Spring RTS Engine

I will command dragon flys to evolve stingers on their tails, then make them sting the hell out of you.. XD

Write or the owls will not eat Snipawolf

My hordes of Dragon Flies will kill your owls..
Hehehe..

i shall send gint minnasota misqitos after you both


(yes i live in Minnisota)

Eve gets a new job, Mike gets a new squadleader, and we introduce not one, but TWO charicters!

And one of them is just another personification of my obsession with...cough...nevermind.


Helena, Mankowski, Douglas, Lee, and Mike all sat in the bar. Mike actually sat slightly off to the side, not quite 'in' the conversation, but close enough to interject a choice phrase every once and a while. Helena was laughing at a joke Lee had dropped, a rather lewd one for that matter. Mankowski sipped down his beer, grinning as he did so. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Douglas said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI would like to propose a toast!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked, leaning in. ├óÔé¼┼ôA toast!├óÔé¼┬Ø Douglas said, ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know...a...a....toast!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike nodded and raised his cup as well.

├óÔé¼┼ôTo Eve├óÔé¼┬Ø Douglas said, ├óÔé¼┼ôThe mutant alien orphan with super powers! May she save our asses ever more in the future!├óÔé¼┬Ø. He snorted and collapsed on the bar, completely out. ├óÔé¼┼ôTo Eve├óÔé¼┬Ø the others chorused. Mike sipped some more of his drink. Then Mankowski said, somewhat mournfully, ├óÔé¼┼ôIt...it feels like an end├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôIt is an end├óÔé¼┬Ø Lee said, ├óÔé¼┼ôThe end of mankind├óÔé¼┬Ø. There was silence. As if by an unspoke agreement, no one talking about the near extinction of the human race. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI mean an end of something...grand├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôLike the human race├óÔé¼┬Ø Lee said.

├óÔé¼┼ôNo!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski almost shouted, ├óÔé¼┼ôI mean like...the marines feel less important, now that Eve is what, a goddess incarnate?├óÔé¼┬Ø

├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike cut in, ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm actually glad that I'm not the main charterer anymore. I think its time for a quite life...and I also have a toast├óÔé¼┬Ø. Everyone groaned, but they raised the cups anyway. ├óÔé¼┼ôTo Lizzy├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, his voice soft. ├óÔé¼┼ôTo Lizzy├óÔé¼┬Ø everyone said, and they clinked their cups together.

That pretty much killed the conversation, even more then talking about the extinction. Then Mankowski said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI must be going crazy├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike looked where he was looking. The first thing he thought was that he was just as crazy as Mankowski. ├óÔé¼┼ôEveryone else see that?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said, her voice sounding strained, ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah I do├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lee was covering her mouth, and the expression of shock under it. Douglas limply raised his head then passed out again.


The thing they were staring at was...a woman. Not that that was unusual. It was a woman in a marine uniform. Not that that was unusual either. It was her...other attributes that were causing the marines to stair. ├óÔé¼┼ôStop staring├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, looking back at his drink, ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's walking over here├óÔé¼┬Ø. The other marines went back to their drinks. Mike heard a stool getting dragged next to them and then a very, very soft voice said ├óÔé¼┼ôIs this seat taken?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, not looking up. The woman sat down, somewhat uncomfortably, and raised her hand. The bartender walked over, her face beat red. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat'll it be?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked, her voice somewhat strangled.

├óÔé¼┼ôA water please├óÔé¼┬Ø the same very soft voice said. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø The bartender said, hurrying away to get the water.

├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø The soft voice said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI was told to report to you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike, who had been sipping from his drink, almost spat it out at that. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou..ah...what?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, gaping.

The woman looked at her lap ├óÔé¼┼ôI just got through training├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, her voice very soft ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Sargent said I had a knack for demolitions├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Mike gulped. The other marines were...giggling at him. He frowned at them. Helena pointed at herself, mouthing ├óÔé¼┼ôWho me?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike looked back at the woman ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is you're name?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd why didn't anyone tell me about this transfer├óÔé¼┬Ø. The woman stuck her tong out, chewing on it slightly as she thought. Then she nodded, ├óÔé¼┼ôOh because Capitan Glickson said...├óÔé¼┬Ø her soft voice dropped to a lower, gravely tone and she said, in a passing imitation of Glickson ├óÔé¼┼ôIt'll be funny as all hell├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôDid he├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, looking away, ├óÔé¼┼ôThat son of a bitch├óÔé¼┬Ø. Helena snorted. The woman looked at her, looking hurt. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not laughing at you├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm laughing at Mike's expression!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Mike shot her a glance. The woman said something, but it was too soft to be heard over Helena's guffaws. He cocked his ear ├óÔé¼┼ôExcuse me?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI said├óÔé¼┬Ø The woman said, ├óÔé¼┼ôThat my name is Fox├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Mike's brow furrowed. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was given to me by the recruiter├óÔé¼┬Ø the woman said, looking at her water, ├óÔé¼┼ôMy...master didn't give me a name├óÔé¼┬Ø. Fox closed her strikingly green eyes as she thought about that. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, ├óÔé¼┼ôEve did a good number on him I heard├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhich she has my eternal gratitude for├óÔé¼┬Ø Fox said.

├óÔé¼┼ôI would like to say├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said, ├óÔé¼┼ôthat the recruiter must have been really really unimaginative├óÔé¼┬Ø. Fox actually grinned slightly. Then she brought up her water and sipped it as best she could. Mike took a good look at her, wanting to size up his new marine. Her neck was furred, her face was furred, her mouth was stretched forward in a muzzle, and her entire head was angular and fox like. Her fur was light orange, with red highlights around the ears. The ears were long, mobile and constantly swiveled around, listening to things. Her nose sniffed slightly every few seconds, large and slightly moist looking. The rest of her body was covered by the marine uniform, all of it except for a tail that was jammed out the back through a hole cut in the seat of the pants.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell are you pulling!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike almost shouted at Glickson. ├óÔé¼┼ôI would hasten to remind you that I am you're superior officer, Lieutenant ├óÔé¼┬Ø Glickson said, frowning. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're off duty, sir├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, sitting down, ├óÔé¼┼ôBut...a furry. In the marines!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Glickson nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôYes I know├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, ├óÔé¼┼ôBut we're on the raggedy edge out here. We have sixty thousand people, and only a hundred have signed up to the marines. Billions are dead, there's no help, and in a few months the enemy are going to be shooting us up. The upper echelons believe that they are going to be fighting to take the Prometheus as prize, as its probably the only cargo hauling vessel that is still operational. We can't turn away people, no matter how strange they are. You took on Eve and turned her into a passable marine...so I thought you could do the same for a genetically engineered walking talking fox├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Mike opened his mouth. Then closed it. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose I can't get angry over a compliment. But you could have warned me├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Glickson sighed, ├óÔé¼┼ôWell I think the only problems Fox is going to give you will be mental. Her eye sight is great, reflexes a notch above normal and she's got a way with explosives and can shoot pretty good. She could take orders during training, but whether she can work with other marines is up to you. I don't know how much of her...prior training still exists, but make sure you're entire squad understands that she is only going to be sleeping with people she wants to sleep with├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Mike nodded. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I don't see what everyone is getting so worked up over├óÔé¼┬Ø Glickson muttered, going to his papers.

├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, trying to articulate what he was feeling without sounding like an ass. He failed. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's a furry├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôJust five hundred years ago, I'd just be black├óÔé¼┬Ø Glickson said.

Mike sighed, looking at the celling. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Glickson said, ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're not able to chose whether we're born in tubes, or from wombs. Just cause she's a sex toy, doesn't mean she has to be treated like dirt her whole life├óÔé¼┬Ø. His voice was bitter. Mike sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, ├óÔé¼┼ôRight...hell I'm a brain core. I'm sure lots of people don't like the fact I'm walking and talking├óÔé¼┬Ø

├óÔé¼┼ôSo stop being a god damned hypocrite├óÔé¼┬Ø Glickson said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd turn Fox into a marine├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Mike walked out of the room, wondering why Eve had to have left the marines.

The man was collapsed to his side, unable to move. His body seemed to be slowly dying, but not from starvation or disease. IT just seemed...so pointless. Why bother to move when the human race was dying off? His eyes starred, only blinking when necessary. Then a foot stepped in front of his vision. It was a light, feminine foot, a faint glow clinging to it. The man blinked, feeling for the first time in several weeks, that he wanted to get up. He sat up and looked at the woman. She was holding a bundle of laundry, coming back from one of the washing centers.

├óÔé¼┼ôWho are you?├óÔé¼┬Ø the man croaked, his voice creaky from disuse. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're new neighbor├óÔé¼┬Ø the woman said, reaching her hand out. The man took it, feeling better then he had in weeks. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm Eve├óÔé¼┬Ø the woman said. ├óÔé¼┼ôStanly├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said, ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know...I'm hungry for the first time in three days├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI hope you've got enough ration tickets. We're almost out├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's you're job?├óÔé¼┬Ø Stanly asked.

├óÔé¼┼ôI don't have one, really├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, ├óÔé¼┼ôJust fixing what needed to be fixed├óÔé¼┬Ø. Stanly nodded, blinking. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo why were you lying there?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked.

├óÔé¼┼ôEr...├óÔé¼┬Ø Stanly said, feeling a bit ashamed by his actions. He had given up. ├óÔé¼┼ôI was...trying to decide what to do with my life!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, feeling a growing optimism. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said , ├óÔé¼┼ôI hope you get it├óÔé¼┬Ø. She walked to her house, the crude door opening by itself as she walked to it. Stanly blinked, wondering if he had fallen asleep and this was all a dream.

Hicks sighed, looking at the wall. Why had he given up the marines for this. Then he heard the door open and Eve walked in, holding their laundry. Oh...that was it. He smiled, looking at her. ├óÔé¼┼ôI love you, did I tell you that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, ├óÔé¼┼ôBut feel free to repeat it as many times as necessary├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Hicks sighed, looking around again. This place needed to be brightened up. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're right├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. Hicks smiled, remembering how his parents would finish their own sentences. Eve would finish his own thoughts. ├óÔé¼┼ôThanks├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, smiling. Then the room was filled with flowers. Hicks stood up, gaping. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats better├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. The flowers and plants were in pots, pans, trays, all of them made to look as cheap and hand made as the rest of the room. The dirt was real, nutrient rich and small sun lamps were over each of them for when the main light was turned off...in about five minutes. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts night soon├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve sighed, ├óÔé¼┼ôWe should get to bed├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôYou know├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't think I'm ever going to get used to having either midnight or midmorning with absolutely nothing in between├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're going to have too. Its a long ride back to Darkside├óÔé¼┬Ø. Hicks nodded.

Then he fell face forward, falling into the table. He rolled off, moaning. ├óÔé¼┼ôOut of my way├óÔé¼┬Ø Michelle said, glowering at Eve.

Eve stood up, shock on her face. Michelle snapped out a forearm blade and pressed it under Eve's throat. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere. Is. He!├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat!├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, looking as confused as Hicks felt, ├óÔé¼┼ôI have no idea what you-├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhere is my master!├óÔé¼┬Ø Michelle shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôHe came here to deal with you, now he's gone! WHERE IS HE!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Eve blanched. She had sent Taraka away two weeks ago. ├óÔé¼┼ôI spent the last two weeks searching every place I could think of├óÔé¼┬Ø Michelle said, ├óÔé¼┼ôNow I've come to you...WHERE IS HE!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI sent him...├óÔé¼┬Ø. Michelle vanished. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere did she go to?├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks groaned, standing up and feeling his head gingerly. ├óÔé¼┼ôI sent her to her lover├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, ├óÔé¼┼ôWhether he's intelligent enough to...lower himself, he'd realize that they can be happy together├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôI don't really want Michelle to be...happy with anyone├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks grumbled sitting down in the bed. The lights went off, suddenly and the room was plunged into darkness. ├óÔé¼┼ôIf she were happy, if she and Taraka could...understand what I have...then this universe would be a far better place├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Hicks looked at his wife. She still glowed in the dark when she wasn't paying attention. It still creeped him out. But then she looked at him and he saw a fire in her eyes. Hicks decided that he didn't care if Eve scared the living daylights out of him. He still. His thought was cut off when she kissed him.

where did she send Taraka?

That...is a very good question.

Think of the owls, Zoombie. The hungry, hungry owls...

and the mosquitos!

Now I am seriously annoyed. It has come to my attention that there is a webcomic called Applegeeks...

no I've never heard of it before now. I was perusing through the cast and...

"Eve is an android built on Apple technology, and her architecture is based exclusively on Apple hardware and software. She was designed and constructed by Hawk, who was hoping to build himself a girlfriend. Upon activation, however, it became clear that she had the mind of a child - she is given to tantrums and bouts of self-reflection.

Eve is combat-ready - she is strong enough to lift a car, can generate defensive shields, releases energy as violent shockwaves, and has an energy-blade that is generated at her wrist."

WHAT THE HELL!

I'm sleepy.

But I still deliver. This part was fun to write. If anyone can guess why I added the little 'minuets' at the begining, then a free cookie to you!



Michelle looked around. She was standing...in infinite blackness. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere the hell am I?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked.

├óÔé¼┼ôMichelle?├óÔé¼┬Ø a voice rang out. Michelle turned around. Taraka stood there.

├óÔé¼┼ôMaster!├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, her entire face brightening. Taraka was standing there, completely unharmed. She ran to him and kissed him. Taraka shoved her off, disgust roiling off his face.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you doing!├óÔé¼┬Ø He almost shouted. Michelle felt incredibly hurt. Then Taraka kissed her back, almost bowling her over.


A woman walked down the ally way, holding a bag of laundry. She hurried, knowing that at night, even with the marines patrolling the area, it was still unsafe.

Then a knife was pressed into her neck. She dropped the laundry, freezing as she did so. ├óÔé¼┼ôFreeze bitch...hand over the clothes. Then take off yours├óÔé¼┬Ø A voice, chill as ice, hissed in her ear.

├óÔé¼┼ôI...Do anything you want to me├óÔé¼┬Ø The woman said, her voice wavering, ├óÔé¼┼ôbut...let me keep the clothes├óÔé¼┬Ø. The knife pressed closer into her neck, drawing a slight line of blood. ├óÔé¼┼ôAll or nothing, bitch├óÔé¼┬Ø The man hissed.

He took a step out of the shadows, reaching for her. Then his foot fell on a loose screw that had conveniently rolled itself right beneath his foot. It slipped out from under him and he fell, the knife flying. The knife flipped in the air, slightly longer then it should have under normal circumstances. Then it plummeted into the man's crotch. A very unman like squeak came from his lips and he clawed at his crotch and the spreading stain of blood. The woman reached down, grabbed her laundry. Then after thinking about it for a moment, she took his shoes.

The buyer walked down the ally, looking at his seller. The seller/buyer network was still in position, despite Troy's untimely death. The buyer handed over his twenty ration chits. You could count his ribs, as he had been eating as little as possible to just get this one batch. The seller grinned, knowing not to talk. No one talked during this exchange, as voices could be traced. Then.

├óÔé¼┼ôYou know├óÔé¼┬Ø The buyer said, looking at the bag of white gel ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not so sure about this├óÔé¼┬Ø

The Seller looked like he had swallowed a bug. ├óÔé¼┼ôI've been thinking, this past few days, that...maybe theres more to life then this├óÔé¼┬Ø the Buyer said.

The Seller blinked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know...├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI was actually thinking the same thing a while ago├óÔé¼┬Ø

├óÔé¼┼ôIsn't that weird├óÔé¼┬Ø The Buyer said, handing the Seller back his drugs, ├óÔé¼┼ôCan I have my ration chips back?├óÔé¼┬Ø

├óÔé¼┼ôSure├óÔé¼┬Ø The Seller said, taking the drugs and pocketing. He handed the ration chips back to the buyer. They both left the meeting place, far happier then when they had entered.

├óÔé¼┼ôYou think you can do a half assed job like that and get paid!├óÔé¼┬Ø The customer shouted, backhanding the whore. She collapsed against the side of the wall, whisting that her master would stay closer when she did her work. He said he would protect her...She felt her cheek, close to sobbing. Then, as if in a crazy answer to her prayers, the door opened. Her master walked in, his face beat red.

The customer turned half way around before a fist smashed into his face. A tooth flew, clattering on the ground and the man was out like a light. The whore stood, slowly, and looked at her master, who was standing over the unconscious body of the man. Her master looked at her and his face softened. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, reaching down and unlatching the whore's maniacal, ├óÔé¼┼ôI've realized over the last few days├óÔé¼┬Ø.

The whore felt the ring where the maniacal had been, wondering what was going on. It felt...very strange to be treated even remotely human now a-days. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're better then this├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said, his voice sounding very tired, ├óÔé¼┼ôJust a year ago I was an accountant├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôA year ago I was a nanolather├óÔé¼┬Ø The woman said softly, ├óÔé¼┼ôI used to build sculptures├óÔé¼┬Ø.

The man sat down next to her, sighing as he did so. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are we doing?├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø The woman said, ├óÔé¼┼ôThese times...they seem to bring out the worst in us├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôBut├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said, ├óÔé¼┼ôIt feels like...like I've just remembered what its like to be human. When I saw him beating you...I just snapped├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhy did you come back?├óÔé¼┬Ø The woman asked, nudging slightly closer to him as she did so.

├óÔé¼┼ôIts the damnedest thing├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI was waiting near my normal spot when, suddenly, my chair leg broke. Seemed that one of the screws was just slightly loose, loose enough for the whole thing to fall apart. So I went to a friends house to see if he had the replacement chair leg I could use. He said he did, but his screwdriver had broken when he had dropped it a few hours ago. So I came back to get my screwdriver. Then I heard the man's shouting and ran├óÔé¼┬Ø

├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø the woman said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose we just got lucky├óÔé¼┬Ø. She slipped her hand into his. ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose we did├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said.

├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, his voice tired, ├óÔé¼┼ôTo replace Eve and Hicks we've gotten two new transfers. Some of you already know Lee, but I don't believe any of you know Fox├óÔé¼┬Ø.

The marines were gathered, including their newest recruits, in a small briefing room. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI'd like to introduce Fox to you all├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Fox piped up, her voice still soft and oddly accented, ├óÔé¼┼ôMankowski is heavy weapons, Lee and Douglas are riflemen, I am demolitions and you're our squad leader├óÔé¼┬Ø. She pointed out each person with one of her clawed fingers. She swiveled one of her green eyes at Mike, not turning her head as she did so, ├óÔé¼┼ôSo how did I do?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, blinking. Then he looked at the rest of the squad ├óÔé¼┼ôSo...├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, coughing, ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're going to be hitting this district tonight. General policing actions. And because the crime rate is 'low' for that area...we're not going to be sent in with exoskeletons├óÔé¼┬Ø. The marine crew all objected, with the exception of Fox who simply watched with faint curiosity.

├óÔé¼┼ôI can't control what we get and what we don't├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, ├óÔé¼┼ôSo lets just get out there and keep the peace, okay?├óÔé¼┬Ø

Fox slipped her helmet on, gingerly. Then she took the strap that would go under her chin and tried to stretch it enough to get under her long muzzle. She got it to her nose, but then the strap escaped her fingers and slapped her nose. Fox yelped softly and took her helmet off. ├óÔé¼┼ôHurry up, nub├óÔé¼┬Ø Lee said, her voice harsh. Fox looked at her feet, slipping the helmet on face first.

Lee shook her head as she joined Daniel, who was also suiting up. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou trust a sex toy to watch our backs├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked, looking at the younger man. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe....er...well...uh...yeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Douglas said, still refusing to look at Fox.

Mankowski slapped him on the back, ├óÔé¼┼ôdon't let Lee bluster you├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said, ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's just jealous├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôJealous!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lee asked, ├óÔé¼┼ôOf what?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôHer breasts├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said knowingly, ├óÔé¼┼ôHave you SEEN those! And those are naturals├óÔé¼┬Ø. Douglas gaped at him, ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing about her is...natural├óÔé¼┬Ø

├óÔé¼┼ôThats a moot point├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo...no, its not├óÔé¼┬Ø Douglas said, ├óÔé¼┼ôSee a 'moot point' means-├óÔé¼┬Ø

├óÔé¼┼ôLets stack it and go!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike shouted. The marines, grumbling slightly, moved to the door, readying their weapons again. Fox stood, alone. Her ears and cheeks burned. The other marines had forgotten that she could hear at least twice as better as they.

├óÔé¼┼ôAre you ready?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked, sticking his head into the room. Fox nodded, ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah, I'm fine├óÔé¼┬Ø.

mhmhmhmmm zoombie lemme guess Fox~Sally <,<

No, actually.

Fox has bigger ones then Lee lol

And Lee is jealous

Someone is targeting two of the main charicters! Who? I sure don't know. It's someone on the Hanibal, but which of our charicters could do such a thing? And why!

Also...what about that brain core fleet that is slowly speeding up, heading towards the same position that OUR plucky heroes are heading!

What about reinforcements? Are they still there? Who is this Valeriya, supposed Captian of a star ship, who supposedly knows Keller. Also did anyone else notice that Keller gained a first name the first name, Ted?



The marine squad didn't quite march through the semi-streets of the makeshift city. Fox was near the middle of the formation, marching behind Mankowski, who had pulled point. Her eyes darted from the left to the right, checking the place around her. It was night and most everyone was in bed.

The rest of the patrol went completely quietly, with little chatter between the marines. The streets were empty, or at least the area's they went through, and in the end Fox was a little...disappointed. She slipped her helmet off and sighed, placing it in her locker. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said, who's locker was right next to Fox's ├óÔé¼┼ôHow did you like you're first run?├óÔé¼┬Ø

Fox didn't say anything at first. She undid the first button on her shirt, letting the coller out a bit, and then turned to the human. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was fine├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, not quite looking at her face. Helena sighed and closed her locker

├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, ├óÔé¼┼ôIf you need anything to do...just head on down to the bar├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôOkay├óÔé¼┬Ø Fox said, not quite looking at Helena. The other marine sighed and walked out of the room, followed by the others. Fox, for once in the entire evening, felt at peace. There was no one else around to bother her. She savored the silence.

When she had been a slave, she had hated the silence. Now that she knew what Humans did to fill the silence when they felt the pressing need to, which was almost all the time, she wished she could have silence as easily as she could before. Fox sat down in front of her lock, tail swishing slightly as she thought. She supposed she had a cabin, now. The idea of a room...a room completely for her was as forgin as handling a gun. But the marines had been the only option, other then...then to become someone else's slave. And Fox would never let that happen.

Mike walked into his room, wondering when it would stop hurting. He would look at women and see echo's of Lizzy in their faces. He would think of Lizzy when he went to sleep, think of her when he woke. He would have dreams about Lizzy, dreams whose contents would blister the finish of a tank. Mike sat down on his bed and tried to think of something to fill the time. But there didn't seem to really be anything more then work. And that was too little. He looked at his desk. A message was flashing on it, low priority. Mike got up, glad of something to do.

├óÔé¼┼ôNo freaks and traitors in the marines├óÔé¼┬Ø

Mike stared, re-reading the message. After looking it over twice he was sure thats what it said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo freaks and traitors in the marines├óÔé¼┬Ø. His head reeled, wondering who could have sent this. No one on the Prometheus...no one there had a console to send it from. He checked the security signatures on the message, but came up blank. He chewed his lower lip, knowing that only someone either really good with computers...or high up in the security ranks could do that.

But something nagged at the back of his mind. Traitors was easy. Mike sighed, wishing they knew that his parents had forced him to become a brain core, despite all his objections on the contrary. But Freaks...what did the message mean by freaks. Mike smiled. He was overreacting to just one tiny message. He sat down on his bed, cricking his neck as he did so. He'd report it in the morning, when he wasn't so tired. He lay back down on his pillow and closed his eyes.

Mike's left eye cracked open. He heard a very very faint beeping noise. He got up and walked to where the beeping was coming from. It was his desk. He looked around, trying to find the beeping. It wasn't from the speakers. Then, suddenly suspicious, he got to his hands and knees and looked under the desk. A very small device was strapped under there. Mike's eyes bugged. He had been privy to some very strange situations. Finding a bomb strapped under his desk was not exactly one he was looking forward to.

Mike got up and ran. He got to the door. Then something picked him up and threw him face first into the far wall, flames licking at his back. Then he heard the explosion, somewhat distantly. Mike rolled to his back, feeling blood ooze out of three puncture wounds in his back. He got to his feet, hearing the alarms. ├óÔé¼┼ôFreaks├óÔé¼┬Ø He gasped, his thoughts jumbled by the blast. Then everything snapped into place. ├óÔé¼┼ôFox!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Fox shuffed her shirt off, almost hysterical with joy. Her room had a shower unit. Yes she could only use it for five minuets but...she had heard of showers. Finally she was going to have a shower...something that Troy said was only for Humans when she had asked him about it. Then the alarms started to blare and a voice echoed from the P.A ├óÔé¼┼ôWarning: Explosion in hab decks├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Fox turned half way around. Then her left ear swiveled about, half catching a beeping noise. She recognized that sound. It was the noise a class four, R type standard bomb makes. But what would an armed C4-R TSB be in her room? Then the implications of this sunk in and Fox ran for the beeping noise. She found the bomb as it was counting down, the beeping becoming faster. Someone had muffled the speaker, but not quite enough for her ears to not pick up.

Fox leaned in, cursing her long snout. Humans had nice, flat faces, allowing them to jam their eyes right next to something small like this. She saw the detonation pin...then the wiring that prevented her from pulling it without the bomb going. She had about ten seconds. Fox looked the thing over, made a snap judgment. Then.

├óÔé¼┼ôGET DOWN!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike burst into the room, bleeding freely from several wounds on his back. He grabbed Fox, threw her to the floor and covered her body with his.

The bomb went off. Fox felt a heavy weight fly off her, and a chunk of metal smashed into the back of her calf. She screamed, her voice cracking as she hit a note higher then human hearing. Mike had rolled onto his back, his shirt partially burned off. Then the medics who had been trying to restrain him ran into the room. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need two stretchers├óÔé¼┬Ø they said.

Helena's frowning face was the first thing that Mike saw when he came too. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou...are...a god damned idiot├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said.

├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, finding it was hard to talk, ├óÔé¼┼ôIs Fox okay?├óÔé¼┬Ø

├óÔé¼┼ôYes the furry is fine├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said, pulling up a chair and sitting down next to Mike, ├óÔé¼┼ôBut she was about to disarm the damn bomb!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Mike remembered, faintly, that he had been told that Fox was very good with demolitions. Now that he was looking back at his actions he realized that...yes he was an idiot.

├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, ├óÔé¼┼ôWe survive├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôTill the next time├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said, ├óÔé¼┼ôSee this came for you in the mail├óÔé¼┬Ø she held a data slate in his face. It read;

├óÔé¼┼ôNo freaks and traitors in the marines├óÔé¼┬Ø

├óÔé¼┼ôGot the same one last time├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said.

├óÔé¼┼ôThats why I'm here├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said, ├óÔé¼┼ôThe uppers thought that a familer face could tease information out of you more easily├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôReally?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked, trying to smile.

├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I still care about you, you big dunce├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said, softly.

├óÔé¼┼ôHa!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike gasped, ├óÔé¼┼ôI knew it!├óÔé¼┬Ø. The exultation made his stomach hurt, and his lungs sized up momentarily.

├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said, ├óÔé¼┼ôYou said you got one last time?├óÔé¼┬Ø

├óÔé¼┼ôOn my console├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, feeling tired, ├óÔé¼┼ôIt said the same thing as that one did. Then I heard the bomb├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Helena sighed, ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know...the chemical traces in the explosives were traced back to our stores. Those were marine bombs├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôAnd the message was encoded well, well enough that I couldn't tell where it came from at first glance├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd now I'm going to pass out again├óÔé¼┬Ø. Helena opened her mouth to say something. Then Mike passed out.

Fox lay in her hospital bed. Other then a nurse who checked on her once every ten hours...no one waited beside her bed. Fox smiled. She liked it like that. Her left leg was healing slowly, thanks to a strange metabolism that just didn't accept human medication too well. Her smile vanished when the door to the room open and Mike hobbled in, using a crutch.

├óÔé¼┼ôHello L.T├óÔé¼┬Ø Fox said, her voice soft as she sat up. Mike was looking far better then he had when he was pulled out of the mangled wreck of her room. At the time it had smarted, that the medics had pulled him out first. Now she chided herself. Why should a human be pulled out after her? ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're off duty, so just call me Mike...or Dobson if you have to├óÔé¼┬Ø

├óÔé¼┼ôAll right L.T├óÔé¼┬Ø Fox said.

Mike glowered, then sat down slowly, using his crutch to get himself in the chair without putting to much weight on his left leg. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI came to...apologize├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat for?├óÔé¼┬Ø Fox asked.

├óÔé¼┼ôFor...well...thinking with my chauvinism rather them my brain├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is...chauvinism?├óÔé¼┬Ø Fox asked. Mike sighed, covering his face with his hand.

├óÔé¼┼ôNever mind├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, looking up, ├óÔé¼┼ôI just wanted to wish you a faster recovery. You know...its a shame that we can't get you the right medications├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôThats all right├óÔé¼┬Ø Fox said, looking away, ├óÔé¼┼ôI like the silence├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Mike and her sat in silence for a bit. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike hauled himself to his feet, using the crutches as best he could, ├óÔé¼┼ôHave a nice day├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Fox nodded and Mike walked out. Mike shook his head, feeling dizzy. He hobbled back to his rooms and fell into his bed. Then he was asleep as soon as his eyes closed.

Eve walked down the halls, content. It felt strange, contentment. She had gotten...everything she had wanted. She had a husband she loved, a nice house that was filled with flowers. Her neighbor seemed to become more lively every hour and even the rations tasted...okay. Not good, Eve wouldn't go that far. But okay. She got to her house and stopped, wondering why she felt so odd then. She was happy, damn it, but she felt like it wasn't supposed to be.

Hicks was inside, reading a new slate. People had a way of adapting to strange circumstances. This was one of their ways. A collection of people were circulating data slates with news on them. Hicks turned the slate off, done reading it, and stood up. He walked out of the door and saw that Eve was staring at the door, an odd expression on her face. Hicks stopped, admiring his wife. She still had that...luminosity that she had had before. It was muted under the day lamps, but it was still there. ├óÔé¼┼ôHoney?├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks said, ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you looking at?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Eve shook her head, ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not sure├óÔé¼┬Ø She said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks walked to their neighbors house and knocked, ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to turn this in├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Sanely opened the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, ├óÔé¼┼ôHello Mr. Montoya├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Hicks grinned, still not sure that he liked the sounds of Hicks Montoya, but...oh well. ├óÔé¼┼ôHere's the latest news slate├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, ├óÔé¼┼ôNow I have to go tear my wives clothes off├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked, sounding blindsided.

Stanly looked completely blindsided, but then Hicks was gone.

Eve lay, panting as she did so. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat...what brought this on?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked, sitting up.

├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought that it was time for me to shave, so...off with the beard├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôNot that├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, smiling as she looked at his freshly shaven face.

├óÔé¼┼ôOh that├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks smiled, ├óÔé¼┼ôI just thought...you looked lonely, standing out there and looking through our house├óÔé¼┬Ø

├óÔé¼┼ôI'm...I'm not lonely!├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve objected, her eyes flaring. They literally did flare, light burning in them. Hicks was used to that by now.

├óÔé¼┼ôI'm just saying what I saw├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks said. Eve sighed, rolling onto her back.

├óÔé¼┼ôI think...I think I'm bored├óÔé¼┬Ø she said.

├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI only know of one way to fix that├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve shook her head

├óÔé¼┼ôIts not like that...its different, somehow. I feel as if...if I'm needed for something but no one knows what. Or if they do they're holding it back from me├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks said, feeling something disturbing in what Eve was saying, ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sure you'll find what it is. Sometimes people just need to find a new slot in life. I spent a year on Vega Colony as a drifter before I looked at myself and realized I wasn't doing anything with my life. So...straight to the marines├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Eve smiled, ├óÔé¼┼ôI used to wish I was human...now I don't. I think I've realized that...being human isn't as important as acting human├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Hicks mulled that over. Then he nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôI can see the reason behind that. But Eve...you're human enough for me├óÔé¼┬Ø

Eve hugged him tight, pressing her head into his side. A faint amber glow began to fill the room as she did so. She didn't need to say anything, but Hicks knew what she meant. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks said, feeling a faint trickle of fear work his way up his spine, ├óÔé¼┼ôLets get some sleep├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve nodded, then was asleep. The glow actually got stronger as she slept because she wasn't forcing it down. Hicks gulped, feeling the fear come back in full force. He couldn't sleep for the longest time. Then a feeling of wellbeing floated about him, as if...everything would be fine. He fell asleep, believing it for once in over a year.

Fox walked, slowly, into her new room. The first thing she did was search high and low, despite reassurances that a bomb squad had been over the entire place. It was clean. Fox stood, her leg twinging as she did so. Her shoulders and neck felt completely stiff, the muscles sized up from all this wandering and poking about. Sure that the room was safe, for now, Fox unbuttoned her shirt and dropped it into her laundry hamper.

Intersting..

Indeed

Yep.