Some where in the night a red light pulsated, it's light bleeding into the darkness, it's light the only left in the city. The people were rushed to secret locations, many hiding in mountains, others under ground.
Ron awoke in the darkness of his room, to the silence of an abandoned world with only Rufus and the blood red light to accompany him as it ended.
Clean
Chapter Four
It had been a week on this ship. The Eternity was massive and how they managed to hide it in the underground facility near the great lakes, Kim would never know. She walked down the halls idly, one of the many who were still mourning their world. Others, like her parents, had accepted the facts, being people of logic. They were busy working on their new civilization making laws and creating a sort of order. Benchmark was the head of the ship and she ruled rather strictly. Little happened that the woman didn't know of.
Wade coped by keeping busy as well, preparing all sorts of gadgets for Kim, but…she sighed and looked out the window at the speeding points of light. Kim doubted she'd go on another mission again. A new thought crossed her mind, the reflection on the glass seeming so much older than herself. Without her missions, without her cheerleading, her way of life, how would she define herself? In this new life would she still be Kim Possible or would she become someone else, someone new? She shook her head, turning her back to the clear surface. She was she. Kim didn't need those things to define her. What a person is, is what defines them, not what they do. But what was she? A hero? No. She was no hero at all.
By now surly everyone was wiped out, and the aliens populating and stabilizing her home. This wasn't the future, nor the life she wanted. A small tug caught her attention and Kim turned to find a small girl, perhaps no older than 5.
"I'm scared," the tiny girl cried. Kim picked her up, the two of them staring out the large window.
"I am too."
"All citizens of Eternity report to the Grand Meeting Hall at once for an important meeting. Absence will not be tolerated." Kim and the child exchanged looks of worry before making their way to the hall.
The Grand Meeting Hall was in the center of the ship, the massive auditorium like that of a Broadway theater. The features were smooth and blue, odd clear pillars and various tubes in the walls carried water, and lights in them making it sparkle different colors. There were two of the said pillars at either side of the stage before them, both with doors. Before Kim had more time to contemplate them, from her front seat in the left side of the auditorium, the lights went down, the yellow lights on the stage turning an aquamarine. To the lone mic, in the center front of the stage, walked Benchmark.
"Citizens of Eternity, I am sure you have many questions about what may lay ahead of us when we finally return to earth. What will the earth look like and just who or what are these aliens that will be guiding us? Tonight my associate and I will answer all those questions and more." With that Benchmark returned the mic and took her seat in the crowd.
It started with a gasp, and then a small scream followed by noise that spread wide across the audience. Kim would never forget the sight as their soon-to-be superior made himself known.
"It's a mer-boy!" Kim turned to the little girl next to her before looking back to the creature that swam in the large pillar. Indeed, it had a human torso, slightly built yet graceful and soft, webbed fingers, gray fogged blue eyes behind roughly cut blue hair, a shade Kim had never seen before. His silver skin glint and sparkled as if it was studded with the purest diamonds. His fin was like that of fairy tales. You could see sapphire and amethyst scales that moved seamlessly from under the flowing fabric tied around its waist. The fin appeared to be 5 feet on it's own, narrowing into a large elaborate end that trailed longer pieces past it's length, like the whiskers of a catfish. But most predominate on the spectacular creature in front her was from either side of his head, where ears and temples would lie, were tubes of a almost neon blue liquid that connected to it's back just a little lower than the shoulder blades.
He turned his face to Kim and she could feel her heart stop as those artic blue eyes met hers. With what looked to be a giant breath, the creature took in a lot of water through the gills that lined the sides of its torso. Just then the water began to empty and as it's level passed over the creature it's magnificent fin began to shrink and ultimately change into two legs. Webbed fingers were now free, and gills closed and molded back into flesh. Those amazing tubes stayed however. With another deep breath it reached out and opened the door. He walked across the stage, picking up the mic and cleared his throat. It echoed through the now silent auditorium, everyone far too dumbstruck to speak and all far too spellbound to move.
"On be-behalf of the Hooban Empire I would like to thank you all for sharing your beautiful p-planet." Was it nervous? It must not be easy to face a couple thousand strange foreign faces…alien faces. After a moment he regained his composure, picking a spot on the far wall and talking to, blocking out the thousand of eyes staring at him with wonder, fear and disgust. "You all may address me as Fortori, the name of respect that goes with anyone higher in rank. Let me explain the Hooban laws before going on. Firstly the Regiri, our leader, is in charge and her word is law." Kim rolled her eyes; this was going to be one long assembly.
By the end of the meeting, Kim knew almost as much about the alien race as she did in the beginning: pretty much nothing. It was pretty much summed down to 'Don't piss off our Regiri.' Lets see, their cities existed on both land and sea since they could morph like that. As for the humans on earth, he didn't say anything. Supposedly when they returned all forests were restored, the water cleaned, and many species back from the brink of extinction. No pollution, no human cities, a great big green earth. Kim walked with the little girl down the hall from before. This was her favorite spot since the windows to outside were so large. After all, the last place she wanted to be was here.
"Ms. Possible." Kim jumped at the voice, afraid to turn around.
"Fortori." Her response was quiet with her back still turned to him.
"I would like to talk with you."
"No." The reflection of him crossed its arms.
"Oh. I just thought you'd want to know your leader is up to something. If you're not interested there's many other things I should get back to." When he turned to leave Kim turned around.
"Wait. What did you say about Benchmark?" He offered her a smirk, holding out a clipboard. The papers were riddled with foreign runes with a few English words here and there. It looked so pretty, more like a drawing than a written language.
"You take these, correct?" In his hand was a pill bottle. Kim nodded.
"It's supposed to help me sleep."
"Because you'd wake up crying." He stated the thing she left out, his look so very serious. "Benchmark handed out hundreds of these to people who had the same problem. I took it on myself to get them checked; they're not sleeping pills. They're erasing your memory. All my findings are there, show them to your friend Wade, he'll concur." She blinked at him before flipping through the pages.
"Erasing my memory? I think I would know if they were-."
"What was the name of your Cheerleading coach?" Kim's hand froze, the paper falling from her fingertips. "See? You don't remember do you?"
"I remember…it started with a B. Mr. Ba…just give me second." The humanoid shook his head before turning to leave. "Wait! I-I want to ask you some things." He paused, looking at her over his shoulder, his face seeming slightly distorted through his tubes.
"I'm busy, but maybe later tonight, when everyone is asleep. I would rather talk to you after your medication has worn off anyway." And with the Fortori walled away but he didn't get too far before a hand caught his shoulder, spinning him round.
"Jazz. I don't appreciate your interference, and I'm sure the Regiri won't either. Now Kim Possible and her friend are sure to alert everyone. What were you thinking?" He frowned at Benchmark, showing no fear.
"What you're doing is wrong. Their memories are the least we owe them after all of this."
"Humans deserve much less, let me assure you. They're ruthless creatures and left with the memories of their home and their past they'll revolt for sure."
"Without her medication, the depression will overwhelm her. You're not afraid of a teenaged girl, are you Benchmark?" The woman opened her mouth to say something but stopped. She stooped low enough to meet eye to eye with him.
"I have my eye on you, Jazz. Regiri will know of this and any other insubordination."
"I'll have to remember that. If you're finished, I have other duties before curfew." Benchmark stood and stepped aside, letting him walk past. She glared at the way his hips swayed when he walked, the white, blue, salmon fabric dancing in the motion, or the way his face was always so blank when he looked at her. Jazz would get his someday, him and his arrogance.
Kim returned to her bedroom. Wade indeed had agreed with the Fortori's findings and began spreading the word about its effects. There was so much sadness that sat on her chest, compressing it, and it seemed so sudden. Before everything was so numb; now it just hurt. She lay on her bed but jumped when a plush fell on her head. It's cute flamingo head and neck and goat like middle was so soft to the touch. When did she get this? The Flamingoat was the most rare and cute of all cuddle buddies. Surely she'd remember receiving it. Maybe it was in her diary. Benchmark might try to wipe away the memories in her mind but she hadn't thought if erasing the ones on paper. When she opened it a note fell out, on the outside stated "From one friend to another."
Dear Kim,
I don't know how to tell you how sorry I am I ruined everything for you and Josh. I never meant to, honestly. I understand if you still don't want to talk to me. After all, I mess up a lot of things, now that I think about it. Sometimes I wish I could be better. More like you. Maybe then I wouldn't always get in your way. Like I said, I understand if you never want to talk with me again, but I want you to know that I'd miss you if you do. I could never ask for a more awesome friend, and maybe I don't deserve one.
Sincerely, Ron
A tear fell, smearing the black ink. She couldn't even remember what he was referring to. How much had she forgotten? Closing her eyes she tried to picture Ron and what he wore the last time she saw him. The image was so blurry, the events a haze. Kim rummaged through her personal items bag some more before finding a large pink book.
In it were so many faces but the names didn't come. There was Ron, the funny looking blonde one, and Monique, but others were harder to recognize. An angry girl with feathered brown hair, a boy with gray-brown and yellow hair, a large man with an army haircut. Newspaper clippings of others like a green and black woman, a blue man. They all were important in one way or another, she knew it, and it hurt so much she couldn't remember. This was the very last of the she had of her life before all this and even that was being taken away. Her fingers slid down the images, the fact none of these people existed anymore was stealing her breath away. Her eyes fell on a particular auburn haired girl with a huge smile. She glowed in the image, her close friends with her in a fast food booth. Even that girl was probably gone.There was a knock at the door; Kim didn't even bother wiping her face.
"Come in." In stepped the Fortori. He closed the door quietly before walking closer to Kim.
"Do you still want to talk, or should I leave?"
"Are there any left?" He sighed before gently sitting next to her on the bed.
"Not that I know of."
"Was there any pain?"
"They did not suffer long."
"What did you do with all of them?" That was a question he was hoping she wouldn't ask…the answer would not be very pleasant for her.
"The Hooban Empire believes in not letting anything go to waste…we…we found human bodies to be quite useful—a great resource. But we are focused in re-growing the population when this ship lands." She didn't respond after that, her hands cupping her face as she wept. He closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath. "I'm sorry, about all of this." Kim looked up at him, glaring so much hate through tear filled eyes.
"You're not sorry! Your race just comes out of no where and destroys everything and all you can say is you're sorry?" His calm blue eyes narrowed.
"If it makes any difference, I strongly objected to this whole operation. We don't usually just go and destroy innocent planets like this. In fact, we're usually the ones protecting them, stopping other races from galactic conquest."
"Then why?!" Kim's hands grabbed his shoulders. "Why us? Why now?" He sat there, rigid under her touch and didn't move or speak until Kim had retracted her hands.
"Honestly…it could be for a number of reasons, but I cannot argue with the Regiri. If you want, I can help you remember your past."
"How? And why would you want to help me?" He folded silver-peach hands, his eyes focused on them.
"I can't force myself to do something I feel isn't right. Taking this planet, erasing your memories, it's wrong. Besides…I don't trust the path the Regiri is steering us to." He looked up to find Kim looking at him with more surprise than anger. "Before, when you asked me if there were any left, the answer is uncertain. With as many humans as there were and the size of your planet it's possible a few would still be around. So you shouldn't give up all hope. Now…" He picked up the large photo album. "Lets begin with a reintroduction. Hearing the names again might help you remember."
"How do you know who these people are, and about me?"
"The life of anyone who might oppose us was one of the many things I had to research. Any more questions?"
"What is your real name if Fortori is just a name of respect?" He looked at her, studying her for a second as if trying to determine if she was worthy of that knowledge.
"It's Jazz, but you must call me Fortori in public. No one lower than you in rank should know your name. It's Hooban policy. Are there any more questions?" Kim just shook her head, turning her attention to the opened book in his lap. "Ok, you see this girl? That's Bonnie Rockwaller."
Outside Benchmark leaned against the door, shaking her head in disgust before walking onwards to the communication room.
"Jazz better enjoy his week with Ms. Possible. I'm sure it'll be his last."
Jao: Jazz is a cute character, yes? He belongs to TPQ. It's fun writing him as a Hooban and working under someone he dislikes. It's a change for that character. He felt alot more factural since he didn;t have other characters around him. I hope I had 'im in character....
Felt really long to write since it had so much info in it, but we'll be landing on earth in the next chapter.