Chapter 7 is now all edited. Almost done with all the current Chapters. Then I can start posting up new Chapters again. YAY!


Dahl Ship – Docking Bay

Ryker slowly walked out of the shuttle, furtively glancing about the shuttlebay. The tension in the air was palpable as a detachment of men came in from the far side of the hangar and began to surround the small vessel, weapons trained on the hatch. A slender young woman stood among them, her uniform the pinnacle of ordered perfection as she looked the young man over with a raised brow. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a severe bun, not a single hair out of place.

"May I ask why a child is flying a stolen shuttle?"

"Pardon, Ma'am...but it's r-rude to ask wi-without introduction," Ryker responded nervously as he lightly wrung his hands. The woman glanced subtly to the side, prompting two men to break away from the formation and move into the shuttle's interior. A wide grin crept across her lips at Ryker's flustered expression as she stated, "1st Lieutenant Alexaydra Naulost. I have no desire to harm a boy, so please answer the question." The confidence in her voice was like a hammer, and Ryker could feel his resolve weakening.

Before he could speak, the sound of a scuffle from inside the shuttle distracted him. Ace suddenly appeared in the doorway, going airborne before hitting the deck with a hollow thunk and skidding forward. Tyler came out next, though his tumble was much more eloquent and controlled. Logan staggered out third, followed by Sai, who had her arms pinned to her sides by the two soldiers.

As several more soldiers broke off from the formation to seize the three unescorted prisoners, Tyler looked up into Alexaydra's eyes, his mouth dropping open in surprise. She matched his expression, her formerly imposing manner giving way to confusion.

"Tyler?" she blurted. The tall man was silent for several moments before he looked away. Alexaydra looked briefly hurt before a cold anger washed over her face. "Take them to the brig – except the girl. She is to be escorted to my quarters."

One of the guards – probably the ranking man of the detail, Ryker thought – looked over at the Lieutenant as he clung tightly to Sai's arm. "Ma'am?" The other guard holding Sai looked uncertainly at Alexaydra as well, prompting her to stiffen.

"Do NOT question my orders. Now, MOVE IT," Alexaydra snapped. The soldiers looked visibly shaken as they began to carry out her orders, the three men being secured and hauled to their feet while Sai was taken away.

Tyler was quiet as he was marched along, eyes boring into Alexaydra. She returned the cold stare without a word until the giant moved past. Ace whined as he stumbled along, "Why's he always gettin' the hotties? Hey lady, take ME to yer quarters too, eh? Howsabout a li'l fun?"

The guards alongside the loudmouth mercenary glanced at each other before nodding, rearing back and slamming the butts of their rifles into the back of Ace's skull, knocking him out cold and sending him crashing once more to the floor. Logan just let out a grumbling sigh as he watched the scene play out, muttering under his breath to his own escort, "Please, for heaven's sake, don't think all of us act like that idiot." The guard simply stared at the bandit and nudged him lightly with the barrel of his rifle, giving Logan all the incentive he needed to shut up and keep moving.

"Ma'am," a guard called out, peeking out from inside the shuttle. "We've found something else."

Logan turned as he neared the door, Tyler slowing to a stop at the doorway and craning his neck to look over his shoulder. Another guard stepped out of the little craft, holding Chirp loosely in his arms. "It seems they were transporting a dead body, Ma'am."

"Ugh, this is despicable," the Lieutenant responded as she stepped towards the guard. She looked down at Chirp, her features softening as she reached out to touch Chirp's limply-hanging arm.

"NO! LEAVE HER ALONE! GOD DAMNIT, THAT'S MY DAUGHTER!"

Alexaydra's hand jerked back as everyone stared at Logan, who had gone red in the face as the guard restrained him. She raised an eyebrow as she glanced back to Chirp, before giving a little laugh. "Daughter? Don't be silly. You're hardly more than a boy." With a single wave of her slender fingers, the guards quickly pushed Logan and Tyler on, the bandit screaming and fighting all the way. As the access doors leading out of the hangar began to close, the two men could faintly hear Alexaydra order, "Take her body to Zofeya. She's a – collector of sorts."

"Y-Yes, Ma'am," the guard carrying Chirp reluctantly responded. Just before the hatch closed completely, a final, defiant cry from Logan rose up, echoing throughout the hangarbay and causing the Lieutenant to shudder slightly. She reached up and brushed a few strands of hair from out of the unconscious girl's face, quietly whispering, "Please, don't think of me as evil."

Alexaydra's Quarters

Sai sat in a chair in the middle of the room, wrists bound to the seat behind her back. As she waited for Alexaydra, she took the chance to survey her surroundings, her one good eye roaming over several items as if she was searching for something in particular. The room was simple and rather spartan in appearance, with cream colored curtains draped along a viewport that looked out on the chaotic cluster of storms below. The bed was neatly made, a single jade green blanket resting on top of a nondescript white sheet, with a plain pillow resting at the head. There were more storage areas than anything else around the room, some hanging partly open to reveal hanging uniforms within, or freshly pressed skirts, pants, and blouses. A single bamboo plant sat next to the window along with a small music box.

As Sai finished scoping out the room, she settled back into the chair and sighed, only to open her eye again as the door slid open and revealed Alexaydra. She stepped inside the room and palmed the panel next to the door, giving Sai a stern frown as the door hissed shut behind her.

"What the HELL is wrong with you!?" Alexaydra started as she stormed towards the bound woman, her formerly calm exterior melting away. "Are you CRAZY!?"

"No..." Sai responded with a slump of her shoulders, relieved that the other woman's stiff demeanor had faded. Alex's gaze bore into the top of Sai's head.

"Do you have any idea how worried Mom is? My God! She's hardly had a decent night's sleep since you disappeared FIVE YEARS AGO!"

"Five?" Sai muttered as she started to wiggle trying to escape the binds. Alexaydra rolled her eyes and snorted as she walked behind her sister and began to roughly tug at the restraints.

"And Dad...He nearly had a stroke when he saw the bounty on you! Do you have ANY IDEA how much trouble you're in!?" Alex asked sharply.

"With Mom and Dad or—"

"Both." Alex stood up as Sai's bindings fell to the floor, folding her arms across her chest. "You have a massive bounty on your head. No doubt the Captain'll take advantage of it."

Sai stood up and stretched a bit, massaging the feeling back into her wrists. "Ah, that," she stated with a light shrug, smiling unconcernedly. Her sister responded with a wary glare, one boot tapping relentlessly against the deck.

"Don't give me that look, Sai. You're in pretty deep, especially with that dead body on board."

Sai's smile dropped instantly, her facing going pale as she stared at Alexaydra. "What?"

"You did know you were carrying a corpse, right? Girl, about 13-ish? Not sure how you preserved her so well...I hope you weren't intending to sell her on the black market."

As Alex spoke, Sai began to shaker her head quickly from side to side before she lunged forward and gripped her sister's arms. "She's not dead!"

Alexaydra's expression morphed from stern, to confused, to horrified. "Repeat that?"

"She ISN'T dead. Dear God, Alex, what did you do with her!?"

"She was sent to –..."

"Oh no..."

"Zofeya," the two women whispered in sync.

Zofeya's Garden

The guard carried Chirp's limp form through a plain corridor, little more than white walls. Past the dull vestibule, the surroundings abruptly turned into a lush garden, thick with color and life that seemed to grow and consume the surroundings. High above were window panels ringed with UV lights, which were currently dimmed to simulate evening hours. Long pathways of white stone snaked through the foliage, the intricate designs carved into the pale surface complimented by the rich greens and splendid multicolored flowers that were sprinkled about the greenhouse. The quiet rush of small waterfalls filled the air, along with the gentle babble of streams that trickled beneath wooden bridges.

A single bench sat in the center of the garden, with a red umbrella and a single copper lantern hooked to the top of the seat back. As the guard drew near, the umbrella shifted as a single woman rose up from beneath it. Her hair was long and a deep, rich dark brown, with golden ornaments laced throughout. Her features were pale and ethereal, accented by her painted cheeks. As she turned, layers of gold and purple swirled delicately about her small frame. Her lips lacked a smile, but her eerie golden-green eyes seemed to illuminate with a smile of their own accord.

"Set her here," the woman commanded. Her voice was cold and clipped, harshly at odd with the vibrant life that surrounded her. The guard did not hesitate, dropping down to one knee and spreading Chirp out at Zofeya's bare feet before rising back up and pulling away. She dismissed him with a wave of a slender hand, and he quickly hurried out, not wanting to know just what the Geisha had in store for the young girl's body.

Soon she was joined by another, whom crept from the side of the garden with a pipe hung from his lips. His gnarled fingers teased at his long, gray goatee, twisting around the small beads that had been braided in here and there.

"Hmm...I remember this one," the man murmured to Zofeya with a slow nod of his head. "She was there. Do you remember?" As he exhaled, he bumped the ridge of his glasses with his thumb knuckle to push them more securely against the bridge of his nose. The Geisha gave not the slightest expression as she studied the limp girl, kneeling down at her side and tracing her fingers along the young girl's cheek.

"I remember," she responded. "Do you believe her truly dead, Master Gin?"

"Her? No, no. I sense too much life still in her. But her soul, there is little doubt it is in great pain. Ah," Gin lifted his hand to the air, with one finger extended as if to make a point. "I know just the thing."

He turned with a slight wobble to his step and slowly made his way to a small tray that sat just outside the center of the garden. Arranged on it were various bottles, a mortar and pestle, a dish of clear water and a small bulb syringe. He picked up two bottles and poured a tiny amount of each into the mortar, then plucked a single pedal from a nearby flower to add to the mix. The aroma was sweet, but quickly turned bitter and overwhelming as the old master began to grind away. The Geisha's normally expressionless features contorted at the scent, forcing her to bring the edge of her sleeve up to press against her nose in an attempt to find relief. Gin ground the mix until it became a fine paste, then waddled his way back over to the two women.

"Now then," he stated, settling down on the ground opposite of Zofeya. The wizened old man dipped his thumb into the mixture and began to spread the reddish paste across Chirp's body. He swept a thick line across her forehead, then dabbed her chin, wrists, and ankles before spreading the remainder over her heart. Gin begun to chant under his breath as he took his pipe and tapped the embers against the paste, setting it alight for a few moments before blowing the flames out. The smoke that rose up carried with it a much different smell, one that was quite intoxicating as it mingled with the natural perfumes of the flowers. As the Geisha watched, Gin continued to chant, only pausing every so often to take a drag from the pipe and billow smoke out of the corners of his mouth. At last, he fell silent and braced his arms against his thighs, eyes focused intently on Chirp's face. Zofeya sat as well, her hands folded elegantly on her lap as silence settled once more in the garden.