Begin Lore

The Dark Ones. Whatever twisted morals guide their vicious pursuit for domination we shall never know. The path they take for their wicked goals is a warped and bitter one, and although they live for nothing more than supremacy we cannot help but envy their resilience, their almost one-track goal. It is the one thing they're taught as newborns, and the one thing they grow up learning, pounded into their consciousness by their own people so it is the only thing they will ever know. And that is their ultimate downfall. They are blinded to the world around them, their vision tainted red by their quest for dominance. We only hope the Scarred Warrior will come to terms with itself, and realize it is neither a Dark One nor a Young One, but something entirely different. And help save us all.

End Lore

3 weeks later

"God forsaken Aussie with his sardonic attempts at humour. Pah! He calls it being funny? I call it being an ass."

Her scythes cut neatly through a pirate, severing his lower torso from the rest of his body. Dark green blood splashed across her visor. She made no attempt to clean it.

"I actually take the time and effort to express my feelings and he throws it in my face, like it was some dollar store trinket."

The screaming mass of pirates charging her from every conceivable angle didn't seem all too happy that she was there. Of course, the fact that she had crashed into their happy little frigate party and was systematically killing them all may have had something to do with it.

"Who the hell does he think he is?" she yelled, anger rising slowly by degrees. "I don't laugh at him in my spare time. I don't chuckle at him when he tells me important things. I didn't snicker at his crudely fashioned piece of junk arm, even when that damned voice was urging me to!"

A loud crack announced a pirate's back breaking beneath her feet. The sound, though decidedly grotesque, made her feel somewhat better. Good thing she had taken up that new bounty the Federation had offered her. Creating chaos and bloodshed on board the vessel of the species that ruined her life always made her feel better.

"And no, I'm NOT GOING TO LISTEN TO YOU!" she screamed suddenly at the voice. "I'd much rather rip spines out then listen to what you have to say!"

To emphasize her point she grabbed the nearest pirate and promptly tore him in half, revelling a bit too much in his swift death, before grabbing his spine and using his severed upper half like some sort of gruesome ball and chain. The sound of pirate screams in their death throws was like sick music to her ears. She smiled viciously, for a moment forgetting her anger with Gin, lost in the moment.

"Don't get too ecstatic, Ms. Jenal. Save some of your anger for him…"

She instantly scowled, the happiness having passed.

"Why the hell did I help him anyway? Crazy Aussie with that damnable smile of his can easily take care of himself. Hell, he's even got Samus helping him. Samus. I don't even like him."

"Are you sure…?"

For a moment Tejed suffered another mood swing and was extremely confused, puzzled as to why she was here and what exactly she was doing. Her arm faltered in mid swing, the scythes glinting malevolently in the dull light from the ship. A pirate saw his chance and leaped onto her back, wailing on her helmet with one of his lobster-like claws in an attempt to get it free and kill his foe. Just as quick as it had come the confusion was gone and Tejed was angry again, both at the pirate and Gin.

"You obnoxious piece of vermin!" she screeched, spit hitting the inside of her visor.

Reaching back she grabbed the pirate and swung him to the ground, stoving his armoured chest in with one of her feet. He sputtered once in his guttural voice before dying. By now the massive influx of pirates had died down and the room was more or less empty. They must have had some sense left in their tiny little skulls, she mused. When they realized they couldn't kill their own creation they took the coward's route and high tailed it out of there. Tejed smiled wickedly. Next came her favourite part. Hunting them down.

"How is it even possible for me, me, of all people, to like someone?"

Stalking silently through the darkened halls in search of prey was somehow comforting. It soothed Tejed's rage and made her feel safe and alone, and despite her bulkiness it came naturally. A little too naturally.

"I mean, gah. The moment I laid eyes on him I hated him. Always smiling, always cheerful. What is there in life to be so god damned cheerful about anyhow? It's like he's always looking for the best in people…Pathetic, I say."

Light chittering came from a door to her right and quietly Tejed snuck up to it, claws at the ready. Without warning she burst into the room and decapitated the pirate in one fluid movement before rounding on his comrade with almost feral intent. She grabbed him by the neck and forced him against the wall.

"What did he see in me?" she yelled. The pirate shuddered and clicked something in his language. Snarling she pulled him close and thrust her face into his, switching to Space Pirate so he could understand her.

"Don't understand English, eh? The one thing human you decided to leave in me?"

"…Please don't kill me," the pirate whispered, his rough voice curiously hushed. "I…I don't even know who you are."

Tejed faltered. She had never heard a pirate say anything to her other than the usual 'kill it!' and 'TransFuse blah blah blah'. Hell, she didn't even know the average Space Pirate was capable of anything other than animalistic screams and hatred. His left arm was gone, in its place a mechanical prosthetic a lot like Gin's. Whoever the pirate was he had seen a lot.

"…Say that again?" she clicked back.

"I…I don't know who you are or what you want. I just…Live here."

He sounded forced, as if he were having trouble speaking, that or he was having trouble saying what he was saying.

"...Who are you?"

"...I'm just a Pirate...Who hates what he's done..."

Tejed's hand trembled against his throat. She was unsure what to do. This had never happened before and had caught her completely off guard. The pirate looked, needless to say, terrified. He had closed his eyes and was awaiting the final blow, waiting for his head to roll across the floor just like his friend's had. His breathing was quick and shallow; he was hyperventilating.

"It's one of them," goaded the voice, frustratingly calm as always. "Look at its pathetic attempt to save its own life. It cares about nothing other than itself. Let it free and it will stab you in the back. Tear off its head and be done with the vile creature already…"

"No," she hissed, before letting the pirate go. He looked at her for a few seconds, eyes unreadable, before taking off and disappearing, his half metal face gleaming once before he was gone. Tejed stared at the doorway she had busted through, the jagged steel twisted savagely from her attack, her mind a confusing muddle of thoughts.

"…Why the fuck did I DO THAT?"

She immediately tore off her helmet and threw it to the ground, the steel floor buckling slightly from the impact. Scowling she pulled on her ears, frustrated and confused by what she had done but at the same time strangely happy, as though not killing gave her just as much enjoyment as the actual act.

"I could of at least ripped his arm off…give him two mechanical monstrosities instead of one."

"I told you to kill it. Now it most likely has gone to its superiors, told them where you are. You're in deep shit now, Ms. Jenal…"

"If you're a facet of my personality why do you insist on calling me by my last name?" she snapped irritably. "It makes no sense. Why would I refer to myself as Ms. Jenal?"

The voice didn't respond and Tejed smirked, happy that she had beaten it at its own game. That was the only thing she was happy about, though. There was now a pirate loose in the frigate who knew where she was, but for some reason she didn't care. It made her vaguely angry and annoyed, but she did not feel the need to pursue him. Instead she fetched her helmet and wiped off the tinted visor, catching her reflection in the process.

"Hideous as always," she muttered, thoughts straying inadvertently back to Gin.

"Just admit that you like him. It'll make it all the more painful to kill him, but that much more exhilarating…"

She fumbled with the helmet, almost dropping it, caught off guard by her reflection and its habit of talking to her. As long as it didn't manifest itself in something almost real and try to strangle her, it was all good.

"Are you kidding me? He's annoying! Why would I…"

"You really need to get in touch with who you are, Ms. Jenal. You don't even know your own feelings. I could help you, if you just…"

"NO!" It took a moment for Tejed's rapid heartbeat to slow down. She almost chucked the helmet into a wall but contained herself. "No. You stay…right there. Last time I let you out I almost killed…"

She was silent for a moment, the realization sinking in.

"…Gin."

The effect was instantaneous. Tejed started laughing, overjoyed.

"It makes so much sense! I'm not angry around him! He actually makes me feel human again! Well, somewhat human, but human nonetheless! I don't even have to listen to you when I'm around him! Hah! Take that voice!"

"I'd…rather not…"

"And you want to know why I feel that way around him?"

"…crazy Australian mind control…?"

"I like him!" she yelled. "You hear that, voice? I like him! I haven't felt like this since high school and…What's his name. He didn't even know I existed. Spoiled rich kid…Never saw him again after he graduated exactly one year before me. Probably went off to live with his family in some fifty million credit mansion in the middle of some stupid rich place. But it doesn't matter because I like Gin!"

If there were any pirates nearby they probably would have taken off in terror. And if they stayed they probably would have been scooped up in a big bear hug instead. But to say Tejed was overjoyed was putting it lightly. Her face, usually stuck in some disdainful sneer or blank stare, was stretched into a huge smile. Granted it was terrifying in Tejed but it was still a smile.

"I haven't felt this way for…years! Fuck yes!"

She kicked the wall in joy and started off through the vessel towards her ship, helmet tucked carefully under her arm. She hadn't noticed that the pirate's body, bereft of a head thanks to her scythes, had seemingly vanished, nor did she care. She was simply too happy.

"I'm…Scared…" commented the voice quietly, unused to happiness. Tejed scoffed and looked back at her reflection in the helmet.

"For once, voice, I think I love you."

She kissed her reflection, much to the voice's chagrin, and skipped, yes, skipped, happily towards her ship, only stopping once to crush a dead pirate's head underfoot. Jarvis seemed less than impressed when she clambered back on board, covered in blood and laughing uproariously.

"…What's got you so happy?" he asked.

"No time for questions, Jarvis. Set a course to Earth, Federation HQ. I've got something to tell a certain bounty hunter."

Tejed was ecstatic, thrilled, and above all else insanely happy. Smiling she put her feet up on the main console and leaned back, content, ignoring the voice that, for once, actually had good advice.

"I forgot how ridiculously good it felt to feel happy," she said blissfully, eyes closed.

"I bet. Just don't come crying to me when it all comes crashing down…"


Samus didn't know why she was still here. She had already managed to pry most of the information she needed out of Gin. It was still vastly incomplete and missing in more than once place and she was still scratching her head over that name: Omega Phoenix – 000. Gin wasn't about ready to give up any more hints though, both sober or drugged up. So why was she still here?

The bounty hunter in question winced slightly as he sat up, his ribs still paining him despite the fact they were almost healed. The tattoo on his left shoulder caught Samus' eye again and with a jolt she realized it wasn't a tattoo, but a brand: a scar burned into his flesh, no doubt as a test, and as a symbol. She was here to keep his secrets, no matter how brutal they turned out to be, safe.

"Here, let me help," she said quietly. Gently she took hold of Gin's mechanical arm and helped him stand. His legs almost buckled but he managed to stand. Blushing he looked at the ground.

"Thank you."

Samus smiled warmly at him, but mentally she frowned. He had somehow managed to evade her detection for the better part of his life, which meant he was more than capable of keeping his own secrets. For a moment she felt horribly guilty. Was that why she was still here? So she could steal them herself?

"Do you think you c-could…" Gin stammered, as though talking around Samus had become increasingly hard. He took a deep breath, both to steady his nerves and the dull ache in his ribs.

"Do you think you could help me…To the kitchen…?"

"Of course," she responded quietly, mind preoccupied with other things. She was a bounty hunter, she had every right to get her information out of him, whether he liked it or not, whether she felt wrong about it or not. The job came before personal things…Right?

Putting on her usual stoic face and taking on an air or professionalism, Samus gently put the hunter's arm around her shoulder and proceeded to help him through the ship. It was only when they were a few steps out the door when Gin stumbled again, his face contorting in sudden pain.

"Come on, hunter. You can do it," whispered Samus encouragingly. Gin had slouched forwards and was breathing heavily, his hands leaning on his knees for support. The loose collar of his gown had fallen back slightly, revealing an old scar at the base of his neck, most likely where Hackbot had given him that injection weeks ago.

"What's this?" she suddenly asked.

Gin didn't respond right away, prompting her to look closer. It wasn't just a scar of flesh, it was also a scar of steel, an old metal rimmed hole that no doubt connected straight to his spinal cord. She had seen them a lot in her time with the Federation. They were usually a sign of Federation soldiers, people who had given up their very existence for a life of service. Dogs of war.

"An interface," she whispered. Gin seemed to realize what she was looking at and promptly stood straight again, ignoring the shooting pain in his side.

"Interface?" he said, a little too loudly, an artificial smile on his face. "Don't be silly. Why would I of all people have an interface? And in the back of my neck, no less!" He forced a laugh and gave Samus a sidelong look, not sure if she had fallen for his ruse or not. She just looked at him, face unreadable.

"…What could I even use an interface for?" he joked. Samus' eyes narrowed.

"That's what I'd like to know."

By this time Gin had turned red in the face. He never had been a good liar, that was what his brother was for. While Vince could lie himself out of a full-scale alien invasion if he so wanted to, Gin couldn't lie his way out of a paper bag. He always managed to botch it up in some horrible way, just like he did when he tried to hack into things. He simply could not lie. Or hack for that matter, but that was a different can of worms.

Samus was giving him a look, something that said something along the lines of 'I know you're hiding something so just give it up already'. He sighed. Samus was the only person he looked up to. He respected her for her skills and her determination, and all she had been through. Hell, he was pretty sure she wasn't even with the Federation anymore, considering what he had heard about that BSL incident a few years back. From the propaganda he had seen around the city for a few months, they made it look like she was some sort of monster out to destroy Galactic Peace.

And if she wasn't with the Federation, then it would be safe to just tell her already and get it off his chest. And, despite himself, Gin was beginning to like her, as more than just a hero. But then, if she was back with the Federation after all…

"Whatever happened on the BSL station?" he blurted suddenly. Samus didn't make any indication that she had heard, but the way her eyes shifted ever so slightly caught Gin's attention.

"The Federation was breeding Metroids. I destroyed them. I was denounced a common criminal."

"So…You're not with the Federation then?"

"They'd more than likely capture me on sight for what I did, regardless if it were in the galaxy's interest or not."

Gin relaxed visibly at her words, as though that was all he needed to hear.

"It is an interface," he conceded, albeit a bit reluctantly. "It was for a…An old…Federation built suit of mine, tapped right into my brain, it did. I thought, and it reacted."

He paused and gave Samus a sort of sidelong look, as though afraid she was going to steal his secrets and run off the ship with them. Instead she merely looked at him expectantly and smiled. He smiled back, relieved. Despite himself it felt almost good to finally get it off his chest. Maybe telling someone would finally quell his horrible nightmares.

"I was in a…program, years back," he said slowly, taking his time. "There were five of us, all of us specially picked for EPSiLoN, a team of…" he trailed off, unsure if he should tell her. He was already in too deep, it was now or never.

"…Super soldiers."

Samus made no surprised noise, gave him no shocked look. Instead she looked at him with that same unreadable expression.

"You don't look like a super soldier," she said smoothly.

"I better not," he scowled. "I left them years ago. And I hope that stupid Elite Program is suffering from it, too."

The way he said that with such vehemence towards the Federation made Samus dead sure he wasn't pulling her leg or making stuff up. Once again the thought struck her that he was much more than a simple bounty hunter.

"What's your real name?" she inquired idly. For exactly one second Gin envied Tejed and her imaginary voice, if only for the reason that she could mentally argue with it, and he couldn't. Instead he debated with himself before settling on the answer. Samus was a good person, he could tell her.

"It's Vaughn."

Samus cocked an eyebrow.

"And do you have a last name, Vaughn?"

"It's..." he trailed off before finding his voice again. "It's M-"

"MASTER!"

Hackbot literally came sailing through the hallway and latched himself onto Gin's back, his hands held firmly over the hunter's mouth. Gin whimpered in sudden pain and almost fell, Samus catching him before he hit the ground. Whatever motives Hackbot was working on were no doubt good hearted, he just didn't know how to show them properly. Samus glared at him.

"Come on, get off," she said in an annoyed tone. "You're breaking his…"

There was a loud crack and Gin cried out. Samus winced.

"…Ribs…Again."

As though he somehow sensed his master was in pain, oblivious to his cries of agony, Hackbot abruptly jumped off and stood to attention.

"Damnit, Hackbot!" Gin somehow managed to yell between staggered breaths. "What the bloody hell was that?"

"You told me never to let anyone know your secret!" he said happily. Gin's left eye twitched and he looked for all the world like he had just suffered an aneurysm.

"Why do I even live with you?" He sounded tired and annoyed, but more than anything, exasperated.

"I don't know!" Hackbot twirled on his heel and scampered down the hallway. Samus had watched the whole exchange with an eyebrow cocked. She was beginning to wonder if she had contracted some kind of eyebrow cocking disease, considering the amount of times she had done it on this ship alone.

"Why do you live with him?" she inquired. Gin merely shrugged from his spot in her arms.

"I don't know."

Sighing, she half walked him and half dragged him back to his room and gently laid him down in the bed. She was about to ask him about his name again, but the moment had passed. The man was in pain, severe pain, by the looks of it. It would take significantly less time to heal, there was no doubt about that. Samus just wasn't sure Gin could take all this confinement to a bed anymore.

Wincing suddenly he cried out again.

"Looks like painkillers are in order," remarked Samus dryly, an unprecedented touch of humour somehow colouring her voice.

"No. No painkillers," he mumbled. He had somehow managed to bury his face in his pillow, most likely to hide his pained expression from her. Samus wasn't buying it.

"Even an ex-super soldier like you can be in pain. Take the drugs."

"But I don't like drugs. Took too many of 'em in the Federation."

"They're painkillers, not creepy narcotics. Take them."

"No."

It astounded her. Arguing with Gin was like arguing with a child. Hell, when it came to drugs he was a child. Rolling her eyes she readied a syringe and, taking the Hackbot approach, quickly stuck him in the side of the neck. Gin gave her a sad puppy look before promptly passing out.

Good, silence at last. And more information. Samus smiled and left the room before frowning to herself. If she had just got some incredibly valuable information out of the hunter, then why did she feel so guilty about it?


Tejed couldn't remember a time she had ever been this happy. Even her slowly fading memories of when she was human afforded her no happy memories, and she was pretty sure that over twenty years of normal life had provided her with some happiness. It was almost as though the onset of her new life had wiped all her old memories away. Maybe the pirates had done that to make sure she would do…Whatever for them. And maybe it was just her own diseased mind slowly deteriorating like some long forgotten ruins.

Whatever the case Tejed was happy, and though she simply could not remember a time when she had felt as such, she was still happy. Granted a happy Tejed was in a few ways scarier than an angry Tejed, what with the happy kicking of things and destruction, but at least she was happy and not disdainful…Right?

Carefully she clambered on board Gin's ship, wary not to dent the wall or scratch something. She was feeling happy and thus felt more careful, as though she shouldn't just absently break things out of whatever twisted spite she harboured. She had even decided not to wear her suit on his ship. The thing was bulky and though it felt like a second skin she was cagey about wearing it in the enclosed corridors of his ship. The simple black tank top and cargo shorts she wore would do her just fine.

One of her antennae caught in a vent and momentarily set her back. Briefly she contemplated ripping the vent right out of the floor but restrained herself, as the antenna came free with a simple tug. The voice would have none of this and was having a good time trying to get her to rampage, to set her on the path of destruction again. She ignored it, too happy to listen to its deranged ideas.

"No no no, what are you doing? Smash that wall in or something, cause mayhem…"

"Not on Gin's ship," replied Tejed absently, as she slowly walked into the kitchen on the way to his room. If the voice had a physical face to go along with it, it probably would have twisted in rage. Tejed ignored it; a costly mistake.

"What the fuck is WRONG with you?" it suddenly screamed. Tejed stopped in mid step. "You're an engine of destruction for god's sake! What are you doing falling for this Australian wanna be? I knew he was a bad sign the moment we laid eyes on him. If you don't end it already, I will!"

"How can you do anything?" she asked with a smirk. "You're just an imaginary voice."

"Don't underestimate the power of your insanity, Ms. Jenal…" it said darkly. "I don't have to be physical to hijack this party and twist it to my own will..."

Despite herself Tejed shuddered, unused to such raw emotion from the voice. It bit at the back of her mind like a freezing arctic breeze and regardless of her inherent warmth she felt deadly cold. Shivering she wrapped her long arms around herself but it did nothing to comfort her.

"What's with the sudden hostility?" she asked, her loud voice coming out an unexpected whisper. Something shiny caught her eye on the other side of the room and against better judgement she turned towards it. A pot glinted on the tabletop, her reflection warped on its chrome surface.

"Aw damn, not this," she muttered. Already the room was taking on some darkened state, as though the laws of physics decided that they no longer applied here. Twin points of burning yellow glowered at her from the pot and she took a step back, bumping into a low stool. Time for some reflection games, she mused sullenly.

"You actually like him," the voice spat as it took control of her reflection. "What a weak emotion. How…human, of you…"

It tried to get out of the reflection, to confront Tejed face to face. Dark mist poured out from the pot and covered the floor, prompting her to scurry onto the stool. The mist swirled around the stool's legs and formed gnarled three fingered claws, grabbing for a piece of the hybrid. Still her reflection glowered at her from across the room with its damnable eyes, its ethereal body more than half formed in the cloaking mist.

"Hand over the controls, Ms. Jenal. Let me be the one on charge. You've outdone your usefulness, it's high time you gave it all over to me…"

"God damnit! No!"

In a spurt of terror and rage Tejed bounded across the misty floor and swiped at the pot, knocking it to the ground with a sharp clatter. Instantly the hallucinations dissolved and she snapped back to reality. Still pumped up on adrenaline from the experience her head whipped around the room, eyes scouring every corner, as though the visions would come back without warning. There was nothing. Slowly her breathing evened and her heartbeat slowed.

"Oh god."

Shaking slightly Tejed resisted the urge to cry, to break down and sob in the corner like a dejected child. Instead she mustered whatever happiness she had left, which was, suffice it to say, not a lot, and left the kitchen.

Next came the fun part, she thought. Tell him you like him, and see if he likes you back.


Samus had warned her that the man was pumped up on painkillers again. Last time she had seen him drugged up he had laughed in her face. Preferring not to remember that, Tejed had walked into the room anyway, full of self doubt and nagging voices.

"Hey, Gin," she said shyly. She mentally cursed herself for the softness of her voice as she took a seat beside his bed.

"Hey, Tejed," the hunter responded, his voice curiously slurred.

"I heard Hackbot broke your ribs again?"

Gin nodded slowly, as though he was somewhere else altogether. Tejed looked at him sadly, unsure of her own emotions. She certainly liked him, that much was certain. She felt at ease around him, not angry, and though the voice always wanted to kill him she could easily ignore it when in his presence. That had to account for something, right?

"So, uh…"

Tejed was at a loss for words. Normally her command of the English language never failed her, as evidenced by her almost absurd ability to rant and rave without a break. But here came the Aussie, with his stupid smile and his good nature, and his creepy skill to suddenly smash her ability to form coherent sentences.

Tejed wanted to break his face, and that smile. Break it so he'd never be able to smile again, much less eat or even speak. No, wait. That was the voice planting horrible thoughts in her head. Which, technicalities aside, were her thoughts, buried deep in her subconscious, dug up and thrown at her by the voice.

"I like you," she said suddenly. Gin didn't say anything. He didn't speak, he didn't laugh, and above all else he made absolutely no inclination that he had even heard. Tejed's ears fell slightly, like a dog that had just been punished.

"Psst, Tejed," whispered the hunter, a conspicuous look on his face. His mannerisms caught Tejed off guard, but she supposed it was because he was drugged up.

"…What?" she asked suspiciously. Gin motioned for her to come closer. When she made no movement he beckoned her again, and sighing she obliged, feeling incredibly stupid about it.

"What the hell do you want?"

"A liiittle closer…"

Grumbling quietly Tejed obeyed, only to have Gin grab one of her ears and give it a good yank. She straightened back up, confused.

"Your ears are so biiiig!" he exclaimed, laughing happily. Tejed's left eye twitched and she gently took hold of her ears, pulling them down beside her face.

"…No they're not…" she said softly. Gin continued to laugh, the whole ordeal raucously funny to him.

"They're like two giant radar dishes on the side of your head!"

Tejed blushed, suddenly incredibly self conscious. It didn't help that the voice was also laughing at her.

"You know, he's right! They are huge! Maybe we shouldn't kill him, at least not right away. He has a good sense of humour…"

"Both of you stop," whispered Tejed sadly. The voice stopped but Gin continued to laugh. Tejed felt like a little girl on her first day of school: she wanted to crawl into a hole and forget everything. Unfortunately that wasn't happening any time soon. The voice jumped on her moment of weakness like a prowling cat and sunk its claws in deep, the sound of its voice like a demon's purr.

"See how he laughs at you? As though you were some sort of circus attraction?" the voice wheedled. "He cares about you about as much as a snake cares about its prey, that is: not much. I told you this was a bad idea, just look at him…"

"He's high on painkillers, I can't really blame him."

"It's a farce, Ms. Jenal. He's not really strung up on drugs, he's just playing it up so he can tell you how he really feels without fear of the consequences. He hates you, but doesn't want you to know, so he tells your face under the façade of drugs, like the coward he is…"

"Dislike maybe, but hate…?"

"Hate. Hate is such a strong word. Unfortunately it pertains all to well to this situation. He dislikes you. He pities you. He hates you. And why shouldn't he? Look at yourself, filthy creature that you are. I'm surprised you haven't done yourself in yet. How can you even look at yourself without feeling sick…?"

"He doesn't really think that…Does he?"

"Oh, but everyone thinks that, Ms. Jenal. Oh, look, they think. Here comes that filthy amalgam of pirate and human, that hideous half-breed, that repulsive hybrid. I dare say all those thoughts run through Mr. Aussie's mind here, every single time he sees you. Remember how he was last time? Not happy to see you? When for him you had nothing more than pure intentions…?"

Against her better judgement Tejed was starting to agree with the voice. It sounded so sure of itself, as though it knew some elusive truth that avoided her at every turn. And now that she looked back on it, there was not a single time when Gin had been anything other than annoyed to see her. Even the Hunter, her one and only saviour, seemed less than ecstatic to know she was still alive.

Gin's laughter had died down. He snickered when he saw Tejed, her ears still clutched by the side of her face. It infuriated her. The voice was winning.

"Yes, you understand now," the voice purred. "Human emotions? Love? Weak. It'll only hinder you. Make you more susceptible to the hate and the envy. They're envious of you, Ms. Jenal. They hate you because they envy you; us. Look at that sorry excuse for a hunter. He only hates you because he knows how close a bond we share. All you have to do is embrace what you really are..."

"And what's that?"

"A beast of war."

"…Yes."

The voice had won, and it was ecstatic. Tejed on the other hand was surly and angry again, whatever vestiges of happiness she had clung to discarded like trash. Like some sort of mental parasite, the voice latched onto her negative feelings, growing slowly in power.

"I told you I could hijack this," it hissed. "You're mine now, Ms. Jenal…"

It started laughing, a low, almost evil sound that for a split second made Tejed shiver. Glaring at Gin, who had now fallen asleep, Tejed stood and left the room, determined to suppress her current feelings towards him, be it for the better or the worse.


Samus was oblivious to Tejed's mental struggle, unaware of the dangerous new route her thoughts had taken. When she found the hybrid talking to herself a week later in front of the ship she had taken the opportunity to teach her a few things about her suit. After all, the pirates had used what little they could scrap together of Chozo and Federation technology to make the damn thing, so Samus supposed she could help the hybrid with it. Unfortunately it wasn't panning out as easily as she originally surmised.

"How do you activate your scythes?" she asked smoothly.

"I'unno, I just do," replied the hybrid bluntly. Samus resisted the urge to facepalm.

"I mean, do you access some controls in the gauntlet, in your helmet, what?"

Tejed looked at her blankly, unsure exactly what she was getting at. It never occurred to her to wonder how the suit worked, she just wore the damn thing and killed pirates with it. And it served her pretty darn well. Samus quickly changed tactics.

"Were there any strange sensations when you first put it on?"

"Like what?"

"Like…" Samus trailed off, her grasp of the English language failing her. Briefly she wondered if Gin went through this on a daily basis. Talking to Tejed was near impossible.

"Any weird pain?" she asked suddenly. Tejed cocked her head to the side as she tried to remember, resembling a curious dog as she did so.

"There was a sharp pain in the base of my neck," she revealed. "Suit doesn't come off my back, either. Melded itself to my spine."

Samus smiled, glad that she was finally getting somewhere before standing and walking around to Tejed's back.

"Mind if I…?"

"Mind if you what?"

Tejed was blunt and to the point, Samus gave her that much.

"If I look at your back?"

"Sure, whatever."

Carefully Samus pulled back the back of Tejed's tank top, revealing the bulky line of steel and rivets that had, just as she said, melded to her spine. What really struck Samus, though, was the temperature of Tejed's skin. It was almost hot to the touch, but not quite. It was far above a normal human temperature.

"Why are you so hot?"

"Why what?"

It was hard to resist the temptation to smack her upside the head. It was almost as though Tejed wasn't even here, was in some strange other world where she paid absolutely no attention to what was happening.

"Your skin is hot. Why?"

Tejed shrugged in response and Samus, with a sigh, went back to her inspection. She figured it had something to do with Tejed's phazon infused system. She could have sworn she destroyed it all when she obliterated Phaaze, but it wasn't all that hard to speculate that the pirates, or even the Federation, had a few batches stored away somewhere. And Tejed just had to be the unlucky participant to receive most, if not all, of it. She sighed. Just another piece in a convoluted puzzle she was slowly getting closer to solving.

Ah, there it was. The steel spine ended in a very distinctive steel rimmed hole at the base of Tejed's neck, just like Gin's. Samus shook her head and straightened. Another interface, she mused. What was it with all the interfaces here?

"Your suit interfaces directly with your brain."

Samus sat back down in front of Tejed, eliciting another one of her blank brick stares in the process. It wasn't that Tejed was stupid or anything, her face just refused to register emotion. It was, for all intents and purposes, a brick…Most of the time.

"I'd say that's creepy, but…" The hybrid shrugged and looked at her hands before looking back at the Hunter. "Considering what I am, nothing's really creepy anymore."

"What about me…?"

Tejed shivered.

"Except the voice," she commented. "It's always creepy."

"That voice sounds annoying."

"Annoying…" Tejed chuckled, amused by Samus' choice of words. "That's…Putting it lightly."

"What word would you use to describe it, then?" asked Samus, curious as to her answer.

"Word?" Unconsciously Tejed's lip had pulled into that old sneer. "One word doesn't describe it, I have a whole list. Vindictive. Obnoxious. Spiteful. Bitter. Mean. Conniving…" She trailed off for a moment, thinking.

"Scheming. Manipulative…Controlling…" Her voice took on an almost sad edge as she continued. "Easy to listen to. Too easy to fall for. Almost sweet. Like oil and honey. Always wheedling. Coaxing. Cajoling. Persuading. Winning me over…Influencing…"

"Oh, stop, Ms. Jenal. You're flattering me…"

Tejed didn't say anymore, unexpectedly self-conscious of herself and her blasted insanity. It didn't matter that it was something she had no say in, that was brought on by something she couldn't control. She still felt horribly ashamed that it should happen in the first place, as though the onset of mental sickness had broken what little humanity she had left.

Samus seemed to sense this and laid a comforting hand on the hybrid's too warm arm. The voice snarled at the touch, an action mirrored on Tejed's own face.

"You're actually falling for this mock compassion? What did I tell you about the lies they feed you through a little straw? This one, too. She's just like the Aussie. She's just trying to make you feel better, not because she likes you, but so she can stab you in the back and spit on your corpse…"

Scowling Tejed pulled her arm away, not wanting to fall into whatever carefully laid out trap the voice had convinced her Samus had hidden, though at the same time wishing sorely for her comforting touch again.

"Don't…Touch me," she muttered, unsure of her own actions. Samus gave a very discreet shake of the head and stood.

"At least come back inside," she offered. "I'd be more than happy to help you more with your suit."

Tejed stared at her. Why should she push herself away from the one person who saw the human girl beneath her fearsome visage? From the one person who decided not the let her sit and rot but break her free and give her a new chance at life?

"Because she's just another human, and all they boil down to are envious monsters of hate and greed. Why should this one be any different…?"

But she saved Tejed's life. She couldn't be all bad…Right?

"But she is," maintained the voice. "Seriously, Ms. Jenal, we've been over this. She can't be trusted, Australia Boy can't be trusted; no one can be trusted..."

"I'll take my chances," she muttered before standing as well. Samus looked at her curiously.

"Coming inside, then?"

Tejed looked at her and nodded.

"Yeah, I'm coming inside."

"And I'm coming out..."


"Interfaces directly with my brain, eh?"

Tejed fiddled with her helmet, decked out in her suit again and sitting in a laid back position in the kitchen. Her feet were up on the counter and the chair she was leaning back on sounded about ready to break from her weight. Though her last encounter in this room wasn't as pleasant as she would have liked, the kitchen was one of the only quiet places on Gin's ship where she could just sit and be herself, and she enjoyed that.

The concept though, intrigued her, that her suit more or less listened in on her thoughts, or something along those lines. Earlier she had inspected her suit herself, seeing for the first time the sharp little prongs hidden in the neck, that corresponded perfectly with the interface on her own neck. It explained a lot, now that she thought about it. Unfortunately it didn't explain everything, like how her chainsaw worked.

Frowning she activated her twin laser scythes. They hissed slightly, a sort of low electric noise. Slowly she swung them round, careful not to hit anything with their charged lengths.

"I have scythes…" she muttered. "…But where's the chainsaw?"

The voice had decided to remain silent. For once Tejed wished it were speaking, if only to tell her in its derogatory way how to activate that blasted chainsaw. From what she remembered from her brief sojourns into Berserker it was a very satisfying weapon, one that she sorely wished to use again, without the danger of forgetting everything.

Sighing she retracted the scythes, only to activate them again. Nothing. No chainsaw. She was staring to grow annoyed. What did it take to get something as simple as a chainsaw? What did she have to do to experience that raw visceral power again?

"You could-"

"No," she said quickly. "No. Maybe on a pirate ship, when we're all alone, but not now…"

"Come on," prompted the voice in its infuriatingly persuading tone. "Can't you imagine how good going though it will make you feel?"

"That's not the point…"

"There's no chance of you getting caught, Ms. Jenal, I can see to that. You want to see the chainsaw again, don't you…?"

"Yes, but-"

"-I promise, no one will ever know. All you have to do is…"

It trailed off, leaving the rest to Tejed to figure out. Was that was she had become, she thought sullenly, once again going back to her negative train of thoughts. What kind of decent person actually wants to kill things? Oh wait, that's right, she wasn't a person. Or decent for that matter.

"I thought I was ignoring you."

"You always say that but you never do. I think it's because secretly, you like me…"

Tejed heaved a heavy sigh and diverted her attention to her claws again, not in the mood to converse with that damnable voice right now. Absently she activated the scythes again, only to retract them, the smooth sound of them sliding out of their holster comforting. It reminded her of the damage they could do if she so desired, and that made her happy.

And then she was angry, at both herself and the voice. She was human, she didn't have to relish in pain and torment, that was what the space pirates wanted. Snarling she triggered the scythes again, only to retract and trigger them again with more force, each time coming closer to snapping.

"I'm not their tool," she seethed, the scythes cracking against the air as she triggered them again. "Nobody controls me but ME!"

She more or less yelled the last part, such hatred in her broken voice that the line of pots and pans on the wall trembled. There was a bright flash as she activated her scythes one more time and she was momentarily blinded, sensitive eyes screwing shut at the rude intrusion. When she opened them again it was not a pair of scythes she wielded but a trio of long straight claws.

"…Woah."

This newfound discovery caught her completely off guard. If she didn't know about these new claws, what else didn't she know, that was just waiting to be revealed? Mouth twisting into an almost childish expression of joy she swung them around gently, getting a feel for their long reach. Despite herself she chuckled.

"This is too cool."

"What are you yelling about?"

Startled Tejed quickly looked up to the doorway, almost falling out of the chair in the process. It squeaked loudly in protest but remained in one piece. Samus was watching her from the doorway. How long she had been there was a mystery, but it took Tejed all of a few seconds to feel humiliated in her presence.

"…Nothing," she lied, the claws retracting back into the suit. Samus had a disconcerting habit of making Tejed feel like a little girl again, despite the fact that she was well over seven feet tall and had phazon for blood. Tejed wasn't quite sure if she respected or hated the Hunter for it.

With a peculiar grace that can only come from years upon years of bounty hunting, Samus approached the other side of the counter and sat, propping her head up on her arms, elbows on the counter-top.

"I see you've discovered some new techniques."

"It's…Nothing," sighed Tejed, her steely resolve melting into almost girlish shyness. Absently she activated the claws again, only to come out with her old scythes. She cocked her head to the side. Odd. By all intents and purposes she should have claws, not scythes.

Samus chuckled lightly at her action. For someone as inherently daunting as Tejed the simple act of her cocking her head to the side was almost funny, cute, even. It reminded Samus of a playful kitten…a kitten without the claws and teeth and insanity that Tejed possessed. Alright, so 'cute' and 'kitten' didn't really fit with the hybrid, but funny did, in some weird obscure way.

Tejed on the other hand wanted to put on her helmet so Samus couldn't see her. It made her feel safe and secure. Too bad earlier she had haphazardly tossed the thing across the counter. It now lay glinting on the opposite side of the counter, too far for her to reach without compromising her comfortable, and hazardous, position.

"Have you tried out your cannon yet?"

"My what?"

It wasn't that Tejed had not heard what she had said, it was that she wasn't in the mood for talking right now. Quickly she glanced at her left shoulder, and the huge shoulder cannon that was situated there. Looking back at the Hunter she shook her head.

"Never got around to it," was her blunt reply. And it was true, she never had. She was always too busy being vicious to give the cannon so much as a passing glance.

"Why don't you give it a try right now?" Samus was curious as to just how powerful the cannon was.

"Right now?" questioned the hybrid, in a shocked sort of tone. "We're in the middle of a kitchen."

Samus shrugged.

"What's the worse that can happen?"

Muttering about damaging things Tejed obeyed and activated the cannon much the same way she did with her scythes. The effect was instantaneous. There was a loud boom and a blue shot of energy exploded against the back wall, the kickback momentarily knocking the wind out of Tejed. There was a brief moment of silence, shattered by a loud crack as her chair finally gave in and broke, sending her plummeting to the floor with an almost deafening bang. Samus winced at the loud noise, her hair set into a wispy fray by the heat of the blast.

"Ow," muttered Tejed dejectedly from the floor, taking a moment to regain her lost breath. Her legs stuck up like some absurd robotic chicken and Samus had to cover her mouth to keep herself from laughing at the ridiculous sight. Instead she smiled apologetically as Tejed clambered to her feet again.

"Maybe in the kitchen wasn't such a good idea, eh?"

Glaring Tejed leaned on the far counter instead, flinching slightly as it groaned in protest. With an irritated air she crossed her arms across her chest and took on a bitter mindset.

"Not really, no."

Faint footsteps echoed from down the hall and Tejed's head whipped towards it, her ears swivelling to take in most of the sound. A low growl somehow escaped her throat, like a dog that sensed an intruder. She didn't like it. It only served to remind her how far she was from human.

And who should walk in but one Mr. Phoenix, or whatever name he went by, propped up on a crutch to support his weight but otherwise healed. Tejed instantly sneered at him, the memory of his so called treachery still fresh in her mind.

"Oh, look. The Aussie's arrived," she remarked cruelly. He gave her a sidelong glance before staring at the smoking hole in the wall.

"Wha…?"

"Tejed's shoulder cannon," answered the Hunter. Gin returned his gaze to Tejed and gave her a 'what the hell' look before turning back to Samus.

"…Tejed has a shoulder cannon?"

"Apparently."

Gin couldn't help it. He facepalmed. Tejed chuckled deep in her throat.

"Be careful, Mr. Phoenix," she warned. "Facepalmitis is a serious disease."

He facepalmed again at her ridiculous warning.

"Making shit up now?" he asked in a tired voice.

"Why would I make up something so serious?" she asked back, face blank. "Some of the space pirates on the frigate I was held on had Facepalmitis. Poor souls facepalmed so much in one day the concussive force blew their brains out. I think it had something to do with the sheer level of idiocy they were forced to deal with."

"...Are you sure it wasn't your palm blowing their brains out...?"

Tejed stopped to think for a moment.

"Yes. I'm sure...Waaaiiit..." She trailed off, as though she actually had to think about it before coming up with an answer. "Yes. I'm sure."

Gin's face had twisted in confusion, unsure of she was merely pulling his leg or telling some form of twisted truth. It was hard to tell with Tejed, and her blank face didn't reveal anything, so he wasn't quite sure. Sighing Gin turned his attention back to Samus and began talking quietly with her.

That old sadistic grin had come back to Tejed's brick of a face, and she liked it. If it meant alienating the only other person to befriend her, then, at the voice's request, she was all for it. Then Gin glanced at her and she felt a pang of brutal regret. What was she doing listening to this voice? Who was it to tell her what and what not to do?

"Now, now," whispered the voice. "We can't have that now, can we? I think it's high time that I…"

"No," whispered Tejed harshly. The voice bristled. Samus and Gin were talking quietly, ignoring her for the moment.

"It wasn't a question, Ms. Jenal. It was a statement. The Aussie's already worn out his welcome. He's no more than dead meat to us anyhow…"

Tejed felt the side of her face twitch but ignored it, and the voice. Sighing she watched the two hunters talk, feeling strangely left out. If she wasn't so irate she could easily be over there talking, too. It almost made her angry again, that they could get along so easily but she couldn't. Uncalled a vision of them dying at her claws came to mind and despite herself she enjoyed it, if only for a second.

The voice jumped on her moment of weakness, sinking its mental fangs deep into her consciousness. She stumbled, caught off guard by the sudden attack, a hand going to her head. Her breathing had grown ragged and it was a feat of will to keep the voice from taking over like it had with Ridley. The quietened conversation between the two hunters had stopped.

Another wave hit her and she clenched her hands into fists, leaning heavily on the far counter, her back to both Gin and Samus. The voice seemed more than intent on hijacking her again, and it wasn't letting down on its attack. Her heavy panting sounded like the low breathing of a feral animal and her face contorted in concentration as she tried to stave off the voice's attack. It just laughed at her.

"Tejed?" It was Gin. He sounded worried. "Are you…"

"I'm fine," she snapped, not bothering to turn around. Whatever vestiges of humanity her voice had at one time were gone, in its place low raspy undercurrents of barely suppressed insanity. She was fighting a battle that she was ever so slowly losing and the voice knew it.

"Don't lock away your true nature, Ms. Jenal. You and me are one and the same, two sides to the same coin…"

Tejed didn't respond, prompting it to continue.

"I think it's high time you introduced me to your 'wonderful' friends. If you don't let me out, don't worry. I'll let myself out…"

"No," she whimpered, eyes clenching shut. The failsafe at the back of her mind twitched and she shuddered, close to tears.

"Let me out…"

"No."

"Come on…"

"NO."

"Just open the failsafe…"

"NO."

The voice grabbed at the failsafe and gave it a violent tug, wrenching her head to the side.

"I can't do it on my own…"

"NO! FUCK YOU!"

She lashed out at the line of kitchenware against the wall, sending them crashing to the floor. The voice merely laughed and pulled the last of the failsafe away, her sudden anger exactly what it needed. Her eyes sputtered but failed to catch fire. The voice growled and proceeded to try again.

"GET OUT!" she screamed, both at the voice and the two hunters. They seemed to get the message and took off, leaving her alone with herself. Snarling she grabbed the nearest object she could, a heavy cast iron frying pan, and proceeded to bash herself in the head with it in an attempt to drive out the voice.

"GET OUT, GET OUT, GET OUT!"

The pan clanged hollowly against her head in time to her almost hysterical screams, deforming more and more from each powerful blow. About the only thing her frantic actions managed to achieve was both a bruised skull and what used to be a pan. Amused by her reactions the voice struck again, this time managing to take hold.

Tejed gasped in sudden shock as the voice took over and dropped the pan, hands going to her head again.

"Why does this always happen?" she sobbed, eyes catching fire again, this time accelerating into a steady burn.

"Because it's who you are," answered the voice with a chilling laugh. "Why bury who you are so deep? Why go through all the trouble of denying your true nature when you can just accept it and be happy…?"

"Because who I am doesn't make me happy!"

"Oh, it makes you happier than you'll ever know, Ms. Jenal. If only you would just take the time to listen to yourself…"

Screaming bloody murder the hybrid triggered her scythes in preparation to wail on the wall, only to find herself with exactly one chainsaw. She should have been ecstatic. After all, it was what she wanted all this time, right? A chainsaw to kill things with? It only managed to anger her further. Snarling she attacked the wall, the chainsaw's sharp teeth shrieking as it cut through the thick steel like butter. Sparks flew everywhere.

"Yes," cooed the voice. "Good hybrid. Now if only we could direct that beautiful anger at a particular Aussie…"

Vision tainted a sickly red Tejed continued her violent attack on the wall, driven into a murderous frenzy by the cajoling of the voice yet still with just enough sense to keep herself confined to the kitchen. The last thing she wanted was to wrest control back, only to find both Samus and Gin dead somewhere, claw marks covering their bodies.

"I won't give you the pleasure of killing them!"

For a moment the chainsaw stuck in the wall. It whined and screeched as she tried to pull it free, filling the air with thick black smoke. An aggressive jerk pulled it free and she turned on the rest of the kitchen in an attempt to dissipate her anger, sate her slowly growing bloodlust.

"You won't give yourself the pleasure of killing them, you poor naïve thing you…"

The voice sounded almost sad, as if it knew something Tejed didn't. She did not care. As she wrought devastation upon the small kitchen the only thing she cared about was driving away her inhuman amount of anger, hatred, and rage. And at this rate she was beginning to think that would never happen.

A swift downward slash of the chainsaw rendered the main counter in two pieces. Growling she stepped on the bent pan, hard mechanical feet flattening it, and swung the chainsaw around again, hoping this time to leave a nice jagged rift in the cabinets. A light tapping of quick feet caught her ears but she ignored it, intent on her destruction.

Without warning something cold and hard pressed into her temple, stopping her in mid swing.

"Calm down, Tejed," hissed a smooth voice. "Or so help me I'll have to put you down, and that's the last thing I want to do."

Snarling Tejed revved the chainsaw, its hungry sounding roar filling the devastated room. Samus' laser pistol just pushed harder into her head. Out of the corner of her diseased vision she caught Gin, staring at her with fear, and her anger abated, only to come back with more force.

"Help me," she whispered harshly. Samus made no indication of moving, the pistol still aimed at the hybrid's brain. The side of Tejed's face twitched again and suddenly she swung around with the chainsaw, flinging the Hunter away from her. She hit the back wall with a sickening crunch and shakily found her feet, the pistol pointed at Tejed's face.

"DO IT!"

Samus faltered, momentarily confused. Despite herself she liked Tejed. The hybrid had a lot of resilience and Samus admired that. Killing her was the last thing she wanted to do but if she had to, then so be it.

Tejed on the other hand was trying to restrain herself, her whole body shuddering from the strain. Her muscles spasmed, yearning to be free and wreak their distinct brand of havoc, and the taste of rusted steel in her mouth was almost overpowering. It was almost as if she had been sucking on a mouthful of pennies, or something to that extent. Scowling the fire of her eyes flared, stoked up by her anger and rage.

"Just fucking DO IT ALREADY! BEFORE I KILL YOU BOTH!"

Without hesitation Samus fired. The hybrid's head jerked back and she stumbled backwards, seemingly unharmed by the pistol's discharge. When she looked back at the Hunter there was a smoking hole in her forehead leaking green blood. Slowly her eyes faded until they went out, the screaming voice inside her head weakening until it stopped entirely.

Tejed was in control again. Without her insanity driving her actions she fell to her knees and began to cry.

"Please help me, Samus. I need help…"

"Yes. Yes you do."

Samus holstered her laser pistol and without another word approached Gin. Glancing back once they left. The only thing Tejed could do was follow, a claw held shakily to her oozing wound. And never before had she felt so utterly ashamed.


"Progress report." The voice was distinctly southern and with a noticeable drawl.

"TransFuse has…Escaped."

"…pardon?"

"…TransFuse is…Gone."

Silence.

"We finally manage to get a hold of y'all after god knows how many months and you tell me that it's gone?"

No response. Jim Shaw massaged his temples, unable to believe that TransFuse was actually gone, and only after more than a year of making it perfect. Sighing he looked back up at the viewscreen.

"How did it escape?"

The shadowed alien on the viewscreen didn't respond right away. It seemed hesitant.

"Commander…?"

"It was the Hunter," it hissed. Jim had to cover his mouth to keep from laughing. Oh, the irony. The alien seemed to notice and hissed at him.

"Whatever is so funny, Mr. Shaw?" it asked spitefully.

"The irony escapes you, doesn't it?" he replied smugly. "We go through all this trouble to create Samus' destroyer, and she waltzes along and sets it free." He chuckled again. "Oh fate, you cruel, cruel bitch."

"We sent OMMR after it, but it failed."

Jim cocked an eyebrow at the surprising news.

"OMMR failed? TransFuse must be stronger than expected…"

"And there's more…"

"More?"

"It has sided with the Hunter. And they're both on Earth."

Jim scowled and paced in front of the viewscreen, the alien's glowing, pupiless eyes following his every movement. It couldn't be here, on Earth, could it? He would have known if a seven foot tall space pirate monstrosity was gallivanting around on his planet. He would have seen, somebody would have told him. Jim Shaw hated being left in the dark.

"There hasn't been any records of it here," he said quietly, the pacing having stopped. "There was an unexplained explosion downtown a few weeks ago, but I was told it was just a gas leak…"

The alien didn't say anything and Jim sat down at his desk. There was something going on, his own subordinates were lying to him. Something that big could not have been a simple gas explosion. But those were musings for another time. Sighing he reached into his desk and pulled out a bottle of the best alcohol his gratuitous amount of credits could buy.

"And how are the two workers we sent you faring?" he inquired, the bottle already at his lips. The alien grinned sadistically.

"They are fine workers. We only give them the best treatment."

Jim nodded absently, the booze already taking effect. Potent stuff, he thought. Vaguely he riffled through some papers on his desk.

"And the Alpha?"

"A few more months, at the least. OMMR's failure has set us back significantly."

"Good," chuckled Jim. "You guys could use more work anyhow."

The alien sneered at him. It was plain by the way his eyes sparked that he hatred every moment talking to Jim. Jim was too inebriated to notice.

"Will there be anymore, Mr. Shaw?"

"Huh? No, that's good."

The alien bowed in a sickeningly deceitful sort of way and terminated the connection. Jim put down the bottle and slumped down into his chair, mind a turmoil of thoughts. There was simply too much crap going on for him to keep track of anymore. There was the Elite Program he had to take care of, bounty hunters to pay, criminals to lock up, and now he had exactly one insane experiment running around his city. Good thing he still had his sanity. Any normal person would have gone crazy from the amount of work he had to see to.

Sighing heavily he picked up the bottle again and took a big chug. The fiery liquid burned as it went down his throat, leaving a bitter aftertaste in his mouth, like bile. Quickly though its other effects took hold and he found himself pleasantly tired and light, as though nothing could bother him.

"Stupid pirates," he muttered absently as he took another swig. "Can't even keep their own experiments in check."

"Filthy human," seethed the commander, the viewscreen having gone black. If there was anything he hated more it was talking to that filthy pink skinned mammal. It always made him shudder.

"Zotch'Ti!" he yelled.

On command the leader of Science Team scampered over, his scraggled antennae dragging forlornly behind him.

"Yes, commander?" he asked meekly, avoiding his superior's eyes.

"How is Alpha coming along?"

Quickly the pirate scanned a set of reports, his half metal face gleaming dully in the light of the ship.

"More or less done, commander," he responded quietly. "Just a few more tweaks. At most it'll take us a week to get it up and running."

"Very good."

Zotch'Ti lowered the reports and opened his mouth before closing it again, unsure if he should speak or not. No, not now. Not ever. Zotch'Ti decided not to say anything. The commander didn't notice.

"Filthy creature," he spat, recalling Jim Shaw on the viewscreen. "It should consider itself lucky to converse with one of the great Zebesian race."

The leader of Science Team took his chance and ran, not wanting to be near the commander when he was angry.

"Like hell if I tell it the truth," ranted the commander. He smiled sadistically. "Just wait until Alpha is ready, my dear human friend. When I get TransFuse back and finish its programming, both I and the great Zebesian race will be unstoppable."