Prologue
"Arise."
Her eyes opened, greeted by a masked face staring straight down at her. The LCD that illuminated this being was the sole source of light. Crimson eyes burned through the sockets, piercing straight through her soul. They saw everything her heart could hold.
In the Galactic Terran Empire, no one had secrets.
"Arise," repeated the masked man behind the screen. Even an image, formed by thousands upon thousands of pixels could inspire respect, even fear. The colors across the light spectrum danced around.
But such was the nature of the Emperor. He was made of billions of parts.
His loyal citizens, the military that served him without question, the vast expanse of the Empire itself; it all added to the grand majesty of the man at the core.
For twenty years, four months, and sixteen days, Ovosh rose from her bed in response. As always, her muscles were slow to respond. Considerable effort was required to move them from their place of rest. Such a task had been made more difficult due to the modest comfort the bed provided. However, the instincts of the body could be overcome with routines and repetition.
The girl wiped some gunk that'd gotten beneath her eye and walked carefully to the sink in her room. She held her hand over a sensor upon the dull-grey appliance, and activated the water. Splashing some on her face, she inspected the results in the mirror above as the faucet immediately shut off. As brown eyes scrutinized the reflection, something unexpected caught her attention.
Staring back at her now was a monster, a demon of some sort. Time and space were subject to its power. The creature's face was twisted in a sickening, unrecognizable way. A spiky mess of golden hair adorned it's head, waving just as violently as the aura around it. The most distinguishing, and disturbing feature on this beast's mug, however, was that in a way, it resembled Ovosh herself.
It was only for a moment that she observed this specter. A double take followed, as she investigated her reflection again, confirming it a bizarre mirage.
She went ahead to finish her morning tasks, calming down her hair to be presentable for morning announcements, and putting on the necessary uniform to perform her role within the Legion. As she used the last of the water for neatening her brown, shoulder-length hair, a prompt illuminated the mirror. She had 10 gallons remaining for this month.
As she exited her room, others were doing the same. Every citizen appeared to line up with one another, step for step, a line of grey that ventured listlessly forward, a ending nowhere in sight.
In single-file, all headed towards the elevators, each armed with an expression that read blank. Ovosh's mind was currently mulling over her duties as a power plant worker. From the first clock-strike to the last, everything was organized for her.
If only destiny let her day to be that simple.
******************************* ECHOES OF LEGEND ***********************************
Author's Note: A big thank you to the various beta readers who have assisted me, even if you could only help for a chapter or two, your critique was much appreciated. In no particular order; Goldie-with-a-pen, saiyansecret, OrdinarilyYours and Angel Wolf.
This story is going to heavily feature Original Characters, as it takes place long after Dragon Ball Z ended. Not many elements from Super, or GT will show up, as I haven't watched those shows enough to know the lore by heart.
This has been Rated T because the usual Dragon Ball violence is very much present. This includes a good amount of blood, broken bones, amputations and decapitations, and turning humans and humanoids into swiss cheese. I believe the majority of those familiar with the series should stomach this just fine, but just in case, you have been warned.
The following, and preceding material is a non-profit, fan-based story. Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT and Dragon Ball Super are all owned by Funimation, Toei Animation, Shueisha and Akira Toriyama. Please support the official release. Please also place your face within your palm as I had to copypasta this from Team Four Star, instead of having it memorized.
On with the story.
Chapter 1: The Call
In the elevator, Ovosh was one among many. Not a word was spoken to the other occupants. The same blank stare covered all of their faces, filled with contemplation on their day's tasks. No thought occurred as to why they were doing what they were doing, it was simply the way things were.
The cold, precise mechanics of the elevator hissed to a halt and opened its gray doors. The auditorium was large; open. It allowed the citizens a grand view of the skyline of their city. Logical, precise and utilitarian; each part fitted exactly where it needed to. No skyscraper reached higher than what the Empire required. Everything was in balance, in perfect harmony.
The city hall was large simply because a grand acropolis was essential. Many subjects could gather and witness the wisdom of their Emperor here.
Ovosh found her place among the crowd. The citizens hurriedly organized into blocks, forming straight lines and columns. Even the diagonals of these square blocks of humanity were flawless. Not one individual stood out, for they were only a piece in the grand formation.
Surrounding them stood the local military, all in full uniform. Steel-gray regulation jackets and pants adorned each of them. Creases were nonexistent. The shoulders of the jackets were proudly angled and broad. Their black boots were devoid of smudges. Upon their heads were helmets colored a darker shade of gray. Beneath the empty black visors, and breathing behind the vented air filters, one had to wonder if the being beneath was even human.
These soldiers lacked visible weapons. Since the tumultuous 'old days,' the human body itself was a formidable one in of itself.
A whistle was heard, and immediately, everyone's spine stiffened in response. In the center of the organized sea, there was a clearing. Centered within the clearing, stood a white podium.
It held hidden mechanisms of an electronic nature within its divine exterior. A soldier maneuvered through the crowd, making his way up to this podium.
He was of a superior rank, signified by his jacket. It possessed numerous additional dark sashes streaming from his left shoulder down to his right hip. Even in a computer, there were mechanisms that existed in a hierarchy.
His voice carried throughout the forum. A small microphone held in his hand allowed him to transmit all he said into the encompassing speaker system.
"Citizens, you're ordered to give your full attention. Our most powerful and wise Emperor is about to impart words upon us."
At his mention of the Emperor, what little chatter had ceased.
With that, the soldier retreated and gave his full attention to a specter that was forming above the podium. Blue light emitted from the device, projecting an image of a hooded figure. While the holographic image was in blue-scale, many could tell that the hood the man wore was immaculate white.
The mask itself was featureless. It was a blank face, with angled sockets for eyes, a nose, and a mouth. It showed no fear, anger, sadness, or happiness. Their Emperor always wore it. His cold, rational gaze pierced through the projection. Even a visage of the man filled the room with serene dominance.
"Loyal citizens, of our great Galactic Empire." His voice was a loud rumble, tempered by subtle sophistication and nuance.
"We stand as a beacon of order in chaotic times. From the ashes of the demons of old, I built this Empire to display humanity's might to the denizens, heretics, and pagans of this galaxy.
The once-mighty alien forces, who viewed our blue world as nothing but commerce, now cower in fear of Terra's power.
The ones who would murder for pleasure, who rejected our enlightened teachings, now slither and sulk in an unregulated, chaotic mess. They fight each other, as much as us."
The man's voice began increasing in fervor, and the crowd gravitated towards their Emperor, his mere words fueling their silent zealotry.
"I tell you! Who has the will to stand against us? The demons of the Planet Trade Organization, who bicker in their decadent pettiness? Whose only source of strength is nostalgic reminiscing?
No . . . And what about the terrorist organization 'Z'? Heretics who worship nothing but an echo!
Who spend all their days wishing for a greater power to wipe us out! But I tell you my loyal subjects, my mighty military, there is no greater power than this!"
It was as if the entire room now held its breath, beheld by the momentary pause. A brief silence filled the auditorium, before he decreed to his captive citizenry ...
"The whole universe, and all its clusters of life, will hear our voice. Every star that burns bright, every black hole that sulks in darkness cowers before the echoes we leave."
"Long live the Empire!"
The Emperor's last words were not a simple statement, they were a command. A command that all repeat the glorious statement, 'Long live the Empire,".
And the organized throngs of citizens did so, repeatedly. Thousands, upon thousands of voices cried out all at once, blending together to create a massive crescendo, a symphony of dedication to him.
Finally, the chant died down, and the citizens were dismissed. Even as they split up to attend to their daily tasks, they still managed to form organized groups. Various transportation hubs awaited them, as congealed, yet orderly crowds formed around them.
Ovosh had reached her action point, a high-speed monorail. As she waited, a peculiar event happened.
The morning sun broke through the skyline.
How interesting it was, their sun. The Vega star was blue-white in color, and so far away. How could something that far give them so much? It seemed to ignite the buildings with its brilliant light. All coloring derived from the brilliant hues painted the various structures in the skyline. She could only stare, transfixed by its magnificence.
The fact that it was mostly superheated hydrogen was an insignificant tidbit, an inadequate description of the splendor she witnessed. Even though long-distance space travel was now possible, and incredibly common, the star remained beyond her reach.
Then, the blue-hued spectacle vanished, the utilitarian shape of the high-speed monorail impeding her view. A black screen materialized over the windows, as such, Ovosh's vision of an illuminated skyline had been replaced with black and gray. No such trace of the morning phenomenon remained.
Ovosh felt her shoulders slump, and experienced a growing pit within her stomach. Upon her blank stare ahead, her eyebrows twitched into a minute expression of confusion. What was witnessed was a simple sunrise. Not even that: the planet's rotation merely supplied the illusion of such. This event occurred numerous times during her lifespan, and it would continue after.
And yet, hunger still lingered within, something that would not be satisfied from her morning nutrition awaiting her at the destination.
The monorail ground to a stop, mechanisms hissing from below as the brakes were applied. The doors slid open, letting all those hopeful enter it's smooth compartment. Ovosh stepped into its interior dutifully, quickly assuming her assigned seat in the transport.
Once all citizens in this sector had boarded, the monorail zoomed away, ferrying them off to their duties.
It was dark inside, lit only by dim white ambiance as the black windows would not let even a stray particle of solar radiation pass through them. Once it had arrived at the power plant, the girl immediately rose from her seat.
She walked in formation with her fellow power plant workers. They were of different heights, different genders, different skin colors. None could be mistaken for one another, and yet, as they walked, each step matched the person ahead of them. In this regard, they all looked exactly the same.
The terminal was a sterile white, possessing no color at all. A vast chasm flanked the path way, leading those who had the misfortune of falling off to a fate of cold steel and blood. No citizen expressed such acknowledgment of a fate. Every blank stare had been honed into what was in front of them.
White doors greeted the workers, and dutifully parted to grant access to the building. The interior design they revealed of this particular structure exhibited slightly less order than others. Steel pipes flowed erratically, and wires crossed through, exposed to human interference, so as to transport the necessary power to critical sections.
Holding the formation as the group entered the mess hall. There were long tables which lined the inside. They lay upon a plain white tile floor, the seams of which those less visually gifted would have not seen. A serving area had been shoved off to the side. Compared to the vast volume of the hall, it covered very little area.
No personal manned the stainless steel slab. Instead, a square opening in the wall would slide out boxes which would then be immediately claimed by a worker. A line had formed at this hour, each waiting patiently for their morning nutrition.
Once it was Ovosh' turn, a mechanical voice reported, "Name: Ovosh, Id: VEG-0x9026, Gender: Female. Partitioning recommended calorie intake for time slot 7-11 A.M."
Her provision box was then automatically provided to her. Ovosh didn't even look down as her hands found the grip to it. She took off, easily finding a seat within the hall. Opening her box, she observed it was filled with many different colored cubes. These colors were for purely informational purposes. Brown was for starches, tan for proteins, green for vitamins, red for minerals, white for calcium, and so on.
As she began to ingest these, her fellow co-workers started taking seats next to her, not saying a word. Silently, they all opened their nutrition packs and consumed them. The cubes were stout, yet squishy. They had a very faint taste. Ovosh herself tended to savor the glucose cubes, though, again, she couldn't figure why this was the case.
Not a faint air of a conversation permeated the room. The only sound that could be heard was the mechanical voice rehearsing it's programmed line for each worker that approached it. It was a feat of superior programming, almost indistinguishable from those that it served.
Ovosh remained focused on her dwindling meal. Half of her nutrition had been consumed. Her sight then veered up, attempting to locate a clock.
Out of the very corner of her eye, she could spot a lone worker who didn't possess a nutrition box. He sat with his hands clasped, his right foot tapping on the cold-tiled floor, creating a rhythmic beat. Upon his head was vibrant, crimson hair that had clearly been neglected with regards to regulation grooming. The hair itself possessed a life of its own, veering off in every direction. Some hanging locks hung down in front of a well defined face, others pointing to the florescent ceiling.
But the most unsettling thing about him was that, periodically, Ovosh would see him glance in her direction. She would catch his brilliant azure eyes, which her own seemed to be trapped by. She tried to verify if he was staring off somewhere else, but he wasn't.
Ovosh could feel her muscles beginning to tense up. Her vision veered towards the entrance of the hall. She began to get the urge to leave immediately.
Her co-workers also noticed this anomaly, as they began giving this unknown worker confused looks. Some even realized her growing discomfort. The stranger had quickly averted his gaze, looking back at his folded, baggy hands. He continued tapping his foot against the floor. His brown work boots appeared older and rattier than anyone else's.
"I don't recognize that man, do you think he is a new acquisition?" Said one of her co-workers, a female by the name of Kras. She possessed strawberry blonde hair and muted green eyes. From her physical appearance, it could be discerned that she had lived a longer life than Ovosh.
"A very strange specimen . . ." Noted one of the males, a brown-haired one, who went by the name of Boris, "His conditioning might have been inadequate."
"If he possessed inadequate conditioning, he would not be present here," Ovosh noted.
She glanced back at him. He had now devoted his efforts to stare anywhere except where she was. How did such an anomaly go unnoticed by our eugenics programs? If so, why were such behavioral quirks tolerated? If he had trouble conforming, he would have been disposed of.
All of the co-workers nodded in agreement. Ovosh's troubled thoughts began to die down. Her muscles had begun to loosen as she focused back on her fellow workers. Soon, familiarity had made things normal again.
But seeing so much out of the ordinary piqued something dangerous within her.
"Perhaps . . . It would be optimal to query him about his strange condition?" She offered, "It would be best to know his eccentricities, so that we may better integrate him into the system."
"A prudent suggestion ..." responded a dark-skinned, deep-voiced coworker. His name was Bosch. Ovosh had begun to raise her eyebrows upon Bosch's acknowledgement, yet his next statement took the breath away from her.
"...But it is unnecessary. The overseer and the conditioning division are the ones who see to that. We must be mindful to never go beyond our assigned duties."
"Right," murmured the various other coworkers.
But Ovosh could not find herself agreeing. This, despite Bosch's sound reasoning. If they, some lowly power plant workers, tried performing the duties of the conditioning squad, failure was inevitable. It would distract from their true work, creating an imbalance whose effects would be felt throughout the Empire.
Still, she needed to exchange words with this strange newcomer. Such a need hailed from somewhere far darker, and far more dangerous. It was not Ovosh, loyal citizen and power-grid-maintainer, that thought this. This originated from the golden-haired beast she had witnessed in the mirror earlier that morning, whose face was contorted in ways she never even imagined a human face could. The golden-haired beast experienced emotions that only the men of old felt.
And what this golden-haired fiend desired, was to speak to the curious red-haired man.
And so, her legs slowly pushed her to stand, closing her provisions box. Some cubes still remained in the vessel. Letting out a slow, quiet exhale, she began making her way towards that barren table. Her coworkers gave her confused looks, and rightfully so. Ovosh still felt this action unnecessary, and had shortened her strides in response. But she still moved forward, until she had made it to the spot opposite of the newcomer.
His foot had stopped tapping, and he stopped looking at his clasped fists. His head slowly raised, azure meeting dark brown once more.
"Well?" He asked.
Ovosh's face had become blank. She quickly blinked twice. Well what? What was the context of that question? At least, his exaggerated inflection seemed to indicate that it was a question. What use did he expect to gain from asking something so vague?
"You display deviant behavior, fellow co-worker. I was . . ."
It was as if the script she had memorized had been torn off at the end. Left with not a clue what to say, Ovosh's mouth remained open, yet nothing came out.
"Was your curiosity piqued?" He filled in.
The powerplant worker tilted her head, confused by the concept he presented.
"My curiosity?" She questioned, "I'm not sure what you mean by that."
"You know," He urged, his lips forming into a concave curve; both ends pointing upwards. It was an expression she had rarely seen, but she could tell what it meant.
Usually, someone would register that expression if something productive was accomplished in less than the estimated time, or upon hearing news of Imperial victories over the barbarians and terrorists.
"Why else would you come here?" He finished, a question of his own, at least a coherent and complete one.
"I- . . . I-"
The words, usually so regulated and rehearsed, were now dancing away on a cloud. Her eyes darted around, trying to engineer a solution to this problem.
She caught herself staring into the stranger's face, into his vibrant eyes. Her face began to heat up, leading to suspect that something was quite wrong. The temperature in the building had not changed. As such, there was no need for her body to compensate for any loss of heat.
"Overseer!" Shouted a distant voice.
Ovosh's spine once more straightened and stiffened. Her hands, one of them still clutching her nutrition box, went limp, and down to her sides.
A man in military uniform was framed by the entrance to the mess hall. He also exhibited a strong posture, just as all the other workers who had ceased in all activity. But, instead of standing with his heals together, splaying out the toes, his feet were spread shoulder's length apart, and his hands were rested behind his back instead of at his sides. He was a substantial man, height-wise. He had the advantage over nearly every worker in the power-plant, save for possibly Bosch.
The man wore the same uniform as the high-rank soldiers. Instead of a black sash, however, he was fit with a muted golden one. It appeared to gleam brighter as he straightened his posture. If there was any sentiment left in the biological meat-bag, it would be pride.
The overseer then loosened his stance, still managing to appear far taller than his designated height. This was a signal that the other workers were to do the same, and in synchronization, the whole room had dropped their posture.
He began making his way through the mess hall, clearly headed in her and the mysterious man's direction. Each step he made was heavy, and hit the tile floor with the sound of a large drum. However, there was some measure of control he exerted in his walk. His clean-shaven, slightly-aged face wore a neutral, yet serious glare which could have proved itself of greater durability than Imperial steel.
Finally, he reached their position, stopping almost instantaneously, his boots making a small squeak upon the drab, tile floor. He gave Ovosh a rather unassuming glance. She was looked over for but a moment, before he directed his attentions to the stranger.
"And who would you be?" He asked, his voice gruff and commanding, "I was not notified of a new acquisition to Power Plant Vega 48."
"Hm? Oh!" The stranger responded, light perspiration forming on his face.
"Right- Ah, sorry about that sir. You should find me in the database, it was a rather quick transfer."
"Really?" Inquired the overseer, raising an eyebrow, "It is the protocol that new transfers, whether they be off or on-planet, are vetted by me. Said-information is provided by the authorities of the source. It is not good practice to violate these rules; communication is critical for the health and efficiency of the Empire."
"Huh, yeah I guess I forgot this time huh? Sorry about that." Instead of a steady and regulated speech, words simply seemed to flow out of his mouth like a defective pipe.
As the stranger babbled on, the overseer brought his right arm out in front of him, level with his chest. Immediately, the red-haired man had gone silent. There was a small key-pad attached upon the overseer's wrist. He keyed in a sequence of inputs, and a holographic screen was projected, right in front of his face.
The stranger's form became a shadow in the illuminating projections emitting from the overseer's wrist. Names, faces, and other information, both common and intimate raced from the top of the screen, to down below. Yet, consuming such information left the overseer's face blank and still. Finally, a face that matched that matched the young man had entered the sliding list.
"Id: ESP-0x4dea4, Name: Kei, Status: newcomer, training required in the regulatory division," read the profile.
"Ah, I see," Commented the overseer, his voice barely changing in inflection.
The overseer then took his stare off the device on his wrist and directed it towards the worker named 'Kei.'
"It is fortunate," he added, "That you have taken a position near the regulator division".
He then motioned back to Ovosh, who had maintained her posture. Upon becoming the subject of his attention, Ovosh appeared to grow two inches as every vertebrae in her spine shifted in submission.
"We need a day to get you acquainted with the system" the overseer further explained, despite keeping his eyes on the young woman. "Unfortunately, since I was strangely not notified of your transfer, we will not be able to provide provisions for you. Not until I send a notice to the metropolis center, that is. Do you believe you can learn this duty to the best of your ability, despite insufficient nutrition?"
Everything the big man exposited was precise and to the point. It was as if the words had been programmed inside of his brain, before he had spoken them.
"Yes, sir!" Kei responded loudly.
The overseer grimaced at the unusually upfront statement. Turning completely around, he headed to the exit of the mess hall. Before he departed, he added in a voice not too low, "And we'll probably have to refine those behavioral quirks of yours, but that shouldn't require anything too drastic."
His large frame had then vanished, almost marching straight out. Ovosh exhaled, her body able to release the strain previously exerted upon it. She looked to her new comrade.
To her knowledge, they were fully staffed in the regulator and control division. A large amount of time had passed, however, before such an acquisition. Modification of the makeup of the division was necessitated by physical health, or should another duty be required.
Something popped to the forefront of her mind; and her eyes began to trail down, away from Kei, and down to her arm that clutched the steel-covered box that contained her provisions.
Ovosh lifted the box, bringing it to her chest. Thoughts swimming within her head had become murky, yet she moved with purpose. And with such purpose, her arms shot forward, presenting her provisions to the newcomer.
"These are some provisions I have not yet consumed. It would be beneficial if I reserved them for you."
Kei immediately turned to her. One eyebrow was raised. The lips upon his mouth folded inward.
"Why are you talking like that?"
"Excuse me?" She replied.
"Why are you speaking so robotically?" For but a moment, it was as if Kei had managed to dispel all undesirable qualities in his speech. He had freed himself from inflection, from unconventional pronunciation, and had tightened the delivery of his words.
"You say that as if that was a defect." Ovosh responded.
"Uhuh . . ." Back he was at it again. Yet, instead of the words flying out of his mouth, they now appeared to be drooling out of it. Ovosh was surprised there was no literal accompaniment to this.
Brushing away the quirkiness, she held her hands up, giving the man her box of food. The man's eyes widened, appreciative, if taken off guard a bit. He was not to be blamed. It was indeed a strange thing that she was doing. But, he wouldn't learn any other way if his body was completely depleted for the morning shift.
"That's very kind of you," he said, his mouth curling into that peculiar formation once more.
There was something indeed intriguing about this facial tick he did, it made Ovosh herself feel . . . Happy.
"There are many tasks and protocols to observe in this duty," She countered, "What I am doing is logical."
"It's logically kind of you." He quipped, his mouth now open, but his teeth were closed.
This new expression, now displaying his incisors and canines, stirred even more of this strange sensation within her. She prompted him to take the provisions box, and he did just that. Once he'd opened it, his arms nearly vanished from sight, as he appeared to aspire to stuff as many cubes in his mouth as quickly as possible.
" Slow down!" The girl cautioned, "There is still an insufficient amount for the morning, consuming them slower will allow your body to optimize nutrition intake."
"Oh, I'm so sorry," He apologized. Some of the cubes were still partially broken down in his mouth. Ovosh winced at this, then felt a presence behind her.
Turning her head, her coworkers had gathered around, clearly intrigued by the exchange taking place.
"We should hurry up," Kras, suggested, "It is nearing the hour that we begin our shift."
"Agreed," She concurred, then motioned to Kei to get into formation. He wasn't exactly the best person to lead; he formed a clear aberration in their formation, now with seven people.
"Are you sure that was a pragmatic action?" A low voice questioned behind her.
It was Bosch, and he was wearing concern on his face like an old friend.
"Would you please specify the action?" Ovosh replied, now once again feeling her face heat up. But this was a different kind of heat, a more volatile one.
"You partitioned your unfinished nutrition cubes to our new co-worker. You will both have insufficient nutrition for the morning. Are you sure you will be able to operate at 100% efficiency?"
"Your concern is noted," She responded, nodding at Bosch's valid query, "I am confident that I will be productive this morning. In fact, I volunteer myself to instruct this 'Kei', in the workplace.
Relaying basic information should not be as energy intensive."
"If you are to be instructing him, then the rest of the group will have to increase our efforts," Bosch noted.
It was indeed concerning, the complete imbalance that this stranger had wrought. Usually, preparations would be made for a teaching day. Certain workers would be partitioned to teach new transfers the specifics, schedules would be adjusted, and nutrition would be modified to account for these modifications. With no prior warning, the entire system was crippled.
. . .
A mess of wires, color-coded for convenience, was in a wild bloom. Of course, the wires were well-organized, at least to Ovosh's specifications. She was currently clipping some over onto various places upon the green hardware-board she was working on. Kei was rather close behind her. His body appeared to radiate much heat, thus Ovosh was perspiring more than usual. She found no need to alleviate this, however.
The floor they were on was vast. Dozens upon dozens of workers were glued to their devices. Some toggled several white levers. Others on the floor were preoccupied with the same task Ovosh was. And still, others were simply monitoring computer screens.
There was little chatter. Everything was related to the job at hand. Few questions were asked, for it was expected one knew what to do.
Ovosh was conversing far more than usual for her day. As she laid out the technical explanations to Kei, his eyes were lit with fascination.
"This is a simple rewiring. Different parts of the city require different voltages, gains, and current during different times of the day. This schedule varies depending upon which day of the week it is. Right now, the ore-processing division of the city typically increases production by 40%, as the miners are currently delivering the raw ore to the plant. As such-"
A blue wire and yellow wire were loosened, then she directed these two together to a different destination on the vast motherboard. She flipped some switches, and her changes to the power portioning were saved.
"Your group has control over the entire city?" Kei commented.
"Not exactly," She countered, "If an inefficient change is made, we are notified. The overseer enforces any change from then on. Failure to comply results in removal from that duty. It is grounds for immediate termination."
"Scary," Kei noted.
Ovosh raised her eyebrows. Scary? What was there to fear? As long as I fulfill my duty to the Empire correctly, there is no chance of being terminated.
Even drastic dips in efficiency were solved by relocation and reconditioning. But what was there to fear with termination? She herself possessed little, so by losing her life, she would lose little. Her duty to the Empire would be fulfilled either way.
"Think little of it, the Empire will provide," Ovosh recited.
She could observe the red-headed man bow down his head a little. She speculated that his rather sparse nutrition was running low. The administration should take care of this little hiccup in the system by the next day. Hopefully, production would not drop below acceptable levels.
"Don't you feel scared?" He suddenly asked. It was unknown by what process he could have conceived of such an inquiry, but she had come to expect that as of now.
"A peculiar, and rather unnecessary question." Ovosh retorted, "We are wasting time."
"But it is necessary," Kei responded, his demeanor dead serious, "Aren't you worried you could just be tossed aside, without warning? Anyone in charge deems you expendable, boom- that's it!"
Blood was beginning to rush to his face. Still, he kept on rambling.
"I don't know about you, but that frightens me. I can't sleep knowing someone has that kind of power over me."
Ovosh gave him a long hard look. There was something wrong with this man, fundamentally wrong. He could not think the correct way. He was one who let disturbing thoughts, no, welcomed the disturbing thoughts into his mind. She felt a knot tie within her stomach, and slowly but surely, she began to back away. Conclusions formed within her mind from the only logical deduction.
Before she could ponder any longer, the door to the regulator room was thrust open with incredible force. The overseer had appeared once more, and he wore the sternest expression on his face. She could tell that his expression was not directed towards her.
He was accompanied by two military personnel, their sleek, dark-gray helmets expressionless, surely as the people behind them were.
The overseer approached Kei rather slowly, like a rolling storm.
Ovosh began sweating like a fountain. A deep desire began forming within the confines of her body, the need to exit the room as soon as possible. But, her muscles would not respond to her commands.
Therefore, she stood at attention, in respect for her superior.
"I have double-checked the databases for our power plant. It appears as if you, ESP-0x4ea4, are indeed a registered worker."
The overseer cleared his throat, while the girl could observe Kei swallow something, despite the fact that he had explicitly annihilated his partial nutrition partition for the morning.
"I was concerned that I was not notified of your transfer. I wanted to ensure this would not occur again. Therefore, I checked the planetary database for your information, to ascertain your previous workplace."
The man's expression did not change. Ovosh attempted to avert her gaze, for she felt if she would look her overseer in the eyes, her entire head would disintegrate.
". . . The results were astounding."
At this, Kei's body visibly stiffened, perhaps the first time he displayed any desirable rigidity. His expression changed, as his eyes began narrowing, and various facial muscles began contorting.
There was something else, something in the air that Ovosh could feel within her bones. Something large, something massive, something dangerous.
"I found no record of citizen ESP-0x4ea4. I then contacted the capital itself, and was granted a search. I still was unable to locate an ESP-0x4ea4 within the Imperial census. This means you are unregistered in the Empire."
The overseer's mouth began to form into a very disturbing formation. A smile; that's what it was called.
But unlike when Kei would use one, this action felt more frightening. It was as if the air itself died, and Ovosh was inhaling it's lifeless carcass. She began experiencing tremors through her body, struggling between trying to run, and trying to stay put.
"Now, why would there be an unregistered citizen in the power plant?" The man interrogated the boy with his eyes.
"Well, I can explain- " Kei began, but he was swiftly cut off. The tone of Kei's voice, had lost all hints of a desirable, submissive quality.
It was laced with something quite different.
"Obviously, you wanted access to the power plant, but you do not seek to contribute to the Empire. Which leads me to conclude that you are a terrorist."
The air had begun to heat up, and congeal. Ovosh could have used a precision-cutting tool to slice through the dank atmosphere that had all of the sudden, filled the room. She was sure the environmental controls had not malfunctioned.
Her heart was now in her throat. Wide, brown eyes looked, almost pleadingly at Kei. Never had she through that deception and destruction were his motivations.
"I'm no terrorist," Kei countered.
He stared straight into his aggressor's eyes, with intensity that could have only been matched by the Vega star. "I'm a freedom fighter."
The next sequence of events happened far too fast for the worker to comprehend. The terrorist thrust his hands forward, and from it, emerged a bright volatile yellow light. This was in tandem with an intense, almost inhuman shout. The light was clearly corporeal, it had mass and weight.
A split second later, it had velocity. It was this force that propelled the light straight into the overseer, blasting him through the adjacent wall. The metal material bent out as it buckled under severe pressure.
Chaos unleashed as the light detonated.
The resulting explosion spewed an orange inferno of fire and black clouds of smoke. The force from this explosion impacted Ovosh, rocking her right off her feet. She crashed square into the wall closest to the control panel. Concrete, metal, and various other materials that made up the building flew around in a tumultuous mess. Shockwaves from the cataclysm rocked the room, and various workers flew away from their posts, propelled by the first existential force they had ever experienced.
As the smoke began to clear, she could spot the outline of Kei. His hair was even more raggedy than before, and his eyes held the most frightening light in them. He was visibly grunting, clearly struggling after having forced out such destructive power.
It was in the woman's natural instinct to begin inching away slowly from this barbaric display of power. Ovosh struggled to tear her vision away from the image of evil incarnate.
But upon seeing her struggling form, his expression softened. He rushed over, holding out a hand to offer his one-time mentor assistance.
"No! Get away!" She shouted.
A curious sensation on the vocal chords shouting had, for she had so rarely done so.
"I'm sorry," He apologized, "I didn't want to do this. Destruction isn't my way, but the overseer left me no choice. This was his doing."
Her breathing eased as she heard this. For some reason, it actually comforted her. Comfort, however, would not last long.
An alarm began sounding, changing pitch continuously and periodically. It sounded throughout the entire city. Military personnel levitated from their original positions, and headed off to where they were needed.
Their flight defied the natural order of gravity, a simple tactic when mastered. There was little chatter, and little panic, among the civilians. They received instruction from the citywide speakers. It was time, the military held control.
Inside the power plant, Kei expressed his frustration.
"Crap!" He swore, "This is gonna get messier than I wanted."
He turned to the girl once more, "If you want to live, come with me."
She exhaled in surprise, "And what can you do to assist me? Only the Empire can provide such protection-"
"Stop talking like a robot and move!" He yelled over her spiel.
She looked at him. It felt as if her insides were being torn apart, but not from physical forces or malicious infection.
"The Empire's after me, so they'll cut their losses if it gives them the advantage." he urged, "I beg of you."
He would not get an answer. The two guards that had accompanied the overseer emerged from the rubble. Their creasless jackets were ruffled. The stainless fabric had been smudged. More importantly, their hands were up, and their knees were crouched, ready to spring forward. Ovosh could feel the air congeal once more.
Both guards fired off energy blasts of their own, substantially smaller and weaker than the attack they had suffered through. The man raised his arms into a defensive formation and then swung them aggressively towards the attacks, successfully batting the blasts away.
The projectiles impacted against the ceiling of the room. Upon detonation, the wayward attacks vaporized several chunks of debris.
The guards used the long-range assault as a distraction. Now, they were within close-combat distance of Kei and began throwing punches at him.
He was all-to-willing to engage, absorbing the attacks with his elbows, and ducking under others. A supersonic frenzy of moves went back and forth, tearing away at the air with lightning speed.
Kei struck out with a punch of his own, right into one of the guards' stomachs. The soldier flew through a concrete wall.
The second used this opportunity to prepare a more potent attack, but Kei got the jump on him.
Interrupting the guard with a quick jab to the teeth, following with a shot to the stomach. Kei's offensive was punctuated with an energy blast. It shook the ground, and tore the assailant through a south-side wall.
As he secured victory, the ground beneath began to collapse, and unfortunately, Ovosh was in the sinkhole. Beginning to slide forward, she reached out to a nearby rail for support.
Too slow in her reflexes, the girl began to plummet off the broken ledge. The room below was a large industrial chamber. An open sphere hummed in baritone murmurs, a workhorse for the entire factory.
It was connected to numerous panels and hardware by long steel cables. It was in the heart of the building, where Ovosh knew her end was nigh.
For the first time in her life, ever since she left the womb, she screamed.
But death was not to come. Kei dived in after her, and managed to grab hold of her forearm. For several moments, he floated in the chamber, standing on nothing but his own power. She dangled in his grasp, as the few extra breaths he had granted her rapidly escaped from her mouth. A desperate look was all she could manage, as the whites of her eyes expanded, gazing upwards into the face of her rescuer.
Slowly, but surely, he descended to the ground, laying Ovosh down as carefully as possible.
"You. . . You prevented me from being terminated." She stuttered, traumatized, "But why? Why concern yourself with the integrity of my life?"
Kei gave her a lengthy stare, before responding, "Well, I'll put it simple. Because I care about you. I care about everyone. I would rather be a mindless monster, than a heartless beast."
"Then what of the lives of those you endangered above?" The retort stifled the boy.
His hands shook, his eyes reddened, and his voice faltered. It was as if Ovosh herself dealt him a deadly physical blow that he was still recovering from. He was backing away from her as if she were now a disgusting creature that he had to be rid of.
"I-I didn't think about that. I didn't-" He bowed down and shook his head, "I never wanted to hurt anyone."
His head shook. Strength had returned to his form, and he glanced back up, eyes locking with Ovosh's.
"I'm only human. If someone's gonna attack me, I'll defend myself and anyone else I can."
Ovosh looked up from where she had fallen. In the vast chamber, the hole in the ceiling appeared to be an insignificant dot. Her eyes began to move downwards, the process taking nearly an eternity before they stared at the cool steel floor.
"Why me?" She whispered.
Kei closed his eyes, and gave deep snorted exhale. Upon opening them once more, his face wore a weighted expression. His tone matched that as well.
"You're special. I don't know if you know about it, I'm not sure even the full extent of it. But, I do know that you possess potential. You might be the only person who can change things."
"Potential?" Ovosh questioned, having difficulty comprehending what he was claiming.
"Yes, potential. Power," Kei confirmed, "Something within you burns to be let out, and when it's brought out, you'll change this galaxy forever."
He began slowly walking towards her, having fully regained his composure.
"I asked you a question earlier, that if you're scared of being a tool for your Empire. I asked if it bothers you, if you were scared of being nothing but a statistic, regarded as nothing but a number. Simply something to be used, and once they use you up, thrown away in the trash. Where I come from, the way I was raised? That frightens me down to my core. I don't like to feel powerless."
For a moment, a small, stilted exhale exited Kei, and he flashed a brief smile.
"Of course, then again . . . I don't like to lose."
He returned to his deadly serious state. Now, Ovosh could stare straight into his eyes. The green orbs appeared to be windows into something limitless.
"I wanna give you something you've never had before. A choice."
"A choice?" The wide-eyed worker queried. Her mouth appeared to trace the word as it exited. This one was new, unfamiliar. Hence, it shared much in common with Kei. Ovosh's eyes darted back to the generator. From her first day in the factory, it ran. Mechanics within it rotated, oscillated in a perpetual motion, continuing it's low ambient melody. It had appeared to drown out the sirens that now rocked the city, and the patter of footsteps that coursed through the factory.
The wall behind the generator led to the outside world. It would be such a trivial task for Kei to vaporize it ...
"A real, actual choice," he elaborated, "I'm want you to join Z. We're warriors who don't fear the Empire. Ya could say we're from all over the galaxy, but that's a little less accurate. Some of us come from different star clusters altogether. We're a long way from home . . . We wanna offer everyone across the galaxy, who cries out for peace, the freedom of decisions.
It's the passion for life. And the opportunity to break through their own limits."
Ovosh turned back, raising a skeptical eyebrow. "Those are blasphemous words you spout. I cannot trust you-"
Kei nodded, and at this, Ovosh kept her mouth shut. "I know. I didn't say it'd be easy to make this choice, but I'm not forcing you to join Z. I would be no better than the Emperor himself if I did that. But surely there's some part of you that's interested in this? Some part of you's itching to see, what's beyond the bubble the Empire's kept you in?"
Ovosh felt an itch. It had affected her tongue. It was in the form of a word. She opened her mouth, desire deep within her, compelling her to push the word out.
And yet, her blood ran cold, freezing it in place.
"We don't got forever for you to decide."
As Ovosh pondered, debating on an entirely new experience for her, she could see Kei disrobe his worker's shirt. Underneath, he displayed a form-fitting, navy blue tank top. He was an impressive physical specimen, with toned muscles that were streamlined; stout enough not to be a burden.
She could see him talking to a device on his wrist. It was presumed he had fellow terrorists to contact. His words were almost unintelligible, for his forearm had obscured his mouth. As she witnessed this, her blood seemed to grow colder, and colder.
"I cannot join you," Ovosh declared. She showed no assertation, nor pride, nor shame in her decision. Her face had gone neutral once more, and her inflection had reverted to that of an automated voice generator.
She couldn't read Kei's expression, but continued with her elaboration. "It is not possible. I cannot trust an enemy of the Empire. I will not do so."
"And that's your final choice?" Kei replied, his voice shaking. It had gone soft and airy, almost as if he was whispering.
"Yes," Ovosh confirmed.
The man exhaled, frustrated. He brought one of his hands up to rub his temples. Her decision clearly bothered him, but he shouldn't have been surprised.
"Then . . . I guess this is it," He whispered. There was a lump in his throat, a lingering sadness.
"I can tell that you're a good person, Ovosh," Kei said. He was now right up close to her, making her rather nervous. He put a hand on her shoulder.
"Keep on bein' a good person, no matter what the Empire says I am. Think about what I've told you. I mean, really think about it. Maybe we'll meet again someday."
The words stirred something inside her.
This was unique . . .
"It-. . . It was good meeting you. You are indeed a peculiar specimen. Despite the clear threat you possess - I found you rather . . ."
Ovosh didn't get to finish her statement. Her collar was filled with something hot, vibrant. It didn't take long for her to realize it was a wave of plasma.
This same energy had traveled through her left collar, and pierced Kei's chest directly.
Behind her was the source of this attack, the overseer. He was breathing heavily, his right arm extended with two fingers pointed at his target. The entire left side of his face was covered in streams of blood that trickled from a ghastly head wound. The impact had been hard, almost crushing his skull. His left arm was torn up from jagged metal, and had some notable shards embedded.
Smoke trailed from the tips of the fingers upon his right hand.
"Thank you Ovosh, you have gone above and beyond the call of duty," he declared, breathing heavily.
A growing darkness expanded from the point of impact, and she felt her muscles grow limp as she collapsed on the ground.
She wanted to say something, but a viscous liquid flooded her mouth. It began flowing out, dribbling down her chin, and to her neck. This liquid was the exact same as the one that flowed from her collar. It stained her uniform, painting it with the morbid shade of death.
Kei fell soon after, landing directly on the girl. He was unable to speak, as the blood flooded his lungs. Twisting himself with his remaining strength, he managed to lift himself off Ovosh' body, and flopped off onto his shoulder blades.
He was flat on his back, slowly soaking in a tide of crimson. The overseer was now slowly approaching him, a satisfied expression on his face.
"Y-you bastard," Kei sputtered, "How-how could you . . . ? Your own people? You heartless-"
The overseer ignored him for the moment, glancing at Ovosh's fallen form.
"Citizen VEG-0x9026, your sacrifice will not be forgotten. You will be held as an example of what every citizen in the Empire should aspire to be."
The honor was meaningless. Honor as a concept was itself as irrelevant in the Empire as emotion. Ovosh was all alone now. Nothing but darkness was her company. No brave new world. The overseer was wrong; citizen VEG-0x9026 would not be remembered. She, and that title, would fade into the same obscurity countless others had.
Trembling had taken hostage her muscles. Yet, this was not due to the uncontrollable instincts of the body. As the sands of time begun to run empty, Ovosh's mind wandered into pure terror. Her arms wrapped around her breast, and she began to desperately breath, sucking in the precious last bit of oxygen that would only delay the inevitable by mere seconds. Soon, the gasps would become whispers, and after the whispers faded away, her terrible destiny would be realized.
Yet, within the trembling confines of her soul, there was something else. It was as a burning fire, a fire that had raged since she had obtained consciousness. The girl did not cease trembling, yet these convulsions had take upon a far different nature. Perspiration had awakened the dead glazed over eyes, and it was red-hot.
For a few brief seconds, she could behold the outside world once more. For a few brief seconds, her tether to the realm of the living had strengthened. For a few brief seconds, she could only focus upon one phenomenon.
Kei's face, sickly pale, leaking blood from his mouth, and sporting half-lidded eyes that threatened to shut forever, had consumed her vision. Ovosh felt her shocked exhale impeded, but she knew not why this was. From red-stained lips, a hoarse croak could be heard.
"There was only one, but it was always for you."
A small, smooth object had entered her own mouth. The warmth of Kei's hand then passed to her chin. Mustering the last of his strength, Ovosh's jaw was moved, and the object he had slipped in crumbled away and dissolved.
Ovosh's brown eyes were briefly freed from their captivity of the young warrior's face, and made it's way to his torso. A gaping hole, far larger than the one that hindered her, lay square in the center of his abdomen. She could even observe the cauterized remains of vital organs clinging at the edge of the wound.
And with such a wound, not even someone as superhuman as Kei would survive it for long. The young man fell forward, his head striking the cold steel floor with percussive finality. The weight of his corpse had pinned the girl down, as blood had begun to taint her gray worker's uniform.
With the departure of Kei's life, new energy had been passed to Ovosh. A deafening silence permeated the cold mechanical factory, yet this was merely the calm preceding the storm.
A quaint rumble had begun, indiscernible from the whirring of gears, or the pumps of pistons. Quaint it did not remain. Soon, the rumbling had increased that it rattled these very gears, and shook those very pistons. Dust and debris was moved under this new power, losing contact with the ground, remaining suspended in the air, as if held by some invisible hand.
Ovosh's vision was now clear. There was still darkness, but it had been illuminated by an intense golden light. The monster that had haunted her mirror lay opposite of her once more. Where she originated, the girl could not tell. Yet, as the sea of emotion within her churned, she could speculate that the turbulence had somehow evoked the creature. Icey, teal, pupiless eyes glared at Ovosh most sternly, as if it was expecting that she knew what to do next.
Her hands tightened, her chest twitched. When once, her bones and muscles threatened to become mere masses of decomposable, fossilized material, now they were pulsing and full of life. The girl squirmed and wiggled, she was free from Kei's corpse. For a moment, the storm ceased as she gazed upon the young man's lifeless body. The trickle of blood that flowed from him had become a flood. His face was eternally buried in the cold metal floor. Despite this, his eyes were peacefully closed, forever locked in eternal sleep.
A barbaric scream was then unleashed, rising in pitch and intensity as it dragged on. The generator's mechanics appeared to freeze from the sheer power of the scream. It was a scream that personified all taboo emotions Ovosh held in her heart, that had been brought to the surface this very moment.
This even, of course did not go unnoticed by the overseer, who snapped round in an instant. He was greeted by the view of a once dying civilian now standing, over the corpse of an enemy of the Empire. He would not mistake the scream originating from anyone other than the civilian herself. Yet, what would be alien to this pillar of Imperial strength, was the forbidden source that powered this scream.
Rage!
A pale-blue, volatile aura surrounded her. While she had managed to stand, Ovosh still struggled to maintain her balance. This rage that coursed through her veins proved adequate an adequate brace.
Her mind had lost all it's sanity that the Empire had programmed, and because of that, there was one clear action. The fog had cleared, and the object of her fury stood before her.
"How dare you?" She seethed, her voice charred. Various materials began splintering under the force of her power. Twisted metal, chunks of drywall, rivets and bolts, all within the immediate vicinity had been marked for further destruction. The ground underneath her feet began to warp and buckle, cracking as it was strained in ways it had not been designed for.
"Damn you!" She began repeating, her voice steadily growing louder.
A layer of perspiration had assailed the once stoic expression upon the overseer's face. He moved his legs, but it was not to advance, it was to retreat.
"Citizen VEG-0X9026, stand down! Now!" He demanded, holding out his good arm with the threat of vaporization. Another step was taken away from the volatile civilian. The genetically impeccable heart within had begun to race, rattling his ribcage.
"Damn you! Damn you all!" She screamed the words at him.
He released a bright blast of energy, filling the generator room with a blazing orange inferno. This inferno could not be contained, and spewed out of any available ventilation, to the cityscape beyond.
With nothing but thick black smoke within his vision, the overseer lowered his arm. His breath had become short and slow, lest he accidentally inhaled the ash of whom he had destroyed. Exhaling, he took another step back.
"Damn you…"
His eyes widened as he thrust his arm around for a back-handed swing, aiming for the recognizable rasp he heard behind him. The momentum of the blow had brought him around, face to face with the civilian. She was almost unrecognizable from the picture-perfect image of Imperial discipline she had been a mere hour before. Her shoulder length hair was now wild and disorganized. Her once neatly plain gray uniform sported various holes and out of place threads, not to mention that nearly half of it was stained blood-red. Next to her was the still corpse of the enemy, a long trail of blood tracing where she had dragged him.
His back hand struck her across the face, his monstrous strength only succeeding in turning her head to the side. Ovosh's retaliation was quick, instinctive, and utterly disproportionate, as she unleashed a balled fist at the overseer's stomach. The man spat out blood as the attack crushed his ribs.
Drool exited his mouth as he backed away once more. His arms wrapped around his chest, which threatened to fall apart and spill out all of his vital organs.
Ovosh could only glare at the now pitiful sight of her previous superior with livid disgust. Red veins tainted the whites of her eyes. Even the blood vessels that bulged from her temples appeared ready to burst.
"You are going to suffer!" Her wrath swelled, as well as her power. A single task occupied the mind; the utter destruction of the man before her.
There was nothing to say. The overseer could only let out blood and phlegm dribbling from his mouth. Arms wrapped in neatly pressed sleeves remained glued to a torso barely glued together. The gray material had obtained new, unintentional wrinkles within, as well as grotesque stains.
The smoldering aura of the citizen he opposed swelled, pulsed and expanded. Such was its advance, he could no longer discern where it ended. Smoky air now had become thick and heavy. Such was its viscosity, that he threatened to succumb by suffocation, if the excess fluid leaking into his throat did not finish the job first.
Pale blue energy, which had only warped the air around it, now had concentrated to such a degree that it impeded vision. Ovosh had become enveloped in an opaque phenomenon. Her feral form remained barely visible within the volatile conflagration. She had bent at the knee, threatening to get on all fours. 18 years of relentless discipline suffered a terminal fate, as she was rendered to little more than a raging beast.
There was a bright flash of white light. In an instant, Ovosh had found herself up against the overseer. She blinked, her eyes focusing upon her shoulder, wet and red with blood. As she traced along the path of her arm, the girl found she could not find the rest of it, for the rest was buried within the overseer's stomach.
She glanced up. Within the beady eyes of her once superior, only the barest glimmer of life remained. A strong jaw then ejected fluid, a concoction of all bodily humors that fell upon Ovosh's workers shirt.
The girl let out a sharp exhale. Her heartbeat had become all too noticeable, and beat as a loud drum in her ear. In desperation, she braced her free arm against the torso of the overseer, now threatening to fall over her. She strained, throwing back her head as the embedded limb was slowly dragged out of the corpse.
Soon, the fleshy hold was released, and Ovosh fell upon her back, sliding back of what little ground remained unmolested by heat and debris. Much like the collapse of a great column, the overseer feel forward, burying his face with a loud crunch upon the surface below. It was the last his body moved.
A bloody hand was brought to her face. But blood was not the only bodily material adhering to it. As fresh flesh dropped to the ground, Ovosh could only quiver.
"No, no . . ." She said to no one, "I took his life, why did-?"
Her heart was stopped cold, for the realization she suffered had inflicted even greater damage than the overseer ever could. But now, there lay only the smoldering ruins of the generator, and two bodies that still had blood to give.
"Why did I do that?" she whispered. Her eyes darted, fixating on Kei's sprawled form behind her.
A desperate plea echoed within steel walls, "Kei!"
Her call was in vain, and he remained as motionless as the overseer. She repeated her cry out to him, yet no answers from the hollow corpse could be discerned. Upon her blood-crusted, swollen face, Ovosh could feel moisture pooling within her eyes. Sight had become murky as this liquid trickled down her cheeks, and on to the floor.
"Why?" Ovosh repeated, choking through her tears. The phrase was repeated, but no one was there to hear it. Rustling debris, flickering flames and the rhythmic churning of a now defective generator carried on indifferently to the mournful soul.
Part of the ceiling gave way, breaking the empty silence. Chalk-white debris disintegrated, allowing a stream of light to illuminate the room. Through the opening, Ovosh could barely observe a ship.
It was bathed in white-blue light. Only a blurry silhouette could be observed. Sharp pain shot through her eyes as they adjusted, yet her vision remained fixed. The shadow pulsated and moved. A new mechanical whirring could be isolated within the texture of ambiance.
A compartment on the undercarriage had opened up upon the newly arrived vessel. From it, a figure emerged. He had begun to descend, remaining affixed to the ship above by a thin black wire. The shadow he cast was lanky; clearly a less built man than Kei.
As he was lowered past the unrelenting light, it became clear he was no agent of the Empire . A dark blue jacket hung over a thick dark brown shirt. It ended near the man's shins, easily exposing pale, dirt stained tan pants and knee-high black boots.
Much like Kei, his hair was arranged in an unconventional configuration. Instead of sharp jagged crimson spikes, the man's mane was a shade of brown away from black, and it poofed away from his head in an impressive volume.
The contours of light revealed a face more aged than the deceased young warrior. Dark eyes revealed, yet also obscured stories of multiple lifetimes, each more unpleasant than the last. Hollow cheeks and a sharp chin rounded off a rugged, yet mischievous face.
Desperation clung to him, far tighter than his jacked which billowed out with every step, as he made his way to Kei's fallen form. Crouching down, he began shaking the body, appearing to disregard the suffocating pool of red the corpse was surrounded by.
"Kei, Kei!" he shouted, in vain, "C'mon kid, Reitoko said that you had ta come back alive! Don't do this to me! Not here."
Even with a different individual, a similar action yielded a similar result. Unlike Ovosh, only one such attempt was required to reach the same, morbid conclusion. He bowed his head down, his hair obscuring his eyes. He stayed there for but a moment, before moving his right hand over Kei's.
"You did well, kid. Rest easy."
His attentions were turned to the girl. In a voice that sounded as if it were clogged with sewage and sandpaper, he asked, "So, you're the person he died for?"
Upon witnessing the girl's reaction, his posture relaxed. Eyes that once lay in the shadow of his hair were now visible, and their gaze was soft, and even sympathetic. Placing his hands in his coat pockets, he acknowledged, "We knew the risks coming in here. It was a risk we were comfortable taking. It looks like Kei went all in. He lost."
Ovosh looked down feeling the weight of something incomprehensible weighing down upon her. She felt her legs gave way, and could only brace her tenuous balance upon her knees. Heavy air slowly entered and exited her lungs, and her vision had begun to throw the world out of alignment. Muscles and bones, which a few moments earlier, were aflame with newfound power, now strained and creaked with pain, rendering her immobile.
"I'd like to bring you back, but as my leader specified, you gotta to be committed to the cause," he claimed, his hands were now shuffling in his pockets, clearly searching for something.
"I don't know if the kid already made an offer to you, but just in case . . ."
He pulled the object he was searching for out of his pocket, fully displaying it to Ovosh, whose eyes widened. The object itself was unimpressive, a small kernel that was light gray in color. She recognized it as the very seed that had given her strength not a moment ago.
"If you want to die a citizen of the Empire," the man continued, "That's outta my hands, but I'll tell you, they're not gonna like that you've killed one of their lackeys."
A small smile crept across thin lips, "Yeah, I can see your handiwork. Pretty impressive I might add."
Ovosh could only slowly nod in response. Yet she would sooner nod off to sleep, than consciously agree to such a statement.
"If you wanna live, then take this bean I'm holding out here. It's of the senzu variety, and it'll give you a clear path out of the woods. But, as it is, whether you want to survive or die, it's your choice."
Her eyes rose upon hearing the peculiar word once more, a word that Kei had almost repeated as something from an ancient scripture. The heart that had stopped cold began to pulse once more, and the raging inferno within that had once raged, now had returned as a small flicker.
Before her, 18 years of servitude to the Galactic Terran Empire played out. She could still behold the smooth, gray bean seated within the palm of the man's hand. It was the only object worth noticing, for there was nothing of note in her life. None of the events she recalled elicited shame, nor pride, nor pain, nor anger. It was only upon this exact day she could experience such a sensation.
If she were to die, it would be today that she would lose.
Her hand struggled to reach its destination. It quivered and faltered; sapped of her strength, she almost didn't reach it.
But at last, her hand grasped the pill. She then said the words that ultimately decided her fate.
"I want to live."
As Ovosh consumed the bean, she could see the man smiling. A familiar surge of strength flowed through her, reconstituting her tired body.
"You chose, wisely."
He lifted her exhausted body up, one arm under her knees, and one arm supporting her back. The hand that once held the senzu bean flipped a sort of switch upon his belt. The thin black wire he had been attached too grew taut.
They began ascending, lifting up to the heavens, and to the beginning of a new life.
Author's note: Feedback will always be appreciated, critical or otherwise. This has been a day long awaited. Updates should occur regularly, as long as I am satisfied with the quality of the chapter that is to be posted.