Author's Notes: I do not claim to own Phantasy Star, nor do I wish to. Sonic Team, Sega, Naka Yuji-san, etc etc etc - they are the people who made the game possible. However! The author wishes to thank the multitude of people who I have played with online - Dark Fury especially. Thanks to the webmasters of Cordelia 5 (www.angelfire.com/dc/cordelia5) who are hosting my ongoing saga of life on Ragol. ---Rabid Snowbunny
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As Ragol Turns #1
A lightly tanned, redhead Newman stood looking at herself in a mirror. Bright green eyes stared back at her as she placed a small silver hoop earring in each lobe of her large, pointed ears. She brushed her bangs aside and made sure the buns she had her hair up in were securely pinned in place before examining her clothing. Her gray top conformed to her curves, and the hints of blue stood out perfectly. Her matching hot pants were just a little bit revealing especially if she bent over, but she shrugged and attributed it to being a sassy hunter. She had maybe an inch of bare flesh showing on her upper thighs before gray stockings and calf-high dark gray boots covered the rest of her legs. She tugged a gray glove onto her left arm until it was just a little past her elbow then she locked a protective device over it. The finishing touches were light pink lipstick and blue eye shadow. "Knock 'em dead," she said to her reflection. She turned away and picked up a large pack full of items before leaving her quarters.
Walking through the cold, artificially lit halls only served to strengthen the butterflies in her stomach. Every now and then, she would pass one of the other thousands of people living on the spaceship; each wore a grave expression. She too felt a little apprehensive. 'That explosion was huge. There is no way the others did not see it. Perhaps this is why the Principal has summoned me,' she thought. She stepped into an express elevator only to step back out seconds later after having reached the main deck. Soft music filled the air, and the Newman inhaled a deep breath.
She smiled at a few Hunters she recognized as she passed them. They nodded in response and continued on their way. She passed a counter then stopped and moved back over to it. "Hi, Shirley," she greeted. "I still have 300 Meseta in the bank, don't I?"
The woman behind the counter nodded. "You do. Would you like to withdraw it?"
"No thanks. I'm just checking in case I have to make some purchases." She paused then started to move away from the counter. "See you soon."
"Bye-bye now," Shirley replied, waving.
The green eyes of the Newman looked towards the entrance to the shops, but she decided to wait and see what it was that the Principal wanted with her before buying anything. She was pretty sure that she was going to be sent on some kind of mission. Surely he didn't know about how she was just a little bit of a criminal on their old planet. A frown appeared on her lips. 'That was all a misunderstanding,' she thought. 'I didn't steal that saber. It was my father's, and that peddler had no right to try and sell it to someone else.' The frown disappeared with a feeling of annoyance, but she pushed it aside as she stopped in front of the express elevator to the Principal's office. 'Here we go.'
She stepped into the elevator and reappeared on a walkway leading to the Principal. Her boots made a quiet staccato on the floor as she walked, head held high, towards the man. She noted that Irene, Mome, and another scientist she did not recognize were also present. The scientists seemed a little excited while the Principal Tyrell and Irene seemed more shaken. The Hunter stopped in front of Tyrell's desk.
It was a few moments before he spoke. "Are you Kariona, the Hunter?" he asked.
"I am," Kariona replied. She noted that he didn't sound nearly as commanding and confident as he usually did. He seemed almost frightened to some degree. This unnerved the Hunter slightly, but she managed to keep her cool and wait for the man to finish.
"We have a bad situation..." Tyrell began to pace. "We need to act quickly." His gaze drifted to Irene for a moment before looking back at the young Hunter. "Did you hear about the explosion on Ragol?"
Kariona's eyebrows rose. "I did see it from my window," she answered quietly. 'So the explosion is the reason he sent for me. It is always good to trust one's instinct.' Her hand tightened around her pack of belongings.
Tyrell stopped pacing. "Very well. Pay attention and listen to me." He paused again, carefully considering his words as he examined the Newman before him. It took him a second to realize he was admiring how short those hot pants she wore were, and he quickly averted his gaze to the stars outside of the ship. "We've lost contact with Pioneer 1. We have no idea what has happened. We've sent unmanned search units, but communication seems to cut off near the surface. What happened on Ragol?" He turned towards her again. "What occurred on Pioneer 1? Are the people on board alive?"
His last question made Kariona bristle. She bit her tongue before asking if this was a joke. The look on his face made it quite clear that this was no joke. She slowly let out the breath she had been holding and nodded slightly, indicating for the man to continue.
"The council made a decision to send a manned search team. You are a skilled Hunter. We need your help."
A tiny smile appeared on the Newman's lips. Her reputation preceded her. "What if there is another explosion?" she asked.
Tyrell sat down at his desk and sighed softly. "We have no choice... We need a place to settle on." He stopped, looking towards the floor for a few moments. The uncomfortable silence ended as he spoke again in a very quiet voice. "Uh, could you..."
Kariona leaned down and looked at him inquisitively. Although she didn't let it show, she felt just the slightest bit annoyed with these strained silences between the both of them. 'Maybe he'll talk if I tap my foot,' she thought. Aloud, she asked, "What is it?"
"...No, it's nothing," Principal Tyrell answered quietly. He sat up straighter in his chair and said in a louder voice as he extended his hand to Kariona, "Take care and good luck."
Kariona grasped his hand firmly then turned and walked back the way she had come. 'There's more to this than meets the eye,' she observed silently. By the time she moved into the express elevator, she was convinced that there was some information that the Principal had purposely withheld from her. Her hand clenched into a fist. 'If what he's not telling me gets me into a near fatal accident, I'm going to be so pissed!'
Back on the main deck, the Hunter wasn't sure exactly where to go. She had some supplies already that she had saved from their old home - just four Monomates and four Monofluids. Satisfied that they would be enough for now, she wandered over towards one of the guards that stood near the Hunters' Guild. Prepared for his usual speech about this being a restricted area, she was surprised to see him turn and hit a button on a secret panel behind himself. The wall that he stood by lifted, revealing a spacious room with only a teleporter inside. "This will take you to Ragol," he informed her.
"Don't wait up for me," Kariona joked as she breezed into the room. She stopped inches from the teleporter and closed her eyes. 'I am going to make you proud, Cyrus. If you do ever manage to leave our dying planet, you will have a home waiting for you. I will make sure of that.' Having made her vow, she took the final step into the teleporter.
It felt like an eternity before the Newman saw anything. She wasn't used to the bright light, and she squinted. "Wow, it looks great," she observed with admiration. Her eyes widened. Even boxes of supplies were still intact. Kariona set her pack down and fished out her MAG. She released it and let it float next to her as she reached her hand into the pack once more to retrieve her saber. It came to life, casting a faint green glow over the immediate area. Satisfied, she slung the pack over her shoulder and treaded across the grass towards one of the large white boxes. She cracked it open, finding a spare saber inside. She continued to open the other four and added the supplies to her pack.
Kariona looked around the area one more time then began to move up the path cautiously. 'I thought there was an explosion, but so far there are no traces of it. Something strange is afoot; I know it!' Her suspicions confirmed themselves as she rounded the bend and saw a group of yellow birds sitting in large nests on the ground. "What the..." she gasped. Tightening her hold on her saber, she marched through the energy gate. As the large bird noticed her and stood, she dropped into a battle stance. "Oh, not the lovey-dovey type are you?" she sneered.
The bird certainly appeared aggressive, which bothered the Hunter immensely. 'Why are there monsters in the residential area? It doesn't make any sense!' She brought her saber down on the bird, which let out an unhappy chirp. She followed it up with two more light strikes then stepped back to see what sort of condition the bird was in. 'It's still up,' she noted miserably. It pecked her and she fell onto her back in the grass with a howl of pain. Her hand clutched her side and when she pulled it away, she saw a lot of blood. She got to her feet slowly as the bird continued pecking the air near her then moved back through the energy gate.
After popping a Monomate in her mouth, Kariona narrowed her eyes. "I'm not going to be taken down by some overstuffed yellow bird!" she declared. She did not want to admit it but the creatures did sound and look cute, but its cute demeanor disappeared after it drew blood. She stepped through the energy gate for a second time, noting with relief that it had waddled back to its nest. "Come on, birdie," she grumbled. She walked closer until she saw it hop to its feet again. Then she rushed in with her saber swinging madly. After three solid hits, it fell over. "Whew!" the Hunter sighed, wiping her brow with the back of her hand.
Her expression changed quickly from relief to alarm when she saw the other two birds were coming at her, chirping happily. "Better part of valor," the Newman sang as she quickly withdrew. She turned around and waited, watching the birds move in closer. Her eyes moved to the locked doors then back to the foreign creatures. 'I need to split them up somehow,' she reasoned. 'Well, it's too late now. Ikimashou!' She swung her saber just as the two birds jabbed her in unison with their beaks. One sunk into her upper thigh and the other right into her stomach. The saber dropped from the Hunter's hand as she sunk to the grass. Her green eyes went in and out of focus as blood gushed from her wounds. She wanted to reach for another Monomate, but her assailants stood over her, wildly pecking the air. There was no way she would be able to move without them attacking her again.
Kariona closed her eyes, waiting for certain death to take her. 'So much for being a skilled Hunter,' she thought sourly. 'I'm sorry, Cyrus. I am breaking my promise to you, but now we can be together if our planet has finally burned out. Cyrus...' A tear rolled out of the Newman's eye. She wanted her last thoughts to be of him. She wanted to pray that there was some skilled craftsman left who could build a Pioneer 3. She wanted to believe that he somehow found his way off their old home and was on his way to Ragol. Awaiting death, her one love would be her comfort.
It seemed like years to the sassy Hunter, but truly it was about five minutes when help arrived. "Flames gather, FOIE!" Kariona heard the telltale sounds of a bolt of fire flying somewhere near her, then a chirp of pain. Three more times Foie was released, and she did not hear those insane birds anymore. Footsteps moved towards her and stopped. In a gentle voice, she heard, "Mother Leilla, heal us - RESTA..." The Newman felt her wounds heal, and her green eyes opened. She rolled on her back and squinted up towards her savior.
"I'm glad you're awake."
"Ar-Aristelle?" Kariona sat up abruptly. "What are you doing here?"
The Force smiled. "Saving your sorry butt, that's what. You should be glad I was moving back to the teleporter and saw you or you surely would have been Rappy food." She moved around Kariona and picked up her saber. "Here, you will need this. Ragol is dangerous."
"Thanks, Aristelle," Kariona murmured. She sighed and slowly climbed to her feet. She took her saber back from Aristelle's outstretched hand. 'Well, at least it was my roommate who saved me, not some stranger. I would be absolutely mortified.' She gazed at the older Force for a moment. She had to admit that Aristelle was beautiful. She wore a gown that seemed to blend red, black, and white all together. Her hair was purple and cut short so that it fell just above her shoulders, and over her hair, she wore a hat that matched her dress. Her skin was like cream, and on her face, she had painted a few sigils. She was very elegant, for a Human.
The Force raised an eyebrow and stepped closer to Kariona. "Be careful down here, Kari. I know you're still upset about Cyrus, but you have to move on with your life. You're still young - incredibly young! You have a lot of life left in you. So be strong for yourself." A wry smile appeared on Aristelle's lips. "How about I take you over to see a friend of mine. He's doing some clean-up detail at the moment, and I think you both could benefit from each other's company."
Kariona nodded in silence. 'Ari's right.' She was glad now that they had gotten to know each other on Pioneer 2. They shared the same living quarters, and after some time, they shared their lives with each other. Aristelle knew Kariona better than anyone else on the ship and vice versa. She let the slightly taller Human lead her through the now unlocked door and past many grand trees. Finally, she spoke again. "Why are there no people around here?"
"I don't know yet, Kari. That's why the Principal has summoned a lot of us and asked us to investigate the planet. There are no marks of an explosion nor are any of Pioneer 1's passengers out and about." The Force sounded concerned.
Kariona frowned. She noticed the way Aristelle held her Varista with a tight grip. 'This can't be a good thing,' she noted. Movement ahead of them caught her eye, and she readied her saber in case it was another mutated bird.
"It's okay, Kari. That's my friend. He's an android." Aristelle smiled as Kariona relaxed. "I think he was constructed just before Pioneer 2 left. He's a little bit peculiar - I don't think his creator gave him much of a personality. He's called Dark Fury."
Kariona arched an eyebrow. "What sort of name is that?"
"Well," Aristelle began. Her blue eyes fixed on the android moving swiftly towards them then chuckled. "He's dark, and when he gets angry, you'd best look out. He's also a Hunter so perhaps he can give you a few pointers? I need to return to Pioneer 2 for a status report. Go ahead and move further into the forest. We need to examine Central Dome."
"Right." Kariona smirked inwardly. 'Give me pointers? Is Ari nuts? What a blatant insult!'
The android stopped in front of the two females. "Aristelle, I finished gathering up the supplies left behind. Who is this?" His head turned towards Kariona.
"This is Kariona. She's going to help you while I go back to the ship for a status report." Aristelle grinned then reached into her pack. "Here, Kari. This should help you." She handed a disc to the Newman, who took it from her. "Bye-bye now!" The Force turned and hurried off.
Kariona glanced at the disc. "Ah, a technique. That was thoughtful of her." She opened it and felt the power flow through her. "This Zonde will come in handy." Her attention diverted to the much taller android. "Um, hi. You can call me Kari. Do you shake hands? Bow? Anything?" She felt a little uneasy. Just one glowing spot on his face looked in her direction. 'He could be staring at my chest for all I know,' she grumbled in her thoughts.
"What?" Dark Fury finally asked.
"N-nothing."
"You are strange, Kari. Follow me." The android turned and started jogging back the way he came. Kariona quickly followed. "My name is Dark Fury," he informed her as the two ran towards a teleporter with red energy beams.
"Aristelle told me. Hey, wow, is that a partisan? I haven't seen the shopkeepers selling those," the Newman marveled.
Dark Fury glanced over his black metallic shoulder. "You are correct. I found it in a box of supplies. If you are lucky, you might find one as well." He stepped into the teleporter with Kariona on his heels, and he didn't speak again until they were both standing in a different area. "So far, there are no signs of life or of an explosion, yet it is obvious that the people on Pioneer 1 began to colonize this area."
Kariona walked a few steps away and sighed heavily. "What has happened here?" she murmured. She blinked as she realized the android was leaving her behind. "Hey! Sheesh..." She quickly jogged after him and frowned. "Let's not separate ourselves, shall we? Don't you know anything about strength in numbers?"
This caught the android's attention. "I am very good at math," he announced.
The Newman groaned in response. "Tell me you're kidding."
"I do not kid," Dark Fury replied.
"You're just Mr. Personality, aren't you?" Kariona observed sourly.
Dark Fury stared back at her. "We are wasting time."
"Yes, I guess so. I am just trying to get to know you, that's all. So I see your section ID is..." She paused to peer at the figure looming over her. "...Viridia." She pointed to the collar around her neck and the white symbol upon it. "As you can see, mine is Whitill. How I'm bunking with a Bluefull is beyond me." She shrugged and smiled faintly.
"Are you done?"
The redhead scowled for a moment then laughed. "Hey, lighten up!" She reached out and slapped Dark Fury's arm in a friendly manner, but withdrew her hand instantly with a yelp of pain. "Cripes! You're all metal, aren't you?"
The android's head appeared to tilt slightly. He let go of his partisan, holding it in his less dominant hand then reached out and slapped Kariona in the arm. To his surprise she tumbled over into the grass with a shriek.
"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded, spitting a few blades of grass out of her mouth. "If you know you're physically stronger than someone, you should show a little restraint!" She could swear she heard a faint chuckle come from the android, which only made her blow up worse. "What's so funny?!"
"We have business to take care of. Get up." Dark Fury turned and moved away from the loudly protesting Newman, shouting angrily at his back. 'She's bizarre. She is not like Aristelle,' he thought. 'I will stick around with her so I can study her further.'
"Are you listening to me?" Kariona gave up and flopped back into the grass. 'I'm not even on Ragol for a half an hour, and I'm already willing to throw in the towel. I'm almost scared to see what is behind the next corner waiting for me. It can't possibly be worse than this emotionless android!'
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As Ragol Turns #1
A lightly tanned, redhead Newman stood looking at herself in a mirror. Bright green eyes stared back at her as she placed a small silver hoop earring in each lobe of her large, pointed ears. She brushed her bangs aside and made sure the buns she had her hair up in were securely pinned in place before examining her clothing. Her gray top conformed to her curves, and the hints of blue stood out perfectly. Her matching hot pants were just a little bit revealing especially if she bent over, but she shrugged and attributed it to being a sassy hunter. She had maybe an inch of bare flesh showing on her upper thighs before gray stockings and calf-high dark gray boots covered the rest of her legs. She tugged a gray glove onto her left arm until it was just a little past her elbow then she locked a protective device over it. The finishing touches were light pink lipstick and blue eye shadow. "Knock 'em dead," she said to her reflection. She turned away and picked up a large pack full of items before leaving her quarters.
Walking through the cold, artificially lit halls only served to strengthen the butterflies in her stomach. Every now and then, she would pass one of the other thousands of people living on the spaceship; each wore a grave expression. She too felt a little apprehensive. 'That explosion was huge. There is no way the others did not see it. Perhaps this is why the Principal has summoned me,' she thought. She stepped into an express elevator only to step back out seconds later after having reached the main deck. Soft music filled the air, and the Newman inhaled a deep breath.
She smiled at a few Hunters she recognized as she passed them. They nodded in response and continued on their way. She passed a counter then stopped and moved back over to it. "Hi, Shirley," she greeted. "I still have 300 Meseta in the bank, don't I?"
The woman behind the counter nodded. "You do. Would you like to withdraw it?"
"No thanks. I'm just checking in case I have to make some purchases." She paused then started to move away from the counter. "See you soon."
"Bye-bye now," Shirley replied, waving.
The green eyes of the Newman looked towards the entrance to the shops, but she decided to wait and see what it was that the Principal wanted with her before buying anything. She was pretty sure that she was going to be sent on some kind of mission. Surely he didn't know about how she was just a little bit of a criminal on their old planet. A frown appeared on her lips. 'That was all a misunderstanding,' she thought. 'I didn't steal that saber. It was my father's, and that peddler had no right to try and sell it to someone else.' The frown disappeared with a feeling of annoyance, but she pushed it aside as she stopped in front of the express elevator to the Principal's office. 'Here we go.'
She stepped into the elevator and reappeared on a walkway leading to the Principal. Her boots made a quiet staccato on the floor as she walked, head held high, towards the man. She noted that Irene, Mome, and another scientist she did not recognize were also present. The scientists seemed a little excited while the Principal Tyrell and Irene seemed more shaken. The Hunter stopped in front of Tyrell's desk.
It was a few moments before he spoke. "Are you Kariona, the Hunter?" he asked.
"I am," Kariona replied. She noted that he didn't sound nearly as commanding and confident as he usually did. He seemed almost frightened to some degree. This unnerved the Hunter slightly, but she managed to keep her cool and wait for the man to finish.
"We have a bad situation..." Tyrell began to pace. "We need to act quickly." His gaze drifted to Irene for a moment before looking back at the young Hunter. "Did you hear about the explosion on Ragol?"
Kariona's eyebrows rose. "I did see it from my window," she answered quietly. 'So the explosion is the reason he sent for me. It is always good to trust one's instinct.' Her hand tightened around her pack of belongings.
Tyrell stopped pacing. "Very well. Pay attention and listen to me." He paused again, carefully considering his words as he examined the Newman before him. It took him a second to realize he was admiring how short those hot pants she wore were, and he quickly averted his gaze to the stars outside of the ship. "We've lost contact with Pioneer 1. We have no idea what has happened. We've sent unmanned search units, but communication seems to cut off near the surface. What happened on Ragol?" He turned towards her again. "What occurred on Pioneer 1? Are the people on board alive?"
His last question made Kariona bristle. She bit her tongue before asking if this was a joke. The look on his face made it quite clear that this was no joke. She slowly let out the breath she had been holding and nodded slightly, indicating for the man to continue.
"The council made a decision to send a manned search team. You are a skilled Hunter. We need your help."
A tiny smile appeared on the Newman's lips. Her reputation preceded her. "What if there is another explosion?" she asked.
Tyrell sat down at his desk and sighed softly. "We have no choice... We need a place to settle on." He stopped, looking towards the floor for a few moments. The uncomfortable silence ended as he spoke again in a very quiet voice. "Uh, could you..."
Kariona leaned down and looked at him inquisitively. Although she didn't let it show, she felt just the slightest bit annoyed with these strained silences between the both of them. 'Maybe he'll talk if I tap my foot,' she thought. Aloud, she asked, "What is it?"
"...No, it's nothing," Principal Tyrell answered quietly. He sat up straighter in his chair and said in a louder voice as he extended his hand to Kariona, "Take care and good luck."
Kariona grasped his hand firmly then turned and walked back the way she had come. 'There's more to this than meets the eye,' she observed silently. By the time she moved into the express elevator, she was convinced that there was some information that the Principal had purposely withheld from her. Her hand clenched into a fist. 'If what he's not telling me gets me into a near fatal accident, I'm going to be so pissed!'
Back on the main deck, the Hunter wasn't sure exactly where to go. She had some supplies already that she had saved from their old home - just four Monomates and four Monofluids. Satisfied that they would be enough for now, she wandered over towards one of the guards that stood near the Hunters' Guild. Prepared for his usual speech about this being a restricted area, she was surprised to see him turn and hit a button on a secret panel behind himself. The wall that he stood by lifted, revealing a spacious room with only a teleporter inside. "This will take you to Ragol," he informed her.
"Don't wait up for me," Kariona joked as she breezed into the room. She stopped inches from the teleporter and closed her eyes. 'I am going to make you proud, Cyrus. If you do ever manage to leave our dying planet, you will have a home waiting for you. I will make sure of that.' Having made her vow, she took the final step into the teleporter.
It felt like an eternity before the Newman saw anything. She wasn't used to the bright light, and she squinted. "Wow, it looks great," she observed with admiration. Her eyes widened. Even boxes of supplies were still intact. Kariona set her pack down and fished out her MAG. She released it and let it float next to her as she reached her hand into the pack once more to retrieve her saber. It came to life, casting a faint green glow over the immediate area. Satisfied, she slung the pack over her shoulder and treaded across the grass towards one of the large white boxes. She cracked it open, finding a spare saber inside. She continued to open the other four and added the supplies to her pack.
Kariona looked around the area one more time then began to move up the path cautiously. 'I thought there was an explosion, but so far there are no traces of it. Something strange is afoot; I know it!' Her suspicions confirmed themselves as she rounded the bend and saw a group of yellow birds sitting in large nests on the ground. "What the..." she gasped. Tightening her hold on her saber, she marched through the energy gate. As the large bird noticed her and stood, she dropped into a battle stance. "Oh, not the lovey-dovey type are you?" she sneered.
The bird certainly appeared aggressive, which bothered the Hunter immensely. 'Why are there monsters in the residential area? It doesn't make any sense!' She brought her saber down on the bird, which let out an unhappy chirp. She followed it up with two more light strikes then stepped back to see what sort of condition the bird was in. 'It's still up,' she noted miserably. It pecked her and she fell onto her back in the grass with a howl of pain. Her hand clutched her side and when she pulled it away, she saw a lot of blood. She got to her feet slowly as the bird continued pecking the air near her then moved back through the energy gate.
After popping a Monomate in her mouth, Kariona narrowed her eyes. "I'm not going to be taken down by some overstuffed yellow bird!" she declared. She did not want to admit it but the creatures did sound and look cute, but its cute demeanor disappeared after it drew blood. She stepped through the energy gate for a second time, noting with relief that it had waddled back to its nest. "Come on, birdie," she grumbled. She walked closer until she saw it hop to its feet again. Then she rushed in with her saber swinging madly. After three solid hits, it fell over. "Whew!" the Hunter sighed, wiping her brow with the back of her hand.
Her expression changed quickly from relief to alarm when she saw the other two birds were coming at her, chirping happily. "Better part of valor," the Newman sang as she quickly withdrew. She turned around and waited, watching the birds move in closer. Her eyes moved to the locked doors then back to the foreign creatures. 'I need to split them up somehow,' she reasoned. 'Well, it's too late now. Ikimashou!' She swung her saber just as the two birds jabbed her in unison with their beaks. One sunk into her upper thigh and the other right into her stomach. The saber dropped from the Hunter's hand as she sunk to the grass. Her green eyes went in and out of focus as blood gushed from her wounds. She wanted to reach for another Monomate, but her assailants stood over her, wildly pecking the air. There was no way she would be able to move without them attacking her again.
Kariona closed her eyes, waiting for certain death to take her. 'So much for being a skilled Hunter,' she thought sourly. 'I'm sorry, Cyrus. I am breaking my promise to you, but now we can be together if our planet has finally burned out. Cyrus...' A tear rolled out of the Newman's eye. She wanted her last thoughts to be of him. She wanted to pray that there was some skilled craftsman left who could build a Pioneer 3. She wanted to believe that he somehow found his way off their old home and was on his way to Ragol. Awaiting death, her one love would be her comfort.
It seemed like years to the sassy Hunter, but truly it was about five minutes when help arrived. "Flames gather, FOIE!" Kariona heard the telltale sounds of a bolt of fire flying somewhere near her, then a chirp of pain. Three more times Foie was released, and she did not hear those insane birds anymore. Footsteps moved towards her and stopped. In a gentle voice, she heard, "Mother Leilla, heal us - RESTA..." The Newman felt her wounds heal, and her green eyes opened. She rolled on her back and squinted up towards her savior.
"I'm glad you're awake."
"Ar-Aristelle?" Kariona sat up abruptly. "What are you doing here?"
The Force smiled. "Saving your sorry butt, that's what. You should be glad I was moving back to the teleporter and saw you or you surely would have been Rappy food." She moved around Kariona and picked up her saber. "Here, you will need this. Ragol is dangerous."
"Thanks, Aristelle," Kariona murmured. She sighed and slowly climbed to her feet. She took her saber back from Aristelle's outstretched hand. 'Well, at least it was my roommate who saved me, not some stranger. I would be absolutely mortified.' She gazed at the older Force for a moment. She had to admit that Aristelle was beautiful. She wore a gown that seemed to blend red, black, and white all together. Her hair was purple and cut short so that it fell just above her shoulders, and over her hair, she wore a hat that matched her dress. Her skin was like cream, and on her face, she had painted a few sigils. She was very elegant, for a Human.
The Force raised an eyebrow and stepped closer to Kariona. "Be careful down here, Kari. I know you're still upset about Cyrus, but you have to move on with your life. You're still young - incredibly young! You have a lot of life left in you. So be strong for yourself." A wry smile appeared on Aristelle's lips. "How about I take you over to see a friend of mine. He's doing some clean-up detail at the moment, and I think you both could benefit from each other's company."
Kariona nodded in silence. 'Ari's right.' She was glad now that they had gotten to know each other on Pioneer 2. They shared the same living quarters, and after some time, they shared their lives with each other. Aristelle knew Kariona better than anyone else on the ship and vice versa. She let the slightly taller Human lead her through the now unlocked door and past many grand trees. Finally, she spoke again. "Why are there no people around here?"
"I don't know yet, Kari. That's why the Principal has summoned a lot of us and asked us to investigate the planet. There are no marks of an explosion nor are any of Pioneer 1's passengers out and about." The Force sounded concerned.
Kariona frowned. She noticed the way Aristelle held her Varista with a tight grip. 'This can't be a good thing,' she noted. Movement ahead of them caught her eye, and she readied her saber in case it was another mutated bird.
"It's okay, Kari. That's my friend. He's an android." Aristelle smiled as Kariona relaxed. "I think he was constructed just before Pioneer 2 left. He's a little bit peculiar - I don't think his creator gave him much of a personality. He's called Dark Fury."
Kariona arched an eyebrow. "What sort of name is that?"
"Well," Aristelle began. Her blue eyes fixed on the android moving swiftly towards them then chuckled. "He's dark, and when he gets angry, you'd best look out. He's also a Hunter so perhaps he can give you a few pointers? I need to return to Pioneer 2 for a status report. Go ahead and move further into the forest. We need to examine Central Dome."
"Right." Kariona smirked inwardly. 'Give me pointers? Is Ari nuts? What a blatant insult!'
The android stopped in front of the two females. "Aristelle, I finished gathering up the supplies left behind. Who is this?" His head turned towards Kariona.
"This is Kariona. She's going to help you while I go back to the ship for a status report." Aristelle grinned then reached into her pack. "Here, Kari. This should help you." She handed a disc to the Newman, who took it from her. "Bye-bye now!" The Force turned and hurried off.
Kariona glanced at the disc. "Ah, a technique. That was thoughtful of her." She opened it and felt the power flow through her. "This Zonde will come in handy." Her attention diverted to the much taller android. "Um, hi. You can call me Kari. Do you shake hands? Bow? Anything?" She felt a little uneasy. Just one glowing spot on his face looked in her direction. 'He could be staring at my chest for all I know,' she grumbled in her thoughts.
"What?" Dark Fury finally asked.
"N-nothing."
"You are strange, Kari. Follow me." The android turned and started jogging back the way he came. Kariona quickly followed. "My name is Dark Fury," he informed her as the two ran towards a teleporter with red energy beams.
"Aristelle told me. Hey, wow, is that a partisan? I haven't seen the shopkeepers selling those," the Newman marveled.
Dark Fury glanced over his black metallic shoulder. "You are correct. I found it in a box of supplies. If you are lucky, you might find one as well." He stepped into the teleporter with Kariona on his heels, and he didn't speak again until they were both standing in a different area. "So far, there are no signs of life or of an explosion, yet it is obvious that the people on Pioneer 1 began to colonize this area."
Kariona walked a few steps away and sighed heavily. "What has happened here?" she murmured. She blinked as she realized the android was leaving her behind. "Hey! Sheesh..." She quickly jogged after him and frowned. "Let's not separate ourselves, shall we? Don't you know anything about strength in numbers?"
This caught the android's attention. "I am very good at math," he announced.
The Newman groaned in response. "Tell me you're kidding."
"I do not kid," Dark Fury replied.
"You're just Mr. Personality, aren't you?" Kariona observed sourly.
Dark Fury stared back at her. "We are wasting time."
"Yes, I guess so. I am just trying to get to know you, that's all. So I see your section ID is..." She paused to peer at the figure looming over her. "...Viridia." She pointed to the collar around her neck and the white symbol upon it. "As you can see, mine is Whitill. How I'm bunking with a Bluefull is beyond me." She shrugged and smiled faintly.
"Are you done?"
The redhead scowled for a moment then laughed. "Hey, lighten up!" She reached out and slapped Dark Fury's arm in a friendly manner, but withdrew her hand instantly with a yelp of pain. "Cripes! You're all metal, aren't you?"
The android's head appeared to tilt slightly. He let go of his partisan, holding it in his less dominant hand then reached out and slapped Kariona in the arm. To his surprise she tumbled over into the grass with a shriek.
"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded, spitting a few blades of grass out of her mouth. "If you know you're physically stronger than someone, you should show a little restraint!" She could swear she heard a faint chuckle come from the android, which only made her blow up worse. "What's so funny?!"
"We have business to take care of. Get up." Dark Fury turned and moved away from the loudly protesting Newman, shouting angrily at his back. 'She's bizarre. She is not like Aristelle,' he thought. 'I will stick around with her so I can study her further.'
"Are you listening to me?" Kariona gave up and flopped back into the grass. 'I'm not even on Ragol for a half an hour, and I'm already willing to throw in the towel. I'm almost scared to see what is behind the next corner waiting for me. It can't possibly be worse than this emotionless android!'