lol hes not dead doofus...
although pix being emo for about 5 chapters makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.. do you think she should comitt suicide right before whatever mystical force that exists revives jimmy for his divine retribution with super saiyan powers..?
the awesomeness of that could to be denied..
Though right now I think it would be cool if a race of really large humanoids showed up looking for "protoculture" or some such and began attacking harbinger with waves upon waves of enourmous battleships and small mecha pods.. only to be repulsed by some random fighter pilot in a plane that also can turn into a robot.. wait hrm this seems to be going somewhere else.. nm.
E.L.F
Moderator: Moderators
Oh DAMN it Fang. <Zoombie tosses plan A into the trash>pix being emo for about 5 chapters makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.. do you think she should comitt suicide right before whatever mystical force that exists revives jimmy for his divine retribution with super saiyan powers..?
I suppose I'll have to go with the Plan B: Zombies.
I was only joking about Plan B. Plan B does, in no way, shape or form have Zombies.
This has Zombies though: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTq6jH-YkHM
Zoombie Youd have to try harder to out think me.. I know how this shit works.. youve only got one option to change this shit and that is to go really off the wall... and not even care about pix or jimmy anymore and get a new protagonist who ends up killing Evil pix before she becomes overlord of the xorquin and uses harbinger to destroy the universe.. (space folds work like this)
just dont name him timmey, although it might be interesting if it was one of the bug dudes.. spiders always win in the end..
and needs more gundam!..
just dont name him timmey, although it might be interesting if it was one of the bug dudes.. spiders always win in the end..
and needs more gundam!..
Because you'll probably guess it, I'll just do it anyway and try to be entertaining anyway.
I'd find some way to work in Gundam somehow but I don't know enough ABOUT Gundam to actually do so. I, however, could work in the following:
BSG (original)
BSG (New)
Star Trek (All of them)
Babylon 5
E and E
Elfen Lied
Hellsing
Evengelion (also known as "Huh?" or "What are they on?")
Anything from Alister Reynolds.
In fact, I've blatantly stolen the following from some of Reynold's books:
Harbinger's Engines
Harbinger's shape
Harbinger's name
The fifteen constructs in the Armory
All the black cubes.
I'd find some way to work in Gundam somehow but I don't know enough ABOUT Gundam to actually do so. I, however, could work in the following:
BSG (original)
BSG (New)
Star Trek (All of them)
Babylon 5
E and E
Elfen Lied
Hellsing
Evengelion (also known as "Huh?" or "What are they on?")
Anything from Alister Reynolds.
In fact, I've blatantly stolen the following from some of Reynold's books:
Harbinger's Engines
Harbinger's shape
Harbinger's name
The fifteen constructs in the Armory
All the black cubes.
aw really, cause the movie made me cry.. but then I didnt read the book..
I do find it slightly humerous that I semi approximated your story arc slightly.. but heh.. Ive read alot of books unfortunately and I think people who are inexperienced with relationships and have overactive immaginations tend to think down similiar paths..
also vaguely reminds me of the early parts of the sword of truth series..
I do find it slightly humerous that I semi approximated your story arc slightly.. but heh.. Ive read alot of books unfortunately and I think people who are inexperienced with relationships and have overactive immaginations tend to think down similiar paths..
also vaguely reminds me of the early parts of the sword of truth series..
needs a better name than fox, cause honestly keeps reminding me of the television company..
every time he calls jimmy I keep thinking crap hes going to offer them a movie deal.. NO dont do it jimmy, miniseries are bad..
Hi jimmy this is fox..
Fox what do you want..
we want to give you your own miniseries.. of course we cant sign pix..
NOOOOOOOOOOO!
every time he calls jimmy I keep thinking crap hes going to offer them a movie deal.. NO dont do it jimmy, miniseries are bad..
Hi jimmy this is fox..
Fox what do you want..
we want to give you your own miniseries.. of course we cant sign pix..
NOOOOOOOOOOO!
nope..
bad guy would be if he raped loli while removing their heads with its massively enlarged upper mandibles.. all the while singing its a small world after all, and plotting the demise of 300s actors..
^^that is a bad guy...
fox is just trying to get some lizard scum killed, everyone knows humans always win.. cause were awesome...
bad guy would be if he raped loli while removing their heads with its massively enlarged upper mandibles.. all the while singing its a small world after all, and plotting the demise of 300s actors..
^^that is a bad guy...
fox is just trying to get some lizard scum killed, everyone knows humans always win.. cause were awesome...
And so, a new episode.
----------
The Xorquin ├óÔé¼┼ôreprogramming center├óÔé¼┬Ø didn't deserve such a grandiose name. Obviously thrown together in a matter of hours, if not minutes, the cluttered, broom closet sized. A Xorquin technician stood there, hunched behind a computer bank that was jammed into the back of the room. Wires hooked into a chair with straps on the armrests and footrest. The wires lead into a headset that was presumably meant to be strapped onto one's head.
The Xorquin guard shoved Pix into the chair and strapped her down. Pix struggled for a few moments, then just gave up.
├óÔé¼┼ôI'll meet you soon,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix whispered. The Xorquin technician rattled inquisitively.
├óÔé¼┼ôNothing,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said. The technician strapped the head set onto Pix and Pix grunted, feeling something dark and cold worming into her skull.
The technician rattled at the guard. The guard nodded, left, then came back with a translator.
├óÔé¼┼ôHaving a nice day?├óÔé¼┬Ø The Technician asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôYeah...just-├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix winced as the worm got deeper into her mind. ├óÔé¼┼ôFine.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôGood, good,├óÔé¼┬Ø The technician started tapping at his keyboard, his claws clacking loudly. ├óÔé¼┼ôWait a second...there's an encrypted file here.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix asked, trying to turn her head but finding it was locked in place by the headset.
├óÔé¼┼ôHmmm,├óÔé¼┬Ø The technician paused. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat's a pretty hefty encryption. Say, Gett, can you get the Ambassador?├óÔé¼┬Ø
The guard nodded, leaving. He came back with Jorquin.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jorquin asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôSee this file?├óÔé¼┬Ø the technician said, turning his screen around so Jorquin could see it. Pix strained and managed to catch the screen out of the corner of her eye.
Karma Sutra.
├óÔé¼┼ôIt's encrypted file, and it might have important stuff on it...and if we do a full re-write, it'll destroy it...and...├óÔé¼┬Ø The technician trailed off, seeing Jorquin's expression.
├óÔé¼┼ôGood job,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jorquin said, surprising the Technician. ├óÔé¼┼ôCrack it.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôUuuuhhh...├óÔé¼┬Ø the technician started typing. Pix felt a cracking on the back of her head. She winced, gritted her teeth and fought back as best as she could. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan't.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat? This is a whore-bot, of all things. How can you not break it's codes?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jorquin pushed forward, glowering at the technician.
├óÔé¼┼ôW-well,├óÔé¼┬Ø The technician said, the translator managing to recreate his quaking voice quite accurately. ├óÔé¼┼ôI-its a voice lock. Human, voice that is. We don't have anything that can recreate a human voice. Well...we have one thing.├óÔé¼┬Ø He looked at Pix.
Jorquin glowered at Pix. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you unlock the file?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYes,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix lied.
├óÔé¼┼ôWill you?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNo,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said, smiling sweetly.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe'll break you like a twig,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jorquin said, his voice low and deadly sounding. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt won't be pleasant.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôIf it slows you down,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said, grinning. ├óÔé¼┼ôThen every moment will be worth it.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôDo you think this file is important enough to take the time?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jorquin asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôWell...I can't see why Leonite would encrypt a file on his son's whore-bot, unless...well...it's the last place we'd think to look for it!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôGood thinking,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jorquin said. He smiled and clapped the technician on the back. ├óÔé¼┼ôKeep this up, and you'll go far.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThank you, Ambassador,├óÔé¼┬Ø The technician said. Jorquin turned to the guard.
├óÔé¼┼ôTake her to her cell,├óÔé¼┬Ø He said. The guard nodded.
--------
Anna woke up. She rolled onto her back and saw one of the constructs staring back at her. Metch groaned, laying next to her.
The translator turned that moan into: ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere am I mommy?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNo where near her,├óÔé¼┬Ø Anna said, sitting up. The Xorquin had dragged them for some time, then she'd fallen asleep...how had she fallen asleep?
├óÔé¼┼ôDid they gas us?├óÔé¼┬Ø Anna asked, standing. Metch jumped to her feet, fists at the ready. When she saw there were no Xorquin to fight, she let her hands drop.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat happened?├óÔé¼┬Ø Metch asked, looking around.
├óÔé¼┼ôI think they knocked us out...and took Jimmy and Pix, but left us here,├óÔé¼┬Ø Anna said.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhy? Are these daemons cowards!├óÔé¼┬Ø Metch was still looking around, as if there was something she could kill. The nearest thing Anna could see that Metch would consider 'killable' was a small party of Yetel marching towards them.
├óÔé¼┼ôMetch,├óÔé¼┬Ø Anna said.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôShut up.├óÔé¼┬Ø
The Yetel didn't shoot first. Instead they let Anna get close, holding her hands high above her head.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you doing out here?├óÔé¼┬Ø The leader of the Yetel asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôHeading for Tortuga,├óÔé¼┬Ø Anna said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôHeading for Tortuga,├óÔé¼┬Ø The Yetel said, his wings snapping in and out. He shook his head. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Slor his us pretty hard recently and we're reporting to Tortuga to see if we can resuply.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôOkay,├óÔé¼┬Ø Anna said.
Silence. The two groups sized one another up, Anna's eyes narrowed, the Yetel's eyes faceted and there fore, unreadable.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe should go our separate ways then,├óÔé¼┬Ø The Yetel said.
├óÔé¼┼ôThat we should,├óÔé¼┬Ø Anna said.
├óÔé¼┼ôWell...who's gonna turn around first?├óÔé¼┬Ø
Metch scoffed, turning around and walking away. Anna shrugged and followed.
The Yetel shook his head. Humans. Never knew what was going to-
├óÔé¼┼ôSir,├óÔé¼┬Ø His second, who was doubling as com-officer. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have a call coming through.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôGroup Leader X-Click-click,├óÔé¼┬Ø The Yetel said, holding the radio to his ear.
He paused, his wings, normally constantly moving, freezing. He slowly moved the radio from his ear and shouted to the winged human.
├óÔé¼┼ôCome...Come back!├óÔé¼┬Ø
Anna looked over her shoulder at the Yetel, eyes narrowing. He was holding a bobbly green hunk of plastic, oddly shaped to fit against a Yetel's head.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis...this for you,├óÔé¼┬Ø The Yetel said, his voice awed. Anna took the radio and tried to get it to her ear. It was uncomfortable, but it worked.
├óÔé¼┼ôAnna?├óÔé¼┬Ø A scratchy voice came through. It was female...but Anna had never heard it before.
├óÔé¼┼ôWho is this?├óÔé¼┬Ø Anna asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou may call me Sparrow,├óÔé¼┬Ø The voice said. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd we have to stop Fox.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYou know Fox?├óÔé¼┬Ø Anna asked, eyes narrowing. ├óÔé¼┼ôDo I know you?
├óÔé¼┼ôNo. But I've been helping you.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYou haven't done a very good job,├óÔé¼┬Ø Anna said, looking at where she had woken up, sans Jimmy and Pix. ├óÔé¼┼ôIn fact, I can almost swear that you haven't been helping at all!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI did drop the data crystal down the toilet,├óÔé¼┬Ø Sparrow said. Anna snickered. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats what got it to Pix and Jimmy.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôSo? That seems to have brought us more trouble!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôIt might have,├óÔé¼┬Ø Sparrow said. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut it is better to have more trouble now and almost certain death later. Now, you must get back to E.L.F space as fast as possible and use the coordinates I am giving you in the teleport. Only then can you help Pix and Jimmy.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôIt's a three day walk, at best,├óÔé¼┬Ø Anna said, looking at Tortuga.
├óÔé¼┼ôGo fifty paces back, then two to the right. Concentrate on a circular mark on the ground you will find there. Follow the lights. You'll get there in a few hours.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat-├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThere isn't time!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sparrow snapped. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou are special Anna Hellborn. You can use the forgotten technology of this ship. So use it!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôFine, fine,├óÔé¼┬Ø Anna muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôIf this doesn't work, I'll never talk to you again.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI understand. Just remember, fifty paces back, two to the right.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôHow do you know where I am anyway?├óÔé¼┬Ø But Anna was talking to a dead line. The radio crackled, showing that the other end of the connection was gone.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhy does High Command want to talk to you?├óÔé¼┬Ø The Yetel asked.
But Anna was already running, counting under her breath. She hit fifty and looked to her right. There! In the ground, a small, black circle was carved into the metal. Anna would have missed it...if she hadn't been told. Metch ran up beside her, panting.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is going on?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked, wiping some sweat from her brow.
├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not sure,├óÔé¼┬Ø Anna said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow shut up.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Anna stared at the circle, concentrating. She concentrated. Nothing happened. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh come on, you tubing piece of Sewage!├óÔé¼┬Ø She muttered under her breath. The circle flashed and a section of the floor slid away, smoothly and almost silently. Anna knelt and looked in the area revealed by the hole. Under neath was a hallway, slightly too small for her hight. But she could manage it, if she stooped. Lights flickered down the hall, showing which way to go.
Anna looked at Metch. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell...I suppose she wasn't full of shit. Lets go.├óÔé¼┬Ø
She dropped into the hole, mind abuzz with questions, and not a single answer.
--------
The air lock cycled as Pix dressed in her...and Jimmy's clothes. Her tears had refilled and were starting to spill down her nose. She finished dressing, wiping her eyes and nose on her sleeve.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you doing?├óÔé¼┬Ø The guard asked, his eyes narrowing.
├óÔé¼┼ôI'm crying, you sewage sucker! I'm...I'm...oh, go pike yourself.├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix stopped. Pike? Where had she heard that word from? The guard pushed her with the barrel of his gun, making her step forward.
She stepped forward.
And heard a whistling noise.
She turned.
And saw something bright flash in the lights of the hallway.
A gout of pink blood. The Xorquin staggering back, clutching his throat, which had been sliced open.
And then, stepping out of the shadows, holding a thin, very sharp blade, was...Jimmy.
Pix backed into the wall, her jaw dropping. She slipped on some of the pink Xorquin blood on the ground and fell over. Jimmy leaned over her and she could see a long, thin scar down the side of his head.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou're dead,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix moaned, tears blurring her vision.
├óÔé¼┼ôI would be,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said, turning his head to show Pix the scar. It had scorched hair on the side of his head off, clipped through his ear and left the entire left side of his face puffy and red. First degree burns. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut Ambassador Jorquin is a really lousy shot.├óÔé¼┬Ø
--------
PSYCH!
----------
The Xorquin ├óÔé¼┼ôreprogramming center├óÔé¼┬Ø didn't deserve such a grandiose name. Obviously thrown together in a matter of hours, if not minutes, the cluttered, broom closet sized. A Xorquin technician stood there, hunched behind a computer bank that was jammed into the back of the room. Wires hooked into a chair with straps on the armrests and footrest. The wires lead into a headset that was presumably meant to be strapped onto one's head.
The Xorquin guard shoved Pix into the chair and strapped her down. Pix struggled for a few moments, then just gave up.
├óÔé¼┼ôI'll meet you soon,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix whispered. The Xorquin technician rattled inquisitively.
├óÔé¼┼ôNothing,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said. The technician strapped the head set onto Pix and Pix grunted, feeling something dark and cold worming into her skull.
The technician rattled at the guard. The guard nodded, left, then came back with a translator.
├óÔé¼┼ôHaving a nice day?├óÔé¼┬Ø The Technician asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôYeah...just-├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix winced as the worm got deeper into her mind. ├óÔé¼┼ôFine.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôGood, good,├óÔé¼┬Ø The technician started tapping at his keyboard, his claws clacking loudly. ├óÔé¼┼ôWait a second...there's an encrypted file here.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix asked, trying to turn her head but finding it was locked in place by the headset.
├óÔé¼┼ôHmmm,├óÔé¼┬Ø The technician paused. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat's a pretty hefty encryption. Say, Gett, can you get the Ambassador?├óÔé¼┬Ø
The guard nodded, leaving. He came back with Jorquin.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jorquin asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôSee this file?├óÔé¼┬Ø the technician said, turning his screen around so Jorquin could see it. Pix strained and managed to catch the screen out of the corner of her eye.
Karma Sutra.
├óÔé¼┼ôIt's encrypted file, and it might have important stuff on it...and if we do a full re-write, it'll destroy it...and...├óÔé¼┬Ø The technician trailed off, seeing Jorquin's expression.
├óÔé¼┼ôGood job,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jorquin said, surprising the Technician. ├óÔé¼┼ôCrack it.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôUuuuhhh...├óÔé¼┬Ø the technician started typing. Pix felt a cracking on the back of her head. She winced, gritted her teeth and fought back as best as she could. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan't.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat? This is a whore-bot, of all things. How can you not break it's codes?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jorquin pushed forward, glowering at the technician.
├óÔé¼┼ôW-well,├óÔé¼┬Ø The technician said, the translator managing to recreate his quaking voice quite accurately. ├óÔé¼┼ôI-its a voice lock. Human, voice that is. We don't have anything that can recreate a human voice. Well...we have one thing.├óÔé¼┬Ø He looked at Pix.
Jorquin glowered at Pix. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you unlock the file?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYes,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix lied.
├óÔé¼┼ôWill you?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNo,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said, smiling sweetly.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe'll break you like a twig,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jorquin said, his voice low and deadly sounding. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt won't be pleasant.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôIf it slows you down,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said, grinning. ├óÔé¼┼ôThen every moment will be worth it.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôDo you think this file is important enough to take the time?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jorquin asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôWell...I can't see why Leonite would encrypt a file on his son's whore-bot, unless...well...it's the last place we'd think to look for it!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôGood thinking,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jorquin said. He smiled and clapped the technician on the back. ├óÔé¼┼ôKeep this up, and you'll go far.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThank you, Ambassador,├óÔé¼┬Ø The technician said. Jorquin turned to the guard.
├óÔé¼┼ôTake her to her cell,├óÔé¼┬Ø He said. The guard nodded.
--------
Anna woke up. She rolled onto her back and saw one of the constructs staring back at her. Metch groaned, laying next to her.
The translator turned that moan into: ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere am I mommy?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNo where near her,├óÔé¼┬Ø Anna said, sitting up. The Xorquin had dragged them for some time, then she'd fallen asleep...how had she fallen asleep?
├óÔé¼┼ôDid they gas us?├óÔé¼┬Ø Anna asked, standing. Metch jumped to her feet, fists at the ready. When she saw there were no Xorquin to fight, she let her hands drop.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat happened?├óÔé¼┬Ø Metch asked, looking around.
├óÔé¼┼ôI think they knocked us out...and took Jimmy and Pix, but left us here,├óÔé¼┬Ø Anna said.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhy? Are these daemons cowards!├óÔé¼┬Ø Metch was still looking around, as if there was something she could kill. The nearest thing Anna could see that Metch would consider 'killable' was a small party of Yetel marching towards them.
├óÔé¼┼ôMetch,├óÔé¼┬Ø Anna said.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôShut up.├óÔé¼┬Ø
The Yetel didn't shoot first. Instead they let Anna get close, holding her hands high above her head.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you doing out here?├óÔé¼┬Ø The leader of the Yetel asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôHeading for Tortuga,├óÔé¼┬Ø Anna said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôHeading for Tortuga,├óÔé¼┬Ø The Yetel said, his wings snapping in and out. He shook his head. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Slor his us pretty hard recently and we're reporting to Tortuga to see if we can resuply.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôOkay,├óÔé¼┬Ø Anna said.
Silence. The two groups sized one another up, Anna's eyes narrowed, the Yetel's eyes faceted and there fore, unreadable.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe should go our separate ways then,├óÔé¼┬Ø The Yetel said.
├óÔé¼┼ôThat we should,├óÔé¼┬Ø Anna said.
├óÔé¼┼ôWell...who's gonna turn around first?├óÔé¼┬Ø
Metch scoffed, turning around and walking away. Anna shrugged and followed.
The Yetel shook his head. Humans. Never knew what was going to-
├óÔé¼┼ôSir,├óÔé¼┬Ø His second, who was doubling as com-officer. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have a call coming through.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôGroup Leader X-Click-click,├óÔé¼┬Ø The Yetel said, holding the radio to his ear.
He paused, his wings, normally constantly moving, freezing. He slowly moved the radio from his ear and shouted to the winged human.
├óÔé¼┼ôCome...Come back!├óÔé¼┬Ø
Anna looked over her shoulder at the Yetel, eyes narrowing. He was holding a bobbly green hunk of plastic, oddly shaped to fit against a Yetel's head.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis...this for you,├óÔé¼┬Ø The Yetel said, his voice awed. Anna took the radio and tried to get it to her ear. It was uncomfortable, but it worked.
├óÔé¼┼ôAnna?├óÔé¼┬Ø A scratchy voice came through. It was female...but Anna had never heard it before.
├óÔé¼┼ôWho is this?├óÔé¼┬Ø Anna asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou may call me Sparrow,├óÔé¼┬Ø The voice said. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd we have to stop Fox.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYou know Fox?├óÔé¼┬Ø Anna asked, eyes narrowing. ├óÔé¼┼ôDo I know you?
├óÔé¼┼ôNo. But I've been helping you.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYou haven't done a very good job,├óÔé¼┬Ø Anna said, looking at where she had woken up, sans Jimmy and Pix. ├óÔé¼┼ôIn fact, I can almost swear that you haven't been helping at all!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI did drop the data crystal down the toilet,├óÔé¼┬Ø Sparrow said. Anna snickered. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats what got it to Pix and Jimmy.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôSo? That seems to have brought us more trouble!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôIt might have,├óÔé¼┬Ø Sparrow said. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut it is better to have more trouble now and almost certain death later. Now, you must get back to E.L.F space as fast as possible and use the coordinates I am giving you in the teleport. Only then can you help Pix and Jimmy.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôIt's a three day walk, at best,├óÔé¼┬Ø Anna said, looking at Tortuga.
├óÔé¼┼ôGo fifty paces back, then two to the right. Concentrate on a circular mark on the ground you will find there. Follow the lights. You'll get there in a few hours.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat-├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThere isn't time!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sparrow snapped. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou are special Anna Hellborn. You can use the forgotten technology of this ship. So use it!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôFine, fine,├óÔé¼┬Ø Anna muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôIf this doesn't work, I'll never talk to you again.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI understand. Just remember, fifty paces back, two to the right.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôHow do you know where I am anyway?├óÔé¼┬Ø But Anna was talking to a dead line. The radio crackled, showing that the other end of the connection was gone.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhy does High Command want to talk to you?├óÔé¼┬Ø The Yetel asked.
But Anna was already running, counting under her breath. She hit fifty and looked to her right. There! In the ground, a small, black circle was carved into the metal. Anna would have missed it...if she hadn't been told. Metch ran up beside her, panting.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is going on?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked, wiping some sweat from her brow.
├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not sure,├óÔé¼┬Ø Anna said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow shut up.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Anna stared at the circle, concentrating. She concentrated. Nothing happened. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh come on, you tubing piece of Sewage!├óÔé¼┬Ø She muttered under her breath. The circle flashed and a section of the floor slid away, smoothly and almost silently. Anna knelt and looked in the area revealed by the hole. Under neath was a hallway, slightly too small for her hight. But she could manage it, if she stooped. Lights flickered down the hall, showing which way to go.
Anna looked at Metch. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell...I suppose she wasn't full of shit. Lets go.├óÔé¼┬Ø
She dropped into the hole, mind abuzz with questions, and not a single answer.
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The air lock cycled as Pix dressed in her...and Jimmy's clothes. Her tears had refilled and were starting to spill down her nose. She finished dressing, wiping her eyes and nose on her sleeve.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you doing?├óÔé¼┬Ø The guard asked, his eyes narrowing.
├óÔé¼┼ôI'm crying, you sewage sucker! I'm...I'm...oh, go pike yourself.├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix stopped. Pike? Where had she heard that word from? The guard pushed her with the barrel of his gun, making her step forward.
She stepped forward.
And heard a whistling noise.
She turned.
And saw something bright flash in the lights of the hallway.
A gout of pink blood. The Xorquin staggering back, clutching his throat, which had been sliced open.
And then, stepping out of the shadows, holding a thin, very sharp blade, was...Jimmy.
Pix backed into the wall, her jaw dropping. She slipped on some of the pink Xorquin blood on the ground and fell over. Jimmy leaned over her and she could see a long, thin scar down the side of his head.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou're dead,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix moaned, tears blurring her vision.
├óÔé¼┼ôI would be,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said, turning his head to show Pix the scar. It had scorched hair on the side of his head off, clipped through his ear and left the entire left side of his face puffy and red. First degree burns. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut Ambassador Jorquin is a really lousy shot.├óÔé¼┬Ø
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PSYCH!