Arrgh! Too many ideas! I'm being driven insane! Now, I am feeling a little under the weather, so please be nice.

~~~~~ Stars

Rating - PG-13 ~~~~~

Thomas layed on his back, his arms and legs splayed out. He was staring at the stars above him, their beautiful celestial bodies twinkling brightly in a sea of ether. He sighed as a low-lying satellite traced a lazy path across his vision, the remnants of sunlight glinting off its erected solar panels. Tonight was a beautiful night. The twin moons of Zi; normally illuminate the sky with unwanted light. But this; a dual new moon, something that only occurs once every 2 years or so; made one of his favourite past times far more fun. star gazing. This sight enthralled him so much, that he risked a lot of things. His job, for he was on a football oval, merely grass that had two poles sticking out of the ground, its borders marked by a reduced lawn height. He was supposed to stay in the base, not be 'gallivanting around the countryside' as the Col. of the base said upon hearing his suggestion. Thomas couldn't care; this sight was impossible near the base; bright fluorescent lights and spotlights created too much light pollution. Secondly, it was cold, really cold, as it had rained merely hours earlier. But there was not a cloud in the sky, due to the third problem, a wind that sharply blew across the area, wisping the fine droplets of water up and away before they could haze anyone's sight. It swept the fine exhaled mist with it.

Thomas shivered slightly and drew his wet khaki jacket closer. He knew that he would have pneumonia in the morning, but he didn't care. For it was always worthwhile to see the stars in their raw beauty. He had learnt this from his mother. She was obsessed with the stars and their unparalleled beauty. She once even painted them, as black dots on a white canvas. As Karl was drawn to his father and his militaristic ideals, Thomas was naturally drawn to his mother and her 'whimsical ideas'. It was probably half the reason why he was a technical genius; as Karl inherited the 'honour', he inherited the 'creativity'.

This is what the stars did to him. It made him remember. He shivered more; the air was just too cold. He sighed in resignation. He would never get to finish his star gazing now. He said to Beek "You'd better get the DiBison ready. It's just too cold" Beek responded with a series of whistles. Thomas smiled "No Beek, I haven't gone mad, I just can't handle the cold, and I didn't bring anything warm that is dry." Thomas was waiting for the whistle of acknowledgment. Instead he heard a very familiar voice behind him

"What are you doing out on a school night, Thomas" The voice sneered sarcastically. Thomas knew that voice. Raven. He jumped up and spun around, but being slightly uncoordinated, he fell backwards as he tripped over the edge of his jacket, landing with a thud. "Oww. that sounded painful, let me give you a hand up" Raven cringed, and then laughed as he held out his hand

"No way. You may jab me with some poison, or even worse, stab me or let Shadow eat me." Thomas rebutted, obviously wary of the criminal scourge.

"Please give me some credit! I would only kill a worthy opponent," Raven said, smirking. Thomas scowled at Raven's words.

"Oh, so you are saying I'm not worthy? Huh, is that it?" Thomas said, frustrated that his abilities were put into question.

"Gees. You don't have to be, macho than thou art. No one else is here," Raven said, widely gesturing the empty paddock. Thomas whirled his head around quickly. Sure enough, the paddock (A/N oval whatever) was still completely deserted. Raven continued, " So let me give you a hand up"

"Fine." Thomas gave in, clasping the slightly younger man's hand. Raven froze.

"You are freezing! Shadow, grab the flask!" Raven commanded.

"Wow, I never knew you FELT!" Thomas dryly joked. Raven just scowled back. As Thomas brushed himself off, in a vain attempt to remove the excess water that had accumulated on the top of his overcoat, Shadow trotted over with the Thermos. Thomas could not do anything but laugh. The Thermos was neatly seated in the back part of his jaw; the little forearms couldn't latch onto the handle. He was making funny noises as he tried not to break the flask. Raven just grabbed the flask, ignoring the plight of the organoid.

"Coffee, Thomas?" Raven asked, his voice sickly sweet.

"Please. Black, 2, no poison" Thomas smiled cheesily back, both trying to out-annoy each other.

"So, why are you out here, in the middle of no-where, and when it is freezing cold?" Raven quizzically asked, "Shouldn't you be in a warm bed in a base somewhere?"

"Well, for these" Thomas said, wildly gesturing at the sky. Raven froze

"You like stars" he asked again, his brow furrowed

Thomas snorted, "Who doesn't? Well, except Karl, but that is what you get for being a 'daddies boy'"

Raven narrowed his eyes "Tell me more."

"Nuh-huh. I will not tell the 'criminal of the century' about my family." Thomas became silent, as he sat next to a slightly depressed looking Raven. The both gulped some coffee, and then Raven spoke.

"Oh well. You know; my Dad introduced me to the stars in all their glory. I won't forget how he used to show me the constellations and the Messier objects through a big refracting telescope. They were so pretty, and at the same time, so fragile. I felt I could reach up to the heavens and pluck them out, especially when I was on Dad's shoulders." Raven sighed and continued "Mum tried to stop us on our outings on the roof, in the paddock, wherever the sky was darkest. She told us to 'stop the fanciful dreaming, and snap back to reality'. You see," Raven looked up at Thomas with large, doleful eyes "It was a night like this, a perfect star gazing night when they were killed. I was on the roof, alone; staring at the stars and waiting for Dad, when a rogue organoid, Ambient, killed them. For it now, the sky holds both hope and pain for me."

Thomas whispered quietly "I didn't know. I am sorry. I didn't know"

Raven looked sullen "So, tell me something about your life."

Thomas took a deep breath "Well, my mother was an artist; she loved to paint and draw. She was an exceptional woman; she had an affinity to do anything she wanted. But she could never be tied down, she was a 'free spirit' as I was once told." Thomas looked wistful "She taught me many things, about the world and the sky. She instilled my love of machines and my thirst for knowledge. When she died. my Dad shipped me off to the military; it was a vain attempt to quash me into the mould that he wanted me to be in, like my brother. Karl absolutely adored Dad, and for his 'loyalty'" Thomas paused, the word leaving a bad taste in his mouth, " he was always the centre of attention."

Raven smiled lopsidedly "Wow. Sounds like my Dad, excluding for the organoid research, but I don't think I ever had a brother to compete with" Raven chucked at a private joke. The joke; that he was similar to Thomas.

~~~~~~

Ok, that is it. I don't care, but there may be a sequel, but I think its enough for my little ole brain to handle.

Jyu Mata Minna

Maelgwyn