Misha Verga stood in the space dock offices' reception area. She was 4'7", 10 years old and frightened beyond belief. Her unruly dark red hair was tied back into a braid that reached to her waist and her emerald eyes constantly glanced about in paranoid agitation. Her clothes were little more than rags and her right wrist was in a brace. She was the only survivor in a war that destroyed the L6 Colony.
Misha's father, Joseph had been sent to work on the farthest base. He sent Misha and her mother Kathrine off in an escape pod as soon as the fighting reached their borders. Kathrine however didn't make it. She died shielding Misha from falling debris as the pod malfunctioned during reentry. Now the little girl stood waiting for her only living relative to come and collect her. And uncle, Sven, whom she'd never met. He was her mother's brother and a reputed Mechanics Engineer, specializing in Mech-suits and weapons.
When he finally showed up, she wasn't sure if she was happy or even more terrified by him. He was huge, 6'5", 400 some odd pounds, crewcut blond hair and blue/gray eyes. Sven was a solid slab of muscle and a very imposing man. He looked over Misha like she was a piece of meat at the butcher's. She apparently met his standards since her bent down, scooped her up in his arms, and walked out without a word to anyone.
In the transport car, on their way to her new home, Misha was ill at ease. She was so scared that she'd do something to make him angry at her.
Sven must have sensed it, "Don't worry so much little one," he assured her. "You'll like your new home."
Misha hazarded a smile, "Thank you," she said quietly.
Sven laughed. "So meek," neither of them spoke for the rest of the trip.
Over the next two years Sven put Misha through several different training courses. He was quite proud of the child prodigy. She grasped the science of Engineering and terrorism at remarkable speed. At the end of the two years, she was a licensed Engineer. Sven died shortly after, leaving Misha with a large amount of money and several homes across the galaxy. She was only 13 at the time and very, very lonely. When OZ contacted her, she was more than happy to join up with them.
A year later found Misha as the head researcher in the R&D division. It also found her in league with three other scientist/terrorists. Chez, a man of very few words. Liara, a woman more inclined to stick a knife in you than negotiate. And Dean, a seemingly carefree man with a complicated past. The four of them clicked immediately and stayed together, forming an extended family of sorts. They were all of tragic pasts and found comfort in each other.
"Someone approached me with a very nice little offer," Liara said one night while they were all in Misha's Earth side home. She pulled an envelope from her pocket and handed it to Chez.
Chez took out four cards. "Hmm...," he pulled out a scanner and slid the cards through, one by one. "10,000,000 each," he reported.
Dean grabbed one of the cards. "I smell a party in my future!"
Misha laughed as Chez handed her one of the cards. "What's the deal?"
Liara grinned. "Blow up a station in the L2 Colony Cluster..."
"That's all...?" Misha looked abit dubious.
Liara nodded, "Then we get a second payment of the same amount."
"I'm for it," Dean exclaimed. "What could possibly go wrong?"
A general groan circled the room. Dean always said those fatal words. And he wondered why the rest of them were getting superstitious!
They were about to land when a S.T.A. hit them. Chez swore softly and tried to bring the small ship down safely when bullets pelted the ship. One caught him in the left shoulder, another in the stomach. Liara caught the controls as Misha caught Chez. Unfortunatly for them, their sabatores weren't done yet. A rocket slammed into their tail. Dean pulled the escape hatch and shoved them all out just in time. As they slid down a steep mountain side, the plane exploded.
Misha woke up to see a boy of about 8 or 9 wringing out a wash cloth. She was in great pain and so it took her awhile to remember what had happened. She gasped and tried to sit up, onlt to be forced back down by three broken ribs.
"Stop that," the boy scolded. He began to redo her bandages. "You're really hurt, don't make it worse!"
Misha tried to get up once more but he pushed her back down this time. "Praise the Gods that Dean can't see this...he's never let me live it down..." she muttered. Then it hit her. Dean! And Liara! And Chez! She tried to look around but saw only a small room.
"If you're worried about your friends, don't be. They're in the next rooms."
"Where am I?"
"Maxwell Church,"
Misha began laughing, even though it hurt her to do so.
The boy stared down at her. "What's so funny?!" he demanded.
Misha shifted positions as she looked up at with a small smile, "Sorry, it's just that...Saa...She always said the only way I'd ever go into a church was if I was bruised, beaten, and someone dragged me..." she shook her head. "I hate it when Liara's right."
He gave her a funny, almost insaulted look.
"I'm making the world's worst first impression, aren't I? It's just that, I'm not Catholic. I'm actually Wiccan."
"Oh," he said, nodding. "No one's perfect..." he liked this woman, she managed to keep a sense of humor even though she was in very bad condition. "What's your name?"
Misha was quiet for a few moments then she smiled at him. "Misha, Misha Verga."
"I'm Duo," he replied.
Misha and the others had been there for a good three weeks, slowly healing when their sabatores realized that they were still alive. It was inevitable...since the wars started again the church had become a hospital and base of sorts. Misha had been with Liara looking for fire wood of some kind when the explosions started. They both ran back to the church, fearing the worst. That was exactly what they found. Chez and Dean where up to their throats in bodies and the church looked like ground zero...
Liara grabbed a gun from the nearest body and started shooting her friend's attackers. Misha tried to get as many of the civilians out as possible. All four of them were extremely angry. These people had taken them in, knowing full well who and what they were. They had accepted them. Now someone was hurting them. It was an unforgivable offense.
Misha searched for Duo, Father Maxwell and Sister Hellen. The first was nowhere to be found, the other two where in bad condition. Misha dove from the cover of the alter to the place where Father Maxwell was, lying a puddle of blood. Her eyes widened in fright. His expression...so like her mother had been all those years before.
"Fa-Father Maxwell!" she whispered.
He drew in a small, raged breath. "Misha...Find Duo," he said in soft, shaky voice. "Watch...over him...Mi...sha..."
As he exhaled his last Misha's fright turned to a burning anger. She leapt to her feet, unmindful of the stray gunfire and cut down the two nearest gunmen with a shard of glass. She was working on the third man when three bullets caught her. One through her left hand, one in her right arm and the third grazed her right thigh. Misha spun out of the way in time to avoid a fourth shot that would have killed her.
Chez shot the man who had attacked Misha just before he fell to the ground, "Avenge us little sister," he gasped as his life fled from him.
When Duo returned with the stolen MS, he found the church destroyed. After a frantic search through the rubble, he found Sister Hellen. When she left him, he cried for the first time. The sound of someone approaching from behind alerted him. He jumped to his feet and leapt at the person. He received no struggle at all. He slammed a knife he's stolen down towards the person's throat but stopped just in time as he say emerald green eyes looking up at him.
"Misha?" he asked, his blade already having nicked her throat.
She looked at him with a sorrowful, empty look. "They're all gone...We're both orphans again." She said.
Duo noticed that she was covered in blood. He got off of her and helped her into a sitting position. The stayed in the ruins just long enough to make crude bandages for her.
"Come with me to avenge my friends, it'll be a killer party." she asked him as they left their loved ones behind.
"Sure, sounds like fun," he replied. Like her, he was trying to suppress the pain behind jokes and through detatchment.
Duo and Misha stayed together for a year more before parting ways. Misha went to the L4 Colony to resume her work for OZ. She lost contact with him for a few months, then received a message. After that, they vowed to never loose touch for more than half a year, again. They both had lives to live, but they were family. Nothing would keep them apart.
Misha's father, Joseph had been sent to work on the farthest base. He sent Misha and her mother Kathrine off in an escape pod as soon as the fighting reached their borders. Kathrine however didn't make it. She died shielding Misha from falling debris as the pod malfunctioned during reentry. Now the little girl stood waiting for her only living relative to come and collect her. And uncle, Sven, whom she'd never met. He was her mother's brother and a reputed Mechanics Engineer, specializing in Mech-suits and weapons.
When he finally showed up, she wasn't sure if she was happy or even more terrified by him. He was huge, 6'5", 400 some odd pounds, crewcut blond hair and blue/gray eyes. Sven was a solid slab of muscle and a very imposing man. He looked over Misha like she was a piece of meat at the butcher's. She apparently met his standards since her bent down, scooped her up in his arms, and walked out without a word to anyone.
In the transport car, on their way to her new home, Misha was ill at ease. She was so scared that she'd do something to make him angry at her.
Sven must have sensed it, "Don't worry so much little one," he assured her. "You'll like your new home."
Misha hazarded a smile, "Thank you," she said quietly.
Sven laughed. "So meek," neither of them spoke for the rest of the trip.
Over the next two years Sven put Misha through several different training courses. He was quite proud of the child prodigy. She grasped the science of Engineering and terrorism at remarkable speed. At the end of the two years, she was a licensed Engineer. Sven died shortly after, leaving Misha with a large amount of money and several homes across the galaxy. She was only 13 at the time and very, very lonely. When OZ contacted her, she was more than happy to join up with them.
A year later found Misha as the head researcher in the R&D division. It also found her in league with three other scientist/terrorists. Chez, a man of very few words. Liara, a woman more inclined to stick a knife in you than negotiate. And Dean, a seemingly carefree man with a complicated past. The four of them clicked immediately and stayed together, forming an extended family of sorts. They were all of tragic pasts and found comfort in each other.
"Someone approached me with a very nice little offer," Liara said one night while they were all in Misha's Earth side home. She pulled an envelope from her pocket and handed it to Chez.
Chez took out four cards. "Hmm...," he pulled out a scanner and slid the cards through, one by one. "10,000,000 each," he reported.
Dean grabbed one of the cards. "I smell a party in my future!"
Misha laughed as Chez handed her one of the cards. "What's the deal?"
Liara grinned. "Blow up a station in the L2 Colony Cluster..."
"That's all...?" Misha looked abit dubious.
Liara nodded, "Then we get a second payment of the same amount."
"I'm for it," Dean exclaimed. "What could possibly go wrong?"
A general groan circled the room. Dean always said those fatal words. And he wondered why the rest of them were getting superstitious!
They were about to land when a S.T.A. hit them. Chez swore softly and tried to bring the small ship down safely when bullets pelted the ship. One caught him in the left shoulder, another in the stomach. Liara caught the controls as Misha caught Chez. Unfortunatly for them, their sabatores weren't done yet. A rocket slammed into their tail. Dean pulled the escape hatch and shoved them all out just in time. As they slid down a steep mountain side, the plane exploded.
Misha woke up to see a boy of about 8 or 9 wringing out a wash cloth. She was in great pain and so it took her awhile to remember what had happened. She gasped and tried to sit up, onlt to be forced back down by three broken ribs.
"Stop that," the boy scolded. He began to redo her bandages. "You're really hurt, don't make it worse!"
Misha tried to get up once more but he pushed her back down this time. "Praise the Gods that Dean can't see this...he's never let me live it down..." she muttered. Then it hit her. Dean! And Liara! And Chez! She tried to look around but saw only a small room.
"If you're worried about your friends, don't be. They're in the next rooms."
"Where am I?"
"Maxwell Church,"
Misha began laughing, even though it hurt her to do so.
The boy stared down at her. "What's so funny?!" he demanded.
Misha shifted positions as she looked up at with a small smile, "Sorry, it's just that...Saa...She always said the only way I'd ever go into a church was if I was bruised, beaten, and someone dragged me..." she shook her head. "I hate it when Liara's right."
He gave her a funny, almost insaulted look.
"I'm making the world's worst first impression, aren't I? It's just that, I'm not Catholic. I'm actually Wiccan."
"Oh," he said, nodding. "No one's perfect..." he liked this woman, she managed to keep a sense of humor even though she was in very bad condition. "What's your name?"
Misha was quiet for a few moments then she smiled at him. "Misha, Misha Verga."
"I'm Duo," he replied.
Misha and the others had been there for a good three weeks, slowly healing when their sabatores realized that they were still alive. It was inevitable...since the wars started again the church had become a hospital and base of sorts. Misha had been with Liara looking for fire wood of some kind when the explosions started. They both ran back to the church, fearing the worst. That was exactly what they found. Chez and Dean where up to their throats in bodies and the church looked like ground zero...
Liara grabbed a gun from the nearest body and started shooting her friend's attackers. Misha tried to get as many of the civilians out as possible. All four of them were extremely angry. These people had taken them in, knowing full well who and what they were. They had accepted them. Now someone was hurting them. It was an unforgivable offense.
Misha searched for Duo, Father Maxwell and Sister Hellen. The first was nowhere to be found, the other two where in bad condition. Misha dove from the cover of the alter to the place where Father Maxwell was, lying a puddle of blood. Her eyes widened in fright. His expression...so like her mother had been all those years before.
"Fa-Father Maxwell!" she whispered.
He drew in a small, raged breath. "Misha...Find Duo," he said in soft, shaky voice. "Watch...over him...Mi...sha..."
As he exhaled his last Misha's fright turned to a burning anger. She leapt to her feet, unmindful of the stray gunfire and cut down the two nearest gunmen with a shard of glass. She was working on the third man when three bullets caught her. One through her left hand, one in her right arm and the third grazed her right thigh. Misha spun out of the way in time to avoid a fourth shot that would have killed her.
Chez shot the man who had attacked Misha just before he fell to the ground, "Avenge us little sister," he gasped as his life fled from him.
When Duo returned with the stolen MS, he found the church destroyed. After a frantic search through the rubble, he found Sister Hellen. When she left him, he cried for the first time. The sound of someone approaching from behind alerted him. He jumped to his feet and leapt at the person. He received no struggle at all. He slammed a knife he's stolen down towards the person's throat but stopped just in time as he say emerald green eyes looking up at him.
"Misha?" he asked, his blade already having nicked her throat.
She looked at him with a sorrowful, empty look. "They're all gone...We're both orphans again." She said.
Duo noticed that she was covered in blood. He got off of her and helped her into a sitting position. The stayed in the ruins just long enough to make crude bandages for her.
"Come with me to avenge my friends, it'll be a killer party." she asked him as they left their loved ones behind.
"Sure, sounds like fun," he replied. Like her, he was trying to suppress the pain behind jokes and through detatchment.
Duo and Misha stayed together for a year more before parting ways. Misha went to the L4 Colony to resume her work for OZ. She lost contact with him for a few months, then received a message. After that, they vowed to never loose touch for more than half a year, again. They both had lives to live, but they were family. Nothing would keep them apart.