)
Genro=got it from Fushigi Yugi
Tye=got it from Digimon ::ducks::
Dabe=lame thing I made up
Kiga Susumanai=ki ga susumanai='be reluctant'
A Future In The Making
Chapter 1
The black fabric of the captain's uniform fit snugly to her soft
features, features that did not match her personality. Nekina Shi'ne was not
soft; she ruled over her ships and crew with a hard fist. Years of living
and serving under Crais were to thank for that. The people who served under
Nekina did not like her, but then again, they were not supposed to; they were
supposed to respect her. And did.
Nekina stood on the deck of the command center of the Jigoku, her ship
and her life. There was a communication device attached into her ear and had
a metal band that went over her head to keep it in place. Two thick wires
curved out of its base, one snaking down to beside her mouth, and the other
extending out to her eye. Needless to say, Nekina looked like a textbook
picture of what a Fleet Captain should be.
"Captain, we are detecting a Leviathan ship. Records show that it is
named Moya. It is 20,000 metras away." Commander Tamashi Dairi, Nekina's
second in command said while still looking at the computer screen in front of
him.
The readout appeared on Nekina's single occular. "Set a course to
intercept, but don't make it look like we are following them."
"Aye. Setting course now. Should I inform Captain Crais?"
Nekina unconsciously flinched at the name, catching the eye of her Second
as well as a few perceptive crew members. "Not now, I will do it later." She
sat back into her chair, and the crew immediately looked back to their posts.
They knew something was going on between their Captain and Crais, but no one
dared to say anything.
This was the time that Nekina enjoyed the most. She was preparing for
battle. The time before a fight was the time that you took to relax and
gather your thoughts. You could also form a battle plan if you already
hadn't. All of the crew knew that, during this time, you should not bother a
commanding officer unless it is absolutely necessary. This is the time that
you turned to the Second of the ship. They check all the ship's functions,
and get the crew ready. These were the rules that everyone learned in
training.
When a child was put into the PeaceKeeper training program, they were
tested. That would determine what track they would be on. Usually the
tracks were command, tech, pilot, or lesser officer. Each group had it's own
sub-categories. The techs would be separated into what field of study they
would be in, and the pilots into what kind of ship they fly or they may go
into the navigation sector. Lesser officers would do everything that the
techs and pilots didn't do.
Command was different. Yes, they did test cadets to determine their
abilities, but their personality types were also tested. It was believed
that certain combinations of personalities could function in command better.
So, the children were paired off accordingly. The pair would train together,
and learn how to get along with each other. It was vital to a ship that the
captain and second could act as one person, and that required each person to
have an understanding of the way the other thinks. That is why they grew up
and trained together. After a few years, the children bonded. It was a kind
of bond that only Sebations could have. It went beyond a mental or emotional
bond; it was almost physical.
The PeaceKeeper council preferred that, in the pairing, one would be
female and the other male. Research proved if that happened, the bond would
be formed more quickly, and it would be deeper. The studies also showed that
if the two should be chosen to have offspring, the child would be very
successful in whatever it did.
Tamashi and Nekina had been together since they were five cycles old.
They were considered to be the strongest command team in the entire
PeaceKeeper Empire. Tamashi had the ability to sort things in his mind very
quickly, and without much effort at all. This was considered to be a very
powerful ability because, as a Second, he had to sort all the information
that he got into two categories. The first one grouped all the things that
he had to take care of, and the other grouped the things that Nekina needed
to know. Nekina could only handle so much information before her brain
became overloaded and she could no longer think. It was not a fault in her;
it was true for everyone in her position. Given the correct amount of
information, a good ship, a good crew, and Tamashi, Nekina could construct
battle plans that scared even Scorpious.
Tamashi looked at his friend and lover, who also happened to be his
captain. Nekina was in her usual pre-battle trance. She was looking off
into the projection of space while taking deep regular breaths. Her sky blue
eyes looked out of place next to her dark hair and slightly tanned skin.
Tamashi didn't see the scars that littered her face, or the cold killer that
her aura projected. All he saw was her beauty.
'Nekina, are you ready for this?' Tamashi said to her via the mind link that
they shared.
'I am not sure. There is something about this Leviathan that is familiar.
What is our ETA?'
'You have an arn.' Tamashi paused, 'I know that you do not like to talk about
your past, but maybe this is where you came from. I mean...well...have you
looked at the records of the people who are on it?'
'Yes, I had to. But why did you ask me that?' Nekina's mind began to
formulate theories as to why he would have asked. It was a natural instinct
that she had, and it drove Tamashi crazy.
'Stop that Nekina. I want to show you something. Can we go to your office
for a moment?'
Nekina reviewed the situation, and planned out the events for the next arn.
Go talk with Tamashi, see what the yotz he is talking about, 15 microns
before meeting with the Leviathan Moya go back to command and begin prepping
for battle, 5 microns do a complete system check. Then fight.
Tamashi could feel her planning even thought she was not sending the thoughts
to him intentionally. 'Very well, I could use a break.' Nekina stood up and
nodded towards Tamashi's assistant Kenri, communicating to him that he should
take command in her absence.
Upon entering her office, Nekina practically tore off her headgear.
"Annoying bastard," she mumbled as the instrument landed with a clack onto
her desk.
Tamashi didn't take his off; his position required that he kept it on.
However, he didn't have as much of a problem with the voices always in the
background as much as Nekina did.
"So, what did you want to show me?" Nekina asked, her voice changing from
the cold monotone of a captain, to the soft and expressive tones that were
her natural speech.
Tamashi recognized the voice change as a sign that they could act like
themselves now. He smiled and walked up to the woman in front of him and
kissed her lightly. He pulled back smiling and spoke. "What I wanted to
show you is this." He walked over to her computer and tapped on a few of the
controls. "Here, look."
Nekina pulled a stray chair over to beside Tamashi and looked at the screen,
making sure that her arm was close enough to brush his. Since they were not
supposed to publicly show affection, they learned to do it in smaller ways
that would not be noticed unless you were looking for them. Light brushes of
the skin whenever they had the chance, stray looks, and sometimes they would
link their minds enough to share an emotion or hold a small conversation.
Over time, these movements had become instinctual, and were a part of their
daily lives.
The computer screen showed pictures of two Sebation looking people. Nekina
recognized them immediately as Aeryn Sun and John Crichton. "What about
them? Officer Sun was irreversibly contaminated, and Crichton pissed off
Crais. I already know their records."
He pointed to Aeryn Sun's picture. "Look at her," then pointing to Crichton,
"Now, look at him. Blend their images together, and it is you." After
Nekina didn't say anything for a bit, Tamashi decided to point out some more
things to her that she already knew, but refused to accept. "Crais said that
you were mind-wiped before you started the training. You also came into the
training at 5 cycles. Usually children go in at 2."
Nekina looked closer at the photos. "Captain Crais told me once that they
had chosen each other as mates. It would make sense that they would
eventually have a child." She halted her speech for a moment to think before
continuing, "If they really are my parents, then Crais must know, and
doesn't he hate Crichton? Why would he let the child of his mortal enemy not
just live, but raise her himself."
Suddenly, Nekina fell to the floor, completely engulfed in a long repressed
memory that had somehow surfaced from her mind.
Darkness. Cries of pain, guns shooting, people running. Death. Kara Sun
huddled behind the unconscious form of Moya's Pilot. She clutched a pulse
gun with a sweaty and very shaky hand. Her mother had given it to her with
an order to run and hide.
Abruptly, the chaos stopped. It was quiet for a moment; then there were
footsteps broke the silence.
"Kara Sun, I know you are in here. No one can help you. Come with me, and I
will release Moya and let everyone, including your parents, live. You have
potential, and I really do not want to see that wasted. You could rise above
me, be a great warrior, be a captain." Crais' voice was a disgusting mixture
arrogance and dignity.
The wheels in Kara's mind were spinning. 'If I let Crais take me, then
everyone can live. It is better for only one to die, then all of them. Mama
and Dad can have another baby if they want. If I don't agree to this, then
Crais will just kill all of us anyway...'
"You promise to let them live?" Kara quavered after rising hesitantly from
her hiding place.
Crais was a little annoyed at the stubbornness of this girl. "Yes. It is by
my will alone that you and your friends survive this encounter. Now, get
over here, child!"
Kara hesitated. It was only natural; she had been told her entire life to
fear this man. And now she was to go with him and become a PeaceKeeper, her
lifelong enemy. Reluctantly, she began walking towards Crais.
At the edge of her vision, Kara could see her mother struggling. "Kara! No!
Shoot him!" Aeryn yelled at her.
"Mama...," Kara's eyes began to water, and she quickly ran and embraced the
older woman. "I have to go. Crais said that he wouldn't kill all of you if
I go with him. I will do my best, and I swear one day that I will come back
and kill him." She paused to collect herself before saying the next thing.
'I will return to you.' Kara meant to say it aloud, but instead she spoke it
to her mother with her mind. Aeryn began to cry with her daughter, and
spoke; "John and I will be waiting for you."
Then Kara left her, and moved toward Crais with defiant grace.
"Wake up!" Tamashi yelled and slapped her. Nekina woke up on the floor
and looking at Tamashi's face that was full of worry. "What the frell
happened to you?" He quickly moved her into a sitting position.
"Kara...," She whispered, looking up to the man who cared for her more
than he should.
"Kara? Who is Kara?" Tamashi said while cupping Nekina's face in his
hands so that he could look her directly in the eyes.
"Me," Nekina managed to choke out before fainting again.
Chapter 2
Tamashi was pale and drawn; he had never seen Nekina in this state
before. She had never been sick, and never been seriously hurt.
In a panic, he opened a communication link to command. "Navigation, halt
pursuit, all stop. And get a medical unit to the captain's office now!"
"Aye sir, they are on the way. Sir, if I may make a comment, what about
the Leviathan? Perhaps we should keep following it, and reduce our speed.
Tamashi considered it for a moment, 'Dren, I should have thought of that.
Guess that is why Nekina is the captain instead of me.' Then speaking,
"Good suggestion Kenri, do what you see fit, but don't make Nekina want to
kill you when she is able."
"I'll keep that in mind Commander." Kenri said, cutting off the
communications link with Tamashi.
At that moment, the medical unit stepped in and rushed to Nekina. They began
running scans over her while talking in the medical jargon that Tamashi did
not even want to understand. "Do you know what happened to her?" One of
them asked, still gazing intently at the hand held device that was making
some of the most annoying chirps that technology was able to generate.
Tamashi considered his reply carefully before answering. "She just passed
out. I don't think that she has been eating enough lately." A lame excuse,
but he knew that if the truth were told, there would be too many questions
asked. And some things should never be put out into the open, even if they
needed to be.
The head medic, Cain, walked up to Tamashi and gestured him over into a
corner. Cain had always been Nekina's ally, and, because of that, Tamashi's.
Using the quietest voice he could, Cain spoke, "We need to speak alone."
Then he raised his voice so the rest of the medics could hear. "It looks
like you were right, but as her Second, you need to make sure that she is
taking care of herself. As for the current situation, give her half an arn,
and then we will see."
Tamashi eyed the older man carefully, "Very well. If she is not awake after
half an arn, should I contact you?"
"Yes." Cain went back to his team. "We can go now." All of the men in the
white uniforms departed, except for Cain. He went over to Nekina and used a
different scanner, and sighed deeply when he finished it. "The mind-wipe
wasn't complete. Crais was in too much of a hurry to allow the doctors to do
a thorough job." He stood and walked toward Tamashi. "Instead of the
memories being deleted, they were only deeply repressed." Cain paused, then
continued, "The ship that you are pursuing, what is it?"
"It's a Leviathan called Moya."
"Moya..." Cain remembered that before Nekina was mind-wiped, she mentioned
that she lived on a ship named Moya. "Did Nekina say anything before she
went unconscious?"
"Well, what happened was that we came in here so that I could show her
something about the people on the Moya. After I showed it to her, I don't
really know what to call it, but when she came out of it, she said 'Kara',
and I asked who that was, she said 'me', then she passed out." Whenever
Tamashi was relaying information, he always seemed to talk too fast, and with
many run-on sentences.
"She must have remembered something from her past." Cain looked the younger
man over. "Tamashi, I know that you and Nekina share some kind of mental
link. Could you try to go into her mind and find the memory, or at least try
to find where it's coming from?"
"Cain, I am not a mind-reader. Nekina is the one that started the link. I
don't know how to use it."
"But you use it to talk, and I assume that sometimes you initiate the
conversations."
"So?" Tamashi was beginning to sound defensive, and Cain knew to back down
and get to the point.
"Well, maybe you could use the technique that you use to talk with Nekina.
Get into her mind, and explore."
Tamashi was not happy at the prospect of going into Nekina's mind, and he
liked even less the thought of what would happen when she woke up and
realized what he had done. He had seen her personally execute officers for
much lesser offenses, and Nekina's methods were not very pretty. Just
because he loved her did not mean that he did not fear her power. "I really
don't like this idea." Tamashi tentatively said.
"Don't worry, she won't hurt you. You are her mate, and she is yours. That
bond will save you from her anger. Don't worry about what will happen, leave
it to me. Now, do what you must."
Looking carefully at the man in front of him, Tamashi nodded slightly then
went over to Nekina. "Please don't kill me for what I am about to do."
Tamashi sat down next to Nekina and gently placed a hand on her head.
'Nekina, open your mind to mine.' Abruptly, he felt like he was falling into
an abyss. Then, just as abruptly, Tamashi landed on a floor. It was not the
usual gray-silver color that the Jigoku's floors were; it was a metallic
gold. When Tamashi realized that he was lying flat on his face, he stood up.
The place, whatever it was, was beautiful. Everything was colored with a
gold tone, even the accouterments. Tamashi looked up to the ceiling, and saw
stars--millions of them--shining down into the cast room. "Where am I?" He
said under his breath.
"You are in Kara's mind at the moment, but this room is on Moya."
Tamashi quickly jumped into a defensive position. That was not a voice that
he knew. But when he saw the speaker, he felt a calming sensation emanating
from her.
"Forgive me for not introducing myself. My name is Pa'u Zotaoh Zhann,
however most people refer to me as Zhann. Did you come here for Kara?"
Zhann said while stepping towards Tamashi, who instinctively backed away.
"If Kara is the same person as Nekina, then yes."
"You will have to excuse me again, I am not used to her new name. You see,
she is here, but wishes to be alone."
"Why are you here?"
Zhann smiled at Tamashi, despite his rank and age he was still a child. "I
could sense the pain she was in, and linked with her."
"How?"
"I have my ways."
"Why are we on Moya?" He spat out.
"She wished to come here, "Zhann paused and calmly smiled again at Tamashi,
ignoring his annoyance with her. "Nekina knows that you are here, and would
like to know why."
"I was worried about her."
"You are not speaking the full truth."
Tamashi looked at the blue woman in front of him. She looked so peaceful,
yet there was an undercurrent of death that ran through her, and that was the
thing that worried him. "I was told to help Nekina awaken her memories from
before the mind-wipe."
"And who told you to do this?"
"Cain."
"Tamashi, that is your name, is it not? You do not need to help; I have the
situation under control. We do thank you for the offer, but we must ask you
to leave now."
"I...I understand. I will go." Tamashi really despised this woman and the
way she talked, but he could accept Nekina's refusal to help, even though he
didn't agree with it. Reluctantly, he broke the link. Tamashi slowly stood up
and looked at Cain. "There is nothing that I can do for her."
Cain saw the hurt in Tamashi's eyes, and walked over to him. "Son, what
happened?"
"There was a Delvian woman, she seemed to know Nekina. The strange thing was
that we were on the Leviathan ship."
"What is her name?"
"Something like Pa'u Zotoh Zhann."
Cain began to laugh, and Tamashi considered shooting the old man. "Are you
insane? Why are you laughing?"
"I know of this Delvian, a remarkable woman, you have nothing to fear from
her. Leave them be, if Zhann is there then she is helping."
Tamashi blinked a couple times, considering his words. "How do you know her?"
"We have met before. It was a long time ago, and I was only a young man back
then." Cain sighed and smiled. He had truly enjoyed helping the woman, even
if he had been punished for it.
"What should we do?"
"First, set a direct course to Moya. Then we will wait for Nekina to wake."
"Won't they just star burst away?"
"Zhann has probably told them not to."
***** Moya *****
"They are following us now, and making good time. We need to star burst
now!" D'argo barked out to whoever chose to hear him in the command center
of Moya.
Crichton turned to him; "Zhann told us not to, and because of that we
will not star burst unless they attack us. Got it?" Over time, John had
become comfortable in chewing out the giant Luxan.
"Fine! But the *microt* they shoot at us, we get out of here!"
Crichton was somewhat surprised at how easy D'argo had backed down, but
they had been fighting for 24 cycles. 'How the hell did it get to be 24
cycles? Dren, Kara would be...what...21 cycles old by now.' He inwardly
laughed to himself, 'I would have taken her to Galena's Bar on her birthday
so that she could get drunk for the first time. Well, if we were on Earth I
would have done it.'
"John?" A familiar female voice asked him, "Are you okay?"
Crichton ran a hand through his graying hair. "Fine, just thinking."
Aeryn walked up to the desk her mate was leaning on. 'He looks so old.
Humans must age very quickly, or at least this one does. But considering
what he has been through, it is not all that unbelievable.' "What were you
thinking about?"
"Things. Life. Kara."
"Now is not the time to be thinking of her." Aeryn whispered to John.
"It's just...I'm getting a funny feeling about the ship that's
approaching. Maybe she is on it or something..."
"We both know that she's been mind-wiped."
"Remember Durka? Isn't the 'mental cleansing' procedure the similar to
PeaceKeeper mind-wiping? And didn't he remember what he was supposed to
forget?"
"PeaceKeepers learned how to do it from the Nebari, but mind-wiping is
much more thorough."
"Well, one can always hope."
"I suppose."
Kara's birth had been a very significant event for Moya and her crew. It
gave all of them a chance to pass on what they had learned in their lives.
She also symbolized the second generation of the resistance against Crais and
Scorpious. Everyone had held high hopes of what she could become, and then
Crais had come, and Kara sacrificed herself to save them.
It had been 24 cycles since John Crichton had appeared out of the
wormhole, and for the part of space he ended up in it had been 24 cycles of
pure and endless change. The powers that ruled shifted, a resistance had
begun to form, and Moya had acquired more crew members. However, those 24
cycles were just the opening act for the universe.
Suddenly Zhann exploded into the command center. "John! Aeryn! We must
speak immediately!"
***** Jigoku *****
Nekina carefully opened her eyes and looked at her surroundings. Luckily
she found the welcoming walls of her office, and Cain sitting in a chair
across the room. Groaning slightly, she sat up and leaned against the
nearest stable object. "Cain, we can't attack that ship."
He stood up and helped Nekina into a chair. "That may be a problem,
since Crais has arrived with 4 other ships."
Chapter 3
Nekina was not at all surprised at Crais showing up--Moya was an important
ship for him. She got up and put her ocular back on. "Cain, go back to the
infirmary."
"Yes, Captain." Cain paused to get one last look at Nekina. Her life was
going to be hell until she died, and there was nothing that anyone could do
to change it. 'Fear not, child, it is the way the universe works. There
will be happy times soon, I hope.' Cain thought to himself. Nekina didn't
seem to notice it, but she was quite understandably preoccupied at the moment.
After Cain left her office, Nekina stood where she was. It was at this
moment when the reality of her situation sunk in. Her true birth name was
Kara Sun, the daughter of fugitives, and a half-breed.
Nekina looked at her hand. 'It's Sebacean, but it isn't. I look Sebacean,
but I am not. What am I?' The memories of what Zhaan had told her
resurfaced, 'Nekina, you are Kara Sun, this is your home, this is your
family, your blood. Do not deny it, you know it to be true, you can feel it.
Open your mind to the universe, feel the it, they will tell you what you
need to know.' Nekina hadn't responded. What could she have said?
Tamashi entered the room and stood in front of his captain. "Shi'ne, it is
time to do your job."
Nekina tore her eyes away from her to hands and looked to Tamashi, "Yes, I
suppose it is." They walked out of the room and were assaulted by the image
of Crais on the main screen.
"Captain Shi'ne, why didn't you tell me you found this ship? That violates
your direct orders." Crais paused for effect. "Then you did not inform me
of your course change. I can stand one breach of protocol, but two will
bring disciplinary action." Crais drawled in his usual malevolent monotone.
"I had my reasons, *Sir*. And it looks like I didn't need to tell you
anyway." Nekina replied as if she were talking to a lesser officer.
Crais' face tensed, and he pursed his lips. "I do not like being spoken to
as if I were a child."
'But you are a child.' Nekina almost said, but knew better than to insult a
man who could order her execution without fear of any repercussions. So, she
responded like a good little Captain should, "Everyone knows you are not a
child. However, at the moment your prized Moya is getting away. So would
you like to end this interrogation and get back to the business at hand?"
Crais paused and checked his scanners, and then he looked back to his
student, "Nekina, someday your mouth will get you killed."
Nekina was startled by the use of her given name and not her title, but
refused show it. 'Frelling disingenuous bastard.'
'She spoke to me with more hatred then usual; perhaps she is remembering.'
Crais pondered, sinking back into his chair, 'She definitely knows something.
I should have killed her when I had the chance.' he decided.
***** Moya, 16 cycles earlier *****
"You will do what I say!" Captain Bilar Crais yelled at the small and
incredibly obstinate girl.
"Why should I?" Kara hissed back, her 5-cycle-old voice becoming shrill.
Crais had been fighting with her for a quarter arn now, and he was beyond
frustrated. He grabbed Kara by the neck and began yelling in her face, "Look
girl, you agreed to come with me, and that gives me the right to tell you
what to do. Now, am I understood, or do you need another reason to obey me?"
Kara was scared, had no idea know what to do, and she couldn't breathe. So,
as she began to panic, instinct took over and used her only weapon
available...her mind.
Crais tried to ignore the excruciating pain pulsating inside his skull, but
it kept intensifying. He dropped Kara to the ground and bent over screaming
like a lunatic.
"WHAT THE FRELL ARE YOU DOING?" he shrieked and launched himself at Kara, but
missed pathetically.
Kara said nothing as she walked over to Crais and looked at him. When he
stared into her eyes, he saw pure evil. For the first time in a long time,
Crais was afraid. This girl, this *child* could kill him without even trying.
There was a click, and then a hiss. Kara slumped to the ground unconscious.
Crais immediately began to regain his composure. He stood up and grabbed her
again, "Someone get this *thing* to the infirmary." An officer came over,
and Crais flung the limp body at him.
"Inform me if she dies." Then, abruptly, Crais walked away.
The officer had been the one who shot her, but he hadn't really realized just
how young she was. A bit of guilt flared in him, but his training allowed
him to destroy it. When he arrived at the infirmary, there was a middle aged
man tending to the many injures that occurred on the Yarou, Crais' ship.
"Who do you have today, Ningyou?" he asked, not at all surprised that there
was a new patient.
"Crais' new pet. Make sure that you don't piss her off, she almost killed
him."
Cain gently removed Kara from the other man's grasp and placed her on a med
table. "And that is why you shot her?"
"Yes, report to the Captain if she dies." Ningyou quickly turned and walked
out.
Cain started all the necessary scans and began assessing Kara's injuries.
"Kid, how did you get into this mess?" He gently lifted Kara's shirt to
reveal a cluttered mixture of blood and flesh covering most of her abdomen.
"These guns are so sloppy, but perhaps that is why they like to use them."
When he finished piecing her torn flesh back together, he placed a rough
bandage over it. "Rest while you can."
After a few arns, Cain was getting worried about the child who had been shot.
Her wounds were not that serious, she just had to be stitched back together.
However, she should have awakened by now. When he went over to the bed she
should have been in, he found it empty. "Kid, where did you go?" He called
to the seemingly empty room.
Cain felt something hit the back of his head, then a body knocking his down.
"What do you want from me?" A jagged voice asked.
She was somehow managing to pin Cain down, though he was using all his
strength to try to get up. "You were shot, I cleaned the wound." he responded
trying to appease her.
"Are you a doctor?"
"Yes, what's your name?" he had to grunt out because Kara was sitting
directly on top of his lungs.
"Not yet." She put a little more pressure onto his chest, and he groaned.
"What's going to happen to me?"
"Can't...breathe..." he squeaked out, and she let up just enough that he
could speak normally. "Most likely, you will be mind-wiped, but you can
never tell with Crais."
"And that is?" Kara persuaded, using the techniques taught to her by Rygel.
"Deletion of all memories that do not affect your necessary functions."
Kara did not quite understand what he said, but she would be damned before
she let this man know that. "They're going to erase my life?"
"You could think of it like that. Mey I ask who you are?"
"You first." She allowed him to stand up, and stood on a chair so that they
would be relatively the same height.
"My name is Cain Yujo, I'm the assistant to the head medic."
"Kara Sun, I live on Moya."
"My first post was there. Who are your parents?"
"I'm not supposed to say."
"You're going to be mind-wiped within the weeken, so I don't think that it
matters much."
Kara chose to ignore Cain's last comment. "Umm...after mind-wiping, what
will happen?"
"You will be given a new name, then trained as a Peace Keeper."
Kara thought for a moment before tentatively speaking again. "When I'm
older, I want you to tell me who I am, and what I am."
Cain laughed a bit; he would do the same thing if he were in her position.
"Of course. Do you have any possessions you want me to keep?"
"Yes." Kara paused and collected her thoughts before she continued. "My
mother is Aeryn Sun, a Prowler pilot, and my father is John Crichton, a
human, strange species compared to all the others." Once again, she paused,
a bit unsure if she should tell this man her secret. "I'm a mind-reader, or
at least that's what Zhaan says."
Cain had heard of her parents, and wasn't surprised to see that they had a
child. However, the thing that was puzzling to him was the fact that she
said she was a mind-reader, very rare among Sebaceans. He was about to
question her about it, until she mentioned the name Zhaan. "Zhaan, I
remember her. Who else is on Moya?"
"Well, Pilot, Rygel, D'Argo, Chiana, Genro, Tye, Dabe, and Moya's son, Talyn
has been following us since we stole him back from Crais. There are some
others, but they don't do the main stuff. How do you know Zhaan?"
"I was stationed there when Moya was still a prison transport, I had to make
sure they survived the trip." Cain said with a smile. He could tell from
the way Kara was babbling that she was feeling more comfortable.
Kara shrugged her shoulders. "Okay."
"What?"
"Huh?"
"The word you just used, what does it mean?"
Kara suddenly realized that Cain wasn't familiar with Human slang. "Never
mind."
Cain had no idea what she was talking about, but accepted her order to leave
it be. Whoever raised her did a very good job. Kara seemed to be above her
age, in many ways. "So, you said that you had something for me to keep for
you?"
"Yes," Kara reached inside her shirt and pulled off a necklace. "My father
gave it to me, he said that it was his father's good luck charm. Not that I
really know what that is, but he told me to keep it." She handed it to Cain,
and he fumbled with the rings for a bit.
"I will keep it safe for you."
"Thank you, if you find anyone on Moya, can you tell them what happened?"
"I don't think I will, but I will find a way to tell them if our paths
cross." Cain said the last part with a smile, trying to cheer up the doomed
child.
Three solar days later, Kara was mind-wiped. She became Nekina Shi'ne, and
was sent to the top command training school, where she was paired with
Tamashi Dairi.
***** Moya, present day of story *****
"I knew something was up on that ship!" John Crichton said joyously.
Aeryn was not celebrating just yet, "What's her position?" She asked Zhaan.
"She is normally a fleet Captain with five other ships, but right now, she is
the Captain of the Jigoku while assisting Crais."
Aeryn contemplated the facts for a microt. Even on the fast track, someone
who was 21 cycles shouldn't have been a Captain yet. "Kara is too young to
have a rank that high."
Crichton broke in, "Wait, Aeryn, maybe Crais helped her get promoted. You
know, pulled some strings with the higher ups and all that."
"Things like that have happened before, but it is rare." Aeryn clipped out,
still trying to take in what she had just learned.
Zhaan sensed that the two would like some privacy, so she quickly excused
herself.
John looked at Aeryn after Zhaan left, and smiled. "Aeryn, come on, it's
Kara! Zhaan said that she is beginning to remember, so maybe we can get her
to stay here on Moya."
"Let's just survive meeting her first," she mumbled more to herself than to
him. "Pilot, have you gotten the defense screen up yet?"
"It is still charging, but it should be done in a few microts." Pilot stated
as if he hadn't heard the conversation that was taking place.
"Thanks Pilot." Crichton replied.
Aeryn leaned over to Crichton and spoke quietly to him. "John, can we speak
alone for a bit?"
Crichton was expecting Aeryn to give him the
'She-may-be-our-daughter-but-she-is-still-a-Peace-Keeper' lecture, but he
still welcomed it. "Sure, what's up?"
They walked over to a corner of command, and waited before speaking, mutually
collecting their thoughts.
"You know what I'm going to say, don't you?" She said, amused at herself for
being able to predict her mate so well.
"Yes. Look, Aeryn, I know that I have to respect what she is, but we still
have to try!" The human responded in his usual stubbornness.
"Well, that saves a few arns." Then, switching to a more serious tone,
"there is something else that I need to tell you. Before Kara left to go
with Crais, she told me she would come back someday and kill him."
John reached over and tucked a stray lock of Aeryn's hair behind her ear.
"Right now, we can't assume anything; Let's just wait and see. Then we can
think about what we are gong to do. Don't worry, we'll get her back somehow,
some way."
They looked at each other, conducting the rest of the argument in the
silent language they had developed over their years together. It was this
closeness, this level of understanding that had kept them from going insane.
Then, the rhythmic tapping, which indicated someone was working at one of the
stations, interrupted them.
"We should get back to work." Crichton said in soft tones, but with an
undercurrent of 'cheer up, something good will happen.'
"Yes, we should." Aeryn said and smiled, truly happy for the first time
since her daughter had been taken.
***** Jigoku command deck *****
"Commander, tell Crais that we are going to begin the attack now." Nekina
told Tamashi in Quick, the shortened version of the Sebacean language used
during battle.
"Yes, Captain." He responded, and then said something into the speech wire of
his ocular, and waited for the answer. "We have confirmation."
"All right then, commence preliminary battle sequence beta two."
"Running."
***** Moya *****
Pilot was frantically hitting buttons on the ring of controls that surrounded
him. He had been through this many times before, and knew exactly what to
do, but even so, he was scared out of his wits. "They are attacking! I am
starting evasive maneuvers now." His tapping became more frenzied, until all
four arms were working together in some strange alien dance.
No matter what Moya's crew did to get away from the Jigoku and the Yarou, a
Leviathan was no match for a Daimao class ship; so going up against two of
them was definitely not a good idea.
***** Later, on Moya *****
"Are the prisoners secured, Captain Shi'ne?"
"Yes, they are all in the brig, and sedated."
Crais smiled at his creation, "I don't remember telling you to sedate them,
but a good idea. You have learned much. Keep going as you are, and you may
end up on the Council someday."
Nekina and Crais walked down a corridor of Moya, surveying their new prize.
"Sir, may I ask a question?"
"Of course."
"Why did they give up so easily? I could see it in some of their eyes, they
knew me."
"Perhaps they gave up simply because they were tired of fighting. They have
been on the run for 24 cycles now. As for them knowing you, I don't see how
they could."
"These people don't give up. After 3 cycles of fighting, maybe, but after
this long, they are in it for life. And they could have starbursted out of
the fight, yet they stayed and allowed themselves to be captured. It just
doesn't make sense."
"Nekina, stop thinking about it. You have them, now it is time to take
advantage of it."
She stopped walking, "You mean..."
"Yes, it is time for you to use your skills. I know that you are still
uncomfortable with it. A person of your rank can not shy away from things
that they are uncomfortable with."
Nekina 'humphed' and continued walking. "We may have a problem, Luxans are
not receptive to what I can do. We will have to do it the regular way."
"Who says we have to use the Luxan?"
"Zhaan is the only one on the ship who holds the information that we need,
and the only one who would consider talking."
"But why not just do it to her? Please, fully explain what you are talking
about."
"Zhann would be more sensitive to the Luxan in pain than anyone else,
including her own self. She hates seeing people in pain. So, we hurt him,
make her give up and talk, and we get the information."
"Can't you go into her mind and extract the information?"
"She knows how to block me out."
Now it was Crais' turn to stop walking, "And how do you know that?"
'Nekina, you idiot, you knew he was going to ask that, didn't you? Well,
time to lie.' "She is a P'au."
Crais could feel that she was keeping something from him, but she always was,
so he thought nothing more of it. "I trust your judgment. Get the job done."
"Using whatever means necessary?"
"Don't overdo it, but don't go easy."
"Yes sir. Give me two arns to prepare, then I will begin."
***** Two arns later, in a cargo bay on Moya *****
D'Argo and Zhaan were still out, but soon they were going to be very much
awake.
D'Argo was lashed to a table; Zhaan was firmly secured to a chair.
"Are they strapped down correctly?" Nekina asked, checking the clasps on
D'Argo.
"Yes, Captain Shi'ne. All is according to your specifications."
"Good, but I am afraid that restraints alone will not hold him back. We need
something else." She paused and began chewing on the tip of her thumb. "I
know, paralyze him just enough so he can't move from the neck down, but can
still feel everything. In fact, give him something to make him more
sensitive."
Nekina had slowly created a separate personality to take over in these
situations. She, herself, didn't like what she did, but when that other
person took over, it didn't hurt as much. She would take out all of her
anger and pain, and give it to the victim. Some of them didn't deserve it,
but that wasn't her problem, she was just following orders.
The man who was going to be Nekina's assistant went pale. "I...I will see
what I can do." He ran out of the room and almost heaved. He had heard
stories of what Shi'ne had done to people before. A cold shudder ran down
his spine as he went to Cain to get the items she requested.
Once the concoction was injected, Nekina could finally start on the dirty,
yet necessary part of her job.
"Wake up."
Zhaan felt something hard strike the side of her face, jarring her out of the
womb of sleep. She opened her eyes and blinked a few times.
"Look at me!" The voice yelled again, and Zhaan felt herself being struck
again.
"Please...no need for..." Was all that her still sleepy body could fumble out.
"But dear P'au, there is a need, I need you to look at me."
There was something familiar about the voice. Zhaan looked up and into evil
eyes that she had never seen, and never wished to see. "Who are you?"
"You will know soon enough. I need you to give me information."
"About what?"
"The resistance against Scorpious, more specifically who your contact within
the Peace Keepers is. We know that every ship like this has one, so spill
it."
"I will never speak to you of such things."
"I may be able to change your mind." Nekina looked to her assistant, "Wake
him."
"What?" Zhaan quietly asked. Looking over to the table not to far away from
her chair, she saw D'Argo. "Please, you want the information from me, not
him. Why are you doing this?"
"You see," Nekina smirked, walked over to a different table and picked up a
vicious looking knife. "We *really* need that information. We know that you
would just block out your own pain, and none of the others would talk, so,
this is our only option." She walked over to D'Argo and jammed the knife
into his chest cavity. Apparently D'Argo had been fully awake, because he
screamed.
"What the frell is going on?!" D'Argo yelled when he finished vocally
expressing his pain.
"Zhaan won't tell us what we need, so I am persuading her." Nekina coolly
responded, then she twisted the knife 90 degrees, and received another
satisfactory yelp from the helpless warrior.
"Don't...tell...anything..." He gasped between waves of unbearable pain.
Apparently Nekina knew the correct spot to place the blade to achieve the
maximum effect.
"Please stop! Who are you?" Zhaan pleaded with the demon standing over her
dearest friend.
"You mean that you haven't heard of me? Well, allow me to introduce myself.
My name is Fleet Captain Nekina Shi'ne."
It took a moment for Zhaan's panicked mind to register the new information.
Nekina was Kara, and she was killing D'Argo. "What?"
"You know who I am, I know who you are. Now, who is your contact within the
Peace Keepers?"
Zhaan suddenly felt Nekina slip into her mind, 'I am sorry I have to do this,
but I must. Keep resisting until you can fake breaking down, then tell me
that Crais is your contact. Understood?'
'But...'
'Do you wish for everyone on Moya to die?'
'No...'
'Then do it.'
'All...all right.'
"Now," Nekina snarled, wrenching the knife ruthlessly from D'Argo, shredding
skin and splattering dark blood over her face. "Do you wish to tell me? Or
should I give this back to him?"
"I will never tell you!"
"You will." Nekina went back to the table that she had retrieved the knife.
She set the blood-covered instrument down, and grasped another weapon. It
looked to be an electrical device of some sort.
Zhaan's eyes widened in surprise, she recognized that tool. They had used it
on her before when she was still a prisoner.
"You know this item, don't you?" Nekina said with an evil sneer.
Memories of pain and suffering invaded Zhaan's carefully shielded mind.
"No..."
"Good, that means I don't have to explain." She responded coldly. Nekina
walked back to D'Argo. "Would you like to say something to her?"
D'Argo eyed his enemy carefully, ignoring the pain still tormenting his body.
"Don't tell her anything."
Zhann was frozen in the chair, her mind reeling. 'I could stop this, all I
have to do it say 'Crais'. And since he isn't our contact, I wouldn't be
causing any trouble... Oh Goddess help me.' After much deliberation, Zhann
finally decided to end this.
"Our contact...is..." When Zhaan did not speak further for five microts,
still not sure if she should cooperate, Nekina raised the tool. "Crais! It
is Crais! He has helped us from the beginning. Please, now will you stop?"
"Thank you." Nekina looked over to her assistant. "Let her tend to him
after I leave, and do not let them alone." She put the knife down and wiped
off her face. "I want three security groups to go with me to arrest Crais."
***** The cargo bay, after Nekina left *****
Nekina's assistant walked over to Zhaan, "You may treat him now. The
paralyzing agent will wear off in a quarter arn." He released the bonds that
held Zhaan down, and she slowly stood up.
"Could I have some privacy?"
"No, sorry."
"Very well." Zhaan walked over to D'Argo and began to pound on his wound.
Eventually the blood ran clear and she could begin treating the crater in his
chest.
"Zhaan, I can't move." D'Argo fumbled out.
"It will wear off soon. How are you feeling?"
"Better, but still bad. Who the frell was that?"
Zhaan glanced over to the man watching them talking. "I will tell you later.
Sleep now, you need it."
D'Argo tried to laugh a bit, but it hurt too much, "Not much else I can do."
He closed his eyes and tried to doze.
Zhaan looked to her guard, "What is your name?"
"Kiga Susumanai." The syllables rolled off of his tongue with practiced ease.
"Quite a name. May I ask what is going to happen next?" Zhaan purred,
putting on her best 'please tell me what I want to know because I am so
innocent' look.
"It is not my place to know that." Kiga responded flatly.
"Can you guess?"
Susumanai almost rolled his eyes, "You are dealing with the most chaotic
Captain in the universe, and I highly doubt she even knows what she is going
to do next." He paused and turned his tone downward, "However, I can tell
you that it won't be fun."
"What is going to happen to Crais?" Zhann continued.
This time, Kiga really rolled his eyes. "He will be arrested, interrogated,
then put on trial. If he is found guilty, he will be executed."
"If he is proven innocent?"
"He will resume his life." 'Well, whatever is left of it.' He silently added.
"Oh..."
***** Meanwhile *****
"What is the meaning of this? Get your hands off me!" Crais was being
handcuffed and dragged away to a cell.
"I have reason to believe that you have been collaborating with the
resistance."
"That's crazy! Everyone knows they're going after me too."
"One can never be sure." Nekina began to walk away, "Treat him the same as
the others."
"No! You can't do this!" Crais screamed before someone injected him with the
sleep serum and he passed out.
After a few hundred microts of walking, Nekina finally arrived back at the
cargo bay.
"You are relieved, Kiga."
He looked at the Captain in front of him, and another cold icicle invaded the
territory of his spine, but this time he was able to ignore it and follow
protocol. "Sir, are you sure you wish to be alone?"
"Yes, now go!" Nekina snapped. She knew he was only doing his job, but it
was still annoying.
When Kiga scrambled out of the room as if his ass was about to be set on
fire, Nekina couldn't help but smile.
"I don't see anything amusing about the situation." Zhaan said curtly.
"But it is funny to see junior officers run away from me like scared
children."
Zhaan's anger was beginning to assert itself. "Do you ever stop to think
why?"
"Of course, I am evil, I represent death to them. They fear me because they
fear for their lives. Does that cover it?"
"And you think that is a good thing?"
"I don't ask them to be my friends, I ask for their loyalty."
"Speaking of loyalty, I trusted you." Zhann spoke with as much menace as she
could.
Nekina rolled her eyes. "You can. I could have done a lot worse you know,
instead helped you."
"You just want Crais out of your way so you can take his position."
"Of course I want that, who the frell wouldn't? But that isn't the only
reason."
"And what is *that* reason?"
'Who the hezmana do you think kept Crais away from people in the Resistance?'
Zhaan was more than surprised by this answer, but not as much as the way
Nekina was speaking to her. 'You are in the Resistance?'
'Quite, I took over and organized it into a solid group instead of separate
factions. I have been trying to meet up with Moya for a long time.'
'What will happen now?'
'You people always want to know that! Very well. All the people on my ship
are loyal to me, and are part of the Resistance. I have other such ships.
When the time is right, I will kill Crais, and make the Resistance official.
In fact, I would like Moya to join. Of course, to keep you safe, it will not
be official. I only need you as a scout ship.'
'I will speak with the others. But first, may I ask why are we communicating
this like this?'
'I don't want anyone to hear.'
'Does Tamashi know about this?'
'How could he not?'
'You two are quite close, aren't you?'
Nekina smiled inwardly. 'Zhaan, you have no idea, but I need to go. I have
work to do. It is best if you and D'Argo just stay here. The others are
safe as well.'
'Whatever you say. Now, do what you must, Kara.'
Nekina bowed slightly to Zhaan and then left the room.
-Ellie
Keeper of Rygel's combustible body fluids.
I have to find my sig, for I deleted it.
http://ellie.htmlplanet.com (my page)