NOTE: I do not own SMAC/X and/or its characters. Beta by Dandy-in-the-Aspic. I am really sorry for this years lack of updates. I have been doing a lot of drawing for this (as well as swamped with TAFE) so thank you all for reading this far. Lets hope I can finish this!

Tedious

Deirdre hadn't been heard from for days.

Zakharov had only managed to get a few unofficial words from Lucy, who was just as out of the loop as he was.

"All she has said is that she is busy organising for the wake."

"Is she talking to anyone?"

"Officially, its business as usual, she's working the faction, but she hasn't been seeing leaving her office in a week or more. I don't even know if she's left to shower."

She's left to shower, he thought.

"Only Planet brandy goes in and out those doors, so Eline tells me."

"The new office girl?"

"Yes, sir. I would like to know where Kathleen disappeared to after the bombings."

"I heard it was under investigation."

"My sources tell me it still is, even with the dead ends. I don't know what is going on, but the sooner the better; she has to have something to do with it. I am assuming you're going to the funeral."

"I thought it was officially classed as a 'day of mourning'?"

"It's a fucking mass funeral sir, you can't sugar coat that shit."

"I will be there nonetheless."

"I hate to say it, but it will be good to see you," Lucy informed, "And if she says it or not, she would be very happy to have you there."

"Excuse me, Capitan?"

"Don't get formal sir, we all know what's going on. And by 'we', I mean me and her closest people. Your 'secret' is safe with us."

"What secret?"

"Righhht sir…"

Zakharov thanked her and ended communications. For the first time in many decades he found himself personally working with his scientists and engineers on manual work. Far less tedious then the governmental work he had been subjected to since planet fall.

The quantum reactors had been working on for the most part, but the overheating of weapons and extra add-ons, such as new drop-pod systems and air targeting systems, as well as the unstable nature of the reactors current state was causing more problems.

Working one on one with the design and production teams behind the new reactor was moving things on a lot smoother and quicker over the last few weeks. Improvement rate of 250% meant that reactor would be released within weeks.

He was given a view over of the new Quantum Shard Tanks, having a look and the underside of the hovertank, where apparently the problems were rooted. He was trying to get a 'better l `ook' at the situation, no matter how much he pushed, the heads would not budge until he saw it for himself.

The numbers don't lie, he thought, I bet they didn't even do it correctly. Such a sorry excuse of a team, Lucas will have to take over the project at this rate.

Zakharov checked the smaller parts of the hoverpods and the engine. He didn't create engineering drones just so he would have to manually look over a piece of war machine. The back-up engine, located further back, was blown out, while the original 4 engines were completely shattered.

"Non-newton liquid power is the better option."

"Academician, comm call."

Zakharov reached to the personal caring the commlink from underneath the tank itself. He really should have taken his own.

A large part of the tank collapsed, pinning him under it. He left himself being pushed into the hard concrete floor, breaking his nose and causing a few teeth to be taken out. He tried moving his arm, trying to get free. He heard muffled, worried yelling coming from all directions. He was surprised at how little he felt, then he realised that it was more than likely shock.

Good old shock.

The engineers got the bots out to lift the hulking, basic, 2 tone piece of machinery, rather than cut the machine apart.

He began to bark orders to ensure the equipment was kept intact. He felt darkness come over him. He tried to fight it.

It seemed in the confusion the tank hard slipped more awkwardly and began to crush his pinned arm and part of his chest. He couldn't tell what else had been crushed.

He saw Lucas getting unusually close, and then closing his eye for what seemed a brief second; he heard sounds of cutting and melting metal. He wanted to them to stop, but the words couldn't leave his mouth. He opened his eyes to masked beings.

Medics, he thought, only logical reasoning.

His eyes closed again, he could hear a sweet voice talking to him. He couldn't make out the words. He found himself suddenly in a tunnel, lights streaming past him. Faster and faster he went through the tunnel, a bright light suddenly consuming him.

Then nothing.

He felt heavy waking up, his limbs felt like ten tone wrecking balls. He lifted his arm to rub his face, only not to feel his hand on his face.

He began to open his eyes, finding a blinding light coming at him. He saw the blue sky.

Am I dreaming? Am I back? He wonder if he was back on Earth, away from it all.

"No it can't be," he muttered, his voice horse, his chest tight.

"He is awake."

"Academician? Are you conscious sir?" Lucas squeaky voice rang unevenly through his head. Zakharov tried to speak, but he couldn't hear his own words from his mouth, only a drowning mumble.

"You were caught under the hovertank sir, they managed to save the right side of your body. Nano bots are repairing most it as we speak."

We aren't speaking, you're speaking to me in that god awful voice of yours, Zakharov thought to himself, groggy and pissy.

Most?

"They arm was completely lost, they are fitting you with a bio-mechanical one instead."

Zakharov peered over to see the open ending of what was once his elbow joint. Small metal tubes and wires held what was left intact, nanobots where fighting off infection in the small area as well as repair organs that where hit. His 'arm', or more of a lump of half dead meat hanging from his shoulder, was sedated and strapped down as medic's and bioengineers worked on the new arm, across the other side of the room.

Zakharov shook his head.

"Academician, I need to go. I will be back later."

Zakharov went back to the darkness.

v v v

It had been a few hours since Zakharov woke last. His head felt like it had been attacked by mindworms after a few rounds of 300 year old vodka.

At least he could know think more coherently then last he awoke.

Lucas waited quietly on the other side of the room aimlessly staring out the window.

The room was sterile, though it didn't smell like death, like last time he was in one. Not like they used to on Earth.

"Lucas, explain," he barked, "What happened to the tank?"

"Nothing was damaged, besides the hoverpod and the engine fall on your arm and chest, dragging down a large portion of the tank with it. This in turn caused the-"

"Did they make the adjustments I ordered?" Zakharov cut through.

"Yes sir, its working much more efficiently, they expect to have them available for mass production in the next fortnight. Nothing major was damaged on the tank, besides your arm and a left aircushion. Other than that, mostly superficial scratches." Lucas explained.

"Hmf," he scoffed. He didn't do it to annoy people; he did it because he was right and most of the engineers were incompetent. He lifted himself to a better position, noticing the bare metallic arm staring at him.

"They said they need a few days before they can graft the new skin."

"It's just aesthetics." He replied as he poked and prodded the arm, opening up to the inside.

"It can be adjusted-"

"I will figure it out Lucas, just get me discharged and back to work."

"Yes, Academician.""