Aaye. Excuse the hail in elvish, I'm trying to incorporate that into everything now. :grins:

But…. I didn't come here to talk about that.

What you see below you is a Dino Crisis fic. A fic like no others (we hope).

Yeah, that's right. We.

I wasn't the only person who helped write this story, but it was decided to be posted under my name.

The other person who wrote this (and wrote a lot of the chapter that you will be reading) is HellsAngelZarrah.

That said, I'll leave you to the story.

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Solitude

By: HellsAngelZarrah and Sailor Gaia

Rating: PG-13

and

Spoilers:

The ending of Dino Crisis 2

Disclaimer:

We don't own Dino Crisis 1 or 2, or any of the characters. That honour goes to Capcom and the people who designed and thought up the game. We have no permission at all to use these characters, we will not receive any money for this, and are doing this purely for our own enjoyment.

Summary:

It has been a long time since Regina returned to the past, to her present. A new time gate is causing a lot of problems and third energy is about to make a comeback. The very thing that Regina stopped all those years ago might become a reality. And it will take her back to a place she never thought she'd see again.

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Solitude

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She ran into the small laboratory. As soon as the self destruct had turned on, she had dropped what she'd been doing (hacking the computer system from the Superintendent's office, to be exact) and ran toward the lab - she had gone through the ventilation ducts - the old ways are always the best ways, and all that… Now, inside the lab she stepped forward a few paces to meet Dylan in the middle of the room.

"Are you alright?" She asked - and instantly kicked herself mentally for it. He was favouring his left leg as he stood in front of her, his uniform was bloodied, and she cold almost feel his ribs shifting with each breath he took, and she had to ask if he was OK?
He nodded, and gestured vaguely at the strange device behind him - come to think of it, it looked like a strange idea of a Time Gate…

"We can use this Time Gate to escape. Come on, let's go - woa!"

The ground beneath their feet bucked wildly and the three people in the room struggled to keep balance. As the tremors became more violent, a computer bank shuddered, and fell from its high perch. Regina barely noticed it, as it was nowhere near her, but when an anguished shriek filled the room and Dylan cried out, "Paula!" and ran toward the sound, she turned for the fallen data bank. It had crushed the blonde girl. As he desperately tried to prise the machine off of the girl under it, Regina tried to help pull it. Even before she placed her hands on the cool metal, though, she knew it would be hopeless. The data bank was almost a ton in weight, and although Dylan and Regina combined might have been able to lift it, they were at the wrong angle to do anything but move it an inch or so up. Suddenly, Dylan stopped pulling and thumped the thing.

"No!" He sat back and murmured something she didn't hear. The girl whimpered in pain, and he pulled himself over to her, cradling her head in his arms to comfort her. She quieted slightly and murmured something Regina couldn't quite catch.

Great, she picks now to talk…

Regina knelt to Dylan's right.

"Dylan," He turned to her, "What are we going to do? If we don't go now, we'll never get back!" She felt a twinge of disgust at herself for the panicked tone of her voice, but that train of thought was broken as the Time gate flickered, and began to struggle to stay active. Both Dylan and Regina turned toward it. Seeing it hadn't completely gone, Dylan turned back to her and spoke quietly.

"Regina, the Gate's open. I know you won't want to, but you have to go back by yourself…"

She was just ready to tell him that if he wouldn't come on his own, she'd drag him through that Gate herself, when he finished with, "I won't leave Paula." Something inside her twanged painfully, but she ignored it and got to her feet.

"Are you crazy!" He looked up at her, surprised. She felt quite shocked herself.

"Just go! Please!" He pleaded with her. "You have the Third Energy data, right?"

Numbly, she grasped the small disk from the pouch on her waist and held it out to him. He looked at it, then back up at her.

"When you get back, build the perfect Gate - then come pick us up for the last time." She pocketed the disk, and dropped her arm down to rest on the floor. She looked down.

"I… Dylan…" She stumbled for words, something she wasn't familiar with - something that annoyed her.

"I will. I promise." She looked him straight in the eye, clenching her jaws together almost painfully to stop the prickling of tears.

He smirked at her and saluted her. She'd never really done the 'army salute' before, but what the Heck…
She saluted back, trying not to look too self-conscious.

The computer blared suddenly, "Final Warning. Ten Seconds to Self-Destruct."

As Regina scrambled to her feet, a completely irrelevant thought stream entered her head.

"Remember - you still owe me one!" Dylan gave her an incredulous look. She shrugged one shoulder.

"Well then, you better get back quick." She hadn't expected an answer, or the look that crossed his face as he said it, but she nodded, and sprinted for the Gate. As she was about to go through, something made her stop and turn back to him. He met her gaze, and silently ordered her through. Before she could have any doubts, she ran through the Gate, feeling an eerie sensation as it transported her though time, back to where she came from…

Alone…


The sun was shining brightly, and a couple of lone birds were singing outside the window. A sigh broke through the chorus and the birds scattered, seeking refuge on a withering oak tree.

The scratching of a pen filled the silence, and was only broken as the person stopped to think. Tapping the pen against her chin she stared down at the pages.

It had been suggested that she start writing a diary (since she had point-blank refused to see a councillor), and that since she had all these 'issues' it might help her to get them down on paper.

Sighing again, she scrunched up the paper and tossed it in the general direction of the bin. Issues; what issues? The only problem that she had was that she didn't always do exactly what she went out to do.

Figuring that she might as well humour them she settled her pen on the paper again. Resisting the urge to stab the pen through the paper she started writing.

A shadow crossed her face as the ink flowed over the page. Her thoughts and feelings usually kept hidden and confined were being unleashed and they imprinted upon her mind the memories she had thought long forgotten.

"I won't leave Paula."

Her hand started to shake slightly and she dropped the pen. Pulling a pale hand through her sunset tresses, she leaned back. She scrunched her eyes shut as the image of a man with blond hair and blue eyes flashes past her eyes. She hadn't forgotten him - she could never forget him. But right now she didn't know what to do.

As soon as she had gotten back she had handed over the data disk and demanded that they provide a team of scientists to work on the disk. Maybe they could build another gate of their own.

They had turned her down saying that they could not spare the manpower at this time.

She smiled as she reflected back on what happened. While she hadn't gotten the answer she wanted, it had been worth it to sock the guy in the nose.

A light beep sounded from her right and she pushed away from the desk. Pulling the swivel chair in front of the computer she called up the e-mail that was blinking rapidly in the bottom corner of the screen.

Her eyes widened as she quickly scanned the contents.

Slumping back into the chair she blankly groped for her jacket. It was time to finish what had been started all that long while ago, and she wasn't about to let him get away from her this time.

Stopping only once to glance back at her unfinished diary she headed out the door.

Dr. Kirk was back, and Regina had a score to settle.


Regina stopped in front a white building.

The e-mail had listed this as the place where Dr. Kirk was rumoured to have been seen. Casting a narrowed glance up at the topmost windows she strolled in through the glass doors.

Geez, this place looks just a like a hospital.

The almost uber white walls were hard to stare at for too long, and Regina found herself walking swiftly down the corridor. Scanning the doors she stopped at the door furthest down the hall.

'Dr. Kirk' was written in gold cursive on a nameplate.

How stupid can you get?

Pushing open the door she stepped into the room.

Welcome to my parlour... said the dino to its prey...

A small smirk tugged at the corner of her lips as she surveyed the lab. It was more of a mess really, and she couldn't help the shudder that ran through her spine. When was the last time anyone cleaned in here?

Picking her way over a stack of precariously balanced folders she brushed the wayward strands of hair out of her face. Now what?

She started at the side that looked the cleanest and began to sort through the disks and files. It looked as though Kirk was not the sort of person who threw anything away. Tossing a file over her shoulder her hands stilled as her fingers brushed over a faded photograph. Holding it gently she brought it up to her face.

It was Dr. Kirk.

Only... he looked... free.

The arrogant look she remembered so well on his features was gone, and he seemed happy.

It's so hard to believe that a man who would willingly sacrifice so many to achieve his own ends could seem so... normal.

Shaking her head she placed the photo down. Nothing was what it seemed; she should have known that by now.

Hours later she had combed her way through most of the junk. She had pocketed several files which contained information on the future world which they had intended to create for the dinosaurs. Why they were there... she really didn't know. And that bothered her immensely.

She cursed under her breath as she rammed her toe into a desk. A pile of disks fell to the floor as she reached out to steady herself. Shaking her head she reached down to pick up the disks.

Something made her look back at these disks and she picked one out from the pile. It was different than all the others that she had seen so far. Running her fingers lightly along the logo in the top right hand corner she swept the junk off the desk.

It was the Third Energy logo.

She quickly sat down into a chair and placed the disk into the drive. It was about time she got some answers.

The disk booted quickly, and she began to search the database - where could Kirk have gotten all of this information? There were files about all things to do with the disasters on Ibis Island and Edward City - as she scanned down the database, she noted titles of folders and files - Dinosaur Species and Habits (4 files), Dinosaur anatomy (6 files)…

Since when did Kirk become a palaeontologist?

The Authorities on Third Energy Research (1 file), History of the Time gate (3 files)… That was it. Nothing else was there, and certainly nothing about a handheld Gate.

Not really bothering to properly read the documents (she would do that later), she simply selected all fifteen documents and four folders on the disk and went to copy them to a blank one.

Wait… Fifteen? There should have been fourteen. She tried to scan the disk to see exactly where every file was.
Four on Dinosaur Species and Habits, six on Anatomy and two about The Authorities on Third Energy Research. Odd… She scrapped the copied files and opened the extra file. It was headed:

Schematic: The Handheld Time Gate

Bingo! Regina rapidly copied every file, threw the disk carelessly back where she found it, and left the room quickly.

If she had stayed a little longer, however, she would have heard a shrill beeping coming from the small desk in the corner - a small machine with a few numbered buttons and a small screen reading 'Please select time frame'.

And maybe she would have noticed the figure in the shadows that had been there before her, and was likely to stay until long after she left the building too…


"Listen, Miss Regina, if I've told you once, I've told you a thousand time - we don't have the available time, finances, or manpower to work on any other project right now! Including your insane idea about a handheld Time Gate!" The scientist paused for a second, glaring at the smaller woman before him, who matched his glare perfectly, and muttered, "Completely crazy if you ask me…"

The man was unbelievable - she'd told him about Dr. Kirk, and she'd told him that she needed the handheld Time Gate to find him, but the Head Researcher had told her straight out that they couldn't (or wouldn't) do it - he'd even had the cheek to add that he wasn't sure if he should believe that she was on any mission - and rage was slowly coming to the surface…

Regina took a deep breath, which did nothing to calm her temper, and narrowed her eyes at… Head Researcher Quinty, according to his nametag.

"Listen, I've been ordered by the Government to find Kirk, and to do that, I'll need this Time Gate - you wouldn't want a freak like Kirk to be set free on society just because you don't want to give me it, do you?" She allowed sarcasm to drip freely from her voice - this… :ahem: Man (if you could call him that) deserved everything he would get if he didn't shut up and do what she said in a minute…

He straightened his tie and glared at her as menacingly as one could through bell-bottom glasses.

"You said, and frankly, I don't care. If people like you," he paused to throw a long, contemptuous look at Regina at this point, "did their jobs properly, a demon like Edward Kirk wouldn't be at large in the first place, so don't expect any help from me---"

Regina really enjoyed breaking that guy's nose. As he knelt on the ground, clutching his bleeding face, she pressed one hand to her head as if coming down with a migraine and absent-mindedly clenched her left fist gingerly. Maybe there was something going on with her… No - he deserved it.

She marched past him into the main lab area, ignoring his half-hearted plea of "Dugn't gnu djare go mack dere!" and pushed a certain disk into the main console. If you wanted something done right, you had to do it yourself.

To be continued…….