Alpha's Omega Chapter Six - DRAFT
By: Kayla Chavi and The Rose Society
Rating: R
Omega Cell Headquarters, Alpha One Enclave
Serenity looked at the Crimson Flame, her blue eyes reflecting
the bright red jewel in its depths.
"Are you prepared," asked Demando. He was double checking
various data collecting instruments while the rest of the science team
readied medical instruments, in case they should be needed.
She looked at the man whom she regarded as a father. Nodding,
she smiled to reassure the worried doctor. "Mentor, nothing will
happen to me. This is the right artifact."
Frowning, Demando shook his head. "That's not what I meant. I
know that you got the real artifact. It's the fact that I'm worried
what the sudden power boost will do to your systems."
Taiki coughed politely. Both heads turned to him. "Doctor, you
don't have anything to worry about. Serenity is very powerful and this
is the only way she can summon the End. It is a necessary risk."
He paused and gave Serenity a small smile. "You'll do well, Sere, I know
you will." He walked away, off to do another battery of checks.
Haruka laughed quietly from the corner. She was lounging against
the wall and looked rather comfortable. Rei rolled her eyes, "Demando,
you worry about everything. I swear, you're worse than a father. Not
that I remember mine or anything," she winked at Serenity.
The blonde girl smiled and looked at Demando. "You don't have to
delay this. I'll be fine," she assured him.
Ami walked over with a rather large needle. She giggled at
Serenity's horrified expression. "Another one?" Omega whimpered. "I
promise that I'll be a good girl forever and ever."
"This is to make sure you can physically absorb the power when
you take hold of the artifact. Now, hold still." Serenity closed her
eyes tightly, making all the occupants of the room laugh at her
childish nature. "See, all done."
She blinked her eyes open. "But I didn't feel anything!"
Ami beamed. "That's a mark of a great doctor." She winked and
went to make some initial measurements.
Demando looked at Serenity. "Do you understand all that is about
to happen, Serenity?"
Serenity nodded. "I am to hold the artifact in my hands. I will
open a channel between myself and the artifact and it should be
absorbed into my body and mind, becoming a part of me."
Demando nodded, pleased. He turned and looked at his team. Ami,
Taiki, and Ryo all nodded from their places around the room.
"We're ready," Ryo said.
At Demando's wave, Haruka approached the medical table, the
Crimson Flame in her hands. She hesitated slightly before she placed
the bright jewel into Serenity's hands.
It floated right between her palms and she closed her eyes. A
serene expression came over her features and the jewel began to glow
as she opened the channel between her and the artifact. When she felt
it touch her mind, she felt like singing. It was as if she was
completely intertwined with the soul of the earth and her heart was
touched.
The artifact was slowly melded into her through the light that
it pulsed. With it she could hear the heartbeats of everyone in the
room. She could feel their life force and knew that all of them were
healthy and peaceful. When the artifact was completely pulled into her
body, she opened her eyes.
Ami was awash in a bright blue light that pulsed peacefully, if
not, then a little sadly. Serenity frowned; something had been taken
from her. She had been used, so to speak. When she looked over at
Haruka and Ryo she did not see the same thing. The bodyguard was a
pale violet, and the pulse was erratic, but Serenity some how knew
that was normal from her. The other doctor had a pale brown glow that
wasn't pulsing. She looked over at Rei and Demando.
Rei was a bright red that flamed about her, as if she were
enraged. Something had been taken from her as well. She too had been
used. Demando had not, he was soft lavendar and his light pulsed
mournfully. He missed his wife and children everyday, and it was so
obvious to her. The other auras of the surrounding people did not
worry her as much as Ami's and Rei's did.
The lights faded back to the normalcy of before. Serenity
cleared her throat. "That was kinda cool," she said after a moment.
Demando sighed, audibly. He was glad that the entire process had
gone well. "Well, now that that is over, we can get on with analyzing
the data we've collected."
Serenity pulled on his sleeve before he could walk away. "There
is something important I have to tell you guys." She turned to Ryo and
Taiki. "Could you guys excuse us for a moment?" The two men looked
confused before they turned and left.
"What's wrong," Haruka asked. She normally didn't see Serenity
so serious.
Serenity pointed at Rei and Ami. "We've had a breach in security."
Haruka immediately drew her sword and stood next to Serenity,
looking at Rei and Ami. "Are you saying that they're Alpha?" She did
not believe it, but if Omega was saying it...
She shook her head. "No, Haruka, I don't mean that they're the
breach in security. I mean, that they've been violated, they're the
ones that have been compromised." She looked at them, concentrating.
Both Ami and Rei were staring at her, confused. "Their energy, both
emotional and physical, has been taken from them."
"What on earth are you talking about, Serenity?" Haruka asked.
The poor blonde woman looked immensely confused and was getting itchy
to kill something. However, she didn't particularly want to kill Rei
and Ami.
"When I look at them, their auras seem compromised. Not sick or
unhealthy, just a little tired. I think that someone took their
emotional and physical energy, but I'm really at a loss as to who did
it." Serenity crossed her arms and bit her lower lip in concentration
as the intently looked at the two women. She looked at Demando for
help.
"Any ideas?" she asked hopefully.
He shook his head. He was at a loss. "This isn't my area of
expertise, Serenity. We were lucky to be able to recruit this many
scientists of Ami, Ryo, or Taiki's caliber. The majority of scientists
are in the service of Alpha, willing or not." He rubbed his temples.
"The only person on this planet who might be able to explain is Rose
Nakazaki and Kalkia Skye. They have a remarkable understanding of the
mental and physical energy system, more than any of us."
"They're the ones that made Alpha," Rei also pointed out. She
managed to do a wonderful job hiding her resentment and anger when
Demando mentioned Rose. She just went over to a screen and pulled up
the data base on everything they had on the two scientists.
Ami was quiet for a moment, "Is it possible that they had
something to do with this? They probably got into a lot of trouble for
losing the Crimson Flame," she said logically.
Serenity delved deeper into the two people's auras. "There is
the presence of a male psyche and two female for each of you. The
males are different in each case, but the females are not."
Pounding her fist into the computer, Rei swiveled around, her
nostrils flaring with anger. "IT WAS THEM!" She stalked the room, her
fists clenching and unclenching. "Those Alpha bastards and bitches
violated us!"
Ami shook her head. "We don't know why they did what they did,
Rei. Maybe they have a good reason."
Horrified, Rei gripped Ami's shoulders. "Ami, how can you say
that? They went into our dreams, our memories and harvested our energy
like we were farm animals." She shuddered. "Didn't you have a
realistic dream of the past recently? The night after the party?"
Ami looked away and pulled out of Rei's grip. "My dreams are
always realistic, Rei." She went over to a computer screen and lost
herself in the data.
"Whatever they did to you, it wasn't harmful," Serenity said
after a moment. "At least, not really. I would have to examine this
further to understand what exactly they did and why. I think I would
need the next artifact to do it."
Rei made a raw sound of pain that she masked with a bitter
laugh. "I'll kill them for what they did. They had no right," for a
moment it seemed as if she might cry but she shrugged it off. "Rose
and Kalkia have crossed the line one too many times."
Haruka glanced at the shorter woman. "Rei, those two were once
your friends, you know. They were once all our classmates, at the very
least. And, Alpha is holding something on them to get them to work for
them."
Swinging around, Rei got into Haruka's face. "They are NOT my
friends. Friends do not violate the minds of their friends." She
practically ran out of the room.
Haruka sighed heavily and shook her head before looking over at
Ami. Ami slowly stood, "I'm going to go talk to Minako and inform her
of this. Perhaps she will be able to come up with something to protect
us in the future. Serenity you should come with me as well. Perhaps
she'll be able to think better with you there."
Serenity nodded and hopped off of the medical table. She felt
completely energized with the artifact inside her. Demando frowned,
"Don't over exert yourself, Serenity," he warned firmly.
"I won't, mentor," she said breezily as she left the room.
Alpha Three Enclave
Lieutenant Rubeus ran a hand through his flaming red hair. He
hated scouting duty. It was a pain in the ass. He hated interviewing
civilians. As violent as he could get sometimes, it was always against
the enemy. Civilians were another issue, completely. They were not
a worthy adversary, soft and undisciplined. He glanced at his partner
for scouting duty. Lieutenant Saffir was a very quiet man, reserved
and patient. He didn't enjoy terrorizing people, no matter if they
were the enemy or not. Rubeus shook his head. It was amazing that he
had risen at all in the ranks of Alpha if he was so squeamish. Then
again, Saffir had a cool head, capable of a lot of great thinking, so
that might have helped a great deal.
"This sucks," Rubeus muttered as the went to the next set of
quarters on their list of potential resistance sympathizers.
Saffir raised an eyebrow before looking back ahead of them. "I
quite agree. There is nothing less exhilirating then walking up and
down countless corridors looking for something that probably isn't
even in the Enclave anymore," he said dryly. "Are you prepared to do
another scan?"
"Yeah," Rubeus groaned. "Are you ready to strike some deep and
awe inspring worry into these people?"
Saffir rolled his eyes. "We'll find the artifact. It's only a
matter of time. We don't need to scare civilians out of their wits in
the process."
"It'll be your ass before Kunzite then, not mine, if we fail."
"I don't intend on failing."
Delta Cell Headquarters, Alpha Thirty-Two Enclave, once known as
Russia
Makoto glanced at the hologram. It was the best they could do for
a map. All maps that could be possibly of use to a military
stategist was printed on a special paper that would deteriorate if
someone with the wrong DNA signature touched it. The Resistance had
created their own holographic maps from scans of the land from the
various cells, piecing them together to make a map of the entire
globe. Of course, large areas marked off limits by Alpha were blank
but it still was an acceptable tool.
She sat back in her chair and looked up at the ceiling. Rei and
Ami had told her what Serenity suspected, that their energy had been
violated, used, by Kalkia and Rose. She shut her eyes. It pained her
to remember those times. It had felt like reality, like she had
returned to those days, when she was young and in love. But that lover
had turned into the enemy, who was now scouring the globe, looking for
the artifact that they had just stolen.
Makoto was actually not in Alpha One; she was in Alpha
Thirty-Two, old Russia, and hiding in one of the more remote areas of
the world. Outside it was snowing, but the snow now was gray, not
white, for it fell from dirty and polluted skies. She sighed and
leaned back in her chair, reflecting on the message she had gotten
from Rei.
Frankly, it seemed like her fiery friend was over-reacting. She
remembered Kalkia from the few times they had spoken while Makoto had
been waiting for Nephlite or when he brought her to the kitchens to
beg for her own chocolate. The younger girl had idolized the
brown-haired man and was extremely tender-hearted. She wasn't the type
of person to invade or perform mental rape on another person.
There simply had to be another explanation.
Even with Rose, the other girl she had known even less, but what
she did know was that this girl was an innocent. If an evil thought
ever entered her head, Makoto would cut her hair, she'd shave it off.
They simply weren't capable of doing something just for sheer cruelty.
There was a logical explanation, she just didn't have it yet.
And until there was evidence that she had been harmed, she really
wasn't going to dwell on it.
However, there was nothing saying she couldn't dwell on Nephlite
and their affair. There was nothing saying she couldn't wonder for the
millionth time why he hadn't told her he was leaving. Why had he just
simply left the Enclave to become one of the most important men in the
world. Why he had--
She stopped her thoughts. She had too many uncertainties and
unanswered questions.
Makoto turned her attention back to the map. She was supposed to
find the next artifact and figure out a way to get it. Unfortunately,
the illusive Sunset Stone was just as hard to grasp as an actual
sunset. She was starting to get a headache. Where was Ami when she
needed her?
Omega Cell Headquarters, Alpha One Enclave
Michiru sighed, flipping a strand of green-blue hair out of her
eyes. She hated guessing. But that was the only thing she could do at
this moment. They needed to find the next target for Omega and it was
not going to be an easy task. Makoto had gone to another cell, hoping
to scope out the area and ascertain if it were a possible storage
place for the next artifact. Michiru, on the other hand, was busy
studying surveillance video and trying to decipher what was a decoy
and what was a true possible target.
Alpha wasn't stupid. After the loss of the first artifact, they
stepped up the security of all facilities, crucial or not. It was to
help them keep the Resistance from guessing which place had an actual
artifact. Being a tactician for the resistance was a pain in the rear.
It often involved a lot of guessing, guts, and horrible
responsibility. Makoto and Michiru were Omega cell's tacticians and
there were often times that their word would send out members to be
killed. If they made a mistake and picked the wrong target, lives were
lost for nothing.
She rubbed the bridge of her nose before continuing to study
the hologram. Better to not think about those uncomfortable things.
She might drive herself mad if she did.
After about another hour of just staring at the computerized
projection, she whimpered softly and it was a very disparaging sound.
She laid her head down on the table and tried to clear her mind.
However it seemed to be a futile effort, for her mind wouldn't allow
her to think of nothing.
No, her lover and closest friend had to show up and taunt her
with teasing images. She groaned, "Haruka I am going to kill you," she
muttered. "This isn't the time to be playing games with me." She knew
that the other woman couldn't hear her, but it felt much better to say
the words out loud. She desperately needed a vacation, one that
involved a warm bed and Haruka.
"These thoughts are not going to help me find the artifact," she
told herself firmly. "Watch the videos."
"You're so cute when you talk to yourself like that," a teasing
voice said. Michiru looked up to see a figure with thin gray-white
hair and green eyes. They were short and rather bony, but moved with
a practiced grace.
"Yaten, tell me you have something good to report?"
Yaten sighed and shook her head. Like Taiki she had been part of
the same gender changing experiment gone wrong. She too was a
hermaphrodite, but she had started out as a woman, and felt more
comfortable being adressed as one.
"I just came to tell you that I got tickets to a concert with
that group that is suddenly so famous. I think that there is a violin
or a cello involved."
Michiru laughed, "You know my weakness," she joked but then
shook her head, "I don't have time to go to a concert, especially now
with all the security."
Yaten shrugged, "Your loss." She sat down in a chair that was a
little further down the table. "Do we have anyone we need to kill
yet?"
Michiru swatted Yaten's arm. "Sheesh, I'll never understand the
fascination you, Haruka and Seiya have with killing." She wrinkled her
nose. "Frankly, I'd just rather sit at home and play some music."
Laughing, Yaten leaned back and put her feet up on the table.
"Relax, Michiru. You aren't the one who does most of the killing. Me
and Seiya are the assassins, remember?" Her green eyes flashed, a
little of the emptiness peeking through.
"No, I might not kill but I sure do get a lot of people killed"
She shut the hologram off with a punch of a button. "God Yaten,
the Alpha Brigade is doing sweeps of all enclaves. Any resistance member
that is caught is going to be sent to Esmeraude, the Enforcer, for
questioning." She wanted to sob but wouldn't allow herself to.
Concerned, Yaten placed an hand on Michiru's arm. "Michiru, look
at me." Slowly, the woman did, her face contorted with pain. Yaten
gave her one of her rare smiles. "Michiru, stop torturing yourself.
What we do, it's necessary for the benefit of mankind. Everyone knows
when they first join, that death is a very big possibility in our line
of work. But they fight with us, side by side, willing to take that
risk. And for what? Freedom, Michiru." Yaten's eyes sparkled. "Can you
imagine? The freedom of choice, to be able to choose what to do, what
to say, who to love!"
Michiru slowly nodded. "Yaten, I know all of this in my head, I
really do. But my heart can't take it anymore. Haruka nearly died
because of something foolish that I did."
"Haruka never blamed you, Michi, you know that."
"I know," she sniffled and wipped her eyes. "I'm just tired.
I know what we're fighting for, really I do, its just hard to keep it
in perspective. I want to give up."
Yaten raised an eyebrow, "Michi, do you want to go back to a
system where they force you to be with a man?" she asked bluntly.
The blue-green-haired woman blinked several times. "Of course
not! I would rather die if I couldn't be with Haruka."
"Then stop complaining and start thinking. You're beating
yourself up for things that you can't control, not yet. We'll get our
freedom, we really will. And you and Haruka will have that family
you've always dreamed about. But we have to fight and be willing to
die for that freedom."
Michiru nodded and then laughed. Yaten looked at her confused
for a moment. "How old are you again?" Michiru teased.
Yaten wrinkled her nose, "Very funny. Just rub it in that you're
three months older than me."
Alpha Laboratory, Alpha One Enclave
"That's it, Rose, one more step," Kalkia coaxed.
Rose bit her lip before retorting, "I wish I had better use of
my legs. It would feel great to kick you right now!"
Laughing, Endymion continued to support the dark-haired doctor
on her physical therapy exercises. The rapid healing had knit things
together for the most part, but there was still residual damage, most
of it mental. It was like the brain forgot how to control the body.
Of all the victims, Rose was the last one to get well, most likely
because her physical systems weren't as advanced.
Taking that final step, Rose sighed with relief. Kalkia really
pushed hard. But then again, she was doing all this for Rose's
benefit. Endymion pulled the wheelchair over and Rose sank gratefully
onto the chair. She hated these things, she thought as a mental link
up attached to her neck. They were a pain in the butt. But at least
she didn't have to do much to move around. Just think about it.
"Think of it as your punishment for scaring me out of my wits"
Kalkia said dryly but she was smiling at the antics her friend was
making. "Although, I must say between you and Zoicite I am laughing a
lot more lately."
"Just rub it in, why don't you," Rose muttered rebelliously.
Kalkia giggled and Endymion just grinned. "So are we finally
going to talk about her?" he asked.
"Talk about who?" Kalkia blinked several times.
"Omega. Are we going to talk about what I'm going to have to do
the next time I come up against her? I mean, she was as distracting as
hell, and I don't want to be distracted if they come after another
artifact."
Rose and Kalkia exchanged a look but didn't say anything right
away. "Actually," Rose said after a moment, "We've been thinking about
it. Kalkia had a solution, but I don't think you'd like it too much."
Endymion blinked and began nervous at the grin on the auburn
haired woman's face. "What was her suggestion?"
"Well, you always could cut it off."
"Cut what--oh." Endymion turned red and shook his head
vigorously. "No. Please don't. Besides, what would be the purpose in
that?"
Kalkia just laughed and didn't say anything. "The other option
is to practice your physical control," she continued more seriously.
"I could project the Urge on you and you could practice fighting and
not being distracted. Jon could help you too," she added as an after
thought.
Endymion shook his head, "Both of us being destracted is not
going to work."
Kalkia looked away, "I know how to project it singly or on a
group. I have a lot of control over it," she said tonelessly.
Hesitating, Rose wheeled her chair to her private computer.
"That's not the only thing. As you learn to get physical control, so
too must you achieve mental and emotional control." She fidgeted,
clearly uncomfortable. "I'm afraid I'd be the only one capable of
helping you on that one." She chewed her lip, a nervous habit.
Frowning, Endymion said, "Isn't there another way, something
less damaging?"
Kalkia looked at him, confused. "What do you mean, damaging?"
Rose and Endymion exchanged a look. "These options that you two
propose..." He hesistated. "They would create a large amount of
emotional anguish for the two of you."
Raising an eyebrow, Kalkia gave Endymion a look. "Emotional
anguish, moi?" She laughed. "I don't think so, Endy."
Rose gripped Endymion's hand, keeping him from saying anything
more. 'Leave her alone. She won't admit to it and you pestering her
isn't going to help.'
He sighed. 'I know and I wasn't going to. It just bothers me to
cause you two pain, even if one of you won't admit it.' He squeezed
her hand in reassurance and didn't refute Kalkia's statement.
"We'll start teaching you later. Right now, we have some
patients to attend to, while you spar with Jonathan," Kalkia said. She
stood next to Rose's chair, handing her some medical charts, and the
pair departed.
Kalkia didn't bother to wait for an answer as she and Rose
strode into Zoicite's office. The doctor was sitting stiffly in his
chair and looking at some inconsequential report. He looked up from it
as they came in and groaned.
"I'm happy to see you too," Kalkia said sweetly.
The brown-haired man glared at her. "Can you go see Jedeite
first? Or Neph? I'm sure that they need to be looked over more then I
do."
Kalkia clucked her tongue to chide him. "Zoicite, you shouldn't
be worried. You haven't got anything that Rose and I haven't seen.
Perhaps you would feel more comfortable in a lab room?" she asked
innocently. Rose coughed, trying not to laugh.
"Zoicite, you always make me get treated. You might as well take
your own advice and let us treat you," Rose smiled warmly, glad to
finally be doing something that was truly good: healing.
Tossing a glare at the both of them, a mutter sounding vaguely
like Antarctica coming from his way, Zoicite got out of his chair and
stood in front of the women, albeit somewhat stiffly. "Ok, get on with
it, you two, so I can get back to my work."
Kalkia chuckled and went over to him. Professionally, she
scanned him with a piece of medical equipement. She frowned slightly.
"You haven't been sleeping," she accused. "Not that I care that you're
losing sleep, but I gave you a sedative to knock you out for days."
Zoicite just gave her a cold look. "Finish your examination
doctor," he said slowly. "I don't have time to mess with this."
Kalkia clenched her jaw, "Rose, do the mental thing."
Zoicite moved as if to strike the redhead, anger plainly written
on his features. Rose stuck out an arm, stopping him.
"Don't try to violate me, Kalkia. I'm a more powerful telepath
then both of you, so don't try to do anything to me."
Raising an eyebrow, Kalkia broadcasted to Rose, 'Gee, think I
got a sore spot with him? Too bad pasty ass here doesn't know that you
and I are hiding a lot more than he can imagine.'
Rose shook her head. 'Kalkia, leave him alone. I sense such raw
pain and hurt from him.' Tilting her head, Rose regarded Zoicite with
her deep violet eyes. Slowly, he turned and looked down at her, his
anger slowly draining away. "Zoi, don't you trust me? You're running
yourself ragged again. You need rest, I can hear the strain you're
placing your heart under."
His ice-green eyes regarded her for a moment. "I'm fine, don't
worry about me."
Kalkia snorted derisively. "Yeah, for a man that hasn't slept in
days, you're fine. Just one inch away from collapse. Do you call that
fine?"
"I didn't ask for your opinion, Kalkia," he snapped.
The red head clenched her jaw and her dark green eyes flashed
angrily. "I did not save your ass to have you die of sleep
deprivation. I don't care why you're avoiding it. Now, I'm going to
give you a sedative and you are going to sleep for at least eight
hours. Ten, if I can manage it."
"Zoicite, we just want you to be healthy," Rose said quietly.
She hadn't let go of his arm. "Kalkia is right. You need sleep. When
she gives you the sedative, I can soothe whatever is bothering you
mentally, so that you can sleep without dreaming."
He looked so tired then, his shoulders sagging. "Rose petal, I
don't know." Instantly, Rose's face fell, saddened. He felt so guilty.
"Don't make that face, you know that I can't stand it. Fine, I'll go
to bed if that will make you two happy." She grinned and he sighed.
"Are you sure you two are doctors and not telemarketers? You two are
as persistent as the latter."
Kalkia raised an eyebrow and went over to a console. She easily
programed the sedative and had his own medical device synthesize it.
She filled the syringe she had been carrying with her and waited
expectantly. "You should have a bed in here, or we're walking to your
room," she said briskly. She easily ignored the tenderness he showed
her best friend and just pretended they were aquaintances.
Zoicite looked surprised at her comment. "I thought that I'd
just inject myself."
Kalkia shook her head firmly, "You'll throw this away the moment
we leave. I know you Zoi, and I'm not a fool."
He snorted but went to the bare wall. A make-shift bed came out
and he sat down. He rolled up his sleeve for her and she gently
injected him. Normally she made sure the three men felt the large and
painful needle but this time, he didn't feel a thing. Either she felt
pity for him, or had gotten lazy.
"There," she said and went to go dispose of the syringe. While
she was occupied, Rose jabbed Zoicite in the ribs, mentally speaking.
'What?' Rose's mental sending was quite forceful, even as she
was occupied with tweaking a few things so that Zoicite could sleep
without dreaming.
'You could be nicer, you know.' She frowned. 'Kalkia was the one
to get us all out of Esmeraude's tender care. None of the soldiers
would have ventured one foot in there to get us out and Esmeraude was
more than happy to keep us in there for longer than was ordered.' She
shuddered. 'You know what she's capable of. Can you honestly say that
Kalkia and Endymion didn't save us?'
He wanted to refute her statements but the thing was, they were
true. It was more than possible that Esmeraude would have kept them
longer. With Jedeite bedridden, there wasn't anyone else powerful
enough to stand up to the Enforcer, no one higher in rank other than
Metallia. And Metallia would not have made sure that the torture
victims were actually freed on time.
'You see?'
He grimaced. 'Fine, Rose petal, I'll be nicer. But only because
I owe her one. She still is repulsive to me.' Kick. 'Ow, okay, okay,
I'll stop thinking uncharitable thoughts.'
"You know, it's rude to have conversations behind other people's
backs, even if they are mental," Kalkia said idly with a sharp look at
the two of them. She went over to Zoicite and did a final reading on
him. "You'll be dropping off in five...four...three...two..."
Zocitie laid down on the make-shift bed and closed his eyes. He
was snoring softly by the time Kalkia smugly said, "One." She turned
to Rose and nodded at the door. "Let's go see how Jedeite is doing.
Maybe he still has some scrapes I can poke at."
At the mechanized chime for admittance, Jedeite grunted his
approval and the door to his chambers opened. He didn't look up from
his exercises as Rose's wheelchair slowly came into view, Kalkia
following right behind. Immediately, Kalkia began to scan Jedeite,
while noticing, since he was shirtless, that most of his wounds had
healed nicely.
"Now I'm disappointed," she mock-pouted as she carefully
appraised the rapidly healing wounds. They now looked like minor
scratches in cross-crossed lashes across his back. With gloved fingers
she touched them gently and scanned for infection. "I thought that
Esmeraude was better at torture than this. Hell, I could have made
them last a lot longer."
"Then why don't you be Enforcer," Jedeite snapped.
Kalkia grinned, "I'm not a sadist. Cruel and an animal, yes, but
not a sadist. Nor am I a masochist. Our wonderful little friend is
both, that's why she's Enforcer and I just get to clean up." She
looked over at Rose and winked.
Rose parked the wheelchair and, with Kalkia's support, got out
of the thing. Letting her friend's arm go, she tried to take a step
unassisted, but promptly collapsed. Luckily, Jedeite was able to catch
her before she ended up on her behind.
"Rosebud, you should not be pushing yourself after what happened
to you," he sighed.
Rose shot him a look. "As if you aren't doing the same thing,
heart-brother."
He looked surprised. "You haven't called me that for a long
time," he said softly. Rose motioned for him towards the couch and
they sat as Kalkia watched, silent.
Hesitating, Rose tried to think of how to place this as best as
she could. "Jed, no matter what Metallia has done to you, I still
think of you as that sweet older boy who used to keep the other people
from making fun of me because I was in a different Level. You are my
heart-brother-"
"Whom you offered yourself in his place, to Esmeraude." His
green eyes were bluer, with a hint of tears.
Kalkia managed to not say anything. She crossed her arms over
her chest and looked away, focusing instead on a nearby painting. She
had to look away from that, because it was a painting that he had been
fond of when they were younger and she had bought for him for a
birthday present. She clenched her jaw and decided that closing her
eyes would be better for everyone involved.
Rose smiled. "I only did what any sister would have done," she
insisted softly.
Jedeite eyes darted over to Kalkia's silent form and then back
to Rose. Wisely he didn't point out that Kalkia would never have
offered herself to Esmeraude for him. He didn't think she would even
do that for Nephlite now. She hated all four of the men, and they
hated her. Despite how it sounded, it was a very comfortable
relationship.
Seeing his glance, Rose sighed. "She still cares, you know. Deep
down, somewhere deep inside, she still cares. After all, she helped me
to heal you all. But you've all hurt her." Kalkia made a noise and
motioned as if to stop the conversation. "Of course, she doesn't
believe me and you don't believe me, but I know what my heart-sister
is hiding." She gave Kalkia a smile. "A heart as soft as my own." She
gazed into Jedeite's eyes, silently urging him to listen. "You owe her
you know? She saved you, Kunzite, Zoicite, Nephlite and me. At the
very least, be nicer to her, Jedeite. If not for yourself as a human
being," he shot her a look but she continued, "then for me, in thanks
for the trade."
Groaning, he mock-glared. "You are blackmailing me, aren't you?"
Giggling, she jabbed him in the ribs. "Yup and it always works,
does it not?"
Interrupting, Kalkia walked up to the couch, her face closed.
Rose could feel Kalkia's hurt, her envy of the fact that their oldest
and dearest friends no longer thought of her as human. But she could
also feel Kalkia's veneer of apathy. Taking out a medical scanner, she
began to access Jedeite's condition. Methodically she went through and
scanned him. "If you aren't careful, then your muscles are going to
knot and we'll have to go through and relax them," she said as if she
was talking to someone she barely knew. Inside she was seething at
Rose for doing this. She didn't want anyone's pity, not even her best
friend's. "Keep up on your exercises and you should be fine." She
pulled away and went to the door.
"Rose, are you coming?" The auburn haired woman kept her back
turned to the two of them and didn't care that the air around her was
so hostile that it was possible to feel it.
'I don't pity you. I feel the emotions you don't allow yourself
to feel.' Rose cut off the link before Kalkia could ask her what she
meant. She rose, trying to walk back to her stupid chair. She hated
being helpless, a burden to others. Jedeite helped to steady her and
before she left, gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.
'I'll try to do as you ask, Rosebud. And you should take your
own advice and get some rest.'
Rose nodded, wheeled her chair to the door, and she and Kalkia
left, to finish their rounds.
Kalkia paused and her hand hovered over the computer pad.
"Please don't say anything to Nephlite," she whispered, her voice was
barely audible. "If you care for me as you say you do, Rose, please
don't say anything." She then pressed the button and went in.
Of the three that they had seen, Nephlite was by far the best
off. However, he was following doctors orders and still in bed. He
didn't look up as they came into his room. "Good. I was hoping you
guys would come and tell me that I could get out of bed now. I'm
getting bored."
Kalkia laughed and went over to the bed side and sat down,
scanning him as she did so. "Knowing that, I might make you stay
there," she teased and reached into her medical kit to get out his
next injection. Several of his wounds had gotten infected. Because
Esmeraude had wanted him to scream, she had used a different set of
not-so-sterile sharp and blunt objects.
Smiling, Rose maneuvered closer to Nephlite's bed. "Darling,
you look marvelous all bandaged up like a mummy." All shared a laugh,
remembering a long lost memory of a school play. Letting Kalkia make
sure that Nephlite was ok, Rose shielded herself from the others and
gently probed Nephlite's mind. She smiled. She didn't have to say
anything to him because Nephlite was already taking to heart what she
had been telling him all along. Rose could feel Nephlite's longing to
make things up to their heart-sister. Gently she withdrew and allowed
things to take their course.
Nephlite groaned, "Just tell me I can get out of bed," he
begged.
Kalkia smiled slightly, "Actually, you should stay there for
another four hours if you want to be completely healthy."
"And if I don't?" he raised an eyebrow.
"Then I'll sedate you," she said with mock sweetness and stood.
He caught her hand by the wrist and she looked back down at him.
"What?"
He opened his mind to her, trying to convey how sorry about all
of this he was, how he regretted hurting her and how much he missed
hearing her laugh, having her hug him or bop him on the head. Her
reaction was immediate. She pulled away, shutting off her mind. She
glared, furious.
She grabbed a nearby syringe and filled it with the sedative.
"You're not feeling right," she said simply and grabbed his arm
harshly. "You need more sleep." Rose moved to stand and stop her but
she stopped. She knew that Kalkia was likely to sedate her as well.
"Kita," Nephlite tried to argue before she jabbed the needle
into him.
"My name is Kalkia," she snapped. "Or Dr. Skye." She plunged
the depressor into his arm and glared at Rose. "You promised me," she
whispered hoarsely, the only indication she was upset. Nephlite's eyes
fluttered and he fell back into the bed.
Rose shook her head. "You felt my mind. I did nothing. That was
of his own volition."
Kalkia almost seemed close to tears. "Liar. He doesn't care,
none of them do." She turned away, not trusting her facial
expressions. Steeling her voice, she continued, "You're powerful
enough to hide whatever you two conversed about from me." Crossing her
arms, she hugged herself, as if cold. "Don't make them care for me,
Rose, please."
Her anguish was a blow to Rose's mind. She hated to see her
friend in pain. If the generals cared for her, Kalkia would hurt and
if they continued to treat her as trash, she would hurt. What could
she do? Dropping her head, Rose let a few tears slip. "Look into your
heart and tell me what you want, Kal. I'll do whatever you decide."
"Nothing. Do nothing. You can't change the past and the future
as already been decided," she sighed and looked at the holographic
window in Nephlite's room. "If wishes were dreams, perhaps, it would
be possible. But they aren't, they never were, and they never will
be." She gather up her equipment in complete silence. "Let's go see
Kunzite. He's the only one I trust to treat me like the animal I am."
Without waiting for an answer or even for Rose to retort her
statement, she left the room. She walked away and didn't wait for her
friend and co-worker to follow her.
Biting off a sob, Rose turned and gently tucked Nephlite in. She
noticed a single tear running from his closed lids. With a small
smile, she whispered, "You hurt for Kalkia too, don't you, my friend?"
Kissing his brow, she gave him another caring look and left to go
catch up to her friend.
When Rose came into Kunzite's quarters, the two were already
arguing quite loudly about his medical treatment. The silver-haired
general looked to be the picture of health, but if Kalkia Skye said
there was something wrong, normally there was.
"I feel fine!" he snapped.
"Well you're not," she said back.
"If there is something wrong with me, I'm sure that you're the
cause of it. Now, leave me alone so I can get some work done!"
"If you don't let me do my job you're going to get sick again. I
really don't feel like trying to save your lily-white ass again!"
Sighing quietly, Rose rubbed her temples, feeling another
headache coming on. Was homicide really that bad? It would surely take
care of her headache at the very least. Letting go of that thought,
she yelled, "QUIET!"
Both Kalkia and Kunzite stopped instantly. They were in each
other's face, nose to nose, so close that it was hard to believe that
they hated each other. They slowly turned and looked at her with
surprise.
"Thank you," Rose said and wheeled herself up to the two of
them. "Now, Kalkia, Kunzite, I'm sure we can do this civilly."
"He started it!" Kalkia insisted.
"She started it!" Kunzite said at the same time.
"Or not." Rose had to close her eyes and count to ten. "Look you
two, can't we compromise? Kalkia, what are you recommending for a
period of rest?"
She thought about it. "With these scans, I want a day of
complete bed rest, no activity at all," Kalkia replied.
"A WHOLE DAY?!"
Wincing, Rose held her head. "Will you please not scream?" She
sighed. "What do you propose, Kunzite?"
He continued to sit there, glaring at the redhead. "A whole day
is not necessary. I feel fine right now."
Grimacing, Rose looked at the two parties. "How about half a day
of bed rest and another half with light activity only?"
"Half a day is still too long," Kunzite muttered and crossed his
arms over his chest. "I feel fine."
"You are not fine," Kalkia insisted and then pulled his shirt
off easily. Along his back several of his wounds had not completely
healed. "If he continues to move they're going to break open again and
scar. I'm not going to settle for less than a day."
Kunzite glared at her, "I'm so touched that you care," he
snapped.
"I don't," she insisted, "I really have no problem with you
dying or being in pain," she jabbed her finger into one of the
scratches to make her point. "However, I do care what Metallia will do
to me if you die."
Why was Rose getting the distinct feeling she was ramming her
head against a brick wall? Before things could escalate to a full
fledged fight, Rose neared the two, gently pushing Kalkia to one side.
"Don't fight you two. I'll do my own damn examination and maybe I can
see something to let you two children agree on."
Huffing, Kalkia walked away and leaned on the wall. "Be my
guest, if you can manage to get the lunkhead to cooperate."
Before Kunzite could jump up and protest, Rose placed a hand on
his bare shoulder, forcing him to sit back down. Shaking her head, she
began to scan, hoping the two wouldn't try to kill each other while
she was still stuck in the middle. Looking up, Rose frowned. "You
need to rest for at least four hours, Kunzite." She finally realized
that they were a little close and she withdrew her hand, nervous.
"Doctor's orders." Making her chair hover backwards as far as it would
go, Rose suppressed a shudder. She could handle this, she had to.
For a moment, Kunzite's green eyes flashed back to his icy blue.
He felt...hurt by Rose's fear. But his darkness instantly ate up his
light and his eyes returned to their cool green. "If that is what you
recommend, doctor, I suppose I can comply."
"I don't believe this," Kalkia muttered. "I still think he
should be in bed all day. But my opinion never matters that much, does
it." She stood and walked out, not even waiting for Rose.
Kunzite sighed heavily and shook his head, "I don't understand
how you can stand to be around her day in and day out. She's a
hellcat."
"Shut up, Kunzite," Rose snapped and turned to leave as well. At
the door, she paused. "You know, she was really watching out for your
well-being, Kunzite. You do need to be in bed for a day, but I know
you and your stubborness. Take the four hours of rest at least and if
you're going to be insistent, contact me and I'll force the rest of
your healing." She was tired, dark circles making her violet eyes look
even more large then they were. "I'll get some energy somehow." She
left, weary.
Omega Headquarters, Alpha One Enclave, Next Morning
"All I'm saying is that we should do something about it," Rei
was sitting on Ami's desk. "You know that this isn't the first time
something like this has happened. We're freedom fighters for the love
of the world! We should be free in everything, even our minds."
"It's not that I don't agree with you, Rei," Ami sighed and
leaned back in her chair. She had taken a computer pen and was playing
with it between her fingers. "It's just that there really is nothing
we can do about this. We haven't been damaged in the least. In fact, I
feel better because of it."
"Ami, it was rape. Mental rape. And they're going to keep doing
it until we do something to show them that we aren't to be fooled
around with." Rei paused, "Besides, it's like one more slap in the
face. They're more enhanced, smarter, and more powerful then we are.
Aren't you sick of Kalkia's and Rose's attitude by now?"
"Rei, I think that you're obsessing on this. It's not Rose's
fault she looks so much like you. You don't know for sure that she's
sleeping with Jedeite."
"It's not that!" Rei insisted vehemently. She jumped off the
desk and began pacing furiously.
Ami quirked an eyebrow. "Really, Rei? I've known you for all my
life. You used to love Jedeite with a passion unsurpassed by your
dedication to the cause. Can you tell me that it has changed?" Ami
sighed. "Jedeite was, no is, your soulmate, Rei. No matter what, that
won't change. Soulmates are bonded to each other, despite death or
betrayal. It is the greatest advantage and weakness of the entire
soulmate system."
Striken, Rei opened her mouth to speak but found herself without
words.
Ami smiled sadly. "Rei, we were all betrayed when they left us.
But you can't just up and decide that these people who used to be our
friends are now evil and corrupt. We found out long ago that they were
forced into Metallia's service through her threats on our lives. They
gave themselves up for us." She paused. "Rose and Kalkia were our
friends too, even if we didn't know them very well. It was Rose
herself who was able to sneak that information to us, about the reason
behind their betrayals. They are heart-sisters to our soulmates." She
rose and patted Rei on the shoulder. "I'm going to go to bed, Rei. Try
to calm down. I'm sure, deep down, that Jedeite still loves you."
Ami left her alone in the office and did indeed go to bed. She
trusted that her friend would see the light and just let it go.
However, Rei couldn't let it go. She stood there in the office,
seething. She swallowed her tears and went to a computer console and
began to hunt for a piece of valuable information. She hacked into
Alpha's mainframe and got what she needed.
"I'm sorry, Ami," she whispered as she turned off the console.
"I just can't sit back and pretend that it's going to end happily ever
after. They have to pay. They have to."
