The Mistakes We Make
Chapter Two
A Knuckles the Echnida fanfiction by Amy "Kixxy" Lawson
sailor_vanilla@hotmail.com
========
Constable Remington gazed around the site in disgust. The three
apartments had been ransacked; legion work, easily. Several people
were missing, presumably kidnapped.
He knew one of them closely. Julie-Su. A member of the chatoix,
the guardian's girlfriend. Perhaps he could assist in their
search. She had been in and out of the legion before, and
Remington had never been all too sure exactly where her
loyalties lay. Originally a member, she had left after meeting
Knuckles, but had returned at least once since then. Perhaps
another turn-around? Her 'father', Simon, was missing as well.
Floren-Ca was not.
"I had left the building..." she wept, speaking with officer
Kara-Ja. "When I returned... this..."
The buildings, Remington knew, were quite nice, a more private
local for those who didn't feel like living where all the traffic
went through every day. There were in a more private neighborhood
than much of the buildings around, so many echnidas favoured the
district.
However, a growing number of those residents, for that reason,
were ex-legionnares. Unpopular with the main society, living in
the more private sector allowed them to hide out when necessary.
And apparently, Kragok knew about the area as well. Many, but not
all, of the missing citizens were or looked like escapees. The
metallic attachments most possessed were dead giveaways.
"Do you have any idea where the legionnares are now, ma'am?"
Kara-Ja questioned the purple echnida shaking in front of her.
"No... no I don't... I don't..." Floren-Ca covered her face. "I
wish I did. I wish so much I could help you. But I don't know
where they are now. They... they move around so much..."
Remington bit his lip, turning aside. Men were already searching
for the camp, but what he needed to know first was the motive.
Kragok wasn't stupid. He had known about the fleeters for some
time now, and it didn't take a genius to find them. Why now?
*
"Why now?"
Kragok stared at his half-sister through her bars of containment.
Her defiance was intriguing, if not irritating. "Honestly. You're
losing it. You've just found me now? Come ON!"
"Oh, I've known where you were for weeks, Julie-Su." The cool
reply didn't seem to phase her, despite its intentions. The pink
female seemed, at a first glance, unbreakable. 'It runs in the
family.'
"Well then, why did it take so long to get me? Should have known
you'd send a man to do a woman's job." Julie tossed out the bait
without fear, but curiously. He was keeping her in the cell for
some reason, but that had been it so far. She wasn't dead yet, nor
had her memory been wiped out somehow. What was left?
"Always the sexist one, weren't you?" Kragok sipped at a glass of
water a legionnare had fetched for him earlier, glancing at his
prisoner to see if she would ask for some. She didn't. Smiling to
himself, he set it back down. "You know, Julie... your position is
still open."
"And I've been gone for how long?" So that was it. That's what he
wanted. Her to return. And yet she knew that somehow that would be
an easy setup, and going along with the plan might not even be a
safe route.
"Everyone takes vacations now and then, don't they?"
"Even you? Vacations? And here I thought you were completely
dedicated to your job." A smirk escaped her face. It was an
interesting game, and one they had played before.
"Ah, young fry. You know me too well. But that's why I'm the
commander, and you are but a grunt."
"Last I checked, I wasn't anything here," she spat, "and I hardly
think that anything you say could possibly change that."
"Anything?" Kragok leaned back in his seat, a cocky smile crossing
over his shadowed face. "I should hardly doubt that."
*
Lady Kommissar leaned back in her chair, surveying the wall of
monitors displayed before her. It was, of course, the most
efficient way to keep track on who was planning to overthrow her.
Of course, her loyal guards - slaves - were there to take care of
such annoyances.
Razeid stood by the door, staring into the dimly-lit room. The
monitors provided a blue light, giving the room a cool atmosphere
only accented by the icy mistress usually found in it. Whereas
Kragok intimidated others in a more forceful manner, his sister
relied on her body to do the job just as much as her tongue. Less
direct for more effect. It worked, too.
He remained there in silence, unsure if he should say or do
anything. It was a general rule that the commanders were to be
interrupted in no circumstances. She was a fascinating sight. In
her delicate frame lay the appearance of power. She carried
herself in such a way that leadership and control was somehow
apparent, not to mention respected. She carried as much clout as
her male counterpart but was able to slip behind the scenes should
something backfire, whereas he would have to stand in the dust and
bare any consequences. He stared at her with fascination, unable
to divert his eyes away from the figure in the chair. Her leather
ensemble only heightened her effect.
"Ah, Razeid. Do enter." Lien-Da commanded, not bothering to turn
around. The echnida silently complied, standing before her desk as
she continued to observe the monitors. This went on for a full minute
before she gave one a slight push and spun around to face him. "You
do know that, my back turned as such, I would have been an easy
target for you."
Her gloved hands reached for the desk and she lifted herself up
gracefully, perfectly, now kneeling on the hard surface. "Could have
waved a gun in my face. Kidnapped me. Made me do your bidding."
Razeid tensed, unsure of how to answer her. Such was her routine,
and one she was a master of. "I could have," he finally responded,
keeping his eyes locked on her body.
"And yet, you didn't. Why is that, lowly one? Why didn't you?"
"Because you are my commander," Razeid bowed his head and lifted
it back up, "and it's my job to stop the bastards who try that." A
knowing smile crossed over her face as she nodded.
"You never disappoint me... or perhaps anyone." Her legs crossed over
the table, she lightly kicked him back with her leather-booted feet.
"Now perhaps you'd like to prove yourself. I'm sure you've been
waiting for some time... haven't you, Razeid? Do you dream about it
at night? Does it stop you from sleeping? Does it push you further in
the day?" The young Legionnare wasn't all too sure exactly she was
talking about, but either scenario he was picturing in his mind seemed
to work. He nodded.
"We've been observing you for some time now, Razeid." Lien-Da
continued, lifting her hand up as she brushed a finger across the side
of his face. "You always were a fine addition to our group... and you
would never go against us, would you? Wouldn't allow yourself to be
consumed with the guardian's lies of a technology-free world?"
"Never, my-"
"Because, Razeid, I don't like it when that happens." Her voice losing
some of the erotic touch it dangled with, Lien's hand tightened around
the fabric by his neck. He bit is lip to stop from making a gagging
sound. Her face moved closer to his, and he could feel her inviting
breath dance against his skin. She was, as his mates would easily
agree, a temptress. An evil one, perchance. But her appeal drove
them wild. Insane. "I don't like it when people screw me over. And
do you know what happens when they do?" Weakly, he nodded. "And
you wouldn't do that, would you?"
"Never..."
*
"You've got exactly five seconds to tell me you're joking before I kill
you."
"Guardian." Remington snapped. "I'm sorry. This is beyond my control.
Now, you can take out your anger at my expense, or you can join my
men in locating your girlfriend. The choice is all yours." Knuckles
seethed at the constable, his fists clenched in standard fashion. "Now
please sit down, and we'll discuss this like men."
Snorting, Knuckles finally moved back to his chair, his arms crossed
over his chest as if to hold him back. "How the hell did this happen,
Remington? Don't your men do ANYTHING around here, or is it entirely
up to me now?"
"If it was entirely up to you..." Remington shook his head, stopping
himself from saying anything further. Putting up with Locke's
continually angry son was one of the worst parts of his job, but one
he had little choice about. "Listen. Guardian. They attacked suddenly,
and you know how they operate. By the time we even heard about it
the damage was done, and because they've been so quiet lately, we
haven't been able to contact them."
"That's easy - you've got spies, haven't you?"
"Had..." Remington's voice trailed off. "Kragok wasn't fooled for too
long. They're long gone."
"DAMN it!" Knuckles cried, punching the wall next to him. The
constable braced himself as the room shuddered. "Isn't there ANYONE
else? Don't you know someone who has ANY idea where she is?"
"No... I'm sorry." Remington bowed his head. "My men are searching
everywhere. We're going to find it right away. But I'm thinking YOU
might have some idea. Your power is greater than the Echnida
Security Team. Can't you tap into it and get some sort of lead?"
"I-" Knuckles paused for a minute, then shook his head. "Nothing's
coming through. I don't have that power!"
"Yes, you must."
"No, I DON'T!" The red echnida argued, growling. "If I did, I'd already
be there by now. Maybe they're back in some other zone, maybe
they're parked outside this building and you're too blind to notice it,
which would sure as hell be no surprise to me!"
"Listen to yourself. Your friend is out there, captured, and you would
rather spend the time bickering - which is no surprise to me either,
but that's beside the point. Round up your boys. You know the Legion
as well or better than I do. Besides, they're sure to attack sooner or
later. And when they do, we'll get them and bring our citizens back,
Julie-Su included. If you insist on fighting, hey, that's the price she
has to pay, I guess."
Silence.
"She'll be found. Don't worry about that."
"I never do, Guardian."
*
Komi-Ko sighed and leafed through a paperback in her bed. Her
beloved significant other seemed to be pulling an all-nighter again, as
he had yet to return to their shared apartment. Which wasn't her
first choice of arrangements, but considering how he had already
broken off their first engagement - commitment-phobe that he was -
it was the best thing she could expect from him. Besides, how could
they possibly be married if he was never home?
In the end, it mattered not - she was content to be with him, legal
or not, and a casual relationship probably fit their needs better.
Neither wanted children, for one thing. Now, or perhaps ever. Both
were busy. Groaning, she closed her eyes against the pillow, her long
dreadlocks strewn over the sheets. They kept her company, as he
was around less and less. 'Never be involved with a man in uniform,'
her mother had warned her. Ah, mother... Komi shook her head,
smiling to herself. If you only knew what else Remington was, you'd
be killing yourself.
The door creaked open, and footsteps crossed the hall. Finally! The
echnida woman sat up, covering herself slightly with the sheets. The
bedroom door opened, and a figure walked in.
"Remington?"
"Yeah." Her brow narrowed. That wasn't the constable. Her hand
darted under his pillow beside her, searching frantically for the
revolver he always insisted on sleeping with - 'just in case'. Well, the
case was now, but where was the pistol?
A hand grasped and twisted her wrist sharply, sending a searing pain
throughout her entire body. "LET GO OF ME!" She screamed, her other
arm thrusting forward out of reflex and desperation. It connected to
something, but it was a battle that was over as soon as it began. A
sharp blow to the head was the last thing she recalled, as the figure
lifted her over its form and silently left the room.
Chapter Two
A Knuckles the Echnida fanfiction by Amy "Kixxy" Lawson
sailor_vanilla@hotmail.com
========
Constable Remington gazed around the site in disgust. The three
apartments had been ransacked; legion work, easily. Several people
were missing, presumably kidnapped.
He knew one of them closely. Julie-Su. A member of the chatoix,
the guardian's girlfriend. Perhaps he could assist in their
search. She had been in and out of the legion before, and
Remington had never been all too sure exactly where her
loyalties lay. Originally a member, she had left after meeting
Knuckles, but had returned at least once since then. Perhaps
another turn-around? Her 'father', Simon, was missing as well.
Floren-Ca was not.
"I had left the building..." she wept, speaking with officer
Kara-Ja. "When I returned... this..."
The buildings, Remington knew, were quite nice, a more private
local for those who didn't feel like living where all the traffic
went through every day. There were in a more private neighborhood
than much of the buildings around, so many echnidas favoured the
district.
However, a growing number of those residents, for that reason,
were ex-legionnares. Unpopular with the main society, living in
the more private sector allowed them to hide out when necessary.
And apparently, Kragok knew about the area as well. Many, but not
all, of the missing citizens were or looked like escapees. The
metallic attachments most possessed were dead giveaways.
"Do you have any idea where the legionnares are now, ma'am?"
Kara-Ja questioned the purple echnida shaking in front of her.
"No... no I don't... I don't..." Floren-Ca covered her face. "I
wish I did. I wish so much I could help you. But I don't know
where they are now. They... they move around so much..."
Remington bit his lip, turning aside. Men were already searching
for the camp, but what he needed to know first was the motive.
Kragok wasn't stupid. He had known about the fleeters for some
time now, and it didn't take a genius to find them. Why now?
*
"Why now?"
Kragok stared at his half-sister through her bars of containment.
Her defiance was intriguing, if not irritating. "Honestly. You're
losing it. You've just found me now? Come ON!"
"Oh, I've known where you were for weeks, Julie-Su." The cool
reply didn't seem to phase her, despite its intentions. The pink
female seemed, at a first glance, unbreakable. 'It runs in the
family.'
"Well then, why did it take so long to get me? Should have known
you'd send a man to do a woman's job." Julie tossed out the bait
without fear, but curiously. He was keeping her in the cell for
some reason, but that had been it so far. She wasn't dead yet, nor
had her memory been wiped out somehow. What was left?
"Always the sexist one, weren't you?" Kragok sipped at a glass of
water a legionnare had fetched for him earlier, glancing at his
prisoner to see if she would ask for some. She didn't. Smiling to
himself, he set it back down. "You know, Julie... your position is
still open."
"And I've been gone for how long?" So that was it. That's what he
wanted. Her to return. And yet she knew that somehow that would be
an easy setup, and going along with the plan might not even be a
safe route.
"Everyone takes vacations now and then, don't they?"
"Even you? Vacations? And here I thought you were completely
dedicated to your job." A smirk escaped her face. It was an
interesting game, and one they had played before.
"Ah, young fry. You know me too well. But that's why I'm the
commander, and you are but a grunt."
"Last I checked, I wasn't anything here," she spat, "and I hardly
think that anything you say could possibly change that."
"Anything?" Kragok leaned back in his seat, a cocky smile crossing
over his shadowed face. "I should hardly doubt that."
*
Lady Kommissar leaned back in her chair, surveying the wall of
monitors displayed before her. It was, of course, the most
efficient way to keep track on who was planning to overthrow her.
Of course, her loyal guards - slaves - were there to take care of
such annoyances.
Razeid stood by the door, staring into the dimly-lit room. The
monitors provided a blue light, giving the room a cool atmosphere
only accented by the icy mistress usually found in it. Whereas
Kragok intimidated others in a more forceful manner, his sister
relied on her body to do the job just as much as her tongue. Less
direct for more effect. It worked, too.
He remained there in silence, unsure if he should say or do
anything. It was a general rule that the commanders were to be
interrupted in no circumstances. She was a fascinating sight. In
her delicate frame lay the appearance of power. She carried
herself in such a way that leadership and control was somehow
apparent, not to mention respected. She carried as much clout as
her male counterpart but was able to slip behind the scenes should
something backfire, whereas he would have to stand in the dust and
bare any consequences. He stared at her with fascination, unable
to divert his eyes away from the figure in the chair. Her leather
ensemble only heightened her effect.
"Ah, Razeid. Do enter." Lien-Da commanded, not bothering to turn
around. The echnida silently complied, standing before her desk as
she continued to observe the monitors. This went on for a full minute
before she gave one a slight push and spun around to face him. "You
do know that, my back turned as such, I would have been an easy
target for you."
Her gloved hands reached for the desk and she lifted herself up
gracefully, perfectly, now kneeling on the hard surface. "Could have
waved a gun in my face. Kidnapped me. Made me do your bidding."
Razeid tensed, unsure of how to answer her. Such was her routine,
and one she was a master of. "I could have," he finally responded,
keeping his eyes locked on her body.
"And yet, you didn't. Why is that, lowly one? Why didn't you?"
"Because you are my commander," Razeid bowed his head and lifted
it back up, "and it's my job to stop the bastards who try that." A
knowing smile crossed over her face as she nodded.
"You never disappoint me... or perhaps anyone." Her legs crossed over
the table, she lightly kicked him back with her leather-booted feet.
"Now perhaps you'd like to prove yourself. I'm sure you've been
waiting for some time... haven't you, Razeid? Do you dream about it
at night? Does it stop you from sleeping? Does it push you further in
the day?" The young Legionnare wasn't all too sure exactly she was
talking about, but either scenario he was picturing in his mind seemed
to work. He nodded.
"We've been observing you for some time now, Razeid." Lien-Da
continued, lifting her hand up as she brushed a finger across the side
of his face. "You always were a fine addition to our group... and you
would never go against us, would you? Wouldn't allow yourself to be
consumed with the guardian's lies of a technology-free world?"
"Never, my-"
"Because, Razeid, I don't like it when that happens." Her voice losing
some of the erotic touch it dangled with, Lien's hand tightened around
the fabric by his neck. He bit is lip to stop from making a gagging
sound. Her face moved closer to his, and he could feel her inviting
breath dance against his skin. She was, as his mates would easily
agree, a temptress. An evil one, perchance. But her appeal drove
them wild. Insane. "I don't like it when people screw me over. And
do you know what happens when they do?" Weakly, he nodded. "And
you wouldn't do that, would you?"
"Never..."
*
"You've got exactly five seconds to tell me you're joking before I kill
you."
"Guardian." Remington snapped. "I'm sorry. This is beyond my control.
Now, you can take out your anger at my expense, or you can join my
men in locating your girlfriend. The choice is all yours." Knuckles
seethed at the constable, his fists clenched in standard fashion. "Now
please sit down, and we'll discuss this like men."
Snorting, Knuckles finally moved back to his chair, his arms crossed
over his chest as if to hold him back. "How the hell did this happen,
Remington? Don't your men do ANYTHING around here, or is it entirely
up to me now?"
"If it was entirely up to you..." Remington shook his head, stopping
himself from saying anything further. Putting up with Locke's
continually angry son was one of the worst parts of his job, but one
he had little choice about. "Listen. Guardian. They attacked suddenly,
and you know how they operate. By the time we even heard about it
the damage was done, and because they've been so quiet lately, we
haven't been able to contact them."
"That's easy - you've got spies, haven't you?"
"Had..." Remington's voice trailed off. "Kragok wasn't fooled for too
long. They're long gone."
"DAMN it!" Knuckles cried, punching the wall next to him. The
constable braced himself as the room shuddered. "Isn't there ANYONE
else? Don't you know someone who has ANY idea where she is?"
"No... I'm sorry." Remington bowed his head. "My men are searching
everywhere. We're going to find it right away. But I'm thinking YOU
might have some idea. Your power is greater than the Echnida
Security Team. Can't you tap into it and get some sort of lead?"
"I-" Knuckles paused for a minute, then shook his head. "Nothing's
coming through. I don't have that power!"
"Yes, you must."
"No, I DON'T!" The red echnida argued, growling. "If I did, I'd already
be there by now. Maybe they're back in some other zone, maybe
they're parked outside this building and you're too blind to notice it,
which would sure as hell be no surprise to me!"
"Listen to yourself. Your friend is out there, captured, and you would
rather spend the time bickering - which is no surprise to me either,
but that's beside the point. Round up your boys. You know the Legion
as well or better than I do. Besides, they're sure to attack sooner or
later. And when they do, we'll get them and bring our citizens back,
Julie-Su included. If you insist on fighting, hey, that's the price she
has to pay, I guess."
Silence.
"She'll be found. Don't worry about that."
"I never do, Guardian."
*
Komi-Ko sighed and leafed through a paperback in her bed. Her
beloved significant other seemed to be pulling an all-nighter again, as
he had yet to return to their shared apartment. Which wasn't her
first choice of arrangements, but considering how he had already
broken off their first engagement - commitment-phobe that he was -
it was the best thing she could expect from him. Besides, how could
they possibly be married if he was never home?
In the end, it mattered not - she was content to be with him, legal
or not, and a casual relationship probably fit their needs better.
Neither wanted children, for one thing. Now, or perhaps ever. Both
were busy. Groaning, she closed her eyes against the pillow, her long
dreadlocks strewn over the sheets. They kept her company, as he
was around less and less. 'Never be involved with a man in uniform,'
her mother had warned her. Ah, mother... Komi shook her head,
smiling to herself. If you only knew what else Remington was, you'd
be killing yourself.
The door creaked open, and footsteps crossed the hall. Finally! The
echnida woman sat up, covering herself slightly with the sheets. The
bedroom door opened, and a figure walked in.
"Remington?"
"Yeah." Her brow narrowed. That wasn't the constable. Her hand
darted under his pillow beside her, searching frantically for the
revolver he always insisted on sleeping with - 'just in case'. Well, the
case was now, but where was the pistol?
A hand grasped and twisted her wrist sharply, sending a searing pain
throughout her entire body. "LET GO OF ME!" She screamed, her other
arm thrusting forward out of reflex and desperation. It connected to
something, but it was a battle that was over as soon as it began. A
sharp blow to the head was the last thing she recalled, as the figure
lifted her over its form and silently left the room.
