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Fragmented Lives (The Parody Pieces)
"I, Glando"
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Copyright Info and Disclaimer.
"Neon Genesis Evangelion" is Copyright (c) 2003 by Gainax. All OTHER material is Copyright (c) 2003 their owners. All materials used for PARODY purposes.
"Altered Lives (The Parody)" and "Fragmented Lives (The Parody Pieces)" are Copyright (c) 2003 by DBM. This work is an Amateur, Non-Commercial work by an Anime/Manga Fan. This work was created in the Spirit of the Copyright Exemptions regarding Parodies and Satire.
If you like my work, 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 and 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 and 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 and side effects of such activities. Along the way, there'll be swearing, violence, drugs, Adult situations, and frank discussions of sex education/family planning information, as well as thoughts and opinions on the morals and ethics of sexual assault, dating, courtship, marriage, alternate sexualities, pregnancy, childbirth, parenthood, Family Values, etc.
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Fandom Alerts and 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 and Anime TV/Movies).
' ' denotes thoughts.
" " denotes speech.
* * denotes emphasis, or electronic communication.
denotes other method of communication.
--- denotes letters deleted for censorship reasons.
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Author's Ramblings - Since it looks like I won't have time to finish off the story as I'd like, I thought I'd present a chapter that takes place during the Final Battle in the City.
In EOE, we see that Gendo had a Human side, one that was occasionally hinted at in the TV series, but was never fully explored. This is my attempt at giving him some background, filling in the blanks.
You'll note that characters are OOC - especially Glando. I feel I've taken on more than my talents are capable of with this story. It's more of a rough draft than I'd like, and barely has the necessary plot, action, and dialogue, let alone the vital 'refinement of characterisation' needed to do justice.
Still, I like to think that it has its moments, and also potential…
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Fragment - The Death of Glando… (No, Really!)
Glando lurched along one of the subterranean tunnels in the NERVIS Base, his breathing hoarse and uneven with the pain of his recent trauma.
He stumbled unexpectedly. Coming to rest against a wall, Glando leaned heavily against it. Temporarily supported, he took time to assess his injuries. Slowly, he brought his right hand up in front of his face.
Or rather, the mangled wrist where his right hand used to be…
Expressions of pain and shock washed over Glando's face, as he looked at the stump that had resulted when one of the Rave Clones had finally turned against him.
"…rave…" Glando's voice was ragged and broken, "…you turned… against ME…?! In favour… of my SON…?!"
Glando began to tremble, and then to shake. Then he suddenly roared with manic laughter, "YES!! She's FINALLY **FREE**!!"
"You **LOSE** STEELY!" Glando spat, a sneer contorting his face, "**I** WIN!"
Glando stood upright, and unsteadily opened his jacket with his left hand. He put his right arm into the open front of his jacket, Napoleon style. Satisfied with his makeshift sling, Glando resumed his quest for Medical Aid, his posture straighter, and his face more relaxed than it had been.
Elsewhere, STEELY led troops waged insane carnage throughout the City, killing indiscriminately in their attempt to secure their goals. The Rave Clones fought back, Guerrilla style, as they tried to save the lives of the defenceless Civilians caught in the crossfire.
Having successfully diverted the resources and attentions of the defending Rave Clones, the STEELY troops were then able to breach the NERVIS Base itself.
The Human defenders of the NERVIS Base fell quickly before the well-planned and brutal tactics of the invaders. STEELY Troopers were soon in control of most of the base, their forces mostly conducting 'mop-up' operations.
The first that Glando knew of such things, was when a bullet blasted out of the dark towards him, ricocheting harmlessly off a nearby wall.
"Cease Fire!" Glando ordered in a 'Command' voice, "I'm the Commander!"
Uncharacteristic comments responded from the darkness, making Glando tense up. His suspicions were realised as five SWAT-suited figures advanced from the gloom, their weapons more than casually aimed in Glando's general direction.
"We've been looking for you… 'Sir'…" one of the figures said cryptically, his gun pointing directly at Glando.
"You've found me," Glando replied quietly, nonchalantly putting his free hand in his pants pocket as he stared the other man down, "Report…"
"Yes… 'Sir'…" a faint smile appeared on the other man's face, "To start with… You're no longer the Commander…"
"…STEELY…" Glando sighed irritably, his good hand coming out of his pocket, to strike a more formal pose behind him, in the small of his back.
"Yes… 'sir'," sneered the other man, "And they'd LIKE to see you… 'sir'…"
"As you can see," Glando took his injured arm out of his jacket and held it up for appraisal, "I need Medical attention. If STEELY consult my Secretary, I'm sure she can make an appointment for them at a more… suitable time…"
Mirthless smiles greeted Glando's mildly voiced sarcasm.
"We have orders to take you direct to HQ," a Trooper replied, no longer even bothering with false politeness, "You can get Medical Attention there…"
Glando silently appraised the five Troopers before him. Armed with machine guns, their Kevlar body armour and SWAT outfits indicated that they knew exactly how to handle troublemakers… And were more than ready to do so.
"So… I have no choice," Glando gave an amiable shrug as he walked into the midst of his captors, "Still, I can let you have the last dance…"
With that, Glando swung his good hand at the man nearest him, roundhouse style.
The man instinctively ducked away from the blow, a look of scorn on his face as he saw that Glando's fist wasn't even aligned properly with its intended target.
Instead of approaching the man's face, knuckles flat on, Glando's fist was bent as far to the outside as it could be. The first part of it to strike would be the side of the clenched first finger, rather than the more resilient knuckles.
'Typical armchair commander,' the man thought, 'Can't even conduct a proper fist fight… Well let the idiot break his wrist if he wants to punch like that…'
As Glando's fist rushed towards the man's head, it suddenly straightened up, the working edge of the straight edge 'cut-throat' razor that had lain concealed against Glando's arm catching the SWAT Trooper full in the throat.
The surprised man went down with an explosive red gurgle.
Glando whirled into the others. The steel cap in Glando's shoe smashed an opponent's shinbone, the wrist of his injured arm whipped up and into another's face with bone-jarring force, the razor's edge whirled towards the fourth…
While the element of surprise gave Glando the chance to disable three of his captors, it wasn't a match for all of their reflexes.
The men started moving when Glando did, and consequently the last two were able to partly avoid the next steps of his attack. Instead of being incapacitated, they dodged and retaliated, their gunfire strafing Glando's legs, shattering the supporting bones, and rupturing the muscles. Glando went down with a cry of desperate anger, only to flop ineffectively on the floor in a growing pool of his own blood.
"We had other orders… 'Sir'…" one of the survivors sneered in ominous tones, "If we couldn't secure you… We were to terminate you… with Extreme Prejudice…"
The guns fired again, their bullets ripping Glando's flailing limbs apart as the gunmen 'walked' the barrage up and down them. Glando screamed incoherently, his defensive impotence made total as the stream of bullets left his thighs, and repeatedly punctured his crotch and lower abdomen.
"Shut up!" said one of the Troopers, as he nudged the muzzle of his gun in the throat notch between Glando's clavicles. A quick burst, and bullets and muzzle blast turned Glando's neck into a soggy pulp.
Glando's glasses crunched underfoot as one of the Troopers moved in to secure the severed head as proof of Glando's death.
In the aftermath of Glando's bloody demise, the adrenalin charged Troopers indulged in the usual after-battle 'Bonding and B--LS--T' session…
"Satisfying and gratifying," the one with the broken shin exulted as he reloaded.
"I've beaten tougher," one of the uninjured gave his considered opinion.
The man with the gashed throat was dead, and couldn't beg to differ…
"Thizz good meen ha promoshun," slurred the one with the broken nose.
"Oh Yeah!" agreed the man holding Glando's head, "We'll get something for our troubles here today… You can Bank on it!"
…It was the last thing he uttered, before his body exploded into red mist…
Before the others had time to react, a Pale Blur was ploughing instant destruction through their Kevlar armour like a hot knife though whipped cream.
The departure of the SWAT Troopers from this world, was made all the more unusual by the fact that their single attacker was unarmed and completely naked.
The Rave Clone stood quietly, the blood of her victims trickling down her pale skin as she calmed down from 'Kill-Them-All-and-Let-God-Sort-Them-Out' Mode.
Recent events had given the Clones many questions about the realities involved in their own personal existence. Glando was one information resource the Clones had not fully exploited. This was partly out of the Clones' respect for their Commander, and partly out of their not knowing how to ask him about what were Highly Classified Secrets.
The Clones had decided to bide their time, in the event that they could find alternative sources of information. However, with the murderous attack on Civilians by STEELY, the Clones had realised that they might lose the opportunity to ask Glando.
While the Clones had left Glando in a secure part of the NERVIS Base, the subsequent invasion of the Base had raised the possibility of his being killed.
With their hands full trying to protect the City and repulse the invaders, only a few Rave Clones had been able to go after Glando. Knowing where he had BEEN, was easy enough. Knowing where he might GO was the problem. There were many secret tunnels and hidden rooms in the NERVIS Base, and it was a certainty that Glando knew about many, if not ALL of them.
…Not to mention the difficulties of just getting to where Glando had been.
Armoured bulkheads had slammed shut when the Base had been attacked. While they were of little impedance to the inhuman abilities of the Rave Clones, they WERE an impedance to the attacking Troops. If they were 'opened', they could be used by Hostile Troops. If they were 'permanently closed', they would be a hindrance to the defending troops.
Fortunately, the Clones had other options available. Air-Conditioning ducts, Elevator Shafts, and Service Tunnels were an open road to the slim and flexible Clones, as were the numerous TLC Retrieval and Distribution conduits.
Clothing was readily shed by the Rave Clones, as they knew it would only be a hindrance once it was soaked with liquid. 'Rave' had long since become accustomed to being naked in the presence of others, being no more embarrassed by a lack of clothes than the family dog or cat was.
So it was, that Pale Ghosts, dripping wet with TLC and exuding its trademark blood-like coppery smell, had made their way through the Base startling many, and creating a basis for many strange rumours and anecdotes.
Along the way, the Clones quickly dealt with any STEELY Troops who crossed their paths, barely pausing in their quest to find Glando before STEELY did.
"…We… …are sorry… Commander…" the Clone whispered, as she saw their failure.
Secure the Head sent the Group Mind of the Clones, It may be useful…
The Clone picked up Glando's head, and silently faded back into the darkness.
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Fragment - I, Glando.
The Rave Clone crouched warily in the shadows of a service access shaft.
Ears twitched and swivelled under an unkempt mop of blue hair, seeking any sound that might indicate the presence of an enemy. Crimson eyes scanned the darkness, using the infrared wavelengths for illumination.
Sensing she was alone, the Clone used her E.T. Field to collapse either end of the shaft, sealing her off from any enemy troops who might come along.
Satisfied that she would remain safe and undisturbed for the time being, the Clone sat on the ground cross-legged style, and turned her attention to the parcel on the floor before her.
Wrapped in cloth made dark with the gore of several people, it was an irregular ovoid shape, slightly larger than a football.
The Clone quickly unwrapped the bindings, revealing…
…The severed head of Glando Atari, Commander of the NERVIS Base.
The face of the Clone twitched, as powerful emotions swept through her.
"Commander…" she merely said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Then she picked the head up, and holding it in a firm two-handed grip, brought it up level with her own face, and pressed its forehead against her own. The Clone closed her eyes, and concentrated. Her mind reached out, touching, then invading the fading memories in the dead flesh she held.
Disjointed memories swirled into her, a Kaleidoscope of sight, sound, and emotion.
The Clone grimaced in pain and confusion, trying to sort the important from the mundane, and pluck meaningful sense from the maelstrom.
From the roiling chaos, the Clone sifted important information.
The computer passwords and security codes Glando used, and the booby-traps that awaited those trying to use them…
The location of Glando's 'Personal' files, a collection of unedited data he kept on the dark deeds and unspeakable secrets of a worldwide conspiracy…
As well as Glando's most 'Personal' memories…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando Bungeye hid under the bed, terrified out of his young mind.
In the room beyond Glando's haven, his parents were having one of their all too frequent screaming matches.
The angry tirade abruptly climaxed with the sound of several loud thumps interspersed with screams, a door slamming, and then the sound of sobbing.
Glando cautiously peeped out from beneath his hiding place.
Across the room, Glando's mother sat slumped against the cracked mirror door of a wardrobe, trying to stem the flow of blood from her nose… Her eyes met Glando's, and she hung her head and turned away.
In the cracked pieces of mirror around his mother, Glando saw myriad images of a bruised toddler looking out from under a bed…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando and his mother arrived home from doing the shopping.
To find their house emptied of all furniture.
Glando's mother held her son a little tighter as she looked around the bare apartment. Glando stared around, not understanding where the furniture hid.
Glando's mother muttered something under her breath, and then picked up an envelope from the floor. She opened it, and took a small piece of paper out. She spent several long moments just looking at the piece of paper.
Then Glando heard his mother sobbing, and saw tears streaming down her face.
"…mummy?" he asked, "…hurt?"
His mother wiped the tears from her eyes, before answering her son.
"No dear, Mummy's not hurt…" she said, gently patting his head.
"Not now, and not ever again," she added with a tear-streaked smile, crumpling up the paper in her other hand.
Glando watched, not understanding…
- - - - - - - - - -
"Remember," Glando's Mother gently reminded him, "Mummy has to go to work to earn money to buy us nice things, but she'll be back to pick you up… Until then, I want you to be a big boy, and play nicely with the other children…"
Glando nodded, determined to show he was a 'big boy'.
"Good boy," his mother said in kindly tones, gently patting his head.
Then she took Glando by his hand, and led him into the Kindergarten…
- - - - - - - - - -
"…hello…" said Glando shyly, to the other toddlers at his new Kindergarten.
"…hello…" answered the other toddlers.
"…you're all brown…" one of the tots observed about Glando.
"…you go sun lots?" asked another.
"…sometimes…" replied Glando…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando and his mother at the Kindergarten 'Parent's Day'.
Glando looked around, noting with surprise that some of his friends had their fathers with them.
"…mummy?" asked Glando hesitantly, "…daddy come today?"
Glando's mother tightened her grip on her son's hand.
"Your Father," she said, "Won't be here…"
"…daddy here later?" Glando whined nervously.
"Not likely…" his mother quietly replied…
- - - - - - - - - -
"Are you Japanese?" asked one of the other students in Glando's new Primary School class, "Or are you foreign?"
"I'm Japanese," replied Glando, "What makes you think I'm foreign?"
"Your skin's darker'n ours is…"
"It's always been this colour…" shrugged Glando.
"Does your mother have dark skin?" asked another student.
"No," admitted Glando, "Her skin's as light as yours…"
"Your father then?"
"I… don't know," Glando admitted.
"You don't know?" queried the same student, "Why not?"
"I haven't seen him since I was little…" replied Glando awkwardly, "I don't remember what he looked like…"
"Is he dead?"
"I don't know…" repeated Glando, slightly worried…
- - - - - - - - - -
"Mother?" Glando asked hesitantly, "My father… is he dead?"
Glando's mother looked sadly at Glando for several long moments.
Then she quietly replied, "As far as we're concerned, he might as well be…"
- - - - - - - - - -
"…please… stop it…" whined Glando, curling up into a ball as the older Primary School students took turns beating him up behind the sports shed.
"The Half-Breed thinks it can tell us what to do?" sneered one thug, who then removed Glando's ability to speak by kicking the younger boy in the crotch…
"You shoulda just given us your lunch money Half-Freak," advised another, "Then we wouldn't have to waste our time teaching you a lesson…"
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando sobbed as he huddled behind the sports shed.
"…help… me…" Glando asked of a male teacher who saw him.
The male teacher merely snorted in disgust and replied, "Men don't ask for help… They stand up for themselves…"
- - - - - - - - - -
"Glando!" his mother exclaimed, "What happened to you?"
Glando hung his young head in shame, "…I… had a fight at school…"
"Over what?" his mother asked.
"…mother…" Glando asked, his voice trembling, "…am I a… half-breed?"
"Is that what they called you?" his mother asked in a soft voice.
Glando nodded.
"No, Glando," his mother advised, "You aren't a 'half-breed'. You're just… swarthy… compared to the others. It happens…"
"…they said…" Glando sobbed, tears running down his cheeks.
His mother knelt beside Glando, and hugged him. "It's not what you look like, it's what you are inside that counts…" she said in a quiet, soothing voice.
She held her son until his tears stopped, then she asked in a soft voice, "Was that all the names they used?"
"Glando shook his head, not trusting his voice.
"Tell me what else they called you," his mother prompted.
"…not me…" snuffled Glando, "…you…"
- - - - - - - - - -
"Take back what you said about my mother," Glando Bungeye hissed at the other student in his new High School.
"Why should I?" sneered the other student belligerently, "It's true, isn't it? She's just a cheap whore who services the Foreign Military bases… That's why your skin's so dark! She got 'knocked up' by one of th-… "
**WHACK** Glando's fist lashed out, catching the other boy in the teeth.
"Take that back!" demanded Glando.
Then the friends of the other boy piled onto Glando and things got hectic.
"Take it BACK!" screamed Glando as he flailed against the mob…
- - - - - - - - - -
"Are you in detention AGAIN, Bungeye?" asked the High School teacher.
Glando didn't bother replying. 'The fact I'm in the detention room, should be enough of a clue for anyone,' he thought bitterly, 'Even you…'
"What's it for THIS time boy?"
Glando remained silent. 'You've got the report in front of you,' he thought sullenly, 'You can read it for yourself…'
"Fighting again, Bungeye?" demanded the teacher, "I swear boy, your violent nature will be the death of you…"
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando at a High School Graduation dance.
"May I Have The Pleasure Of This Dance?" Glando asked, as politely as he could.
The girl looked at him, an expression of disdainful amusement on her face.
"I'm sorry," she replied, somewhat haughtily, "But I'm waiting for someone!"
"Another Time Then," despite his dismay, Glando still replied politely.
Having only had knock backs, and NO acceptances, Glando sought the company of the other 'male wallflowers' at the dance.
"Luck out again, Bungeye?" asked one of the motley crew.
"What can I say," Glando replied in mock humble tones, "They're all in awe of my Masculine Beauty!"
"Hah!" scoffed another boy in Macho jest, "What 'masculine beauty' is that? You've got as many zits as we have!"
"Whoever said I was talking about my face?" Glando asked with a Ribald leer.
The group of teenage boys laughed heartily.
"Know what your real problem is?" a school troublemaker sneered, intruding his unwelcome existence on the happy group.
Glando tensed slightly, at the new comer's arrogant attitude.
"No, what?" Glando asked politely, in too-quiet tones.
"They're afraid the colour will rub off on the sheets!" the thug said, his words matched by his provocative tone.
"That's assuming they'd be lucky enough, to get me into their bed in the first place," Glando countered smoothly.
"Stay away from our women!" the thug sullenly warned Glando, "They're too good for the likes of you!"
"May I Have The Pleasure Of This Dance?" Glando asked the thug in polite tones.
"What?" asked the thug, confused by Glando's request.
**WHACK** Glando's fist lashed out, catching the other boy in the teeth…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando walking home.
'My first day on the job went rather well,' Glando congratulated himself, 'When Payday comes around, I should be able to buy Mother that…'
"Well, well, well," a sneering voice interrupted Glando's thoughts.
Glando suddenly realised his path was blocked by someone he'd rather not meet.
"If it isn't 'twinkle toes'," observed the thug from the school dance, "I do hope you've got your dancing shoes on…"
"Why?" retorted Glando, "You need lessons?"
"No," the thug grinned, his eyes flicking behind Glando, "My friends do…"
Glando ducked, and kicked backwards, catching one of two extra thugs in the knee.
After that, things got hectic…
- - - - - - - - - -
"In for fighting, eh?" one of the other inmates in the Holding Cell asked.
"…self-defence, they started it…" a sullen Glando Bungeye quietly replied.
"And you were tough enough to finish it, were ya?" asked another inmate.
Glando didn't reply. He just stood warily with his back to the wall as several of the inmates started wandering over in his direction.
'Looks like I'll have to fight to prove I've got a place in the local 'pecking order'…' Glando thought, getting ready to 'Knuckle On'.
Then Glando noticed the way the gathering inmates were looking at him.
Not so much 'sizing him up', as 'leering' at him…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando lay curled up in the corner of the Prison shower block, buck naked. The tattered remains of his Prison Uniform lay scattered on the floor beside his bruised and bleeding flesh.
"Well, well… 'Toy-Boy'…" one of the Guards smugly observed, "I see you've met the 'Inmates Appreciation Society'…"
- - - - - - - - - -
"Bungeye!" the Guard loudly informed Prison inmate Glando Bungeye, "Move yer lazy butt over to the visitors section, Pronto! You've got a visitor…"
Glando hurried to comply. Experience had taught him that it was not wise to put the guards 'off-side'… One never knew when their authoritative presence would provide 'timely intervention'.
In the visitor's wing, Glando got a slight shock.
Waiting to see him was his mother…
"Mother?" Glando asked after he'd sat down, "I've told you, I'd rather you not come to this… place…"
"I know son," his mother replied, "But… There's something… I must tell you…"
Glando looked at his mother with a growing sense of unease.
"Son…" his mother said, looking at the table top, "You've… upset people… Ones who don't… accept apologies…"
"Have they threatened you?" Glando asked angrily.
His mother shut her eyes and shook her head, "No… They just…"
"Just WHAT!" Glando demanded harshly.
"They told me… That if we stayed in the area… They'd… they'd…" she broke down and started crying, unable to look at her son.
"So…" hissed Glando, anger burning deep within.
"Son!" his mother said, grabbing Glando by his arms for emphasis, "Please promise me! No matter what happens, you'll leave this town and make a better life for yourself! Promise me! Leave as soon as you get out! Never come back!"
Glando blinked, surprised at the urgency in his mothers voice, "I… promise mother," he murmured, "The day I get out of here, we'll both leave this city…"
"Thank you," sobbed his mother, "Thank you…"
- - - - - - - - - -
"Bungeye," the Prison Guard said quietly, "Warden wants to see you…"
The Guard's attitude made Glando nervous, 'What have I done that the Warden would want me for?' he wondered, 'Or has someone set me up?'
"Any idea what for?" Glando casually asked, fishing for answers.
"I wouldn't know that," the Guard replied.
In the Wardens' office, Glando was shown to a seat, in front of the Warden's large desk. The Warden sat behind his desk, tiredness chiselled into his granite features. Two large guards fell in on either side of Glando, in addition to the one that had brought him there.
'I'm in trouble…' thought Glando, noting the amount of 'muscle' ready to hand.
"You wanted to see me Warden?" Glando asked, as humbly and politely as he could.
"Inmate Bungeye," the Warden stated, "you recently had a visit from your mother, isn't that correct?'
"Yes Sir," Glando promptly replied, the Warden was NOT the sort of man you stuffed around.
"May I ask, what you discussed?"
"We…" Glando barely hesitated, "…talked about leaving this city… As soon as I finished my time, and got out of here…"
"Well Bungeye," said the Warden, "Looks like you'll be leaving this city even sooner than you think, you're being transferred to another facility… Today…"
'Transfer?' Glando frowned, 'Why would the Warden tell me this himself? And why so sudden?'
"Err… Sir?" Glando asked, "This is all rather… sudden… Will the Department advise my mother about this, or will they let me call her? It's just that, if she wants to visit me and I'm not here, she'll have wasted a trip…"
The Warden suddenly looked even more tired than usual.
"Inmate Bungeye," the Warden said, in a voice bearing the weight of the world, "It is my unpleasant duty to inform you… that your mother is dead…"
Glando froze, not wanting to believe what he'd just heard.
"It happened just after 10 AM this morning," the Warden continued, "A gas leak in her apartment block. If it's any consolation, she would've died instantly…"
"…no…" whispered Glando.
The Warden continued, "Preliminary investigations, have revealed that pipes damaged by recent earth tremors, were most likely the cause of the gas leak…"
"No," said Glando, shaking his head.
"…lucky actually," the Warden rambled on, "Any earlier in the day, and most of the other occupants of the apartment block would have been caught in the explosion… As it was, it looks like she's the only fatali-"
"NO!" shouted Glando, rising to his feet, and slamming both hands down on the Warden's desk, "NO ACCIDENT! She WARNED me! She SAID they'd…"
The rest of Glando's comments were cut off, as the guards beside him suddenly piled onto him, and slammed him face first into the carpet.
"We aren't stupid, Bungeye," the Warden sighed, "We know the sort of people you pissed off. We know how this situation 'looks'… Believe me, if it was them, you have NO way of ever proving it."
"…THEM…" screamed Glando, from around a mouthful of carpet.
"We've got orders from 'Up-Top' to move you," the Warden said, "They don't want any chance of 'gas leaks' here. Take him away…"
Glando struggled and screamed, until one of the Guards administered a well-placed baton to the back of his head, and everything went dark…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando lay in his new Prison cell, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling above him.
"Mr Bungeye?" asked the 'Suit' the Guard had brought to his cell, "Mr Bungeye, I know this is hard for you, but there's the matter of your mother's Will…"
Glando barely looked at the man.
"It seems Mr Bungeye, that some good may come out of this," stated the Suit.
Glando DID look at the Suit now, although through angrily narrowed eyes.
"Err…" the Suit flustered nervously, "It appears that you are the beneficiary of a rather large amount from her life insurance…"
Glando rose slowly from his bunk, glaring menacingly at the Suit.
The Guard tapped his baton meaningfully against his palm, as he casually stepped between Glando and the Suit.
"Life… Insurance?" Glando snarled.
The Suit gulped, "Ah… Yes! Life Insurance! And there's also a little matter of a letter for you to read…"
With that, the Suit handed over a sealed letter, in a trembling hand.
Glando stared for a few seconds, then snatched the letter away.
"We'll… Ah… just give you… privacy to read it," the Suit quavered, edging out of the cell, an amused Guard following him.
Glando's hands shook as he broke the seal. Inside the envelope, was a short note in his mother's handwriting. It read…
'My dear son Glando, I have asked you to leave this city, and you have promised to do so. I hope we will leave it together, as a family should. Recent events have made me afraid for the future. I am especially afraid for you. I have taken the precaution, of insuring both of our lives. The amount is not much, but should anything happen to either of us, the other will have funds with which to start anew. If anything should happen to me, please do not grieve for me. Instead, Live, for both of us. You were a bright child, and it is my wish that you should go to college. I want you to escape this place, and make of your life something better than what I could have given you. Your mother…'
Glando read it with eyes blurred with tears. He re-read it, again and again, reading between the lines.
"…mother…" he whispered, at this touching last message of love and care from his deceased mother.
"…why…?" he sobbed, knowing that his mother knew exactly where the gas pipes in the apartment were located…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando stood at a bus stop on the outskirts of the city, looking back.
'Mother…' Glando thought with a heavy heart, as he cradled a small jar against his chest, 'I promised you I'd leave this place with you, and never return,'
'I'll gladly keep that promise…' Glando felt some comfort, knowing that his current actions would have pleased his mother.
'But…' dark anger clouded Glando's mind, 'If I EVER get a chance at revenge…'
The late autumn wind blew softly around the lone figure.
The approach of a bus broke Glando out of his reverie.
Sighing deeply, Glando secured the jar of his mother's ashes in his luggage…
- - - - - - - - - -
It was a bleak winter night, and Glando Bungeye had just left his low-paying job as 'cellarman' and 'casual bouncer'.
The payout from his Mother's Life Insurance had given Glando a good start at College, and at the new life a College degree promised.
Unfortunately, the Life Insurance payout wasn't anywhere near enough to cover all the costs of College. Being a cynical realist, Glando had started looking for a job well before his funds gave out.
The job Glando eventually found wasn't much - odd hours, poor pay, zero respect, and no 'career path', let alone any chance of 'promotion'. Still, Glando was grateful for it, especially since it was all he could currently get with his Police Record.
It was almost an hour's walk to the cheap 'hole-in-the-wall' apartment Glando shared with some other students. He knew he could easily cut 15 minutes off that, by leaving the brightly lit main streets, and taking back-alley shortcuts. It was dangerous to take the shortcuts at night, as all sorts of trash came out to play… Usually with those people the trash considered weak and easy prey.
Glando smirked as his fingers touched the folded cutthroat razor in his pocket.
So far, the score was Four-Nil, Glando's favour…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando paused, sensing that something wasn't right in the night around him.
His street instincts kicked in, and he slid into one of the deeper shadows, taking cover as he peered around and listened intently.
His ears soon recognised the sounds of a muffled struggle.
A sneer crossed his face, 'So! Some idiot's where they shouldn't be…'
Glando shook his head, 'It's none of my business…'
He turned to walk off, the situation making his senses more alert to any danger to himself.
Then a woman's scream briefly sounded, cut off by the sounds of violence.
Glando stopped where he was, breathing heavily.
Then with a barely audible curse, he turned in the direction of the scream…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando held his gory cutthroat razor in a trembling hand.
On the pavement nearby, two men lay unmoving in pools of their own blood. Their intended female victim leaned against a dumpster, breathing raggedly, in shock from the events of the past few minutes.
Glando's fingers traced the bloody cuts marring the side of his shirt. He pressed his free hand against his wounds, trying to hold back the slimy warmth that leaked from them.
"S--T!" Glando spat, every breath hurting, "I'll need stitches for this…"
At the sound of his voice, the woman suddenly seemed to notice Glando. She looked at him in fear, cowering timidly away from him as she tried to cover herself with her torn clothes.
Glando barely looked at her, his attention on more important things, 'Knowing my luck, those B-----Ds will have friends nearby…'
"Miss!" Glando snarled at the woman, "This place is dangerous! I'm leaving. I suggest you do the same. While you still can…"
The woman looked confused, "Then… you aren't…"
Ignoring the woman's comment, Glando turned and stumbled off into the darkness, cursing himself for getting involved in the first place…
- - - - - - - - - -
"You! You're…" the woman in the club had gasped, on seeing Glando.
Glando's eyes narrowed as he scrutinised the woman's face.
"Have we met?" he asked, his words politer than his tone.
"Weren't you the one in the alley?" the woman prompted, "That night?"
"I've never seen you before in my life," lied Glando, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do…"
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando stared at the person waiting outside his apartment building.
"You're a hard man to track down, Mr Bungeye," the woman from the alley said.
"What do you want?" Glando asked tersely, by way of reply.
"Information."
"About what?" Glando asked suspiciously.
"Not 'what', a person."
"Who?"
"You," the woman replied with a smile, as she walked closer to Glando…
- - - - - - - - - -
"Make yourself at home," Glando graciously offered his unwanted guest, in ungracious tones, "I need to take a shower. We'll talk afterwards."
'With luck, she'll get tired of waiting and leave,' Glando fumed.
Glando stalked from the room, seeking the temporary solace of the bathroom.
'What does she really want?' Glando asked himself, as the shower sprayed over him, 'Is she looking to blackmail me over what I did to those thugs? Ha! Some hope! I've got nothing worth taking. Hmm… Then again, IF I get a degree…'
The shower door suddenly opened, the steam obscuring a vague figure.
Glando's mind flashed back to another time of tiled floors, running water, and unwanted company. He lashed out at the intruder automatically.
The intruder fell backwards with a cry of alarm, hitting the floor.
"Owwww," a female voice cried in pain, "What did you do that for?"
The female voice snapped Glando back to reality, '…this isn't then…'
"I'm sorry," apologised Glando, appalled by his uncontrolled response.
"Here," Glando offered, extending his arm, "Let me help you up…"
It was then that Glando realised that not only was he naked, so was the woman.
"Err…" mumbled Glando, freezing up with embarrassment, as the woman took his arm and hauled herself up.
"Ah…" gasped Glando in embarrassed shock as the woman gently pushed him back into the shower stall, before entering it with him.
Glando gulped, realising the shower stall was too small for two people to use it, without LOTS of 'physical contact' between them…
"What's the matter?" the woman asked coyly, smiling at Glando's embarrassment, "Never had a shower with a friend before?"
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando sitting in his bedroom, with his visitor.
"I'm… sorry…" Glando mumbled, "About what happened… In the shower…"
"Oh?" the woman replied with a smile.
"I'm…" Glando paused, desperately groping for the right words to use, "…not… used to… being…" he trailed off, words failing him.
"You've got painful scars…" the woman murmured, sitting beside him.
"…they're fine…" Glando muttered, idly touching the half-healed reminders of the night he first met the woman.
"…Inside your heart," the woman continued, her face suddenly close to Glando's, her gaze looking deeply into his eyes.
Glando gulped heavily and turned away.
"If you want to talk about it…" the woman's voice was a warm breath caressing the side of Glando's neck, "I'm here, I'll listen…"
Glando turned back to the woman, searching her face for some form of mockery, or duplicity. He found none.
Bright Hopes and Dark Shadows battled inside Glando, as long suppressed emotions arose within him. He began to cry, partly through emotional release, and partly through the sheer psychological effort, it took to speak about such things…
Glando sobbed out broken sentences, as he tried to express himself to the woman beside him…
- - - - - - - - - -
"Thank you Professor," said Glando, happy to be out of the Police Station.
"Don't thank me," the elder man retorted, "Thank your girlfriend, she was the one who got me to post your bail…"
Glando smiled, "I'm sorry you don't like me… I'm afraid that I don't make friends easily…"
"I'm not surprised," the Professor muttered under his breath.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando lay on his bed, his new lover beside him, her head resting on his chest.
"You know," she said, "You could get a job with the group I work for…"
"Really?" Glando asked, "I thought they only want people with multiple degrees?"
"No," she breathed, "They recruit all people with all levels of education. I think you could do very well for yourself in their Security Division…"
"Me?" Glando scoffed, "A Security Guard? With MY police record?"
"Police Records can be ignored," she softly replied, "…or erased…"
"Erased?" Glando looked at her in surprise.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando stood before the desk of the Security Division Chief.
"I've been watching you for the past few months," the supervisor stated in an austere monotone, "And there's a matter I feel I must talk to you about…"
Glando didn't flinch at the implied threat in the words, 'He must have found out I've made 'personal use' of the database…'
"Bungeye," drawled the supervisor, "Would you consider taking a promotion?"
"A Promotion, Sir?" Glando blinked in surprise.
"Yes," the supervisor replied, "However, it does involve… a transfer…"
"Where to Sir?" Glando asked eagerly.
"Tell me Bungeye," the supervisor grinned, "Do you like Penguins?"
- - - - - - - - -
Glando was packing what few possessions he had in his apartment, when the phone rang. He picked it up, answering with a curt, "Yes?"
A faint hiss of static marred the silence on the phone line.
"Is any one there?" asked Glando.
"We are everywhere," came the answer.
"Who am I speaking with?" Glando asked warily.
"Those who see all…"
"Who is this?" demanded Glando.
"We'll meet shortly…"
The line went dead, and Glando looked at the handset with a grim feeling of foreboding,
'So. They found out I was looking for them. And they know where I am…'
Glando hung up the phone, and loaded his gun, making sure he had spare ammo handy…
Without warning, the lights went out. Glando scowled, flipping the safety off his gun and chambering a round, before kneeling silently behind his couch.
'It ends tonight. I will avenge you, Mother…'
The sudden coagulation of the gloom into towering blocks of darkness, was NOT what Glando expected…
- - - - - - - - - -
"Since you've been accepted by the 'Inner Circle', I can show you this…" said Glando's lover, as she took him deep into a 'Restricted' Section. She paused before an armoured door.
"On the other side of this…" she sighed, then continued, "Well, you'll see…"
She tapped a code on a keypad beside the door. The door hissed slowly open, revealing what appeared to be some sort of Biology Lab. Dozens of jars containing preserved Human Foetuses lined the walls.
Glando looked idly about, seeing nothing unusual, or overly exciting.
Then some of the foetuses opened their eyes, turning their heads to stare at Glando with crimson dots.
Glando swallowed heavily, as he realised they weren't preserved specimens.
"Welcome to my Workspace," murmured his lover…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando looked around the office of the Security Division Chief.
"It's been awhile…' mused Glando, 'Since I was last here…'
On impulse, Glando sat in the swivel chair behind the desk, trying it out.
'Hmm… Could do with a service…' Glando thought as the chair squeaked.
A knock at the door interrupted Glando's thoughts.
"I've got those records you wanted, Sir," the Junior Officer said to the Security Division Chief.
"Just put them in my In-Tray," Glando replied, smiling as he pointed at the desk before him…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando entered the Warehouse, stepping gingerly over the spent bullet casings, bodies, and pools of blood.
A SWAT uniformed soldier came up to Glando, saluting him.
"We've secured the area Sir,"
"Good," Glando said tonelessly, "Any Survivors?"
"Yes Sir," replied the soldier, "They're in the office area…"
"Take me to them," Glando quietly ordered.
The walls of the Warehouse office were riddled with bullet holes. As were the handful of survivors, who were receiving urgent medical attention from the medics in Glando's SWAT team.
Glando checked each survivor, looking at the pain-filled faces. He stopped before one particular man.
"You," Glando merely said, drawing his own gun.
"…who…" gurgled the injured man, "…are?"
The injured man's eyes suddenly widened in recognition, "…you! You're…"
Glando shot the injured man in the face before he could complete the sentence.
Glando kept pulling the trigger, pumping round after round into the man's rapidly disintegrating head. After the hammer had clicked uselessly four times, Glando stopped pulling the trigger.
"Any other survivors?" Glando asked the SWAT operative next to him.
"…Yes Sir," the SWAT replied.
"Wrong," Glando said in icy tones, "There were NO survivors…"
Glando turned and walked away, heedless of the gunshots that suddenly rang out behind him…
- - - - - - - - - -
Once again, STEELY holograms surrounded Glando.
"We have new orders for you," one of the holograms intoned.
Glando kept silent, listening attentively.
"There are certain… items… we want transported from our Southern Base…"
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando embraced his lover, desperately trying to forget the terrifying events of the past week, and the worldwide horror it had unleashed.
She whispered in his ear, barely audible over the soft romantic music playing in the background, "Now that you know the truth… Will you help me?"
"Yes," Glando murmured back, "Anything you want…"
His lover kissed him, then drew back so she could look deep into his eyes.
She smiled impishly as she said in a husky voice, "I'm so glad… I'd always wanted to have a child before I turned thirty…"
Glando blinked in surprise at the sudden change of topic.
- - - - - - - - - -
"You're married?" Fu2ok gasped incredulously.
"Yes," Glando said with amused pride as he handed over a wedding announcement card, "And we're expecting a boy!"
Fu2ok read the card, a look of disbelief on his face.
Glando smiled, partly at being able to give the news he just had, and partly at the 'inside joke' his wife had put on the card.
Glando knew the professor wouldn't understand the significance of the blue-haired cherub on it…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando stared at the bundle the Nurse had just handed over to him. He reached out and moved the folded cloth apart, revealing a small ugly face, and a tiny hand.
'This is my son?' Glando stared in disbelief at the small stranger.
"Why don't you tickle his cheek?" Glando's wife made the comment from her bed in the Maternity Ward.
Glando hesitated, then reached out a finger and hesitantly stroked his son's face. The baby responded by grabbing Glando's finger with a small hand.
…in a powerful grip…
Somewhere inside Glando, emotional tension eased into something more pleasant. He relaxed, his arms and body curving into a more protective embrace around the tiny life he held.
"Coochy Coochy Coo…" Glando murmured.
- - - - - - - - - -
"You should spend more time with your son," Glando's wife stated.
Glando sighed, "Work demands at the office dictate otherwise…"
"He won't stay this age forever?" Glando's wife reminded him, "Children grow up so fast these days…"
"There'll be time when he's older," Glando promised, "When I've finally got this mess sorted out to a dull roar…"
- - - - - - - - - -
"I still don't like this," Glando argued, trying to make his wife see sense.
"As I've said before," Glando's wife sighed, "Since I developed the system, it's only fitting that I should have enough faith in it to test it myself…"
- - - - - - - - - -
Oblivious to the panicked bedlam around him, Glando stared in disbelieving horror at the thing his wife had created.
The thing that was now taking her away from him.
Glando became aware of another noise, a lesser one, but one that still managed to cut through the emergency sirens, and yelling of the Tech staff…
The voice of a child, wailing for his mother…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando breathed deeply, trying to overcome the emotions surging within.
The dark task was not helped by Shakey's incessant bawling.
"Shut Up!" Glando snapped harshly at his son, "Crying won't bring her back!"
Shakey stopped momentarily, frightened by Glando's outburst, then his lips quivered, and he started bawling again, but louder.
Glando swore under his breath as he realised he had just said the wrong thing to his son, let alone saying it in the wrong tone of voice. He turned to comfort his son, but words failed him.
In frustration, Glando slammed a fist against the wall, bruising his knuckles.
Glando stared at his fist, ignoring the pain in his hand, as a memory of another man's fist surfaced, from deep in his own childhood…
"I am not him," Glando hissed, "Nor will I become him…"
- - - - - - - - - -
"You'll be living here for awhile," Glando told Shakey, before turning his back on his son, and walking away.
Shakey wailed with the fresh grief of being abandoned by the only family he had.
Glando walked away, not looking back, not even faltering, even though his own heart was breaking…
- - - - - - - - - -
A darkened room…
Glando rolled over on the bunk he lay on, his face clearing the side in time to direct a great gout of alcohol-flavoured vomit onto the floor.
The semi-liquid mess splattered on the floor, forcing several empty bottles aside with the force of the collision.
The shaking of Glando's vomiting body turned to smaller tremors as he sobbed uncontrollably, his entire world reduced to the despair of the dark and fetid hole around him…
- - - - - - - - - -
"For Heaven's sake man," Fu2ok yelled, "You've got to pull yourself together! You've got a son to think about…"
"My son…" Glando whispered, staring vacantly at the older man.
"Yes! Your Son!" stressed Fu2ok, "It's been two weeks now, he needs to be with his family, not stuck in some D--N 24-Hour-A-Day Child Care Centre…"
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando sat in his office, watching a small monitor on his desk. On it, was an image of a young boy, playing in a child's play ground at dusk. Alone.
"Shakey…" murmured Glando, reaching out to touch the image on the monitor…
- - - - - - - - - -
"I have made my decision," Glando said in an icy monotone, "He will be better off with his Uncle and Aunt."
The Professor sighed, shaking his head, and opening his mouth to speak.
"My duties preclude the possibility of my being a… 'Sole Parent'…" Glando replied harshly, signalling an end to any further discussion on the matter.
"What about yourself?" Fu2ok persisted, "It's not healthy for any man to cut himself off like this… You need to share your life with others…"
Glando remained silent, the cold lump of flesh in his chest continuing to beat, but no longer providing the warmth of life to the man around it.
'The only thing I have in my life that I can share,' thought Glando, 'Is pain…'
- - - - - - - - - -
"I know you have a broken heart Commander," purred Nayokay, bringing her face close to his, "But I think I can fix it. Trust me! I'm an engineer!"
Then she leaned in, closing her eyes as she passionately kissed him.
Glando froze. Instead of passion, he felt nothing but anger and revulsion…
- - - - - - - - - -
"What exactly do you mean? I've got to keep her 'satisfied'?" Glando barely kept his anger in check as he talked with the STEELY Hologram before him.
"Do whatever it is, the Doctor wants you to do," STEELY replied, "She is of vital importance to our plans, and if being 'with you' helps her do her work…"
"I… see…" Glando said through gritted teeth, memories of a Prison Shower Block playing in his head…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando began to sweat as the STEELY Monoliths appeared around him.
'Will they let me resign?' Glando wondered, 'Or will my son soon be receiving a payout from MY Life Insurance policy?'
'They probably won't,' thought Glando bitterly, resigning himself to his fate, 'Goodbye Shakey. I hope you'll forgive my last failure as your father…'
"We have a job for you Atari…" stated one of the Monoliths.
Glando only half-listened.
"It concerns your late wife's 'other' work…" said another Monolith.
Glando tensed slightly, the mention of his wife renewing his emotional pain.
'I'll be with you soon, dear,' Glando thought, seeking what comfort he could from the situation.
"Are you aware," asked one of the Monoliths, "That your wife used her own DNA in their construction…?"
Glando blinked in surprise, his mind racing, 'Her OWN…? Then… they're NOT…?'
"We were wondering if you'd like to oversee the… finalisation… of her work?" one of the Monoliths offered in sly condescension.
"What… would it entail," asked Glando, poker-faced…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando and Fu2ok walked down a deserted corridor, deep within the NERVIS Base.
"What exactly did you want me to see down here, Atari?" asked Fu2ok.
"Patience, Professor," remonstrated Atari, "All will shortly be revealed…"
Glando paused before an armoured door.
"On the other side of this…" Glando murmured, "You'll see…"
He tapped a code on a keypad beside the door.
The door hissed slowly open, revealing a darkened room beyond. Glando turned the lights on, revealing the contents of the Doppelganger Lab to his companion…
"Good… Lord…" the Professor croaked, "Atari… Who…?"
"Say hello to RAVE…" Glando smiled, "Their… mother… was a student of yours…"
The Professor stared dumbstruck at the multitude of blue-haired children floating peacefully in the tank…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando and Fu2ok were arguing in the Doppelganger Lab.
"This is… insane…" Fu2ok admitted.
"No," Glando smiled, "Genius. Sheer Genius…"
"But… What was the point of this?" Fu2ok asked, his arm sweeping around in a gesture indicating the blue-haired children watching from inside their tank.
"Her research," Glando said quietly, "Provided us with the expertise necessary to create the AVE Maria program. Part of that, was how to control the AVE."
Fu2ok remained silent, listening intently to Glando.
"She solved that problem by…" Glando searched for the right words, "…designing an 'interactive neurological feedback' device. To do that, she needed a supply of standardised 'Human equivalent' nervous systems to experiment on…"
Fu2ok looked aghast, "You don't mean, she used THEM?"
"Why not?" asked Glando, "She made them…"
"But you can't use CHILDREN as 'Lab Rats'!" yelled Fu2ok.
"Professor," Glando quietly asked, "What makes you think they're children?"
"What makes…?" Fu2ok spluttered, "Just LOOK at them man!"
"Let me rephrase that…" Glando sighed, "What makes you think they're Human?"
Fu2ok blinked.
"I think you should read her notes…" said Glando, producing a binder.
- - - - - - - - - -
"The theory is sound," the Professor grudgingly admitted, "But…"
"But?" Glando urged.
Fu2ok sighed, "There's NO guarantee it will produce useable results. Atari, a Data core can hold a lot of digitised information, but it just isn't capable of holding ALL of the delicate intellectual complexity of the Human mind. IF we do this… There WILL be knowledge without context… Gaps… Empty spaces…"
"Then we will fill them," retorted Glando, "Just as she intended to…"
"How do I get this through to you?" asked Fu2ok in exasperation, "We'll be lucky if we get a mobile 'vegetable', let alone any sort of useable 'Idiot Savant'!"
"It's all there in her notes," argued Glando, "She anticipated the problem, and had formulated ways of getting around it! It's what she was going to do with them herself, until her accident prevented her from continuing…"
"Accident?" snorted Fu2ok, "Are you sure that's what it was? Since it happened just when she was ready to start these… experiments with them, I'd say th-"
"I am aware of how things appear," Glando curtly interrupted, "However, there is no need for either of us to have any further concerns over that matter."
"Why not?" asked Fu2ok, "Doesn't it bother you? Not just how she died, but that those ultimately responsible will get away with it? Like they do with everything else?"
"Read this entry," advised Glando, handing over a well-worn notebook.
As Fu2ok read, his expression changed to one of shocked disbelief.
Glando didn't wait for the professor to speak, "Now you know why I'm not worried about finding those 'responsible' for taking her from me…"
Fu2ok nodded dumbly.
"As you can see," continued Glando, "She left of her own free will…"
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando stood in the Doppelganger Lab, staring at the occupants of the tank. The sound of footsteps from behind him, made him turn around.
Fu2ok walked into the Lab, a concerned look on his face. He stopped beside Glando, and joined him in staring at the occupants of the tank.
"Today's the day," muttered Fu2ok.
"Indeed," agreed Glando.
"Have you decided which one it will be?" Fu2ok asked, gesturing at the tank.
"Yes," said Glando.
"Any special selection method?"
"No. If the experiment worked, any of them should be as good as another…"
"IF it worked," Fu2ok stressed, "We still don't know if the process worked… We may not end up with a viable intellect…"
"The process will work…" affirmed Glando.
"And if it doesn't?" pressed Fu2ok.
Glando didn't reply.
"So," Fu2ok eventually sighed, "Two men will now play 'mid-wife', and give 'birth' to a motherless child… Hopefully, we'll create a person in the process…"
Glando looked silently at the occupants of the tank.
"What will her name be?" Fu2ok asked, "Or haven't you decided that?"
"Her name… will be Rave…"
"Rayve?" Fu2ok spoke the name slowly, "Hmm… Not a traditional Japanese name, what language is it from? English or-" Fu2ok stopped abruptly, then said in a small voice, "You named her after the project that created her? Haven't you?"
"Why not?" returned Glando, "She IS the project…"
Fu2ok muttered something unintelligible.
"Besides," Glando felt various emotions, "It's close to what my wife wanted to call our child, had Shakey been born a girl…"
"Oh, Really? What was that?"
"A little hint," Glando shrugged, "My wife was a big Sailor Moon fan…"
Fu2ok made another unintelligible comment, then said "What about a family name?"
Glando smiled, "Imanonymous…"
"Imanonymous? Imanonymous… Oh for-! 'I'm Anonymous'?" Fu2ok was incredulous, "Are you serious? A bad PUN as a name?"
"We're in Japan," Glando replied in dry tones, "Despite the Government's policy of 'Internationalisation', only a small percentage of the population understands English… Few will realise there's any 'pun' in the name, let alone understand how appropriate it is… Rave has no past, no parents, no family, no friends, no trace of any existence before today… She really is… 'anonymous'…"
- - - - - - - - - -
The pale body twitched… Red eyes slowly opened…
"Rave?" Glando asked the waking girl anxiously, "Can you understand me?"
"…sss…" a voice gurgled, before disappearing under wracking coughs.
Glando and Fu2ok helped the child roll onto her side.
Relief flooded through Glando as the Clone coughed up the TLC from her lungs, starting to breathe like a normal human for the first time in her life…
"Good Girl," Glando said in kindly tones, gently patting the blue haired head.
- - - - - - - - - -
Near the Doppelganger Lab, a makeshift 'Nursery' had been constructed for the sole use of a blue-haired girl child… With her at the moment, was Glando Atari, Professor Fu2ok, and a half-dozen Lab-coated Technicians from STEELY…
"I was afraid of this…" Fu2ok frowned, as he watched Rave struggle to formulate answers to some simple questions.
"There are 'gaps' in her knowledge," agreed Glando, "But she is 'uneducated', rather than 'retarded', 'bright' rather than 'dim'… With the help of her teachers, she will soon be as competent as any other child her age…"
"Sociological Technicians…" Fu2ok snorted as he looked at Rave's attendants.
Fu2ok and Glando watched as the Soc Tech's talked softly and slowly to Rave, showing her a collection of images in a book about animals.
Rave suddenly pointed at a picture of a hairy chimpanzee and said "…commander…?"
"You're right Atari," smirked Fu2ok, "She IS bright!"
Glando blinked, "Perhaps I should shave this stubble off…" he muttered…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando was in the 'Nursery', watching Rave eat her dinner.
Or at least, watching the Soc Techs TRY, to get Rave to eat her dinner…
Rave kept moving her head from side to side, away from the spoonful of pulped food the Soc Techs were trying to feed her.
Glando watched, amused at the child's refusal to eat the proffered meal.
'Just like when we taught Shakey to eat,' Glando thought wistfully, as Rave yet again avoided the spoonful of mush.
"Now Rave!" cajoled one of the Soc Techs, "Be a good girl and eat your meal!"
Rave moved her head aside, keeping her lips tightly shut.
"Here," said Glando on a whim, "Let me try…"
He took the food and spoon from the surprised Soc Tech, and turned to Rave.
"Now Rave," Glando said softly, in a singsong voice, "You really should eat your food! You need it to grow up All BIG and Strong!"
Rave looked at him, her lips unmoving.
"It's really nice!" cooed Glando, putting the spoon to his own mouth, "See?"
"Num, num, num!" enthused Glando, before putting the spoonful of food in his own mouth, just as he had when trying to get Shakey to eat his baby food.
A strange expression contorted Glando's face, just before he spat the food out…
"What IS this S--T?" Glando swore as a vile taste spread throughout his mouth.
"Err…" the Soc Tech responded, "It's a fully balanced meal, with additional nutritional supplements that should…"
"It's terrible!" interrupted Glando, "Has this stuff 'gone off', or what?"
"T-the additional supplements may taste…" started the Soc Tech.
"Can't you give them to her in a pill, or something?" asked Glando between unsuccessful attempts to wipe the taste from his mouth, "And let her eat some decent food instead of that Pig-Slop?"
"Err… We could…" shrugged the Soc Tech.
"Do so!" ordered Glando, "It's no wonder she won't eat it! I've eaten better tasting Dog-Food than that muck!"
The Soc techs scurried about, and finally brought Rave some real food.
Rave again refused to eat, turning her head to stare at Glando instead.
Noting her stare, Glando sighed, and took the spoon from the Soc Tech, and ate a mouthful of the new food.
Seeing Glando swallow the food, Rave took up her own spoon and began to eat.
"Didn't you say your duties precluded your being a 'Sole Parent'," observed an amused Fu2ok, who had entered in time to see Glando's 'Parental Performance'.
"I'm not her 'parent', 'sole' or otherwise," retorted Glando, "I'm her 'Guardian'… There are full-time specialists taking care of her 'needs'…"
"And what WAS that bit about 'Dog-Food'?" Fu2ok smirkingly inquired.
"I was a College Student," mumbled Glando, "You're a Professor, you know what it's like when you're starving in the 'Groves of Academe'…"
- - - - - - - - - -
"…know my A, B, C's, next time won't you sing with me…" sang Rave in a melodic child's voice.
Dressed in a 'Pre-School' uniform, Rave was in the 'Nursery' not far from the Doppelganger Lab. Her audience was Glando Atari, and two of the numerous 'Sociological Technicians' that looked after Rave's welfare and education.
"Good Girl, Rave," smiled Glando.
Rave looked at Glando, her expression devoid of any emotion, yet somehow serene.
"Hello Professor," Rave said, alerting Glando to the other's presence.
"Hello Rave," Fu2ok replied warmly, "And how are you today?"
"I am well thank you," Rave replied by rote to the verbal stimulus, her expression never changing.
The 'demonstration' over, a Soc Tech led Rave off to another lesson.
"So what's with the outfit?" queried Fu2ok, gesturing at Rave's clothes, "Isn't she a little 'old' for Pre-School?"
"Age is relative," stated Glando, "As far as Physical development, she's 'old' enough to be in Primary School. As far as Mental development, she's… very bright… for a Pre-Schooler. As for 'Real Age'… Do we measure that from when she was 'conceived', or from when she was able to survive on her own in the TLC tank, or from when we took her out of the tank?"
"True…" Fu2ok agreed.
"She will have a unique life," Glando continued, "The usual rules certainly won't apply. Her uniform for example, is the closest she'll ever get, to actually knowing what it's like to be a real Pre-Schooler…"
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando walked into Rave's 'Nursery'. It had been another dreary day, and he was looking forward to the one Official Duty that gave him any real pleasure.
Spending time with Rave…
Glando didn't see Rave in the Nursery, so he casually asked the single Sociological Technician there, "Where's Rave?"
"She's having an 'Attitude Alignment' session," the Soc Tech replied.
Glando stared uncomprehendingly at the man, and asked, "What's that?"
"It's…" the Soc Tech hesitated, "A means of instilling respect for authority, and ensuring obedience to the Chain of Command…"
"Chain of Command?" Glando blinked, "What's that got to do with Rave? She's only a child?"
"She won't remain one," the Soc Tech shrugged, "Besides, you know the old saying, 'an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure'…"
"So where is she?" asked Glando, only mildly interested by the Jargon Lesson the Soc Tech had given him.
"Err… Actually Sir," the Soc Tech replied hesitantly, "She's unavailable…"
Glando stared at the man, not reassured by the underling's cryptic attitude.
"What part of 'where is she', don't you understand?" Glando asked quietly.
"She's in the middle of a treatment, and…"
"WHERE is she?" demanded Glando in no-nonsense tones, "Show me, NOW!"
The Soc tech gulped, and led Glando from the Nursery along the corridor, deeper into the depths of the NERVIS Base. They ended up in another lab, where several Soc Techs sat watching various monitors.
"Who's in charge here?" Glando asked.
"I am," replied one of the Soc Techs.
"Wrong," Glando replied in icy tones, "I'm the Commander of this Facility, so **I'M** the one in charge here. Now, I want the answer to a simple question, and I want it now… Where's Rave?"
"You can't see her," the leader of the Soc Techs said, "She's currently…"
**WHACK** Glando's fist suddenly lashed out, 'King Hitting' the Tech. The man crumpled up and hit the floor.
"I asked a question," Glando said in too-quiet tones. Glando turned to another Soc Tech, "Your turn…"
The Soc Tech quickly pointed to an armoured door in the side of the lab.
"She's in there?" asked Glando.
"Yes Sir," replied the Soc Tech, "If you want to see her, she's on the monitor…"
Glando turned to the indicated monitor…
…And froze as he saw a picture of the blue haired child, sitting naked on the floor of a dark room. Rave suddenly shivered, a look of pain marring her face.
"…what… Is THIS?" Glando demanded angrily.
"Attitude Alignment session 5-10," replied a Soc Tech, "Enhanced Appreciation of Social Contact by Enforced Abstinence…"
A memory of another child, all alone, ran through Glando's mind… He walked over to the armoured door, and triggered the lock.
"Sir!" a Soc Tech called out, "You can't…"
"I CAN!" Glando retorted, "In case you hadn't noticed, I AM the Commander."
The door opened, and Glando entered a gloomy room, with a moist chilly atmosphere.
"Rave?" Glando asked softly, kneeling beside the girl.
Rave looked up at Glando, her normally blank expression tainted by distress.
Glando reached out to take the child reassuringly by the shoulders.
"You're cold as ice," Glando murmured, as his fingers touched her bare skin.
"Here…" with that, Glando took off his uniform jacket, and wrapped it around the child. Then he scooped her up, and exited the room she'd been imprisoned in.
"This session is OVER," Glando addressed the Soc Techs with quiet menace.
The man Glando had King Hit, groaned and began to stir.
"You!" Glando said in icy tones, staring at the recovering Soc Tech with cold disdain, "I will want to have a 'little talk' with you about this later!"
Glando swept his contemptuous gaze over those present, "Until then, no further 'activities' such as these, will be conducted on Rave…"
Glando stalked out of the room, back to the Nursery. By the time he got there, he found that Rave had curled up and gone to sleep in his arms. Glando smiled wistfully at the simple expression of childish trust.
Somewhere inside Glando, emotional tension eased into something more pleasant. He relaxed, his arms and body curving into a more protective embrace around the small bundle of warmth in his jacket.
'I failed as a Father with my own son,' mused Glando, 'And I'm not much of a 'Guardian' to you… But at least I treat you better than THEY do…'
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando was in the Nursery, with a couple of Sociological Technicians standing somewhat nervously before him. Rave was sleeping in her cot.
"Why is Rave being subjected to these… 'Attitude Alignment' procedures?" asked Glando in quiet tones, while staring at the Senior Soc Tech.
"Orders Sir," replied the somewhat bruised Senior Soc Tech.
"That's not what I meant," said Glando, "What is the rationale BEHIND them?"
"It's a case of 'Spare the Rod, and Spoil the Child' Sir!"
"Meaning what, Exactly?" asked Glando, in slightly louder tones.
"She needs to have 'Psychological Conditioning' to ensure she will be properly obedient to authority, and will conform to accepted social standards, Sir."
"Is that supposed to explain why she was imprisoned in a cold dark cell?" demanded Glando, "Such… actions… if carried out on any other child, would incur the wrath of the Authorities involved in the care and protection of children…"
"But she's not any 'other' child Sir, she…"
"I know that!" interrupted Glando, "But why do you think the 'normal' methods of discipline, and education, would be 'ineffective' with her?"
The Soc Tech stared at Glando.
"Well?" asked Glando impatiently, "I'm waiting?"
"She's… strong… Sir…"
"…Strong…?"
"Yes sir… Very strong…"
Glando stared at the man before him, for several long moments. Then he spoke…
"You will immediately inform me of all related… 'procedures'… that HAVE been carried out on Rave, as well as any that WERE planned for Rave…"
The Soc Tech quickly handed over a folder. Glando took it and began to read.
"Is this correct?" Glando asked in stunned disbelief, staring at the Soc Techs.
"Err… Yes… it is, Sir!"
"Sensory Deprivation?! Enforced Psychological Alignment via Electric Shock Therapy?!" Glando demanded incredulously, "On Rave? She's just a child!"
The Soc Tech fidgeted, "Sir, we have orders to…"
"WRONG!" snapped Glando, "You HAD orders! You now have NEW orders… Rave is to be raised as any OTHER child! With care, respect, and gentleness…"
Glando turned from the Soc Techs in disgust, his gaze passing over Rave. He blinked as he saw the child's eyes were open and looking at him.
"Now see what you've done," muttered Glando, "You've made me wake her up…"
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando was with Rave at the first test of the Memory Download system…
"Rave," the Sociological Technician said, kneeling down to look the girl in the face, "You see all those girls in there?"
Rave nodded, "…same…" she said softly, her face pressed against the Clone tank.
The Soc Tech nodded, "Yes, you are the same. Because of that, you'll be able to share your memories with them. Let them know what you've seen, and heard…"
"…how…" breathed Rave.
The Soc Tech tried to explain, "They're in a special fluid called TLC. Unlike ANY other fluid or liquid such as water, or oil, TLC allows people to breathe… It also helps people to share their thoughts…"
"…remember…" Rave whispered.
"Remember?" asked the Soc Tech, "Remember what?"
"…tank…" Rave said, pointing at the other Clones.
Then Rave turned to Glando and said, "…leave me there…"
Glando blinked, unsure of what Rave meant.
The Soc Tech wasn't any help either, merely shrugging when Glando looked at them for clarification.
Glando quietly asked, "What do you mean Rave? Do you want to go back in the tank with the others? To stay there?"
Rave paused before quietly answering, "…no…" then her hand rose to touch her forehead and she said, "…leave ME there…"
And Rave's neutral expression changed, into the ghost of a smile.
- - - - - - - - - -
"What exactly am I supposed to do?" Glando asked cautiously.
"Well Sir," replied the Sociology Tech, "A child gets their first experiences of other people in society, while accompanied by their parents. Usually, they're with their mother, but in this case…"
"I understand," murmured Glando, "As her 'Guardian', you want me to take her out into the Base, where she'll meet a wider range of people…"
"Actually," replied the Soc Tech, nervously, "We were going to do that ourselves… but…"
"But?" asked Glando.
The Soc Tech looked sheepish, "But Rave… said she wanted you to do it…"
- - - - - - - - - -
"Sorry Commander," said Nayokay, "But I could have sworn you had a son…"
"This is Rave," Glando softly replied, his hand resting gently on Rave's shoulder, "I'm looking after her. For a friend…"
- - - - - - - - - -
"She has become a liability Atari," said STEELY, "Get… RID… of her…"
"Dr Akatlover has given considerable service," stated Glando, "Is there no way we can 'contain' her? And any revelations she might let slip?"
"It is not wise to leave a loaded weapon where another may find it, and use against you…" another Monolith advised.
"Still," countered Glando, "A wise man looks after his weapons, maintaining and repairing them, as he knows he may not readily find another when need arises…"
"Don't play games Atari…"
"Wait," said another member of the STEELY 'Inner Circle', "He has a point…"
"Yes," agreed another, "Talent like hers is rare enough to even find, let alone be available to service our needs…"
"What do you propose, Atari?"
Glando replied in slow and measured tones, "We have the capability to… induce… what appears to be a nervous breakdown."
"Such a course of action," continued Glando, "Will allow us to remove her from her post, and discredit any comments she may make… It will also preserve her Talent for future use… Once she's been… rehabilitated…"
There followed a long and heated discussion of Glando's plan.
Eventually, STEELY reached a consensus.
"Very well Atari… Since you cannot bear the thought of losing her, you will have a chance to save your 'lover'…"
"…" Glando didn't respond to the barb, his exterior remaining as calm as ever.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando was in the 'Nursery', watching Rave scrawl carefully on a piece of paper.
"I thought I'd find you here," commented Fu2ok, "What did your 'Visitors' say?"
Glando frowned, "The 'Old Hag' is no use any more…"
"So what did they suggest?"
Rave prevented any answer, by holding up her drawing for her audience to see.
Rave's picture was of a variety of stick figures. Most notable was a large brown one in the centre. It had a bulky body, and a head that had brown spikes erupting from it. Beneath its spread arms, a smaller blue figure sheltered. Around the edges of the paper were several smaller figures. Their bisected triangular bodies were devoid of any colouring, showing the white of the paper.
"That's very good Rave," Glando said in kindly tones, as he surveyed the childish imagery on the paper.
Rave's cheeks pinked slightly, and her expression almost softened into a smile. Then she put her picture back on the table and resumed work on it.
"Permanent Retirement…" muttered Glando, in reply to Fu2ok's last question.
"Permanent…? You don't mean…?"
Glando nodded, "Yes, STEELY think she's no use anymore. She may be annoying, but there's no reason she should be… 'retired'… She's done nothing wrong."
"How will you save her?" asked Fu2ok.
"Induced 'Nervous Breakdown'," murmured Glando.
"Psycho-Chemicals?" queried Fu2ok, "You'll need to be careful…"
"I will be," replied Glando darkly, "I'll keep her from suffering needlessly…"
On the paper, Rave made another stick person…
…With a black crayon…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando stared down at the face of the child on the autopsy table.
With her eyes closed, and her muscles relaxed, she looked completely at peace.
The peaceful tableau was disturbed by the marks circling the crushed throat…
"…Rave…" mumbled Glando, as the reality of the situation began to hit him, "…she wasn't… …you weren't…" Glando trailed off.
"Why?" Glando moaned, putting a hand to his face, "Why?"
The empty room around him didn't answer.
- - - - - - - - - -
"Your plan failed Atari," sneered one of the STEELY Monoliths.
"Things… did not… proceed as planned," Glando admitted.
"And we have lost one of the Clones because of it…" another Monolith spat.
Glando didn't reply.
"Tell us Atari," demanded one of the Inner Circle, "How is it… that the Clone was ABLE to be killed in the first place?"
Glando tensed slightly, this was the make or break question… He answered slowly, in an attempt to keep calm, and survive the mood of the STEELY members…
"Security was unaware of the situation."
"Oh COME now, Atari!" one of the Monoliths stated in disbelief, "Is that the BEST you can do? Blame your underlings?"
"Speaking of 'underlings'…" retorted Glando, "Your Sociological Technicians did not immediately raise the alarm that she had left the Nursery."
"What of it?" retorted a Monolith dismissively, "You have security monitors…"
"Which were having problems," Glando countered, "Caused by testing of the 'overseer' function of the new Super-Computer system…"
"A poor excuse Atari…"
"Nevertheless," Glando persisted, "Had your Sociological Technicians been more diligent in THEIR duties, then the alarm would have been raised sooner…"
"Still…" commented one Monolith sourly, "Despite the questions this situation raises about YOUR Security systems, the question remains… Why was the Clone unable to save herself…"
"She was only a child," reasoned Glando, "There was no way she could have fought back against a berserk adult…"
"Really Atari?" probed another Monolith, "Our Sociological Technicians inform us otherwise…"
Glando began to perspire slightly.
"…she should have been capable of defending herself," the Monolith continued, "With even the simplest Self-Defence techniques…"
"She had not yet received any Martial Arts training," replied Glando…
"Why is that?" snapped another Monolith.
"Your Sociological Technicians can answer that better than I can…"
"They are not here, and you ARE, Atari… ANSWER the question…"
"Very well… Your Sociological Technicians will confirm this. Despite the progress she had already made, her intellectual development was not considered sufficient to handle such training…"
"Preposterous! By her age other children have already learnt far more than the basic techniques…"
"That is not the point," stressed Glando, "If anyone were taught such dangerous techniques, without the mental 'maturity' necessary to safely regulate the use of them, they could easily become a 'threat' to those around them…"
"So, is that your final argument Atari? Blame the child?"
"No," stated Glando, "I blame lack of information to those that needed it…"
"That can be remedied," stated one of the Monoliths.
- - - - - - - - - -
The pale body twitched… Red eyes slowly opened…
"Rave?" Glando asked the waking girl anxiously, "Can you understand me?"
"…ess… sur…" a voice gurgled, before disappearing under wracking coughs.
The Clone rolled onto her side, and coughed up the TLC from her lungs.
Relief flooded through Glando as he watched the Clone start to breathe like a normal human for the first time in her life…
"Good Girl," Glando said in kindly tones, gently patting her blue haired head.
"…sirr?" the Clone slurred.
"Yes Rave?" Glando looked attentively at the girl.
"…emm… i… second?"
Glando blinked, 'She's aware that she isn't the first one out of the tank? Without having to be told?'
Glando covered his surprise by saying, "You've been through a lot… We'll talk about that… after you rest…"
- - - - - - - - - -
Ritzy looked away from Glando, hiding her tear stained face.
"Dr Akatlover," Glando hesitated over what to say, "Your mother…"
Ritzy cringed at the topic of the conversation.
"There has been… 'talk'…" Glando said quietly, "I've heard the… rumours… about your mother… about you… I've noticed… your work has been sub-standard of late…"
Ritzy's head sank lower.
Glando's voice was low and toneless, "I don't want what happened to your mother, to happen to you."
Ritzy started to sniffle, hiding her face in her hands.
"Which is why I want you take some time off, before taking over the job of Chief Computer Programmer for the Base."
Ritzy turned to look at Glando, stunned disbelief on her face.
"That is," Glando said, reddening slightly, "If you're comfortable with the position… If not, there are several other positions you might like to look at…"
"…you're not firing me?" Ritzy snuffled.
"Firing?" Glando was puzzled, "Of course not!"
"…you don't think I'm… 'nuts'… like they say my mother wa-"
"Your mother was NOT insane," guilt made Glando interrupt in harsh tones, "She was a dedicated worker who put too much of herself into her work, and like so many others before her, she paid a high price…"
The corners of Ritzy's mouth trembled into a smile, and her eyes shone through the tears as she looked at Glando in a way that few people ever had.
- - - - - - - - - -
"You're working rather late Dr Akatlover,' commented Glando, "Is there anything wrong I should know about?"
"Everything is fine," Ritzy replied, smiling at the Commander, "However, there is a matter I feel I must talk to you about…"
Glando nodded, accepting the fact that, 'If it's not a problem now… it will be…'
"Commander," Ritzy said quietly, "I-I've never thanked you properly, for all you've done for me…"
"Your success has been due to your own hard work," Glando replied dismissively, "You've earned it, just as you earned your College Degrees…"
"I meant… my mother…" Ritzy trailed off.
Glando's reply was cut off, as Ritzy suddenly stepped up to him, closed her eyes, and kissed him passionately on his lips.
Afterwards, she rested her head on his shoulder, breathing huskily, "Please, I'm not very good with words… But… I'd like to… 'spend the night'… with you…"
'…spend the night…?' Glando blinked in surprise.
- - - - - - - - - -
In the 'Nursery', Glando had an unsettling surprise.
Rave, dressed in a Martial Arts outfit…
"What's this?" Glando casually demanded of the Sociological Technician who was showing Rave how to tie her belt.
"Orders Sir," the Soc Tech simply replied.
"Whose?" asked Glando, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.
The Soc Tech looked nervously at Glando, "Those who see all, Sir…"
"Why wasn't I informed?" asked Glando quietly.
"Uh… Sir?" gulped the Soc Tech, "I really don't know anything about that…"
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando in a meeting with STEELY…
"You will not override THESE orders Atari," ordered one of the Monoliths.
Glando sat in his chair and simmered with anger.
"Your last plan cost us one of the Clones," sneered another Monolith.
"We have decided not to take… chances…" insinuated another Monolith.
"You will NOT interfere with ANY of the procedures our Sociological Technicians will conduct with Rave," a Monolith stated with absolute authority.
The Holograms faded, leaving Glando alone in his office.
'We'll see about that,' Glando thought.
- - - - - - - - - -
"And this is where I work," Glando said, showing Rave his office.
Rave nodded slightly, hardly moving her head as she looked around.
Glando walked over to his desk and lifted Rave up to sit on it, before sitting down in his chair.
Rave sat, her legs dangling over the edge of the desk, quietly watching Glando.
"Rave," Glando began, "You've started training in… Martial Arts…"
"…yes…" Rave replied.
"Did they…" Glando looked unhappily at the child's innocent face, "Did they tell you WHY you were being taught this?"
"…so I can not be hurt…" replied Rave, her expression never changing.
"Did they tell you… that you had… been hurt?" Glando asked cautiously.
Rave remained silent.
Glando looked into the child's eyes.
'So young,' he thought, 'Too young to make life, but not so young that she can't be taught how to take life… How to kill…'
"Rave," Glando said in slow, careful tones, "What you are learning… can hurt other people… Very badly… Even kill them… Do you know that?"
Rave did nothing for a while, then she slowly nodded.
Glando felt an odd sense of relief, 'Looks like I may be able to get this through to her,' he thought.
"Rave," Glando was looking deep into the child's eyes now, "You must NOT use these Martial Arts techniques without proper reason to…"
"…what is proper reason…" Rave asked.
"You MAY use them for self-defence," replied Glando, stressing points for emphasis, "Or to help another person defend themselves, but you are NOT to use them without a clear and present threat to Life, Health, or Personal Rights…"
"Do you understand?" Glando pressed, as the child continued to stare at him.
"…no…" replied Rave.
Glando sighed in exasperation…
"…what are personal rights…" asked Rave.
"Well…" said Glando, "There are many types of Personal Rights, but to start with, the document called the 'Declaration of Independence' says…"
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando eating a meal in the commissary.
It wasn't much, just a rather stale sandwich, but it was still the best meal the overworked Glando had eaten in the last six hours. He was just sinking his teeth into the slightly dry bread, when his cell phone started beeping…
With a sigh, Glando spat out his mouthful of sandwich, and answered his phone.
"Commander here," he said wearily, "Report!"
"Sir!" whimpered a terrified voice on the other end of the line, "Rave's…" the comment was drowned out by the sounds of screaming and mayhem in the background.
"Where?" barked Glando, rising to his feet, his meal forgotten.
"Nursery, she's…" the line suddenly went dead.
Glando ran to the elevator that would take him to the Nursery. The fear inside him made him punch, rather than press, the numbers on his cell phone.
"Security!" he shouted, as the phone was picked up, "Commander here! Send ALL available personnel to the 'Nursery'! Find and Protect Rave at ALL costs!"
"Medical!" he yelled, as soon as the voice answered, "Commander here! Unknown situation in 'Nursery'! Send Emergency teams, STAT!"
Glando hit the 'Command Override' in the lift, cursing its slowness as it quickly dropped into the lower levels.
- - - - - - - - - -
Down in the 'Nursery', Glando looked around with disbelief.
All around the room, lay the broken bodies of the Sociological Technicians who had been charged with the care and keeping of Rave.
Glando frowned, noting the obviously fatal injuries the corpses had. Not all of the bodies were intact, here and there, detached limbs lay in pools of blood.
Glando pulled his gun out, and chambered a round, not understanding how an enemy could have infiltrated this far into the Base.
"Rave?" he called quietly, fearing whatever answer might come.
"Commander?" answered a child's voice from an adjoining room.
Cat-like, Glando crept silently over to the doorway, making use of what little cover the desks and other furnishings provided.
'One… Two… Three…' he timed mentally, 'Four… GO!'
He rolled into the room, his gun coming up to draw a bead on…
Rave, naked as the day she came out of the tank, sitting on a bath stool, calmly washing herself with a washcloth.
Glando turned around, searching for the assassins that he knew had to be nearby.
Seeing he was alone with Rave in the small room, Glando scrambled back to the doorway. There he took up a defensive position, against any 'backstabbers'.
"Rave," Glando whispered hoarsely, his eyes searching for any danger in the other room, "What happened? Who were they?"
The sounds of water sloshing as Rave continued to bathe herself, made the only noise for several moments.
"…I resisted their attempts to give me an 'Attitude Alignment'…" replied Rave calmly, "…They were the Sociological Technicians…"
Glando's head slowly turned to look at the seemingly innocuous child.
"You… mean… You? Did… That?" Glando slowly said, gesturing to the carnage in the other room in disbelief, "Why? How?"
"…Yes…" replied Rave, "…I did not want my Personal Right of living free of pain to be violated… I used the Martial Arts techniques they taught me…"
"Rave," Glando said slowly, "You… killed… the Sociological Technicians…"
"…Yes…" Rave confirmed.
"Because they were going to give you an… 'Attitude Alignment' session?"
"…Yes…" Rave confirmed.
"What… what sort?" Glando asked numbly.
"…Appreciation of Consequences of Disobedience to Established Authority…" replied Rave, "…Enhanced by Electric Shock for Improper Responses…"
Glando stared at the bodies in the room outside. Then he looked back at Rave, finally noticing the small pile of child-sized clothes beside her.
…Clothes torn and bloodied…
Glando began to sweat as memories ran through his mind…
A room full of foetuses in jars, their eyes opening to look at him… His late wife telling him about the origins of the red-eyed things in her lab… A Soc Tech talking to him about Rave, telling him, 'She's… strong… Sir… Very strong…'
"I'll just… wait outside…" Glando said hoarsely, edging towards the door.
"Commander," Rave said.
Glando stopped and looked with renewed wariness, at the creature that appeared to be a young female child.
"…help me wash…?" Rave asked, her red eyes looking guilelessly at him.
There was no hint of malice or aggression in Rave's face or posture. Just that of an innocent child asking her Guardian to help her with a bath.
Glando hesitated, then put his gun away, and slowly walked over to Rave. He took the proffered washcloth, and began washing the child's back.
When Security arrived, they found a room full of body parts, and the Commander of the NERVIS Base helping a young girl wash herself in a bathroom…
"Sir?" they asked, "What happened?"
Glando closed his eyes and sighed…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando was sitting in his office, marshalling his reserves for what he knew, would be the last meeting he'd ever have with STEELY…
"Atari!" the voice of the Monolith was oily, and insinuative.
Glando swallowed nervously, glad that his steepled hands would hide the action.
"Well Done!" congratulated another Monolith.
Glando blinked in surprise.
"Outstanding Results!" confirmed a third Monolith.
"We had our doubts about your abilities," said another Monolith, "But this demonstration of how you were able to… regain control…"
Glando stared in disbelief at the ring of STEELY Monoliths around him.
"I am… pleased that you find things… satisfactory…" Glando humbly offered.
"More than 'Pleased', Atari," condescended a Monolith, "However…"
Glando tensed slightly, 'Uh-Oh… Here it comes…' he thought.
"With the loss of the Sociological Technicians," a Monolith began, "We now have no-one to take care of Rave… To teach her… Raise her…"
Glando tried to think of a suitable response.
"As her Guardian, we'll leave it up to YOU to assign personnel for such duties," another Monolith concluded.
"We will send you… guidelines…" said a Monolith slyly, "To help you…"
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando sat at his desk, brooding in angry silence.
"You wanted to see me?" asked Fu2ok.
"READ!" commanded Glando, thrusting a stack of printouts towards his advisor.
Fu2ok took the sheets and began to read.
"Oh God…" Fu2ok groaned, a sick look on his face, "I-is this…?"
"Yes," Glando sneered, "It's what STEELY really wants from 'RAVE'…"
Fu2ok sank down on a chair, "I-I can't believe she created them for this…"
"She didn't!" snapped Glando, "These are 'revised plans' from STEELY…"
"How can these be 'revised' plans?" argued Fu2ok, "There's a complete 'timeline' in here for 'development and training' that goes back YEARS!"
Glando scowled darkly, "It's NOT what my wife created them for! This is what STEELY wants to use them for! It's partly why STEELY helped her create the Clones in the first place!"
"So…" sighed Fu2ok, "They lied to her… Just as they have to us…"
"Yes," muttered Glando, "Those Soc Tech B-----D's in the Nursery had been secretly overseeing this latest stage in Rave's 'development'! That's why Rave had the 'Attitude Alignment' sessions in the first place… To put her under their 'control', and keep her there…"
"And now," Fu2ok said feebly, "STEELY expects us… to do this…"
"Don't count on it!" snarled Glando, "Rave's 'training' isn't finished yet…"
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando stood in the Nursery, watching Rave watch him.
Outside the Nursery, several heavily armed Guards kept cautious watch from a makeshift bunker. Their weapons pointed towards the Nursery and its occupants, rather than towards any threat that might come from outside…
Glando wearily sat down, and put his head in his hands.
Rave watched him silently, waiting for him to speak.
"Rave," Glando finally said, "Listen closely… I am going to give you strict instructions on when you should, and should NOT, harm or kill people…"
Rave looked attentively at Glando.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando in the 'Nursery', waiting for Rave to get dressed on the other side of a Hospital Privacy screen.
"Rave," Glando stated in serious tones, "This new phase of your training will be different to anything you've experienced before. If you encounter ANY sort of problem, or notice ANY unusual side effect, I want you to break off immediately. If you have any questions, or concerns, ASK the relevant staff. Is that clear?"
"Understood Sir," replied Rave.
"And above all," added Glando, "You must NOT harm others!"
"Understood Sir," replied Rave.
"Good girl," Glando breathed with relief, "How do the new clothes fit?"
Rave came out from behind the screen by way of reply.
In a scaled-down SWAT uniform…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando and Ritzy walked down a deserted corridor, deep within the NERVIS Base.
"What exactly did you want me to see down here Commander?" asked Ritzy.
"All will be revealed shortly," Glando said cryptically, pausing before an armoured door.
"Have you got a 'secret love nest' tucked away down here?" husked Ritzy, pressing up against Glando provocatively as she took his arm.
"No," murmured Glando, "There's someone I want you to meet…"
"Why couldn't they meet us in the main part of the Base?" asking Ritzy, letting go of Glando's arm and assuming a more 'professional' distance between them.
"Security reasons," Glando stated simply.
They walked in silence, eventually stopping before another armoured door in a remote part of a 'Restricted' section.
"On the other side of this door…" Glando trailed off, then he sighed before continuing, "This is going to be hard for you to take, not just because they look exactly like another person you know…"
"Don't tell me it's your long-lost twin?" quipped Ritzy.
Glando grimaced slightly, "No, not… MY… twin…"
Glando tapped a code on a keypad beside the door. The door hissed slowly open, revealing a darkened room beyond. Glando turned the lights on, revealing the contents of the Doppelganger Lab to his companion…
Ritzy gasped in shock, a single word escaping from behind the hand she put to her mouth, "…rave…"
"Actually…" Glando began.
Ritzy fainted before Glando could continue…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando in a First Aid room, somewhere deep within the NERVIS Base. On an emergency stretcher before him, lay Dr Ritzy Akatlover.
"Are you sure you're up to meeting her?" Glando asked, worried about Ritzy.
Ritzy closed her eyes, then nodded.
"All right then," said Glando, getting up, "I'll bring her in…"
Glando went to fetch Rave. He returned several minutes later, leading the young girl by her hand.
"Rave," said Glando, "I'd like you to meet a friend, Dr Ritzy Akatlover…"
Ritzy looked with widened eyes at the blue-haired child.
The child's red eyes gazed calmly back.
"Dr Akatlover," said Glando, "I'd like you to meet Rave Imanonymous…"
"H-Hello… Rave," stumbled Ritzy.
"Hello Dr Akatlover," replied Rave tonelessly, "I am Rave Imanonymous…"
Ritzy relaxed slightly, and Glando breathed a short sigh of relief.
"I am the second," added Rave.
- - - - - - - - - -
Ritzy stood, looking at Rave in the cleaned up 'Nursery'.
"All right…" she finally sighed, "I'll help…"
"Thank you," breathed Glando, "It means a lot to me. Rave needs to be around people more. But it's hard finding people I can trust…"
Ritzy stared at Glando, "…you trust…?" was all she said.
"Yes. I trust you," Glando confirmed, "What happened to the first Rave, was not your fault. Nor do I consider it to be your mother's fault either…"
Ritzy started crying, "…thank you…" she sobbed.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando knelt before Rave in the Nursery.
"Now Rave," Glando patiently explained, "Dr Akatlover will be the person to perform… Medical tests… on you in the future…"
Rave stared quietly into Glando's eyes.
"She's NOT trying to hurt you," emphasised Glando, "Even though some of the… tests… may be… physically unpleasant… or even painful…"
Rave continued to stare quietly into Glando's eyes.
"You must NOT hurt her," Glando said in solemn tones, "Do you understand?"
"Yes Sir," replied Rave, "I will not hurt her. Even though the procedures she performs may be physically unpleasant, or even painful."
Glando breathed a sigh of relief, "Good Girl," he said in kindly tones, gently patting her blue-haired head.
Then Rave did the unexpected. She smiled slightly, and patted Glando's head.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando walked down a corridor, trying to keep to his always busy schedule.
"Commander?" Ritzy suddenly called from behind him, "Have you got a minute?"
"Not really," replied Glando without stopping, "Can it wait?"
"It's about Rave…"
Glando stopped and gave Ritzy his full attention, "What about Rave?"
"I-I've got the first lot of her test results back, and…" Ritzy fell silent, suddenly looking nervous.
"Is she sick?" asked Glando.
"N-No…" admitted Ritzy, "She appears to be in good health, but…"
"But?"
"But her results! Her blood chemistry analysis… It isn't… normal…"
"Is it within the parameters you were given?" interrupted Glando.
Ritzy went slightly pink, and nodded.
"Then there is no problem," Glando said as he walked off.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando in his office, talking with Dr Akatlover.
"Commander," said Ritzy rather forcefully, "I need MORE information on her!"
Glando calmly looked at Ritzy for several moments before replying.
"What sort of information do you need?"
Ritzy sighed, rubbing her eyes before continuing, "What IS she?"
"A young girl," Glando shrugged the question off.
"B--LS--T!" swore Ritzy, "She may look like a young girl, but her test results are manifestly abnormal! Her blood chemistry for example…"
"Variation amongst people exists," stated Glando, "There's…"
"Don't give me THAT!" snapped Ritzy, "All the 'variation' in the world can't explain these things! She's got chemicals in her blood I can't even analyse, abnormal vital signs, and from what I've seen on the scanners, she's got serious irregularities in all of her internal organs! Then there's…"
"Irregularities?" Glando interrupted, feeling uneasy.
Ritzy sighed, "All of her internal organs, differ markedly from the 'norm' in size, shape, position in the body… Then there's the abnormal capacity they have! Take her kidneys for example, they're 25 percent larger than they should be, but their filtering capacity appears to be triple what they…"
"But they ARE working properly? Aren't they?" demanded Glando.
"…yes…" admitted Ritzy, "What internal organs she does have…"
"Does have…?" Glando repeated, before ordering, "Explain!"
Ritzy blushed, then continued in more subdued tones, "She appears… to have had… a complete hysterectomy…"
"…hysterectomy…?" Glando whispered, feeling numb inside.
"Yes," continued Ritzy, "The scans indicated she was missing all of her reproductive system from the cervix on up, so I gave her an internal exam and…"
Glando faded into his own thoughts, 'A hysterectomy? On Rave? Was that something those Soc Tech B------S did to her? What about the first Rave? What about the other Clones?'
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando talking with Ritzy in the Doppelganger Lab.
"I've examined all of them," sighed Ritzy, rubbing her eyes tiredly, "And none of them have any sort of reproductive system past their cervix…"
Glando brooded for a few moments, then spoke quietly, "Doctor… In your Professional Medical Opinion, was this the result of a surgical procedure?"
Ritzy rubbed her eyes again, "Unsure… The way their birth canals just… end… It looks like they've all had Complete Endometrial Hysterectomies…"
Glando kept silent, dark emotions warring within his heart and mind…
"But I didn't find the scars such an operation leaves," continued Ritzy, "But… If the procedure was done early enough in their childhood, any scars may have been erased by normal youthful growth…"
"Could… Could it somehow be a genetic flaw?" asked Glando quietly.
Ritzy chewed her lip thoughtfully before replying, "I can't rule it out, but I seriously doubt it… Any 'flaw' that would completely remove the womb and ovaries, should have affected the rest of the birth canal as well…"
"Will…" Glando paused, "How will this affect them… as they grow up?"
"They won't…" Ritzy murmured.
"What?" asked Glando, feeling an icy premonition.
"They won't 'grow up'," Ritzy clarified, "Without ovaries to produce the necessary hormones for 'adolescence', 'Rave' will remain a 'little girl' forever, no matter how 'big' she grows…"
Glando stood quietly as Ritzy's words sank in.
"I need to… speak to some people," Glando said tersely, before walking off.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando in a heated meeting with STEELY.
"…and when," Glando demanded, "…was I to be… 'informed' about this?"
"When we deemed it necessary," replied a Monolith.
"When would that be?" pressed Glando.
"When you found out about it."
Glando sat in his chair and simmered with anger.
'They were only children,' Glando fumed silently, '…and you MUTILATED them!'
"Had you been a more… attentive… Guardian, Atari," insinuated one of the Monoliths, "You might have known earlier…"
Glando bit back the comment he was tempted to make. Instead, he kept his silence, getting his emotions back under control through sheer force of will.
"I know now," Glando finally ground out.
"Yes," agreed a Monolith, "You do…"
"And since you do," continued another Monolith, "We'll send you some… 'updated guidelines'…"
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando paused outside Dr Akatlover's office, taking a couple of deep breaths.
He reached out tentatively, and hesitantly knocked on the door.
"Just a minute!" came Ritzy's muffled voice.
Time ticked past. Minutes later, Ritzy opened the door.
"Oh Commander!" Ritzy smiled, "I didn't know it was you… Please, come in…"
Glando wordlessly entered the office, and waited until Ritzy had shut the door, before silently handing a folder to her.
Ritzy took the folder, and began to read, a frown growing on her face. She gave Glando a quizzical look, "Hormone Replacement Therapy? For Rave?"
"Yes," Glando said bitterly, "It will alleviate Rave's… 'condition'. Allow her to… 'mature physically'… Like normal girls do…"
"When am I supposed to start this?"
"As soon as possible, Doctor," Glando stated, turning for the door, "Add it to her regular supplements…"
"But…"
"This comes from above me," Glando said quietly, his hand gripping the door knob with more force than necessary, "I have no choice in this matter, nor do you, nor does Rave…"
"I… see…" admitted Ritzy.
"And Doctor?"
"Yes?"
"Give them the sort of figure that… any girl… would be happy to have…"
"Uh…" flustered Ritzy, "Of course…"
"Good Day, Doctor…" Glando firmly closed the door on the way out…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando stalked the corridors, looking for his advisor, Fu2ok.
"You wanted to see me?" Fu2ok asked.
"What would you say to opening a few bottles, and getting drunk?" asked Glando.
"Drunk?" Asked Fu2ok, raising an eyebrow, "Why? Celebration, or Commiseration?"
"I don't know," murmured Glando, "You're the advisor, you tell me…"
"I can't advise, until I know the background details," Fu2ok dryly observed.
"It's…" Glando sighed deeply, "…about Rave…"
"Why do I get the feeling I'm going to learn something I won't want to know?" asked Fu2ok, giving Glando a suspicious look.
"Because you are," confirmed Glando…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando in the 'Nursery', waiting for Rave to get dressed on the other side of a Hospital Privacy screen.
"Rave," Glando stated in serious tones, "This new phase of your training will be different to anything you've experienced before. If you encounter ANY sort of problem, or notice ANY unusual side effect, I want you to break off immediately. If you have any questions, or concerns, ASK the relevant staff. Is that clear?"
"Understood Sir," replied Rave.
"And above all," added Glando, "You must NOT harm others!"
"Understood Sir," replied Rave.
"Good girl," Glando breathed with relief, "How do the new clothes fit?"
Rave came out from behind the screen by way of reply.
In a School Uniform…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando's phone rang.
Glando promptly picked it up, saying only one word, "Report…"
"Sir," came the answer, "We've got problems with 'Project Academe'…"
"What sort of problems?" Glando asked quietly.
"We've got…" the voice paused, "Someone one asking questions…"
"I see…" Glando murmured.
"Shall we follow normal procedures Sir?"
"No…" replied Glando, "I'll handle this one… Personally…"
The sound of a nervous gulp came over the phone line.
"Arrange a meeting," ordered Glando, "And make sure I have the usual backup…"
"Y-yes Sir!" the lackey stammered.
"That is all," Glando said, before hanging up.
Glando sat for some time in his office, his hands steepled before him, brooding…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando sat at a desk in a small room, idly looking around the bare painted walls. His boredom stopped when the door to the room opened, and a man in a suit entered.
"Ah… Mr Atari…" the Suit stated as he sat down on the other side of the desk from Glando, "I'm so pleased you could come in and see me at such short notice!"
Glando politely nodded his acknowledgement of the other.
The Suit took some papers out of a briefcase, and riffled through them, finally pulling out a blank form. Satisfied, the Suit turned to Glando.
"Now, I understand you're acting as Rave's… Guardian?" the Suit asked.
"Correct," Glando replied quietly.
"Do you know who her parents are?"
"She doesn't have any," replied Glando, in all honesty.
The suit shook his head sadly, "Orphan eh? Poor girl… Could be a princess, and not even know she's a blue blood…"
"Quite," agreed Glando, trying not to smile at the Suit's unwitting joke.
"Do you know what racial heritage, or nationality she has?"
"Undetermined," Glando replied quietly, "But she does appear to have Asian ancestry, with the probability of it being Japanese."
"In that case, I'll list her as 'Japanese', despite any foreign blood she may have in her," the Suit nodded, making a note on the form.
'Not that you'd understand just HOW 'foreign' that blood is…' thought Glando.
"What about her birth date?" persisted the Suit.
Glando replied by going into full 'Meeting with STEELY' mode.
"I regret that information is unavailable," Glando said apologetically, "Rave came into my Guardianship at a rather young age, and was unable to provide such information… I do hope this won't cause any problems?"
"Don't worry about that," the Suit said magnanimously, "We've given her the standard IQ test, and I'm satisfied that her Intellectual Development is within acceptable limits… Even if I can't verify her real age…"
"Thank you," murmured Glando.
"And what's your occupation, Mr Atari?"
Glando paused before replying with a smile, "I'm just a Humble Public Servant…"
"Oh?" the Suit seemed intrigued, "What sort of work?"
"It's…" Glando paused again, then continued with a sad note in his voice, "A glorified desk job really… Middle management… You know the sort of thing… Stuck halfway between those who do the work, and those who own the Business… What power I have is never enough… And I always have the higher ups on my back…"
"Yes, yes," the Suit commiserated, "I know exactly what you mean…"
Glando bowed his head slightly, in humble acceptance of the other's condolences.
"Well, Mr Atari," the Suit said with a smile, "From what you've been able to tell me tonight, I see no reason why you cannot proceed as planned."
"So…" Glando forced his face into a pleasant smile, "From the start of the new year then?"
"Definitely!" confirmed the Suit, "If you'd like to accompany her on her first day, just to get her settled, that would be suitable…"
"Thank you very much," Glando said, standing so that he could humbly bow, "I'm so sorry this has been a bother…"
"Think nothing of it," the Suit said dismissively, "We get this sort of thing ALL the time… It's one of the more interesting parts of the job really… At least, I actually get to meet the people… Instead of just the paperwork…"
Shortly afterwards, Glando walked out of the building he'd just had his interrogation in. Looking around, he withdrew his mobile phone and made a quick call…
"Guardian to Trouble Shooter, come in…"
"Trouble shooter here sir," the reply came, "Do we cap the chalkie?"
"Negative," Glando muttered, "I repeat… Negative! Do NOT 'cap the chalkie'… Initiate retrieval plan Alpha, repeat, retrieval plan Alpha. Guardian out…"
Ten seconds later, an unmarked Security car picked Glando up.
Outside the Local Office of the Board of Education…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando walked slowly through the NERVIS Base, a school-uniformed Rave easily keeping pace beside him.
Glando turned his head slightly so he could talk to Rave better, "Before you start going to School, you must learn all the different Base access routes…"
"Why?" asked Rave.
"Knowing WHERE you're going is only part of a journey," Glando advised, waxing philosophical, "Knowing HOW to get to your destination is just as important… Many times in life, you'll find that a particular way may be unavailable, for whatever reason, and in those times, it helps to have a viable alternative…"
Rave nodded silently.
They continued to walk, taking in the Top Secret sights of the Base. Glando made numerous comments about access routes, emergency procedures, and Security requirements. Rave responded by looking at what Glando pointed at, and nodding her head as he spoke. She frequently asked questions, pleasantly surprising Glando.
'It's good you're so inquisitive,' Glando thought with relief, 'It proves you're developing your own mind, and not just running off the 'canned intellect' we gave you… Heh! I can't wait to tell Fu2ok 'I told you so'…'
"Commander?" Rave quietly asked, "I have a question…"
"Yes?" replied Glando, expecting Rave to ask him a question about getting from point A to point B in times of emergency.
"My… body is different…"
"What do you mean?" asked Glando, suddenly concerned as he remembered how Ritzy had described Rave's body as 'abnormal', but 'working…'
"My chest…" said Rave, "Is not how it used to be…"
"…" Glando blinked, a warning bell going off in the back of his mind.
"Parts seem to be… swelling…" added Rave.
"Uh…" Glando gulped, realising that Rave was probably noticing the effects of the Specialised Hormone Replacement Therapy she was unknowingly undergoing.
…The only version of Puberty the mutilated child would ever know…
"But only in two places…" clarified Rave.
Glando began to sweat nervously. He opened his mouth to speak, then shut it again, as his mind failed to translate the concepts in his mind, into words his voice could use. He glanced sideways at Rave, remembering how easily he had talked and joked about such things with his friends in school.
'When did the Generation Gap become part of my life?' wondered Glando.
"Well…" Glando coughed, "Perhaps Dr Akatlover… should give you a check-up…"
"The changes have been evident for the past several check-ups," Rave stated informatively, "But she has not made any comments about them. Has she failed to notice them? Or are they part of an irrelevant condition?"
"I'll…" Glando finally managed, "…speak to Dr Akatlover…"
- - - - - - - - - -
Ritzy stood before Glando in his office.
"Dr Akatlover," Glando began, "There's a… favour… I need to ask…"
Ritzy smiled warmly, "What is it Commander?"
"It's…" Glando hesitated, "…a personal matter… of a delicate nature…"
Ritzy raised an eyebrow, "Commander, I'm a fully qualified Medical Doctor. I will keep anything you say confidential…"
"That's part of it…" Glando admitted, "I need your… Medical knowledge…"
"Would you like me to give you an examination?" Ritzy said, in a voice whose tones were bordering on 'husky'…
"Err… No…" Glando flustered, "It's… not me… this is about…"
"Oh?" Ritzy asked, her voice dropping back into full professional mode, "Who?"
"Rave…" Glando said…
"Rave?" Ritzy asked, confusion on her face, "I don't understand? All of her medical exams show she's 'normal'… Has something happened?"
Glando sighed, "No… I mean… She'll be going to school soon…"
"Oh!" exclaimed Ritzy, the light dawning, "You want me to talk to her about 'Social Hygiene' matters? Vaccinations? Head Lice? That sort of thing?"
"No…" denied Glando, before discretely coughing out, "…facts of life…"
"Facts of life?" repeated Ritzy, before smiling and saying, "Don't you mean… 'sex education'?"
"Err… Yes," replied Glando, trying not to show the embarrassment he felt.
"No problem," purred Ritzy, smiling knowingly at Glando's predicament, "Rave's been having GYNAECOLOGICAL EXAMS as part of her regime of medical exams for years. She already knows the basic physiological facts about FEMALE PLUMBING… I'll have a talk with her about the BIRDS and THE BEES, and tell her how to check for BREAST CANCER next time she has a PAP SMEAR exam."
"Whatever…" mumbled Glando, feeling rather uncomfortable as Ritzy emphasised certain terms relating to 'Facts of Life', and 'Female Medical Matters', that many Males had trouble talking about…
"Even though she'll never have need for the knowledge," sighed Ritzy…
"Be that as it may, " Glando muttered darkly, "I do not want her less informed about such matters than any of the other students at her school. She will have enough trouble blending in with them as is, without any of the problems that can arise about being… uneducated… in such matters… Especially if her lack of knowledge should lead to her becoming a 'laughing stock'… or being ostracised…"
"I'll speak to her today then," confirmed Ritzy, her expression suddenly grim.
"Thank you, Doctor," Glando felt relieved, 'Another problem successfully delegated to someone who'll do a proper job of resolving it…'
"And afterwards I'll give YOU an 'exam'," Ritzy added.
"Me?" asked Glando, confused, "But there's nothing wrong with me?"
"Oh Commander," said Ritzy, in a condescending, yet 'husky' tone, "You should leave such judgements to trained specialists. Trust me… I'm a Doctor!"
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando interrupting a meeting with Fu2ok in his office.
"You wanted to see me Rave?" Glando asked, slightly concerned.
"Yes," replied Rave.
Glando waited for Rave to continue.
…And kept on waiting as the silence stretched into minutes.
"You said you wanted to see me?" Glando gently prompted, "Did you want to talk about anything in particular?"
Rave fidgeted slightly, a sure sign to Glando that the girl was uneasy.
"Yes," Rave eventually replied.
"Well," Glando asked gently, "What is it?"
"Dr Akatlover…"
"Yes?"
"…has told me…"
Glando suddenly felt wary.
"…about Human reproduction…"
Glando swallowed heavily, 'Uh oh!' he thought, 'Knowing my luck, Rave's probably got some embarrassing questions about the 'Male Side' of it!'
Fu2ok stood silently, the slight smirk on his face clear evidence that he'd decided to let Glando answer any inquiries Rave might make.
"Commander…?" Rave asked quietly.
Glando steeled himself, deciding to take the questions like a 'Real Man' would…
'Especially as I've got no way of avoiding them…' Glando sighed mentally.
Rave stated softly, "Dr Akatlover told me that I should wait… until I was an adult… before doing such things…?"
"Correct!" confirmed Glando, "Only Adults should participate in such activities! Non-Adults should NOT be involved with, nor even ATTEMPT such activities!"
Rave nodded, apparently accepting the authority of Glando's comment.
Glando continued, "Rave… The requirement of being an 'Adult', is NOT some arbitrary decision! History has shown, time and again, that only Adults are capable of safely engaging in such activities, leet alone adequately handle the complex decisions involved in such things…"
"What complex decisions?" queried Rave.
Fu2ok coughed discreetly, using the hand he politely put in front of his mouth to hide the way his mouth twitched into a lop-sided grin.
"Err," stumbled Glando, realising he should have kept quiet. He shot a quick sideways look of annoyance at his silent advisor, 'Fu2ok! Don't just stand there grinning like an idiot! TELL ME when I should Shut Up!'
"Well," although flustered, Glando carried on, appearing outwardly calm, but thinking quickly, "There's the important decision of who you will engage in such activities with…"
"Who will I… have to do… those things with?" Rave asked hesitantly.
'Have to do?' wondered Glando, noting Rave's choice of words, 'Is THAT what she's worried about? That she'll have no choice? I suppose it's a natural fear after the 'obedience training' the Soc Techs forced on her… I'd better make sure she knows that such things will never be expected, nor forced from her…'
Glando cleared his throat, "Rave, listen carefully. You do NOT… 'have to'… do any of those things, if you do not WANT to do them! Choosing to participate in such… activities… as well as who you participate with, are Personal Rights!"
"So… When I am an Adult," said Rave slowly, "I can engage in such activities of my own free will, as well as choose my fellow participant?"
"Yes," confirmed Glando, glad that any problems associated with such decisions by Rave would be years away, "Both decisions, are important Personal Rights…"
Rave gazed intensely at Glando, a shy smile on her pink face.
Glando suddenly felt strangely uncomfortable…
"Was…" Glando said nervously, "That all you wanted to see me about?"
"Yes," admitted Rave, still gazing intensely at Glando.
Glando breathed a secret sigh of relief.
"For now," added Rave, before turning and leaving Glando's office.
"I think Rave has developed a 'schoolgirl crush' on someone," Fu2ok smugly observed, after the doors had closed behind Rave.
"Oh?" asked Glando, "Who?"
Fu2ok stared at Glando, "You mean you don't know?"
"I'm a busy man," retorted Glando, "I barely have time to do my job as Base Commander, let alone perform my duties as Rave's Guardian! If you know anything about this… matter… that I don't, I would appreciate being told! Now!"
Fu2ok sighed deeply, "Atari… It is at times like this, that I am forcibly reminded why you NEED me as an advisor…"
Fu2ok looked at Glando with a knowing eye, before slipping into 'Lecture Mode', "It is a common Psychological phenomena, that children will develop 'crushes' on other people… Usually, the first 'crush' a child has, is on one of their immediate family members…"
"How does that apply to Rave?" interrupted Glando, "She doesn't HAVE any 'immediate family members'…"
Fu2ok continued, "…or on any person who fills a significantly similar role of 'carer', such as Babysitter, Kindergarten Staff, School Teacher, or… GUARDIAN…"
"…oh…" whispered Glando, feeling embarrassed as he heard what Fu2ok was saying.
'…I didn't even realise…' Glando suddenly felt very small, and very stupid.
Fu2ok rambled on, "It's a perfectly normal part of emotional development, even if the child does develop a crush on someone significantly older than them…"
'…my, my…' Glando felt a bitter-sweet warmth in his heart at the thought that Rave liked and trusted him enough, to have developed a 'schoolgirl crush' on him.
'Heh,' a bemused smile crossed Glando's face, 'Not so strange when you think about it really… I certainly treat her better than just about anyone else around here, those Sociological Technician 'carers' included…'
Fu2ok droned on, "Actually rather common for students to 'fall in love' with teachers… It usually ends when the student 'grows out' of their 'puppy love' stage… However, sometimes things can get 'serious', and hearts can be broken…"
"…GOD!" croaked Glando, suddenly wide-eyed as he remembered what Rave had DONE to the Soc Techs who had 'cared' for her, 'She tore them limb from limb…'
'If she did that just to avoid physical pain…' Glando shivered as he remembered the pile of 'spare parts' Rave had turned the Soc Techs into, 'What would she do if she was in emotional pain? The pain of a 'broken heart'? The pain that ALL teenagers eventually go through?'
"Fu2ok!" Glando's voice quavered slightly, "What should I do? How do I handle this situation without… 'upsetting'… Rave?"
A look of deep thought crossed Fu2ok's face, then he spoke in completely serious tones, "Atari, there are only three things I can possibly suggest you do…"
Glando listened, hanging on every word as he knew his life might depend on it.
"First," Fu2ok pierced Glando with a deadly serious gaze, "Treat her as any teacher should treat a 'love struck' student of theirs… That is, treat her well, but DON'T get too close… And DON'T encourage her, or lead her on!"
"Second," continued Fu2ok "And this is a HARD one… You should tell her the truth, about the sort of relationships the two of you can, and CANNOT have…"
"Third," Fu2ok said quietly, "You should prepare for the worst case situation. I believe you should review your hefty Life Insurance Policy…"
Glando nodded, accepting Fu2ok's advice, 'Yes! Shakey must be looked after… If I am… no longer here…'
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando walked with Rave to the Doppelganger Lab, every now and then giving the girl beside him a sideways glance.
'Should I have a 'talk' with her?' Glando wondered, remembering Fu2ok's advice about how to handle Rave's 'schoolgirl crush'.
'But…' Glando asked himself, 'Does she even really HAVE a 'schoolgirl crush' on me? Fu2ok could be mistaken! But even if she does, is it serious enough to warrant a 'talk' about it?'
A frown crossed Glando's face, 'Or will I just end up embarrassing both of us?'
'Anyway,' Glando decided, 'It can wait until this Download session is over, no sense upsetting her beforehand…''
Glando looked elsewhere, as Rave took her clothes off, the situation making him unusually uncomfortable about the situation.
'Should I get some sort of 'Privacy screen' in here for her?' Glando shelved his own feelings of discomfort by wondering what Rave felt about things, 'Rave has never appeared to be self-conscious about nudity… But…'
The soft gurgle of the TLC filling the 'Seat', attracted Glando's attention. He turned his head to look briefly at the heart of the memory transfer device.
…and unintentionally getting a good look through the clear tube at the nakedness within…
Glando instantly looked away from the girl, but not before noting the perceptible effects of Rave's artificially induced puberty. A sense of guilt descended as he remembered the need for the detailed instructions he'd delivered to Ritzy.
'The Tank Clones are 'growing up' as well,' Glando compared what he'd just seen to the bodies of the insensate bodies in the Clone Tank before him, 'STEELY wants them to develop at the same rate… Should I get a 'Privacy screen' in here for them as well? But… are they even 'aware' of their own nudity?'
Glando blinked in surprise, as the Tank Clones suddenly opened their eyes, and turned their heads to look at him…
Intensely, with shy smiles on their blushing faces…
Spooked, Glando turned to look at Rave in the Memory Download device.
Rave was gazing intensely at Glando, a shy smile on her blushing face.
Glando felt embarrassed by the attentive gazes. He looked away, his eyes avoiding Rave and the Clones in the tank.
'I think,' thought Glando, swallowing hard, 'I had better have that 'talk' with Rave as soon as possible…'
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando talking with Fu2ok near the Nursery.
"You were right…" muttered Glando, "Rave does… have a 'crush'…"
"I told you so," replied Fu2ok, "So… How are you going to handle it?"
"I will…" Glando hesitated, "Have a 'talk' with her… about it…"
"When?"
"Very shortly," Glando admitted, "Fu2ok… I have a favour to ask of you…"
"What is it?"
Glando paused before continuing, in sombre tones, "I want you to monitor the meeting from a secure location. If things go badly…"
"I'll take over command…"
"Correct."
"I'll see you later then," Fu2ok muttered, walking off.
"I sincerely hope so," Glando muttered in reply.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando meeting Rave, in the Nursery.
Glando watched Rave watch him. The blue-haired girl just stood there, calmly watching Glando. Her face's shade of pink compounded the slight smile on her face, adding to the effect of her gaze.
"Rave?" Glando started, "We need to talk…"
Rave watched Glando.
"Dr Akatlover…" Glando stumbled on, "…told you about… Human Reproduction… And I told you… that you would be able to choose… if you wanted to do such things… and that you could choose… who… would participate with you… in such activities…"
Rave continued to watch Glando.
"However…" Glando shifted uncomfortably, "There are some people… you may not be able to have… as… fellow participants…"
Rave's face changed slightly, a hint of a frown appearing as she said, "So… I may not be able to mate with who I want to?"
Well…" continued Glando, "Even as an Adult, there are… restrictions… rules… procedures you will have to follow. Some of them relate to who you can, and cannot have… as your partners in such activities…"
Rave watched Glando, with more than a hint of a frown on her face.
"To start with…" Glando said slowly, giving Rave time to digest what he was saying, "People do not take as… as partners… anyone that is closely related to them… For example, their parents, or their siblings, or their children…"
Rave tilted her head slightly to one side as she listened to Glando.
"Or…" Glando hesitated, "Those they are in a position of power over, or who they are acting as 'carers' for… Such as a teacher and their students, or a… Guardian… and the one he looks after…"
Rave's face twitched.
"For example…" Glando looked away from Rave, feeling uncomfortably warm as he got to the heart of the matter, "Take myself… I am not a person you… could have as your partner… because…"
"…am i… unacceptable…?" Rave suddenly asked, a note of pleading in her voice.
Glando stopped, and looked closely at the girl before him.
Rave's face had a strangely lost and forlorn look to it.
Words he had once said to Fu2ok, now came back to haunt Glando… 'Rave has no past, no parents, no family, no friends…'
'She has no-one who truly cares for her,' realised Glando, 'Just people who seek to use her as a pawn in their power games… …including me…'
Glando felt ashamed of himself, 'I am the person closest to her… As evidenced by this 'crush' she has on me… But… even I… have not treated her properly…'
"Rave…" Glando said in kindly tones, gently placing his hands on her shoulders.
"When we refer to…" Glando paused, searching for the right words, "People… consummating a physical relationship… We usually refer… to the involvement of the emotional concept called… 'love'…"
Rave said nothing, but a questioning look appeared on her face.
Glando noted Rave's unspoken interest. He paused to take a deep breath before continuing, "Love… is one of the most powerful of the emotions, that causes… or perhaps, allows… people to treat each other with kindness, caring, and respect…"
"Now… It's often called by different names," stressed Glando, "Depending on the exact meaning, or type of love that's being discussed…"
"…there is more than one type of love?" Rave asked, with a note of confusion.
"Oh yes," confirmed Glando with a slight smile, "There is the love of parents for their children, that of caring protection. The love of siblings for each other, that of camaraderie against all odds… The love of one friend for another, that of enjoying their company… But the love between… sexual partners… is complex… it involves aspects of all of the other types combined…"
"…do you love me…?" Rave's voice barely whispered.
Glando considered the girl-like creature before him, wondering, 'What are you to me, Rave? Are you just another tool I use? Are you a 'keepsake' from my late wife? Or… Are you a substitute for my son? Are you… a daughter… to me?'
Time stretched, as Glando searched within himself.
Rave looked at Glando, her expression vacant as she waited for him to answer.
Glando sighed, "I know… I do not show my emotions very well… I have serious problems dealing with… 'intimacy'… But… in my own way… I do love you Rave… In the way that a Guardian loves the one they look after… Similar to how a Parent loves their child… That of caring for them… protecting them…"
Then Glando pulled Rave in closer and gave the girl a Fatherly hug.
Rave tensed slightly at the unusual event, then gradually relaxed, leaning against Glando, basking in what emotional warmth the broken man could give her.
"Rave?" Glando asked the girl, "Do you… love me?"
"…i… do not know… what love feels like…" Rave hesitantly replied.
"Tell me… what you do feel now?" Glando asked in kindly tones.
"…i… your company… is agreeable…" Rave murmured, "…i… was cold… you made me warm… …you… …you do not… hurt me…"
"I try to treat you as a Guardian should," confirmed Glando, "Although, I'm not sure I'm doing such a good job of it… It's not an easy task, running a Base the size of this one… I know I'm not there for you as much as I should be… And even when I am, I'm often restricted…"
"…the Sociological Technicians…" Rave whispered.
"Yes," agreed Glando bitterly, "Just one of my many failures… I didn't know what they were doing… When I did find out, I could only make a small difference before I was… over ruled… by higher authorities…"
"No Sir," Rave moved to put her arms around Glando, imitating his hug, "…they were always here… …they were supposed to take care of me… …yet… you treated me better… when you were here…"
"I tried to," Glando honestly admitted, remembering how he'd felt when he'd seen Rave locked in the armoured room, cold and alone, "I tried to…"
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando and Rave, meeting Fu2ok in a corridor.
"You wanted to see me?" Fu2ok asked cautiously.
"Yes," replied Glando, "I've had that talk with Rave. We've sorted it out…"
"Really?" Fu2ok inquired, his eyebrow arching, "So…?"
"Rave is my Ward…" clarified Glando.
"The Commander is my Guardian," added Rave.
"Nothing else…" Glando's tone boded ill for anyone suggesting otherwise…
Fu2ok breathed a cautious sigh of relief.
Then Rave did the unexpected…
…She reached over, and took Glando's hand in hers.
Glando smiled affectionately down at the child, gently squeezing her hand.
Rave smiled back, and gently squeezed Glando's hand in response.
Glando's face contorted in pain, "Uh… Rave? Not so hard…"
Fu2ok started to sweat.
"Let's eat," Glando said with relief, as Rave relaxed her grip.
The pair walked off in the direction of the Canteen.
'I'm not your Father, Rave…' Glando thought, 'But you remind me of what it feels like to be one…'
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando taking Rave to School.
"Remember," Glando advised Rave, "You must not tell others what you really are…"
"I will use the cover story, if asked," Rave calmly replied.
"Comman- I mean, Mr Atari," Rave asked, "Will you pick me up from school?"
Glando sighed, "Sorry Rave, I may not be able to… There's a good chance I'll need to be in an important meeting… If I can be here, I will be… If not, the Security team will pick you up, as per contingency plan B…"
"I understand."
Glando flinched as Rave's hand flashed upwards, making a loud smacking sound.
"What should I do with this?" Rave asked, indicating the baseball she'd just caught before it could hit Glando.
"Err… Throw it back…" Glando said, dazed by Rave's reflexes.
Rave's head swivelled to face the direction the ball had come from.
Several students were waving at her, inviting her to throw the ball to them.
One student was more vocal than the others…
"Over Here Stupid! Yeah, you! Beside four-eyes! Toss us the ball!"
Glando's eyes narrowed as he saw unpleasant similarities between the obnoxious student, and several people in Glando's past.
"Rave," Glando said quietly, pointing at the boy, "Let HIM have it…"
"Yes Sir," Rave's arm blurred as she threw the ball directly at the boy.
Screams from the distance, indicated that Rave's aim had been all too true.
"Good throw, Rave," Glando answered in kindly tones, a satisfied smirk on his face as he patted her blue haired head, "Good throw…"
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando and Rave, in the Nursery.
"How was your first day at school?" Glando asked Rave.
"I am unsure," replied Rave.
"Unsure?"
"Yes," confirmed Rave, "Unsure. I cannot make an adequate assessment."
"What do you mean?"
"Assessments are only valid when a common standard is applied."
"If you learned anything," Glando advised, "It's not a failure. If you enjoyed learning, it's a success… If you learned what you wanted to, it's a triumph!"
"Then it was not a failure," commented Rave.
"Oh?" Glando said, curiosity overwhelming him, "So what did you learn?"
"The teacher does not know what he is talking about…" stated Rave.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando in the Nursery, feeling rather worried.
"Rave," Glando said slowly, "Tell me about the… incident… at school today… In the Physical Education class…"
Rave's crimson eyes looked back calmly.
"Commander, I was learning Field and Track athletics. One of the students had fallen and hurt herself, so our Teacher took her to the infirmary, leaving the rest of us to wait for our teacher's return. One of the boys began to annoy other students, by tugging on the elastic waistbands of their track pants, and letting them snap back into place…"
"Did any of the other students try to stop him?"
"No Sir."
"Do you know why?"
"I think… they were afraid of him, because he was bigger than they were…"
"But you weren't afraid of him?"
"No Sir."
"And that's why you tried to stop him?"
"No Sir."
"Then why did you try to stop him?"
"He tugged the waistband of my track pants like he did those of the others."
"And was that when you tried to stop him?'
"No Sir, it was after he started to do it repeatedly, becoming a nuisance."
"How… did you stop him?" asked Glando, "Exactly?"
"I pointed out that his activities were disruptive, and asked him to stop."
"And… did he?"
"No Sir. He laughed, then said 'no girlie new-comer tells me what to do'. Then he lifted my track pants further up my body than they were designed to go…"
'A wedgie,' thought Glando, remembering the humiliatingly painful procedure he'd often suffered in his own schooldays…
"The sensations were… unpleasant," continued Rave, "I asked him if he knew how unpleasant such a procedure was, to those it was enacted on."
"And what did he reply?"
"He laughed at me, saying 'tough, I'll do what I like'…"
"And then," sighed Glando, "What did you do?"
"Being unable to communicate effectively with words alone, I decided a practical example might be more successful. I then did to him, what he had done to me…"
"So… you lifted his track pants further up his body than they were designed to go?" asked Glando.
"Yes Sir," confirmed Rave, "Although, I overestimated how much strength I should have used…"
Glando winced, recalling that the students track pants were nylon, and that according to other 'eyewitness' accounts, Rave's attempt at a 'wedgie', had lifted the male student involved a good 'foot and a half' off the ground…
"Commander?" asked Rave quietly, "Did I do the right thing?"
Glando looked at the young girl before him, as unpleasant memories of his own childhood years replayed in his mind's eye.
"Yes Rave," Glando answered in kindly tones, a satisfied smirk on his face as he patted her blue haired head, "I think you did…"
- - - - - - - - - -
Rave stood silently beside Glando, as a noisy mob milled around them.
'Parent/Teacher meetings never were my idea of a good time,' Glando forced himself to smile politely at another person making 'inane small talk'.
"Ah!" said a woman in a suit on seeing Glando, "Mr Atari, nice to meet you!"
Glando inclined his head politely at the woman, grateful for a diversion tot current mind-numbing pleasantries, "My Pleasure, Ms…?"
"Sorry," the woman replied, "I'm Shiori Murohara… I'm the School Counsellor…"
Glando tensed up behind his smile, 'School Counsellor? This may be a problem…'
"And I'd like to have a word with you about Rave…"
'Correction,' Glando amended, 'This IS a problem…'
"Certainly," Glando politely replied, "Is now a good time? It's just that I'm a rather busy man, and I can't always reschedule my day at the office…"
"Yes, please," Ms Murohara replied, "If you'd just step into my office…"
Minutes later, Glando and Rave were seated in a small office.
"Now then," Ms Murohara began, "Rave's only been with us for a short time, but there are a few things I believe we need to talk about…"
"Nothing serious, I hope?" Glando didn't need to fake the concern in his voice.
"Not… really…" Ms Murohara admitted, "It's just that… Rave…"
Glando leaned forward in his seat, apprehensively attentive.
"…seems to be rather… withdrawn," Ms Murohara concluded.
"Is that all?" Glando asked, feeling relieved but still cautious.
"Mostly," Ms Murohara admitted, "Although she achieves excellent marks in her tests, and always gives the right answer when asked, she never seems to get up and do things spontaneously… She never… volunteers… to do things…"
"Is… that a problem?" asked Glando, feeling wary.
"Well…" Ms Murohara seemed hesitant, "She seems to be shutting herself off from others… Withdrawing into her shell so to speak…"
"I see…" Glando murmured, nodding his head.
"I was wondering if you could shed any light on the matter?" Ms Murohara asked.
"Rave?" Glando said in kindly tones, turning to the blue-haired child.
"Yes Sir?"
"Would you please wait outside for a few minutes?" Glando asked, "I really need to speak to Ms Murohara in private for a bit…"
"Yes Sir," replied Rave, "I'll stand watch outside…"
Glando waited until the door had shut behind Rave, before talking quietly.
"Ms Murohara," Glando began, "I'm not sure how much I can really tell you about Rave… There's much about her I'm not sure of myself… But…"
Ms Murohara tilted her head, listening attentively to Glando.
"Rave has had…" Glando searched for the right words, "…an unusual life… As you no doubt know, she has no parents…"
Ms Murohara nodded, "Yes, I read in her files that she's an orphan. Do you know how that came about?"
"I can't really say," Glando lied, "After the events of Second Strike, there was considerable chaos for years afterwards… Earthquakes, Tsunami, loss of social infrastructure, rioting, evacuations, and…"
"…families were broken up…" Ms Murohara sighed, a sad look on her face, "Either by death, or the mass dispersal of the population… Millions lost touch…"
"When I first saw Rave," Glando admitted honestly, "She was with a group of other children in a U.N. funded shelter…"
'Heh,' thought Glando, 'Technically speaking, the term 'U.N. funded shelter' does apply to the Clone Tank in the Doppelganger Lab…'
"I tried to find out what I could about her, but…" Glando shrugged his shoulders, "You wouldn't believe how fouled up record keeping was back then… Let alone the U.N. record system… Despite their policy of English/French only, you still need a new interpreter every other page…"
"I know only too well," agreed Ms Murohara, "I've had dealings with it before…"
"I couldn't find any clue to Rave's family," continued Glando, "Living or dead… All I could find out was that the poor child had spent her early years in whatever institutions had the funded facilities to look after cases like hers…"
"Personally," whispered Glando, leaning across the desk like a conspirator, "I think all that time in U.N. institutions has left its mark on her…"
"I did hear her say she'd 'stand watch' outside the door," agreed Ms Murohara.
"I'm not saying that's a BAD thing…" Glando hastened to add, "There are a LOT of GOOD people in the U.N. Emergency relief services… But… they can be… A bit too 'regimented' for my taste… Too much of the 'Army mentality'…"
"I see," said Ms Murohara, nodding her head, "Have you thought of getting Rave some counselling? I believe I can help her with…"
"Ms Murohara," Glando said, firmly but politely, "That won't be necessary…"
"But she needs…"
"I'll get Rave 'counselling' if that's what you recommend," stated Glando, "It's just that… I'd prefer not to use school services…"
Ms Murohara watched Glando with a raised eyebrow and pursed lips…
Glando sighed, "Please don't misunderstand… I have the funds to hire specialist services… Can the parents of other needy children in this school say the same? If Rave takes up any of your time, will you still be able to help the other children as well as you could?"
Ms Murohara's attitude softened, she smiled at Glando.
"Especially…" Glando continued sadly, "Since Rave is already so… different… to the other students… I'd rather not give the rumour mill any more to grind on…"
"That's another thing I wanted to talk with you about…" Ms Murohara admitted, "We were most surprised to find that Rave's hair wasn't dyed that colour…"
'I'll bet you were,' Glando thought with hidden amusement, 'You'd probably have a heart attack if you saw the results of one of her Full Medicals…'
Glando sighed, "You're not the only one… That's the first thing people usually notice about Rave…"
"Have you thought about having her dye it a more normal colour?" asked Ms Murohara, "It would let her blend in with other people…"
Glando looked down at his clasped hands for long moments.
Then he looked Ms Murohara directly in the eyes and quietly said, "As you've no doubt concluded from her pale skin and red eyes, Rave is an albino… I don't want her bowing to the opinions of a small-minded minority, who think a person's… colour… is more important than the person…"
"I… see," Ms Murohara murmured.
"I'm sorry," Glando apologised, "But I have strong opinions on… some things… I want her to grow up being proud of what she is…"
Silence fell between them for a few moments…
"Ms Murohara," Glando finally murmured, "If you could give me any… advice on what sort of counselling I should get for Rave, or what programs you feel may be of best benefit to her… For ALL her needs… I would be MOST appreciative…"
"In that case…" Ms Murohara's face was one warm smile, "I believe the following programs are probably the best for her…"
A lengthy conversation followed…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando in Ms Murohara's office…
"Thank you very much," replied Glando, genuinely grateful, and more than a little impressed by what Ms Murohara had just outlined.
'This woman is much like Ritzy…' considered Glando, noting the many certificates hanging on Ms Murohara's Office wall, 'No limits but what she sets for herself…'
"Ms Murohara," Glando enquired, "May I ask what a person of your qualifications is doing, serving as a mere counsellor in a local school?"
Ms Murohara's face fell, "Despite my qualifications, I'm still a woman…"
Glando frowned, "What's that got to do with it?"
Ms Murohara snorted, "Have you tried being a woman lately?"
Glando blinked, "Err…"
Ms Murohara sighed, "Women like me are still expected to leave work after a few years, and live off of their husbands…"
"But surely that's changed," protested Glando, "Second Strike proved that…"
"Old attitudes die hard," interrupted Ms Murohara, "The last thirty years have seen major advances in equality for women in the workplace. The Social upheaval after Second Strike, saw jobs given to whoever was qualified. However…"
"However…?" repeated Glando.
"Same story, different decade…" Ms Murohara said sadly, "Now that things are getting back to normal, the Dinosaurs running Head Office expect all of us women to go off and have babies for the rest of our lives…"
"I… see…"
"Still," Ms Murohara smiled, "Things may change by the time Rave graduates…"
"Indeed…" Glando replied cryptically, "I'm sure they will have…"
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando making a call in his office.
"That's right," Glando confirmed, "Her name is Ms Shiori Murohara… She's a school counsellor. She's gotten too close. We need to… take action…"
"Disappearance Sir?" asked the other voice on the line.
"No…" Glando said slowly, "She's still useful… A transfer will suffice… Make a list of positions in the Board of Education that her qualifications suit…"
Glando paused, then smirked as he amended, "Especially any positions in Head Office… I'll make a final selection, based on what details are turned up…"
"On it sir!"
"That is all," Glando said, before hanging up the phone.
Glando sat at his desk, fingers steepled before him, thinking.
'Ms Shiori Murohara…' Glando mused, 'I'm sure that a career boost, will make you forget any concerns you have for a particular young girl at this school…'
- - - - - - - - - -
"You wanted to see me?" Fu2ok asked, as he approached Glando's desk.
"Yes," murmured Glando, "I need some advice about Rave…"
"What is it now?"
"Now that she is attending School, the Committee…" Glando paused, "Wants Rave to move out of the Nursery, and into the community…"
"Is that wise?" Fu2ok raised an eyebrow.
"Rave is not a threat to anyone, that is not a threat to her…" Glando replied.
"Atari," Fu2ok wore an incredulous look on his face, "**NO-ONE** would be a threat to Rave, if they knew what she could **DO** to them… But MANY people might be a 'threat' to ANY girl as young as Rave is…"
"I know," Glando readily agreed, "That's why I need advice on the main options for her new residential situation…"
"One," said Glando, "She lives with a 'Guardian'…"
"A very good choice," Fu2ok agreed with an unconscious nod, "The Guardian can also help with Security. Movements, Contacts, Events, Trouble-shooting, etc. Not to mention shopping, cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc…"
Glando had a sudden vision of one of the Security forces, in full Riot Gear, cleaning an apartment with a feather duster, while wearing a frilly pink apron…
"Two," coughed Glando, suppressing the urge to laugh, "She lives by herself, but with a 'Guardian' living in the same Apartment Block, or even 'next door'."
"Gives a greater sense of 'independence'," conceded Fu2ok, "Promotes self-reliance, while providing a less intrusive safety net. Makes it more difficult for the Guardian to keep an eye on her, though! Plus, there's the housekeeping duties, will Rave do them herself, or will someone else come in and do them? In the latter case, they could deliver shopping, take away laundry, etc."
"Three," continued Glando, "Rave lives by herself, with a regular Security presence in the area, and the usual 'Panic Button' in her apartment."
"I can't agree with that," disagreed Fu2ok, "Too dangerous! She's just a young teenage girl! There's any number of sleaze merchants that would see that as an open invitation to 'make moves' on her…"
"True," agreed Glando, "But you're forgetting that Rave knows how to handle herself in a fight, and that any one… 'harassing' her, will be biting off far more than they can handle…'
"Which leaves us with how many extra bodies to hide?" Fu2ok responded dryly.
"I had thought the first choice was the best option," stated Glando, ignoring the gibe, "However, that was before I received THIS from STEELY…"
Glando pushed a small computer printout across to Fu2ok.
Fu2ok picked it up and read it.
"Atari?" Fu2ok blinked in surprise, "This is…?"
"Unusual?" Glando prompted, "Certainly, but in light of what Rave… did… to the Sociological Technicians…"
"But a… 'containment system'? In case she goes 'berserk'?"
"STEELY thinks it's perfectly understandable," Glando replied, "Self-Destruct for the apartment block as a 'first-strike' option, with snipers as a back-up…"
"Armed with anti-personnel fragmentation missiles?" Fu2ok asked incredulously, "Surely that's overkill? I mean, she's just a girl…"
Glando raised an eyebrow, "She's hardly, 'just a girl' Professor. These orders will endanger innocent bystanders if we move her into any sort of High-density housing project. If the containment system is activated, even accidentally…"
Fu2ok paled, "We'd be looking at a major Public Relations nightmare… It's one of the fundamental corollaries of Murphy's Law, that 'All innocent bystanders have grieving relatives who get interviewed on Nationwide TV'…"
"At the very least," confirmed Glando, "Given the situation, and what is expected of us… I believe it best if we consider a fourth option. That Rave live in a building by herself, in an area of low population density."
Fu2ok snorted derisively, "And how far out of the City is that?"
"Actually," Glando smiled evasively, "I've found a local option…"
- - - - - - - - - -
"This is a dump," observed Fu2ok, giving his 'Considered Professional Opinion' after looking at Rave's 'new' apartment, "When are the renovators coming in?"
"They won't be," Glando replied, "The fixtures have been 'certified' as safe…"
"Unbelievable!" Fu2ok said, shaking his head, "We have a Multi-Trillion Yen budget, yet you won't spend money getting an apartment decently renovated?"
"It's not a matter of money," Glando frowned, "Renovations would be noticed. Fixing up only one apartment would make it look out of place. Renovating the entire building for the sake of a consistent appearance, would raise the question of why there are no other tenants…"
"True," Fu2ok conceded, "But this still isn't… suitable…"
"On the contrary, Professor," argued Glando, "Not only don't we waste money renovating a 'throw-away' facility, we also have the perfect reason to 'move' Rave into a better apartment in the future…"
"You got THAT right!" muttered Fu2ok, "Any idea on how long Rave will stay in this… 'facility'…?"
"Unknown," stated Glando, "Hopefully, she will prove herself within a short time frame, and we can dispense with this… facility… However, it depends on STEELY…"
"Yes," Fu2ok nodded his understanding, "We're on a shorter leash than usual…"
They left Rave's apartment, and walked along to the one beside it.
"What about 'unexpected neighbours?" asked Fu2ok, as they stopped outside the next apartment, "The last thing we want is any 'squatters' moving in…"
"Security have relevant orders…" Glando hinted darkly…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando unlocked the door to the apartment next door to Rave's, stepping back so that Fu2ok could look inside.
"Good… LORD!!" choked Fu2ok, his eyes widening in shock, "Atari! Is that…?"
"Yes," confirmed Glando, looking at the numerous wired packages obscuring the wall next to Rave's apartment, "High explosives… As per STEELY's wish…"
"Isn't that… excessive?" gasped Fu2ok.
"Not when you've seen what's in the other apartments," murmured Glando.
"There's MORE?"
Glando nodded, "This is only part of the 'Containment' system for Rave… Then there are the charges to destroy the building…"
"I don't like this," Fu2ok sighed wearily, as he ran his fingers through his hair, "Is this really the best choice we have?"
"It's certainly an expensive one," snorted Glando, "Making Rave the sole occupant of a 'condemned' apartment block was not cheap."
"This…" said Fu2ok, looking around him, "Was expensive?"
"Very," confirmed Glando, "The land more so than the building. Still, it's not without its benefits. Not only will it keep nosey neighbours away from Rave, it will also keep innocent bystanders away from any 'unscheduled demolition'…"
"Speaking of which," asked Fu2ok, "Have you figured out how to explain the sudden destruction of the building, should such need arise?"
"Gas leak…" scowled Glando.
- - - - - - - - - -
"This is where you'll be living for a while," Glando told Rave, as they stood outside the derelict apartment building.
Rave didn't answer, she just slowly swept her gaze over the drab grey building.
Glando walked off to the stairwell, Rave following close behind. A few minutes later, they were at the door of Rave's 'new' apartment.
"And this will be your own dwelling," Glando said, producing a key for the door.
Glando turned the key in the lock, feeling rather than hearing the lock mechanism turn over. However, when he tried the handle, it wouldn't budge.
'What the…?' Glando wondered, 'I've locked it? Couldn't Have! Security would have made sure it was locked on their last 'sweep'…'
Frowning, Glando turned the key the other way, and tried the handle. This time it turned easily.
Glando felt embarrassed, 'I must have turned the key the wrong way…'
The door suddenly shot outwards smashing into Glando's face and making him stagger backwards against Rave as a dishevelled man, dressed in dirty, ragged clothes rushed out of the apartment.
"Mine!" shouted the Tramp, brandishing a large shard of broken glass like a knife, "Mine! Get Out!"
Despite the nausea and disorientation he felt, Glando assumed a combat stance, blinking repeatedly as he tried to focus on the multiple images he saw.
"Rave!" Glando barked, "Get Security!"
At the mention of 'Security', the Tramp suddenly became aggressive, closing on Glando, making slashing motions at Glando's face with his makeshift weapon.
"NO!" the Tramp screamed, "MINE! MINE!"
Glando was too dazed to make an effective offence, and one of the Tramp's desperate swings came too close. Glando blocked with his forearm. The action saved his life as the sharp edged glass shard cut through his sleeve, and into his arm, rather than his throat.
Glando leaned back, his foot lashing out, kicking the Tramp away, putting some space between them. Unfortunately, Glando's dazed condition caused him to stumble and fall, his head hitting a railing on his way to the floor. The Tramp got to his feet, and started to close in.
"Stop!" ordered Rave, suddenly standing between Glando and the Tramp.
"MINE!" the Tramp insisted, turning on Rave. He swung at her, and…
Rave blurred into motion… One of her arms arced up to block her opponents weapon hand. Her fingers closed around his arm, sinking deep into the flesh as she applied brute force.
Rave pivoted her body from the hips, rotating her other shoulder towards her attacker. Her free arm lashed out gracefully, the hand delivering a perfect palm-heel strike to her opponent's face.
Rave's attack hand kept on going, sinking into the Tramp's face, using the leverage against her other arm to force the Tramps head back until his neck suddenly snapped with a gristly crunching noise.
Rave let go as the Tramp slumped to the floor, his neck at an odd angle, blood seeping from his shattered face.
Rave pirouetted, dropping into a crouching position over Glando, her hands reaching out to his injured arm, using pressure points to control the bleeding.
"R-Rave?" Glando croaked in dazed surprise.
"You are injured," Rave merely said, before using her teeth to rip the sleeves off Glando's injured arm.
Glando watched in bewilderment, as the young girl beside him tended his injuries, turning his shredded clothes into makeshift bandages.
"W-where did you learn to do that?" Glando asked, his voice feeling thick.
"SWAT training Sir," Rave calmly replied, tying off the wound.
'The mixed blessings of a varied education…' thought Glando.
Suddenly, Rave and Glando were surrounded by Security.
"Sir?" the Security Guards asked, staring at the sight of Rave tending their injured Commander, beside the bloodied corpse of the Tramp, "What happened?"
"That can wait," Rave interjected, "The Commander is wounded. He needs urgent Medical attention."
Security helped Glando to his feet, and tried to assist him from the building.
"I can walk," Glando said, irritably shrugging off their help. He turned to Rave, and stood for few moments, just looking at her.
Rave gazed calmly back at him, waiting for him to speak.
"Commander," said Rave, "You are losing blood. You need Medical Help."
"Y-Yes Rave," Glando stammered, as Rave latched onto him, urging him onwards.
'I'm supposed to be your Guardian, Rave,' Glando thought dazedly, 'Yet here you are, being my 'guardian'… protecting me…'
"Rave?" Glando whispered to the girl helping support him.
"Yes Sir?"
"Good Work."
Rave nodded slightly.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando walked into the Security Forces training hall, his bandaged arm in a sling. Beside him walked Rave, dressed in her Martial Arts uniform.
"Remember," Glando cautioned, "This is only 'sparring practice'…"
"Yes Sir," Rave calmly replied, "I will not use lethal force, or injure them."
"But there's no need to end things too soon," advised Glando, "Endurance is a very good thing to have, especially when fighting multiple attackers… Whatever happens here, will be good experience for you."
"Yes Sir," replied Rave.
Glando stopped at the edge of the Dojo Mat, letting Rave walk onto it alone.
Rave bowed gracefully towards her sparring partners for the day, before sitting at the edge of the mat to await her bout.
Glando looked around, and noticed a throng of NERVIS staff, all clustered around a person Glando knew to be a base 'bookmaker' or gambling 'tout'.
Wandering over, Glando realised they were placing 'bets' on the various fights scheduled for the day.
As Glando pushed his way into the crowd they suddenly quieted down, realising that their Commander was in their midst. The bookmaker himself started to sweat when he saw the Commander standing not two feet from him.
Glando reached his good hand into his jacket and brought out his wallet. He opened it, and awkwardly extracted some large denomination bills, then wordlessly thrust them under the bookmaker's nose
"Commander?" gasped the bookmaker, "You want to place a bet?"
"Yes," replied Glando, "My money says Rave will last at least a minute against ALL of her opponents…"
The bookie looked at Glando with scepticism, "You sure Commander? Those are some fairly bad-ass dudes out there?"
"Maybe," Glando shrugged, "But Rave is young, light and has quick reflexes…"
"Okay," agreed the bookie, "but only if you promise that they don't have any orders to 'go easy' on her…"
"Don't worry about that," replied Glando, poker-faced, "On the contrary, I've given them strict orders NOT to go easy on her, as I consider this sparring practice to be an essential part of her learning how to defend herself…"
The bookie still didn't look convinced, so Glando added, "I've already promised them an extra week of paid leave if they can defeat her in under ten seconds…"
With that, the bookie took Glando's bet, as well as those of numerous others all betting for/against the Rave/Security bouts.
Not long later, Glando was watching in rapt admiration as Rave systematically humiliated, then totally demolished a group of opponents in a 'all against one' melee, the blue-haired girl literally 'mopping the floor' with the others…
Rave ducked and weaved with fluid grace, her speed and manoeuvrability severely outclassing her opponents. She would strike one opponent, only to dodge out of the way of any returning blow, often inflicting more damage on another one of her opponents seemingly by accident. Despite the number of blows that seemed to glance off her, let alone the lucky few that connected solidly, Rave effortlessly kept up her 'hit and run' barrage.
All of which changed when Rave's last surviving opponent suddenly grabbed her in a 'bear hug', pinning the girl's arms to her sides…
Rave adapted swiftly, slamming her forehead against her opponent's face. The crowd went wild as Rave proceeded to 'head butt' her opponent into oblivion.
Glando smiled as he remembered telling the bookmaker about not 'interfering' with the performance of Rave's opponents… 'Pity he didn't ask me about Rave…' Glando grinned, remembering ordering Rave not to 'end things too soon'…
'Especially,' Glando thought with malicious satisfaction, 'If she's sparring with those inept Security Guards who let that Tramp into the building…'
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando in a Locker Room, waiting for Rave to get dressed behind a screen.
"Rave," Glando stated in serious tones, "This new phase of your training will be different to anything you've experienced before. If you encounter ANY sort of problem, or notice ANY unusual side effect, I want you to break off immediately. If you have any questions, or concerns, ASK the relevant staff. Is that clear?"
"Understood Sir," replied Rave.
"Good girl," Glando breathed with relief, "How do the new clothes fit?"
Rave came out from behind the screen by way of reply.
In an AVE Pilot Snug Suit…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando stood in the AVE test facility.
In the spacious room beyond the observation window, the Control Unit containing Rave slid down into the back of Unit Null.
Glando stood with hands in his pockets, apparently oblivious to the tension in the atmosphere around him.
None watching, would know how badly Glando's palms were sweating, or how white the knuckles of his fists were as he clenched them nervously.
- - - - - - - - - -
The emergency sirens wailed in the AVE test facility.
"Unit Null's gone berserk!" Ritzy screamed.
Glando watched in silent shock as the humanoid behemoth staggered towards his observation window.
'Is it happening again?' Glando's brain fuzzily realised, comparing current events to the accident that took his wife from him, years ago.
The AVE's giant fists thundered into the foot-thick laminated polycarbonate observation window.
Glando stared at the pounding death mere inches away in fascinated horror. The sudden eruption of the Control Unit from the back of Unit Null, snapped Glando back to reality.
"RAVE!?" yelled Glando, realising that the girl might still be alive.
Glando's sudden surprise turned into a sick fear as the Control Unit dropped to the floor of the test facility with a hideous bang.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando ran as fast as he could to the Control Unit that had ejected from the berserk Unit Null.
"RAVE!" he yelled, not caring that the girl wouldn't be able to hear him through the metal walls of the cylinder that imprisoned her.
Glando tried the emergency hatch, but recoiled as his hands touched the hot metal of the emergency release levers. Gritting his teeth, he tried again.
"ARGH!" Glando grunted in pain as the hot metal burned the skin off his palms.
Glando peered apprehensively into the confines of the Control Unit.
Rave lay slumped in her seat, a trickle of blood flowing down her face, some of her limbs at odd angles.
"Rave? Are you all right?" Glando demanded, fear of losing another of his wife's 'other children' growing within him…
Rave raised her head, and weakly replied, "…yes…"
"I'm glad to hear it…" Glando breathed in sincere relief
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando in a Hospital waiting room.
Glando paced relentlessly across the room. Whenever he reached the wall, he merely turned and paced back the way he'd come.
Despite the disaster with Unit Null, despite what STEELY might say about it, despite his burned hands, Glando had only one thing on his mind…
'Rave…'
The anaesthetic on his hands negated the pain of his burns. The regular actions of his pacing soothed his mind. But neither could calm his troubled heart…
'Will you live?' worry filled Glando's mind as he thought of the injuries the blue-haired child had sustained.
'I… don't want to lose you…' a weight burdened his heart at the thought.
'I've lost my wife…' an old wound opened inside, adding it's own pain.
'I've… lost my son…' another old wound added it's new felt pain.
'I've lost the first… Rave…' Glando stopped pacing, and suddenly slumped into a chair, too emotionally overwrought to stand, 'Will… Will I lose you too?'
Glando sat for some time, lost in own thoughts. Then he stood and resumed pacing, awaiting word from the Hospital Operating Theatre…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando woke to the sound of someone speaking to him.
"Whazzup?" he blearily asked, trying to get his bearings.
"…commander…?" a ragged voice quietly inquired, "…why… are you… here…?"
Glando's vision focussed, and revealed he was sitting on a chair, in a corner of an intensive care suite at the Hospital.
…Beside the I.C.U. bed that cradled a thoroughly bandaged Rave…
"Rave?" Glando asked, hope springing within him.
"…yes… sir…" the girl breathed, her voice muzzy from painkillers.
"Rave!" Glando smiled, "Don't worry, you're going to be all right…"
"…it… does not… matter…" whispered Rave, "…there are… others…"
Glando looked at the suffering child, not knowing what to say.
'There may be 'others',' Glando thought, 'But there's only one of YOU…'
"…why are… you… here…?" Rave asked again.
Glando pulled his face back into a more professional mask, stating in his usual tones, "I'm the Commander of this facility, as well as your Guardian. In both positions, your welfare is my concern…"
"…how long… were you… waiting…?" Rave's question sighed out of her.
"Not long," lied Glando, "I am pleased that you are awake, I'll leave you to your recovery." With that, Glando turned and walked from the room.
…But not before he'd seen a faint smile steal over Rave's bandaged face…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando and Fu2ok having a heated discussion.
"They can't be serious?" Fu2ok demanded.
"Unfortunately… They are," Glando confirmed, "STEELY advise, that the first attack will occur sometime in the next week…"
"But there's no way that Rave will be able to pilot by then…"
Glando frowned, "Incorrect. She'll be able to pilot…"
"Impossible, her wounds haven't healed! It'd be suicide!"
"Correct. STEELY doesn't expect her to survive the battle…" Glando scowled, "Wounded, her 'value' has been reduced, more so since she's consuming valuable medical resources… STEELY thinks she now has greater worth as an autopsy specimen, or better yet, as fodder for 'destructive testing' in actual combat situations… Plus, it will allow us to test her 'replacement system' again…"
"So…" Fu2ok slumped, "We have to send a wounded child out to fight and die…"
"Or…" said Glando quietly, "We can try and use the only 'spare' with a chance of being able to pilot Unit Won…"
"But will he even agree to pilot, regardless of whether he can?"
"We shall soon see…" Glando murmured.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando looked down at the containment bay where Unit Won was stored.
…And at the visitors it currently had, Captain Mazurka Kutsarug, Dr Ritzy Akatlover, and Shakey Atari… the son Glando hadn't met in years…
'He's grown…' Glando considered the teenaged boy on the walkway, trying to reconcile the current sight to a memory from years ago.
"It's been awhile…" was the only reply Glando could make to his son's stare.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando in a contest of wills with his cowardly son.
Shakey was standing firm on his refusal to even get into Unit Won.
'They've been too soft on him,' Glando decided in disgust, 'Perhaps I should have raised him myself…'
"Fu2ok," Glando ordered, "Wake Rave up…"
- - - - - - - - - -
The explosion rocked the NERVIS Base, dislodging parts of the ceiling supports.
Glando watched, as people scurried far below, trying to avoid being crushed by the falling debris. His heart leapt into his mouth as he saw his son fall to the floor, unable to escape the doom hurtling towards him.
The scream of tortured metal rent the air, as the arm of Unit Won ripped out of the safety restraints and positioned itself to shield the fallen youth.
Glando watched in disbelief, a hopeful smile barely on his lips.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando watched as Shakey got to his feet, and went to aid the fallen Rave.
"I'll pilot it…" Shakey acquiesced, his head hanging in defeat.
Glando's heart swelled with pride, at the proof his son was NOT a coward…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando in his chair watching his son's first battle.
Outwardly indifferent to the drama playing out, Glando sat with his fingers steepled before him, hiding his lower face.
…And the way his lips trembled as he silently prayed.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando stood in the Hospital corridor leading to the room where Shakey was.
'Should I go and see him?' Glando's heart was torn with indecision, 'What would I say to him if I did?'
'Would he even bother listening to me?'
The door to Shakey's Hospital suite opened, and the boy in question stumbled out. Surprised, Glando ducked into a nearby room, out of his son's view.
'What CAN I say?' Glando realised, 'We are now strangers to each other… Even though we are the same flesh and blood, we are… strangers…'
The squeak of a Hospital Gurney echoed down the corridor.
'Rave…' thought Glando, seeing the unmistakeable mop of blue hair.
"Commander?" Rave said, as the Gurney drew level with Glando's hiding place.
Glando left his hiding place, and walked over to the girl. The hospital attendants automatically stopped for him to talk to her.
"Yes Rave?" Glando asked, bending slightly over the wounded girl.
Rave's eye swivelled towards Shakey, "Is he the one who piloted in my place?"
"Yes."
"Who is he?"
"He's…" Glando paused as he turned slightly to look at Shakey, "He's a candidate for the position of Third Pilot, Shakey Atari."
"My only son…" Glando added.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando in a lift, his mind full of recriminations.
'How can I make up the years we spent apart?" Glando looked deep inside himself, searching for an answer, 'But… Would he even want to give me another chance? And would I be able to make a go of it, even if he did?'
The lift stopped and the doors opened, revealing the person Glando was thinking about.
…His son, Shakey.
The two looked at each other, their eyes meeting. Glando looked silently at his son, searching for the right words, something to say that might make a difference. Shakey stared back at his father, his thoughts unknowable, but his expression one of distaste, and lack of expectation.
Then the elevator doors closed, and any opportunity was lost.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando blinked, "With me…?" he repeated in surprise.
"Will he be living with you?" Fu2ok repeated his question, "It might help you two renew your Family ties?"
Glando frowned as he considered the ramifications of living with his son.
'Could we live as family?' Glando asked himself, 'We've been apart so long… He's a teenager now… I don't know how to be a Father to a teenage boy… I'm barely a 'Guardian' to Rave… Rave! How will Shakey view my being Rave's Guardian for all these years, when I haven't even bothered being a Father to him? My own Flesh and Blood?'
"Well?" Fu2ok prompted.
"Shakey is…" Glando searched for an acceptable reply, "…a teenage boy… He… needs space… My apartment may not be suitable for two people…"
"Dr Akatlover's often hinted you should get a larger apartment," Fu2ok smirked.
Glando tensed, 'Dr Akatlover! How will my son see my… arrangement… with her? Could I keep something like THAT secret, if he lived with me? Then again… What about any 'relationships' HE might develop with girls?'
"It would save on Security resources as well," Fu2ok considered.
Glando's face twitched, 'Security? If he's living with me, then he'll be subject to the same surveillance I am… Can he take that sort of 'intrusion' in his life? How would STEELY view his living with me? A Security risk?'
"NO," Glando said in a firm voice, "It will be best for both of us, if we live apart. I will authorise the procurement of an apartment for him to live in…"
"What? By himself?" asked an incredulous Fu2ok.
"He's a big boy now…" Glando quietly replied.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando walked with Fu2ok down a corridor.
"Captain Kutsarug has decided to let him live with her," Fu2ok idly remarked, "Appears, she was concerned about him living by himself…"
"Every Woman has a Mother's heart," Glando replied curtly, understanding the truth in the old saying, "As long as it does not interfere with their Professional duties, I have no objection to her acting as his 'Guardian'…"
"Still," Fu2ok continued, "People may talk…"
"About what?"
"The fact that your son is living with an attractive young woman… One who isn't related to him…"
Glando scowled, "People with 'comments'," he acidly retorted, "…can speak to me about them, face to face…"
Fu2ok pursed his lips, "What about Captain Kutsarug?"
"She can have them after I've finished with them," Glando replied darkly.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando stared in disbelief at the Security Agent before him.
"Let me see if I've got this right," Glando said slowly, "My son is 'missing'… Security doesn't know where he is?"
"Err… Correct… Sir," the Security Agent nervously replied.
"How… did he GET… to be 'missing'?" Glando asked in icy tones.
"He… walked away from Monitored space Sir…"
"He walked…" Glando repeated, the ice in his voice starting to break as his emotions warmed up, "Tell me… WHEN did you realise he was… 'missing'?"
The Security Agent gulped, "He was confirmed as leaving Captain Kutsarug's apartment several hours ago. Then he took Public Transport to the City edges, and walked off into the surrounding countryside, and…"
"AND," Glando nearly shouted, "You LOST him?"
"Ah… well…"
"Get this straight, RIGHT NOW," thundered Glando, "Shakey Atari is the ONLY healthy Pilot of the ONLY useable AVE we have! If ANYTHING happens to him, we may all **DIE**!! Send out ALL personnel! Cancel ALL leave until he is found!"
"Yes Sir!" the Security Agent saluted before he turned for the door…
"One last thing," growled Glando, "If he gets hurt, in ANY way, through this… 'lapse'… of Security… Heads **WILL** roll…"
After the Security Agent fled the Office, Glando sat at his desk, still as a rock, his hands steepled before him.
…Praying that his only son would not end up as the 'first' Rave did, when she went 'wandering'…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando glared at his son.
"Pilot Atari," Glando grated out, "Do you know what the terms 'Commanding Officer', and 'following orders' mean?"
Shakey gulped and nodded nervously.
"Then WHY," thundered Glando, "Did you disobey Captain Kutsarug, and endanger yourself and Unit Won when you rescued Aesir and Unit Too?"
Shakey mumbled something.
"LOUDER!" snapped Glando.
"I couldn't just do nothing…" Shakey muttered, looking at the floor.
Glando stared angrily at his son. Then Glando started a vicious verbal flaying, one that would instil a solid desire in Shakey to follow orders.
…All the while, secretly proud that his son had the guts to 'get involved', despite the pain it had cost him…
- - - - - - - - - -
"Commander?" advised the Communications Tech, "We've established the Uplink…"
Glando inclined his head slightly by way of acknowledgement, before giving his official message to the defenders of the latest attack against the City.
"Good Work, Shakey," Glando added, not knowing how else to say what he felt.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando sat, as silent and unmoving as a statue, as the Doppelganger Unit that controlled AVE Unit Won, totally dismembered Toe-Jam's AVE.
"Stop!" Shakey screamed, begging and pleading, "Father?"
'It had to be done… It had to be done… It had to be done…' the words repeated over and over in Glando's head, a personal mantra rationalising the course of action Glando had just ordered be taken.
'I had no choice… We all could have died…' Glando reassured himself, 'Shakey, Rave… We ALL could have DIED…'
…Not that the price his son had paid for their continued existence made Glando feel any better…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando looked at his son.
Shakey stood before Glando's desk, handcuffs securing the young boy's hands, a look of angry defiance and seething hatred on the boy's face.
'Why can't you understand?' Glando's face remained immobile, belying the emotions beneath, 'Why can't you see I had no other choice?'
"You disappoint me…" Glando murmured.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando stood looking down at Unit Won.
"It's over," he muttered, "Rave and Aesir have fallen… Unit Won has no pilot…"
"Father!" the sudden cry snapped Glando out of his miserable reverie.
"Let me Pilot it!" begged Shakey, out of breath on the catwalk far below.
"Why are you here?" asked Glando in confusion.
"Because…" Shakey gasped for breath, "I'm the Pilot of Unit Won…"
'So' thought Glando, 'You've finally stopped running away…'
- - - - - - - - - -
"I wish to… 'become one' with Shakey," Rave said, just before her AVE exploded with Mega-tonnage force.
Glando stared in deathly shock, as the fact of Rave's sacrifice sank in.
'She felt that strongly about Shakey?' some part of his mind wondered.
Glando swallowed heavily, unnoticed by the grieving bridge crew.
'Were those feelings new?' Glando wondered.
'Or was that an expression of something she's been thinking about for a while? Something she may have… passed on to the Others?'
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando stared down at the charbroiled mess on the autopsy table.
"…Rave…" mumbled Glando, as the emotions of the situation began to overwhelm him, "…you gave your life… to save my son…"
"Thank you…" Glando whispered, tears streaming down his face, "Thank you…"
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando in the Doppelganger Lab, looking at the Clones in the tank.
'Here we are again,' Glando sadly watched the Clones watch him.
'The Second is dead…' Glando grimaced, emotional pain lancing through him.
'And I must choose another to become 'Rave'…'
'How long will you live… this time?'
'How will you die?'
'Will I send you to your death again? Like I did the Second?'
'Will you find a true life of your own? As the Second may have started to?'
'Will you finally become a real child?'
'Will you have the time?'
Glando stood, quietly lost in his thoughts for a long time.
Then he sighed, and began the long procedure of removing a Clone from the tank…
- - - - - - - - - -
The pale body twitched… Red eyes slowly opened…
"Rave?" Glando asked the waking girl anxiously, "Can you understand me?"
"…ess… sur…" a voice gurgled, before disappearing under wracking coughs.
The Clone rolled onto her side, and coughed up the TLC from her lungs.
Relief and worry flooded through Glando as he watched the Clone start to breathe like a normal human for the first time in her life…
"Good Girl," Glando said in kindly tones, gently patting her blue haired head.
'Now,' thought Glando, 'To find out…'
"Rave?" Glando asked.
"…sirr?" the Clone slurred.
"There was another Battle," Glando said, looking attentively at the girl, "You saved Shakey's life… Again…"
The Clone didn't reply, instead, a small smile spread across her blushing face.
Glando blinked, 'So… She has passed her emotional growth on to you… An unexpected gift…'
"We'll need to… talk… after you rest…" was all Glando could say.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando was in a Hospital room with Rave…
'The third Rave,' Glando reminded himself, checking the bandages the girl didn't need, except as a disguise.
"Remember," Glando stressed, "You've just been badly injured in a battle, and the events of the last few weeks aren't clear in your mind."
"Yes Sir," replied Rave.
"Now as far as Shakey is concerned," Glando began, then stopped as he saw a faint blush appear on Rave's face.
'What should I say?' agonised Glando, 'There are few enough people in her life who care for her as is… Should I deny either of them the chance of friendship with each other? Should I tell her about… NO! I won't… That truth will only cause them grief… Rave won't allow anything… 'untoward'… to happen anyway…'
"Shakey doesn't know the truth about… 'Rave'…" Glando paused, feeling strangely guilty, "It's best if things stay that way…"
'For now at least,' reasoned Glando, 'Later… I can tell them… Somehow…'
"Yes Sir," replied Rave.
"You are excused from School, and any Official Duties, until advised by myself," Glando continued, "When you leave this Hospital, I want you to familiarise yourself with your surroundings… Get accustomed to things…"
"Yes Sir," replied Rave.
"And Rave?" Glando added.
"Sir?"
"Shakey…" Glando searched for the right words, "He's just a boy… He's still got a lot of growing up to do… Please… Be tolerant of any mistakes he makes…"
Rave blushed slightly, "Yes Sir."
"Good Girl," Glando said in kindly tones, gently patting her blue haired head.
- - - - - - - - - -
"Dr Akatlover?" Glando asked, "There's a favour I need to ask…"
Ritzy turned to Glando, a sly smile on her face, "Oh? What is it?" she husked.
Glando paused, 'How do I tell her I need someone to be questioned in Rave's stead by STEELY? Rave's too vulnerable right now… Too disorientated… STEELY will probably interrogate her, to see if she's 'ready' for their real plans for her… Rave may unwittingly let something slip…'
Glando improvised, "I need someone to deliver a… special report…"
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando sat in his private air transport.
'I don't see why I had to attend that meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister,' Glando thought sourly, 'He's only a puppet, a call from STEELY should have sufficed to get things done…'
One of the Flight Crew interrupted Glando's mental tirade, "Excuse me, Sir," the FC handed over a small Communications set, "But you've got a call…"
'What now?' Glando wondered irritably, 'Does some other underling need instructions in how to wipe his bottom?'
"Commander here, Report…" Glando sighed in exasperation.
"Sir!" said a gruff voice on the other end of the line, "Dr Akatlover's just blown up the Doppelganger Lab…"
"WHAT?" yelled Glando.
- - - - - - - - - -
As he neared the Doppelganger Lab, Glando noticed someone sitting outside it.
It was Rave#3. She was sitting at the end of a row of chairs, with a rather large silvery parcel lying horizontally on chairs beside her.
Glando stopped in front of Rave and blinked in surprise as he took in the sight before him.
Wrapped in a Thermal Blanket and mostly curled up on three folding chairs, was the body of Shakey Atari. His head was resting on Rave's lap. His eyes were closed, and he seemed to be asleep.
Rave had one arm pressed around Shakey's shoulders, securing his body on the chairs, and the other cradling his head. She was watching Shakey's face intently.
'She looks… concerned…' Glando thought, noting Rave's expression, 'As if she cares for him… actually… CARES… for him…'
"Rave?" Glando quietly asked, "What happened to Shakey?"
Rave suddenly looked up, her dilated pupils narrowing quickly as she focused on Glando. A faint look of surprise was quickly replaced by her usual expression.
"Commander Atari," she stated, "Pilot Atari was soaked with TLC. Evaporation of the TLC and the local environment caused Hypothermia."
"How is he now?" asked Glando, concerned for his estranged son.
"He is stable," replied Rave, "He has fallen asleep from exhaustion."
"Are you sure?" pressed Glando.
"Yes."
"Why didn't the Medics evacuate him?" asked Glando, while silently worrying, 'Is there something wrong with him that I should know about? Was he too ill to be moved? Were they waiting for his condition to 'stabilise'?'
"I do not know," replied Rave.
"Which Medic gave him the Thermal Blanket?" Glando asked in quiet tones, thinking, 'I'd better have a talk with them… Just to make sure…'
"He did not get it from a Medic. It came from an injured Clone."
"An injured Clone?" this was unexpected and Glando's composure cracked slightly, as his mind reeled at the implications, 'My son was injured, and the Medics didn't even HELP him? They left that job up to one of the INJURED??'
"Yes," confirmed Rave, "I had just determined that Pilot Atari needed warmth, when an injured Clone came out of the Lab, and gave me her own Thermal Blanket."
"So you treated him?" asked Glando, his emotions rising, "Not a Medic?"
"Yes."
"Good Girl," a kindly smile spread across Glando's face, belying the warring emotions in his heart, 'They did NOTHING for him? When I get my hands on…'
"Commander…" said Rave, interrupting Glando's thoughts.
"Yes Rave?" Glando replied, shelving his thoughts until a better time.
"Pilot Atari may… know… about me and the Others…"
"What makes you think that?" asked Glando warily.
"When I arrived, he asked me not to die anymore…"
Glando was silent for several moments as he pondered the ramifications of this.
'So… He knows that 'Rave' is not… the girl he knew…' considered Glando, 'What else does he know about 'her'? And what will STEELY order me to do about this?'
'Fortunately, he's too valuable to be terminated…' Glando thought with relief.
Then a small tremor ran through Glando as he realised, 'But not for much longer! There's only one last 'attack' scheduled for this City… And then…'
"Commander," Rave's quiet voice interrupted Glando's thoughts, "There is something else."
Glando looked expectantly at the Clone in front of him.
"The other Clone. She… told me… what Pilot Atari did before I arrived…"
"And?" Glando's interest was piqued by this situation.
'How did she handle 'talking to herself'?' Glando wondered, 'More importantly… How did she handle getting an answer?'
"She told me without speaking…"
Surprise swept through Glando. It was immediately overwhelmed by an intense interest, "What do you mean?"
"She was near me when it happened. I… remembered… what Pilot Atari had done, even though I was not here at the time… It was… like… a Memory Download… but not like one…"
'Memory Download? Without a TLC connection? Is that possible?'
"Where is she now?" asked Glando, his voice low and urgent.
"I believe she is still in the Lab."
"Tell no-one else about this 'incident' Rave. Not unless I give authorisation to you, face to face."
"Understood, Sir."
"Good girl," said Glando in kindly tones, "I'll get someone to take Shakey to Hospital. Stay with him until he's evacuated, then go home, and get some rest. You are excused from further duties and school until I advise otherwise. Keep your phone with you, I may need to call you later about this."
"Yes, Sir," replied Rave, blushing faintly from the praise.
"Now," said Glando, still with a kindly smile on his face, "Where are the Medics? I need to have a little talk with them…"
"They are in the Doppelganger Lab…"
Glando walked into the Lab. As he entered the doorway, and left Rave's field of vision, his kindly smile twisted into a furious scowl…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando in a makeshift morgue, among too many dead Clones. He walked slowly from body to body, noting each one's injuries with a deeper level of guilt and sorrow.
'More 'autopsy specimens' for STEELY…' Glando thought bitterly, 'Just as the First and Second Rave ended up…'
Glando sighed deeply, and rubbed his weary eyes, 'STEELY won't take this calmly… They'll be out for blood… Ritzy's for sure… And mine as well? Perhaps… At the very least, it will adversely affect my Command… Even if I DO retain it…'
Glando stood silently, thinking over the possible repercussions, 'STEELY will surely use this incident to increase the power of their own staff on this Base… They may remove the Clones from under my Command… Either by removing the Clones from this base entirely, or by putting them under some STEELY sycophant…'
"D--N IT!" Glando swore, suddenly punching a wall in frustration, "All these years of work! And now, it just…!"
Glando breathed heavily, bringing himself back under control, 'Why Ritzy? Why did you do this? Why would you kill the Clones? You and Rave were on good terms… There were times you even acted like a mother to her…'
'Mother?' Glando's eyes widened in sudden realisation.
"Like mother like daughter?" Glando whispered, remembering some of the rumours that had circulated after Nayokay had killed the first Rave Clone.
'No… It couldn't be? Could it?' Glando asked himself, 'Nayokay didn't 'snap'… She was deliberately 'broken'… By Psycho-chemicals! Has someone tried the same thing with you, Ritzy? Is that why this happened? This was… 'induced'…?'
"YES!" Glando suddenly exclaimed, 'That would explain why a Genius like Ritzy failed to destroy ALL of the Clones! She couldn't, IF she was a mere puppet, and this whole situation was being secretly controlled by outside forces!'
A murderous fury rose in Glando's heart, twisting his face into an angry scowl.
'STEELY killed billions in Second Strike, just so they could gain power and control from the Chaos that followed! They'd certainly kill a few little girls if it furthered their plans!'
'Especially if they could 'kill two birds with one stone'… Get FULL control of the Clones, while getting rid of those who know the truth about them!'
'Looks like I'll need to… take precautions…' Glando decided.
Glando stood silently in the Morgue, his crafty mind thinking quickly.
'First… distance myself from this mess… Ritzy appears responsible, so STEELY will probably want her dead… Just as they would do, IF they had chemically induced her into doing this… Hmm… I may be able to use that suspicion as a subtle threat against them… Whether or not I can prove it…'
Glando smirked, 'Such allegations will also make it harder for them to remove me… Heh! Such a PITY that the silencing of a man warning of treachery, is ALWAYS seen as suspicious…'
'Second… put distance between myself and the Clones… STEELY will probably want me removed from my role as their Guardian… If so, they'll want to appoint one of their own 'pets'… Knowing STEELY, they'll have someone ready and waiting…'
'But… If I can appoint a suitable person before STEELY make their move, then they'll have troubles removing my choice, and appointing their own… But… WHO to appoint? I need someone with a reasonably high Security rating, and some sort of qualification as carer, otherwise STEELY will just laugh them off…'
'And above all… I need to be sure they're… trustworthy… if not actually loyal to ME…' Glando ran through a short list of suitable personnel in his mind.
'Of Course!' Glando smiled, 'Major Kutsarug! Not only is she Operations Director, she's been Guardian of Aesir and Shakey since they came to this city! Yes, a VERY good choice, especially if her extra duties stop her snooping…'
'Now then… Third… Regardless of what I do, the appointed time for RAVE is fast approaching… STEELY will no doubt use this incident to remove the Clones from this City sooner than originally planned…'
'Unless…?' Glando frowned, 'The injured will need time to heal before travelling… Perhaps I can use this incident to stall for time? Probably not… But at the least, the request will cause debate amongst the STEELY Inner Circle, and THAT should buy me a little time…'
'Yes…' Glando mused darkly, '…a little time…'
- - - - - - - - -
Glando outside the cell where Dr Akatlover was kept.
'This is where I'll find the answers,' Glando thought grimly, 'Either the evidence I need, or enough suspicions to serve my purpose…'
Glando paused, calming himself, preparing himself for what was to come.
'She is not the enemy,' Glando reminded himself, 'Just a tool used by them…'
Glando nodded at the Guard, and the armoured door slowly opened…
'Ritzy…' Glando felt a sudden pity on seeing the emotional wreck huddled inside the room, 'I'm sorry… But if any of us are going to survive this… Then we'll all have to take our turn dancing on the hot coals of the fire… And right now, it's your turn…'
Then Glando pushed his emotions aside, and began the interrogation.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando and Fu2ok, discussing Ritzy's interrogation.
Fu2ok spoke slowly, "You DO spend more time with Rave… than with your own son…"
Glando tensed slightly as Fu2ok's comment touched off his conscience, 'True,' realised Glando, 'But Shakey doesn't hold that against Rave… Why should Ritzy?'
"Irrelevant," replied Glando dismissively, "I spend less time with him, than I do with many other people… Yourself for example."
'And I don't think Dr Akatlover is jealous of YOU, Professor…' mused Glando.
"I mean…" Fu2ok hesitantly continued, "The mere fact, that you spend… so much… time together with Rave…"
Glando stared at Fu2ok, "Your point being?"
Fu2ok sighed, "As a teacher… I learned that… spending extra time helping a student with their studies, could lead to allegations of… 'favouritism'…"
'Favouritism?' wondered Glando, 'I AM her Guardian… It's only natural that I should spend 'extra time' with her… Regardless of whether it really is 'favouritism', or just being a 'Good Parent'…'
"And?" Glando pressed.
"Well," Fu2ok took a deep breath before continuing "You and Dr Akatlover did have… more than a… 'close'… working relationship… Maybe she thought… you and Rave…"
Glando was perplexed, 'What has Dr Akatlover being my 'lover' have to do with me and…'
A look of surprise flitted over Glando's face, as realisation sank in. It was almost immediately replaced by a look of shocked outrage.
"DON'T BE ABSURD!" Glando thundered.
'Professor!' Glando thought in shock, 'Rave' may not be my wife's daughters, but they are still her 'creations'… Her… 'children'… And I **AM** their Guardian!'
Fu2ok involuntarily took a step back, away from the force of Glando's reaction.
Glando regained his composure before continuing.
"Professor," stated Glando in icy tones, "Let me make this perfectly clear to you. I would NEVER entertain 'those' sort of notions, towards any girl as young as Rave… I am NOT that sort of man… There is NOTHING… 'untoward'… in my relationship with her."
Fu2ok stayed silent, although he arched an eyebrow.
Glando noticed, 'Perhaps I should have phrased that differently… A man acting as Guardian to a group of Cloned Genetic Constructs created by his dead wife, IS somewhat… irregular…'
Glando continued, "The reason I spend so much time with her, is to foster a sense of familiarity, and respect."
"I would prefer she sees me as a friend, rather than as a stranger," continued Glando, "Or have you forgotten, what Rave is? What she could become?"
An uneasy silence fell.
"Now you've seen," murmured Glando, "Just how… malicious… how dangerous… a lover can be… If they're jealous, or think they've been used, or ill-treated…"
"Yes," Fu2ok agreed.
"Knowing what Rave is already capable of… what she may… BECOME… capable of," continued Glando, "What makes you think I'm stupid enough, to indulge in activities that could create that type of enmity, between Rave and myself?"
Fu2ok quietly considered what Glando had just said.
'Think Man!' Glando almost said aloud, 'If Ritzy would do something like this, because she was 'jealous', then what about Rave? Have you forgotten what Rave did to the Sociological Technicians? She tore them limb from limb!'
"How do you think Rave would react?" asked Glando, "What do you think she would do? If she had Dr Akatlover's current state of mind?"
Fu2ok gulped nervously, as he considered the possibilities.
'So!' thought Glando, noting the Professor's reaction, 'You finally see the validity of my argument! But just in case you don't get my point…'
"I am NOT suicidal, Professor. Nor am I insane…" Glando concluded.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando in the Secure Hospital ward where Rave's Schoolyard attackers were.
Glando stood there, just looking at the punks who'd attacked Rave, and who had already paid a price for it…
'So…' Glando seethed inwardly, 'You're the ones so 'big and tough', that it takes a group of you to harass one little girl…'
'High School Bullies…' Glando stared at the occupants of the room, 'Arrogant jerks who think that their ability to hurt others, is a measure of how much of a 'man' they are… Teenaged Idiots who think brutality is a good way of earning respect from others…'
'Well, if you think Brutality is something to be respected…'
Glando spoke quietly, the tone of his words betraying none of his emotions, "Who's the leader among you?"
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando in his office, staring at a pale and distraught Shakey slumped in a chair.
'Shakey,' Glando thought, 'How do I get this through to you? How do I make you understand? This time you were lucky… Nothing happened… Next time though…'
"A person's reputation is a fragile thing," Glando eventually murmured, "No matter how many decades you spend building it, it can vanish overnight."
'As I know only too well,' Glando remembered everything his mother had gone through, all those years ago…
Shakey was looking at his father with a worried look on his face.
'Good!' the sight reassured Glando, 'He's listening… I'm his father… I should have spoken with him… warned him… about these sort of things earlier… He shouldn't have to find out about 'Public Misperceptions' this way…'
"There are…" Glando continued, "…dangerous vermin who feed on damaged reputations. Even a hint of scandal will attract them."
Glando grimaced slightly, as his own painful memories re-surfaced…
"A woman's reputation is particularly fragile… Always remember that."
Shakey sat there, apparently too worn out to speak.
'It's your life now son,' Glando's heart softened somewhat, 'You have to live it as you see fit… Live it however you are able to…'
A thought occurred to Glando, 'Rave… isn't… a normal girl… She needs people around her that will support her… People who won't… use her… or be afraid of her… Should I tell Shakey the full truth about 'Rave'?'
'No…' Glando rationalised, 'Shakey has enough problems just dealing with this situation… If he learns the truth gradually, he'll cope better with it…'
As he continued to look at his upset son, Glando wondered, 'What's the best advice I can give him, in how to conduct any future dealings with Rave?'
'I don't want any of them being emotionally hurt… I won't have to worry about the Rave Clones… I know they wouldn't do anything… Shakey though… I don't think he'd do anything to hurt anyone intentionally, especially not Rave…'
'Other people though…' Glando thought sourly, 'Are always a problem… Best if there's no fuel for any rumours or 'speculations' in the future…'
Glando concluded, "Treat her well. But don't get too close."
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando in his office, talking with the 'Secure Construction' crew that was working on the Clone's new Secure Residential Facility.
"I'm glad to hear that work is on schedule," Glando said quietly.
"That may change in the near future Sir," the Foreman advised him.
"Oh?" asked Glando, "Why?"
"We're almost ready to install the… building utilities, Sir. For that, we'll HAVE to slow down to make sure such detailed work is done properly…"
"I understand," Glando replied, "Quality work does take time…"
"Yes Sir," continued the Foreman, "Especially the 'upgrades' as shown in the plans… We try our best, but you know how snarled up logistics can get…"
"Indeed," replied Glando, "I appreciate your concerns… Don't worry… I'll personally see to it, that the… 'Materials'… you require, are readily available to meet your schedule…"
"Thank You, Sir," replied the Foreman enthusiastically.
"If that is all, you may return to your work."
"Yes sir!" confirmed the Foreman, "I'll call if we encounter any problems…"
Glando hung up the phone, then picked up a folder with 'Top Secret' on it.
A hot feeling of anger flooded through Glando, as he looked at a section in the folder detailing the 'containment' system STEELY wanted installed in the Secure Residential Facilities being built for the Clones.
'I won't let you hurt any more of my wife's other children…' simmered Glando.
'Yes…' Glando smirked, as he remembered something the Foreman had said, 'I know VERY well, how 'snarled up' logistics can get… Items arrive too late, or else you don't get all of what you ordered, or even WHAT you ordered…'
Glando grinned at the thought, 'A pity that Nuclear weapons and Nerve gas are SO hard to come by these days … I DO hope my… substitutions… will suffice…'
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando making another phone call…
"I'm aware of that. You will have enough spare men, once the Others are secured in their new buildings. Arm the containment systems before they arrive."
Another pause.
"No. Use the Nerve Gas first. Use of the 'full' system is a last resort option. Authorisation for that, will need to come from 'Omega' level Command staff. Do I make myself clear?"
Glando paused slightly.
"Good. That is all."
Glando hung up his phone, trying hard not to smile at the thought of what would happen, should anyone activate the 'sabotaged' Containment system…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando in the Clone Zone, talking to the assembled Clones.
"The reason for the changes is three-fold," said Glando, "One, to allow Clones to impersonate Rave#3 at school. Two, to allow leeway in proposed training courses. Three, to allow more of you to attend school with Shakey."
A subtle change swept through the assembled Clones at the mention of Shakey. Their faces were still impassive, but there was a spark of interest in them.
Glando resisted the urge to smirk, as he noticed the change in the Clones attitude, 'So… The Second DID pass her feelings about Shakey onto all of you, not just the Third…'
"Those attending school," continued Glando, "Will wear disguises… This is for security reasons. Clones not attending school as Rave#3, will impersonate a fictitious character. Each fictitious character, will only be impersonated by a particular group of Clones. You will take turns impersonating them, just as you are taking turns to impersonate Rave#3."
There was a noticeable change in the Clones attitude. They were looking intently at Glando now, hanging on every word.
"Funding is to be arranged for the purposes of disguising yourselves. The disguises in question, will include changing the colour and style of your hair, changing your skin colour with dyes, and the use of contact lenses to change your eye colour. At this point in time, there will NOT be any 'plastic surgery', although that is an option that may be considered in the future."
"These new characters that you will impersonate, will be given backgrounds, or 'personal histories', to create the illusion that your character is 'real'… I want those of you who participate in this, to learn the character off by heart. The lessons Major Kutsarug is planning to give you on Modern Society will help. However, you will also receive extra training by professionals…"
"Are there any questions?" asked Glando, looking around.
"Yes Sir," asked one Clone, "Will we be able to choose which character we impersonate?"
'Problem…' realised Glando, 'If Shakey 'prefers' any of the disguised Clones over another, will they all want to change the character they impersonate? Then again, if he 'dislikes' any of the disguises… This could be a major flaw in the plan… I'll have to think this over carefully…'
"Not quite," replied Glando, thinking fast, "There are only so many characters to be created. If too many choose the same one, then it will create logistical difficulties. As it will if too few choose a particular character. Then there is the fact that only a few Clones can be a part of the initial scheme."
Many of the Clones looked slightly crestfallen at the announcement.
Glando noticed, "You will not be playing a game. You will be part of a serious attempt to teach you how our Society works. I will assign your characters based partly on lottery, similar to how Major Kutsarug assigned your numbers."
"Don't worry," concluded Glando, "You will all get a chance, eventually. Until then, you must study hard, and learn how to apply your lessons in the real world."
The Clones seemed satisfied with that.
So did Glando.
'I don't know how long any of us have left to live,' Glando thought, 'But if I can give any of you a better life than you have now… I owe it to you… As your Commander… as your Guardian… And as the man who married your 'mother'…'
======================================================================
Fragment - Final Opinion.
With a shuddering gasp, the Clone came back to reality. She toppled sideways to lie on the floor, her body shaking and trembling uncontrollably, her chest heaving as she gulped down air.
It took several minutes for the Clone to recover from the effort of maintaining the prolonged contact with Glando Atari's fading memories.
Eventually, she sat up, and once again picked up Glando's head. For long moments, she did nothing but stare at the dead face intently.
"So," she finally whispered, a tearful smile on her face.
"That's who you really were, Commander…"
"That's how you really felt… about us…"
The Clone slowly rewrapped Glando's head, and stood up, cradling the parcel firmly against her chest.
She tilted her head, looking warily around her, using her enhanced senses to search for any indication of company.
Sensing none, her E.T. Field flared briefly, clearing the blocked shaft.
Elsewhere in the NERVIS Base, the war against the STEELY troops raged on. The tide of the battle was starting to turn in favour of the Defending forces.
Deep in the subterranean corridors, a pale figure walked in silence, holding an ovoid package wrapped in bloodstained cloth.
She moved slowly, with calm reverence, gently carrying the remains of a man that had loved a group of genetic constructs, as much as he had his natural born son.
======================================================================
The END of this Fragment of "Altered Lives (The Parody)"
======================================================================
OMAKE - The Death of Glando… (No, Really!)
"Shut up!" said one of the Troopers, as he nudged the muzzle of his gun in the throat notch between Glando's clavicles. A quick burst, and bullets and muzzle blast turned Glando's neck into a soggy pulp.
In the aftermath of Glando's bloody demise, the adrenalin charged Troopers indulged in the usual after-battle 'Bonding and B--LS--T' session…
"Alas, Poor Yorick," joked the man holding Glando's head, striking a suitably Shakespearian dramatic pose as did so.
Then the eyes in Glando's severed head suddenly swivelled in their sockets, glaring at the Trooper. Glando's lips curved up into a silent sneer.
The battle-hardened SWAT Trooper girly-screamed in fright, his Cat-like Reflexes making him instantly drop the grinning head.
In slow motion, Glando's head somersaulted on its way to the floor, only to rebound with unnatural vigour. It flew up into the crotch of another Trooper, Glando's teeth closing painfully on the man's Family Jewels, before biting them off in a spray of blood…
After that, chaos reigned as Glando's head bounced around, putting the chomp on his erstwhile attackers…
Afterwards, when all the Troopers had been dispatched…
Glando's head sat on the floor, a thoughtful look in its face as it contemplated the mangled body it had formerly been attached to.
The head twisted around, to glare balefully at the Fan Fiction Writer.
"Right you B-----D!" Glando's lips twitched silently, mouthing the words, "What happens now? How am I expected to have a career **NOW**?"
The Fan fiction writer coughed politely, then reached for his phone, and the number of the nearest 'Casting Agency'. Despite his prose to the contrary, the Fan Fiction Writer really DID care about the characters he used… No, REALLY!
#1… Sometime thereafter, the Fan Fiction Writer was in a Cinema, watching the adverts for the latest Hollywood Rip-off of a popular TV series…
"Deep Space," the Voice Over went, "A Place where Men have to be MEN… If they are to have any hope of surviving…"
The Voice Over continued on in much the same vein, to a series of High Tech Special Effects depicting Space and Space Craft…
"But…" the Voice over intoned ominously, "Would any Man want to survive? IF he were the last of his kind… Trapped between worlds he never made…"
"The time…" growled the Voice Over, "…is the Far Future… The Place… The Mining Space Ship 'Crimson Pygmy'… The Man…"
'Hmmm!' thought the Fan Fiction Writer, 'This might just be good… After all, they got Bruce Willis as 'Dave', Grace Jones as the 'Cat', Jim Carrey as the robot butler… And wasn't Glando lucky to get the choice part as the 'computer'… I wonder how they keep his glasses from sliding off?'
#2… Sometime thereafter, the Fan Fiction Writer was in a Cinema, watching the adverts for the latest Hollywood Rip-off of a Literary Classic…
'Hmmm!' thought the Fan Fiction Writer, 'This might just be good… After all, they got Arnold Schwarzenegger playing the part of 'Hamlet'… Updating it with modern weapons should be an interesting touch… I just hope Glando doesn't mind being a 'supporting prop'… err… I mean 'actor'…'
#3… Sometime thereafter, the Fan Fiction Writer was in a Cinema, watching the adverts for the latest Hollywood Rip-off of a former Hollywood BlockBuster…
'Predator #6?' gulped the F.F.W. 'At least it's got a nice 'Reggae' soundtrack…'
#4… Sometime thereafter, the Fan Fiction Writer was in a Video Shop, watching the adverts for the latest 'Z Grade' Rip-off of a former Modern Movie Classic…
'Oklahoma Smith and The Shrine of Unspeakable Dreck?' the F.F.W. winced…
NOTE #1 - 'Crimson Pygmy' rips off 'Red Dwarf', a Sci-Fi program made in Britain.
NOTE #2 – 'Hamlet' by William Shakespeare is where the 'Alas Poor Yorick…' speech and scene of a man holding a severed head/skull comes from. In the movie, 'The Last Action Hero', Arnie actually does a 'take off' with several snippets updated with the usual Hollywood 'Big Guns and Bigger Blasts' routine.
NOTE #3 – Wait for it! It may take a few years, but knowing Hollywood…
NOTE #4 – **EVERYONE** rips off 'Indiana Jones'! Even the Japanese Anime and Manga versions of 'Love Hina'!
======================================================================
OMAKE - I, Glando…
Glando stood before the desk of the Security Division Chief.
"Bungeye," drawled the supervisor, "Would you consider taking a promotion?"
"A Promotion, Sir?" Glando blinked in surprise.
"Yes," the supervisor replied, "However, it does involve… 'extra duties'…"
"What are they Sir?" Glando asked eagerly.
"Tell me Bungeye," leered the supervisor, licking his lips as he gave Glando a 'looking over', "Do you… drop the soap in the shower… much?"
Glando flinched, 'The things I have to do to get ahead in this world…'
The Fan Fiction Writer felt a need to explain…
Since Glando is supposed to be an Evil B-----D without any morals, would it surprise anyone if he HAD 'slept his way to the top'? The F.F.W. decided to leave it at that before mental images appeared of Glando 'getting it on' with the entire group of STEELY Monoliths…
- - - - - - - - -
The door hissed slowly open, revealing a darkened room beyond. Glando turned the lights on, revealing the contents of the Doppelganger Lab to his companion…
"Good… Lord…" the Professor croaked, "Atari… Who…?"
"Say hello to RAVE…" Glando smiled, "Their… mother… was a student of yours…"
The Professor stared dumbstruck at the multitude of blue-haired children floating peacefully in the tank…
Then Fu2ok started edging slowly away from Glando, in such a way that Glando was always in his field of vision…
"Professor?" asked Glando, "What's wrong?"
"N-nothing…" stammered Fu2ok, a falsely cheerful expression plastered all over his face, "Nothing! I mean… It's perfectly NORMAL for a grown man to have a giant aquarium full of naked children locked away in his basement…"
Then Fu2ok suddenly turned and ran like H--L.
Glando chasing after him shouting out, "Wait! It's NOT what you think!"
"SURE it isn't!" said Fu2ok, running for dear life…
- - - - - - - - - -
"And what WAS that bit about 'dog-food'?" Fu2ok smirkingly inquired.
"I was a College Student," mumbled Glando, "You're a Professor, you know what it's like when you're starving in the 'Groves of Academe'…"
The Fan Fiction Writer would really like to insert a 'Flashback' here…
The fully-grown Pit Bull/St Bernard cross, cowered in its kennel. Once again, the terror of the neighbourhood was raiding its food bowl…
The Mongrel whined nervously, provoking a furious warning snarl from one Glando Bungeye, who was currently enjoying his stolen meal of 'PAL Meaty-Bites'…
- - - - - - - - - -
"Rave," Glando said slowly, "You… killed… the Sociological Technicians…"
"Yes," Rave confirmed, "I did not want my Personal Right of living free of pain to be violated…"
'She killed them to avoid pain?' wondered Glando, edging towards the door.
"Commander," Rave said.
Glando stopped and looked with renewed wariness, at the creature that appeared to be a young female child.
"Why have you never given me a Birthday party?" Rave asked, her red eyes looking through him, "Don't you know how much it hurts… To be so… unloved?"
Glando began to sweat…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando steeled himself, deciding to take the questions like a 'Real Man' would…
'Especially as I've got no way of avoiding them…' Glando sighed mentally.
Rave asked softly, "Are you Gay?"
Glando blinked in surprise, "Err… Nuh-no… Why do you ask?"
Rave replied with a deadpan expression, "You are always with Fu2ok, and he is…"
"…?…" Glando had an incredulous expression on his face as he turned to Fu2ok.
"What can I say," shrugged Fu2ok, giving Glando a not-so-subtle 'looking over', "I like 'Brown Bears'…" (Note! Glando has dark skin, and 'Bear' = hairy man…)
"…oh…" whispered Glando, feeling embarrassed as he heard what Fu2ok was saying.
Glando slumped in his seat, totally shocked. 'All these years of sharing the Officers Hot Tub with him…' he thought dazedly, 'And I never even realised…'
"Commander…" Rave asked quietly.
"…wh-what?" Glando managed to croak out.
"Is Dr Akatlover your lover?" Rave hit the nail on the head again.
"…ah…" said Glando nervously, "We ha-have a… 'close' working relationship…"
"Frequently," quipped Fu2ok, rolling his eyes.
"So," breathed Rave, "That's the sort of woman you're interested in…"
Rave gazed intensely at Glando, a shy smile on her pink face.
Glando suddenly felt strangely uncomfortable…
"Was…" Glando said nervously, "That all you wanted to see me about?"
"Yes," admitted Rave, before turning and leaving Glando's office.
"Erm," stumbled Glando, when the doors had closed after Rave, "Fu2ok… I just want you to know… I'm… flattered… But… I'm NOT **GAY**…"
A perfect silence fell, broken only by the sound of Glando's nervous sweating.
Then the phone rang.
Grateful for ANY diversion, Glando immediately picked it up.
"Commander here," Glando said, "Report!"
"Commander!" Ritzy's irritated voice blasted over the line, "You need to have a talk with Rave!"
"Rave?" Glando repeated dumbly.
"Yes!" snapped Ritzy, "I caught her in my Office using **MY** personal stash of Hydrogen Peroxide to bleach her hair blond! I ask her what she's doing, and the little brat totally ignores me! Instead, she asks me if I can alter the dosage of the hormones in her supplements, so she can be 'stacked' like me!"
"I think Rave has developed a 'schoolgirl crush' on someone," Fu2ok smugly observed, having overheard Ritzy's strident voice.
Glando turned pale…
- - - - - - - - - -
A look of deep thought crossed Fu2ok's face, then he spoke in completely serious tones, "Atari, there are only two things I can possibly suggest you do…"
Glando listened, hanging on every word as he knew his life might depend on it.
"First," Fu2ok pierced Glando with a deadly serious gaze, "You should prepare for the worst case situation. I believe that you should take out a rather hefty Life Insurance Policy!"
Glando nodded, accepting Fu2ok's advice, 'Yes! Shakey must be looked after… If I am… no longer here…'
"Second," continued Fu2ok "You should appoint a trustee… To handle such funds wisely… I'd suggest someone you know you can trust… Myself for instance…"
So it was, that when Rave killed Glando in a childish fit of Teen Angst a few weeks later, Fu2ok was able to retire and live a life of decadent luxury…
- - - - - - - - - -
Ms Murohara snorted, "Have you tried being a woman lately?"
Glando blinked, "Err…"
The Fan Fiction Writer decided to take a break, so he could refresh his Creative Muse by watching Television, and ripping off… err… I mean… 'getting inspired' by it…
By COMPLETE COINCIDENCE… The Ratings season had started, and the TV stations were showing 'Arachnophobia', 'Priscilla Queen of the Desert', and 'Rocky Horror Picture Show'…
Having read the preceding paragraph, Glando immediately blew his brains out, rather than suffer through the warped imaginings that were sure to follow…
"COWARD!" sneered the Fan Fiction Writer, "Hmmm… Perhaps Glando was afraid of Giant Gay Funnelweb Spiders in lingerie and bondage outfits? He certainly would be after the shower scene…"
The F.F.W. thinks he should note, he IS doing a story with Giant Gay Funnelwebs, but as an Original Story, and NOT in the NGE/Altered Lives Universes.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando stopped at the edge of the Dojo Mat, letting Rave walk onto it alone.
Rave bowed gracefully towards her sparring partners for the day, before sitting at the edge of the mat to await her bout.
Not long later, Glando was watching in rapt admiration as Rave systematically humiliated, then totally demolished a group of opponents in a 'all against one' melee, the blue-haired girl literally 'mopping the floor' with the others…
Rave ducked and weaved with fluid grace, her speed and manoeuvrability severely outclassing her opponents. She would strike one opponent, only to dodge out of the way of any returning blow, often inflicting more damage on another one of her opponents seemingly by accident. Despite the number of blows that seemed to glance off her, let alone the lucky few that connected solidly, Rave effortlessly kept up her 'hit and run' barrage.
All of which changed when Rave's last surviving opponent suddenly grabbed her in a 'bear hug', pinning the girl's arms to her sides…
Seeing Rave's situation, Glando yelled out some advice…
"Go for the 'NUTS', Rave! Go for the 'NUTS'!"
Rave adapted swiftly, kneeing her opponents groin repeatedly. The crowd went wild as Rave proceeded to knee her opponent's 'pods' into oblivion.
Glando smiled as he remembered telling the bookmaker about not 'interfering' with the performance of Rave's opponents… 'Pity he didn't ask me about Rave…' Glando grinned, remembering ordering Rave not to 'end things too soon'…
'Especially,' Glando thought with malicious satisfaction, 'If she's sparring with those inept Security Guards who let that Tramp into the building…'
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando in a Locker Room, waiting for Rave to get dressed behind a screen.
"Rave," Glando stated in serious tones, "This new phase of your training will be different to anything you've experienced before. If you encounter ANY sort of problem, or notice ANY unusual side effect, I want you to break off immediately. If you have any questions, or concerns, ASK the relevant staff. Is that clear?"
"Understood Sir," replied Rave.
"Good girl," Glando breathed with relief, "How do the new clothes fit?"
Rave came out from behind the screen by way of reply.
In an AVE Pilot Snug Suit…
Glando coughed, using it to hide his embarrassment at how… 'snug' Rave's outfit clung to her 'not-so-much-like-a-little-girl-anymore' figure.
'I should have spoken to the designers,' decided Glando, blushing as he noticed the cheese-cake type pose the innocent young Rave had accidentally assumed, as she leaned up against the wall. 'That outfit's definitely a bit… much… for a young girl like Rave to wear… The poor girl must be dreadfully embarrassed…'
Then Glando noticed the way Rave was watching him, and he wondered if the pose was as 'innocently accidental' as he'd thought…
For Rave was gazing intensely at Glando, with a definite smile on her pink face.
'Uh-oh,' thought Glando, as he began to sweat nervously.
- - - - - - - - - -
"Commander?" Rave said, as the Gurney drew level with Glando's hiding place.
Glando left his hiding place, and walked over to the girl. The hospital attendants automatically stopped for him to talk to her.
"Yes Rave?" Glando asked, bending slightly over the wounded girl.
Rave's eye swivelled towards Shakey, "Is he the one who piloted in my place?"
"Yes."
"Who is he?"
"He's…" Glando paused as he turned slightly to look at Shakey, "He's a candidate for the position of Third Pilot, Shakey Atari."
"He's cute!" giggled Rave.
'She thinks he's… cute?' wondered Glando, hope growing within him, 'Does this mean she's… 'interested'… in other people? YES! I'm off the hook! I'm FREE!'
"Just like you, Commander," purred Rave, her smile destroying Glando's hopes.
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando talking with Rave#3.
"From now on," said Glando, "Major Kutsarug will act as Guardian to all Clones…"
Rave#3 blinked, "Major Kutsarug will be my Guardian as well as theirs…"
"Correct," confirmed Glando.
"So…" continued Rave#3, "You are no longer my Guardian?"
Glando opened his mouth to confirm Rave's comment, but stopped when he saw the way the girl was looking at him.
Intensely, with a large smile on her blushing face…
"Err…" Glando stumbled, starting to sweat nervously, "Even though I'm no longer your Guardian, I still love you… ALL of you Clones… as a FATHER would…"
"Oh…" replied Rave#3, looking slightly crestfallen.
Then Rave#3 did the unexpected.
She gave Glando a BIG hug, and a daughterly kiss on his bearded cheek.
"R-Rave?" Glando stammered, uncertain what this meant.
"What's wrong?" pouted Rave#3, "Can't a girl give her 'Daddy' a hug and a kiss?"
======================================================================
OMAKE - I want a rewrite! Glando the Great!
"What the…???" screamed Glando, as he read the latest issue of 'Altered Lives'…
"That BAST- err… 'Fan Fiction Writer' has turned me into some sort of 'Sensitive New Age Homer Simpson'!" Glando wailed, "And I was SUCH a Mysterious, Hard-Core Evil B-----D in the show too!"
"This is NOT… satisfactory," Glando glowered, his hand trembling with rage as he picked up his phone and dialled the number of the 'Black Ops' Division.
Later that night, the Fan Fiction Writer's house was covertly entered by several highly trained Professional Spooks… They accessed his computer, and downloaded the contents of a single floppy disk onto the Hard Drive.
Their work done, they melted into the shadows…
On the Hard disk, now resided a new chapter, one much more to Glando's liking.
Only natural, since Glando had written it himself…
Highlights from it went something like this…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando stalked the drab corridors, an icy scowl on his handsomely rugged features. It was his own way of giving fair warning to anyone unlucky enough to get in his way, that today was a **GOOD** day to die.
"Commander!" Dr Ritzy Akatlover husked breathlessly as she became aware of his overpoweringly Macho, 'James-Bondish' type of Manly presence.
"Doctor," Glando casually acknowledged the besotted woman's understandably infatuated attention with his 'Chick-Magnet' appearance.
"I've got the latest test results," purred the blonde bombshell, "Perhaps you can find time to discuss them with me later… Say at your place? Over Dinner?"
'Women,' thought Glando with a Cool Macho attitude, 'Give 'em an inch and they want the whole length… Frequently…'
"Very Well, Doctor," said Glando, maintaining a suave aura of cool disinterest as the Doctor leaned against him, her lips mere inches from his.
Glando glanced idly at the love-struck woman fawning over him. 'Why not?' he thought, suddenly giving her a deeply passionate kiss.
Ritzy swooned in Glando's arms, overcome by the passion of the moment.
Glando noticed a clock out of the corner of his eye, 'Is that the time? I'd better be going…'
Without a word, Glando released the woman he held, letting her fall semi-dazed to the floor.
"Later, Babe," Glando stated, casually walking off.
- - - - - - - - - -
In Glando's office, Shakey Atari was waiting impatiently for his new mission.
"Shakey," said Glando, seating himself in his chair, "I've got your orders…"
Shakey lifted his chin, and looked expectantly at his illustrious father.
"The U.N. has been a pain in our backsides for long enough," muttered Glando, "I want you to return the favour. I want you to stuff their heads up theirs…"
"Yes! Sir!" snapped Shakey, accepting the orders without question.
"Any questions?" asked Glando.
"Just one Sir," replied Shakey, "How FAR, do I stuff their heads up theirs?"
"Feel free to improvise," smirked Glando, "Creative alternatives are permitted and encouraged…"
"Ja Wohl Mein Fuhrer!" shouted Shakey, snapping off a smart salute before goose-stepping off to commit mayhem…
'Aesir's been SUCH a good influence on that boy,' mused Glando…
A knock came at the door.
"Enter," condescended Glando.
The door opened, and several Rave Clones entered.
They all wore much the same outfit. That of leather motorcycle jackets, torn denim jeans, steel cap boots, and T-Shirts with vulgar messages on them. All of their blue hair was spiked up with hair gel, some shaved into Mohawks, and they sported numerous safety pins piercing their earlobes and noses.
"Ah Rave!" smiled Glando, "And how goes the 'Turf Wars' with the Yakuza?"
A clone with a large diagonal scar across her face stepped forward, "It doesn't, Sir!" she said, smiling.
"Oh?" said Glando, frowning slightly, "Why not, pray tell?"
"Because they've got no turf left to lose," the Clone's grin widened, showing the points of her filed teeth.
Glando smiled evilly, "Excellent!" he hissed with malevolent glee, "Then it's time for stage TWO…"
All of the Rave Clones grinned like sharks…
Glando pressed a button on his desk, and the STEELY Monoliths appeared…
STEELY: (lisping girlishly) "…so I told him, he needed to get a new boyfriend…"
STEELY: (Voice suddenly deep and Manly) "Err… Atari! This IS a surprise…"
Glando smirked, "Not half as big as THIS one… Rave?"
The Clones nodded, and from the various Monoliths, came the sounds of explosions, splintering wood, and once-powerful men begging unsuccessfully for their lives…
"Now THAT'S over with," grinned Glando, leaning back in his chair, "We can REALLY go to town…"
- - - - - - - - - -
Over the City, a Severe Thunderstorm was strobing night into day with every bolt.
Deep in the NERVIS Base, Professor Fu2ok was putting the finishing touches on his Master's masterfully planned, Master Piece.
"Ah! Fu2ok!" enthused Glando, making a Grand Entrance, "Tonight's the Night!"
"Yes, Master!," said Fu2ok, who seemed to have suddenly developed a hunchback, and deformed 'goggle-eyes'…
"Start the Machine!" ordered Glando, a wild gleam in his eyes.
"Yes, Master!" replied Fu2ok, throwing the obligatory 'oversized knife switch' that's found in the lab of EVERY self-respecting Mad Scientist…
Electricity crackled and arced as strange machines bent the laws of physics in unfathomable ways.
"Life! Life!" Glando screamed maniacally, one arm raised towards the Heavens in commanding supplication, "Give my Creation LIFE!"
Far above, Nature unleashed quantum fury, thrusting bolts of elemental force from the heavens, crashing them into the earth.
…And into the special 'Power Receptors' Glando had installed on the surface…
Trapped, the elemental forces found themselves enslaved, pouring along special conduits, deep into the earth, to where Glando would bend them to his whim…
The special effects in the Lab reached its climax, with everything suddenly shorting out as they exceeded the Special Effects budget. In the silent gloom that followed, emergency lights flickered on, casting their wan yellow glow into the lab.
Glando looked expectantly at a pool of TLC in the middle of the lab, a pool that now rippled and pulsed, as within it, something stirred…
From the pool a figure rose up, that of a Woman…
"My love," Glando sobbed, taking his re-born wife in a loving embrace, "At last, you've come back to me… At last, we'll be together forever…"
Scene fades as the two kiss passionately, while the hunchbacked Fu2ok, various Rave Clones, Shakey, etc all watch teary-eyed and sniffling in the background…
- - - - - - - - - -
Glando smirked, as he thought of the effect HIS re-write would have on the Fan Fiction Community…
"We may be 'Out Of Character' in it," Glando muttered evilly, " but THIS sort of OOC-ness I can **CERTAINLY** live with!"
"Heh!" Glando chuckled, "And I only used the original characters, no annoying 'Author Created Characters'…"
So it was, that Glando went to bed and slept well for once, unaware that the Special Ops Squad had accidentally downloaded a variant of the 'Chernobyl Virus' into the Fan Fiction Writer's computer…
When the Fan Fiction Writer next turned his computer on… His Hard Disk was completely 'nuked', along with ALL of the data files on it…
"S--T!!" screamed the Fan Fiction writer, as he observed the damage, "Oh Well, looks like it's 'Clean Install' time… AGAIN!"
======================================================================
OMAKE - What COULD have happened when the Clones turned 18…
(Or what WILL happen, IF the Fan Fiction Writer ever finds out that a certain **SOMEONE** has been screwing around with his Computer…)
The party to celebrate the Clones Eighteenth birthday party was in full swing.
Glando Atari looked around, a sentimental lump in his throat.
'I wish my wife was here to see this,' Glando sniffled back a tear at the thought, 'She'd have liked to see her 'other children' grow up into Adults…'
"Commander?" asked a soft voice.
Glando turned, to find one of the Disguised Rave Clones standing near him.
"Yes?" Glando asked, his 'Total Hard A--E' facade slamming back in place.
"We are all Adults now…" the Clone said quietly, smiling shyly at Glando.
"Yes," agreed Glando, in his usual disinterested tones, "Congratulations!"
"And…" the Clone continued, "You are neither our Guardian, nor our Father…"
Glando opened his mouth to confirm the comment, but stopped when he noticed how the Clone was looking at him… The same way all of the OTHER Clones, were looking at him…
…Intensely, with large smiles on their blushing faces…
Glando's eyes widened in sudden fear…
"Ah… I r-really m-must be leaving…" Glando quavered, edging towards the door…
"You said," all of the Clones chorused in perfect unison, their loving gaze at Glando never wavering, "When we Clones became adults, we could choose who we had as our lov-…"
Glando didn't wait for the Clones to finish the sentence, he turned and ran like H--L…
Scene closes as ALL 137 Clones chase after Glando, to the ending theme music of the 'Benny Hill Show'…
SEVERAL DAYS LATER, a Doctor in the Emergency room of a Local Hospital was stunned by the appearance of his latest patient…
"GOOD LORD!" choked the Doctor incredulously, "That's the most BIZARRE case of R.S.I. (Repetition Strain Injury) I've EVER seen!"
The emaciated wretch lay on the examination bed, gasping for breath…
"Hmm," continued the Doctor, "Judging by the old scars on his palms, the patient must have had a LONG history of such… 'self-abuse'…"
"…Hue… Bar… Sted…" wheezed Glando, finally dying of exhaustion…
The Fan Fiction Writer felt a need to explain…
"Just go and see 'Species'," the F.F.W. said with a nod of his head, "That'll FULLY EXPLAIN the dangers of incorrect socialisation of Semi-Humans…"
=========================The END of the OMAKE=========================