Thanks for the reviews, now, as promised, chapter 4. I see that chapter 3 is finally working, I was kinda worried about that! More soon :D
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Trance toweled the rest of the moisture from her hair. She sighed and went to sit down and wait for Dylan when she felt the cold steel of a Katanna blade against her throat and a hoarse voice whispered in her ear. "You should not have returned. I didn't want to kill you again but now you leave me no choice."
Fear and surprise paralyzed Trance for an instant but her reaction was faster than her attacker expected. She thrust her elbow into her assailant's midsection, simultaneously throwing her weight back, knocking her opponent off balance. She immediately grabbed the arm with the blade and flung the intruder over her shoulder.
The golden woman landed on the floor with a whoosh as the breath was forced from her lungs. From her back she gaped at Purple Trance. "I see you have already begun the "change". You are stronger, quicker. I will not underestimate you again." With that she flipped herself back to a standing position. The two women circled each other.
"I learned a lot while I was away." Purple Trance remarked with a shrug. "And the change *can* be reversed."
"Why did you come back?" Gold Trance asked as she looked for an opening in the purple girl's defenses.
"You have to ask?" P.Trance sneered. Her eyes never left the gold woman yet she used her peripheral vision to scan for anything that could be used as a weapon. She *had* learned a lot but she was still no match for the warrior that now threatened to tear her head right off.
"I was just trying to satisfy my own curiosity." G.Trance goaded. "Did you come back for Hunt? Beka? Certainly not the Neitzschean. The ship? Or was it the little human?" Purple Trance's eyes flared with raw hatred. "What?" Gold Trance continued, feigning innocence. "What interest could you possibly have in *him*? Oh, yeah, maybe it's because he's the key to this whole "perfect possible future" crap. I just wish I could have been there to see your face when you discovered the role he really plays and why I'm really here. I bet you really missed him while you were gone. I bet you *ached* for the little freak. Don't worry, he sure didn't miss you, I took *real* good care of him."
"BITCH!" Purple Trance screamed and launched herself at the other woman. One hand reaching for the laser scalpel on a table nearby.
Anticipating her attack, Gold Trance easily sidestepped the rushing girl and swung her twin blades, aiming at Purple Trance's head. She let out a grunt of frustration when her knives sliced only air. The younger woman arched under the Katanna and thrust her arm into the opening the warrior's counter-attack created. She slammed the laser scalpel against the other woman's throat and was about to turn it on when she felt the prick of steel at her abdomen.
The two women glared at each other, panting from exertion, at a stalemate. Neither woman would "die" from injuries inflicted in such a manner. The goal now was to be the first to tell their version of events to Dylan. To do that, they would have to be the last one standing. They stared intently at each other, waiting for the fraction of a second when they would be the one to gain the advantage. Their "trance" was broken, however, as the doors to med bay slid open revealing Dylan, Beka and Harper.
"Good grief." Gold Trance muttered.
************
*Outside med bay, moments before.*
As they approached the doors to med bay, Harper's mouth went dry. His heart began to pound and his face turned several shades of white. His thoughts had not strayed from the two Trances even though he tried to make it appear that the two aliens were the furthest thing from his mind. He was scared. Simple as that. He had a very bad feeling and, growing up on Earth, he had learned to trust his instincts, especially the paranoid ones. He ran a hand nervously though his hair and took a deep breath as Dylan keyed the command to allow them access to med bay. The breath caught in his throat and his eyes widened as he beheld the scene before them. "Um...Trance..." He started.
"*WHAT??*" The women barked in unison and then turned their attention back to their stand-off.
Harper was startled at their fierce reaction. His amazement turned to indignation. "What do you mean *WHAT*!? You," he said, pointing to the Gold one, "are supposed to be in your quarters, and you," he leveled his finger at the other, "well...I don't know about you yet."
"Stay out of this, Harper." Purple Trance said, her voice cold and devoid of all emotion, her eyes still locked on her twin.
A hurt look flashed across Harper's face, quickly replaced by a glowing ember of anger.
"Now everyone calm down." Dylan said, attempting to gain control of the situation. "Rommie, report to med bay."
"Sir?" Rommie's voice came back over the com.
"You'll see when you get here." Dylan said. Turning his attention to the women once again, he said, "Ladies, slowly put your weapons down and we'll figure this out."
"Dylan, you don't understand..." Gold Trance began.
"Understand?" Harper exclaimed, "Of course we don't understand! Neither of you has ever told us *anything*!" Dylan's calm, "let me handle it" routine had fanned the spark to a roaring fire. Harper began pacing back and forth in front of the pair.
"Harper, this isn't helping." Beka said softly, trying to diffuse the rapidly worsening situation.
"No, Beka, it isn't helping." He shot her a withering glance, his pacing increased as his agitation grew. "I don't know what is going on here but I know one sure fire way to find out." He stopped short, faced the Trances and drew his gauss gun.
"Whoa, Mister Harper, what do you think you're doing?" Dylan said as calmly as he could. In truth he was furious at Harper for not letting him handle the situation. At the same time, he was astounded that Harper would pull a gun on his best friend...(s).
Harper glanced at Dylan, "Getting some answers, boss."
"Harper, stop it!" Purple Trance barked. "You could never hurt either one of us and you know it!"
"Oh yeah?" Harper powered up his weapon. "Try me. You tell me which one of you belongs here, *really* belongs here or I will just start shooting and whichever of you *doesn't* come back to life looses." Outside he was cold as ice, his voice steady and controlled. Inside he was a complete wreck. *What the hell are you doing??* His mind screamed. *This is ridiculous! He was going to *make* them talk, that's what he was doing, no more "can't tell you, Harper" or "It's a secret, Harper" *They are your friend and your just, what, going to start shooting at them?* Doubt began to gnaw at him and he struggled to maintain his composure. The gun became slick under his grasp and the hand that held it began to tremble.
Dylan was beginning to think he was going to have to pull *his* weapon on Harper to get the boy to stand down. He actually started reaching for it when the doors to med bay opened once again to reveal Rommie staring open-mouthed at the situation.
The opening of the doors diverted everyone's attention, everyone but Purple Trance and she seized the opportunity. Quick as lightening, her left hand snaked down the blade at her stomach, knocking it away. In one fluid motion she stepped into Gold Trance, knocking her off balance and shoved her sideways into Harper.
Harper yelped with surprise as the gold woman slammed into him like a freight hauler. He felt himself falling *Oh, shit* he thought as the gun slipped in his sweaty hand and discharged.
Harper and Gold Trance landed in a tangled heap on the floor.
"There. That's better." Purple Trance said with a smile.
**************
TBC
***********************
Trance toweled the rest of the moisture from her hair. She sighed and went to sit down and wait for Dylan when she felt the cold steel of a Katanna blade against her throat and a hoarse voice whispered in her ear. "You should not have returned. I didn't want to kill you again but now you leave me no choice."
Fear and surprise paralyzed Trance for an instant but her reaction was faster than her attacker expected. She thrust her elbow into her assailant's midsection, simultaneously throwing her weight back, knocking her opponent off balance. She immediately grabbed the arm with the blade and flung the intruder over her shoulder.
The golden woman landed on the floor with a whoosh as the breath was forced from her lungs. From her back she gaped at Purple Trance. "I see you have already begun the "change". You are stronger, quicker. I will not underestimate you again." With that she flipped herself back to a standing position. The two women circled each other.
"I learned a lot while I was away." Purple Trance remarked with a shrug. "And the change *can* be reversed."
"Why did you come back?" Gold Trance asked as she looked for an opening in the purple girl's defenses.
"You have to ask?" P.Trance sneered. Her eyes never left the gold woman yet she used her peripheral vision to scan for anything that could be used as a weapon. She *had* learned a lot but she was still no match for the warrior that now threatened to tear her head right off.
"I was just trying to satisfy my own curiosity." G.Trance goaded. "Did you come back for Hunt? Beka? Certainly not the Neitzschean. The ship? Or was it the little human?" Purple Trance's eyes flared with raw hatred. "What?" Gold Trance continued, feigning innocence. "What interest could you possibly have in *him*? Oh, yeah, maybe it's because he's the key to this whole "perfect possible future" crap. I just wish I could have been there to see your face when you discovered the role he really plays and why I'm really here. I bet you really missed him while you were gone. I bet you *ached* for the little freak. Don't worry, he sure didn't miss you, I took *real* good care of him."
"BITCH!" Purple Trance screamed and launched herself at the other woman. One hand reaching for the laser scalpel on a table nearby.
Anticipating her attack, Gold Trance easily sidestepped the rushing girl and swung her twin blades, aiming at Purple Trance's head. She let out a grunt of frustration when her knives sliced only air. The younger woman arched under the Katanna and thrust her arm into the opening the warrior's counter-attack created. She slammed the laser scalpel against the other woman's throat and was about to turn it on when she felt the prick of steel at her abdomen.
The two women glared at each other, panting from exertion, at a stalemate. Neither woman would "die" from injuries inflicted in such a manner. The goal now was to be the first to tell their version of events to Dylan. To do that, they would have to be the last one standing. They stared intently at each other, waiting for the fraction of a second when they would be the one to gain the advantage. Their "trance" was broken, however, as the doors to med bay slid open revealing Dylan, Beka and Harper.
"Good grief." Gold Trance muttered.
************
*Outside med bay, moments before.*
As they approached the doors to med bay, Harper's mouth went dry. His heart began to pound and his face turned several shades of white. His thoughts had not strayed from the two Trances even though he tried to make it appear that the two aliens were the furthest thing from his mind. He was scared. Simple as that. He had a very bad feeling and, growing up on Earth, he had learned to trust his instincts, especially the paranoid ones. He ran a hand nervously though his hair and took a deep breath as Dylan keyed the command to allow them access to med bay. The breath caught in his throat and his eyes widened as he beheld the scene before them. "Um...Trance..." He started.
"*WHAT??*" The women barked in unison and then turned their attention back to their stand-off.
Harper was startled at their fierce reaction. His amazement turned to indignation. "What do you mean *WHAT*!? You," he said, pointing to the Gold one, "are supposed to be in your quarters, and you," he leveled his finger at the other, "well...I don't know about you yet."
"Stay out of this, Harper." Purple Trance said, her voice cold and devoid of all emotion, her eyes still locked on her twin.
A hurt look flashed across Harper's face, quickly replaced by a glowing ember of anger.
"Now everyone calm down." Dylan said, attempting to gain control of the situation. "Rommie, report to med bay."
"Sir?" Rommie's voice came back over the com.
"You'll see when you get here." Dylan said. Turning his attention to the women once again, he said, "Ladies, slowly put your weapons down and we'll figure this out."
"Dylan, you don't understand..." Gold Trance began.
"Understand?" Harper exclaimed, "Of course we don't understand! Neither of you has ever told us *anything*!" Dylan's calm, "let me handle it" routine had fanned the spark to a roaring fire. Harper began pacing back and forth in front of the pair.
"Harper, this isn't helping." Beka said softly, trying to diffuse the rapidly worsening situation.
"No, Beka, it isn't helping." He shot her a withering glance, his pacing increased as his agitation grew. "I don't know what is going on here but I know one sure fire way to find out." He stopped short, faced the Trances and drew his gauss gun.
"Whoa, Mister Harper, what do you think you're doing?" Dylan said as calmly as he could. In truth he was furious at Harper for not letting him handle the situation. At the same time, he was astounded that Harper would pull a gun on his best friend...(s).
Harper glanced at Dylan, "Getting some answers, boss."
"Harper, stop it!" Purple Trance barked. "You could never hurt either one of us and you know it!"
"Oh yeah?" Harper powered up his weapon. "Try me. You tell me which one of you belongs here, *really* belongs here or I will just start shooting and whichever of you *doesn't* come back to life looses." Outside he was cold as ice, his voice steady and controlled. Inside he was a complete wreck. *What the hell are you doing??* His mind screamed. *This is ridiculous! He was going to *make* them talk, that's what he was doing, no more "can't tell you, Harper" or "It's a secret, Harper" *They are your friend and your just, what, going to start shooting at them?* Doubt began to gnaw at him and he struggled to maintain his composure. The gun became slick under his grasp and the hand that held it began to tremble.
Dylan was beginning to think he was going to have to pull *his* weapon on Harper to get the boy to stand down. He actually started reaching for it when the doors to med bay opened once again to reveal Rommie staring open-mouthed at the situation.
The opening of the doors diverted everyone's attention, everyone but Purple Trance and she seized the opportunity. Quick as lightening, her left hand snaked down the blade at her stomach, knocking it away. In one fluid motion she stepped into Gold Trance, knocking her off balance and shoved her sideways into Harper.
Harper yelped with surprise as the gold woman slammed into him like a freight hauler. He felt himself falling *Oh, shit* he thought as the gun slipped in his sweaty hand and discharged.
Harper and Gold Trance landed in a tangled heap on the floor.
"There. That's better." Purple Trance said with a smile.
**************
TBC