoulders. "You should have asked Linda," he told her gently. "She would have explained to you that there was no actual danger."
Ami's blue eyes centered on his brown ones as she turned her face to him. She gave him a courageous smile. "I'll ask next time," she answered.
"That's my girl," Daphnix answered, smiling. He drew her in to his side, hugging her close. She could feel the power in his grip.
"You just get the bugs out of the program," Frederic told David and Jessica. "It was a nice game, but locking out the computer like that sure made it interesting."
"Another day, another lesson," David responded. Ami noted the same look of determination in his eyes as his father had. She also noted how he looked up to his father, so much in fact that his voice sounded like his father's did. He chose the same kind of words.
Jessica nodded. "We developed so many things during the war that we forgot that we shouldn't exaggerate with safety issues," Jessica added. While David looked up to his father, it was obvious that Jessica was the more independent one. Her eyes radiated a confidence, a confidence in herself and her abilities, as well as a confidence in her brother. It was obvious she looked up to her parents, but contrary to David, she chose her own way.
As breakfast drew to a close, conversation shifted to Ami and her friends once more.
"So, you have a day off," Daphnix commented. "Do you have anything planned?"
"I need to go over chapter six of geometry," Ami answered. "I would like to be ready for the test tomorrow."
"You know, we could help you with that," David told the girl, indicating both himself and Jessica. "With our help, you'll probably do it in half the time as on your own."
"That sounds like a good idea," Daphnix told Ami. "And after you're done I can show you some other nice places I'm sure you'll enjoy. What do you say?"
Ami smiled at the enthusiasm of the people around her. It astounded her how easily these people came up with plans, how fast they could concoct some plan of action, or schedule something. Ideas were just thrown around, others picked up on them, and somehow, something useful came from the chaos.
"Sure," Ami said, smiling.
"Great!" Daphnix exclaimed.
"And who knows, we might actually make it to chapter seven tomorrow," Jessica said, laughing.
"Knowing us, we could do the entire book by tonight," David told his sister, grinning widely. "But we have to take poor Ami into consideration."
Ami stared at the kids. "Get used to it," Daphnix whispered in her ear. "They call everyone that can't keep up with them 'poor' at one time or another. That means everyone except their mother and father, most of the time," Daphnix whispered. Now knowing that it wasn't intended badly, Ami laughed.
"What?" David asked, looking from Ami to Daphnix, and back.
"Nothing," Daphnix said with a straight face. Ami laughed harder at the serious look on his face.
"Sure looks like a fun nothing," Jessica shot.
The rest of breakfast dissolved into good-hearted banter, and when the people finally went their own ways, Ami was very conscious of the fact that she felt accepted into the family. Walking next to the twins, Ami was curious where they were going.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"Well, usually we take a dip in the pool. It's very relaxing," David answered. "And we come up with our best stuff there."
"But, my books…" Ami protested.
"What? These?" Jessica asked, as a book bag materialized in her hands. "Linda was so good as to get us the stuff you'd need."
"Won't they get wet?" Ami asked, equally dubious.
"It's a holodeck. The books won't get wet, as long as you tell it not to make them wet," David responded. "But, if you feel better, we could just get ourselves a blackboard, and do the stuff like that."
Ami gave a small smile, and answered, "I think I'll try your method first."
"Great!" David exclaimed, smiling. To his sister, he said, "Come on, I'll race ya!"
"Oh you!" Jessica grunted, shooting after her brother. Startled for a moment, Ami raced after the twins. By the time she got there, the children had already powered up their program, and were ready to go inside.
"You'll step into the changing area," Jessica explained. "There's a swimsuit there that'll fit you."
"Thanks," Ami answered, and the trio entered.
Ten minutes later, they were swimming a couple of laps before getting down to work. Ami was wearing blue swimsuit, while David was wearing a pair of red boxer shorts and Jessica wore a black swimsuit.
"You're a great swimmer, you know that?" David told the older girl as he swam next to her. "For a human, that is."
Ami smiled at the compliment, and finished her laps. She loved the Olympic-size swimming pool the twins did their 'work' in, and she told them so.
"Now, let's get down to business," Jessica said. "Is this a recap, or new?"
"Recap," Ami told them. "I'm usually a couple of chapters ahead."
"We'll go over it first, and then have some fun. Is that fine with you?" David asked.
"Sure," Ami said, unsure of what the children meant by 'fun'.
"Great!" Jessica said. "Linda, BB, please." A blackboard appeared, complete with chalk, but without erasers. Ami also noticed that there were a few packages of chalk next to the blackboard. "Let's see… chapter six."
"So, you still with us?" David asked as he moved his hand over the blackboard, erasing it.
"Yes," Ami answered, getting up out of the pool.
"Great. So, let's see you crack this one, and chapter six is over," Jessica said, and wrote a problem on the board. As the children pulled some more laps, Ami's brain kicked into overdrive. She couldn't remember a time when she had been tested like this. Not even the tests in school were as hard as the exercises she had been solving all morning. But, somehow, she always finished them, and the intense feeling of satisfaction drove her on.
"Hey, Ami!" Usagi shouted as she came running up to Ami. Of course, the sides of the pool were slippery and wet, and Usagi slipped. Thanks to the safeties of the holodeck, Usagi was caught before actually hitting the ground.
"This is fun!" Usagi exclaimed as she got back up. The rest of the girls had by now made it to Ami, and Usagi joined the group.
"Ami, you have a day off, and you spend it studying?" Minako grunted.
"You'll study yourself to death some day," Usagi said.
By that time, David and Jessica had gotten out of the pool, and walked up to the group.
"Cracked it yet?" Jessica asked Ami.
"Not yet," she responded. "But I'm close."
The children threw one look at the board, and looked at each other with a twinkle in their eyes. "Now, no disturbing the student," David told the other girls.
"Hey! You can't tell us what to do!" Rei told the two children.
"If you say so," Jessica said, sighing. She turned to Ami, who had written some more exercise.
"Hey! Don't turn your back on me!" Rei exploded.
"How can you work with racket like this?" David asked Ami. She turned to the children, smiled, and answered, "I've had practice."
"Come on, Rei. There must be more fun things to do on this ship than solving geometry problems," Makoto said.
"I suggest you ask Linda. She knows this ship like the back of her hand," Jessica said with a smile.
"That's because most of the time, Linda is the ship," David said to his sister, with a merry twinkle in his eyes.
"How else would someone get to know this big thing?" Jessica retorted.
"Did someone call?" Fifteen-year-old Linda asked as she appeared directly behind the group.
"Hey, Linda! Yeah, the girls would like the guided tour on what there is to do for fun on this ship," Jessica told the hologram. "And since you played hostess last night, we though you were the best choice."
"Maybe you could take Borlan along," David added with a big smile. "I hear he made quite an impression on Rei…"
Rei turned beat-red. "How did you know THAT?" she bellowed.
David shrugged. "We know most of what goes on this ship."
"After all, we designed most of its upgrades," Jessica added.
"Just make sure you don’t tell anyone!" Rei screamed.
"We won't, David promised. "Your secret's safe with us."
Rei was led off, still fuming, and David and Jessica chuckled as they heard Linda calm her down.
"I think I've got it," Ami told her teachers a few moments later.
"The theory is sound," David told her.
"But this eight decimal should be a 7 instead a 6. But only a calculator would tell you that," Jessica finished.
"Thus this would be… and than this is…so the end result is…" David scribbled some numbers in a fast pace. Ami looked aghast.
"I didn't get it right," she said sadly.
"You did," Jessica said. "But it's the fact that we were testing you on graduation level that made you stumble. But, like David said before, the theory is sound. You cracked the problem."
"Graduation level? High school?"
"College," David answered her. Ami's jaw fell.
"And in college, students get a calculator, so that little hiccough wouldn't have happened," Jessica said.
"College graduation level?" Ami stammered.
"Mathematics," David told her in turn. "Now, are you ready for some fun?"
"Fun?" Ami asked.
"Yep. Get the most difficult theory you can think of in chapter six. Then we'll prove it. All three of us together," Jessica said. Ami took the geometry book, and flipped through the pages. Her eyes lit up as she slammed the book shut.
"Can I test you?" she asked.
David and Jessica's eyes lit up. "Go on. We love a good challenge," David answered.
"Three dimension geometry," Ami said. "Prove to me Euler's formula concerning the sphere."
"Sure. Big deal," David muttered. He turned to the blackboard.
"Which one?" Jessica asked as she too, turned to the blackboard.
"V-E+F=2," Ami told them.
"Alright," David said, beginning to write. "The theory is that, if P is a convex polyhedron with V vertices, E edges and F faces, then V-E+F=2. Now, let's prove it."
On their usual tone, the kids continued. Without interrupting once, both kids wrote the entire proof on the blackboard. Ami was astonished.
"So, putting this all together, we get 2 V = 2 E - 2 F + 4 ," David muttered.
"We divide by 2, and we get Euler's formula: V-E+F=2," Jessica finished. "We used Girard's Theorem, and it extension to spherical polygons to derive and prove the formula."
"Incredible," Ami muttered, looking at the blackboard, which was now covered in a diagram of a sphere, run through by lines of different colors.
"We're more used to dealing with multiple-dimensional physics, so three dimensional geometry is kid's play for us," David said, grinning.
"But this isn't helping you, Ami. Let's try something else. Pick a formula from chapter six, write it on the blackboard, and take a swim. Think about the formula you've picked, and try to derive something from it. Something new, preferably."
David wiped the backboard, and motioned for Ami to go ahead. Smiling, Ami went to work. For the first time in her life, she knew that she was in the presence of people she could use her full abilities with. Usually, she had to hold back, to avoid being cast out for being 'too smart', or by stating something in a too difficult way. Now, she could do whatever she liked, and she knew that the kids would still push her harder. Ami liked it, and was actually beginning to look forward to the next time she could do this as she wrote her formula on the board.
"We'll hold back," David told Ami. "This is supposed to be about you, remember?" The kids grinned and Ami nodded gratefully.
"Just walk around, take a swim, but don't just sit down," Jessica told the girl. "We've found out that being in physical activity boosts the thinking process. At least, it does for us." David nodded in agreement. Ami stared at the formula for a couple of seconds, and actually began walking on herself, without her even knowing about it. David and Jessica slid into the water, avoiding any noise that would disturb Ami.
"No matter where we go, this beach is always beautiful," Daphnix told the girl tucked under his left arm.
"I'm surprised no one else knows about this," Ami responded.
"Not many people do. And those that do don't tell. Everyone wants to keep this little paradise as it is," Daphnix said, his voice indicating total relaxation. Content not to talk for the moment, the couple walked further along the beach, enjoying the scenery. Minutes seemed to pass like seconds as they enjoyed each other's company, both in their own thoughts.
"I could stay here all day," Ami whispered. Daphnix nodded.
"This is where I come to think," he told Ami. "Or when I just need to clear my head. There have been times when I even slept here, with the sand as my bed, and the stars as my blanket."
"You're so poetical," Ami told him.
"I wasn't…not until I met you," Daphnix answered, leaning in for a quick kiss. That quick kiss turned into a long kiss. Ami smiled at his remark.
"I'm glad. I like it when you get poetical on me."
"Then I'll do my best to stay poetical, Sweets," Daphnix said. He grunted when a beeping noise interrupted the peace of the secluded beach. He reached into the pocket of the shorts, and retrieved a communicator.
"Daphnix," he said.
Sorry to interrupt you, but there's a vampire breakout on 215, Frederic's voice told him. Can you make it?
Daphnix looked at the girl under his left arm, looking at him with those big blue eyes of hers.
"Can you handle it alone?" he asked.
We can. I just contacted you just in case you were free.
"I'm…rather busy at the moment," Daphnix said.
I see. Well, have fun, Frederic said, his voice laughing. Daphnix felt Ami squirm from under his arm.
"Love, it's your duty…" Ami began.
"Sweets, Fred and Jenny can take care of things… you heard Fred," Daphnix told her, confusion written on his face.
"You should go. Your friends need you," Ami told him. "I know that. Always help your friends."
Daphnix smiled at her. "If you're sure you're okay with it."
Ami smiled courageously, and nodded. "I am. Go!" she added with a smile.
Daphnix grabbed her, kissed her, and told her, "I'll be back, Sweets."
"I know," she added, smiling. Daphnix pressed the communicator, and told Frederic to transport him to the bridge. Ami sat down, and stared at the waves for a couple of minutes. The small paradise suddenly seemed less beautiful without Daphnix there to share it with her. After a couple of minutes, she asked to be beamed back on board the Ortega, changed clothes, and went out to find her friends.
"Where's Linda?" Ami asked when she found her friends having fun in a simulated subtropical pool. It was complete with palm trees, and all kinds of slides. Ami's clothes were discarded once more, and the swimsuit had appeared once again.
"She's on the bridge," Rei said. "Where's Daphnix? I thought you two were out for the afternoon?"
"He got called. There's a vampire attack," Ami answered her friend's question.
"He just left you?" Usagi asked.
"That's not very nice," Minako added. Ami shook her head.
"He wanted to stay. I told him to go," she told her friends in a whisper.
"At least he wanted to stay," Makoto told her friend.
"Why did you do that? Send him away?" Usagi asked her blue-haired friend.
"Friends are important, Usagi-chan," Ami told her friend. "This is exactly the same thing if I had been called to help with the Senshi. His friends were counting on him, and you would be counting on me. Just because his friends are incredibly powerful doesn't mean that he's not needed."
"It sounds to me like you're trying to convince yourself as much as you're trying to convince us," Rei said.
Ami smiled, and shook her head. "I convinced him to go. He wanted to stay," she said.
"But he still left, and it's still hurting you," Makoto said.
Ami sighed. "A little," she admitted. "I have to agree that it was not easy."
"Come on," Minako said cheerfully. "We'll cheer you up!"
"Yeah!" Usagi joined in. "Don't worry Ami-chan. You'll feel better in no time."
"Thanks, guys," Ami said, smiling at her four friends as she was dragged off into the pool.
Screaming, the vampire turned to dust as Frederic's blade decapitated it. He looked around, and saw his two companions fighting the 50 or so remaining vampires. He caught Jennifer's eyes. A short nod was all that was required between the two, and they both screamed. Ki erupted alongside their bodies, sending them spiraling to new heights. Jennifer turned Super-1, followed shortly by Super-2. Frederic turned Super-1, then 2, and finally, Super-3. Ki blasts were flung toward the wriggling mass of vampires, who were now trying to get away from the people they knew had to be a punishment from God. They couldn't be more right.
The vampires fell in less than twenty seconds, with Daphnix just gaping at his two companions. Slowly, the ki auras died down, and they returned to normal.
"Let's find those kids," Frederic said. "This is an orphanage after all. There have to be kids."
"And teachers," Jennifer added. Frederic nodded, and the three-person team moved up the stairs of the central hall, the place they had entered the building. Their weapons remained on alert, moving from right to left to scout out any vampires. After scanning the upper levels, the team moved down to the cellar.
Frederic kicked open the locked door of the cellar, and nearly dropped his guns.
"Fuck," he grunted.
"Oh, no…" Jennifer managed. Daphnix feel silent, not knowing what to say.
"I need a shower," Frederic grunted, throwing off his equipment the moment he appeared on the bridge.
"All of us do," Jennifer remarked. "That was one hellish scene."
"One of the worst we ever saw," Daphnix finished. "Those poor children…"
"If we hadn't already killed them, I'd gladly do it again!!" Frederic exclaimed. "Those vampires could use a couple of lessons in pain."
"We should have let Vicky have a go at them," Jennifer said. "Her Section X training included torture. And a vampire is a lot more resilient than a human. I'm sure she would have enjoyed the challenge."
Daphnix laughed evilly, as did Frederic. They stopped when the door slid open, and five teenaged girls walked up to the team. They stopped when they saw something…dark…lingering in the three people's eyes.
"I need that shower," Frederic said quietly. Jennifer nodded and walked right after him. Daphnix sunk into the command chair.
"It was a bad one," he told the girls.
"How bad?" Ami asked, rushing to his side. "Are you hurt?" Daphnix shook his head.
"No. At least, not physically. Emotionally, I'm devastated…those vampires had gotten hold of an orphanage before we got there. One hundred and seventy-five children… all dead." Daphnix rested his head in his hands. "And the worst part is that none of them died easily. All their little faces, twisted in pain and fear… it was horrible."
Ami pulled him into a hug. He hugged her back, and closed his eyes. He had seen some bad shit, had dealt with it on his own, and he knew that this would be a bad one when he saw the hellish scene before his mind's eye when he closed his eyes. The other girls disappeared quietly when they saw Ami comfort Daphnix.
Frederic looked up from his command chair as Daphnix strode in. Both he and Jennifer had been surprised Daphnix hadn't shown up for breakfast, but they had just assumed that their friend had been exhausted from the fight yesterday. When the couple saw Daphnix enter the bridge, they knew that something else was going on. A coldness lay in his eyes, something Frederic knew only too well.
"D? Everything all right?" he asked.
"Fine," Daphnix said, planting himself in his tactical chair. Frederic and Jennifer looked at each other. Their thoughts were instantaneous, and similar. Something is wrong.
"Daphnix, what is wrong?" Frederic asked, accentuating every word.
"Ami. She's leaving," Daphnix said.
Frederic's eyebrows shot up. "Why?"
"She said she's holding me back. She said she doesn't want to anymore. She said she was leaving."
Frederic and Jennifer looked at each other again. Frederic nodded to his wife, who got up and silently left the bridge. Frederic knelt down next to his friend's chair, placing himself in close proximity to his friend.
"Daphnix… Listen, I know how it feels. We're going to do our best to resolve this, ok?"
"Don't bother. I already tried. She won't listen."
"Jenny was like this too, remember? You have to trust me… us…on this. You're my best friend D. Our best friend. What kind of friends would we be without trying to help you?"
Daphnix nodded. "Thanks… it probably won't help, but thanks."
Frederic patted his friend's arm. "We'll help you through this, D. One way or another."
Daphnix nodded quietly, and hung his head. His shields were cracking, and Frederic knew what his friend was experiencing. He also knew that no amount of consoling would help. If things really didn't work out… Daphnix would have to go through it alone. He would have the company of his friends, but most of the work he would have to do by himself.
Jennifer strode down the long hallway, and stopped in front of the guest quarters Ami had used again for the night. Her friends had gone home yesterday afternoon, after the raid, but Ami had opted to stay. Jennifer pressed the door chime. After it opened, she walked in, her gaze settling on the blue-haired girl staring out the small window.
"Ami? Care to tell me what has happened?" she asked friendly, sitting down next to the window. It would allow Ami to continue to look at the stars, while placing herself at a comfortable position for them to look at each other while talking as well.
She shook her head.
"Alright. Then let me tell you what happened. Be free to tell me I'm wrong whenever you feel like it, ok? You convinced Daphnix to go with us yesterday. Then you saw him come back, shaken up badly, and you got scared. It's only logical. After all, Daphnix is very strong. You got scared when you started thinking about whatever hit him, and if it ever were to hit you. You thought you would never recuperate. So, you made up that story about holding him back, and decided to run. That's only natural. How am I doing so far?" Jennifer asked. No reaction from Ami.
"So, I'll go on. You see, there is one flaw in your reasoning. What you saw yesterday is the exception to the rule. Yesterday was really bad, and it affected all of us. Me and Fred…we have each other. We talk to each other, share each other's pain, and we can get over it pretty quickly. Daphnix doesn't have someone, and he has to go through this alone. Well, reasonably alone. He has us to talk to, at every hour of day or night, but he doesn't have a soul mate. Not like I have Fred, and he has me. Now, you have the potential to become that anchor to him, to help him through the most difficult times."
Ami shook her head. "No…" she whispered. "I'm not as strong as you are…"
"Physical strength has nothing to do with emotional strength, Ami. I can see that you have strength in you. Otherwise, you would have disappeared by now, fleeing what is a potentially hostile environment. Yet, you stayed here. You want this situation resolved, Ami, even though you don't consciously admit it."
Ami squeezed her eyes shut. "Yesterday… Daphnix wanted to stay…with me…while you were going to fight. I convinced him…it was his duty," she was talking in short bursts now, this obviously taking a heavy toll on her as well.
"Do what your heart tells you is right, Ami. That's all I can tell you. But one piece of advice I can give you. You've tasted love, yesterday, and the day before. Now, imagine what you felt then, and feel it grow inside of you each and every day you are together. Imagine what it would be like if it were ten times stronger. Imagine your whole being flooded with this burning sensation, so overpowering that you can feel it flooding your senses. That is what it will reach, honey. That is how the love between Fred and me is, and that is what it can be between you and Daphnix. The signs are there."
Ami looked even more miserable as she looked up, staring back out at the stars.
"Now, I know you'll make the right choice, Ami. Think about it some more."
"I have school…" the girl suddenly said.
"You're welcome here," Jennifer said. "You can come back after school, if you want. Or you could just stay here until this entire matter is resolved. It's your choice, and yours alone, Ami. I'll be on the bridge…or you can just give me a sign, and I'll come down here if you want to talk in private." Jennifer got up, and put her hand on the girl's shoulder.
"Remember, always follow your heart. Don't make the mistake of running because you're scared, because you'll keep wondering for the rest of your life."
Ami nodded quietly, continuing to look out the window. Jennifer left the quarters as silently as a ghost, and walked to the bridge. One look told her that Daphnix was suffering as hard as Ami was, but his shields had been cracking since yesterday. The added strain had hurt him harder than it normally would have.
"I've talked to Ami," Jennifer said. "She's a smart girl, D. She'll make the right decision, but it has to be her choice."
Daphnix nodded. "It has," he said.
"D, remember, I know you're hurting, and tired, but if she comes here… remember that she acted out of fear. She was scared of hurting you, and being hurt herself," Jennifer told her friend. Daphnix nodded. "I understand."
Not quite knowing what to say, Jennifer and Frederic settled down in a quasi-routine on the bridge. When the doors slid open, they looked around. Frederic looked from her to his friend, and back to her. Both were staring at each other, with looks he understood only too well. Daphnix was hurting, and she was afraid.
Motioning with his head to Jennifer, Frederic got up and started to walk off the bridge. Jennifer followed him right behind. As the doors slid shut, they sealed off the two people, leaving them alone on the bridge.
"Daphnix…"Ami said, her voice thick with emotions.
Daphnix resisted the urge to call her 'Sweets'. "Ami," he responded coolly.
"I'm sorry," she croaked. She broke down the next moment, burying her face in her hands, crying. "I was so cruel…" she croaked through her tears. Getting up slowly, Daphnix walked to the crying blue-haired girl. His heart broke as he battled with indecision. She had hurt him…badly…and here she was, crying. He remembered something he heard Frederic say once.
Nothing matters to me if I can't be with her…Daphnix recalled. Fred was right. But, if I forgive her now, can I be sure she won't do it ever again? His mind came up with another quote, this one by Jennifer. Follow your heart. Even if it doesn't work out, you will know that you did your best.
He reached out, and put his arms around the crying girl. "Everything will be alright, Sweets. Everything will be alright," he whispered, battling the tears he felt pricking in his eyes.
Holding on to her, he heard her sobbing voice. "How can you be so nice to me, after what I did?"
Breathing deeply, Daphnix muttered in her ear, "Because…because I love you."
Her hug intensified. "I love you too."
She felt his body shaking, and she realized that he was crying, his cheek pressed against her head. Minutes passed, and Ami gathered her courage.
"D…Love…I need to go to school." She felt his head nod, and his usually strong voice sounded weak, and frail.
"I know." Reluctantly, he let go of her, and stared into her blue eyes. "Tell Linda to give you a clothing beam, Sweets. Unless you want everyone to know you've been crying."
Ami could help but give a short laugh. "You're right. I always look bad when I cry."
Daphnix smiled. "Well…"
"Well," she answered back. After the recent trouble, both had difficulty saying goodbye. "I'll see you tonight, then."
"Tonight. I'll be waiting, Sweets."
"Don't worry, Love. I'll be here," she assured him, before pressing the communicator, and asking for Linda to give her a makeover while transporting her and her books down to school. She could see his smile through the bluish colors of the transporter beam, and her heart felt ablaze as she carried that smile with her through school.
"Jess…it's 3 am," David told his sister, shaking her lightly. She opened her eyes immediately. When she threw back the covers, her outfit became visible. Both kids were dressed in matching black ninja-style outfits, complete with night vision goggles, climbing hooks, and all sorts of equipment clipped to their belts.
"Good. Ready?"
"I still don't think this is a good idea, Jess…"
"Come on! It'll be fun! Besides, we'll be back by breakfast. Dad will never know anything happened."
"Running around is one thing, but actually stealing…"
"Borrowing," Jessie said. "We're borrowing, not stealing. Come on…for me?"
"No, Jess, not the puppy-eyes…no, you know I… how do you get me into this?" he finally asked.
"Because I still beg better than you," Jessie said with a grin. Silent as ghosts, the two kids slid out of their room. They slid through the dark hallways of the nighttime Ortega. Depending solely on night-vision goggles, the two slid down the hallways toward the fighter bay.
"System check?" Jessie asked.
"Countermeasures online. Linda still thinks we're in our room. Now, the Daedalus is right there. First we'll need to set up the sensor overrides, so Linda will think the Daedalus is still here. Then we'll need to get the Linda and Borlan units out of it, and activate the overrides at the same time we deactivate the units."
Jessie rubbed her hands, clearly excited, as she walked to a dimly lit wall panel, and started entering the lines of code for the sensor override programs. They wouldn't hold out against a deep scan, but they would keep the glancing passes of the security routines confused.
David, on the other hand, entered the code to open the door on the Daedalus V. The door silently slid open without disturbing Linda or Borlan. Sighing in relief for not alerting the AI's, David entered the fighter. He walked to the computer cabinet where the AI-units were located, and entered the override codes to open the doors.
It had taken them a couple of nights to set up all the security override codes, and David was glad they had taken that precaution. It was possible to get away with it on a single night, but spending those few nights installing the codes before actually getting on with their plan smoothed the way.
<<I'm ready>>
<<Am too. On my mark. Three…two…N…O…W>>
At the exact same time, David pulled the two units as Jessica entered the override programs. Nothing happened.
Jessie entered the Daedalus, and closed the door. By now, the lights had come on inside the small ship as David ran through the pre-flight checklist. He had pulled back the hood on his outfit, revealing his chestnut hair. "Take science. Without Linda, you'll need to keep an eye on the reactors," David told his sister, who obediently sat down.
"Checklist completed," David said. "Engaging engines."
"Reactors stable," Jessica told her brother. Under influence of the powerful engines, the ship detached itself from it docking space, and floated in mid-air.
"We've stolen the Daedalus. Now let's dock it, and go to bed," David said.
"Hey! You wuss! Let's take a flight. That was the plan."
David grunted, and manipulated the controls. "Phase-cloak operational. Let's blow this joint," David said.
"Yee-haw!" Jessica exclaimed as the phased Daedalus flew through the walls of the Ortega.
"Being phased has its advantages. But I still don’t like it. It's too soon after that Diablo fiasco."
"That was over two weeks ago! Don't be such a coward, David. Come on, go to some random dimension! Come on!" Jessie's voice urged him on, and he entered the 'random' factor. The ship shot forward, into the quantum tunnel, only to erupt seconds later.
"We claim this universe as…uhm…what's the number, Jess?" David asked over his left shoulder. Jessie typed the science console, consulting the universal database.
"Currently, we're holding at 690," she told her brother.
"Right. Log this one as 691, and list as a Phalanxial probe."
"Already did so. And I set up a regression program that will list us as the discoverers when our little secret gets out," Jessie told her brother, pride in her voice. "I can't believe it… our very own universe," she sighed, relaxing in her seat.
"You better believe it, sis. We've just discovered a new universe."
"Let's celebrate. Come on, let's skip!"
"Skip what?"
"David…" Jessica's voice was exasperated. "Skip the atmosphere. You know that!"
"Jess…without Linda, or Borlan, that's dangerous!"
"So is what we did up until now! Come on! Please? For me?"
"Fuck!" the word sounded out of place, coming from David's mouth. "You have to stop that, or I'll grow immune to it, sis. All right. You got your wish."
David sent the cloaked Daedalus in a direct approach to the Earth, setting the angle of decent to such a low value that the small ship would bounce of the atmosphere like a rock would skip on the surface of the water. The ship bounced off, once…twice…thrice…four times…on the fifth time, the ship ducked into the atmosphere.
"Damn! I thought I could get a fifth one!" David shouted over the howling of the ship's warning systems. "Jess, get to tactical, and raise shields! We're burning up without them!"
"I'm on it!" Jessica shouted back, managing to get to the other console in the ship, which was doing its damned best to imitate a bull at a rodeo. Jessie slammed on the shield control, getting the shields up. "Shields at 40%! We already sustained damage to the outer hull, primary power systems have failed, and cloaking is not operational!"
"Fuck!" David shouted again. The small cockpit was submerged in an eerie half-darkness as only a few red emergency light provided illumination, casting ghostly shadows through the smoke hanging over the erupted power lines, and burned-out consoles. "This thing reacts sluggishly!"
"Shields down to 35%! Angle of decent is too steep! Flatten out!" Jessica shouted at her brother.
"I can't! Atmospheric thrusters and impulse engines are off-line. And you DON'T want me using the QDD here!"
"Fuck…" Jessie said. "David, evade! Evade! Storm, dead ahead!"
"What?" It was too late. Whatever light came through the windows was abruptly removed as the ship entered a violent thunderstorm. When lightning hit the shields, more power lines erupted inside the small ship.
"Our shields are attracting lightning like honey attracts flies!" David shouted. "Cut them off!"
"Shields are down to 5% anyway!" Jessie shouted back. "Hull is buckling!"
As suddenly as the small vessel had entered the boiling cauldron of dark gray clouds, it erupted from them. David had managed to get a couple of thrusters working again, and the computer indicated that the nanoprobes were doing their best to get main power back online.
"We're now over the Pacific," David reported. "I'll try to get her down in North America, because we know that area best. But I can't keep this ship from coming down. I've narrowed the rate of decent, but it's still not enough for a controlled flight."
"At least we're not falling like a brick. Things could be worse, David… except from some scratches and bruises, we're fine."
"Too bad we're not immortal. I would like my body to stop aching now."
Despite their predicament, Jessie laughed. "So would I, brother. So would I. Now, are we going to make it?"
"Altitude is 4 kilometers, and dropping. Speed is holding at 5,500 kilometers an hour."
Warning! Fusion instability! The computer reported. Jessica shot up from her chair, and ran to the science panel, only to find out that it was not fast enough. The small ship was struck by a massive explosion, which sent it spiraling down to the planet. David's face stood franticly as he tried to regain some measure of control. He forgot all about where he wanted to go, and simply tried to keep the ship in the air for as long as possible, giving it time to repair itself. When one of the thrusters overloaded, it sent the ship not only in a direct decent to the planet, the small ship was now rolling as well.
David looked out the main window, to see the ground approaching rapidly. Not knowing what else to do, he shut his eyes, and focused all the mental energy he could in a direct line to the planet, in an attempt to slow their decent. It worked somewhat, only to find out that blackness engulfed him as he was slammed out of his seat. He felt hitting something…something soft, and warm, after that…darkness engulfed his vision.
David awoke with a start, and looked around. All around him, he could see nanoprobes working on the ship. His hand touched something warm, and soft. His battered face looked down…to see his sister.
"Damn…Jess…" he muttered as he knelt down next to his sister's broken body. He could feel a nasty cut on his forehead, and he felt bruised and cut all over. When he looked at his sister, her appearance made him cry.
"Sis…you have to hang on, please…" he whispered. Her eyes were closed, but a look of pain was etched on her silt-covered features. David could only guess at where the silt came from. It was very likely that some more panels had exploded when they hit the ground. Jessica had nasty burns all over her body, as well as a few cuts covered in coagulated blood.
David knew better than to move his sister, so he remained at her side, resting against the same compartment he had pulled the Linda and Borlan units from.
"Computer, activate transponder signal," he told the ship. The two kids had deactivated it so Linda wouldn't know they were gone.
Trans…der…dam…ed.
"Computer, activate transponder when nanoprobes have repaired it."
Sys…dam…ed…un…to…exec…
"Damn," David muttered again. He wanted to get up, program the computer manually, but the strength was amiss. He closed his eyes, and sleep overcame him.
A couple of hours later, his eyes flung open. He heard voices.
"Computer, activate transponder as soon as it is repaired."
Transponder was destroyed in crash. Activation is scheduled within 1 hour, thirty minutes.
He was aware that he was still holding his sister's hand. Gently releasing her small hand, he placed it on top of her chest. He was aware that her mental powers were doing their best to heal her. He was also aware of the fact that it hadn't been used enough to do it at a fast pace.
"I'll be back, sis. I promise." He gently trailed the back of his fingers across her left cheek, and got up. David still looked a mess, but he felt that most of his cuts had sealed, and that the pain in his bruises had eased considerably due to the adrenalin and endorphins in his system. He urged his adrenal and pituitary glands to release more of their respective hormones. The tingle in his muscles to him that they were taking effect.
Slowly, he peeked outside the busted-up Daedalus. It looked better, but still was in no condition to do anything but provide shelter. The voices trailed closer. There was a masculine voice giving orders, a feminine voice acknowledging them, and a group of men who were, by the sound of it, just trailing along, acknowledging along with the female voice.
David looked around, and found himself at the edge of a forest. The voice came from within the forest, probably hoping to surprise the occupants of the small ship. Silent as a shadow, David crept out of the banged-up fighter, and stalked through the trees like a ghost. Soon, he had the people in his sight. The first voice, the one giving the orders, was owned by a young, tall, dark man, who was walking in front of the small group.
The female voice was the property of a Caucasian woman with black hair. Three more men followed, all Caucasians. What startled David was the fact that they were all wearing black tuxedos, even the woman. He didn't like it, especially since the three men were carrying flame throwers, and were wearing transparent fire-suits on top of their tuxedos. And the fact that the black man was carrying an unknown energy weapon was working on David's nerves as well.
"Alright, people. The ship's right behind that tree line. Me and Agent L are going to see what's inside," the black man told the group. The woman followed as he walked toward the edge of the tree.
Jessie! David's mind screamed. She's defenseless! Do something!
"Right," David muttered. He set a sprint to the tree line, and intercepted the pair before they could enter the Daedalus.
"Hi," he said.
"Are you the owner of this ship?" the black man asked.
"Owner? No. But I am the one flying it. Or better, was the one flying it," David said. I need to get them away from here! Jessie's still inside! And in a little over an hour, Dad is going to know about this…he'll help me if I get captured.
"Than I will be forced to take you under arrest," the black man continued. "You are in violation of the treaty of Alderon by landing your ship illegally."
"Landing? Does this look like landing to you? Try crashing," David grunted.
"I'm Agent L, this is Agent J. We're from MiB. Come with us, we'll look after your ship," the woman said.
"L and J, huh? And who are those three? A, B, and C?" O-oh, where are they? David's head snapped around as he noticed he had been walking away from the ship, trying to get the two agents as far away from the ship as possible. Dammit… I lost track of them!
When he heard a painful grunt, he saw one of the men holding Jessie in his arms. David turned around, and looked at his sister. She had just regained consciousness, obviously, and the way the man was holding her wasn't doing her any good.
"Don’t move her!" David shouted. "She was injured in the crash!"
"Don't worry," J told him. "We'll take care of her at MiB headquarters."
"We'll get her a stretcher," L told David. "Get her a stretcher, you idiots!" she shouted at the three goons, of which one was still carrying Jessie.
"What is this MiB? And I won't have anyone hurting my sister! Now put her down!" David shouted, first to the two agents who were closest to him, then toward the man still holding Jessie in his clutches.
"Men In Black," J said. "We police alien activity on this planet."
"Great. Alien hunters." David stepped toward the man holding Jessie. "I said…let…her…go."
"Watch it, kid!" J said, grabbing the energy weapon. "This is a type-4 de-atomiser. We said we were going to get you and your sister to MiB headquarters, and that's what we're going to do."
It was strange what a mind thinks of when in a crisis. In David's case, he thought first of the fact that he should have taken some fighting lessons from Frederic, enabling him to make use of the fact that he was a three-species hybrid. The second thing he thought of was the fact that he could use strength.
Strength…like a Tyrannosaurus Rex… the next thing he knew was that he had called up a DNA- double helix of the T-Rex's DNA. Something flooded his system, and he cried out. His vision blurred, disappeared, and reappeared. Only, this time, he was looking down on the scene from six meters above the ground.
He wanted to say 'let her go', but it was one long growl. The agents, used to aliens, were maybe less frightened than any normal human would be, but seeing a six-meter tall hunter-killer from the dinosaur age growl dangerously at them sure didn't do their nerves any good. The man hurriedly put Jessie down, and backed away from her.
J raised his firearm. T-Rex David turned around, and stared at the man. His hind leg crashed down right next to J, sending him spiraling away with the force of it. David ran over to his sister, taking him only two steps in his current form, and he looked down at her. The next moment, he was kneeling right next to her, back in his original form.
"Jess…I'm sorry," he muttered. "I promised…"
Jessie, barely conscious, lifted her hand. ".sss okay…. You need to teach me that trick…some…day…" Jessie sunk back into unconsciousness. David's head turned around, slowly.
"I have never hurt anyone in my life," he told the group. "But touch her again, and I will eat you all alive. Literally." In reality, he was just as confused as Jessie was. He had no idea how he had just done what he did. Ignoring the fact that he was naked, he walked toward the group.
"Drop the weapons," he told them. "We'll be gone in a matter of hours. Now let us be."
"I have a better idea. Threatening an MiB agent is an offense. You come with me," J said, raising his gun once more. "We wouldn't want anything to happen to her, now would we?"
David seethed at the implied threat. The three goons backed off, seeing something in David's eyes they didn't like. The woman, L, backed off slightly, uncertainty on her face.
"You dare threaten her?" David grunted. "I don't care shit about your procedures. You'll let us go, and you walk away safely. If you don't…I am not responsible."
J's gun wavered a little, not knowing what to do. "We need answers. Who are you?"
"David Lonandram Driavezst Fromthefield. Son of Frederic Fromthefield, Phalanx of the Human, Oech-anya and Ketari races," David said.
"You see, now I know you're lying. There is no such thing as an Oech-anya, or a Ketari race. And a Phalanx? Never heard of that either. Now, raise those hands, or I'll blow your head off."
"Is that so?" David asked. J fired in front of David's feet, who jumped back in surprise at the blast. His eyes shot fire. DNA double helixes spun in front of his eyes. The Ketari Dune Runner was the goal this time. Even though it was only a meter in height, it could run at least 75 kilometers an hour, and it had a similar role on Ketaria compared to the lion or the tiger. It was a hunter-killer.
David jumped forward, and knocked the gun out of J's hand with the long tail of the ochre-brown beast-form he now inhabited. All his paws, all six of them, had long razor-sharp claws. Not to mention the fact that he possessed both an exoskeleton and internal bones. The entire body was designed for speed, strength, and resilience. The Ketari always spoke with respect of this creature.
He growled loudly, jumped on his hind four legs, and attacked with the two front paws. J jumped back in shock as the claws missed his body by mere centimeters each time. Suddenly, David fell back on its six legs. Shaking his head, he tried to clear the cobwebs that suddenly appeared in his brain. His form shimmered, and merged back to his normal appearance. David knew that all his energy was gone.
David's eyes opened. Thank you, for the regen cycle, Dad. He was in a small, white room, with a gray ceiling and a gray floor. He was dressed in a hospital gown, and he was strapped down in his bed. As he looked around, he saw one of the agents sitting in the small room with him. The man was holding a gun.
"Hey, agent whoever-you-are, can't you get me untied?" The agent didn't react. "Hey, Chief Broken Tongue. Where's my sister?" David now asked, his heart skipping a few beats as he thought of his injured sister. Again, the man didn't react. The next moment, David winced as he felt a sharp pain stab through his body. It was one of those paralyzing pains, sending spikes of fire-hot sensations racing through his nerves. Taking a sharp breath, David braced himself against the pain.
The man in the room with him looked in shock when he saw the boy surge up in pain. His fists were clenched shut, as were his eyes, and his face was twisted in pain. For a moment, the man thought that David's straining arms would actually break the leather bonds securing him to the bed.
When David opened his eyes, he realized that, in fact, he was feeling Jessie's pain. A rage filled h is eyes, and the gruesome image of the enraged small boy was engraved upon the agent's retina. David screamed out.
"My sister! What are you doing to her?? Let me go!!!" When the agent made no signs of helping him, David's mind came with the answer to releasing him. The double-helix of the Ketari Dune Runner spun before his mind's eye, and a moment later, the agent in the room was running for his life, the Dune Runner fast on his heels.
Even though the creature was capable of going 75 kilometers an hour, it didn't reach those speeds in the compound he was in, because of the bends and turns the agent kept taking. Running on the floor, walls, and ceiling, the Dune Runner chased the agent halfway through the compound, before another spike of pain shot through its body.
"Jessie," the creature mumbled, the name distorted through the vocal cords suited for nothing more than growling. The creature's head turned 180°, and looked in the exact direction it had come from. Using his sister's mental image to guide him, Dune Runner David set a course, this time knowing exactly where he was going, and thus he was capable of reaching greater speeds.
With one blow of his front right arm, David broke the door to the place he knew his sister was kept. He entered a room looking like a hospital room of some sort. Silently, the Dune Runner cautiously walked into the room, its head scanning from left to right, only to settle on a sole person laying on a bed, in a room similar to the one he had woken up in. The man who had been guarding her had ran the moment he had seen the Dune Runner enter the room, which was a good thing. David's attention was settled on his sister.
He shifted back to his normal form, and knelt down.
"Jess…Jess, speak to me. How come you hurt so much? I felt so much pain…"
Jessie opened her eyes. "I've been in constant regeneration," she said. The weakness in her voice sent shivers down David's spine. "The pain…the pain was from my cracked ribs popping back."
"I just trashed the place coming for you… I think I owe these guys an apology for wrecking their installation." David's eyes twinkled as he looked at his sister, who was now regaining some color on her face. David also noticed that they had been bathed, the silt now no longer present on either his or his sister's form.
"I think you do," J said, suddenly appearing right behind the boy. David shot up, turned one hundred and eighty degrees in mid-air, and landed with his feet slightly apart, and his hands rose in a defensive posture.
"You've made the mistake of letting me regenerate. Now you'll see what I am capable of." A staff of mental energy formed in David's hands. "I may not have any experience in this, but I can assure you that this is pure mental energy. It will damage you."
J raised his hands. "I didn't come here to fight. I just want to know more about you, so we can help."
"You've helped enough," David told him coldly.
"You have to understand, we get a lot of scum here."
"Do we look like scum to you?" David grunted. "We're fucking royalty."
"David…" Jessie's weak voice groaned.
"Well, almost," David acknowledged.
"Anyway," J continued, "we'd like you to help us find anything on those things you mentioned."
"Fine. Jess? How are you feeling?"
"Give me a moment," Jessie grunted, and sat up. "My ribs just healed, so those are still a little sore. For the rest, I'm just tired."
"Tired? Or energy-depleted?" David asked. J stared at the two children.
"Energy-depleted."
David nodded, and knelt down next to her. "I'll give you some of my energy, Sis. Hang on." he took her hands, and closed his eyes. He transferred some of his energy to her, and opened his eyes. "Feel better?" he asked.
Jessie nodded her head, and threw her legs out of the bed. She swayed a little as she stood up. David hurriedly grabbed her.
"Be careful, Sis. Maybe you should stay here, and get some more rest."
"I'll be fine!" Jessie shouted. Her voice sounded hoarse.
"Then at least let someone help you a little." David grabbed the back of Jessie's belt, and unclipped a small ball. It was totally black. He pressed the front button, and it enlarged. J stared at the pokéball. It was totally black, except for thin lines of gray around the button and the edges of the two halves. The large center button was gray as well. David threw the ball on the floor, and Alakazam emerged.
"Al, can you help my sister?" David asked the pokémon, while J stared dumbly at the creature.
"Alakazam!" Alakazam agreed, and looked at his mistress. His eyes flared blue as he transferred his energy to Jessie. Color returned to her face as Alakazam disappeared once more into the pokéball. David took it, shrunk the ball, and clipped it back to his sister's belt.
"Feel better?" he asked his sister once more.
"Lots," Jessie answered. "Thanks. Thank you too, Al," she said to the small ball on her belt.
"If you make one wrong move, you WILL be sorry," David told J. Now that he was satisfied that his sister was going to be fine, David turned back to the matters at hand.
"Don't worry," J said. "Now that we have you where we can check out your story, we don't need to do anything to you."
Supporting his sister slightly, David and Jessica followed Agent J. Soon, they entered what appeared to be a large hall, with lots of people, all dressed in the same black tux, who were working on desks facing a large screen.
"Zed, these are our guests," J introduced the kids to a well-built man. "This is Zed, and these are Bob and Blljup," J introduced the kids to the man and two multi-armed green aliens, who looked like they were octopuses, sporting one eye on a stalk each. The two aliens were sitting at a computer terminal, directly in front of a large screen. The screen contained smaller views, each showing a person.
"So, you are the two trouble-makers," Zed said.
"Your agents are the trouble-makers, Mr. Zed. Our ship is probably healed by now, yet we are unable to utilize it because your agents abducted us. Now, please let me use your computers, so I can show you that our stories are true."
Zed's eyes opened at David.
"Excuse me?" the man asked. David sighed. "You think WE are the aggressors?"
"Of course," Jessie said, still rather weak. "We just crashed here…we needed a couple of hours for our ship to repair itself, but instead of letting us be, your men took us here."
"Exactly," David confirmed. "Now, I would like access to a computer, so I can prove my story."
I'll do an in-depth scan… o-oh.
"What, o-oh?" Jennifer asked, shooting up straight, suddenly very worried.
They're gone…they left a false imagine in the sensor logs.
"Where are they?" Frederic shouted. "Linda, in-depth scan of the entire ship. Anything unusual?"
Scanning…Fuck! The Daedalus is missing too! They left programs all over the ship to cloud both their signals, and the Daedalus, and they left a program to account for them, unless in-depth scans were asked.
"Lock on to the Daedalus' transponder signal." Frederic was more relaxed now that he knew they had flown off by themselves.
Transponder located… universe 691. Records show that the transponder was off-line for a couple of hours, and that it was recently activated. Sensors show that the ship is on the planet surface, its nanoprobes in heightened state of activity…
"They've crashed," Daphnix muttered. "Fuck."
"Linda, set course for 691," Frederic shouted.
Acknowledged.
Frederic pulled out the tiny black device that the others knew was the Sailor Senshi communicator. "Hey, everyone, listen, we have to go. David and Jessica disappeared, and we're going to get them back. We don’t know what happened to them, so please stay calm, and don't panic when we're not back by tonight, ok?" Frederic shut off the communicator before the girls had a chance to acknowledge.
"Engage," Frederic said when he stepped up on the bridge.
One moment, transport in progress. Transport completed, engaging.
"What? Who?" Frederic asked, when Ami appeared. "Ah. I see. This is dangerous, Ami. I don’t want you to get hurt. Now we'll have to turn around," Frederic grunted, slumping in his chair. He wanted to get to his children.
"Please," Ami said. "Over the last few weeks, I have worked with David and Jessica…We've become good friends…please, let me go with you!"
Frederic looked at Daphnix, who shrugged. Frederic sighed, and nodded. "And you'll want to go down to the planet when we go look for them too, right?"
Ami nodded quietly. Frederic looked up at his friend, and told him, "Show her the toys, D. It's a good thing we were prepared."
"Right. Come on, Sweets. This.way." Daphnix left the bridge, with Ami directly behind him. They entered a turbolift.
"Deck 72, War Lab," Daphnix told the lift. Ami's eyes opened in surprise.
"The War Lab is the place where we work on our weapons and equipment, Sweets. We were prepared for the fact that you might want to go with us at some time. The only problem is, we didn't have a chance to test your toys yet."
The lift came to a halt, and the doors opened. Ami gazed into a dull white room that was brightly lit. The room was at least 50 meters in length, and at least 10 meters wide. It was also the height of two decks, like everything else on Deck 72, such as the portal plant.
"This way," Daphnix told Ami, breaking her trance. He showed her to a compartment not far from the turbolift. Pressing a button, he stepped back. A panel in the wall slid open, and something was pushed out, and lowered to the ground.
"Ami, meet…your new toy." Ami stared at the suit, which was her height. It appeared to be some kind of full body armor, which included trousers, body armor, boots, as well as a headset. Ami loved the black and gray armor, and she let her hand travel over the surface. It felt warm to her touch.
"It feels warm," she told Daphnix, who nodded in response.
"That's because it's made of Quadranium. That suit is made from bio-metal similar to that used in our starships. Come on! Put it on! Let's see how it fits."
"Okay." Ami took the headset, and put it on. It was a simple headset, with two plugs that went into her ears, a small patch containing a microphone that was stuck to her throat, and two patches that were stuck to her temples. She looked doubtingly at Daphnix as he handed her the body armor.
"Do I have to…" Ami asked, letting her remark trail.
"Undress?" Daphnix asked in her place, smiling. Ami blushed, looked at the ground, and nodded. "You're wearing your school uniform, just remove the bow and choker, and put the armor on over the bodysuit. No sweat."
Ami shed the items Daphnix told her, and took the heavy piece of armor. It opened at one side, allowing her to get in. After she was in, the suit sealed itself shut.
"This is heavy!" Ami protested.
"That's because it isn't active yet. Don't worry, as soon as it's active, it'll feel like your school uniform. Now, here are the arm pieces. Extend your right arm."
Ami extended her arm, and Daphnix slid the armor over it. The suit sealed automatically as it joined at the shoulder. The armor now reached down to her elbow. A second piece was then slid down to her elbow, sealing it there. Her other arm was fastened in a similar fashion.
"Gloves," Daphnix said, handing her a pair of heavy gloves. Ami slid them on, breathing heavily.
"I can't move!" she protested.
"Don't worry. We're almost ready to activate it. Now, drop the skirt, and step into the trousers."
Ami didn't move. Daphnix looked at her for a couple of seconds, and grinned. "You know, some people might get the wrong idea," he teased her as he dropped to his knees, and pulled her skirt down. Ami blushed, and laughed nervously.
"There, that's that. Now, step into the trousers. Hang on to me for balance." Ami gripped his left shoulder, and raised her leg, stepping into the heavy armored pants. When both her legs were in, the trousers fastened at Ami's hips.
"Boots," Daphnix instructed, helping the girl keep her balance as he helped her in the boots. They too, sealed.
Ami was now sweating as well as breathing as if she had just ran a marathon.
"Belt," Daphnix said, putting the belt on. "Now you're ready. I'll activate the system. You'll feel a tingling sensation, but that's normal. It should pass."
Ami gave a couple of fast nods, indicating he should hurry. Daphnix opened a small cover. Inside were a couple of buttons. He pressed one of them, and a tingle spread around the patches stuck to Ami's temples. The next moment, the tingle was gone and the armor felt as if it was as light as a feather.
"The suit is made of Quadranium, and it will heal itself when it's damaged. Now, let me tell you what you've got installed." He walked around her, and said, "This is the suit's power source. These are four fifth generation fusion batteries." Ami craned her neck to see what Daphnix was indicating. She saw the small black pocket hanging from the rear of the belt.
"With four fully charged batteries, your suit will function for 96 hours. That is, unless you start using your weaponry, of which there is enough." Daphnix walked back to the front.
"Those patches on your temples are neural connections. They read your thoughts, and translate them into orders for the suit. That's how you use your weaponry. This is what you have installed: in the gloves, you have a flamethrower as well as four sonic blades. Here, let's test them." With the push of a button, a dummy materialized in the room.
"Think flamethrower," Daphnix instructed. Ami nodded, and extended her arms toward the target. Two jets of green plasma flames shot out, incinerating the target. It rematerialized.
"Now, think hand-blades."
At Daphnix's suggestion, four blades shot out of Ami's hands, sticking out like knives.
"Those are made of solid Quadranium, sharpened to one molecule. They will cut anything, and are as good as unbreakable. Your suit is made of a softer kind of Quadranium, but the blades are from the exact material used for starships. Now, retract them. There are more goodies." The blades disappeared.
"This is fun," Ami said, laughing. "And you're right. This feels so light!"
"I told you so, Sweets. On your left arm, there's a small modified light-saber. Unclip it, and press the button. It's been modified so you can use it. On your hips, there are two quantum pistols. Now, there are blades installed in your elbows as well. When someone holds you from behind, you can stab those through him." At her mental command, two blades, at least a meter in length, shot out of the elbow joints of the suit.
"They're sharpened on both edges, enabling you to both stab with them to your back, or to fight with them against front opponents. Now, you have electronics as well. This is your little black box," Daphnix told the girl, pointing to a small black box attached to her belt. "This contains switches for the PHIS, the on/off switch for the suit, and the emergency beam-out switch. If you're ever in trouble, press it, and it will transport you to the nearest ESMF starship. Or, you can override that function, and use it to transport to anywhere, as long as you supply the coordinates."
"I understand. And the PHIS?"
"Press the button, and think of who or what you want to be. Ideal for camouflage purposes. It can also make you invisible, but remember that the PHIS will drain your suit's power very quickly."
"I understand," Ami answered, staring at her gloved hands.
"Now, this large button here is your shield control." Daphnix pointed to the large button on the center of the belt, a black round button with a golden rim and a golden lighting bolt in it. The sign of the Phalanx. "Press it's sides, and the shields will pop up. In emergencies, your suit will activate the shields on its own. Sensors are built into the suit, so it will see danger approaching, and it will react faster than you can."
"Thank you," Ami said.
"That's not all, Sweets. These are your VR contact lenses. They will supply you with the status of your suit, systems check, and so on. They also have built-in night vision and infrared vision. Oh, one more thing: on some worlds hair color is different from your world."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, on some worlds, hair color is limited to black, red, brown, blond, gray, or things in between. You are from one of the worlds where a broader spectrum has evolved, including green, blue, and the likes. In order for you not to stand out, the suit changes your hair color to black, a color that's accepted everywhere."
"I didn't know that…People sure would stare if they had never seen a blue-haired girl before," Ami agreed, smiling.
"Now, the boots contain jet thrusters, enabling you to fly. They also have a knife on the outside of your foot. In case you ever need a knife, that's where to look. The tips of the boots also have pop-up blades, in case you need to kick someone where it hurts, this will hurt them more. Now, the belt also holds some other equipment that might be useful, like a homing beacon, as well as a tracker for the tracers you can shoot out of the launcher on your right arm. The homing beacon in your belt will activate only on your command, so no counting on automated systems. This was done to prevent the suit from doing it itself under situations where you don't want people to know where you are."
"Good thinking," Ami agreed.
"We thought so too. Now, pop in your contacts, and let's go. I'm sure Fred is getting impatient by now."
"Okay." Ami held her left eye opened, and popped in the VR contact. She blinked a couple of times, and repeated with the other eye.
"Oh, before I forget," Daphnix said, turning to her. "The suit has a full database on human martial arts. It will augment your thinking with martial arts. So, when you want to kick someone, you'll actually be able to do a high kick, or a roundhouse kick, or something similar. Just think the move you want, and the suit will help you with it. And, since you're using a suit like some super-hero, here." He held out a small mask that extended from halfway up her forehead down to her nose. Ami burst out laughing.
"There. You look like Batwoman," Daphnix joked. Ami laughed harder as they stepped into the turbolift to go back to the bridge.
Frederic and Jennifer looked up as the duo emerged from the turbolift. Frederic looked at his friend.
"D, what did you do?" he asked. "You ruined the suit!"
Daphnix and Ami looked at each other, and stared at the floor, embarrassed.
"If you're going to have her look like some crime-fighting super-heroine, you could at least give the girl a cape," Frederic told the couple, before returning to the viewer, where a location was being indicated. Daphnix and Ami laughed. They laughed even harder when Jennifer threw them a cape she had drawn from the replicator.
The team appeared right next to the Daedalus, which appeared to be in reasonable shape.
"You guys look for David and Jessie. I'll take a look inside," Frederic told the group before walking to the opened door. The rest of the group fanned out. Frederic was barely inside before he heard commotion outside. He turned around, and stepped back outside.
Jennifer, Daphnix, and Ami were being held a gunpoint by a couple of men in black suits. Frederic's one eyebrow shot up, and he calmly walked up to the gathering, his own two guns drawn.
"What seems to be the problem, gentlemen?" Frederic asked calmly. He could see Ami's form tremble a little. She's not used to being held a gunpoint, and feeling the power of the suit pressing on her psyche probably doesn't help. I'm glad D chose a strong one… I'd hate to be here if someone not as strong were in that suit.
"This is a crime area. Please leave," one of the men said.
"We're looking for two missing children," Frederic said, flashing a badge in front of the man. "I'm Federal Agent Frederic Fromthefield."
"I have to ask you to leave. This is not your case," the first man insisted. Frederic lost his temper, grabbed the man, and lifted him off the ground by his collar.
"Listen, punk, I can kill you without a thought. I'm looking for the two children inside this craft, and I have a feeling you know where they are. Tell me."
The man in Frederic's grasp struggled. On the background, sounds of a fight were audible. The man noticed his colleagues were taken out in a little under ten seconds.
"MiB headquarters," he grunted. "They're at headquarters."
Frederic dropped the man, who scooted away at the looks of fury he was getting from Frederic and Jennifer. The cold stares from Daphnix and Ami were enough to have him stay in the middle of the two groups.
"Show us," Frederic said, appearing right next to the man, and lifting him once more by the collar. He used only one hand this time.
The man nodded, pointed, and said, "That way."
"How far is it?" Daphnix asked.
'New York…" the man grunted, struggling for breath.
"Suspending Instructions. Five second count-down," Frederic said. His eyes glowed green. They returned to normal when Frederic stated, "I know where it is now. We no longer need you. You have ten seconds to disappear." After Frederic dropped the man, he started counting. The man ran like the wind, and looked back to see if Frederic wasn't coming after him. However, the group had disappeared.
"Probably to HQ," the man muttered. "Damn… I wouldn't want to be Zed. Or J, for that matter. It's that prick who took the kids in."
David and Jessie had taken the place of the alien twins manning the computer, and Zed and J were staring at them as if they were ghosts. The speed at which they manipulated the keys on the keyboard was astonishing. The aliens spewed admirations in their native tongue. When David and Jessie actually struck up a conversation in the alien language, other agents came over, and stared as well.
"There. Information on the Phalanx," David said, pointing at the large screen.
"A divine being?" J asked. "Hey Zed, that's bullshit, man."
"I have to agree, son. This looks too fantastic to be true," the big man told David.
"You just wait until Daddy gets here. And I'd better have a good excuse for kidnapping us," Jessie said. David gave his sister a wicked grin, and nodded.
"Oh, yeah. He's going to be pissed," David agreed.
"At us for stealing the Daedalus, and at you guys for kidnapping us," Jessie added, turning to the two agents. "By the way, where is Agent L? I need to thank her for asking for a stretcher for me."
"I'm right here," L said, walking up to the commotion. "And you're welcome."
"Well, you've got the database on the Phalanx right there. You don't want to believe it, fine. Don't blame me when Dad gets here," David interjected.
"Like he's just going to walk up here," J grunted. "Who do you think that guy is? God?"
"Nope. He just works for God. Nice fellow. Odd visiting hours, but a nice fellow," Jessie answered.
"You know God?" J had to keep himself from laughing.
"All six of them, but the being you know as God is actually called the Wise One, and he's the executioner of the beings known as the Gods of the Universe," David supplied.
"Alright, kids, that's enough. Put them back in their cells, J," Zed said.
"Nope. Can't do," David supplied helpfully. "I trashed mine."
The next moment, Dante's Inferno hit.
"This is the place," Frederic said, pushing open the door to the building. Inside was a room, with one man sitting in front of the huge fan, which was drawing air from a vent in front of the guy. However, the fan was switched to its lowest setting, thus actually creating a comfortable little breeze for the man.
Not bothering to look at the man, the foursome walked past him to the elevator. Frederic and Jennifer had detected their children's mental signal, and they were now going directly to it. The kids were very deep under ground, which was why the signal was very weak.
"Hey, wait a…" the man said, getting up from his desk.
Frederic spun around, and fired his pistol at the desk, which subsequently disintegrated. The man backed off, raising his hands. "My mistake," he grunted.
Once in the lift, Frederic hit the button for the lowest level, and the team waited. The doors slid open behind them, causing the foursome to spin around. Still locked on, Frederic and Jennifer set in a dead run through the hallways, unknowing of the fact that David had ran through these very same halls on his way to get to his sister.
"Let's do this the easier way," Frederic grunted. "I've finally gotten a strong enough lock on them for ki-teleportation. They have very weak kis, which is why I could do it before. Join hands, everyone."
The group linked hands, and Frederic closed his eyes in momentary concentration. The next moment, the foursome appeared directly next to the twins.
"Mom! Dad!" David shouted.
"Mommy! Daddy!" Jessie shouted.
"You alright?" Frederic asked, allowing his son to hug him, while looking viciously at the surrounding agents.
"Pretty banged up…"Jessie said.
"We were hurt in the crash," David admitted.
"We'll talk about that later," Frederic told his children. "The Daedalus is already on board."
"Now wait a minute!" J barked. Eight quantum pistols locked on him, causing him to gulp. The cold glares scared him even more.
"Who are you?" Frederic demanded.
"That's Agent J of the Men in Black. That's Agent Zed. He's in charge of this lunacy they call the MiB. They're a group of alien hunters," David supplied.
"Well, Zed, we're leaving. We can either do this the easy way, or the hard way. Your choice."
"You're surrounded. I find it hard to believe you can just waltz in here, and out, without getting hurt."
"Look at your screen, and tell me that again," Frederic grunted, pointing at the screen with one gun. The present agents turned around, and stared…at the battlecarrier Ortega.
"Meet our support crew, the PSS Ortega."
J grunted a "Fuck.", while Zed's mouth just opened.
"But, we don't need her. Linda, resume cloak." The ship vanished from the screen. "We can get out on our own. One warning, though: your little operation is a secret. I won't hesitate to blow the lid off this conspiracy."
"People won't believe you," J laughed.
"Guess again." Again, Frederic nudged his gun toward thee screen. Everyone stared at a four-way split-screen showing four views of the happenings. "We are all wearing contacts that process data. The entire event has been recorded."
"Listen, I know you're angry, but your ship crashed here. According to the treaty of Alderon…" Zed began
"Treaty? I never signed any treaty. I have my own jurisdiction. I can burn the surface of this entire world to a crisp without as much as having to use my zero-point weapons release key. Listen Zed, you're outnumbered, outclassed, and outwitted at every turn. Let us go, and resume your little operation here. Cross us, and you will die."
David and Jessica turned pale.
"This could be Ketaria all over again," David whispered to his sister.
"Only that time, Daddy didn't give any warnings," Jessie whispered back to her brother. Zed, being actually close enough to hear, stared at the children.
"You wouldn't do that. You are still here, and so are your children."
"See this?" Frederic asked, extending a box. "This is a personal quantum-pusher. It will shield anyone within a three-meter radius for ten seconds, which is more than we need to blow up this stinking dirtball. For us, this means freedom. For those of you unfortunate enough to be caught in it, you will live, but you'll spend the rest of your existence in a cell on SpaCECoB."
<<You're pushing it. You know just as well as I do that you're showing them a fusion battery. And I know you better than that. You won't blow up that planet.>> Jennifer sent to Frederic.
<<You know that, I know that, D and the children know that. Ami probably knows that too, but as long as this oaf falls for it, I don't care.>> Frederic sent back.
"Alright," Zed said, his face glistening in perspiration. "Go! I never want to see you again!"
"Linda, take notes. Universe 691 is off-limits to anyone except for those looking for some fun with electronics. Those can have all the fun they want with the equipment of an agency known as Men in Black, stationed in New York. No physical damage, just screw with their equipment."
So noted.
"Thank you. Zed, good-bye, and have fun," Frederic told the man, turned on his heel, and walked out. Ami's cape flung up as she turned, and walked after her colleagues. At a certain point, Frederic stopped. The agents, who dared to accompany him, Zed, J, L, and a couple of others, stared confused at him.
"We're directly under the entrance. Prepare to fly," Frederic told his group. Everyone nodded, even Ami, who certainly didn't know if she would be able to use the thrusters in her boots.
"Zed, you thought I was angry? Take a look at this," Frederic snarled at the man as his eyes turned green. When green ki erupted along his body, everyone stepped back, not believing the shudder that went through the building. Green ki turned red, which in turn turned purple as Frederic entered Super-two. Deciding to get out of here as soon as he could, Frederic didn't go any higher than Super-two, and just shot straight up, blasting through all the levels between the underground compound and the surface.
Jennifer shot after her husband, followed by the kids. Ami kicked in her boot-thrusters, and lifted off behind the rest, and Daphnix closed the line. Halfway up to the surface, Ami's jet boots malfunctioned, and Daphnix had to carry her the rest of the way.
"Looks like the prototype requires more work," Daphnix commented as he put his girlfriend down.
"Who ruined our designs by adding a mask and cape anyway?" David asked.
"Yeah. That suit was just something we threw together as fun. It wasn't conceived to actually be built," Jessie added.
"We built it. And we added the mask and cape," Frederic told the twins. "And you two better hold your mouths shut, because we'll have a nice, long chat about you stealing the Daedalus."
The twins looked dejectedly at the ground as the six people were beamed up to the Ortega. Not a minute later, they were out of Universe 691.
"Yes."
"Good. As always, just tell me when you're growing tired, okay?" Daphnix took a pad, and activated it. Ami nodded in agreement, and Daphnix looked over the numbers written on it. "Thirteenth level. Here we go," he grunted before he spaced out. Ami remained motionless as Daphnix went to work.
"This is so much different than the Hitler," Jennifer grunted.
"At least we're reasonably safe here. We need to lay low for a couple of years at least. I don’t want him coming after us."
"Too true, alas," Jennifer grunted, leaning against Sorcerer.
"And you have to agree that this is a beautiful spot, and that it offers enough room for training."
"I agree. And we're close to level five, too."
"Another day or two," Sorcerer agreed. "We're growing stronger every day. I just wish I knew how my fucking counterpart got so strong."
"Don't worry about it now," Jennifer soothed him. "I know just they way to relax you…" she added with a devious grin.
"Oh, really? And what might that be?" Sorcerer asked in mock sincerity.
"Come in, and I'll show you," Jennifer said with a husky tone in her voice.
"Why go inside?" Sorcerer asked in an equally thick voice.
"You're devious," Jennifer told her man as he lowered them both to the grass in front of the house.