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Altered Lives (The Parody)
Book 10 "Reactions"
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 - Personal Demons.
Night… The time of rest for creatures of the daylight hours…
In a NERVIS Hospital, two humans tried to sleep in the early hours of the morning. Both slept fitfully, one lost in an inner world, while the second kept a sleep-blurred watch on the other.
Shakey Atari writhed in his bed, the sheen of sweat on his brow trickling down to join the body sweat that dampened the sheets.
"…no…!" Shakey's face contorted as his inner mind roiled & seethed, "…not her…"
Inside his mind, Shakey struggled with the emotional trauma of his friend's accident, & the personal responsibility he felt over his part in the matter. His guilty imagination constantly replayed things, providing new & different perspectives on the day's events.
The latest re-run, had a Rave Clone bumping into Shakey, then falling off balance onto the road. She lay in the road, her hand reaching out to Shakey, silently asking him for help. The traffic was moving at dream speed, approaching slowly, but speeding past & away at high velocity.
Shakey turned his head to check the oncoming traffic. He had plenty of time to reach out & help his friend. But when he tried, he found he could only move at a snail's pace…
The traffic was getting nearer, & the Clone calmly asked, "Please help me…"
Shakey was moving towards her, but the oncoming traffic was now mere feet away. Although it was only inching forward slowly, it was still faster than Shakey.
The Clone's eyes flicked towards the oncoming traffic, & her face showed alarm. She spoke again, her voice pleading, "Please help me! Don't let me die!"
Shakey was trying to hurry, but the harder he tried, the slower he became.
The truck was inches away the Clone. Her frightened face looked at Shakey, tears running down her cheeks as she asked, "Why won't you help me…?"
Then the bumper of the truck touched the Clone, & she started screaming as her body was crushed in slow motion…
"NO!" Shakey screamed as he suddenly surged forward, his hand closing on…
…The emptiness of the room…
Shakey sat upright, gasping for breath, as he realised where he was. "…nuh-nightmare…" he stuttered, his gasps turning into sobs, "…just… dream…"
Shakey sat in his bed, crying as he remembered that a friend of his was lying elsewhere in the Hospital, seriously injured, perhaps dying…
'…if …if it wasn't for me… …she wouldn't be hurt…'
The comment was more than an opinion of personal guilt. To Shakey at least, it was an undeniable truth. After all, if Shakey hadn't walked into the path of a truck, there would have been no need to save him. Therefore, the Clone would not have gotten hurt saving him…
'…it's all my fault…' Shakey decided, '…Aesir's right… I am a screw-up… I can't do anything right…'
Other unpleasant memories of how much of a 'screw-up', a 'liability' Shakey was, welled up from the dark spring of his soul…
…Toe-jam, hitting Shakey, blaming him for the injury that Toe-jam's little sister received during Shakey's first, untrained battle…
'…just like Toe-jam's little sister…' Shakey's memory fuelled his self-hatred, 'she got hurt… because of me…'
…Aesir, calling Shakey an idiot, & blaming him for her initial failure against the Double Alien they'd fought…
'…if Rave had been fighting, instead of me… they'd have won first time…'
…Shakey's father, telling him to make a decision, either Pilot, or leave…
'…i stayed… and look what's happened…'
…Mazurka, telling Shakey that he was needed to pilot Ave, that if he didn't, people would die…
'…they're dying anyway, Mazurka… whether I pilot or not…'
…The Rave Clones dying after they were released from their tank…
'…i didn't know how to help them… i didn't do anything for them…'
…The Rave Clone that died in his arms in the Doppelganger Lab, her hand reaching up to caress his face, smiling at him despite her wounds & waning life…
'…i couldn't do anything to help her… i was useless…'
…The Rave Clone who was run over trying to save his worthless life…
'…i led her into danger…'
Shakey's despondency grew, as he remembered that he hadn't even recognised her…
"…juni (12)…" Shakey whispered, remembering how the injured Clone had told him her number, '…i didn't even know she wasn't the 'third'…'
A soft knock on the door interrupted Shakey's thoughts.
"Shakey?" Mazurka's worried voice came through the door, "Are you all right?"
When Shakey didn't answer, Mazurka quietly opened the door to check on him.
"Shakey?"
"…yes…?"
"I… heard you call out," Mazurka moved over to stand by Shakey, "Are you in pain? Do you need another pain killer?"
Shakey shook his head. He had sustained injuries, & while not life threatening, they were still painful. All over his body, there were various types of pain, & discomfort. However, he was reluctant to take the painkillers when he needed to, preferring to endure his own minor pains as a self-imposed penance.
Mazurka waited, then quietly asked, "Would you like to talk about it?"
"What's to talk about?" Shakey said in a voice dripping with self-hatred, "She nearly got killed because I'm too stupid to cross the road by myself…"
Mazurka tensed, then sat down on Shakey's bed, & looked at his shadowy face.
"It wasn't your fault," Mazurka tried to reassure, "Things like this… happen…"
"Only to people near me!" Shakey hysterically insisted, "If she hadn't been with me, she'd be all right, she'd…"
**SLAP!** the sound of a palm striking a face echoed through the room, abruptly ending Shakey's personal tirade.
"DON'T TALK LIKE THAT!" Mazurka demanded, "If she hadn't been with you, she couldn't have saved you! You'd be in the Morgue instead of a Hospital bed!"
Stunned by Mazurka's actions, Shakey merely put a hand to his burning cheek.
Mazurka steamed ahead, "I know you feel bad about this! But you have to stop dwelling on things you can't change, & DEAL with reality!"
"I…" Mazurka's voice choked off, "I'm their Guardian, as well as yours… Do you know how **I** feel right now?"
Shakey dumbly shook his head, still holding his cheek.
"I'll tell you…" Mazurka confessed in a trembling voice, "I'm upset that one of my Girls is hurt… Especially since **I'M** partly responsible."
"…you're not resp…" Shakey muttered.
"Oh yes I am!" Mazurka insisted in an uneven voice, "It was my phone call that started this mess… Even though I didn't know… I…"
Mazurka's voice quivered & gave out. She lapsed into silence.
Sometime later, Mazurka said in a firmer voice, "Despite my own bad feelings, there's also a sense of pride in her… She was hurt trying to help another… It's… similar… to how I've felt, when you've come back from a battle injured…"
Shakey shifted in the darkness, suddenly feeling awkward at the thought that Mazurka, or anyone else for that matter, could actually feel proud of him.
Mazurka continued, her tones tinged with guilty confession, "The times you went into battle… We both knew there was a chance you wouldn't return, or that you might return injured… I knew you didn't want to Pilot, to fight…"
"Shakey?" Mazurka murmured, "Do you remember the first time you Piloted?"
Shakey nodded.
"It was a poor way of asking you," Mazurka admitted, "But, I was glad you did…"
A sob sounded in the dark, it was followed by an unintelligible comment.
"Shakey?" Mazurka asked gently, reaching out to the weeping boy.
"…didn't want her hurt…" came the tearful reply, "…didn't want anyone hurt… now they are… because of me…"
Mazurka cradled the distraught boy to her, trying to reassure him.
"No," Mazurka said as she held her arms comfortingly around Shakey, "She was hurt because she wanted to save someone from being hurt… Her injuries are not from you… They're from the situation both of you were in…"
"…Mazurka?" Shakey snuffled, "…what do th-the other… Rave think?"
Mazurka paused, "I'm not really sure… I haven't asked them, but I don't think they hold what happened against you…"
"…why not?" Shakey whined.
Mazurka thought before answering, "Did you hold it against Rave, the first time you piloted & got hurt?"
Shakey shook his head.
"I think it's the same sort of thing," Mazurka crooned softly, "You tried to save another person's life that time, & now, someone has returned the favour…"
"…but…" Shakey struggled for the right words, "…how can you be sure?"
"You valued Rave's life enough to try & save her," Mazurka pointed out, "And you continued to try & be a friend to her… And to her 'sisters'…"
In the dark, Shakey listened to Mazurka's every word, wanting to believe, but needing that extra piece of proof before he could commit himself to hoping…
"I think…" Mazurka began, then stopped to think through what she wanted to say, "That if you were to ask the Girls, they'd confirm my opinion."
"After all," Mazurka stressed, "I don't think #12 would have done that for just anyone… I believe #12 did what she did, because she valued your life, your health & well-being, as much as she did her own."
Mazurka smiled as he concluded, "#12 knows what it is to be a friend…"
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Chapter - The Long Watch.
Mazurka lay uneasily on a sofa in a Hospital waiting room… Since her talk with Shakey, the distraught boy had finally managed to drift off into some semblance of sleep, a thing his emotionally stressed body needed.
Mazurka however, was another matter…
Mazurka had decided to stay in the Hospital, in the event some urgent change in the condition of her charges required her personal presence. After advising Security, she had set up a vigil in a visitor's lounge near Shakey's room.
Protests from Nursing staff had met with Mazurka's patented 'Glare of Doom', the one that promised an unpleasant future to anyone giving Mazurka a hard time. The staff had wisely backed down, but had been adamant that the lighting in the room be reduced as per Hospital operating procedures. Mazurka had acquiesced.
In the dimly lit room, Mazurka shifted uncomfortably on the sofa. Despite the sofa's padding, it wasn't in the right places to act as a comfortable bed. It was during one such half asleep squirm, that Mazurka felt someone slip something soft & squarish under her head.
"What the?" Mazurka snapped awake, her head rising off her newfound pillow, & her sleep blurred gaze searching the gloom, & locking on the one responsible.
Rave Imanonymous, her hands holding a blanket…
Mazurka blinked as Rave draped the blanket over her.
"You will sleep better with pillow & blanket," Rave said quietly.
"If I'm asleep," Mazurka countered, "I won't know if Shakey needs me…"
"You will know," Rave murmured, "I will wake you if anything happens."
Mazurka nodded, then quietly asked, "Why are you here?"
"Shakey is… not well…" Rave answered honestly, but evasively.
Mazurka hesitated then enquired, "Which one are you?"
"I am Rave."
"Really?" Mazurka sat up in bed, "Then can you explain why 'Rave' was injured saving Shakey, while 'Rave' was supposedly miles away in the Test Facility?"
'Rave' remained silent.
"I'm asking you again," Mazurka growled, "Which one are you? And why aren't you in the Clone Compound if you aren't the 'Third'?"
"I am Rave…"
Mazurka took a deep breath, resisting the urge to throttle a decent answer out of the enigmatic blue-haired girl beside her.
"B--LS--T!" Mazurka swore, "I saw the 'Third' today in the Test Facility! She had the remains of rings under her eyes, & you don't! Who said you could leave the Clone Compound?"
Rave remained silent.
Mazurka scowled, "Let me guess… The Commander… He would have had to authorise your being out here… Just as he would have had to authorise #12's being at school with Shakey, while Rave, I mean, #3, was in the test facilities…"
Rave remained silent.
"No?" Mazurka asked, before placing more of the puzzle together, "Well, how about this… Security must have known where Rave#3 was, yet they didn't make any moves on an obvious 'imposter' imitating her at school. Security may be idiots at times, but they aren't THAT dumb! That can mean only one thing… The Commander authorised #12's presence in school, & warned Security off of her…!"
Still no reply.
Mazurka took a different approach, "You know what happened to Shakey today?"
"Yes."
Mazurka took another deep breath, then asked in no-nonsense tones, "HOW?"
Rave paused before answering, "I asked Security where he was, and they…"
"That's not what I meant," Mazurka curtly interrupted, "When I was with the others in the testing facility, they knew what happened to Shakey BEFORE Security did. And THEY were completely enclosed in the test units at the time!"
Rave made no comment, her eyes looking at the floor, rather than at Mazurka.
"How did THEY know?" Mazurka persisted in her line of questioning, "And did you really only learn about this from Security?"
Rave remained silent.
Mazurka stared at the girl, waiting for an answer. When none came, she tried another tack.
"Rave…" Mazurka said quietly, "How did you REALLY find out about this?"
Rave didn't answer.
"When did you first find out?"
Rave didn't answer.
Mazurka's eyes narrowed as the girl remained silent & unresponsive. "Are you under orders NOT to tell me anything about it?"
Rave didn't answer.
"The Commander?"
Rave didn't answer.
A sour look came over Mazurka's face as she put things together in her mind.
"Things… have been happening recently," Mazurka said in a gruff voice, "You Girls seem to know about… stuff… you haven't seen for yourself… individually…"
Rave remained silent.
"At the Hospital," Mazurka grimaced as a painful memory surfaced, "…they told me… one of the Girls didn't need me to give her a number… That she was… was…"
"…shi…" Mazurka started to cry. (Note! 'shi' is a Japanese homonym, one meaning is the number four, & another is death…)
"I th-thought it was jih-just a dark joke… to lighten the mood," Mazurka's voice broke off into sobs, "But… there have been other things…"
Rave remained silent.
"How could they know Shakey had been hurt?" Mazurka asked through her tears, "I know that NONE of them had a comlink to the outside!"
Rave remained silent.
"I NEED to know what's going on, D--N it" Mazurka's voice rose in volume, fuelled by anger, "Shakey got hurt, & #12 was almost killed because I wasn't told things I should have known! I didn't even know 'Rave' had been attending school! It was Shakey learning THAT bit of information, that caused this whole mess to happen!"
Rave shifted slightly, as if uncomfortable.
"What will it take?" Mazurka hotly demanded, "Does Shakey have to DIE before I'm clued in as to what's going on?"
"…we… are sorry…" Rave whispered.
"Then tell me," hissed Mazurka, "What's going on?"
"…the Commander…" Rave hesitated, "…said… we should not tell anyone…"
"D--N IT, Rave!" Mazurka swore, "I've got enough Security Clearance to be Operations Director! What more do I need?"
"…this…" Rave said quietly, "…is not part of… regular security protocols…"
"What is it then?"
"…we…" Rave lapsed into silence.
Mazurka waited, her eyes & ears straining for the slightest response. She was about to repeat her demands, when a small voice spoke softly in the darkness.
"…we are not like other girls…" Rave continued, still looking at the floor, "…in the lab… many bodies lived as one… we were… as one… we thought… as one… we remembered… as one… the lives of another… lives we never lived… Outside the lab… we are many… but… we still remember… what happened to those who were Rave before us… and… what happens… to the many who are Rave now… we all know… what happens to any one of us…"
A sudden chill ran up Mazurka's spine at Rave's choice of words.
"…we are many bodies…" Rave said softly, "…but our minds can synchronise as if we were one… the Clones in the test units… knew what happened to #12 & Shakey… because wherever we were… we all knew about it… as it happened…"
In the dark, Mazurka gulped nervously, as the meaning of Rave's words sank in.
Rave suddenly looked at Mazurka's face. Goose flesh broke out on Mazurka, as the woman saw that the girl's pupils had a faint phosphorescent glow.
"What are you?" Mazurka gasped without thinking.
Rave barely paused before answering, "…we are Rave…"
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Chapter - Another Acceptance.
Mazurka lay on a Hospital sofa, her heart beating rapidly.
"…you are… afraid of me…" the Rave Clone kneeling beside Mazurka stated quietly.
Mazurka took a deep breath, trying to get her racing heart under control, "No," Mazurka croaked, "I'm not afraid… just… surprised…"
"…others are afraid…" Rave continued, "…even though they do not know what you know about us… they are… afraid of us… they shun us…"
"Your fellow students are probably just…"
"…I was not talking about school students…" Rave insisted, "…but of adults… NERVIS staff… technicians… security guards… people we meet in the street… they may be polite & call us Rave Imanonymous to our faces… but when they think we cannot hear them… they call us other names… freak… weirdo… punk…"
"But," Mazurka protested, "Just because a few treat you like that…"
"…no…" Rave countered, "…most people do… as soon as they see us… very few people do not… Shakey & yourself… the Commander & the Sub-Commander… Mayi…"
"Mayi?" Mazurka queried, "You mean Mayi Buttin? Dr Akatlover's assistant?"
"…yes…" Rave replied, "…she wants us to call her Mayi… she has recently been… concerned… for the health of some of us…"
"What about the students in school?"
"…most shun us…" Rave admitted, "…a few do not… our classroom monitor, Hickory Harikari… Natsumi Iwakawa… Toe-jam Snoozehard… Kantsee Hayeater…"
"At least you've started to make some friends…"
Rave tilted her head, "…when Pilot Skrewyou first came to school… she said 'let's be good friends'… she was the first to ever say that to us…"
"And what did you say?" Mazurka's interest was piqued.
"…the one who was Rave at the time replied, 'If I am ordered to'…"
Mazurka blinked, "If you were ordered to?"
Rave shifted slightly, "…at that time… we had no orders… no guidelines on how to act towards those who wanted to be… friends… we only knew how to be Rave… and Rave had no knowledge of friendship…"
Mazurka felt physically ill, 'I have GOT to have a 'little talk' with whatever soulless jerk raised Rave as a child… She needed 'orders' to have friends? Regardless of the security arguments, that's just… sick…'
"Rave," Mazurka's voice held the emotion of total conviction, "You don't need orders to be friends with someone!"
"…we know that now…"
"You do? How?"
"…yes… Shakey told us…"
Mazurka smiled, 'Good on you Shakey! I knew I could count on you…'
"…the Commander…" the Clone said quietly, "…told us not to tell anyone about our… ability… …he said… it might make other people uncomfortable…"
"I have to agree with him on that…" Mazurka grudgingly conceded, "But that's THEIR fault, not yours…"
"Mazurka," a small voice asked, "…how would Shakey react? …if he knew this?"
"I honestly don't know," admitted Mazurka, "He's under a lot of stress at the moment… I think we better not tell him… Not just yet at any rate, he's had more than enough shocks recently…"
The other person in the room with Mazurka quietly nodded their agreement.
Wherever her bodies were…
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Chapter - Assignment
Mazurka was roused from a fitful sleep by someone roughly shaking her shoulder.
"mmgh? Whazzit?" Mazurka mumbled, wondering why her bed felt so uncomfortable.
The sight of two Security Agents looming over her was NOT reassuring, NOR was the fact that Mazurka found that she was not in her bedroom, but in a waiting room in a Hospital.
"Major Kutsarug," one of the Security Agents was saying to her, "The Commander wants to see you… NOW!"
'The Commander wants to see me?' Mazurka was still half asleep, 'What a coincidence! I want to see him too! I do hope he can answer some little questions I've got…'
Mazurka allowed the Agents to help her from the room.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando sat at his desk, staring down the latest threat to his authority.
"Why wasn't I told about the others attending school? 'Sir'…" Mazurka's first question tacked the honorific on almost as an afterthought.
"It was on a need to know basis… 'Major'…" Glando tacked the rank on almost as a reminder that there were other ranks, significantly lower in the pecking order yet still quite capable of being Mazurka's next posting…
Mazurka bit her lip, keeping her own counsel. She could have been court-martialled for what she was thinking though…
"Major. There is a good reason for Rave being impersonated by the Others at school. From a purely psychological viewpoint, it is a vital necessity. Could you stay locked in a building all day, knowing that your life was lived by another person?"
"No Sir." At least it sounded reasonable.
"I agree the situation was regrettable," Glando was calm as always, "And I think it best to revise the Clones current management situation in order to prevent any future recurrence…"
Mazurka bean to sweat, 'Revise their 'management'? Oh, S--T!'
"Accordingly, you are hereby relieved of…"
"Sir!" Mazurka protested, "You can't just take them away from me! It wasn't my fault! If I'd known what was-"
One look from Glando, & Mazurka realised she'd gone too far, "S-sorry Sir!"
"Do you wish to be relieved of their command?" Glando asked coldly.
Mazurka stood to attention, "No Sir!"
"It can be arranged," Glando intimated.
"NO SIR" Mazurka repeated herself, "I do NOT wish to be relieved of Command of the Clones!"
"Good," there was a trace of satisfaction in Glando's voice, "Because I have no intention of punishing you for events outside your area of command…"
Mazurka blinked, 'What?'
"…events inside your area of command are another matter," Glando's addition shattered Mazurka's composure, "However…"
'Ohhh, **S--T!**' Mazurka winced, 'Here it comes!'
"…you have done a good job so far, Major," Glando gave congratulation instead of the chewing out Mazurka expected, "But I think the job is too much for you… Accordingly, I will let you have some help…"
"I'm getting staff?"
"Unfortunately, no…" Glando seemed politely apologetic, "However, I will hand the Social education of your charges over to more… expert hands…"
Mazurka swallowed hard, 'First they 'share' your duties out, then they…'
"You will still be charge of running the Clone Compound, but you will no longer need to schedule any training sessions, or make any Compound Duty rosters…" Glando had drastically cut Mazurka's duties, & her authority as well.
Mazurka said nothing.
"Any perceived… needs… should be brought to my attention, so that I can make sure the Clones have expert tuition on the matter…"
"Birds & Bees, Sir!" Mazurka spoke up.
"What?" Glando almost seemed surprised.
"As I've said in previous reports," Mazurka sounded professional, if not exactly innocent, "The Clones need instruction in Human Relationships. Since they're officially 15 years old, they have already achieved the age of sexual consent in several Japanese provinces. On their next birthday, they will achieve the age of sexual consent in ALL Japanese provinces, as per current laws. I think-"
"You believe they should have 'Sex Education'?"
"No Sir!" Mazurka promptly replied, "As I've also said previously, they already have a good knowledge of the Medical & Physical side of such things. What they DO need, is timely information about Lifestyle choices, so that they can avoid the pitfalls that so many other teenagers fall into… Regardless of scheduled classes, the random unpredictability of Real Life events demands 'on the fly' analysis & intervention. I believe it is in their best interests to have advisors available to hand to deliver specific education on an ad hoc basis."
"I see…" Glando stared at Mazurka.
Mazurka stood to attention, the very image of a Loyal Subordinate having just advised a Superior Officer of potential situations affecting Operational Ability.
Glando looked appraisingly at Mazurka, "I understand you've been giving the Clones information about life in the Real World?" It wasn't a question, more a statement that the walls had eyes & ears, & they all belonged to Glando, "You may continue to do so… But… Your efforts will be in addition to the Official Training & Education they receive. Your efforts will only augment, NOT replace the Official Training."
"Yes Sir!"
"Do you have any further questions?"
"Yes Sir! Since Shakey & myself already know that Rave is being impersonated at School by other Clones, may the Clones in question advise of such? I believe it would help if we knew 'who' we were dealing with…"
"Granted," Glando conceded the point too fast for Mazurka's comfort, "However, such information is NOT to be made public, NOR is it to be discussed outside of secure premises! Any Clone impersonating Rave, is to be referred to as 'Rave' at all times, regardless of her number."
"Yes Sir! Understood Sir!"
"If that is all Major, you may go…"
Mazurka saluted & quickly left, glad to escape the Lion's Den…
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Chapter - Atonement.
Morning came to the City, filtering through the golden haze of a perfect dawn. The City began to change as the last of the night-timers gave way to the teeming throngs of daytime workers.
In the Hospital, Shakey was gently woken by the cheery voice of his Guardian…
"Rise & shine, Shakey!" Mazurka chirped, wheeling a food trolley into the room, "Breakfast is served…"
"…mmmm…?" Shakey yawned, wiping what little sleep he'd gotten from his eyes.
Mazurka parked the food trolley beside Shakey's bed, & gave him the food tray.
"…porridge…" Shakey muttered, staring idly at the prefabricated grey sludge.
"There's also sugar, wheat germ, & milk," Mazurka moved each item from the food trolley onto Shakey's tray, "And you've got a large pitcher of fruit juice to wash it all down with…"
Shakey toyed with his breakfast in silence.
"Shakey…" Mazurka's tones didn't quite match the smile on her face, "There's something I have to tell you…"
Shakey looked at Mazurka, a sick sense of dread freezing his heart. "…wh-what…?" he croaked, fearful of the answer.
"Well…" Mazurka's smile faltered, then vanished as she said in sombre tones, According to the doctors, she should recover…"
"…thank God…" breathed Shakey, a great weight lifting from his soul.
"There is one other thing though," Mazurka murmured.
Shakey's brief elation was smashed flat.
"You've… got a visitor…" Mazurka didn't sound normal.
Shakey blinked. "A visitor?"
"Uh-huh," Mazurka confirmed, "There's someone who wants to see you…"
"…w-who?" Shakey nervously enquired.
A strange look came over Mazurka's face, then she turned her head towards the open doorway & called out, "You can come in now…"
Shakey's heart nearly stopped when he saw who entered the room.
Rave…
Shakey stared as the familiar girl walked over to his bed, & stopped beside Mazurka.
"Good morning, Shakey," 'Rave' said.
"…g-guh…" Shakey gasped, before giving up on trying to speak.
"I am not the one you were with yesterday," 'Rave' stated, "I am #13. Mazurka did not know this…"
Shakey nodded, still too weirded-out to speak.
A brief silence followed.
Mazurka was the first to speak, "We should have been told… Shakey? You've been attending school with… the others for some time now… A different one each day…"
"Why?" Shakey nearly pleaded to Rave, "Why didn't you tell me?"
Rave looked at the floor instead of answering.
Mazurka looked annoyed, "Because the girls were ordered NOT to tell anyone…"
"…my father…" Shakey's angry mutter was more a statement of fact, than question.
"Bingo!" Mazurka confirmed, "Old Mister know-it-all himself. Not that he ever bothers to SHARE what he knows, with those who NEED to know…"
"…what else haven't I been told?" Shakey sighed.
"Probably lots," Mazurka deadpanned, before turning to Rave & asking, "What about you? Do you know anything we don't?"
Rave didn't reply.
"Could you tell us if you did?" Mazurka pressed.
Rave didn't reply.
"Anyway," Mazurka shrugged off Rave's enlightening silence, "We've got other things to deal with at the moment… To start with… Aesir is conscious, & can have visitors."
The news brought a faint smile to Shakey's face.
"Two," Mazurka marked the points off with her fingers, "#12 is also conscious, & can have visitors. Three, visiting hours are VERY soon…"
Shakey's smile became tinged with a sad, wistful look.
"And four…" Mazurka paused for effect, making Shakey look questioningly at her.
"There's a flower stall nearby," Mazurka rambled on in conversational tones, "Who just HAPPEN to have a sale on at the moment…"
Shakey blinked.
"It would be such a shame," Mazurka had a sad look on her face, "For any of those fine blooms to go to waste, now wouldn't it?"
"…huh…?" Shakey had difficulty following Mazurka's reasoning.
"Girls DO like flowers every now & then," Mazurka didn't QUITE beat Shakey over the head with a clue…
"…all right…" Shakey sighed, Mazurka's Brilliant Plan finally seeping into his brain. Along with the realisation that he'd have to go along with it, as usual…
"Good!" Mazurka was all smiles & cheery tones again, "After you finish breakfast & get dressed, then we'll get enough flowers for all of our Girls in here!"
Shakey meekly began eating his breakfast.
"Come on Rave," Mazurka towed the blue haired girl from the hospital room, "While he gets ready, we'll sort out what flowers the Girls would like…"
"Like?" Rave repeated, a puzzled look on her face.
"I mean," Mazurka amended, "What flowers do you think the other Girls would like to get while they are in hospital? If we're going to buy some for #12 & Aesir, we'd better get some for the others, or they'll feel left out…"
"I do not know…"
"Well, what ones do you… did she usually get in hospital?"
"I… We have never had flowers…"
"You haven't?" Mazurka was incredulous, "You mean, despite the number of times you've… ah… been in this dump, you've never been given any flowers?"
"No… But sometimes the room's previous occupant left theirs behind… Although, the nurses usually removed them…"
Mazurka chewed her lip thoughtfully, "Well… What about a get-well card then?"
Rave shook her head, her eyes staring blankly at Mazurka.
'Something's not right here…' Mazurka thought with a frown, 'Rave's never had ANY sort of 'get-well' presents?"
"Should We have had these things?" Rave asked, interrupting Mazurka's thoughts.
"Well," Mazurka shrugged, "I think you should have, it's only normal…"
"Why?"
"Because…" Mazurka paused to collect her thoughts, "It's a way of showing the person in Hospital, that other people care for them. That other people are thinking of them, & want them to get well soon."
"The Commander & Sub-Commander often came to check our recovery," Rave offered.
'Probably just seeing if they needed to fish another one out of the tank,' Mazurka thought darkly.
"What about visits from friends?" Mazurka inquired.
"Just you & Shakey," Rave said quietly.
Mazurka sighed deeply, realising her mistake. 'Should have remembered, she didn't know if she HAD any friends until recently…'
Mazurka quickly recovered, "Well, if you haven't had any of those things before, you're going to get them now! To start we'll…"
"Ready," Shakey suddenly announced, interrupting Mazurka's Brilliant Tactical Decision making process…
"Good timing," Mazurka put her arm around Shakey's shoulders & tightened her grip, "What are your thoughts on what flowers to get the girls?"
"…ummm…" flustered Shakey, "Whatever's on sale?"
"Hmmm," Mazurka hummed through pursed lips, obviously considering Shakey's statement, "Allows for quantity of bloomage, but the quality may suffer, & what you're really trying to say might not get through…"
"What **I'M** trying to say?" Shakey protested.
"Sure," Mazurka quipped, "Just like in the old saying, 'Say it With Flowers', we'll get some blooms that 'say' something. Something that'll help the Girls recover, cheer them up a bit!"
"I do not understand," Rave said, "Flowers cannot talk…"
"Not exactly… talk, "Mazurka replied with a smile, "But since time immemorial, certain types of flowers, & certain colours of them, have stood as symbols for various emotions & feelings. Like Love, Honour, Friendship, Virtue…"
"A secret code?" Rave had a gleam of interest in her eyes.
"Sort of," Mazurka agreed, "It's not so much 'secret' as not very well known by the vast majority of people nowadays… Although, most people do know what one or two types of flowers stand for…"
"So… Shakey…" Mazurka gave a feral grin, her arm moving from a friendly embrace around the boy's shoulders, to a friendly chokehold around his neck, "What sort of 'message' would you like to send Rave?"
Noticing #13's 'interested' gaze, Shakey started to blush & sweat nervously. "…uh… g-get well soon?" he stuttered.
"Mmmm, that'll do…" Mazurka admitted, releasing Shakey's neck.
Soon afterwards, the trio were 'buying out' a small flower stall. They bought several large bouquets, composed of many different flower types, & colours.
"Are all these required just to say 'get well soon'?" a puzzled Rave asked.
"No," replied Mazurka, "But having all the extras won't hurt… And the colours will liven things up for the Girls…"
"How much for vases?" Mazurka asked the pleasantly surprised stall owner.
"Sorry Ma'am," the portly stall owner apologised, "We've only got these small ones designed for individual flowers… They won't be suitable for the large bouquets you're buying…"
Mazurka smiled, "We have to split the flowers up amongst several dozen people… So lots of small vases holding one or blooms, will be perfect for our needs!"
Not much later in the Clones' Ward, Shakey, Mazurka & Clone #13 went about the task of splitting the bouquets up, & giving a small vase containing a simple two-flower arrangement to each of the incapacitated Clones.
The Clones accepted their gifts with solemn, albeit rather pink faces, & everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.
Until Shakey got to the bed holding the latest addition to the Ward…
The Clone known as #12…
**********************************************************************
Chapter - Absolution.
Shakey stood silently, just looking at the injured girl in the bed.
A body cast covered #12's torso. Designed to be removable for hygiene & diagnostic purposes, the plastic curves of the cast provided support to the body, & helped broken bones heal in the shape they should be. Wound dressings spilled out from under the cast, travelling down #12's limbs, & over much of her head. Stainless steel rods protruded from the cast, providing adjustable supports that gave a better fit.
…The overall visual effect, was that a human being had been turned into some sort of bandaged beetle, stuck throughout with pins…
Shakey swallowed nervously. 'She's hurt really bad…' he worriedly compared the sight before him to the other times he'd seen 'Rave' injured.
"#12?" Shakey's voice trembled, "Is that you?"
"…yes…" came a barely audible answering sigh, "…i'm me…"
Words failed Shakey. For long moments, he just stood there… "I'm sorry…" he finally whispered.
"…what for…?" came the soft reply.
Shakey looked timidly at the face of the girl in the bed.
#12's expression held no trace of accusation, or hostility.
"…f-for…" Shakey's voice gave out, along with his courage. His hand gestured guiltily towards the medical wrappings that imprisoned the girl.
Crimson eyes flicked downwards, following the guide of Shakey's pointing hand. "…you did not do this to me…" #12 breathed, "…a truck did…"
"…but…" tears welled in Shakey's eyes, "…if I hadn't… you'd…"
#12 gazed at Shakey's face, "…would you rather have been hit by the truck…?"
"Yes!" Shakey blurted out.
"…why…?"
"…because…" Shakey's voice broke, & he started to cry, "…you'd be all right…"
"…no…" #12 stated, "…i would not be 'all right'… you would be hurt… perhaps even dead… …i… would not find such a situation… agreeable…"
Shakey turned away from the girl, his face quivering with strong emotions.
"…would you give your life, so another could live…?" #12 asked.
Shakey nodded, no longer capable of speech.
"…so would we…" #12 confirmed.
#12's comment broke through the sense of guilty worthlessness inside Shakey, & he risked a tear-filled glance at the girl. She was looking at him, again, without any trace of accusation or hostility.
"…as she said…" #12 said quietly, "…I… we… will protect you…"
Then #12 did the unexpected… She reached out with her good hand, & grasped Shakey's forearm, squeezing it reassuringly.
"We will protect you…" the other Clones in the ward chorused.
Shakey turned to face them. All of the other Clones were looking at him with faint smiles on their faces. It was all too much for Shakey, he broke down & wept unashamedly.
"…why are you crying…?" #12 asked, "…are you in pain?"
Shakey couldn't answer verbally, he just shook his head & smiled through his tears, gently squeezing #12's good hand in reply.
#12 squeezed Shakey's hand back in return, a smile on her face…
**********************************************************************
Chapter - Aesir Awake.
In one of the Hospital rooms, a young red-haired girl lay in her bed, drifting in the drug-induced stupor that had helped her recover from a coma. The effects of her ordeal showed on her body, her long tresses of her hair were limp & lifeless, & her face was pale & drawn.
'Hospital?' Aesir thought drowsily, her befuddled mind tried to sort things out, going back over the shadowy remnants of what she could remember, 'Was I in another battle? Must have won if I'm here & not the morgue…'
"…no…" Aesir whined softly, tears welled in her eyes, then ran down her cheeks as she remembered the real reason why she was in the Hospital, "…i wasn't in a battle… …i couldn't make my AVE work… …i couldn't pilot… …i couldn't do anything… …i was useless…"
The full force of Aesir's memory kicked in, as she remembered how she had run away from Mazurka's apartment, her home since she'd arrived in the City.
Other memories rose up…
Living in abandoned buildings like some homeless tramp after she'd thought she'd 'overstayed her welcome' at Hickory's… Going through dumpsters for something to eat… Being unwashed & stinking, as she was too ashamed to go to the public baths in case someone she knew saw her…
…Saw the state the great Aesir Longlegs Skrewyou had let herself fall into…
In the privacy of her Hospital room, the red-haired girl sobbed in self-disgust.
'…i spent all my life trying so hard to be the best AVE pilot… but the others do it better than i could… and now… i can't even do it… …i've trained to be an AVE pilot since i was a child… it's all i know how to do… everything i've done, everything i've ever learned, has been to help me be a pilot… and now… now i'm useless… if i can't prove my worth by piloting after all that training… how can i prove that i have any worth at all?'
'…what's going to happen to me now? who would want an AVE pilot that can't pilot an AVE? who else could use an AVE pilot's skills? what else can i do? what can i be now? what future have I got?'
'i'm less than the person on the street…' Aesir thought bitterly, '…they have training they can use elsewhere… they can be employed elsewhere… …people would want to employ them… they aren't failures like i am…'
'…what future have I got…'
The question was one that Aesir had asked herself many times since her last battle. It was a question that eventually caused her to run away from Mazurka's & live with her classmate Hickory Harikari.
Hickory had been supportive, & had tried to get Aesir to look on the bright side. Aesir was young, healthy, able-bodied, educated & intelligent… Surely, Aesir could find some other line of work?
Searching for work had been the reason Aesir finally ran away from Hickory's & started living on the streets. No matter what job Aesir looked at, there were too many strikes against her… Strikes that often included her best points…
She was young? Junior wages then at best! And even then, the lowest, most menial jobs since she had NO work experience that she could talk of. Well, no work experience that any prospective employer would believe…
She was healthy & able-bodied? So were many other people, ones with extensive resumes, & applicable work experience.
She was educated? What employer would believe that Aesir graduated from College at 14, when she had trouble reading Kanji? Oh, so it was from a college on the other side of the world, was it? Pull the other one kid…
She was intelligent? Too intelligent… Aesir saw the looks some men gave her, looks backed up by comments that indicated they would be very happy to hire her. Especially if Aesir dressed up in her school uniform & was 'nice' to them… Or wasn't dressed while she was 'nice' to them…
It was too much for Aesir. The fall from the dizzying height of being an Elite AVE Pilot had been a long one, & Aesir's psyche had splattered on the initial impact, rather than bounce back. Now she was faced with the prospect that the only well-paying 'work' open to her, involved 'opening her legs'…
Aesir's pride had been shattered, but there were some things she wouldn't do…
Not all of those offering 'employment' took rejection with good grace. Fearful of the vindictive sleazebags tracing her back to Hickory's was the final straw. Aesir ran away from her friend's home, desperate that Hickory never know about the offers Aesir had rejected, let alone meet those who had made the offers.
Aesir had been reviewing her options in her latest 'squat', a badly damaged building somewhere in Japan, when the old saying of 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do'… floated through her mind.
Aesir had gone into the unroofed bathroom in the building. There she had taken her clothes off, neatly folding them on a chair. Then she had sat in the bathtub, heedless of the smell & feel of the semi-stagnant water. She leaned back in the bathtub, her eyes drinking in the sight of the beautiful blue sky above. The sharp piece of glass she intended to use on her wrists lay nearby…
…Then Security had ruined Aesir's plans by finding her…
A knock at the hospital door brought Aesir back to the current reality. She wiped her tears away hurriedly.
"Aesir?" Mazurka's voice called out softly, "It's me, Mazurka… Are you awake? Can I come in?"
"…y-…" Aesir stopped as she heard the whine in her voice. She swallowed then said in a firmer tone, "Yes, Mazurka. You can come in…"
A smiling Mazurka opened the door, & walked over to the girl on the bed. Seeing the teary red eyes, Mazurka enveloped the girl in a hug without another word.
"I'm glad you're awake," Mazurka said in sincere tones, "I've been so worried about you…"
'…i don't want your pity,' Aesir tensed up at the body contact, '…i don't want you to see me as some pathetic charity case needing help…'
"I wasn't the only one worried about you," Mazurka murmured, "There's a lot of people who wanted to see you get better as well…"
'…they all know…?' tears of shame welled up in Aesir's eyes again. She squeezed her eyelids shut & willed her tears not to come.
"You've been through a lot," Mazurka continued, "You've been hurt a lot… But you've survived things most people aren't even able to think about…"
'…does… does Mazurka think I'm… not… a failure…?' deep within Aesir's heart, a tiny flicker of hope sprang into being, '…she's been there… she knows what it was like… she knows how hard it was… how hard i tried…'
"We're grateful for what you've done for us," Mazurka said softly, "We're glad you survived… We're glad you're safe…"
Aesir couldn't help herself, she broke down crying, & returned the hug.
For the next few minutes, the two stayed as they were. The elder woman trying to comfort the recovering child. The child daring to hope that if other people didn't think she was a failure, then it was proof that she wasn't…
And if the child wasn't a failure, then perhaps the child could dare hope that she still had a future…
**********************************************************************
Chapter - Friendly Visit?
In a Hospital room, a woman held a teenage girl, comforting the younger woman in her time of trial.
"I have some good news for you," Mazurka soothed.
Aesir didn't reply.
"You have some visitors waiting to see you…"
"Cagey?" Aesir's spirits lifted, hoping that the man she had a crush on had come to see her.
"Ah…" Mazurka coughed, a strange look coming over her face, "No, I'm afraid not… Cagey… has a bad habit of disappearing… & only turning up when you least expect it… He may say it's just how his job is, but like ALL Men, he says he'll call you… yet he never does… I wouldn't count on hearing from him… any time… in the foreseeable future…"
"…oh…" Aesir was obviously disappointed.
"However," Mazurka continued in a bright & cheery voice, "There IS a Nice Young Man waiting outside…"
Aesir blinked in surprise, "…who?"
"Wait & see," Mazurka winked conspiratorially, "But before he comes in, I think we should get you tidied up a bit… It never hurts a girl to look her best… Now, where's that Nurse call button?"
Mazurka buzzed the Nurse, & in short order, Aesir had gotten a bed bath, fresh clothes & sheets, & her hair brushed until it had some of its usual lustre. With Aesir made 'presentable', & coincidentally, feeling a whole lot better morale wise…
Mazurka opened the door to Aesir's room & announced, "She's ready to receive visitors…"
Through the open door walked two people Aesir had not expected to see.
Shakey Atari, & Rave Imanonymous…
Both of whom, carried large bouquets of mixed flowers…
"Good Morning, Pilot Skrewyou," Rave said politely, not entirely sure why Aesir winced at the greeting.
"Good Morning, Aesir," Shakey said nervously, "I'm glad you're feeling better…"
"I should have known," muttered a disappointed Aesir, "The Invincible Idiot, & The Indestructible Doll…"
"Here," said Rave, not missing a beat as she presented her bouquet to Aesir, "These are for you, in the hopes that you will soon be well."
"Thank you," Aesir said listlessly, accepting the flowers as a matter of course.
"I-it's good to have you back," Shakey added, as he gave Aesir his bouquet.
Aesir blinked as she saw that unlike Rave's bouquet, Shakey's bouquet had a number of red roses as a central motif.
'…that means…' Aesir's heart skipped a beat as she remembered what red roses meant, 'Is the idiot trying to say he loves me?… Huh… Knowing Shakey he probably grabbed the first bouquet he saw in the shop…'
Despite her conclusion, a blush still spread over Aesir's face as she mumbled, "…thank you…"
Aesir turned her embarrassed attention to the bouquets she had, not noticing the way Shakey's face turned slightly pink as he smiled at her.
…Or the way Rave looked thoughtfully at the two of them…
…Or the way in which Mazurka hid her grin behind a hand.
'You needed something to help you get on with your life,' Mazurka thought as she looked at the self-conscious Aesir, 'If we can defeat the last predicted attack… You'll have the rest of your life to be happy in… If not… You should wake up to yourself, & make the most of what's available to you before it's too late…'
**********************************************************************
Chapter - Driving Lesson.
Mazurka's car took the corner on two wheels, then accelerated with a roar of the engine as it flattened out level again, flames blasting out of the exhaust pipe.
Inside, the face of Major Mazurka Kutsarug glared defiantly at the traffic she was weaving through at dangerously high speed. Her two passengers were pale & silent. In the case of one passenger, it was a case of genetics & personality, in the case of the other, it was more a case of good old fashioned terror…
Shakey gulped nervously as Mazurka nearly sideswiped a semi-trailer. "…Mazurka?" he squeaked, "…aren't we going too fast?"
"If I don't get moving, you'll be late to school," Mazurka growled, wrenching the steering wheel to one side to avoid ploughing into the rear end of a van.
Shakey swallowed heavily & closed his eyes.
"Why are you nervous?" Rave asked Shakey.
Shakey blinked, "WHY?"
"Mazurka is driving adequately," Rave observed.
"How can you say that?" Shakey demanded, to the accompanying blare of another car's horn, & several choice comments shouted by Mazurka.
"She has successfully avoided all obstacles in her path," Rave calmly replied.
"Rave!" Shakey exclaimed in exasperation, "You make this sound like some game in a video arcade! This is real life! That's REAL traffic out there!"
"Video game?" Rave was puzzled, "I was referring to her obvious skill at evasive combat driving."
Shakey gaped at Rave's comment.
"That's right!" Mazurka grinned as she narrowly avoided another collision, "I got a pass mark of 95 percent on the course!"
"W-what was the 5 percent lost on?" Shakey gasped as he noticed another semi-trailer mere inches from his window.
"I rolled a tank," Mazurka said nonchalantly, "Went too fast on a corner…"
"Y-you ROLLED a TANK?" Shakey screamed in disbelief.
"Hey," shrugged Mazurka, "I thought I could do it…"
"I got 98 percent," Rave said quietly, in case anyone was interested.
"98 percent?" Shakey repeated in a daze, not quite understanding why a young teenage girl like Rave would be taking an evasive combat driving test.
"Way to go!" crowed Mazurka, "What'd you lose points on?"
"A bazooka strike disintegrated the tank treads, & I failed to adequately control the resulting crash through two buildings…" Rave admitted.
"The high speed chase segment?" Mazurka asked.
"Yes."
Shakey decided it'd be best if he just closed his eyes & ignored things.
Mazurka slowed to double digits on the speedometer as the school came into view.
"Will you be performing an 'emergency slide stop' manoeuvre?" Rave asked.
"Yeah," grinned Mazurka, "Hold ON!"
Mazurka suddenly spun the wheel until the car was pointed backwards at the school, then gunned the engine. Smoke poured off the squealing tyres as the car 'burnt rubber' in a sudden slowdown.
"Everybody out!" Mazurka cried as the car came to a halt.
Shakey gratefully stumbled out of the car & onto solid, non-moving ground, glad to be facing another boring day of school…
**********************************************************************
Chapter - Questions.
In a Hospital room, a young red-haired girl stared at a recent gift of flowers.
'He was only being polite,' Aesir reassured herself once again, 'There's so hidden meaning in the flowers…'
Aesir sighed, & stopped looking at the flowers.
'But what if there was?' the thought refused to die, 'Does Shakey have… feelings… for me? Is that why he gave me red roses?'
That people could still like her after recent events, was something Aesir desperately wanted to believe. Even if she wasn't honest enough to admit such a basic desire to herself.
'Huh…' remnants of Aesir's usual brash personality took over, 'I suppose it's only natural he should have feelings for me… All the other boys in school do…'
A small smile crossed Aesir's face as she remembered how the boys at school had made such a fuss over her as a 'new girl'. Her smile grew as she remembered how her 'playing hard to get' had only fuelled their infatuation with her.
'But…' the thought reoccurred to her, 'Would any of them want me now?'
Aesir slumped as she remembered the depths to which she had recently sunk.
'Part of my allure was my being a Pilot… And I'm not a Pilot anymore…'
'How would they see me now?' Aesir frowned as she asked herself the question every teenage girl eventually asks herself about boys.
'Am I just another pretty face in the crowd to them?'
'Will they still think I'm someone it's 'cool' to be seen with?'
'Will they still think I'm fun to be around?'
Aesir shivered as she suddenly remembered the offers from some of the boys who'd wanted to date her. The ones who'd offered to show her a 'fun' time…
'Is THAT all they'll see me as now?' Aesir thought with disgust, 'Just another body to use for their perverted fantasies?'
Aesir's anger rose, as she thought of the cheesy pick-up lines some of the sleazier characters had thought she'd fall for…
'Where are all the real men when a girl needs them?' Aesir wondered, 'Cagey could never be as crass as those creeps!'
"Oh Cagey," Aesir sighed, "Where are you when I need you?"
'You don't even have to come & see me…' Aesir thought tearfully, 'Call me, or send a card, or flowers… Something… Anything to let me know that you still care for me… That I've still got you there for me…'
A faint blush spread over Aesir's face as she realised she was staring at Shakey's roses again. A thoughtful look came over her face.
'Shakey gave me red roses… He's saying he likes me… But…' Aesir wondered, "If he feels that way about me… Why hasn't he ever asked me out?'
Aesir mulled over the memory of when she'd taunted Shakey into kissing her, 'Since he can't even kiss properly, he mightn't know HOW to ask a girl out…'
Aesir shook her head, 'What a hopeless idiot… He gives a girl flowers when he's too inept to follow up on things…'
'Perhaps I should ask him out instead…' Aesir mused, the dynamics of such a situation giving her a much needed sense of superiority, 'Put an end to his misery instead of letting him stew… But then again, he probably wouldn't know what to do on a date anyway…'
Aesir's whimsical mood was interrupted as the door to her room opened, & a stout woman entered. The newcomer wore a nametag saying 'Dr Wang', & was dressed in the sort of 'professionally conservative' fashion that private consultants & people past middle age wore. Her eyes quickly took in the room, ending up on Aesir.
'Head shrinker,' Aesir thought sourly, as she noted how the woman seemed to be evaluating everything she saw, 'Time to play 'What's in the Blots' again…'
**********************************************************************
Chapter - Variations on a Tale.
A rather wobbly Shakey entered the school grounds, trying to get his legs working properly after Mazurka's hair-raising ride. Rave walked calmly beside him, unaffected by Mazurka's driving abilities.
They made it to class scant seconds before the teacher arrived, & the school day didn't get any better from there.
To start with, there was the small hurdle Shakey had to get over…
*Hey Atari!* came the inevitable E-Mails…
*What's with the walking stick?*
*What happened to you?*
*Is Rave's fashion sense rubbing off on you?*
*Why the bandages?*
*You & Rave 'close enough' to share bandages now, or what?*
*Were you really hit by a truck?*
Shakey stared at the last message, then began to type the cover story Mazurka had insisted he use.
*I wasn't paying attention, & nearly had an accident crossing the road. I was almost hit by a delivery van, but Rave got me out of the way in time. However, I was so startled by it, that I fell over & got hurt…*
Of course, the heckling that followed was only to be expected.
In the back of the room, Kantsee Hayeater stared thoughtfully at his friend…
At lunchtime…
Shakey reached for his lunchbox as the bell rang, then stopped as he wondered if Rave wanted to eat with him & Kantsee. He stood to go over & ask Rave, but was beaten to the punch when Rave walked to him, & said…
"I must go to the library. I will not be able to have lunch with you…"
"Oh," Shakey felt surprised & oddly disappointed, "I'll see you later then…"
Rave nodded & walked off.
"What was that about?" Kantsee asked, gesturing at Rave's departing back.
"Rave's going to the library," Shakey repeated, "She can't have lunch with us…"
"Looks like she's not the only one," Kantsee observed, indicating the Musume twins, Kuroko & Chairoko, who were also departing in the same direction as Rave.
Kantsee's glasses gleamed, & his words took on ominous tones, "You know what THIS means, don't you?"
"…uh…" Shakey blinked, "we'll be eating lunch by ourselves?"
"More than that!" Kantsee announced, "We can be Men, & talk about Manly things… Without having to worry about the girls ratting on us…"
"Whatever…" sighed Shakey, knowing Kantsee was probably going to talk about his burgeoning collection of 'art works'… The ones with dubious artistic merit…
As Shakey & Kantsee went off to their teenage Male Bonding Session, 'Rave' & the disguised Rave Clones began some serious research in the School Library.
On flowers & their meanings…
- - - - - - - - - -
Elsewhere, Glando Atari had just received a call from one of his spies…
"I see…" Glando said quietly, "Continue to monitor them, & compile a synopsis of ALL the books they consult. That is all."
"Trouble?" asked Fu2ok, as Glando hung up his phone.
"I don't think so," Glando replied cryptically, before continuing, "The Clones in the school are conducting some… personal research… in the library…"
Fu2ok tensed slightly, "What sort of 'personal research' are we talking about?"
Glando smiled smugly at his advisor, making Fu2ok recoil nervously.
"This morning," Glando offered, "Major Kutsarug purchased some flowers, & distributed them among the injured Clones in Hospital, & Aesir. I am reliably informed, that the Major told the Clones that… 'flowers have meaning'…"
Enlightenment flitted over Fu2ok's face, "And the Clones are researching it?"
"Correct," Glando's smile grew, "The Clones are actually researching something they were not ordered to… Something that is more… human… than their usual training subjects…"
Fu2ok frowned, "Then they're developing beyond what STEELY wanted them as… If STEELY find out about this change in the Clones program…"
"They will be told that it is part of the Clones newly assigned studies…" Glando smoothly interjected, "Nothing more…"
"And what if the Clones have grown enough to personally understand the emotional concepts behind the symbols?" Fu2ok pressed, "What then?"
"Then they will definitely be unsuitable for STEELY's plans for them," replied Glando, "Something for which, we should all be grateful…"
- - - - - - - - - -
As usual, Shakey & Kantsee were having their lunch on the School roof.
Kantsee casually looked around, checking to see if they were alone.
"Hey Atari?" Kantsee asked nonchalantly, "There's something I wanna know…"
'Here it comes,' thought Shakey, 'He's gonna ask me what girl he should start selling pictures of next… OR which pictures he's got that I want to buy…"
"Did you really get hit by a truck?" Kantsee repeated.
Shakey choked on the mouthful of food he was chewing.
Ever the thoughtful friend, Kantsee waited until Shakey had stopped choking before asking, "And did Rave get hurt saving you?"
"Kih-Kantsee?" choked Shakey, "I've already told the truth…"
"But was it the WHOLE truth?" Kantsee pressed, his lunch forgotten in his quest for information.
Shakey sighed, & looked away from his friend, trying to think up some way of squirming out of things…
Inspiration struck!
"Actually," Shakey mumbled, "I was pretty much out of things… When I hit the ground, I hit fairly hard… Perhaps you should ask Mazurka what happened. I mean, she's got all the accident reports on it…
Kantsee still looked suspicious.
"As for Rave," Shakey's voice suddenly caught in his throat, "As you could see… She's here today… And she's… uninjured… But why don't you ask her? I'm sure she'd say if she'd been hurt in an accident or not…"
Kantsee considered the offer. "So…" he finally said, "How badly hurt are you?"
"Not very," Shakey confirmed, happy to be on a less touchy subject, "Mostly just scrapes, bruises & a couple of sprains… Be healed in a day or two…"
"So why the walking stick?"
"Mazurka insisted," Shakey said, his face falling, "She said it might stop me from falling over again…"
"Pity you didn't have it the other day," Kantsee quipped.
Shakey frowned as he nodded his head…
**********************************************************************
Chapter - New Friends & Otherwise.
The end of the school day finally came, & the inmates of the class that Second Strike couldn't forget, were able to escape…
Once again, Shakey went to ask Rave a question, but was beaten to it by Rave…
"I am sorry," Rave said, "But I must go to the Library again. I will not be able to walk you home…"
"Oh, that's all right…" Shakey replied. Then, since Rave's recent activities had piqued his interest, he asked, "What are you doing in the Library?"
"Researching Flowers…"
"Oh, that's… nice…" Shakey was taken aback, 'She's researching Girl Stuff? Guess they've really taken my advice about 'getting a real life' to heart…'
"May we walk home with you?" someone asked from behind Shakey.
Shakey turned to find Kuroko & Chairoko looking at him.
"…uh… well…" Shakey stumbled, as he tried to ignore Kantsee's blatant wink & thumb's up sign, "I guess so… if you really want to…"
So it was, that the two disguised Rave Clones started to walk an unknowing Shakey home…
However, at the School Gates…
"Hiya Shakey!" Natsumi Iwakawa cheerily announced, only to have her face fall when she saw how 'damaged' Shakey was, "Oh… What happened?"
"I fell over," Shakey hastily provided.
Natsumi raised an eyebrow, but merely said, "Where's Rave?"
"She's doing stuff in the Library," Shakey replied, then he indicated the girls he was with & said, "Miss Iwakawa, these are the new girls in our class, Miss Kuroko & Miss Chairoko Musume. Ladies, this is Miss Natsumi Iwakawa, a friend of Rave & myself."
"Hello Natsumi," the twins chorused, "Rave's told us about you…"
'She has?' Shakey was surprised, 'When?'
"Oh?" Natsumi seemed a little shaken, "Such as?"
"That you prefer caramel Malted Milks," said Kuroko.
"And that you live with your Aunt," Chairoko added.
"Do not worry," Kuroko said as she reached out to put a comforting hand on Natsumi's shoulder, "We are Rave's friends as well…"
Shakey couldn't help grinning like as idiot as he heard that…
'Great!' Shakey thought, while trying to stifle his grin, 'Looks like Rave is finally starting to make friends with others in class…'
Along the way, Kuroko leaned over to whisper in Natsumi's ear, "Rave has told us other things as well… If you ever have problems from those sort of people again, tell us if you cannot find Rave. We will take care of them for you…"
"Oh…" said Natsumi, blushing a little, "Thank you…"
Now that the 'ice had been broken', the quartet walked home in good spirits.
Until they ran into a group of a dozen or so older teenagers, dressed in the uniform of another high school…
The group of students had been lounging on a partially demolished brick wall, but as Shakey came into view, the group had moved to position themselves in the path of Shakey & his friends. They ignored the girls, but when Shakey tried to walk past them, the group moved to surround him.
"You're Shakey Atari, aren't you?" asked one of the group.
"Yes?" replied Shakey, suddenly unsettled to be the centre of attention of so many strangers, especially with the way they were staring at him, "Do you want to see me about something?"
"You hang out with that tough bitch, Rave Imanonymous, don't you?"
The referral to his blue-haired friend as a 'tough bitch' suddenly made Shakey aware that this might not be a friendly social encounter.
"She's not a bitch," Shakey said, standing up for his friend, "Tough or oth…"
Shakey never finished, as that was when one of the strangers behind him casually kicked the walking stick out from under him. Unbalanced by the unexpected loss of his support, Shakey fell to the ground.
"Shakey!" exclaimed the twins in unison, "Are you all right?"
Before Shakey could answer, the pack of thugs put the boot into him, kicking him in the guts, face, the back of the head, his arms, legs, back, crotch…
Then things got brutal…
**********************************************************************
Chapter - Pecking Orders.
Glando Atari was only a Mortal Man, despite some people's secret opinions of the 'Man In Charge' of the NERVIS Base. Like any other Mere Mortal, Glando needed to take 'time out' from his job during the day. There were the usual 'hygiene breaks' that normal biology demanded, as well as the more nutritive 'meal breaks'. Although in Glando's case, his 'coffee breaks' weren't so much to relax & unwind, but more to eat, & keep his blood sugar levels satisfactory.
Even so, he was ALWAYS 'on call', as far as the running of the Base went…
Glando had just started chewing a mouthful of sushi roll when his emergency phone went off. He immediately spat the mouthful out & picked up the phone.
"Report!" he demanded more forcefully than he usually did.
His head suddenly tilted up as he listened to his caller. He sat in silence for over a minute, his expression changing to one of pure rage.
"Bring them all in! ALL witnesses as well" Glando demanded loudly, "Full communications blackout! Post armed guards on ALL involved! Make sure the injured have any medical attention necessary. I will deal with all of the interrogations PERSONALLY! That is all…"
Glando then slammed his phone into its cradle, much to the alarm of Fu2ok, who had witnessed the entire spectacle.
"What's wrong?" Fu2ok asked, his face a mask of concern.
Fu2ok flinched as he saw the furious expression Glando directed at him. Glando opened his mouth & grated out, "My son… has been… attacked…"
"Attacked!? Who was it? STEELY? How is he?"
"I don't know who, but I WILL," Glando glowered, "And my son is currently alive, if not conscious… IF those bungling idiots in Security can be believed…"
"Atari," Fu2ok said soothingly, "Tell me what happened…"
A tremor ran through Glando, then he seemed to uncoil somewhat as he began to speak, "He was ambushed by a pack of thugs on his way home from school… They attacked him en masse… If some of the Rave Clones had not been nearby…"
"Did they protect him?"
"Yes…" snarled Glando, "Rather effectively… Security reports five casualties amongst my son's attackers… The rest are in Intensive Care…"
"Casualties?" Fu2ok was aghast, "Did the Clones lose control?"
"No," Glando retorted, "Guns were involved… You know how the Clones have been trained to deal with multiple assailants armed with ballistic weapons…"
"…oh god…" Fu2ok groaned, then he swallowed nervously & hesitantly asked, "Was… was the attack in a public place? How much of a PR job will we have to do?"
"That's the ONLY good thing about this," Glando replied, "It appears he was attacked near a scheduled demolition zone. One that shouldn't have many inhabitants… I suspect his attackers may have planned it that way for…"
Glando suddenly stopped, then snatched up his phone & made a call.
"Effective immediately," Glando said in quiet, yet forceful tones, "I want the Base on High Alert, with double the armed guards at each entrance. I want High Alert Security Protocols in place."
Glando paused then continued, "No. If anyone asks, it's a 'training' exercise… If anything… unusual… is found, I want it dealt with accordingly…"
Glando paused again, "No! Shoot to maim if possible… I want information… If they give you trouble, you are authorised to use lethal force… That is all…"
"Is a state of High Alert really necessary?" Fu2ok asked worriedly.
"I hope not," Glando muttered, "But better safe than sorry… Especially since…"
Glando's comment was interrupted as another of his phones rang.
"Commander here," Glando said curtly as he answered the phone, "Report!"
A startled look came over Glando's face as he listened to the other person on the phone.
"I… see," Glando said quietly, "Recheck the systems. That is all…"
Glando hung up the phone, a look of deep thought on his face.
"More bad news?" Fu2ok ventured.
Glando didn't answer.
"Atari?" Fu2ok asked, "What is it?"
"There has been another… malfunction with the sensor systems…"
"Oh," Fu2ok said dismissively.
"It occurred only a few minutes ago," Glando continued, "About the time my son was being attacked…"
"And this time…" Glando said, his eyes looking directly at Fu2ok, "There were two E.T. Fields detected… instead of one…"
**********************************************************************
Chapter - Interrogation - Innocent.
Somewhere in the NERVIS Base, a young girl sat at a small table. Across from her was an empty chair, & around her was an empty room devoid of any human touch, or sense of human kindness.
Natsumi Iwakawa shivered. Not so much from the sparse air conditioning in the room, but from the nervous trauma of recent events.
In the hour she had spent in this room after the incident, the young girl had cried herself dry, mostly through fear, & shock.
Her emotional state at the time had been caused by the trauma of seeing a friend attacked by a group of thugs. It had been intensified by seeing what two other friends did to the attackers…
…And then several men in dark suits & sunglasses had arrived, & Natsumi had been forcibly bundled into a van & driven away to this place…
The sudden noise as the door opened, startled Natsumi.
The unexpected appearance of Glando Atari & two armed Guards, did nothing to soothe her nerves. Especially not when Glando sat down on the chair opposite her, & stared intently at her.
"Wait outside," Glando said to his Guards, his eyes never leaving Natsumi's face, "I can handle things in here…"
The Guards nodded, & left the room, securing the door behind them. They would watch what happened on hidden security cameras, just in case.
Glando slowly assumed his trademark table position, his hands steepled before him with the fingers interlaced. He continued to stare at Natsumi.
After a couple of minutes of staring, Glando finally spoke…
"Miss Natsumi Iwakawa, isn't it?" Glando asked in smooth, quiet tones.
Natsumi nodded vigorously.
"And you live with your Aunt, don't you?" Glando casually enquired.
"…yes sir," Natsumi answered in a trembling voice.
"Natsumi… May I call you Natsumi?" Glando asked in friendly tones.
"…yes sir," Natsumi replied.
"I'm glad," Glando said, a smile on his face, "These things are so much easier when things can be… pleasant…"
Natsumi seemed to relax slightly.
"However," Glando calmly pointed out, "It would go much better… If you didn't think you could lie to me…"
Natsumi suddenly tensed up, "…I haven't lied Sir," she protested.
"Oh really?" Glando gently countered, then his friendly face changed into a hard one & his tones became cold, "I know the truth about you, & your… 'Aunt'…"
Natsumi began to sob with fear.
"Now," Glando stated in icy tones, "I have no reason to make what I know public, unless… you force me to, by lying to me… Or by not telling me the full truth…"
"…I w-won't lie…" Natsumi sobbed hysterically, her eyes bright with tears, "…please… d-don't tell anyone…"
"Don't worry Natsumi," Glando's 'friendly face' purred, "I keep many secrets… yours is something I can easily keep… covered up…"
"…th-thank you Sir…"
"Now then… Tell me what happened after you left school today…" Glando's words were a friendly order.
Outside the room, a pair of Guards watched an image of the pair in the room, against the slight chance Glando was attacked.
As per Glando's orders, the monitor had no audio feed, & was focussed on Glando's face rather than that of the child he was interrogating.
Glando's hands hid his mouth, preventing anyone from reading his lips. The camera angle, along with the lack of audio, would prevent anyone ever knowing what questions he was asking the distressed child, or what she answered…
**********************************************************************
Chapter - Interrogation - Assailants
Somewhere in the NERVIS Base, was a Secure Medical Facility. It was currently home to seven badly injured young men, who had found out the hard way, that they could bite off more they could chew. Their brief lesson in reality had resulted in horrific injuries, although, they were far better off than the recent occupant of the empty bed in their ward…
Glando Atari entered the ward, accompanied by a single medical orderly.
Glando paused, his gaze travelling over the various assorted body traction units, & life support apparatus. His gaze lingered on the empty bed that had only recently become redundant. The impression of a body could still be inferred from the creases in the sheets.
"Which ones?" Glando quietly asked the orderly.
The orderly consulted his clipboard before replying, "Bed two sir, he's got the most lucidity… Beds seven & three may be partially useful… The rest won't be capable of giving you anything for a while…"
"I see," Glando muttered, "Bed two then…"
The orderly led Glando to a bed on which a person lay in full body traction.
Glando bent over the injured person, & spoke quietly, "I want some information… about what happened to you, & your friends. Give me what I want, & you will continue to receive Medical attention. Give me problems, & your broken corpse will end up in the town dump. Now, do we have a deal?"
A pained mumble came from beneath the bandages.
"I knew you'd see it my way," Glando murmured…
**********************************************************************
Chapter - Interrogation - Clones.
Deep in the NERVIS base, was an extremely secure building. It had walls constructed of steel reinforced concrete some four foot thick, & had over forty heavily armed Guards stationed on permanent standby.
It was currently occupied by two young teenage girls…
Glando approached the Maximum Security Cell Block.
"Are you sure about this Sir?" asked the Cell Block Supervisor.
"Yes," Glando curtly replied, walking past the Guards armed with Rocket Launchers, "I must talk with them, face to face."
"Very well sir," the Cell Block Supervisor said, "But if there's any trouble, we'll have problems helping you…"
Glando stopped beside the Guards armed with explosive bullets, & gave the Supervisor an icy glare, "If there's 'trouble', no one will be ABLE to help me…"
"Well, perhaps we…" protested the Cell Block Supervisor.
"Whatever happens in there," Glando ordered quietly, "Follow your procedures…"
With that, Glando walked past the flamethrower squad, & into the room that held two seemingly harmless young girls…
The two Rave Clones sat at a small table, set against the far wall of a cubic room some 50-foot to a side. Across the table from the girls, rested a single empty seat.
Glando walked in, not bothering to stop as the armoured door closed behind him. He kept his brisk pace to the table, only then stopping to sit down.
"You know why we're here," Glando stated, rather than asked.
"Yes sir," 'Kuroko' & 'Chairoko' answered in unison, their heads bowed, & their expression contrite & embarrassed.
"You killed people," Glando stated, "Without direct orders to do so. Why?"
"They were assaulting Shakey," chorused the duo.
"Shakey?" Glando said coldly, "You mean Pilot Atari, DON'T you?"
"Yes sir."
"In your own words," Glando demanded, pointing at Kuroko, "Tell me what happened after you left school today…"
"Yes Sir," replied Kuroko, "We left school around the usual time, in the company of Pilot Atari, & another student, Natsumi Iwakawa. We were accompanying them in our assigned disguises of the twin sisters Kuroko & Chairoko Musume."
"Did Pilot Atari know who you really were?"
"I believe not sir. In the time we have used these disguises, he has not made any comment, nor taken any action indicating he knew our real identities."
"I see," Glando murmured, then he pointed at Chairoko & said, "Proceed."
"We took the usual route towards Pilot Atari's mutual residence with his Guardian, making standard progress. We were approaching one of the larger reconstruction areas when…"
"What do you mean?" Glando interrupted, "Reconstruction Area?"
"City infrastructure that due to damage, maintenance or upgrade, was scheduled to have work crews demolish, repair, or transform significant portions of it."
"Did you notice any such… work… in the area?"
"No sir. There were no maintenance vehicles, or heavy plant in sight, nor did I notice any work groups in the area."
"Continue," Glando ordered Kuroko.
"We were continuing our journey, when a group of thirteen older students appeared in the walkway ahead of us. They…"
"What made you think they were students?"
"They appeared to be in their late teenage years, & they were wearing uniforms of a local High School."
"Continue."
"They allowed the females in our party to pass, but they moved to block Pilot Atari, & surround him. They hailed him, & asked…"
"Were they acting in an offensive manner at the time?"
"No sir, they were acting as many other male students do when greeting another."
"Continue," Glando ordered, pointing at Chairoko.
"They asked if he was Shakey Atari, & Pilot Atari answered in the affirmative. Then they asked if he 'hung out with that tough bitch, Rave Imanonymous'. He…"
"Do you understand what was meant by the term 'tough bitch'?"
"I believe it was meant as a derogatory comment, an insult, used to imply a female has unusual physical or social qualities, & thus is not a normal female."
Glando's lips twitched, but all he said was, "I see. Continue."
"Pilot Atari replied by saying that Rave Imanonymous was not a bitch, his comments were interrupted when he suddenly fell…"
"Why did he fall over?"
"One of the group hit his walking stick with their foot…"
"Is that when the two of you attacked?" Glando demanded, pointing at Kuroko.
"No sir."
"Why not?"
"Because we were unsure if the action was deliberate, or accidental. By the standards we have learned, Pilot Atari had not at that time suffered an assault requiring physical intervention."
"Continue."
"We asked Pilot Atari if he was all right, & that was when the group began kicking Pilot Atari."
"Is that when you attacked?" Glando asked, pointing at Chairoko.
"Yes sir. We fought our way into the melee, incapacitating those in our way."
"Were you using lethal force at that time?"
"No sir. We were attempting to extract Pilot Atari, with a view to retreating to a safer position."
"Then when did you start using lethal force?" Glando asked in a cold hard voice.
"After they produced weapons, sir."
"Why didn't you just disarm them?" Glando asked, pointing at Kuroko.
"Change of context sir. The introduction of weapons, together with the way their attack was focussed on Pilot Atari, indicated the possibility of an assassination attempt on him."
"Weapons…" Glando said quietly, "Among the items recovered, were a variety of knives… An ancient pistol, practically falling apart… And a paintball gun. These do not sound like the armament of a modern assassination squad."
"We had no knowledge of their ammunition loads, Sir. We could not take the chance of explosive rounds or poisoned blades being used. Nor could we ignore the possibility that their attack was a diversionary tactic for a sniper."
"So, your actions were purely reactive, based on situation context?"
"Yes sir."
"Good. I am pleased your actions were in response to an unprovoked assault on essential personnel. I could not expect you to have handled it any differently, given your training."
"Please Sir," Kuroko asked meekly, "How is Pilot Atari?"
Glando stared at her, then answered quietly, "He was knocked unconscious, & severely bruised. Had he been alone, he might have been severely injured, or even killed. Thanks to your actions, he got off lightly. The Doctors say he should make a speedy recovery…"
The two girls seemed relieved.
Glando stood & walked to the door.
"Please Sir," the Clones called after him.
"Yes?" Glando turned to face them.
"Are we to be terminated?"
"Does it matter?" Glando asked coldly.
"No Sir," the Clones quietly replied.
Glando paused, then turned to the door & knocked three times on it.
The door swung slowly open, revealing packed ranks of armed guards, their various weapons aimed into the room.
Glando spoke with iron authority in his voice, "Stand down. They are cleared of all charges. Their Security status is reinstated, & they are free to move."
Glando turned to the two Clones as the sounds of dozens of weapons having their 'safeties' activated sounded behind him. "Follow me," he said tonelessly.
With that, Glando walked out of the Maximum Security Block, & took the Clones to a nearby elevator. They entered, & after the doors closed, Glando took a small console out of his pocket & pressed a sequence of buttons on it. He peered intently at the readout for several seconds…
The Clones watched Glando silently.
Seemingly satisfied, Glando turned his attention from the hand held console to the two Clones with him. He looked intently at them for several seconds then quietly asked… "Do you remember if anything… unusual… happened while you were fighting?"
Both Clones shook their heads.
"Nothing at all?" Glando urged, "No… strange feelings?"
The Clones paused, then shook their heads again.
Glando stared at the Clones for several moments.
"This scenario is not yet resolved," Glando finally murmured, "There will be repercussions from this… You must be prepared to act exactly as… some people… expect you to… Exactly as you've been trained to… Do you understand?"
"Yes Sir."
"Good," Glando said, "Tell the others…"
"Yes Sir."
The elevator eventually came to a stop, & Glando escorted the two Clones to where Shakey Atari lay unconscious in a Hospital room.
Glando looked down at his injured son for several minutes, then he turned to the two Clones behind him, & spoke quietly to them…
"Effective immediately, you two will act as covert body guards for Pilot Atari. Your sole duty is to protect him from any assault, or action you deem harmful. He must be protected at all costs. I expect at least one Clone, preferably more, to be within intervention distance at all times…"
The Clones nodded, a determined look on their faces as they took up protective positions on either side of the unconscious Shakey.
"I will officially inform the others about your new orders," Glando stated, "To help with logistics, I will authorise the creation of several new characters they can impersonate, as well as assigning more to impersonate your current character. They should be ready in the next day or so."
"Will Shakey be told who we really are?" asked Chairoko.
Glando paused, as if weighing the options. "Yes. You are allowed to tell Shakey who you are, so he knows who to turn to in case of emergency. Major Kutsarug will also be advised."
"One last thing," murmured Glando, "I would prefer that any… trouble makers… be kept alive & healthy enough to be interrogated… Provided they can be taken, WITHOUT endangering Shakey or yourselves. If the situation is questionable, then the preservation of HIS life is paramount. Understand?"
"YES SIR!" the Clones exclaimed, as Glando stalked from the room.
**********************************************************************
Chapter - Opinions.
Aesir picked through her supper, trying to convince herself that the healthy but tasteless hospital food was worth eating.
"Why can't they serve real food," Aesir whined, "Instead of this slop…"
Her explorations of her dinner plate were interrupted by a knock at the door.
"Ms Skrewyou?" came an accented female voice, "May I come in?"
"Sure," Aesir sighed, "Everyone else already has…"
Into Aesir's room walked a tall European woman dressed in a lab coat, her legs clad in what looked like aerobic leggings & sneakers. Her green eyes sparkled with life, & her sandy-brown hair was pulled back into a no-nonsense bun.
"Hi!" the woman said brightly with a smile, "I'm Regina Wimble-Spoone. I've been assigned as your physiotherapist…"
"Hi," Aesir replied, with little enthusiasm, "So they've decided I'm worth rehabilitating, huh?"
"Oh come now," Regina cheerily countered, "No one would think otherwise… By the way, how is my Japanese?"
"Understandable," Aesir confirmed, "Although you do speak with an accent… I take it that you aren't a native speaker of Japanese?"
"Heavens no," Regina clarified, "I'm British…"
That got Aesir's attention, "British?"
"English, actually," Regina replied in classic nasal toned English.
"How's Big Ben?" Aesir enquired, asking after the famous Clock Bell of the drowned City of London.
"He's fine, thank you…" confirmed Regina, "The government built him a clock tower in New London. We use the original tower as a lighthouse nowadays…"
"So why'd you come to Japan?" Aesir asked.
"Oh, you know," Regina shrugged, "The same old story… When Britain got flooded, things just got too crowded for people to live decently…"
'Probably an educated refugee…' Aesir decided, 'One with talents that enabled her to make a new life elsewhere… Unlike myself…'
"So how are you finding Japan," Aesir probed, wanting to avoid thinking about her own worthlessness.
Regina smiled, "A nice little country with some quaint customs, but it's really no substitute for the home I had…"
'She's like me,' Aesir concluded, as she started to warm to the presence of the other woman, 'A stranger in a strange land…'
Aesir smiled despite herself, "So… How much work do I have to do?"
Regina was suddenly all business, "Well, that depends on what level of fitness you want to have… And when!"
Elsewhere, Glando Atari watched the meeting via monitor, along with Fu2ok, & the female doctor who had visited Aesir earlier in the day.
"As you can see Commander," said Dr Wang, "The patient will open up to someone she considers a 'familiar face', even though they are a stranger, rather than to someone she perceives as a 'foreigner', such as myself."
"I see," Glando admitted, "Dr Wang, you will continue as Aesir's 'official' therapist. Dr Wimble-Spoone will act as Aesir's Physiotherapist, & covertly observe your patient. Report to me daily on the effect the medication has…"
Glando walked off, leaving Dr Wang looking after him with a raised eyebrow.
"Is he always like that?" Dr Wang asked Fu2ok, once Glando had disappeared.
Fu2ok suppressed a laugh, "Interested in him as a patient?"
"Sorry," Dr Wang apologised, "I tend to analyse everyone I meet… It's a professional quirk…"
"I understand," Fu2ok nodded, "But I feel that I must warn you, do NOT try to analyse the Commander…"
"Oh? Why not?"
"Because you'll go crazy trying to understand all of his different faces…"
"Does he have a multiple personality disorder?" Dr Wang asked cautiously, "If so, there are a range of treatments available."
Fu2ok chuckled before answering with, "That's… not what I meant. The Commander has a bad habit of keeping people guessing as to what he'll do & say next. I'm afraid the only analytical image you'll ever get of him, is the one he wants you to have of him…"
"A secretive man…" mused Dr Wang.
"Very," Fu2ok quipped dryly, aware that his humour might be lost on the doctor…
**********************************************************************
Chapter - Black & Blue.
Glando Atari stood in the Canteen area of the Clone Zone, before an assembly of all of the able-bodied Clones. The Clones stood to attention in neat ranks, wearing dark coloured 'Black Ops' SWAT gear.
Glando swept an approving eye over the 'dressed to kill' Clones.
Glando cleared his throat to get the Clones attention, then raised his voice & began to speak, "As you may already know… Shakey Atari was injured today by a gang of hoodlums. His life was saved through the actions of two Rave Clones."
"Tactical analysis of the event, reveals that the gang involved was trying to increase the area of their social dominance. In-depth analysis, indicates the potential for similar actions by other gangs."
"In the past, NERVIS has ignored such groups. We have left their control to Local Law Enforcement Agencies."
"Today's attack has changed that. NERVIS has enough work protecting Humanity from Alien attack, without worrying about having essential personnel attacked by groups of social delinquents. To prevent any repeat, or future variation of this situation, I have decided to take pre-emptive suppressive action."
"You will shortly begin an operation to 'aggressively persuade' any remaining gangs, that it is NOT in their best interests to cause any further trouble… You will be given mission particulars on the way to your target locations. At the drop zone, you will confiscate or destroy, all weaponry or illegal items your targets may have in their possession."
"And yes," Glando gave a cold smile, "Use of Lethal Force is authorised, & RECOMMENDED for anyone using any sort of weapon against you… Are there any general questions?"
"Please Sir," several of the Clones chorused anxiously, "How is Shakey?"
"Pilot Atari…" replied Glando, "Is currently unconscious in Hospital. I have been advised by the Medical Staff, that his condition is stable, & improving. They believe he should be conscious within a few hours, & make a full recovery within days…"
A collective sigh of relief swept like a zephyr through the Clones.
"But," stressed Glando, "IF the Rave Clones had not intervened, things would have been much worse… He could very well have died… Remember that…"
As one, the Clones nodded, grim looks on their faces.
"Are there any more general questions?" Glando looked around, checking for any further request for information, "No? Well then… Your transports are waiting below, the mission begins now…"
The Clones began an orderly dispersal, filling the elevators that would take them to the Loading Dock below.
Glando walked over to a wall phone, & made a call.
"I've given them their new orders," Glando said quietly to the other person answering the phone, "They're moving out now… Make sure the Media continue to have… suitable diversions…"
Glando paused to listen, then a look of contempt spread across his face, "If the Police had done their jobs properly in the first place, we wouldn't have to do their work for them now. If anything, they should be grateful."
Glando paused, & a scowl crossed his face, "In that case, I'll be happy to advise them, that next time I feel a need to step in & do their job FOR them, I'll also take the time to step ON them as well…"
Glando paused, his next words were accompanied by a crooked smirk, "Altruistic? No, I'd call it… 'insurance'. Controlling vermin who have proven their ability to be a nuisance to us, can only be a good thing…"
**********************************************************************
Chapter - A Short Watch.
Every city has areas that the 'people in charge' would like to ignore. In the case of an ultra-modern City recently built as a fortress against Alien attack, such areas were usually the ones damaged in the fighting.
The evidence of the grim battle for survival was a constant weight on the morale of the inhabitants of the City. Despite attempts to repair things promptly, the situation far outweighed the abilities of the rebuilding crews.
In an effort to make the best use of manpower & materials, many damaged areas had been either abandoned outright, or else put in the bottom of the 'to do' basket of the restoration workgroups.
The war had taken a toll on more than just the buildings in the City. Every citizen had a 'war story', or tale of woe to tell. Either something that had happened to them personally, or, as was most often the case, someone they knew.
Many citizens were unable to cope with the horrors they faced. Overwhelmed by grief or post traumatic shock syndrome, they drifted out to society's fringes, living ghosts destined to live & die in obscurity…
Among the broken husks & shattered streets of the abandoned sectors, the subjects of many of those 'war stories' lived however they could. However, among the members of society's scrap heap, lurked those who chose to be in the abandoned areas for another, more sinister reason.
That of being out of sight of the City's security cameras, & consequently the knowledge of those who enforced Society's legal standards…
One such group met regularly in an abandoned building. They held their meetings under lights using electricity stolen from jury-rigged power cables. Outside, their garishly painted motorcycles gave clear warning that a gang of 'bosozoku' had claimed this piece of turf as their own. (NOTE! Boso = reckless driving, zoku = gang. Often a gang of teenage delinquents with motor bikes)
Hidden from the scrutiny of the Police & Security Forces, the gang partook of their latest spoils. Several dozen cans of beer stolen from a vending machine. The adolescent males swaggered & boasted about their activities, as adolescent males are wont to do, while under the influence of alcohol…
"Hey!" yelled one of the gang, "Someone gimme another!"
"Get it yourself!" came the reply.
Outside the impromptu beer hall, a couple of low-ranking members 'stood guard' over the gang's bikes. Armed with nail-studded baseball bats, the pair wore the gang 'uniform' of red t-shirt, black jeans, & black vest. Aged somewhere in their mid-teens, they showed the usual afflictions of their age group, insecurity, low self-esteem, & acne…
"Think they'll leave us any?" the youngest asked hopefully.
The slightly elder guard coughed, & spat in the gutter. "Don't be stupid… They'll drink all of it themselves… as usual…"
"I wish I was inside, rather than out here…" the first guard said unhappily.
"Just how it is," the second guard commented, idly tapping his weapon against the pavement, "When we've risen far enough in the gang, we'll be the ones living it up inside, instead of standing around outside doing nothing…"
"You ain't doing 'nothing'…" a firm voice announced unexpectedly.
"Sabu!" exclaimed the two guards, straightening their posture as the 'Sabu', or Sub-Leader of the gang appeared from out of the dark.
"You're watching out for any thieving zoku who thinks he can steal our bikes…" the Sabu commented. (NOTE! Zoku is gang member, but by itself, usually refers to a type of gang without 'transport')
"Yes Sabu," the two guards chorused.
The Sabu walked off into the den, & the two guards slumped in relief as they were once again left to themselves.
"Man," said the older guard with relief, "I'm glad that was the Sabu, & not the Atama…" (NOTE! Atama = head, or leader of the gang)
"Yeah…" the other agreed, "If he'd snuck up on us, we'd really be in for it…"
"Catch!" came an order from behind the guards.
The two guards spun around, reacting just in time to catch two cans of beer as they sailed out from the den.
The Sabu grinned from the doorway, "From what I remember, being a guard is thirsty work… Have one on me…"
"Thank you sir!" the guards replied enthusiastically.
The Sabu merely nodded before returning to the party…
The two guards drank their single beers, feeling more camaraderie towards the Sabu, than they did towards any of the other gang members.
"Man," said the younger guard, "I wish the others were like the Sabu…"
The older guard burped his agreement, & crushed his empty can.
"Catch," came a voice from the darkened parking lot.
Remembering their recent experience, both guards reflexively grabbed the objects that sailed towards them from the darkness.
They barely had time to realise what they'd just caught, before the grenades in their hands exploded…
**********************************************************************
Chapter - Shades of Red.
On the fringes of one 'abandoned zone', another gang hideout was about to receive the 'personal attention' of the Rave Clones…
This particular hideout actually existed in a 'normal' part of the City, but backed onto a localised pocket of destruction. Access to the building was either from the brightly lit 'main' street, or from roller garage doors & a loading dock at the rear of the building.
The loading dock opened onto a narrow alley, with burnt out husks of buildings on either side. Across from the opening to the alley, was the tangled wreckage of a partly demolished building.
Two large men in trench coats & sunglasses stood guard over the alley that lead to the loading dock. They wore their coats as capes, & the way their coats moved, indicated that there were probably rifles or shotguns beneath them.
One man stood guard at the loading dock, while the second patrolled the street leading to the alley. He would walk from side to side, peering up & down the street, as if waiting for someone to arrive. Periodically, he would walk back to the loading dock, & trade places with the other man.
Across from the alley, the Clones known as #18 & #19 waited quietly for the order to go into action.
From the distance, the sound of motors grew increasingly louder, & suddenly several cars came towards the alleyway.
The cars all had various 'hoon' modifications on them. They thundered noisily through the alleyway & into a hidden garage behind one of the roller doors. The Guards stood aside, inclining their heads in recognition of the hails & catcalls of the other gang members.
#18 to Ops #18 sent to the other Clones, Targets have arrived
Confirmed, #18 sent the Clones coordinating the operation, Stand by…
After the roller doors shut, the guards went back to their usual routine.
The walking man came to the end of one of his patrol sweeps, out of sight of the other guard. He turned to go back, & that was when #18 stood up, & threw a chunk of debris at the man's head. With a muffled crunch, the debris hit the man's temple, sinking partly into his skull. Blood pulsed out from the wound, as the man collapsed.
First Guard is down confirmed #18 Second has not seen incident
#18 stood ready with another piece of debris held in her hand, providing cover as Clone #19 swiftly left her hiding place, & went to the fallen guard. #19 quickly twisted the man's neck & broke it, before checking his body. She turned up an American M-16 assault rifle, & a large sheath knife.
#19 to Ops… First guard armed with M-16 & sheath knife
#19 took the weapon, & slunk back into the rubble. Once there, she checked the gun, & targeted the second guard.
#19 to Ops. Have acquired 'line of fire' on second guard. Standing by…
Confirmed #19 Ops sent back, #18 & #19? Contain all runners on your side
That was when screams & the sounds of gunfire came from the far side of the building. The second guard produced an M-16, & yelled out to the first guard.
…That was when #19 blew the man's brains out…
- - - - - - - - - -
Clone #75 crouched behind a disintegrating brick wall, as a gang member fired at her position with a rifle. She counted silently, noting the blast of each round from the gun aimed in her direction. On reaching 'zero', she listened intently for the sound of a firing pin hitting an empty chamber.
A click & swear words informed her that her target had finally run out of ammunition. #75 quickly rolled out from behind her cover, & towards another sheltering wall, assessing the situation.
The gang member was frantically trying to fit another magazine into his rifle.
#75 changed the direction of her roll, coming up into a run as she dashed towards her target.
The gang member finally managed to get his gun loaded, & started firing again at #75. At Point Blank Range…
#75 never felt the slugs hit her Kevlar armour. She closed with her target, one of her arms sweeping the barrel of the weapon aside, her other fist punching deep into the gang member's abdomen, just below his sternum. A cry gasped out from the gang member, as #75's fist curved upwards, compressing the man's heart muscle before rupturing it.
In the silence after the gunshots, the death rattle of the dying man overwhelmed any sounds #75 made as she secured the rifle.
#75 to Ops sent #75, Target tracked & eliminated. Reallocation?
Negative sent one of the Clones in the Hospital ward who were 'overseeing' the operation in secret, Head to Pick Up. Notify when Clear of Burn Zone…
#75 wasted no time in getting out of the building.
#75 Clear of Burn Zone #75 sent, after checking with the 'map' in the group mind of the Clones, Repeat, #75 confirms clearance of Burn Zone…
The only response to her unspoken statement, was a sudden 'whoomph' as the building behind her exploded into flames…
- - - - - - - - - -
In one hideout, Clones #38 & #44 simply walked right on in…
"Hey!" yelled one surprised gang member as he saw them, "We got Pigs!"
The Clones suddenly found themselves facing over two dozen thugs, all of whom were armed with an assortment of knives, machetes, lead pipes, & baseball bats.
"You wanna come GET some Piggie?" sneered the leader of the thugs, relishing the seemingly lop-sided odds, "Well come on then… Show us what ya got!"
Being Polite Young Ladies, the Clones graciously accepted the invitation…
**********************************************************************
Chapter - Review.
Across the City, battles flared briefly, their full extent obscured by the building fires that marked the inevitable conclusion of each battle.
In his Office, Glando Atari quietly watched several monitors on his desk.
Most had live video feeds from the Security teams monitoring individual battles. Others displayed maps of the scenes involved, or covered the near 'non-existent' Media coverage of several explosive 'Gas Leaks' in the demolition zones. One small monitor had a 'spike' graph that randomly bobbed up & down.
Glando watched that monitor with a grim look of satisfaction on his face. His advisor Fu2ok however, wore a look of pained distaste…
"Is a 'scorched earth' policy really necessary?" Fu2ok asked, his eyes on the scene of one newly created conflagration.
"Fire is cleansing…" Glando replied, watching as a building erupted with the blast from Thermal explosives, "It will hide any trace of our involvement…"
"What about the survivors?" Fu2ok queried, "How will we handle them?"
Glando didn't answer.
"Atari?" Fu2ok repeated quietly as a dark suspicion rose within him, "What about the survivors? How will we deal with them & their eyewitness accounts?"
"There won't be any survivors," Glando murmured.
"You…" Fu2ok said in a weak voice, "Tell me you didn't…"
Glando remained silent.
Fu2ok slumped down into a chair, breathing raggedly. "You gave them orders… didn't you?" he said, staring accusingly at Glando.
"When I authorised this operation," Glando replied quietly, "I did not order a wholesale extermination… I did however, recommend that the Clones use lethal force against anyone using any sort of weapons against them…"
"Then explain that!…" demanded Fu2ok, as one monitor showed a single clone effortlessly killing a group of punks who were only armed with broom handles.
"ANY sort of weapons," Glando clarified, "It appears that the Clones interpreted my order to mean any object, that in THEIR hands, with THEIR training, could kill someone…"
"…oh God…" moaned Fu2ok, putting his head in his heads.
"The fault is mine," Glando muttered, "I should have been more… definitive… when phrasing my orders to them…"
"…what's the body count…?" Fu2ok asked weakly.
"Clones, nil," Glando calmly replied, "Gang members… over a hundred…"
Fu2ok fell silent.
"I do have some good news," Glando pointed at the monitor with the changing graph.
"What is it?" Fu2ok asked sourly, "Kills per second?"
"No," advised Glando, "E.T. Fields currently detected by our sensors…"
"WHAT?"
Glando smiled, "It seems that either our sensor system needs a complete overhaul, or…"
"They're producing E.T. Fields…" Fu2ok gasped in shock.
At many places in the City, flames roared high into the night as fire consumed buildings. The City's automated emergency systems detected the unusual amounts of thermal energy, & alerted the Emergency Fire Services.
Meanwhile, other sensors tallied the unusual energies kindled by the bodies of the Rave Clones…
**********************************************************************
Chapter - Revelations.
Shakey Atari woke up in a Hospital bed, feeling very out of it.
"Try not to move," a soft voice said.
Shakey turned his head in the direction of the voice & immediately regretted it. It wasn't so much the pain that scared him, but the feeling of a cervical support collar around his neck, & the realisation that he was strapped down.
"…wh-what?" Shakey began to feel real fear.
The face of Kuroko Musume came into his field of vision, "You should not try to move. Your injuries are not serious, but excess movement at this time will only aggravate them. You must rest & let yourself heal."
Through the fog he was in, Shakey was aware Kuroko was wearing the uniform of a Hospital assistant, or 'Candy Striper'. 'What's she doing here?' he wondered, 'This is Hospital… isn't it?'
Shakey became aware of a murmuring from the other side of the room.
A few seconds later, the sound of a door opening reached him, & then Mazurka's concerned face appeared above him.
"Shakey?" Mazurka gently asked, "Can you hear me?"
"…yeah…" Shakey mumbled, "…what's going on?"
"Don't you remember?" Mazurka asked, looking intently at him, "Coming home?"
Shakey paused, then he shivered as he remembered, "…i got beaten up?"
Mazurka sighed, "Yes! You got beaten up, if it weren't for the Girls…" Mazurka suddenly stopped, & bit her lower lip.
"…why," asked Shakey, as some part of his brain proved it was functioning above its usual performance level, "…is Kuroko here?"
Mazurka opened her mouth to speak, but was prevented by Kuroko.
"I will explain it to him…"
Kuroko bent over Shakey. Her next words sent a chill through him.
"We are sorry, but we had orders…"
Then Kuroko fumbled with one of her eyes, producing a dark-coloured contact lens, & revealing a crimson iris.
"I am #6," Kuroko said calmly, "Chairoko is #5. Mazurka did not know this either. She does now."
"…oh…" was all Shakey could say.
Kuroko#6 continued, "We neutralised your assailants, & provided First Aid for you. Security took us to Secure Medical premises. You have been unconscious for several hours. Do not worry, your injuries are minor…"
"…Natsumi?" Shakey asked, "…she was there?"
"Yes," Kuroko#6 replied, "She was taken into Protective Custody until this situation could be resolved. She was released a few hours later, & her family given protection."
"…protection?"
"I'd better tell him," said Mazurka, pushing Kuroko out of Shakey's line of view, "Yes. Protection… It seems that when Rave took out those creeps that attacked her, it created a 'power vacuum' among the local Teen gangs. This attack against you, was a way of testing Rave's perceived strength & authority."
"…don't understand…" Shakey mumbled.
Mazurka sighed, "It seems that the other thugs in the area decided to see if they could gain some 'turf'… Namely, that of the gang Rave broke up…"
"…great…" Shakey moaned, "…how many more times am I going to get beat up?"
Mazurka coughed & looked embarrassed, "Actually… None…"
"…huh? There were only two gangs?"
"Nooooo," Mazurka drawled, "It's just that…" She paused, clearly embarrassed by what she had to tell Shakey, "It's just that… your father… decided to settle things… once & for all…"
"…what did he do…?" Shakey asked fearfully.
"He called a 'pre-emptive suppressive action'," advised an out of sight Kuroko#6, "Squads of Rave Clones fought all of the various gangs, & convinced them not to cause any further trouble. It only took a few hours…"
Mazurka remained silent as she reflected on the body count involved…
"…so…" Shakey whined, "…when can I get out of here…?"
Mazurka smiled, "The doctors say you should be able to go home tomorrow. Don't worry, the neck brace & restraints are overkill. They didn't want to take any chances with the injuries you already had."
Mazurka leaned in close & whispered, "Or at least, not with your father's perception of their care of you."
"Sheesh Atari!" a familiar male voice came from the direction of the doorway, "What happened to the other guys?"
Shakey's eyes widened in recognition, "…Toe-jam? Is that you?"
"I'll leave you two to get reacquainted," Mazurka made for the door, "I have some errands to run."
"Well?" asked a smiling Toe-jam, as a 'Candy Stripe' uniformed Chairoko pushed his wheelchair over, "Did you break their arses, or what?"
"…or what, I guess…" Shakey smiled, happy to indulge in a Macho Bull Session with his friend, "…it's good to see you again, Toe-jam!"
"Since I'm so welcome, I'll visit more often," Toe-jam grinned, "Especially since I'm bunking just down the hall… Oh, by the way, if you hear any snoring during the night, it's NOT me!"
Shakey laughed, "…no worries…"
"Ach!" came a sound of disgust from the doorway.
Toe-jam turned his head to see what the commotion was about, & immediately turned back around, a sour look on his face.
"Incoming…" Toe-jam warned Shakey.
Into Shakey's field of view came the reason for Toe-jam's reaction.
Aesir… Hobbling along under her own power on a pair of crutches.
"Guten Nacht, Shakey," Aesir said pleasantly, despite the apparent effort it took her to use the crutches. (Note! Guten Nacht = Good Evening/Night)
"…good evening, Aesir," Shakey replied, "Glad to see you're up & about again…"
"Only just," moaned Aesir, as she plopped herself down into a visitor's chair provided by Kuroko#6, "I've lost so much muscle tone it's not funny…"
"…sorry to hear that," Shakey commiserated, "…what do the doctors say?"
Aesir shrugged, "A few weeks of physiotherapy should get me back to normal…"
"Huh," Toe-jam grunted under his breath, "Take more than a few weeks of physio-anything to make you normal…"
"Guten Nacht to you too, ARSCHLOCH!" growled Aesir in Toe-jam's direction. (Note! Arschloch = A--E Hole)
"I'll come back & see you later, Shakey," Toe-jam confided while glaring at Aesir, "When the room don't smell like 'Sour Kraut'…"
"YOU!" Aesir suddenly brandished a crutch in Toe-jam's general direction.
Fortunately for Toe-jam, Chairoko#5 quickly wheeled him out of harm's way.
Aesir sat in her chair, huffing from the exertion of being mad at Toe-jam.
"Miss Skrewyou?" announced Kuroko#6, "Visiting Hours are over, & Patient Atari needs his rest. You will have to leave."
Aesir looked disappointed, "Oh well… It can't be helped…"
Aesir hauled herself to her feet, & stumbled over to the edge of Shakey's bed. She rested on her crutches just looking at Shakey for several seconds, then she hesitantly reached out & gently squeezed his hand.
Kuroko#6 blinked as she observed Aesir's actions, feeling a sense of Déjà vu from when Shakey visited the Clones that morning.
"Thanks for the flowers…" Aesir said quietly, her face slightly pink. Then she turned & hobbled out of the room, before Shakey could think up a reply…
**********************************************************************
Chapter - Assessment.
Glando Atari sat in his office, surrounded by STEELY Holograms.
"We are almost within schedule," Glando stated, "I foresee no further problems."
STEELY: And what of the other tests?
"They are providing mixed results. Although we have not yet tested a sufficient number to be absolutely sure, I believe the majority will be salvageable."
STEELY: I certainly hope so.
STEELY: Why have you assigned them as bodyguards to your son.
"Merely a precaution. We only have one viable AVE pilot at this time."
STEELY: Which you nearly lost!
Glando protested, "Because I expected agencies NOT under my control to do their job properly! Still, it did give us an excuse to 'blood' the Clones…"
STEELY: Yes, the field test of the Clones was impressive.
STEELY: If overdue.
"They are performing to expected specifications," Glando asserted, "They have not yet reached their peak, so performance should only improve…"
STEELY: When will they be ready, Atari?
"When they have finished the AVE pilot tests, I will conduct a thorough review. The findings will be presented for your… consideration…"
STEELY: Are you sure about that, Atari?'
STEELY: Hundreds of E.T. Fields have recently been detected in your City…
STEELY: Mostly when your Clones were taking action…
STEELY: Have they started to develop their powers?
"Unfortunately, no," Glando replied in neutral tones, "The erroneous detection of E.T. Fields was due to software & hardware problems… It's all in the report compiled by the Maintenance crews…"
The Holograms fell silent, & Glando patiently waited for them to finish their secret deliberations.
Suddenly, the Holograms came back.
STEELY: Very well.
STEELY: We will await your final report.
With that, the holograms vanished, leaving Glando alone in his office once more.
**********************************************************************
Chapter - Interpretations.
In the Clone Zone, the Clones had bedded down for the night, the events of the past day swirling through their minds.
Shakey was surprised to see me observed #13.
He was surprised to know we were Clones sent #5 & #6.
The Commander said Shakey will heal
Still… It is regrettable that he was injured
YES
Now that we are guarding him… We can prevent further injury…
We will try
As Rave#2 tried
As #12 tried
As I succeeded! sent #12, from her Hospital bed.
As we succeeded! sent #5 & #6.
He appreciated Rave#2's efforts the Group Mind remembered.
As he did mine sent #12, He brought me flowers…
He brought all of the wounded flowers…
As he did Pilot Skrewyou…
Does he appreciate her as well?
A faint sense of unease ran through the Group Mind.
He was happy to see she was better…
As he was with me… sent #12.
He let Pilot Skrewyou hold his hand…
As he let me hold his hand… sent #12, a little uneasily.
Perhaps… He does appreciate Pilot Skrewyou as well…
The Group Mind was troubled.
Pilot Skrewyou is often abusive towards Shakey…
Yet, he enjoys her company…
We are not abusive towards Shakey…
Yet, he enjoys our company…
The Group mind puzzled over this apparent inconsistency.
Pilot Skrewyou went to see Shakey…
She was on crutches…
It was not easy for her to walk…
But she went to see Shakey…
Does she appreciate him that much?
Is that why she exerted herself to go & see him?
Does she appreciate him as much as we do?
Does she appreciate him more than we do?
Is that why Shakey appreciates her?
Despite the way she often treats him?
Because she shows him, how much she appreciates him?
The Group Mind fell silent as its individual components considered things.
We must show him that we appreciate him!
**********************************************************************
Chapter - Welcome Back.
As per Mazurka's advice, Shakey was discharged from Hospital the next morning.
He was given orders to use his walking stick until he fully healed, & ordered to rest & recuperate at Mazurka's for a few days, before going back to school.
'Oh Great!' thought Shakey unhappily, 'I'll take things easy all right… I'll have to! All I can do is lie down, & listen to the garbage accumulate…'
Shakey sighed deeply, then hobbled over to Mazurka's car. He was surprised to see Kuroko sitting in the back of Mazurka's car while Chairoko stood outside.
"I'm giving them a lift home," Mazurka explained to Shakey, "You're in back…"
Shakey slowly got into the back seat of Mazurka's car, helped in no small way by Kuroko & Chairoko.
"Thanks," Shakey wheezed, feeling a bit peaky after the exertion.
Shakey wore an unhappy expression on his face as Mazurka drove.
"Why so glum?" Mazurka asked the unhappy boy in the back seat.
"I can't DO anything…" Shakey replied, "There's all that housework, & I'm not fit enough to do anything about it…"
"Just leave it," shrugged Mazurka, "It'll still be there when you feel better…"
Shakey groaned, "That's not the point…"
"Would you be happier if we got a maid in?" Mazurka teased.
"That'll be the day," Shakey muttered.
At Mazurka's apartment, Shakey saw a Moving Company truck in the parking lot.
'Someone's probably leaving while they still can…' Shakey thought. He was surprised when Kuroko & Chairoko followed him into the elevator.
"They're to act as your body guards for the time being," Mazurka replied to Shakey's puzzled expression, "Don't worry, it's only until you get home."
Shakey blinked in surprise when the elevator doors opened, & he noticed that the Moving Company was shifting things into the apartment next door to Mazurka's.
'We must have new neighbours…' Shakey thought, 'I wonder what they're like…'
Mazurka opened the door to her apartment, & all four trooped inside.
"Welcome home, Shakey," Mazurka said warmly, "I have paperwork to do at the office, so if you need anything, the girls here can get it for you."
"…ah," gasped Shakey, "What do you mean? I thought they were only going to be my body guards until we got home?"
"That's right," Mazurka confirmed with a smile, "However, until you're fit enough to go to school again, they'll be our live-in maids…"
"Live-In?" Shakey exclaimed in horror, "Mazurka! You know what happened last time Rave slept over here!"
"Don't worry," Mazurka said dismissively, "They won't be sleeping here…"
"That's a relief," Shakey sighed, gratefully sagging into a chair one of the Clones thoughtfully provided for him.
"They'll be sleeping next door," Mazurka continued.
"Ne-next door?"
"Shakey," Mazurka grinned, putting a hand on a shoulder of each of the Clones, "Say hello to our new neighbours…"
With both Clones looking expectantly at him, Shakey could only give in to the inevitable…
"…h-hello…" wheezed Shakey.
The Clones smiled.
**********************************************************************
Chapter - Back to School.
Like a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, Shakey finally emerged from Mazurka's to a different world from what he'd previously known.
That became apparent on his first day back at school…
Kuroko & Chairoko walked Shakey to school that day, as was now their new habit. Or as Shakey suspected, the habit of the Clones impersonating them that day.
At school, Shakey was greeted by 'Rave', who was already seated.
Shakey went to take his own seat, only to stop in surprise as he noticed a small vase on his desk with a single yellow rose in it.
'It must be a mistake,' Shakey looked around the classroom, wondering who could have put them there, 'Unless, someone is playing a joke on me?'
Then Shakey noticed that the various Rave Clones in his classroom, were acting somewhat nervous, & things had clicked.
"Is this from one of you?" Shakey whispered to a Rave Clone near him.
"From all of us…" came the shy reply.
"Does it 'say' anything?" Shakey asked, remembering taking flowers to the injured Clones just a few days previously.
The Clone looked him in his eyes, & whispered one word, "Friendship…"
**********************************************************************
The END of Book 10 of 'Altered Lives'
**********************************************************************
OMAKE - Personal Demons.
**SLAP!** the sound of a palm striking a face echoed through the room, abruptly ending Shakey's personal tirade.
"DON'T TALK LIKE THAT!" Mazurka demanded, "If she hadn't been with you, she couldn't have saved you! You'd be in the Morgue instead of a Hospital bed!"
Stunned by Mazurka's actions, Shakey merely put a hand to his burning cheek.
Mazurka steamed ahead, "I know you feel bad about this… But you have to stop dwelling on things you can't change, & DEAL with reality!"
"In that case," Shakey asked in pained tones, "Can I please have a painkiller?"
"Painkiller?" the comment caught Mazurka off guard, "Are you supposed to ask for that? It's not in my copy of the script…"
"Neither is your hand hitting my injured cheek," whined Shakey, "It's the other one you were supposed to hit…"
"Oh!" gasped an embarrassed Mazurka, "I'm so sorry! MEDIC!"
The Fan Fiction Writer shook his head in embarrassment. "Even the best of us slip up every now & then…" he lamented, as he hastily rewrote the script so that the correct cheek was CLEARLY specified.
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OMAKE - The Long Watch.
"You know what happened?"
"Yes."
Mazurka took a deep breath, then asked in no-nonsense tones, "HOW?"
Rave paused before answering, "Would you believe… Woman's Intuition?…"
"I don't think so," Mazurka disagreed, "You're only, what? 15 or so years old?"
"That's old enough to be a woman in many cultures," Rave Clone #13 asserted.
"Huh," scoffed Mazurka, "Not if you're a woman who 'doesn't bleed' it's not!"
The Clone blushed, she'd forgotten that enigmatic comment from the TV series…
"Well…" The Clone persisted, "Officially, I'm Japanese, so that means I should qualify for 'Inscrutable Oriental', doesn't it? Add that to my being female, & it should be close enough…"
Mazurka paused, then grudgingly admitted, "Okay, I'll buy that… Especially since this is being written by a White, Middle-Aged, Western Male, & you're supposed to be a Teenaged Japanese Girl…"
"Who also pilots a Giant Robot-like genetic construct," Rave Clone#13 added.
"Yeah," agreed Mazurka, "All up, your lifestyle is so far removed from the writer's, that he might as well be waffling on about 'Women's Intuition'… Something he's never had, & never will, this side of a sex-change operation…"
"HEY!" protested the Fan Fiction Writer, "I can TOO write about Woman's Intuition! I got seven sisters, eleven nieces, a couple of aunts, a mother…"
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OMAKE - Atonement#1.
"…what else haven't I been told?" Shakey sighed.
"Probably lots," Mazurka deadpanned, before turning to Rave & asking, "What about you? Do you know anything we don't?"
Rave didn't reply.
"Could you tell us if you did?" Mazurka pressed.
Rave was silent, then sighed deeply & said, "I believe the Fan Fiction Writer has either made another grammatical error, or else has failed to adequately refine the dialog he wished to use in your conversation.
"Huh?" Mazurka, Shakey & the Fan Fiction Writer chorused in synch.
Rave went into 'Lecture Mode', "You said 'Do you know anything we don't?' For me to adequately answer that, I would first have to learn everything that you do, then compare it to my own knowledge, before I could determine any discrepancies…"
"Oh," the others chorused in enlightenment.
"So what should I do?" asked the Fan Fiction Writer, "Go back & change it?"
"No" said Rave, "Leave it as it is… You can pass it off as a test of your reader's intuitive intellectual abilities, when it comes to interpreting contemporary cultural phraseology in your work."
"Err… Yeah, okay," agreed the Fan Fiction Writer, breaking into a nervous sweat at the number of 'big words' in the preceding paragraph, "I'll… take your word for it, Rave…"
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OMAKE - Atonement#2
"Hmmm," Mazurka hummed through pursed lips, obviously considering Shakey's statement, "Allows for quantity of bloomage, but the quality may suffer, & what you're really trying to say might not get through…"
"What **I'M** trying to say?" Shakey protested.
"Sure," Mazurka quipped, "Just like in the old saying, 'Say it With Flowers'…"
The next day, Glando Atari, Evil B-----D In Charge of the NERVIS base, received a 12 foot tall crate, marked 'URGENT - Special Delivery' from 'Inter Flora'.
"What could this be?" Glando asked himself as he used a crowbar to open the mystery crate, "The note said 'With Purest Intentions', so it must be something really good since it came in such a big box from 'Inter Flora'…"
Glando took the top off & was just looking hopefully inside the crate, when the 'Triffid' plant it contained, suddenly realised that breakfast was being served…
"Ah yes," the Fan Fiction Writer sniffed, getting all teary eyed by the emotions expressed in the foregoing OMAKE, "If someone REALLY means something to you, by all means DO let them know how you feel about them! And there's NO BETTER way than to 'say it with flowers'…"
"Although," the Fan Fiction Writer continued, a gleam of malevolent altruism in his eyes, "For someone like Glando, most people would agree that sending them a giant man-eating plant like a 'Triffid' would CERTAINLY do the job…"
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OMAKE - Absolution#1.
"…as she said…" #12 said quietly, "…I… we… will protect you…"
Then #12 did the unexpected… She reached out with her good hand, & grabbed Shakey by the front of his shirt, pulling him off balance & down on top of her.
#12's face was inches away from Shakey's own, & she gazed deeply into his eyes at close range.
"…I know you care for me…" said #12, her warm breath caressing Shakey's face.
"Uh…" Shakey replied, totally unsure of what to do or say.
"…I care for you…" #12 stated, her cheeks suddenly pink, & her gaze warmer…
Shakey blushed deeply.
"…would you like to become one with me?" #12 husked breathlessly, "…to be of one mind & body?"
"…ah…?" Shakey blushed tomato red, as he tried to squirm out of #12's grasp…
Outside in the hallway, Mazurka was worriedly pacing back & forth.
'I hope Shakey realises that the Girls don't hold 12's injuries against him…' Mazurka thought worriedly, 'He's been so cut up about it, that…'
Mazurka's thoughts were interrupted by loud screams from the Clones' Ward.
Suddenly the doors to the Clones' ward burst open, & a panicked Shakey stumbled out, falling onto the floor.
Mazurka opened her mouth to ask what the matter was, but stopped in shock as dozens of tentacles suddenly lashed through the open doorway, wrapped around Shakey, & dragged the screaming & VERY red faced boy back inside.
The door to the Clones' Ward thundered shut, as closing doors in scenes like this often do…
"…wha-haa?" gurgled Mazurka, sweating nervously as the situation totally weirded her out.
"Do not be concerned," a Rave Clone near Mazurka said, raising her voice to be heard over the muffled sounds of mayhem that filtered out from the Clones' Ward.
"…?…" Mazurka turned to the Clone, wordlessly expressing her question by pointing a trembling hand at the ominously shut door.
The Rave Clone shrugged, "We are showing him that we still like him…"
Mazurka did NOT look reassured, "H-has the Fan Fiction Writer been watching 'Species' again?" she asked worriedly.
"No," stated the Clone.
"Legend of th-the Overfiend?" Mazurka croaked, her eyes widening.
"No."
"ANY sort of Anime 'Tentacle-Flick'?" Mazurka squeaked, white-faced at the thought that the story might be veering into 'Adult' territory.
"No."
Mazurka slumped against a wall, obviously relieved at the news.
The Clone helpfully advised "He has been watching John Carpenter's 'The Thing' instead…"
The Fan Fiction Writer felt a need to explain…
'Species' is a movie about a… 'Lady'… who isn't QUITE human who gets… err… 'Romantically Obsessed'… about a particular Human (To put it mildly…)
'Legend of the Overfiend' & Anime 'Tentacle-Flicks' are a sort of 'horror' genre in which monsters with extremely lecherous… 'tentacles' have their… 'wicked way' with… um… 'unwilling' human partners… Usually female, and/or teens/schoolgirls…
Since this **IS** 'Altered Lives', you **WON'T** be seeing anything like that…
However, the dialogue in NGE about 'becoming one… being of one mind & body…' DOES lend itself to being interpreted along the lines of what happens in John Carpenter's 'The Thing'. That's the storyline where a shape changing Alien 'takes over' people's bodies, by merging with them at a genetic level… Literally, becoming of 'one mind & body'… (Note! It's set in Antarctica too!)
Hey! It's ONE way that Shakey might grow a backbone…
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OMAKE - Absolution#2.
"We will protect you…" the other Clones in the ward chorused.
After that, Shakey was able to roam the streets of the City in complete safety.
Except…
Shakey hadn't taken into consideration, just HOW much all the Clones liked him.
The encounter where #12 had saved Shakey's life, had also been a 'Kodak Moment' for the Clones, as they absorbed #12's personal impressions of the event. And as for the 'concern' Shakey had shown for #12 in Hospital… Well now, that had been the 'icing on the cake' to the care-starved Clones.
So it was, that Shakey Atari became a marked man. Every time the slightest hint of danger to him arose, he could count on one or more of the Clones coming to his rescue…
Not that this was always such a good thing…
Shakey was walking along outside the Clone Zone, when a block away, the tyre on a truck blew out, causing it to skid erratically.
Seeing a chance for another 'Kodak Moment' with Shakey like the one #12 had, the nearby Clones all leapt valiantly to Shakey's defence. Heroically, they jumped in to save Shakey from any possible danger the truck might provide, creating a living Human shield with their nubile young bodies…
…Every last one of them…
From beneath the tangled heap of Rave Clones (& in a blatant case of poetic license), one of Shakey's arms protruded, the hand twitching slightly…
Later in Hospital…
"GOOD LORD!" choked the Trauma Ward Doctor as he surveyed the results of his latest patient's x-rays…
"Dislocated joints, fractured vertebra…" the doctor rambled off a LONG list of injuries, finishing with the comment, "…did he get hit by a truck?"
The embarrassed Clones in the Waiting Room didn't answer.
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OMAKE - New Friends & Otherwise.
Before Shakey could answer, the pack of thugs put the boot into him, kicking him in the guts, face, the back of the head, his arms, legs, back, crotch…
Then things got brutal…
"You B-----Ds!" screamed the Clones, on seeing Shakey get kicked in the crotch, "We haven't even had a chance to use it yet, & you've broken it!"
Then the Clones moved into action, & things **REALLY** got brutal…
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OMAKE - Interrogation - Assailants.
The orderly led Glando to a bed on which a person lay in full body traction.
Glando bent over the injured person, & spoke quietly, "I want some information… about what happened to you, & your friends. Give me what I want, & you will continue to receive Medical attention. Give me problems, & your genitals will be ripped off & rammed down your throat. Now, do we have a deal?"
"Ah? Sir?" said the medical orderly, "The Clones already did that…"
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OMAKE - Interrogation - Clones.
Glando paused, then turned to the door & knocked three times on it.
After a full minute had passed, & the door hadn't opened, it occurred to Glando that due to the thickness of the armoured door, the troops on the other side might not have heard him…
"Open this," Glando ordered the two Rave Clones in the room with him.
Both Clones ran at the door & delivered flying kicks in perfect synch, ripping the door off its hinges.
The tense guards outside the room knew the dangers of the situation they were in, & were quite understandably on edge.
So, when the door suddenly flew outwards, & flattened a good dozen of the guards, the remainder quite naturally thought that the prisoners were trying to escape.
So it was, that the 'trigger-happy' guards fired on the first person to walk through the doorway.
Namely, Glando…
The Fan Fiction Writer would just like to point out, that he has never heard of a 'Glando' skin being available for the shoot-em-up video game 'Quake'…
Although, he could understand if some people might want one…
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OMAKE - Black & Blue.
The Clones began an orderly dispersal, filling the elevators that would take them to the Loading Dock below.
Glando went with them, personally overseeing the Clones' performance. He stood silently on the Loading Dock, watching as the horde of Clones swarmed into the waiting transports.
Suddenly an Evil Grin appeared on Glando's face. He rubbed his hands together, cackling maniacally, "Fly my little monkeys… FLY!"
The Commander's medication must be working the Clones' Group Mind concluded, Usually when he quotes from 'Wizard of Oz', he dresses up as Dorothy…
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OMAKE - Review.
"When I authorised this operation," Glando replied quietly, "I did not order a wholesale extermination… I did however, recommend that the Clones use lethal force against anyone using any sort of weapons against them…"
"Then explain that!…" demanded Fu2ok, as another monitor showed a Rave Clone strangling a Gang member with his own 'flag of truce'.
"Ask Rave…" Glando said nonchalantly, as his eyes looked behind Fu2ok.
Fu2ok swallowed hard & slowly turned to face the Rave Clone that had appeared soundlessly behind him.
"Rave," Glando murmured, "The Professor would like an explanation…"
"Yes Sir," Rave quietly answered, "As per the Commander's orders, we were authorised to use lethal force against any person using any sort of weapon against us. Since we were able to use the item in question as a weapon, then so could another…"
The Clone leaned slightly forward & pointed to one of the monitors. On it, a single Rave Clone was beating a group of overly muscled thugs to death with the limbs she'd just ripped off one of them.
Fu2ok swallowed hard again, a queasy look on his face.
"As you can see Sir," the Clone continued, "Body parts really can be used as lethal weapons…"
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OMAKE - Revelations.
"…or what, I guess…" Shakey smiled, happy to indulge in a Macho Bull Session with his friend, "…it's good to see you again, Toe-jam!"
Toe-jam leaned near to Shakey & whispered conspiratorially, "Hey man, how 'far' have you gotten with Imanonymous since I've been away?"
"…ah…" Shakey sweat-dropped in sudden nervous discomfort, mainly because the disguised Rave Clone Chairoko#5 had suddenly started paying close attention to the conversation, "…we're… friends… just… good friends…"
"Oh man," groaned Toe-jam, "You should ask her out or something… I tell ya, that chick REALLY has a thing for you…"
From out of the other corner of his eye, Shakey noticed that the disguised Rave Clone Kuroko#6 ALSO seemed to be paying close attention to the conversation…
Toe-jam continued, oblivious to the presence of the two 'girls' nearby, "As far as you're concerned, Atari, she's just a seething bag of lust! Why, when I was a pilot, she actually came looking for you, and she said……"
Toe-jam rambled on, exaggerating in the same vein of Teenage Macho B--LS--T. He was blissfully unaware of the painful demise lurking within arms reach, as the faces of the two disguised Rave Clones turned a dangerous shade of red…
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OMAKE - Welcome Back#1.
At Mazurka's apartment, Shakey saw a Moving Company truck in the parking lot.
'Someone's probably leaving while they still can…' Shakey thought.
The Fan Fiction Writer decided to dispel one of the mysteries of the TV show, namely, whether or not anyone else actually LIVED in Mazurka's apartment block.
The simple truth is… NO… Mazurka was the sole tenant…
While ALL of the apartments in Mazurka's Apartment Block were owned, they were all vacant. The reason for this, was that no one in their right mind would want to live in a City frequently destroyed by Alien attack.
Owning property there was another matter, as it was a great tax write off when your building got demolished…
Which is why 'property speculation' in the City was rampant.
Which leads us to question just how hard it was, for Glando to actually persuade the current owner to sell the apartment in question…
In a modern skyscraper office block, Glando was arguing for the sale of the apartment he wanted for the disguised Rave Clones.
"Option one as I see it," Glando said in calm & agreeable tones, "Is that I purchase your property for one & a half times its current real estate value…"
Glando paused, before saying in apologetic tones, "Now, I realise that selling at this time, might not be financially agreeable to you, which leads us to option two…"
(Camera pans back, to reveal that two of Glando's Security Guards are holding a man upside-down by his ankles, out an opened window twenty stories up…)
"Option two," Glando said in tones of polite regret, "Is where I purchase your property from the Executor of your Will… Now… I don't want you to feel at all… pressured… Take your time, & make an… informed choice…"
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OMAKE - Welcome Back#2
Mazurka opened the door to her apartment, & all four trooped inside.
"Welcome home, Shakey," Mazurka said warmly, "I have paperwork to do at the office, so if you need anything, the girls here can get it for you."
"…ah," gasped Shakey, "What do you mean? I thought they were only going to be my body guards until we got home?"
"That's right," Mazurka confirmed with a smile, "However, until you're fit enough to go to school again, they'll be our live-in maids…"
Which is how the Spin-off Series, 'Clones in the Kitchen' came into being…
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OMAKE - Back To School.
Shakey went to take his own seat, only to stop in surprise as he noticed that it was heaped high with bouquets of long stemmed red roses.
If truth be told, there were 137 blooms in all, one from each girl who had wanted to 'send him a message'.
'It must be a mistake,' Shakey looked around the classroom, wondering who could have put them there, 'Unless, someone is playing a joke on me?'
Unfortunately, the rest of the class didn't give Shakey much time to find out…
"WooHoo!" someone heckled, & then it was on for one & all…
"Shakey! You Stud!"
"When's the wedding, Casanova?"
"You GETTING some, or what?"
It was all too much for the emotionally insecure young man. Feeling terribly self-conscious, Shakey began to sniffle, & then to cry. Seeing his sad plight, the Disguised Clones took pity on him, & dragged him off to the School Nurse, so he could have a nice cup of tea, & a good lie down until he composed himself.
'Rave' however, decided to 'have words' with the rowdy element in the class, who had so upset her favourite wuss. She made sure Shakey was out of earshot, before turning her attentions on the unromantic miscreants in her class…
Those responsible for Shakey's upset, fell silent as they suddenly noticed Rave's narrow eyed scowl, & the way her trembling hands slowly clenched into white knuckled 'fists of fury'…
They didn't notice much after that…
Well, not until they regained consciousness, at any rate…
- - - - - - - - - - - - -The END of the OMAKE- - - - - - - - - - - - -