Altered Lives The Parody

by DBM

Warning! Adult/Mature situations, ACC, OOC, AU, SI, SPOILERS for Anime/Manga. The Story? 137 escape the Lab... And things aren't as you'd expect...

4. 03 Confrontations

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Altered Lives (The Parody)

Book 03 "Confrontations"

Time - Late 2016 when Shakey is 15 years old (TV episode 23 to Movies)

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Copyright Info & Disclaimer.

"Altered Lives (THE PARODY)" is Copyright (c) 2002 by DBM.  This story is an Amateur, Non-Commercial work by an Anime/Manga Fan.  This story was created in the Spirit of the Copyright Exemptions regarding Parodies & Satire.

"Neon Genesis Evangelion" is Copyright (c) 2002 by Gainax.  All OTHER material is Copyright (c) 2002 their owners.  All materials used for PARODY purposes.

If you like the story, you may keep a copy for your own personal records, but you may NOT post it on any websites/newsgroups, NOR may you include it in any printed publication for sale/public distribution.  If printing out a copy for yourself or a friend, you may reformat it (paragraph spacing, page-breaks, font & font size, borders, bold/italic, etc) to fit the paper you use, but please do not change any of the actual words or wording in the document.

Sole web-posting at FanFiction.Net - Author's E-Mail address on File.

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Censorship Info & Disclaimer.

NOT Recommended for Children.

Intended for MATURE Audiences.

There are NO 'sex scenes', but, just like the original NGE series, the story will explore the results & side effects of such activities.  Along the way, there'll be swearing, violence, drugs, Adult situations, & frank discussions of sex education/family planning information, as well as thoughts & opinions on the morals & ethics of sexual assault, dating, courtship, marriage, alternate sexualities, pregnancy, childbirth, parenthood, Family Values, etc.

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Fandom Alerts & Disclaimer.

AU Alert (Alternate Universe).

OOC Alert (Out Of Character).

ACC Alert (Author Created Character).

SI Alert (Self Insert - Author appears in the story as a character).

SPOILER Alert (May 'spoil' surprises in the Manga & Anime TV/Movies).

' ' denotes thoughts.

" " denotes speech

denotes other method of communication.

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Chapter - Breathless.

Hospitals have a time when all patients are supposed to go to sleep.  Commonly referred to as 'Lights Out', it only really applied to Public Wards, & not to Private Rooms.  So, although it was well after midnight, Shakey Atari was still awake, & trying to read a book by the light of the built-in lamp on his bed.

Shakey had asked the Security Spooks who brought him supper, if he could have a book to read.  When they came later to clear away the supper dishes, they left another pitcher of fruit juice & some sandwiches, along with a book.

The book's title was "First Aid - An authorised manual of St John Ambulance".  Designed to help everyday people learn 'First Aid', all of the lessons were written in clear-cut 'non-technical' or 'everyday' language.  Any of the unavoidable 'technical terms' were fully explained, often by way of one of the many informative colour pictures & diagrams.

Shakey became fully engrossed in the book soon after getting it, & over the last few hours he had literally been reading it page by page, from cover to cover.

Shakey yawned without warning, a great jaw-cracker that screwed his eyes shut.  It was getting harder & harder to keep reading, his eyelids kept slipping shut over dry & blurry eyes, & his head kept slumping forward.  The time he spent 'nodding off' was increasing…

"…finish chapter… then sleep…" just as had for the last few chapters, Shakey repeated his Master Plan in a voice distorted by fatigue…

…He didn't make it…

The next time Shakey 'nodded off', he didn't snap back to semi-wakefulness, but quickly sank into the restful darkness of a deep sleep, courtesy of the long tiring day he'd just had, & the sedatives hidden in his food.

The First Aid book slipped from limp fingers.  It lay forgotten on the sheets, until a movement by the sleeper knocked it off the bed…

- - - - - - - - - -

Morning was a grey muzziness, a gradual rebooting of a consciousness shrugging off the effects of a drugged sleep…

…And punctuated along the way by someone calling Shakey's name…

Shakey opened his bleary eyes, trying to focus as he wiped away sleep.  A blue/white blur above him focused into the placid face of Rave Imanonymous.

Rave stood near Shakey's bed, armed with another meal trolley & a covered meal tray, one that obviously contained breakfast.

"…'Morning Rave…" Shakey's greeting came from a face still not quite awake.

"Good Morning, Pilot Atari.  Are you studying First Aid?"

"…huh?" Shakey noticed the book in Rave's hand, "Yeah… guess I am…"

"Why?"

"Uh…" Shakey felt uneasy, he hung his head in shame, 'How can I tell her it's so no-one else will die because of me?'

"It was not your fault."

The surprising words made Shakey look at Rave.  All he saw was honesty in her face, no trace of guile or malice.  He wanted to believe her, but it still felt like a comfortable cop-out to him.

"E.A.R. would not have saved her," Rave stated.

Shakey blinked, "E.A.R.?"

"Expired Air Resuscitation," Rave explained the acronym, then elaborated "The procedure where a person providing First Aid, uses the air they expire from their own lungs, to fill the lungs of another & help them breathe."

"Oh…" Shakey had read that chapter a couple of times last night, thinking that if he'd only known about it at the time, "But…  If I'd tried…  She might've…"

"No…" the word had a finality in it that brooked no argument, "It would not have helped her.  Her lungs were too badly damaged.  Such an attempt would only waste resources that could be used to save another."

Shakey was aghast at Rave's callous comment, "H-How can you say that?"

"Because I have been trained.  Here, let me show you."

With that, Rave took Shakey by the shoulders, & rolled him flat on his back.

"Uh!  Rave!  What are you doing?!" a vague dread seized Shakey, compelling him to try to escape Rave's grasp.

"Giving you a lesson in E.A.R.," despite Shakey's best efforts, Rave retained her grip on him, "I will demonstrate it, & show you why it would not have worked."

"Uh… But!" Shakey tried to argue his way out of things, unfortunately, he wasn't the sort of person who could have made the School Debating Team, even if he had tried out for it…

"Are you still afraid of me?"

"Uh…  No!  But…"

"Then lie still.  This will not hurt."  Rave tilted Shakey's head & jaw into the final positions, took a deeper than normal breath, & lowered her lips to his…

Shakey felt Rave's fingers pinch his nose shut, a much gentler grip than what Aesir had used the one time she'd kissed him.  Rave's lips closed around Shakey's open mouth, sealing it off from the outside world.  Shakey blushed deeply, this wasn't a kiss, but it was as close to one as he'd ever had!  A soft current of warm air began to flow into Shakey's mouth & down his throat.  As the air left Rave's lungs & entered Shakey's, his stomach began to rise as his filling lungs distended his diaphragm.  Rave kept her seal around Shakey's lips for a few seconds then released it.  The air sighed out of Shakey's mouth.

'So,' thought a very red-faced Shakey, 'That's the 'breath of life'…'

Unable to look at Rave, Shakey still heard her soft voice, "The air I breathed into your lungs was contained by them, & air pressure built up.  This allowed the alveoli, the small air sacs in your lungs, to exchange Oxygen & Carbon Dioxide.  It would not have worked with her.  As I will now demonstrate."

Shakey had barely registered what Rave just said, when he felt her lips on his as she breathed once more for him.  This time, she pressed her spare hand firmly against his upper stomach area.  He could feel a difference.  The first time, air had gone down into his lungs, causing them to expand as they filled with air.  This time, his lungs couldn't expand due to the pressure on his diaphragm, & there was a noticeable 'lack of satisfaction' from what air did go into his lungs.

Breaking the seal a second time, Rave said, "As your lungs could not receive the air, they could not function properly.  Her lungs were too badly damaged to contain any 'breath of life' anyone could have given her.  Oxygen exchange would not be possible.  You could not have saved her."

Tears glistened in Shakey's eyes as the bitter truth behind Rave's words sank in.  The comment Shakey was about to make was interrupted by someone coughing.  He looked up, only to see Mazurka in the open doorway, an EVIL GRIN on her face.

"M-Muh-Zurka!" having been being tomato red with embarrassment, Shakey's face ended up being a uniform pink as he paled with fear…

Glad you're feeling better!" Mazurka's happy chirp was accompanied by the sort of grin that Great White Sharks have before a feeding frenzy…

"…eep!" Shakey squeaked in horror, knowing that, 'I'm **DEAD MEAT**!!'

"I wasn't… interrupting anything… was I?" Mazurka might have said the words in a normal toned voice, but her eyebrows were arching OH-so suggestively.

"No, Major Kutsarug," Rave, as always, was calm & matter-of-fact about things, "I had finished demonstrating Expired Air Resuscitation to Pilot Atari."

"Is THAT what they call it nowadays?" Mazurka's insinuation wasn't what anyone could call subtle…

Rave calmly held up the First Aid book, "Pilot Atari is learning First Aid."

"Whatever," to Shakey's VAST Relief, Mazurka changed the topic to one more to his liking, "I'm here to inform Shakey that his 'observation' period is officially over, & that he can leave.  My car's downstairs, so grab your gear, & let's get out of here!"

"That's Great!"  Shakey was MOST enthusiastic about getting out of the Hospital room, especially if it presented topics for conversation other than what Mazurka could have talked about, "I'll finish breakfast & get changed…"

Before anyone could say another word, Shakey grabbed a spoon, & lifted the cover on the meal tray.  Revealed in all its unappetising glory, was a plateful of the concrete grey, lumpy textured sludge that the Hospital alleged was porridge…

Shakey didn't hesitate.  He hoed into it with gusto, sucking the bland tasting swill down as if his life depended on it…

…Which in THIS particular scenario, was entirely possible…

'…If Mazurka came to pick me up,' Shakey rationalised, 'She must be concerned about me.  In which case she may try to 'make things easier for me' at home, & relieve me of some of the household duties… such as doing all of the cooking by herself…'

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Chapter - Conversations.

Since Mazurka had come to take Shakey home, Rave turned to leave, "I will see you later, Pilot Atari."

"Wait up Rave," Mazurka tapped the girl on the shoulder as Rave passed through the doorway, "I'd like to talk to you outside for a minute."

Out in the corridor, Mazurka took a moment to look thoughtfully at the young woman before her, 'If I didn't know the truth…  I'd swear you were her…'

Mazurka leaned closer & lowered her voice, "I heard about how you came & saw Shakey.  I'd like to thank you."

"What for?"

A playful, teasing note crept into Mazurka's voice, "For being there, when he needed someone."

Two beeps sounded in Rave's hidden earpiece, a coded advisory that she could answer the question in full.  When Glando used the MOGGY Supercomputers to monitor Rave's conversation with Shakey, one of Ritzy's subversive 'sleeper' programs had activated.  When Glando requested the MOGGY return to 'normal' duties, the sleeper program continued to operate…  Unknown to anyone…

Rave's reply was a truthful, "I was following orders."

Mazurka looked at Rave, evaluating the comment for far longer than was necessary, 'Ritzy said they were Biological computers that could be programmed to act like Humans…  Were you running a 'program' in there 'Rave'?  Whose?  And what was the purpose of it?'

Mazurka decided to try & find out…

"…Were you following orders this morning when you kissed him?" the playful teasing note was still there, but it had turned into the sort of playful teasing note that carried a gun, & was deadly serious about being able to use it…

"It was not a kiss.  I was demonstrating Expired Air Resuscitation…"

"Were you ordered to do that?" Mazurka persisted with her 'friendly' interrogation, scrutinising Rave's face for any sign of dishonesty or duplicity.

"No."

"Were you ordered to be here at all this morning?"

"No."

"So you did both of your own free will?"

Rave hesitated slightly, "Yes."

Mazurka relaxed & smiled warmly, her words matching her thoughts, "So, you really were just being his friend!"

Rave pinked slightly, "I… do not know…"

Mazurka tensed slightly, "Know what?"

"If we are friends…"

'She doesn't… know?' Mazurka's jaw dropped slightly at the implications, 'Wasn't she 'programmed' with that sort of information?'

Mazurka suddenly realised how & what she was thinking, 'Damn it all Ritzy!!  You & Aesir have got me thinking of Rave as some sort of glorified 'Tamagotchi' electronic pet!  She's not!  She's just a girl with a… a… sheltered upbringing…'

Recent events had weighed heavily on Mazurka, as did her new duties as Guardian of *ALL* of the Clones, 'Well, I'll just SEE about that!'

"Well I DO!" Mazurka firmly informed Rave, "From what I've seen today, I'd say Shakey thinks of you as a friend."

"He does?"

Mazurka put a hand on Rave's shoulder, "You may not have noticed, as he's so shy & withdrawn.  You remember how he was around your 'sister', don't you?"

Rave blinked, "Sister?"

"Uh…" Mazurka sweat-dropped, "If that's not the right term, I'm sorry.  But I can't help but think of all of you Clones as being 'identical twin' sisters…"

"Sisters…" Rave whispered the unfamiliar term.

"Rave," Mazurka was suddenly very serious, but not in a potentially lethal way, "I just want you to know…  The… other Rave… was welcome in my home.  Do you… 'remember' that?"

"Yes."

"I…" Mazurka paused, "I want you to know… you… will also be welcome in my home.  As will your sisters, should they choose to come & visit."

Rave didn't reply.

"I don't think Shakey would mind having you around either," Mazurka slyly added.

"Why do you think that?"

Mazurka had to smile, "The 'E.A.R.' you performed on him this morning.  That's something he wouldn't allow just anyone to do to him…"

"But he protested when I tried it?"

Mazurka's smile turned into a toothy grin, "Of course he did!  He's shy!"

Rave pondered this.

"Rave?  You should know, Shakey is having problems dealing with recent events.  He needs help from people who… he knows he can trust…  People who know about the things he's been through…  People like us…  I can't be with him all of the time, but since you're his classmate, could you help him?  Whenever you're with him?"

"Is that an order, Major Kutsarug?"

Mazurka paused, "No, not an order…  Just a request, from someone who doesn't want to see either of you get hurt.  If you want to come over to my place at anytime, or want to talk about anything, feel free.  Call us first though, to make sure someone will be there…  Please?"

"Yes," was all Rave was able to say.

"Then I'll see you round," Mazurka then did something she'd never done before.  She gave Rave a Bear hug & whispered, "And DON'T call me Major Kutsarug unless we're on duty!  Off duty or alone, just plain Mazurka is fine…"

Mazurka released the girl & returned to the Hospital room.  Rave stood in the corridor, her cheeks a delicate shade of pink.  Rave slowly turned, & walked off into her usual routine…

- - - - - - - - - -

In Shakey's hospital room, Mazurka sat on the bed as she waited for Shakey to finish dressing in the ensuite.  She stared off into the distance, lost somewhere in her own thoughts until jolted back to reality by the noise of the ensuite door opening.

"Shakey?" Mazurka solemnly indicated the bed she was siting on, her voice & attitude uncommonly serious, "Sit down, we have to talk…"

Shakey sat on the bed & clasped his hands together in his lap.

Mazurka patted him reassuringly on the shoulder, before saying, "You know that if you need someone to talk to about this, or anything else, I'm willing to listen…"

"Yeah…" Shakey sighed, & suddenly felt very self-conscious, "I know…"

"I mean it," Mazurka insisted, "Losing… someone close to you is bad enough.  Let alone having the rest of this situation…"

"I…" Shakey swallowed hard, he needed to talk, but he wasn't sure how to say what he needed to say, "…Rave…  I don't… know how I should feel… about her… about… them…"

"Tell me about it!" Mazurka grimaced at the memory of the dead Clone in the Hospital ward, "I know you tried to be a friend to… the other Rave…  But she's gone now…  You'll feel a need to grieve for her…  Do it!  Don't bottle your emotions up like I did when…"

"Mazurka?" Shakey noticed the abrupt silence beside him.

Mazurka knew she'd said too much to stop, so she slowly answered, "It was a long time ago…  Something from Second Strike…  I didn't want to deal with it… so I… retreated… inside myself…" she paused then continued, "People need to grieve…  I know…  I've been there myself.  If a person doesn't grieve, if they don't… let go of the memories…" she trailed off.

Shakey looked at Mazurka & was surprised to see tears on her cheeks, "Are YOU okay Mazurka?"

"I miss her," Mazurka thought of the girl that died, the one she knew, & the others she didn't…

Shakey suddenly found his own eyes misting over, "Yeah… so do I…"

Mazurka put her arms around Shakey & hugged him.  A simple act, but one that gave comfort to both of them.  They stayed that way for a while.

Mazurka sighed deeply, "The next few days will be hard on both of us.  I don't know about you, but I'll be feeling the strain…"

"Don't worry," Shakey reassured her, "I won't run away, or do anything stupid…"

"I'm glad to hear that," Mazurka broke the hug & gently ruffled Shakey's hair, "I was worried about you, you know.  I wanted to come & see you, but the Commander put you under quarantine."

"Quarantine?"

"Yes, he said he was worried about you.  He didn't want you to get any worse."

Shakey scowled, hardly believing it, "My Father said that?"

"Mm-Hmm!" Mazurka nodded, "Say…  While we're here, would you like to see how Aesir's doing?"

"Sure!"  Shakey hadn't been able to visit Aesir as often as he wanted.  AVE Pilot Tests, school timetables, every little thing had eaten into his time.

Mazurka smiled as she led the way, "Only for a short time though…"

It was a quick trip to Aesir's room.  Inside, the two stood at her bedside, looking down at the comatose girl.

'She looks so peaceful…' Shakey only saw a relaxed body free of pain, not the subtle changes that accompanied a lengthy bout of unconsciousness, 'Just like she's sleeping…'

"The doctors don't know when she'll come out of it," Mazurka whispered, despite the fact that Aesir couldn't hear her, "They've got orders to contact me when she does…"

They stood & watched silently for several more minutes…

"Hey Shakey?" Mazurka asked him once they were outside Aesir's room, "What say we visit the Girls?"

"Girls?"

"Rave's… 'sisters'," Mazurka hesitantly gave her opinion of who they were.

Shakey suddenly looked worried, 'The Clones that got hurt…  Mazurka doesn't know how they looked at me…  'Rave' doesn't seem to blame me, but she wasn't there…'

Mazurka noted Shakey's distress, "I'm sure they'd enjoy a visit from you…"

"Do I have to go?" Shakey almost whined.

"No, but I think you should see them."

Shakey didn't seem convinced.

"Shakey, I won't order you to go.  However, if you go just this once, & don't like it, I won't ask you to go again…  Deal?"

Shakey was unwavering in his opinion that the Clones wouldn't appreciate seeing him, but he slowly nodded nonetheless, 'At least this way, Mazurka will see their reaction with her own eyes…  Then she'll understand…'

Shakey Atari went to visit the Injured Clones, like a condemned man walking to the Execution Chamber…

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Chapter - Visitors.

The injured Clones were housed a fair distance away in another wing of the Hospital complex.  Even the straightest route had to meander its way through several of the covered walkways that connected the various buildings.

Little more than tubes of glass & painted concrete, the lower walkways received subtle perfumes from the flowering gardens in the Hospital grounds, while the upper walkways gave stunning views from behind their safety grilles.  Both diversions were welcome things to patient & visitor alike, & especially to those workers who had to frequent the air-conditioned complex.

The fresh air & greenery didn't do much for Shakey.  This was partly due to the grey clouds that were filling the sky, obscuring all but a few patches of blue.

'With my luck, it'll probably start raining…' Shakey thought morosely.

The Clones were kept under armed guard, requiring Mazurka to stop & produce Identification at a checkpoint before she & Shakey could enter the 'restricted' ward where the Clones were.

Shakey took advantage of the delays to try & psych himself up, trying to overcome his feelings of guilt, fear, & remorse.  His medication helped him in his intention to stride in there with head held high, & take whatever scornful response the Clones would throw at him.

'I took abuse from Toe-Jam, & I've taken abuse from Aesir…  I can DO this!' Shakey decided while in the grip of one such chemically-enabled 'Macho Mood'.

Mazurka shattered Shakey's 'Macho Mood', by suddenly dragging him into the room, & almost shouting, "Hey Girls!  I've got a little surprise for You!  Look who's come to visit!"

All through the ward, heads swivelled in their direction.  Dozens of red eyes locked on them.

'Here it comes…  Now you'll see,' Shakey gulped nervously.  The reality of his surroundings prompted him to fear the worst, & prepare to make a quick exit.

…Then the pale faces attached to those crimson eyes began to smile…

"Hello Pilot Atari," all the Clones softly chorused an unmistakeable welcome.

Mazurka whispered in Shakey's ear, "See?  I TOLD you they'd enjoy a visit from you!"

Shakey blinked in surprise.

"Uh…  H-Hi!" Shakey stammered while giving a feeble wave.  He was stunned at the thought that the Clones might actually NOT harbour feelings of resentment towards him…

"Now Shakey!" Mazurka admonished with a slight frown, "I'm sure a GENTLEMAN can introduce himself better than that…"

Shakey's self-consciousness grew, 'Mazurka's right.  This is a chance to make a better impression than I did when I first met them…'

Shakey went to the nearest Clone, trying to ignore how the gazes of the other Clones tracked his movements.  Although nervous, he politely introduced himself, "Good Morning Miss!  My Name is Shakey Atari, & I'm Pleased To Meet You!"

"Good Morning Pilot Atari," the Clone politely replied, "I am Rave Imanonymous, & I am pleased to meet you as well."

"Uh…" Shakey was having difficulties…

"Now Girls!" Mazurka sternly intoned, "What did we decide about names?"

The Clone looked slightly taken aback, "I am sorry.  I meant to say, I am Rave Imanonymous, the Hundred-and-first."

"Hundred and… first?"  Shakey was once again, having difficulties…

Mazurka put her hand on Shakey's shoulder & gently squeezed.  It was a gesture meant to get his attention, & reassure him.  "Yes.  All of the Clones think they are Rave.  I assigned numbers to help keep things understandable."

"I… see…" Shakey realised the significance of the number pinned to the Clone's hospital gown, "How Should I Address You Miss?  What Name Would You Prefer I Call You?"

"Please call me 'Rave, One-Oh-One', Pilot Atari," Rave Clone #101 replied.

Shakey began to relax, "Then please call me Shakey, Pilot Atari is too formal…"

"Yes…  Shakey," the Clone smiled at the invitation to use Shakey's personal name.

'She looks exactly the same…' Shakey looked at the Clone before him, comparing her to Rave#3, & Rave#2.  He stared into her crimson eyes, 'Is she the same person inside as well?'

The Clone stared back, with the same placid intensity Rave had often used on him.  They stayed like that, staring deeply into each other's eyes…

"Ahem!" Mazurka discretely interrupted the friendly staring match, "There'll be plenty of time to come & visit later, but for now, there's other people WAITING…"

"Uh… right," Shakey blushed as he shook off his introspective mood.  He went around to all of the other Clones, introducing himself in similar fashion, & politely asking them how they would like him to address them.  Soon, he was on a 'first name basis' with all of them, & had their permission to use their numbers in return.

Mazurka felt relieved as she saw how well Shakey & the Clones were getting along, 'Huh…  I guess he must be over the worst of it…'

After breaking the ice, Shakey had a short chat with the Clones, & in the process, gave Mazurka a few surprises…

"I know you all think you're 'Rave' because of the memory downloads," Shakey addressed the room as a whole, turning his head so he didn't seem to talk to any one girl in particular, "But have you thought of taking other names?"

Mazurka shot a slightly worried look at Shakey, 'Where did he hear about the memory downloads?'

A Clone spoke up, "We only know how to be Rave.  If we are not Rave, what will we be?"  Others nodded their agreement.

"Yourselves," Shakey replied with a shrug of his shoulders, "Individuals.  People like everyone else…"

Another Clone spoke up, "But we are not people like everyone else, we are Rave."

Shakey sighed at the comment, "No one IS 'people like everyone else'…  Everyone is different, you're just more… different… to others, than most others are…"

"Ahem!" Mazurka hated to interrupt the conversation, interesting though she found it, "I'm sorry Ladies, but Shakey & I have to leave you.  I'll be back later to check on things…"

After leaving the Clones, Mazurka drove Shakey home.

"So," Mazurka said when they were out on a highway, "Did you enjoy seeing them?"

Shakey just nodded, a happy little smile on his face.

"That's good," Mazurka also smiled, "I think they enjoyed seeing you too…"

"I guess so," Shakey agreed, his smile growing at the memory of the Clones' acceptance of him.

"Now then," Mazurka changed gears & gave an EVIL GRIN, "About your 'First Aid' lesson with Rave this morning…"

Shakey groaned, & slumped in his seat…

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Chapter - A Friend In Need.

Mazurka's apartment had been Shakey's home ever since she'd taken him in, back when he'd first arrived in the City.  Shakey was glad to be back in its familiar surroundings, instead of the impersonal blandness of the Hospital room.

'Especially since I can take it easy today,' Shakey smiled at the thought of being able to do whatever he wanted, such as relax & watch TV, listen to his tapes, play the Cello…

'Then again…' his mood changed as he contemplated the mess that had accumulated in the short time he'd been away, 'Maybe I'd better spend the day cleaning up…'

Mazurka though, had other plans for Shakey.  Despite the 'clean bill of health' the Psychiatric Department had given him, she was still concerned about him being alone by himself.

"Shakey?  Could you do me a favour?"

Shakey looked at her suspiciously, "Like what?"

'How will he take this?' Mazurka barely paused, "Well…  I've been assigned some extra duties…"

Shakey sighed, 'Oh Great!  Next she'll say she won't be able to do her part of the household chores…  Looks like I'll be doing ALL of the cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping, & trash duty…  AS Usual…'

"…And I was wondering if you'd like to help me out with them?"

Shakey blinked, "Me?  Help you?  With Official stuff?"

"Uh-Huh!"

"B-But I don't know any of that!  I barely know how to pilot an AVE!"

"Oh, That's Okay!  You won't be doing anything 'Technical'…  Just… helping me with some of the little jobs that come with my new duties, that's all."

"Mazurka," Shakey answered in a flat voice, "Do you want me to be a 'Go-For' & coffee maker?"

'The kid's fast!' Mazurka sweat-dropped, "Uh…  Not… exactly…  I've been assigned as Guardian for the Clones, and…"

"What?  As well as me & Aesir?"  Shakey looked around the apartment, "Don't tell me they're all moving in HERE with us?"

"No, no, they'll get their own apartments, elsewhere…  It's just that they need some help in learning how to take care of themselves…"

'Especially housecleaning,' Shakey totally accepted Mazurka's statement as he remembered the condition of Rave's apartment.

"Okay," Shakey admitted defeat gracefully, "I'll help.  What do you want me to do?"

"Thanks," Mazurka flashed a big smile at him, "I'll need you to help them learn about cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping, trash duty…"

Shakey nodded, 'Yeah!  I can do that…'

"Oh yes!" added Mazurka, "And how to make coffee!"

"I knew it…" Shakey muttered under his breath.

A short time later, & Shakey was once again under scrutiny.  This time though, it was from several dozen pairs of crimson eyes.  Like the Clones in the Hospital, they welcomed him.  And like the Clones in the Hospital, Shakey tried to introduce himself politely.  Although with so many more of them, it did take longer…

Eventually, Shakey got down to work, & started teaching the Clones what he was good at.  The Clones watched intently, as Shakey revealed to them his Inner Knowledge of such Arcane Mysteries as 'Toilet Cleaning', 'Using a Mop', 'Dusting', 'Laundry', etc.

It was tiring work for Shakey, & by lunchtime, he was hoarse from talking, & feeling tired from the practical demonstrations he'd been giving.

"Shakey!" Mazurka called out, "Can you give the girls a hand preparing lunch?"

"…yeah, yeah…" Shakey trudged over to the meal preparation area.

The Clones made room for Shakey, & watched as he started applying his culinary skills to the lacklustre vegetables at hand…  Shakey noticed their attention, & things turned into an impromptu demonstration in proper techniques.

"…hold the knife like so, & chop by ROCKING the blade back & forth…"

The Clones around him nodded, & applied the lesson to their own vegetables.  They were learning a lot from Shakey.

Shakey waited until everyone else had been served their meals, then took his own plate of food & a drink over to a corner.  'I'm beat…' he moaned mentally, slumping down against a wall with his meal.

"Are you all right?" a soft voice asked.

Shakey looked up to see several Clones giving him concerned looks.

"I'm fine, just tired…" Shakey gave them a reassuring smile.

The Clones returned to their meal, although every now & then, one or another of them would glance in his direction.

Shakey was ravenous, & demolished his lunch.  Afterwards, he lay down & closed his eyes, hoping to grab a minute or two of shuteye.

…He was more tired than he thought…

Within seconds, Shakey had slipped into an exhausted sleep.  His body was trying to restore itself by natural means, now that the pharmaceutical augmentation that had sustained it was wearing off.

Mazurka was informed of his condition by a Clone near her.

The Clone simply said, "Shakey is exhausted.  He has fallen asleep."

"Hmm…" Mazurka considered things.  She chewed her lip thoughtfully, then told the Clone, "Probably best to let him be.  He needs the sleep.  Don't disturb him, but keep an eye on him, & tell me if there's any problems…"

"We will," the Clone replied.

Several hours later, Mazurka decided to stop for the day, & go home.  When she went to wake Shakey up, she got a surprise.  Shakey was surrounded by a group of injured Clones, all of whom were intently watching him.  Someone had put a pillow under his head, & draped a blanket over him.

"Wake up Shakey," Mazurka gently nudged him.

"Mmmhuh… what?" Shaky asked groggily, still half asleep.

"Time to go home."

Shakey was startled as he realised just how long he'd been asleep.  'Oh Great!  Some impression this'll make!' he thought sheepishly, 'I'm supposed to be helping them, & I go to sleep on the job…  They'll think I'm lazy…'

Shakey was too embarrassed to look the Clones in the face as he bade them farewell.  He followed Mazurka out, his head bowed & his gaze on the floor.  Consequently he didn't see the slightly sad look on the Clones' faces as he left, or really hear the tone of regret in their voices as they chorused farewell.

"Thank You, Shakey…"

Mazurka did though.  "Shakey," she asked, once they were in her car, "I know it's getting late, but…"

"But what Mazurka?"

"Would you mind if we made a quick visit to 'Rave', at her place?"

Shakey was puzzled, "Why?"

"Well, since I've been appointed 'Guardian' for the Clones, I'm her Guardian as well…  So it's part of my responsibilities to check in on her & make sure she's all right…"

"Okay."

"Great!  We've visited everyone else today, so it'd be rude to leave her out…"

They drove towards the apartment of Rave Imanonymous, beneath a dark grey sky that threatened to rain at any moment…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - The Rain, The Clone, & Other Things…

The storm broke while Shakey & Mazurka were still travelling.  Without any warning rumbles of thunder, down came the rain, by the bucket load.

Shakey was relieved when Mazurka slowed down.  It was a short respite as he realised that she only did so because the windshield wipers didn't work.

"Um?  Mazurka?" Shakey deciding not to be 'subtle' about it, "The Windshield wipers don't work?"

"Don't worry about it," Mazurka cheerfully replied, "I've got 'Rain-X' on the windscreen, so it's all right…"

Shakey looked at the windshield, wondering what she meant.

The rain didn't 'coat' the windscreen in a sheet of moisture.  Instead, it formed into countless small globules of liquid that quickly ran off the glass.  The view through the 'beads' of water was surprisingly clear.

'Just like the AVE's,' Shakey realised, recognising the effect from several training sessions.  'Is it the same stuff?  If it is, how did Mazurka get it?'

Shakey was about to ask, when Mazurka swerved violently to avoid a near collision with another car.

"See?  I told you it'd be all right!" despite the narrow escape, Mazurka was still nonchalant…

Shakey nodded, & held on to the door handle for dear life.  'I must find out if this car has Passenger Side Air Bags,' he thought for the umpteenth time, 'And if they're in working condition if it does…'

Shakey was glad when the trip was over, even though it meant getting wet when he left the car.  The pair scurried into the dubious shelter of the run-down apartment block Rave called 'home'.

"This isn't good," the elevator didn't respond when Mazurka pressed the button, "Oh well!  Taking the stairs is good exercise."

"This really isn't good," Mazurka muttered darkly, as they squelched their way up a stairwell flowing with runoff from blocked gutters…

They came to Rave's apartment.

"Must be broken," Mazurka gave her Expert Opinion after the third attempt at using the unresponsive doorbell on Rave's apartment.  She rapped loudly on the door, "Rave?  It's Mazurka…  Are you there?"

Getting no response, Mazurka tried the door handle.  The door opened, allowing her & Shakey to see inside the apartment.  Inside, Rave sat in a dark apartment, an open textbook in her lap, & a blank expression on her face as she looked at her visitors.

"I am here," Rave quietly replied.

Mazurka entered with Shakey in tow.  They paused to remove their shoes, although Mazurka kept talking, "I've been made 'Guardian' for all of you… 'Girls', & I'm here in that Official capacity.  I was wondering if there was anything you needed, or wanted to talk about?"

Rave paused before replying, "No."

"Is it always like this when it rains?" Mazurka eyed the damp sheen on the walls of the apartment with distaste.

"Yes," as usual, Rave got straight to the point.

The reply flustered Mazurka, she rallied with, "Well, as your Guardian, it's my duty to see that you have adequate accommodation.  If it's okay with you, I'll just have a quick look around…"

Mazurka didn't wait for a reply, she started surveying the Hovel, leaving Rave & Shakey together.  Rave looked at Shakey.  Shakey looked awkwardly back at Rave.  He'd last seen her that morning, but events since then had made the memory seem so old & out of place.

"I-I've met your… sisters…" Shakey faltered in his brilliant conversation opener…

Rave merely looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

"They seem like nice people," Shakey desperately tried not to sound as if he was making inane small talk.

Rave tilted her head slightly.

"Uh…  I mean…" Shakey realised that there was more than one way of interpreting what he'd just said, not all of them complimentary.

"You find their company agreeable," Rave's comment could be either a question, or statement of fact.

Shakey made a non-coherent mumble while shrugging in an ambiguous fashion.

"They find your company agreeable," once again, Rave's comment could be either a question, or statement of fact.

Shakey didn't know how to answer that, he just looked bashfully at the floor & muttered, "I don't know…"

They lapsed into silence, Shakey looking anywhere but at Rave, & Rave looking nowhere but at Shakey.

Meanwhile, Mazurka was diligently checking out the apartment.  Now that she was having a proper inspection, what she saw was provoking a strong sense of unease.

The hand basin in the bathroom had leaking taps, & bad rust stains.  Its pedestal cupboard had once been melamine coated chipboard, but moisture damage had swollen the chipboard to the point of structural collapse, & Mould & Mildew had turned the damaged chipboard into a fluffy dark grey mess.  It was also missing the door & shelves…

As for the bath…  There was no shower curtain, let alone a curtain rod to hold one, but rusty marks showed where one might have been.  There was no towel rack either, just a single towel hanging on a bent wire coat hanger that had been inserted in a rusty hole in the wall…  The tiling was in a sad state.  Several tiles were missing altogether, & the grouting between the tiles had deteriorated to the point it barely held the tiles in place when Mazurka idly poked them with a finger…

The toilet porcelain was cracked, & looked as if it had never been cleaned.  It certainly wasn't the standard white, although Mazurka couldn't say what colour it should be, as it varied so much…

The light switch outlet had a cracked faceplate.  The light didn't work when Mazurka tried it.  When she looked, she saw the bulb holder in the ceiling held the jagged glass remains of a broken bulb.  The electrical power outlet was missing the switch button altogether, & bare metal contacts showed…

In the Kitchen area…  It was more of the same.  The heating elements on the stove were corroded, & everything looked like badly worn out junk.  There was ample evidence of Cockroach infestation.

In the main room…  Rave only had five pieces of furniture.  Bed, chair, chest-of-drawers, & two cardboard boxes.  The 'built-in' wardrobes were almost a relief.  Apart from the one nearest the wall, they weren't so badly moisture damaged as to be unusable.  Still, shelving was missing, & there were barely enough to cater to the only things in the wardrobe, a few sets of Rave's school uniforms…

The curtains by the bed were badly sun rotted & brittle, while the glass doors behind them to the balcony were jammed shut.  Apart from being dirty & unwashed, the glass was cracked & crazed, with some pieces having fallen out.  A draft breezed past.  Several small cracks in the concrete gave a reason.  It appeared that either 'settling' or earth tremors had caused the door tracks to flex & buckle.

The flooring throughout the apartment was a mixture of linoleum, bare concrete, & poorly maintained tiles.  All were tracked & hidden under a layer of grime.

Mazurka idly rested her hand against a moisture slick wall.  It came away with greyish-black slime on it, & several small chips of what appeared to be paint.  Total Disgust showed on Mazurka's face, 'I thought the walls of this place were just bare concrete, but it's actually dirt, mould & mildew…'

'This is pathetic,' Mazurka decided, 'I wouldn't condemn a criminal to live in a dump like this, let alone someone whose well-being my life depended on…'

Mazurka turned to Rave, "Rave, just how long have you been living here?"

"Since I became Rave."

"Uh, actually, I meant, how long has there been 'A' Rave living here?"

"Since the Second became Rave."

Mazurka was getting nowhere fast, "So, 'approximately' how long ago was that?"

"Approximately 4 years,"

Knowing what she did about the Clones, the reply disturbed Mazurka, 'She only had 4 years of her own life?'

Mazurka shook her head & brought her mind back to the task at hand, 'This doesn't make sense…  This is a new city, built to be as modern as possible…  This place couldn't have deteriorated so much in such a short space of time…'

"What was this apartment like when you moved in?" Shakey asked helpfully.

"Drier than it is now," Rave's guests face-faulted at the deadpan reply.

Mazurka mulled the comment over, 'Yeah…  That could be…  If this place was a dump when Rave first moved in, that would account for its current state.  But…  If it was already a dump back then, how old is it?  And why was she allowed to live here in the first place?  Surely, they could have found something better for her?  Even if she did have a fixation about that lab…'

Mazurka sighed as she surveyed the Hovel Rave called Home, "Rave, would you ever consider living elsewhere?"

"Why?"

"Because this place is not what I consider adequate accommodation."

Rave paused slightly, looking around the room before asking, "What is adequate accommodation?"

"Anyplace better than this," muttered Shakey.

Mazurka shot an annoyed look at the boy, but smiled as she turned back to Rave, "Well now, if you really want to know, why don't you come back to my Apartment?  Then you'll see what I think is adequate accommodation."

Shakey gave a worried look to Mazurka that all but said, 'But I haven't been able to clean it for the past couple of days!  The place is a mess!'

"If you like," Mazurka continued, "You can even sleep over!"

Shakey turned pale, 'Rave?  Sleep over?  At Mazurka's?  What will Aesir say if she finds out?  What will Aesir DO if she finds out?  Mazurka, What are you…?'

Rave glanced at Shakey.  "All right," she replied, making Shakey's worst fears an undeniable future.

"Good," Mazurka seemed pleased, "You'll need a change of clothes for school tomorrow & your pyjamas for tonight."

"Why will I need school clothes?"

"Because if you sleep over, you may as well go to school straight from my place, instead of having to come back here to get changed."

Rave nodded, apparently satisfied at the logic.  She quietly assembled her things, using both her school bag, & a large plastic garbage bag.

Shakey was unable to adequately convey his concerns to Mazurka, 'How do I tell her this is NOT a Good Thing, without hurting Rave's feelings?'

Then another troubling thought ran through Shakey's mind, 'Wait-A-Minute!?  Where is she going to sleep!?'

As if reading his mind, Mazurka spoke the words that would seal Shakey's doom.

"Rave, you can sleep in Aesir's room!  I'm sure Aesir won't mind, after all, you're both girls…"

"M-muh-ZuRKA!" Shakey's barely coherent gurgle was due to Mortal Fear, "Ay-Aesir might not LIKE having someone else in her room while she's not there!"

'And three guesses which MALE in the household will cop the fallout from YOUR decision,' Shakey added mentally.

Mazurka retorted, "Well she either sleeps in Aesir's room or on the Living Room floor…"  Then she smiled & joked, "Unless Shakey, YOU want to sleep on the Living Room floor, while Rave has YOUR room?  Hmmmm?"

Shakey was speechless as he tried to think whether such actions might affect Aesir's acceptance of the situation.  And whether or not it would affect in the slightest the amount of fallout Aesir would inflict on him.

"I will sleep on the floor," Rave quietly stated.

Shakey's face fell as he agonised, 'I can't let her sleep on the hard floor while I'm in a soft bed!  It wouldn't be right, she's our guest…'

"No!" Shakey blurted out, "I mean, you're our guest…  You should be in a bed, so if they're the choices, please use my bed.  I'll sleep in the Living Room…"

Mazurka blinked at Shakey's offer, "Well!  Looks like we've got that settled!"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Sleepover.

It was still raining when Mazurka, Shakey & Rave left Rave's alleged home.  All three got drenched getting into Mazurka's car, especially Shakey since he played 'Gentleman', opening the car door & waiting until Rave got into the back seat.

Fortunately, Mazurka's Apartment Block had undercover car parking for its residents.  That little fact spared the trio another soaking.  They were still somewhat soggy though, & Mazurka decided it would be best if they wasted no time in getting into dry clothes.

"Right!" Mazurka went straight into 'Tactical Command Mode', "Rave!  You use the bathroom first!  Get cleaned up, & into some dry clothes!  Clean towels are in the cupboard.  The light switch is beside the door.  I'll use the bathroom after you, then Shakey can use it!"

"Yes," Rave immediately implemented her part in Mazurka's brilliant strategy.

"Okay," Shakey sighed, vainly hoping there'd be enough hot water left for him.

Mazurka turned to Shakey, "In the meantime Shakey, you can start on supper."

"Mazurka," Shakey waited until Rave had disappeared into the Bathroom, "Can you clean up some of this mess while I cook?"

"Oh it's all right!" Mazurka cheerfully surveyed the friendly chaos around her, "A house should look lived in, or else it's not a Home."

Shakey watched as Mazurka chugged her first six-pack of the evening.  He rolled his eyes & thought, 'Home to What?' as he shuffled off to the kitchen.

Rave's upbringing had instilled in her a Spartan sense of Functional Efficiency.  She was in & out of the Bathroom in 5 minutes.  She emerged wearing a clean school uniform, & carrying the one she'd been wearing on a coat hanger.

Mazurka nearly choked to death on a beer when Rave unexpectedly appeared from nowhere & said, "The bathroom is available."

Mazurka coughed up the beer she'd almost inhaled, then stumbled off to the Bathroom.  Unlike Rave, she would take about twenty minutes…

"Achoo!" the sneeze came from Shakey in the kitchen.

"Are you all right?" Rave asked, concerned that Shakey might be catching cold.

"Yeah…  Just too much Pepper…"

"Pepper?"

"Mazurka likes lots of Pepper on her 'Pepper Steak'."

"I dislike eating meat," Rave reminded him.

"Don't worry," Shakey reassured her, "I'm making vegetarian dishes for you."

Rave stood & watched as Shakey skilfully prepared the meals.  Shakey sneezed again, & a slight shiver ran through him.

"You are getting cold," Rave stated the obvious.

"I'm fine, but…"

Rave inclined her head slightly, waiting for Shakey to continue.

"I could use some help in getting dinner ready."

"What should I do?" Rave was more than little perplexed by the range & variety of strange utensils & food items in the kitchen.

"Well, if you could prepare some more vegetables, that'd help."

Rave looked blankly at the heap of vegetables on the kitchen sideboard, then sought clarification, "Which ones, & how?"

"Well…" Shakey then launched into another lesson, on the finer points of the Arts of Nutritional Selection, & Gourmet Preparation of vegetables.

Rave listened intently to Shakey's instructions, & viewed his practical demonstration with intense interest.  Shakey left things to her, & Rave rapidly cleaned & chopped the vegetables, the cook's knife flashing expertly in her hands.

Shakey paused to admire her technique, 'She's GOOD!'

"What now?" Rave soon asked, having finished her task in record time.

Shakey dumped the sliced vegetables into another cooking pot, concluding, "Now all we do is simmer the vegetables for a few minutes…"

Shakey stood watch over the pot with a much-practiced eye, gently stirring the vegetables to ensure even cooking.  To relieve the boredom & be polite to his guest & erstwhile kitchen assistant, he asked, "You do much cooking yourself?"

"No."

"So what do you normally cook at home?"

"I do not cook."

"Oh…" Shakey thought he understood.  Rave's apartment was so run down, it was probably not a good idea to do any cooking, in case a fire started, "You don't cook at home?  Where do you eat?"

"Wherever I have food…  Home, school, the Base Cafeteria, &… other… places…"

"Still," Shakey added, "You did the vegetables very well.  I suppose you learned how to prepare food like that in School, then?"

"No."

Shakey was puzzled, "Where then?"

Rave was hesitant, "Here."

"Here?" Shakey was openly incredulous, "You mean that was your first attempt at preparing food like that?"

Rave nodded.

"Wow," Shakey looked at Rave with frank admiration, "You must be a 'natural', just like the 'Trainee Chef' stories in the weekly comics…"

Rave's cheeks pinked slightly at Shakey's words of praise.

Mazurka chose that moment to advise Shakey that the bathroom was free.

"Shakey?" Mazurka announced, reaching for another six-pack of beer, "Your turn!"

Shakey was slightly upset as he noted Mazurka was wearing her 'casual' attire of old denim cut offs, & tank top, 'In front of a guest too…  Still, it could be worse…  She could be wearing her version of the bike shorts & T-shirt outfit Aesir & I had to wear that time…'

"Okay" Shakey shook his head as he trudged off, concerned at Mazurka's lack of more formal attire, "Just watch dinner for me & make sure it doesn't burn…"

"No burrrUURRRPPP worries," Mazurka belched, then reached for another six-pack.  She chugged two cans, then noticed that Rave was quietly watching her.

"…" said Rave, noticing how much alcohol her Superior Officer was imbibing.

"So…  Rave…" Mazurka commented conversationally, "Why the uniform?"

Rave looked down at her clothes, then back to Mazurka, "It is all I have."

Mazurka was sceptical, "But surely you have clothes other than School uniforms?"

Rave hesitated slightly, "Yes."

"Well why not wear them?"

"Because Pyjamas, Sports uniforms, Swimsuits & Underwear are less appropriate in a social setting such as this…"

Mazurka choked on her beer again.  When she finished spluttering, she asked, "Is that ALL you've got?"

"Yes."

"Nothing you wear to perk you up, lift your spirits?"

Rave stared blankly at Mazurka.

Mazurka tried to clarify, "You know, make you feel better?  Warm inside?"

"I have a school sweater…"

Mazurka sighed, "Who buys your wardrobe for you?"

Rave looked at the table, "I do not know.  I think perhaps, Commander Atari…"

Mazurka put her head on the table & groaned as she realised what this meant, 'I should have known!  Never leave the selection of a young girls wardrobe to a man with the priorities of an Accountant…  The stingy old so-&-so probably included her Wardrobe costs in one of his cutbacks…'

Mazurka recalled how frugally Rave lived, 'Then again…  Maybe it was her Lifestyle costs he cut back on, instead of just her wardrobe costs…'

Inspiration struck Mazurka, "Rave, have you ever played 'dress-up'?"

"What is 'dress-up'?"

"Something Girls do to have fun.  Basically, they try on clothing, seeing how different pieces look.  Have you ever tried it?"

"No," Rave softly replied.

"Would you like to try on some of my stuff, just to see what it's like?"

Rave was silent, apparently thinking over the offer.

"It won't hurt to try," Mazurka coaxed, "And it might give Shakey a nice surprise to see you in something different…"

"It would?"

Mazurka smiled, "All boys like to see pretty girls dressed in nice clothes…  Shakey's no different…"

Curious, Rave nodded & rose from the table.  Soon she & Mazurka were in Mazurka's bedroom, doing the 'Girl Thing' of dressing up for the sake of feeling good about oneself…  For the sake of having FUN.

"Why do you have so many clothes?" Rave was more than slightly bewildered by the vast range of clothes, makeup, & accessories crammed into Mazurka's room.

Mazurka went into 'Lecture Mode', "Now Rave, one of the greatest resources any Lady has, is a decently stocked wardrobe.  The secret is to have outfits that can co-ordinate with others."

"Why?"

"For the sake of variety of course!  Variety IS the spice of life…"

And so it went, Mazurka being fully caught up in the Joy of Wardrobe Sharing, something she hadn't really done in years.

…But back in the kitchen, the unsupervised supper was still cooking…

Shakey sighed contentedly as he left the Bathroom, 'There was still enough hot water for me to have a nice relaxing shower…'

The smile on his face vanished as his nose informed him that something was being dangerously overcooked…

"Supper!" Shakey wailed in fear, racing into the kitchen just in time to save the evening meal from being 'Charcoal Grilled Briquettes'…

Shakey groaned as he surveyed the damage, 'It's overcooked, but not too badly burnt…  I hope Rave likes barbecued vegetables…'

Shakey slumped as he wondered if this would account as a 'poor showing' in the eyes of their guest, 'Well, I can give her the non-burnt bits at least…'

"Sorry Shakey," Mazurka mumbled from the Living Room behind him.

Shakey turned, his emotional state giving him the courage to 'give her a piece of his mind'.  He stopped dead, the words dying in his throat at what he saw.

Rave, her arms crossed over her chest, looking somewhat nervous, with her eyes downcast, & her cheeks pink.  Dressed in one of Mazurka's 'Dress' dresses…

Rave was clad neck to ankle & wrists in a black outfit.  On Mazurka it would be 'Tight' around the hips, but on Rave's frame it was 'Fashionably Loose'…

"Well?" Mazurka grinned, "Does she look good, or should we keep trying on more outfits?  Personally, I think it suits her…  What do you think?"

Shakey's jaw dropped, & he nodded dumbly.  It came as a shock to see how much of a 'Swan' a girl like Rave could be…  With a little help from a friend…

Rave relaxed at Shakey's silent acceptance.  She uncrossed her arms & managed a tiny smile, although her cheeks remained pink.

Mazurka looked hopefully at Shakey, "So!  Let's eat!"

Despite being 'overcooked' there were no unfavourable comments about the food, something for which Shakey was grateful.  Despite his staying quiet & keeping a low profile, Mazurka still found something to discuss…

"Rave?  You don't eat meat do you?"

"No."

"Are you anaemic?"

"I am not anaemic.  I take dietary supplements."

"Then why are you so pale?"

"I…" Rave hesitated, "…Commander Atari once said I was a type of Albino…"

"Well…  Would you BE anaemic, if you DIDN'T take the supplements?"

"I… do not know…"

"Well, as your Guardian I need to know!  Your health & well-being, & that of the other Girls, is my responsibility now.  I'll get the Medical Staff to fill me on the exact details…"

That was about it for 'scintillating dinnertime conversation', another thing Shakey was grateful for.  Especially considering some of the topics Mazurka COULD have brought up, such as Rave performing 'E.A.R.' on Shakey.

For whatever reason, Mazurka decided to call it an early night, & go to bed straight after dinner.  She stood & stretched, letting her joints pop & crack into place, "I don't know about you young people, but I'm ready for bed…"

"Then I will go to bed as well," Rave stated.

"It's all right if you want to stay up & talk with Shakey," Mazurka offered.

"No," Rave replied, "Shakey needs his sleep."

The choice of words startled Mazurka, especially as it was practically what she herself had said to the other Clones, 'Is it that 'Twin Thing' again?'

Shakey was feeling rather tired & didn't offer any complaints.  He set up his bedding on the Living Room floor, then lay down & was asleep in minutes.

Mazurka was soon snoring lightly in her room, leaving only Rave awake…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Girls Talk.

In the privacy of Shakey's room, Rave changed into the oversized long-sleeved shirt that served her as a nightgown, then stood in the middle of Shakey's room, just looking all around her.

Shakey didn't have many personal possessions, but they far outnumbered those of the Clones.  Posters, books, music tapes, clothes…  All the trappings & detritus of a normal teenage boy.  It made Rave wonder.

'Why does he have these things?'

'What purpose do they serve?'

'Are they important to him?'

'Are they proof of his having existed?'

'Are they proof of the value of his existence?'

A picture on a chest of drawers caught her eye.  It was of Shakey, & his two school friends Toe-Jam Snoozehard, & Kantsee Hayeater.

'His classmates…  His friends…'

'They are now my classmates…  Are they now my friends…?'

'But…  They are not here anymore…'

'They were evacuated to another city while this one is rebuilt.'

'Why does he keep this picture?'

'Does he keep it to remember friends no longer here?'

'Mazurka said…  He tried to be a friend to the Second Rave.'

Rave looked all around the room, but found no photos of the 'Second' Rave.

'I do not remember ever having been in a photo with him…'

'I am not even in the Class photo with him as the other students are…'

'Does he not have a photo of m-… her… because we were never together in one?'

'Does he only keep memories instead, like we Clones do?'

Rave frowned.

'What memories does he keep of her?'

'Mazurka says he wants to be my friend.'

'What memories will he keep of me?'

Rave thought things over for some time, before turning out the light & lying down to sleep in Shakey's bed.  She was surprised at how much more comfortable the mattress was than the one on her own bed.

'Soft…  Warm,' were Rave's final thoughts, before drifting off to sleep.

Strange dreams came to Rave again that night…

Rave found herself floating through a dark void, along with many coloured patches of moving light, a chaotic mosaic of feelings, thoughts, & experiences.

Mazurka? Pilot Atari! They visit us Pilot Atari is Nervous? Pilot Atari formally introduces himself He has trouble with calling all of us RAVE? Mazurka reminds us to use our numbers

I am #101 Pilot Atari wants me to call him Shakey? He looks into my eyes  It feels… agreeable?

A general repetition followed…

I am #… I am #… I am #… I am #… I am #… I am #… I am #… I am #…

The voices echoed away into the darkness, eventually ending with a far off chorus of Call him Shakey!

Another theme became the main focus in the images.  Visions of Shakey surrounded by Blue-haired Girls, showing them how to use cleaning instruments… then how to slice & prepare vegetables…

Shakey teaches us! To clean! To prepare food!

Another theme change, showing Shakey with a meal tray, looking tired & weary…

Shakey slumps to floor? Concern! Ill? Hurt? Denial! Relief! Tired? From teaching us? He needs sleep? We will watch over him! He sleeps a long time… Mazurka wakes him He is confused He is embarrassed? For tiring himself out helping us?

Rave added to the mosaic, Pilot Atari was upset He feels guilty

Concern! Why?

He thinks he should have been able to save some of the Clones that died

Not possible! Too badly injured!

He did not know that He does now

How?

Rave added some extra memories of her own.

I demonstrated E.A.R. on him He now knows he could not have saved them Major Kutsarug saw me She said to call her Mazurka She said I am welcome in her home But… Visitors should call before going there… She said… Pilot Atari would not mind if I visited them…

Why?

I am unsure… But… Pilot Atari said he thinks Clones are… Nice People…

He thinks Clones are Nice People?

Yes

… something occurred to Rave.

I am a Clone… Does Pilot Atari also think I am a nice person…?

You are We! We are You!

He… taught me how to prepare vegetables for cooking… He praised me… Mazurka let me wear her clothes He praised my appearance

Different clothing makes our appearance praiseworthy?

Yes I was confused by how many different items of clothing Mazurka had Mazurka helped me choose what to wear She said variety is the spice of life

Why would Mazurka lend clothes?

Mazurka wants to be Friend She wants to help She wants to teach

But Mazurka is Guardian!?

Mazurka also wants to be Friend

They want to be Friend? To RAVE?

Yes…

…

Shortly thereafter, Rave fell into a deep sleep…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Awake…

In Mazurka's Living Room, Shakey Atari slept on a makeshift bed on the floor.

…Uneasily…

Shakey tossed & turned, mumbling as a nightmare unfolded in his mind.  Once again he was reliving the final moments of the first girl he knew as Rave Imanonymous, "…noooo…" he mumbled in his sleep, "…Rave… don't do it…"

Shakey stretched his arms out in front of him, tossing the bedding aside as he vainly tried to offer help to one who was gone forever.  A look of loss crossed his face, & he suddenly woke up.  Disorientated, he lay in the gloom, soon coming to the realisation that he'd been dreaming again.  His chest heaved with emotion as tears formed in his eyes.  With a whimper, he curled up into a ball.

Recent events had placed Shakey's mind under enormous strain.  He'd been sent to Hospital for observation, & a secret treatment of psychiatric medication.  Now the medication had worn off, & Shakey had to come to painful grips with reality.

'…she's gone…'

'…i'll never see her again…'

'…never see her smile again…'

'…never hear her voice…'

Shakey broke down & wept for his lost friend…

Mazurka's words rose from somewhere in the gloom, '…You'll feel a need to grieve for her…  Do it!  Don't bottle your emotions up…  People need to grieve…  If a person doesn't grieve, if they don't… let go of the memories…'

Shakey tried to remember everything he could about the second Rave, HIS Rave, even though each one of the pitifully few memories provoked new tears.  For hours Shakey lay, holding a solitary wake.

It was probably the only wake for Rave that Shakey would ever attend, as it was the only wake Rave would ever have.  Rave's true nature was highly classified, & there would be no public acknowledgement of her demise.  No death notice.  No wake.  No funeral.  No grave.  The only people who knew about Rave's death, were either the few authorised to know in the first place, or the few who had found out by accident…

'How many would mourn her?' Shakey wondered, 'If they only knew?'

He frowned, trying to estimate the numbers.  A task made easier by the pitifully small number of people that actually knew Rave to look at her.

'Our classmates?  Most of them didn't really know her…  But I think they'd feel something for her…'

'Aesir?  She & Rave had their 'rivalry'…  Still, they were comrades in arms…'

'Toe-Jam?  Kantsee?  Yeah…  If they knew, they would…  They'd try to hide it though, especially Toe-Jam…'

'Hickory?  As Class Rep she cares about everyone…  She'd cry her eyes out…'

'Ritzy?  The one who tried to kill the Clones?  No…  I guess not…'

'Mayi?  Ritzy's assistant?  Yeah…  She'd take it hard…'

'Moccona & UhOh?  Probably be like Toe-Jam & Kantsee…'

'Mazurka?  Yeah…  She would…  Guardian or not, she would anyway…'

'My Father?  The one who sent her to her death?'

'No,' Shakey thought bitterly, 'He wouldn't care…  He never cares…  As long as we do what HE wants us to…  He doesn't care if we live or die…'

A scowl darkened Shakey's face as he thought about the man who was his father.

'You ran out on me years ago…  You left me behind…'

'You only wanted me here because you could use me…'

'Like you use everyone else around you…'

'Aesir…'

'Toe-Jam…'

'Rave…'

'My mother…'

'And how many others?'

Shakey trembled with rage & fear as he realised that now, his father had others he would probably use…  The Clones…

'Will you use them up like you did Rave?'

'Will you send them to their deaths?'

Shakey snorted in contempt, 'Or will you just make them 'live' as she did?'

Shakey's expression softened as he thought of the Clones he had met, the ones who had talked with him, the ones he had taught, & especially the one who had been with him in his Hospital room, the same Clone who was using his room as an honoured guest.

'They're all exactly like Rave,' Shakey compared her to them, wondering, 'What did you think of your 'twins' Rave?  Did you even think of them as that?  As sisters, family?'

Shakey sighed, remembering comments the second Rave had made about herself, & the way she had often acted.  As if Rave felt she had no personal worth at all.

'Is that why you acted the way you did?  Because you knew, just how 'different' you were to the other people around you?  That you were a Clone?'

'Did that make you think you could be… 'replaced'?'

'But you weren't… 'replaceable' Rave…'

'Not to me…'

'But… you didn't know that, did you?'

'…and I couldn't tell you…'

'Because I didn't know the truth about you then…'

'If I had…  How could I have told you?'

Tears welled in Shakey's eyes as a sense of loss overcame him.

'Your sisters are just like you, Rave…'

'They're nice people…'

'Nice…  People…'

'Despite what you might have thought about yourself…'

The scowl returned to Shakey's face, as dark suspicions bloomed in the fertile ground of Shakey's mind, 'Or despite what others may have told you…'

'You were a person.  Like me, or anyone else…  You were a PERSON…'

'You had worth…'

'Even though my father threw your life away…'

'You had worth…'

Again, the tears flowed.  Shakey rose from his bedding, & went to the kitchen to get a drink, 'They say that if you drink a glass of water, it helps you to stop crying…  Well, here goes…'

It was an old folk tale, but it seemed to work.  That or Shakey was just plain 'cried out', or was finally dealing with things.

Shakey contemplated the cooking utensils he'd used when cooking supper that evening.  A supper that the 'new' Rave had helped him prepare.

"She said I taught her how to prepare food…"

'I was teaching the other Clones how to clean up & do housework earlier today…'

'That's something I never did for you, Rave…'

'Despite the help you gave me…'

'I didn't do much for you in return…'

Shakey's face trembled at the thought he'd somehow let her down.

'But perhaps…'

'Your sisters…'

'I can help them… instead of you…'

'If they'll let me…'

The thought that he might be able to help Rave's sisters, as he had never helped her, lifted a weight from off Shakey's soul.  A new resolve flowed through him.

'I promise I won't let them down Rave!'

'I'll try & make things up to them…'

'No matter what!'

Shakey returned to his bed, & lay for some time, just thinking over what he could do for the Clones.  Eventually, he fell into a more restful asleep…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Truths & Half-Truce.

Glando Atari sat in his office with his hands held before him in his usual manner.  He looked as he always did…  Cool, calm, totally in control…

…Even though his current situation was definitely more precarious than normal…

Arranged in a circle around Glando's desk were the dark block-shaped holograms STEELY used whenever they had a meeting with him.  This much-delayed conference with STEELY was rapidly turning into a blame placing exercise, & not surprisingly, Glando himself was a prime target.

STEELY: "This set back is unacceptable."

STEELY: "Atari, how could you allow such a disaster?"

STEELY: "You should have had her under better surveillance…"

STEELY: "Yes.  Then she could not have betrayed us."

Glando stayed silent despite the barbs.  He weathered the storm by saying as little as possible, waiting for the unseen committee members to run out of steam.  Finally, his chance came…

STEELY: "I trust you have at least… removed… this thorn from our paw?"

Glando simply stated, "Not yet."

STEELY: "Not yet?"

STEELY: "Why not?"

STEELY: "The woman betrayed us!"

STEELY: "She destroyed resources that are not easily replaceable!"

STEELY: "If at all!"

STEELY: "Have you any idea how much this has cost us?"

STEELY: "Well?  We are waiting…"

Glando tilted his head slightly & calmly replied, "This situation was unforeseeable.  As did her mother before her, Doctor Akatlover snapped without warning & did the unthinkable…"

STEELY: "Don't play games with US, Atari!"

STEELY: "We know full well how Nayokay died!"

Glando's voice became loud & firm, "Then you know it may have happened again…"

STEELY: "What do you mean?"

"Techniques we use to our advantage, may also be used by others."

STEELY: "Are you suggesting that her 'breakdown' was planned?"

Glando's answer dripped with suspicion, "It is a possibility I choose not to ignore…  Unfortunately, I can neither prove, nor disprove it at this time.  You know how… subtle… such things can be…"

STEELY: "What of the surviving Clones?"

STEELY: "Yes!  How badly contaminated are they?"

"We have not yet started testing them."

STEELY: "Why not?"

"Many are too injured to be effectively tested."

STEELY: "Then try a sample."

STEELY: "Yes.  Time is of the essence."

STEELY: "We need to know as soon as possible, so we can plan accordingly."

STEELY: "Wait, this Committee does not want any ill-informed judgements."

STEELY: "We don't want any smoke screens either!"

"To do it properly, I will need to test a substantial number of the Clones, so that 'statistical errors' do not accumulate."

STEELY: "Why bother?  Scrap them all & start afresh!"

STEELY: "There is wisdom in hastening slowly.  If we can salvage any of them, the benefits will far outweigh the costs of testing the lot of them."

STEELY: "Let alone the costs of starting anew…"

Hidden by his hands, a ghost of a smile crossed Glando's face, "I have something else you may find… interesting…"

STEELY: "How so?"

"Observe," Glando pressed a button on his desk.

A large Holographic video screen flickered into life.  It showed a split screen image of two different scenes.  In one, a woman was teaching a group of blue-haired girls how to prepare simple hairstyles.  In the other, another group of blue-haired girls lay in Hospital beds.  Some of the latter group were trying their hair in the same styles the woman was teaching.

STEELY: "Hairdressing?"

STEELY: "How is this supposed to impress us?"

Glando began to speak in a slow measured voice, "To understand these images, you must first be made aware of certain things.  1 - As seen by the time codes on the images, both of these videos were made at the same time."

STEELY: "So?  What of it?"

Glando ignored the question, "2 - The recorded incidents occurred in different buildings, at the same time.  You will notice, that the hair styles being taught, are the exact same ones being tried by those in the Hospital beds…"

STEELY: "This is preposterous!"

STEELY: "Atari, if this is a waste of our time…"

Glando continued in a calm voice, "3 - The Clones in the Hospital Beds had never been given any hair styling lessons."

STEELY: "So, they merely imitated what they saw elsewhere…"

Glando carried on regardless, "4 - Before these images were recorded, there was an… incident… with two other Clones…  It indicated that they were somehow communicating in a way Humans could not…"

STEELY: "Oh Come Now Atari!  PSI abilities?"

STEELY: "You really expect us to believe THAT?"

Glando merely said, "Have you forgotten how these Clones were created?"

STEELY: "How could we?"

STEELY: "We made them to serve our purpose."

STEELY: "As does the fruit of our earlier efforts…"

Glando stared at the monoliths like a hungry wolf might glance at a fat juicy rabbit, "Then you will remember the benefits we obtained from one particular project.  The ones we weren't… 'expecting'…"

The monoliths fell silent…

In the absence of any interruption, Glando continued, "That earlier project laid the very foundation for these Clones, & we expected similar benefits.  But there were… changes… between the two projects…  And we may now have some more… 'unexpected benefits'…"

STEELY: "If what you insinuate is true…  Then there may be certain… 'benefits'… to be obtained from this situation…"

STEELY: "IF it's true, then perhaps they are no longer suitable to our plans!"

STEELY: "If they do not perform as expected, then we should destroy them all!"

STEELY: "No.  Such abilities could be useful…"

STEELY: "IF such abilities exist!"

STEELY: "Yes, IF!  The earlier Clones didn't display such abilities!"

Glando almost smiled as he countered, "How do you know they didn't?"

STEELY: "We would have noticed!'

"Even if they were trying to hide such a talent from you?"

The committee fell silent again, although this time, there was a hint of fear…

Now that he had them off balance, Glando went for the throat, "IF these abilities exist in the Rave Clones, they MAY exist in the others.  If they exist in the others, then WHY hasn't any record been made of them?"

No dissenting voice disturbed the silence.  For now, Glando had centre stage.

"I can see only three reasons…" Glando paused, then slowly went through each point, "1 - It is an ability they do not have…  2 - It is a latent ability that has not yet developed in them…  Or 3 - It is an ability that HAS developed, & they are keeping it secret from us…"

Glando stopped to let that rather ominous last point sink in.

A faint hint of fear in the room seemed to have grown…

"In any case," Glando sounded almost nonchalant, "It is in our best interests to find out.  Especially when we consider the abilities they have already demonstrated.  Not to mention the nature of the facilities they frequent."

STEELY: "Do you seek to divide us with fear Atari?"

STEELY: "We have nothing to fear from them.  They have been conditioned for absolute obedience to our will!"

"Yes," Glando not quite sneered, "I have heard of how they were… 'conditioned'…  And that knowledge alone, makes me question if they would DARE tell you, IF they had any 'unexpected' abilities…"

The Committee fell silent again.  This time though, the fear was palpable.

STEELY: "Perhaps we should be more afraid of your Clones Atari…  I understand you chose 'alternate methods' to ensure their loyalty…?"

A cold, hard look flitted across Glando's face, "When I was given control of their upbringing, I also received advice from experts in human psychology.  Yes, the course I took was different, but it was still endorsed, & fully authorised by this very committee.  My Clones are loyal, & they will remain so."

STEELY: "But when will they be ready?"

"When they have matured, & their abilities have… fully developed…"

STEELY: "And when will THAT be Atari?"

Glando didn't flinch at the swipe, "They have had different 'conditioning', & a different background environment.  These factors must be taken into account."

STEELY: "Still…  By now they should be ready…"

STEELY: "The others were at their age…"

"As you will recall, the first successful Cloning experiment didn't yield results until they had almost completed their second decade…"

STEELY: "But the second experiment yielded results a full seven years sooner."

"With a much higher attrition rate than those in my care, even taking Doctor Akatlover's actions into account."

STEELY: "But girls are supposed to mature earlier than boys, Atari…"

"Terms such as 'girls' & 'boys', only apply to Human offspring…"

STEELY: "Enough of this bickering over irrelevant details!"

STEELY: "Yes.  Let us make a decision…"

All around Glando, the STEELY members went silent.  The images remained, but the various members of the unseen Committee had retired to conduct their debates & deliberations on a separate communication line, unobserved by the man such decisions would most greatly affect.

They took their time, their absence stretching for a half hour.

Glando sat still as a rock for the entire time, a living statue awaiting a breath of life from a higher plane.

…Or a death knell…

Without warning, the Committee members came back into Glando's realm.

STEELY: "We have reached a consensus."

STEELY: "We have decided to test the Clones."

STEELY: "ALL of them!"

STEELY: "We want a complete report."

STEELY: "With in-depth analysis & critical conclusions."

STEELY: "And full detailing of expenses!"

STEELY: "Our schedule will be adjusted accordingly, to give you time."

STEELY: "You don't have forever Atari."

STEELY: "We want hard answers as soon as possible."

STEELY: "We will contact you if we change our minds."

STEELY: "Don't give us reason to!"

With that final threat, the Committee members vanished from Glando's office.

Glando sat unmoving for a few minutes, then he sighed, his body trembling slightly as his posture relaxed.

"Don't worry," Glando sneered contemptuously, "You won't observe any reason to change your minds…  I'll make sure of that…"

The current crisis averted, Glando picked up his phone & began to make calls…

**********************************************************************

The END of Book 3 of 'Altered Lives'

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Breathless.

"That's Great!"  Shakey was MOST enthusiastic about getting out of the Hospital room, especially if it presented topics for conversation other than what Mazurka could have talked about, "I'll finish breakfast & get changed…"

"You haven't had breakfast yet?"  Mazurka turned to the meal trolley & lifted the cover.  A look of mortally shocked horror crossed her face as she saw the untouched meal.  "**GOOD LORD**!" she choked.

"What's wrong Mazurka?" asked Shakey.

Mazurka stared in Total Shock at Shakey, "You 'smooth talked' Rave into 'E.A.R.' WITHOUT having eaten your 'Weet-Bix'!?"

Mazurka turned to Rave, "Be thankful I got here when I did!  There's no telling WHAT might have happened if he'd had his 'Weet-Bix' FIRST!"

Rave made a mental note, 'Ensure adequate supply of 'Weet-Bix' on Island…'

Shakey groaned & covered his head with the sheet.  The only evidence of the deep embarrassment he felt, was the blush spreading along his arms…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Conversations.

"…Were you following orders this morning when you kissed him?" the playful teasing note was still there, but it had turned into the sort of playful teasing note that carried a gun, & was deadly serious about being able to use it…

"It was not a kiss.  I was demonstrating Expired Air Resuscitation…"

Mazurka smiled & nodded, "And?"

Rave seemed puzzled, "And?"

Mazurka rolled her eyes, "And what was it like?  Is he a good kisser?"

Rave blushed, & looked at the floor.

'Oh Great!' thought Mazurka, 'I've embarrassed her!  Now she won't say anythi-"

Rave suddenly giggled, then shyly admitted, "It wasn't bad…"

"I want DETAILS!" grinned Mazurka, as the two began a 'Female Bonding Session'…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Visitors.

"Uh… right," Shakey blushed as he shook off his introspective mood.  He went around to all of the other Clones, introducing himself in similar fashion, & politely asking them how they would like him to address them.  Soon, he was on a 'first name basis' with all of them, & had their permission to use their numbers in return.

Mazurka felt relieved as she saw how well Shakey & the Clones were getting along, 'Huh…  He's only been in here a few minutes, & ALREADY he's on a 'first-name-basis' with them, & he's got their numbers to boot…  He must have taken lessons from Cagey…'

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - A Friend In Need.

Eventually, Shakey got down to work, & started teaching the Clones what he was good at.  The Clones watched intently, as Shakey revealed to them his Inner Knowledge of such Arcane Mysteries as 'Toilet Cleaning', 'Using a Mop', 'Dusting', 'Laundry', etc.

It was tiring work for Shakey, & by lunchtime, he was hoarse from talking, & feeling tired from the practical demonstrations he'd been giving.

"Remember Girls!" Mazurka called out, "Testing in these procedures will be conducted at MY place over the next few months…"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - The Rain, The Clone, & Other Things…

Mazurka sighed as she surveyed the Hovel Rave called Home, "Rave, would you ever consider living elsewhere?"

Rave looked around the room.  She couldn't understand why Mazurka would think such a thing.  After all, she had cold running water, ON TAP in the shower, a constant supply of fresh air, all the Insect life she could eat, & even had a power outlet in the Bathroom to zap herself awake with in the mornings…

Still, if Mazurka thought otherwise…

"What is adequate accommodation?" Rave asked.

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Sleepover.

Rave listened intently to Shakey's instructions, & viewed his practical demonstration with intense interest.  Shakey left things to her, & Rave rapidly cleaned & chopped the vegetables, the knife flashing expertly in her hands.

Shakey paused to admire her technique, 'She's GOOD!'

He might not have been so admiring, if he had known Rave had acquired her knife technique from watching 'Slasher' films…

'Pity Aesir isn't here,' thought Rave, 'I could get her to help me demonstrate my 'Norman-Bates-Shower-Stall' technique…'

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Girls Talk #1.

Strange dreams came to Rave again that night…

Rave found herself sitting in a classroom, along with Aesir, Shakey, & Hickory.

Suddenly Aesir jumped out of her seat, & turned to glare aggressively at Rave.

"Rave, I demand we settle this by Mortal Combat!  I challenge you to a duel!"

Rave was perplexed, "Why would you want to fight?"

"What?  Are you stupid?  For Shakey of course!"

Rave looked over to where Shakey was, only to see he was now bound & gagged.

"All Right then," Rave replied.

"Best 2 out of 3 is the winner," grinned Aesir, suddenly ripping away her uniform to reveal a red battle outfit…  And twenty extra pounds of muscle…

"Mondai Arimasen (No Problem)," replied Rave, ripping away her own uniform to reveal a white battle outfit…  And fifty extra pounds of muscle…

A Vicious Catfight followed…  The fighting was low & dirty, & there was plenty of Blazing Martial Arts action…  Aesir was a tough opponent, but Rave eventually defeated her.

"Curses!" screamed Aesir as she gathered her shattered pride, teeth, & clumps of hair from the battlefield, "I'll be back to get you later my Pretty!  You & that 'Little Dog' too!"

With that, the 'Wicked Witch from the West' cranked up her broom & flew off…

Rave woke up the next day on the floor of Shakey's room, in a tangle of bedding.  She blinked as she looked around, not immediately recognising her surroundings…

Not surprising really, as most of the fighting she had done during the night had been inflicted, 'sleep-walker style' on the contents of the room.

Shakey's room had been completely trashed…  The bed was broken in half, the mattress was in five pieces, & the pillows had been shredded…  Impact craters lined what was left of the walls…  Parts of a Cello protruded from opposite walls, & the rest of Shakey's belongings were smashed beyond all recognition…

"…oops…" Rave murmured on viewing the carnage…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Girls Talk #2.

Rave added some extra memories of her own.

I demonstrated E.A.R. on him He now knows he could not have saved them Major Kutsarug saw me She said to call her Mazurka She said I am welcome in her home But… Visitors should call before going there… She said… Pilot Atari would not mind if I visited them…

And?

And?

And what was it like? Is he a good kisser?

Giggle! It wasn't bad…

DETAILS!

Another 'Female Bonding Session' had begun…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Awake.

In Mazurka's Living Room, Shakey Atari slept on a makeshift bed on the floor.

…Uneasily…

Shakey tossed & turned, mumbling as a nightmare unfolded in his mind.  Once again, he was in AVE Unit Won, & there was an attack in progress.

…But he stuck inside the Hangar, unable to launch…

In the Command Centre, Commander Rave sat at her desk, her fingers steepled before her.  Her impassive face was even more mysterious behind mirror shades.

On Number Five Catapult, Glando Atari impatiently awaited the order to launch.  His uncomfortably tight fitting Snug Suit wasn't helping his state of mind.

"Launch Glando from the Number Five Catapult" Commander Rave ordered.

A klaxon sounded, & Number Five Catapult exploded into action, accelerating Glando to the surface in 3.5 seconds.

Glando erupted out of the open hatch, rising over a hundred & fifty stories in the air, soaring above the highest tower blocks in the City, & somersaulting gracefully as he fell to land on the ground…

…With a wet Splat…

Commander Rave's advisor, Fu2ok, turned to her & whispered, "Err…  Don't you think he'd do better if he launched in an AVE, instead of just a Snug Suit?"

"There's no hurry," said Rave softly, "We still have plenty of Glando Clones left over from the Doppelganger OMAKE…  Prepare the next dozen for launch…"

…Back in Unit Won, Shakey moaned & fretted…

…Not so much at not being able to get into the Battle, but at not having a 'Ringside Seat' Topside…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Truths & Half-Truce.

Hidden by his hands, a ghost of a smile crossed Glando's face, "I have something else you may find… interesting…"

STEELY: "How so?"

"Observe," Glando pressed a button on his desk.

A large Holographic video screen flickered into life.  It showed a split screen image of two different scenes.  In one, a woman was teaching a group of blue-haired girls how to prepare simple hairstyles.  In the other, another group of blue-haired girls lay in Hospital beds.  Then the two screens suddenly merged into the one image of a standard test pattern…

Glando blinked in surprise.  All around him, the STEELY Committee members waited patiently.

Suddenly a picture appeared of a Farm Hand 'mucking out' an animal stall…

STEELY: "This is preposterous!"

STEELY: "Oh I don't know…  Perhaps Atari wants us to know what job he'll be applying for after he leaves this meeting…"

Glando began to sweat as he tried to think up an acceptable explanation.

Elsewhere, the MOGGY were busy editing Glando's other 'Secret Files'…

- - - - - - - - - - - - -The END of the OMAKE- - - - - - - - - - - - -