Aeryn and John had left to meet Malika, Zhaan, and Andar at the shuttle port while D'argo went to start the search for their missing crewmate after Rygel failed to answer his comm. Chiana found she wasn't able to remain in her room any longer so she headed back down to the Tavern level. She'd hoped she'd find some clue as to Berret's whereabouts and the club was as good a place to start as any. She entered into the establishment that was fairly empty so early in the day. To her disgust, Rygel was still at his game table gambling with a few other diehards. The Hynerian had probably turned his communicator off so he wouldn't be disturbed at his vice. The Nebari girl grew angry at the sight of the small being with some sort of lit and smoking weed hanging from his frog-like lips and she started to stalk over in his direction.
"Hey, you there! Little dancing girl!" called a friendly voice before she could reach Rygel's table.
Chiana turned to see Berret's opponent from the balance beam contest waving at her from the gaming pit.
The girl changed directions and stepped down into the contest area, hoping the man could tell her something.
"Where is your tall, skinny friend?" he asked, dashing her hopes. "I hope he will be back tonight to give me a rematch. Tonight I will not drink until I knock him to the mats," he vowed good naturely.
The man was some sort of Sebacean offshoot, not only was he big and burly but he had a full wild head of hair and a shaggy beard to match. Crichton had mentioned upon their arrival in the tavern that the man reminded him of someone called a "Viking." The man was jovial enough and friendly to everyone, except when it came to the staff game, and then he defended his title with gusto. He had earlier spent several arns trying to talk D'argo into giving him a match.
Chiana searched her mind for the friendly man's name but after all the drinking and dancing last night it had escaped her.
"I'm sorry, I was half gizsooed last night and I can't remember what your name is," she apologized.
The man waved on meaty hand in dismissal. "That's all right. Everyone had a good time last night. I dare say there are several lads who will never dance again after the way you wore them out," he said with a deep chuckle. "My name is Brunt... and I must confess in all the excitement last night I drank more then was reasonable myself as your name has slipped my mind also."
The cheery man gave her an impish grin and then added, "Or perhaps it was knocked from my head on purpose by your jealous boyfriend. I can see why he would want a lovely like you all to himself.
He gave Chiana a wink that made her feel better of a few microts.
"Chiana," she replied, holding out one gloved hand for him to shake. Despite his size, the grip and the shake were gentle.
"So will he give me a rematch so I may win the bout in your honor?" he asked.
Chiana slight smile faded and so did Brunt's friendly beam as he thought he'd said something to offend the girl.
"That's a problem. He disappeared from our room sometime last night and I can't find him."
"You mean he just left you?" asked Brunt being serious now. "He just upped and walked out on you?" he continued in disbelieve.
"No," replied Chiana. "We think someone kidnapped him in the hotel hallway. Have you ever heard of something like that ever happening here?" she asked.
"I see," Brunt said as he began to understand, "There have been cases of persons being snatched to serve aboard ships as extra crew... but as far as I know nothings ever happened like that here in this club."
The Nebari considered the man's information, "I really doubt that's it. I think someone looking to hijack crewmembers would have found they'd bitten off more then they could chew with Berret."
"Yes, I could see where that might be a problem. Your friend, Berret is it?" he asked and waited until Chiana nodded an affirmative, "He did seem like he is a skilled fighter, but still... if he was jumped from behind by two or three beings who knew their business, he could be a prisoner aboard some freighter."
Chiana had to concluded that might actually be a possibility. Brunt saw the distress in the young girl's eyes and set one large hand lightly on her shoulder in comfort.
"Let me ask around. I know some people who might have an idea where your friend might be," he said.
"You would do that for us?" asked Chiana.
"Of course," said Brunt as if surprised that she would think he would do anything else. "After all... how can there be a rematch if your friend Berret is off scrubbing decks somewhere. There's my honor and reputation to defend and drinks to be wagered. You have to get the priorities straight, my girl."
"I can't believe that man had to go and turn up missing. Can't he stay out of trouble for three lousy microts?" asked a miffed Malika from her seat on the Transport Pod.
Besides her, Andar stifled a yawn behind one hand and then scratched the stubble along one cheek. The emergency call had caught him barely an arn after he had retired to his quarters to sleep. The Sebacean man had declined heading planet side in favor of spending time locked inside his little electronics lab working on one of his projects that his crewmates where forever keep in the dark about. The man enjoyed secreting himself away and tinkering around, building the devices that sometime appeared to his mind's eye. Often when he had a vision he became obsessed and disappeared for days until the machine was finished. Some of his creations not even Zhaan or Aeryn could understand how he constructed them and he couldn't explain them to his friends either. He just saw them, automatically understood them, and then built them. This last device intrigued him because for the first time the device wasn't a random thing he seen, this time he had needed a timing device for a piece of equipment in Malika's lab and after looking over the machine in question, the timing circuit seemed to construct itself in his mind. He was so excited that he chose not to accompany the rest of the others planet side and instead rushed to his worktable and began assembling the component. Besides, Malika had elected to stay behind and meditate with Zhaan and he had no interest in going to see the nightspots the world offered without the Delvian girl's company.
"We don't know that it's Berret's fault that he's missing, Malika," answered Zhaan from the pilot's seat.
"We have to remember that all of us are at risk of being captured at any time. We are all fugitives."
Zhaan flared the Pod for landing and the transport's landing gear deployed with a reassuring thump. The ship settled to the ground and the Pa'u could see Aeryn and Crichton approaching the craft through the forward view port. She moved to the hatchway as Andar began pulling extra pulse rifles from the weapon's rack and passed them out.
"Come on, Toad-face!" said Chiana as she yanked on one of Rygel's floppy ears.
"Yeow! What the hezmana do you think you're doing, you skinny assed bitch? I'm in the middle of a game... and I'm winning!" cried the Hynerian in outrage.
Chiana pushed her angry-looking face closer to Rygel's, "Well, if you had left your comm on; you would know we've got trouble. Berret's been taken."
"That's exactly why I turned it off, and what should I care if your pet's run off?"
The Nebari shook the smaller being in frustration, "You're not listening... somebody took him, he didn't run off. And he is not my 'pet'!" Chiana released Rygel and let him fall back into his thronesled.
"Get your winnings. You're coming with me to help find him," she ordered.
Rygel gave her one of his insincere smiles, "Certainly... you go on ahead and I'll catch up in a few microns as soon as I finish here." Rubbing his stubby fingers together, he turned back to his table and the waiting players.
"RYGEL!" snapped Chiana, "Now!"
"All frelling right!" grumbled the Dominar as he scooped his gaming chips into his lap. "You'll have to excuse me," he said to the other gamblers at his table, "My incompetent crew has an emergency and they can't find their eemas with both hands without my help. We shall continue our game at a later time."
With a small bow, he spun the floating chair around and followed Chiana out of the club to meet the others.
"You better appreciate this, you little tramp," he complained as he moved up next to her. "You and that idiot toy of yours have cost me a lot of credits tonight. I was just setting them up for the kill, they were so ripe for plundering..."
"I get the picture," Chiana cut him off. "As soon as we find Berret you can go back and gamble to your hearts content."
"What's the matter with you?" asked Rygel, "Since when is somebody else more important then making an easy profit?"
"I dunno. My priorities have changed," admitted the Nebari woman somewhat distractedly.
"Great Goddess, Girl! You know better then to put someone else before your own survival. Those extra credits could mean the difference between whether I live or die at some point in the future. That damned Crichton is starting to give you some bad habits. Rushing off to find that useless hunk of meat. Good riddance I say."
Chiana turned to glare down at Rygel, "I'll remember that advice the next time you get into trouble and need somebody to rush off to rescue you."
Nanno looked down at the rusted circle of metal in his hands and then back up at the filthy humanoid dressed in rags before him.
"What the frell do you expect me to do with this?" he asked in anger.
"You wanted a control collar, I brought you a control collar," replied the man innocently.
Nanno shook the device in the man's face and screamed, "This piece of dren is over fifty cycles old! It won't even control an elderly Vork."
He dashed the collar to the floor of the cell and grabbed the man by his shirtfront, feeling the worn material rip in his hands as he drew the man in closer.
"You see that?" he said as he pointed at Berret, "That... is a Shrike assassin. Do you know what he would do to us if we relied on that useless collar and turned him lose? I need a new modern collar!"
"You didn't say what the collar was for," pleaded the man, "Newer collars are very expensive and hard to come by."
"I don't care what it costs. Get me one and don't return without it"
He released the ragged man with a push and he scurried out of the cell away from his angry employer. Behind Nanno, Berret began to chuckle dryly.
"Having trouble with the rule of supply and demand?" the Shrike taunted.
Nanno turned to the man and shouted, "Be quiet!"
He pulled out the control device from a pocket and pointed it at Berret. When he pushed the button, a serve shock coursed through the ex-assassin's body, much worse then the first time. Berret realized that there was probably a device in the cell wall to amplify the current passing through his body, causing him to convulse so badly that he involuntary bite the inside of his mouth.
"Did that teach you some manners?" asked Nanno after he shut the mechanism off.
"Eat dren, Freller," Berret said in pure hate as he spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Not a good answer," replied Nanno as he hit the switch once again. This time Berret screamed.
Berret slumped semi-conscious against his bonds. His body filled with the slight burning sensation of the microbes struggling to repair the damage done by the electricity to his convulsing muscles. His captors hadn't seen fit to feed him since they brought him in and the stress of the unfed microbe's work was starting to show in his face, as it became more haggard looking. He drifted into waking dreams where he saw what he assumed to be people he'd killed in his Syndicate past, the same crowd that always awaited him in his nightmares. This time Chiana would be there sometimes in the throng watching him as he faced his silent accusers. At first her face shined with something more then just lust. "Could it be love?" he asked himself. Dare he hope the Nebari woman could feel such for somebody like him? He felt himself smiling back at her but then she began to look around them, seemingly to notice the silent bloody beings all for the first time. Her smile slowly faded as she realized they were all staring accusingly at Berret. He looked down and saw the gory blades from his gauntlets, the blood covering his hands. Chiana saw them too, with a sad look she turned away from him in slow motion and began to walk away. The crowd parted for her as she passed but then flowed back together in her wake. Berret tried to follow her, calling her name, wanting her to wait so he could explain... wanting her to smile at him again. The mob refused to let him through, blocking his way to the Nebari woman. He thought about forcing his way through, of fighting his way to her so he could make her listen, but a small child stepped in front of him. His chest torn open and the wound and his body now drained bloodless. His face a deathly pale, his dark accusing eyes showing the only spark of animation.
"I never had the chance for a life," he said in a voice as cold as a grave, his gaze following the Nebari, "You don't deserve the chance either for what you done to us."
Berret looked in horror at the ghost, "I didn't mean it. They made me do all those things, I didn't want too."
His plea fell on dead unfeeling ears. "It doesn't matter now," said the boy. "She's seen us. Seen you for what you really are."
Berret looked back up and tried to find Chiana somewhere in the crowd, she was nowhere to be seen.
"She could never love you now," continued the child.
"Never want to be near you," said another voice from the mob.
"She could never bare to look at you," called a woman with a slashed throat.
"Never share a life with you like the one you've taken from us," chimed in another ghost.
The boy reached up and pulled on his belt, bringing his attention back to him.
"Do you really want to ask her to live with what you are? To mare her life with your sins. Do you really have that right?" The child's eyes were glassy and hard, his cold stare boring deep into Berret's soul.
Swallowing hard, the Shrike barely whispered, "No."
With that single word, hope began to die.
"Why are we even wasting our time?" said Rygel for what seemed the hundred time in the last few arns.
Chiana did her best to ignore the complaining Hynerian and cursed her luck for being paired to search with him. They wandered the street randomly stopping people that her experience and street-smarts told her "were in the know," those who had their ear to what was happening in the streets and in the city's underground. She could smoothly fit in with the seamier side of life she found there and she spoke the denizen's language fluidly. After winning a minuet bit of trust from a street person, she showed them Berret's holo-image, but no one she'd spoken with thus far would admit remembering seeing him or heard of anyone looking for somebody with his talents.
"He's probably run off to do whatever vile thing it is that Shrike's do when they get the urge to kill something... or someone," Rygel continued.
The Nebari girl started to fume. The only one who could possibly be complaining worse about having to look for Berret then Rygel, was Malika. Judging by the put out expression the Delvian wore after arriving she was wondering if Andar had to put up with the same type of complaining at that microt.
"He didn't run off I told you," she growled at the smaller being.
"Hah!" barked Rygel, "Then maybe you frelled him scared with your un-natural sex drive."
Chiana paused for a microt, her face going dark as she silently counted to ten in an attempt not to rip the Hynerian's head off before turning around to face him.
"Listen... Frog-face," she began in a carefully controlled tone, "I didn't do anything. Somebody kidnapped him and now is not the time to argue about it. So shut up and help me talk to people."
Not getting as big a rise out of the Nebari as he'd hoped, Rygel mouth turned downward in a frown.
"He really means that much to you?" he asked more subdued.
Chiana turned and started walking again, thinking about Rygel's question. "Well... yeah," she finally replied with a slight shake of her head as if she was having trouble understanding why he mattered so much to her. Even though she knew the truth of the matter.
"Why?" asked the persistent Hynerian as he floated along beside her.
"I dunno. He needs me," she answered as she picked up her pace, hoping speed would end the Hynerian's questions. Rygel simply increased the speed of his thronesled to keep up with her.
"He's a Syndicate Enforcer. He's probably frelling killed more people then you will ever know. He doesn't need anyone," the Dominar intoned.
Chiana wheeled on him. "Don't you think I know that?" she exclaimed. "He didn't ask to be made into what they made him. Don't you think I don't see the pain and shame in his eyes when he's reminded? At night when he wakes up in a cold sweat and tries to lay still so not to wake me... don't you think I know what it's about?"
Rygel remained silent but regarded her with knowing eyes, allowing her to go on speaking.
"Finally there's someone on this frelled up boat who treats me as an equal, not as some child who can't take care of herself. Someone who needs me and listens to what I have to say for a change, but its like he holds me just far enough away so I can't touch who he really is. Like he's afraid something bad will happen if he did let me in. How do you think I feel when I thought I was making progress only to have his past rise up and build up that wall between us again? Tonight, we were actually together like real people. I could touch him and he didn't back away from me... he was going to open up to me and someone snatched him before that could happen. I'm grised, Rygel! Really frelling grised... so don't you go giving me anymore grief about it."
The Hynerian pursed his lips and then asked, "But what do you get out of it?"
"What do you mean?" she asked as her eyes narrowed, expecting a trick question from the Hynerian.
"I want to know... what's your end for helping him?"
Chiana shook her head in bewilderment. "There is no end. He just needs me, that's all," she told him.
Rygel gave her a small knowing smile as if he'd just pulled something over on her, but she couldn't see what it could have been. She bent down closer to him with a frown spreading across her gray face.
"There's always an end in all things a person does," he told her while shaking one small finger at the end of her pale nose. "I was just wondering if you figured out what yours was concerning Berret yet."
He delivered that last statement as if he knew something she didn't, instead of as a question. She waited a microt for him to explain himself but instead he set his hand back on his sled control and moved on down the street away from her. Chiana turned to watch him go, wondering for a microt what she'd just missed. Shrugging her shoulders, she decided to just be happy with the fact that Rygel was now actively helping her search for the missing Berret instead of complaining. With a small sigh she started to follow him along the street.
Crichton adjusted the Pulse-rifle's sling over his shoulder as he and Aeryn headed back to the club they had been staying at to rendezvous with the others. He was glad that Zhaan had thought to bring the extra weapons down with them. While "Winnona" still rode on his thigh in her holster, the weight of the rifle was reassuring, especially since someone was running around snatching people for some reason. Aeryn was in deep thought as they approached the meeting place at the front door to the establishment and he'd found it was best to leave the woman to her thoughts in such matters. Sometimes her Peacekeeper experience gave her insights or options none of them ever considered, and sometimes the alternative options didn't involve blowing something up. He went over the situation in his own mind. Someone or something had snuck up on a Syndicate Enforcer, supposedly the biggest and baddest hitmen in the Territories, and had taken him out without alarming or alerting anyone in the hotel. While Berret was sometimes slow on the uptake, he'd seen the man fight and knew he could be a vicious killer when he had to be. No matter how much killing distressed the man when he thought about having to do it, it seemed to come naturally to him when the heat was on. The thought that someone could take him out so easily gave him the willies, and he was awful glad when Andar handed him the Pulse-rifle.
They rounded the final corner and the club doorway came into sight. D'argo, Malika, Andar, Zhaan, Rygel, and Chiana where already waiting for them there.
"It looks like we're the last to arrive," commented Aeryn idly.
Crichton nodded silently and noticed that Chiana didn't look too happy so he gathered that no one else had any luck so far either in locating the Shrike. "Poor Pip is taking this hard," he thought.
He knew Chiana was blaming herself for Berret forgetting to take his weapon with him, not that it might have done any good anyway. As Aeryn and D'argo pointed out there wasn't much in the way of sights of a struggle.
John was still amazed at the change in the Nebari girl since she adopted the ex-assassin. While she still played the imp most of the time he had noticed that the young girl had matured with having taken responsibility for the man. While Aeryn with her strict PK sense of duty still believed the pair were still little more then undisciplined children, Crichton being a little more laid back and forgiving, saw the changes in them. Being around Berret had made Chiana less self-centered and more thoughtful where others were concerned. For Berret's part, Chiana at this point seemed to be the only one who could reach him. He'd tried numerous times to connect with the man as one human to another, but after each discussion he'd gotten frustrated as the man regarded him with unemotional and unblinking eyes. Not seeming to understand the human need for guys to relax and just shoot the breeze with other guys. He'd had better luck getting D'argo to understand Earth-type subjects. However when Chiana spoke to him, his eyes finally took on signs of life. Even when they were bickering or she was pulling pranks on him, there was an underlying look of... adoration... for the Nebari girl in them. It was almost as if she was the only person in the universe that he considered real to him. If ever John had seen another person in love it was Berret. He just didn't know if it was amusing or sad that the Shrike didn't know it yet. He just hoped Chiana realized it soon and did something about it one way or another. As much as she had grown up, he didn't think she'd be able to change her ways that much. Monogamy didn't seem to be in the Nebari dictionary and he was sure that being human... when Berret came to terms with his feelings, he'd be crushed by Chiana's rather free ranging lifestyle. Still, at least the man was able to relate to another living being and it was a start to him reclaiming what was left of his humanity after his treatment at the hands of the Scarren Syndicate.
"Hey, you there! Little dancing girl!" called a friendly voice before she could reach Rygel's table.
Chiana turned to see Berret's opponent from the balance beam contest waving at her from the gaming pit.
The girl changed directions and stepped down into the contest area, hoping the man could tell her something.
"Where is your tall, skinny friend?" he asked, dashing her hopes. "I hope he will be back tonight to give me a rematch. Tonight I will not drink until I knock him to the mats," he vowed good naturely.
The man was some sort of Sebacean offshoot, not only was he big and burly but he had a full wild head of hair and a shaggy beard to match. Crichton had mentioned upon their arrival in the tavern that the man reminded him of someone called a "Viking." The man was jovial enough and friendly to everyone, except when it came to the staff game, and then he defended his title with gusto. He had earlier spent several arns trying to talk D'argo into giving him a match.
Chiana searched her mind for the friendly man's name but after all the drinking and dancing last night it had escaped her.
"I'm sorry, I was half gizsooed last night and I can't remember what your name is," she apologized.
The man waved on meaty hand in dismissal. "That's all right. Everyone had a good time last night. I dare say there are several lads who will never dance again after the way you wore them out," he said with a deep chuckle. "My name is Brunt... and I must confess in all the excitement last night I drank more then was reasonable myself as your name has slipped my mind also."
The cheery man gave her an impish grin and then added, "Or perhaps it was knocked from my head on purpose by your jealous boyfriend. I can see why he would want a lovely like you all to himself.
He gave Chiana a wink that made her feel better of a few microts.
"Chiana," she replied, holding out one gloved hand for him to shake. Despite his size, the grip and the shake were gentle.
"So will he give me a rematch so I may win the bout in your honor?" he asked.
Chiana slight smile faded and so did Brunt's friendly beam as he thought he'd said something to offend the girl.
"That's a problem. He disappeared from our room sometime last night and I can't find him."
"You mean he just left you?" asked Brunt being serious now. "He just upped and walked out on you?" he continued in disbelieve.
"No," replied Chiana. "We think someone kidnapped him in the hotel hallway. Have you ever heard of something like that ever happening here?" she asked.
"I see," Brunt said as he began to understand, "There have been cases of persons being snatched to serve aboard ships as extra crew... but as far as I know nothings ever happened like that here in this club."
The Nebari considered the man's information, "I really doubt that's it. I think someone looking to hijack crewmembers would have found they'd bitten off more then they could chew with Berret."
"Yes, I could see where that might be a problem. Your friend, Berret is it?" he asked and waited until Chiana nodded an affirmative, "He did seem like he is a skilled fighter, but still... if he was jumped from behind by two or three beings who knew their business, he could be a prisoner aboard some freighter."
Chiana had to concluded that might actually be a possibility. Brunt saw the distress in the young girl's eyes and set one large hand lightly on her shoulder in comfort.
"Let me ask around. I know some people who might have an idea where your friend might be," he said.
"You would do that for us?" asked Chiana.
"Of course," said Brunt as if surprised that she would think he would do anything else. "After all... how can there be a rematch if your friend Berret is off scrubbing decks somewhere. There's my honor and reputation to defend and drinks to be wagered. You have to get the priorities straight, my girl."
"I can't believe that man had to go and turn up missing. Can't he stay out of trouble for three lousy microts?" asked a miffed Malika from her seat on the Transport Pod.
Besides her, Andar stifled a yawn behind one hand and then scratched the stubble along one cheek. The emergency call had caught him barely an arn after he had retired to his quarters to sleep. The Sebacean man had declined heading planet side in favor of spending time locked inside his little electronics lab working on one of his projects that his crewmates where forever keep in the dark about. The man enjoyed secreting himself away and tinkering around, building the devices that sometime appeared to his mind's eye. Often when he had a vision he became obsessed and disappeared for days until the machine was finished. Some of his creations not even Zhaan or Aeryn could understand how he constructed them and he couldn't explain them to his friends either. He just saw them, automatically understood them, and then built them. This last device intrigued him because for the first time the device wasn't a random thing he seen, this time he had needed a timing device for a piece of equipment in Malika's lab and after looking over the machine in question, the timing circuit seemed to construct itself in his mind. He was so excited that he chose not to accompany the rest of the others planet side and instead rushed to his worktable and began assembling the component. Besides, Malika had elected to stay behind and meditate with Zhaan and he had no interest in going to see the nightspots the world offered without the Delvian girl's company.
"We don't know that it's Berret's fault that he's missing, Malika," answered Zhaan from the pilot's seat.
"We have to remember that all of us are at risk of being captured at any time. We are all fugitives."
Zhaan flared the Pod for landing and the transport's landing gear deployed with a reassuring thump. The ship settled to the ground and the Pa'u could see Aeryn and Crichton approaching the craft through the forward view port. She moved to the hatchway as Andar began pulling extra pulse rifles from the weapon's rack and passed them out.
"Come on, Toad-face!" said Chiana as she yanked on one of Rygel's floppy ears.
"Yeow! What the hezmana do you think you're doing, you skinny assed bitch? I'm in the middle of a game... and I'm winning!" cried the Hynerian in outrage.
Chiana pushed her angry-looking face closer to Rygel's, "Well, if you had left your comm on; you would know we've got trouble. Berret's been taken."
"That's exactly why I turned it off, and what should I care if your pet's run off?"
The Nebari shook the smaller being in frustration, "You're not listening... somebody took him, he didn't run off. And he is not my 'pet'!" Chiana released Rygel and let him fall back into his thronesled.
"Get your winnings. You're coming with me to help find him," she ordered.
Rygel gave her one of his insincere smiles, "Certainly... you go on ahead and I'll catch up in a few microns as soon as I finish here." Rubbing his stubby fingers together, he turned back to his table and the waiting players.
"RYGEL!" snapped Chiana, "Now!"
"All frelling right!" grumbled the Dominar as he scooped his gaming chips into his lap. "You'll have to excuse me," he said to the other gamblers at his table, "My incompetent crew has an emergency and they can't find their eemas with both hands without my help. We shall continue our game at a later time."
With a small bow, he spun the floating chair around and followed Chiana out of the club to meet the others.
"You better appreciate this, you little tramp," he complained as he moved up next to her. "You and that idiot toy of yours have cost me a lot of credits tonight. I was just setting them up for the kill, they were so ripe for plundering..."
"I get the picture," Chiana cut him off. "As soon as we find Berret you can go back and gamble to your hearts content."
"What's the matter with you?" asked Rygel, "Since when is somebody else more important then making an easy profit?"
"I dunno. My priorities have changed," admitted the Nebari woman somewhat distractedly.
"Great Goddess, Girl! You know better then to put someone else before your own survival. Those extra credits could mean the difference between whether I live or die at some point in the future. That damned Crichton is starting to give you some bad habits. Rushing off to find that useless hunk of meat. Good riddance I say."
Chiana turned to glare down at Rygel, "I'll remember that advice the next time you get into trouble and need somebody to rush off to rescue you."
Nanno looked down at the rusted circle of metal in his hands and then back up at the filthy humanoid dressed in rags before him.
"What the frell do you expect me to do with this?" he asked in anger.
"You wanted a control collar, I brought you a control collar," replied the man innocently.
Nanno shook the device in the man's face and screamed, "This piece of dren is over fifty cycles old! It won't even control an elderly Vork."
He dashed the collar to the floor of the cell and grabbed the man by his shirtfront, feeling the worn material rip in his hands as he drew the man in closer.
"You see that?" he said as he pointed at Berret, "That... is a Shrike assassin. Do you know what he would do to us if we relied on that useless collar and turned him lose? I need a new modern collar!"
"You didn't say what the collar was for," pleaded the man, "Newer collars are very expensive and hard to come by."
"I don't care what it costs. Get me one and don't return without it"
He released the ragged man with a push and he scurried out of the cell away from his angry employer. Behind Nanno, Berret began to chuckle dryly.
"Having trouble with the rule of supply and demand?" the Shrike taunted.
Nanno turned to the man and shouted, "Be quiet!"
He pulled out the control device from a pocket and pointed it at Berret. When he pushed the button, a serve shock coursed through the ex-assassin's body, much worse then the first time. Berret realized that there was probably a device in the cell wall to amplify the current passing through his body, causing him to convulse so badly that he involuntary bite the inside of his mouth.
"Did that teach you some manners?" asked Nanno after he shut the mechanism off.
"Eat dren, Freller," Berret said in pure hate as he spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Not a good answer," replied Nanno as he hit the switch once again. This time Berret screamed.
Berret slumped semi-conscious against his bonds. His body filled with the slight burning sensation of the microbes struggling to repair the damage done by the electricity to his convulsing muscles. His captors hadn't seen fit to feed him since they brought him in and the stress of the unfed microbe's work was starting to show in his face, as it became more haggard looking. He drifted into waking dreams where he saw what he assumed to be people he'd killed in his Syndicate past, the same crowd that always awaited him in his nightmares. This time Chiana would be there sometimes in the throng watching him as he faced his silent accusers. At first her face shined with something more then just lust. "Could it be love?" he asked himself. Dare he hope the Nebari woman could feel such for somebody like him? He felt himself smiling back at her but then she began to look around them, seemingly to notice the silent bloody beings all for the first time. Her smile slowly faded as she realized they were all staring accusingly at Berret. He looked down and saw the gory blades from his gauntlets, the blood covering his hands. Chiana saw them too, with a sad look she turned away from him in slow motion and began to walk away. The crowd parted for her as she passed but then flowed back together in her wake. Berret tried to follow her, calling her name, wanting her to wait so he could explain... wanting her to smile at him again. The mob refused to let him through, blocking his way to the Nebari woman. He thought about forcing his way through, of fighting his way to her so he could make her listen, but a small child stepped in front of him. His chest torn open and the wound and his body now drained bloodless. His face a deathly pale, his dark accusing eyes showing the only spark of animation.
"I never had the chance for a life," he said in a voice as cold as a grave, his gaze following the Nebari, "You don't deserve the chance either for what you done to us."
Berret looked in horror at the ghost, "I didn't mean it. They made me do all those things, I didn't want too."
His plea fell on dead unfeeling ears. "It doesn't matter now," said the boy. "She's seen us. Seen you for what you really are."
Berret looked back up and tried to find Chiana somewhere in the crowd, she was nowhere to be seen.
"She could never love you now," continued the child.
"Never want to be near you," said another voice from the mob.
"She could never bare to look at you," called a woman with a slashed throat.
"Never share a life with you like the one you've taken from us," chimed in another ghost.
The boy reached up and pulled on his belt, bringing his attention back to him.
"Do you really want to ask her to live with what you are? To mare her life with your sins. Do you really have that right?" The child's eyes were glassy and hard, his cold stare boring deep into Berret's soul.
Swallowing hard, the Shrike barely whispered, "No."
With that single word, hope began to die.
"Why are we even wasting our time?" said Rygel for what seemed the hundred time in the last few arns.
Chiana did her best to ignore the complaining Hynerian and cursed her luck for being paired to search with him. They wandered the street randomly stopping people that her experience and street-smarts told her "were in the know," those who had their ear to what was happening in the streets and in the city's underground. She could smoothly fit in with the seamier side of life she found there and she spoke the denizen's language fluidly. After winning a minuet bit of trust from a street person, she showed them Berret's holo-image, but no one she'd spoken with thus far would admit remembering seeing him or heard of anyone looking for somebody with his talents.
"He's probably run off to do whatever vile thing it is that Shrike's do when they get the urge to kill something... or someone," Rygel continued.
The Nebari girl started to fume. The only one who could possibly be complaining worse about having to look for Berret then Rygel, was Malika. Judging by the put out expression the Delvian wore after arriving she was wondering if Andar had to put up with the same type of complaining at that microt.
"He didn't run off I told you," she growled at the smaller being.
"Hah!" barked Rygel, "Then maybe you frelled him scared with your un-natural sex drive."
Chiana paused for a microt, her face going dark as she silently counted to ten in an attempt not to rip the Hynerian's head off before turning around to face him.
"Listen... Frog-face," she began in a carefully controlled tone, "I didn't do anything. Somebody kidnapped him and now is not the time to argue about it. So shut up and help me talk to people."
Not getting as big a rise out of the Nebari as he'd hoped, Rygel mouth turned downward in a frown.
"He really means that much to you?" he asked more subdued.
Chiana turned and started walking again, thinking about Rygel's question. "Well... yeah," she finally replied with a slight shake of her head as if she was having trouble understanding why he mattered so much to her. Even though she knew the truth of the matter.
"Why?" asked the persistent Hynerian as he floated along beside her.
"I dunno. He needs me," she answered as she picked up her pace, hoping speed would end the Hynerian's questions. Rygel simply increased the speed of his thronesled to keep up with her.
"He's a Syndicate Enforcer. He's probably frelling killed more people then you will ever know. He doesn't need anyone," the Dominar intoned.
Chiana wheeled on him. "Don't you think I know that?" she exclaimed. "He didn't ask to be made into what they made him. Don't you think I don't see the pain and shame in his eyes when he's reminded? At night when he wakes up in a cold sweat and tries to lay still so not to wake me... don't you think I know what it's about?"
Rygel remained silent but regarded her with knowing eyes, allowing her to go on speaking.
"Finally there's someone on this frelled up boat who treats me as an equal, not as some child who can't take care of herself. Someone who needs me and listens to what I have to say for a change, but its like he holds me just far enough away so I can't touch who he really is. Like he's afraid something bad will happen if he did let me in. How do you think I feel when I thought I was making progress only to have his past rise up and build up that wall between us again? Tonight, we were actually together like real people. I could touch him and he didn't back away from me... he was going to open up to me and someone snatched him before that could happen. I'm grised, Rygel! Really frelling grised... so don't you go giving me anymore grief about it."
The Hynerian pursed his lips and then asked, "But what do you get out of it?"
"What do you mean?" she asked as her eyes narrowed, expecting a trick question from the Hynerian.
"I want to know... what's your end for helping him?"
Chiana shook her head in bewilderment. "There is no end. He just needs me, that's all," she told him.
Rygel gave her a small knowing smile as if he'd just pulled something over on her, but she couldn't see what it could have been. She bent down closer to him with a frown spreading across her gray face.
"There's always an end in all things a person does," he told her while shaking one small finger at the end of her pale nose. "I was just wondering if you figured out what yours was concerning Berret yet."
He delivered that last statement as if he knew something she didn't, instead of as a question. She waited a microt for him to explain himself but instead he set his hand back on his sled control and moved on down the street away from her. Chiana turned to watch him go, wondering for a microt what she'd just missed. Shrugging her shoulders, she decided to just be happy with the fact that Rygel was now actively helping her search for the missing Berret instead of complaining. With a small sigh she started to follow him along the street.
Crichton adjusted the Pulse-rifle's sling over his shoulder as he and Aeryn headed back to the club they had been staying at to rendezvous with the others. He was glad that Zhaan had thought to bring the extra weapons down with them. While "Winnona" still rode on his thigh in her holster, the weight of the rifle was reassuring, especially since someone was running around snatching people for some reason. Aeryn was in deep thought as they approached the meeting place at the front door to the establishment and he'd found it was best to leave the woman to her thoughts in such matters. Sometimes her Peacekeeper experience gave her insights or options none of them ever considered, and sometimes the alternative options didn't involve blowing something up. He went over the situation in his own mind. Someone or something had snuck up on a Syndicate Enforcer, supposedly the biggest and baddest hitmen in the Territories, and had taken him out without alarming or alerting anyone in the hotel. While Berret was sometimes slow on the uptake, he'd seen the man fight and knew he could be a vicious killer when he had to be. No matter how much killing distressed the man when he thought about having to do it, it seemed to come naturally to him when the heat was on. The thought that someone could take him out so easily gave him the willies, and he was awful glad when Andar handed him the Pulse-rifle.
They rounded the final corner and the club doorway came into sight. D'argo, Malika, Andar, Zhaan, Rygel, and Chiana where already waiting for them there.
"It looks like we're the last to arrive," commented Aeryn idly.
Crichton nodded silently and noticed that Chiana didn't look too happy so he gathered that no one else had any luck so far either in locating the Shrike. "Poor Pip is taking this hard," he thought.
He knew Chiana was blaming herself for Berret forgetting to take his weapon with him, not that it might have done any good anyway. As Aeryn and D'argo pointed out there wasn't much in the way of sights of a struggle.
John was still amazed at the change in the Nebari girl since she adopted the ex-assassin. While she still played the imp most of the time he had noticed that the young girl had matured with having taken responsibility for the man. While Aeryn with her strict PK sense of duty still believed the pair were still little more then undisciplined children, Crichton being a little more laid back and forgiving, saw the changes in them. Being around Berret had made Chiana less self-centered and more thoughtful where others were concerned. For Berret's part, Chiana at this point seemed to be the only one who could reach him. He'd tried numerous times to connect with the man as one human to another, but after each discussion he'd gotten frustrated as the man regarded him with unemotional and unblinking eyes. Not seeming to understand the human need for guys to relax and just shoot the breeze with other guys. He'd had better luck getting D'argo to understand Earth-type subjects. However when Chiana spoke to him, his eyes finally took on signs of life. Even when they were bickering or she was pulling pranks on him, there was an underlying look of... adoration... for the Nebari girl in them. It was almost as if she was the only person in the universe that he considered real to him. If ever John had seen another person in love it was Berret. He just didn't know if it was amusing or sad that the Shrike didn't know it yet. He just hoped Chiana realized it soon and did something about it one way or another. As much as she had grown up, he didn't think she'd be able to change her ways that much. Monogamy didn't seem to be in the Nebari dictionary and he was sure that being human... when Berret came to terms with his feelings, he'd be crushed by Chiana's rather free ranging lifestyle. Still, at least the man was able to relate to another living being and it was a start to him reclaiming what was left of his humanity after his treatment at the hands of the Scarren Syndicate.