Jackie: I'm trying really hard to stay balance here. Keep reviewing so I'll know how I'm doing.

DISCLAIMER: If I owned it… I WOULDN'T BE HERE.

………………………..

Monique looked down at the console with fresh eyes. Knives had not completely reverted after all. There was the slightest curve difference every ten or so waves that was out of whack. Monique shrugged it of, so it wasn't completely perfect, surely it was close enough.

She made a final adjustment to his current memories, and released him from the chambers. He lay in a crumpled heap on the floor beside the machine. It would take a an hour or so for him to wake up, and she would see that he woke up in a comfortable bed beside her.

She glanced up at Vash. She would leave him this way, for now. Knives would be far better at breaking him anyway. She opened the com link and announced, "Our master has returned. I need two volunteers to come to the brain bulb room immediately."

The brain bulb, it was a ridiculous name. Someone had called it that yesterday and it just stuck. She sat down heavily in her chair and stared up at the ceiling. She would finally get some sleep, and when she woke up, she would be the Mistress of this damned world.

…………………………..

Meryl and gang had made a fair amount of progress, but it was still slow. The resistance had almost doubled, and Wolfwood was right, they were now bearing down at full deadly force. Meryl slid down on her back, panting heavily. Wolfwood and Millie looked exhausted as well. Mira simply stared up at the sky. She had been unusually quiet for a while now.

"What's wrong," Meryl asked her.

"Hm?" Mira asked snapping back to reality, "Oh… Nothing, forget about it."

Mira moved to change the subject, "That was quite a stunt you pulled. Are you always that reckless?"

"Nope," Nick answered for her, "I think she's just been spending too much time with Vash."

Millie giggled a little, her tired expression suddenly melting. She unwrapped a cloth full of jerky and passed it out. Meryl scowled a little at the food and said, "This is the last of it, isn't it?"

"Yes, sempai," Millie answered, "But we have to eat it. None of us have eaten in 24 hours. If we're going to keep up with you, we'll need our strength."

Nick frowned as he emptied his canteen into his mouth. He slumped down and said, "I don't know about you, ladies, but I'm out of water too. We need to get to that ship."

Mira finished off her canteen as well and asked, "How much further?"

"Five iles," Nick answered.

"With no food," Meryl said.

"Yup," Nick answered.

"And no water," Millie added.

"Yup," Nick replied.

"Under the blaring double suns," Mira added.

"Yuuup," Nick said again.

"Under heavy gunfire," Meryl said.

"Yup," The group answered.

"Well." Meryl said as he pulled two more derringers. She heard Mira drop her rifle and draw two 38 cal lady smiths. Nick armed his punisher and Millie lifted her stun gun to her side. Meryl nodded and jumped out from the rock, "Let's do this!"

……………………..

"Human," Knives's voice woke Monique.

"Yes, my master," Monique answered, trying for all the world to look as though she didn't need more rest.

"Where are my children?" Knives demanded.

"They are at the other base," Monique answered, "You had them transferred there ahead of us, remember?"

"Yes…" Knives said, rubbing his head, "Yes, that is right."

"My lord?" Monique asked.

"Yes, what is it?" Knives asked.

"Do you think you have enough heirs?" She cooed, "I would be honored to bear as many as you wish."

Knives thought for a minute. He could spawn perhaps 20 or more children before her body would give out. He could populate the world with his children, overrun the worthless human garbage and lay waste to the world. Then they could rebuild. His children and the plant race could rebuild the world to his design.

"That is not a bad idea, human," Knives said coldly and roughly pulled her to him, "Turn over, so that I do not have to look at you hideous face."

Monique started to shift over when every alarm in the ship went off. Knives was out of bed in an instant. He swayed a bit. Why did he have such a massive headache?

"Someone has breached the defenses!" Knives snarled, "No doubt it's Vash's little pet humans here to rescue him."

Knives opened a com link and announce, "Attention, bring me the vermin that dare to infect this sacred place! Those who fail shall share their fate!"

………………………..

Mira stopped cold at the voice over the intercom. The group looked back at her with equally astonished expressions. She trembled visibly and said, "Kn… Knives? KNIVES!"

She howled and started to run down the corridor. Nick grabbed her by the arm and said, "Stop! You want to see him right? Then let's get captured."

"WHAT?!" Meryl and Millie both screeched.

"You heard the announcement," Nick said, "He commanded that we be brought to him. He didn't say killed. We are taught to assume that when he says 'bring' he means 'alive'. Hide some of your weapons, but have some out to drop when we surrender."

Mira was still shaking. Had Knives gone back to his old life? Had she, once again, been betrayed by someone she loved. She shivered, she felt so cold inside.

"Mira?" Nick asked.

"I heard you, and I'll play along," Mira said, "But if Knives has gone back to his life of killing… He's MINE."

The others took a step back. Meryl was the first to speak, "You can't mean that."

"I do," Mira said and cocked her weapons, "As you would say, Meryl… Let's do this."

………………………

Jackie: A little dramatic attention to Meryl, a little to Mira. Still balanced?