Reign sighed. "I'm not on a mission today, am I?"
The colonel smiled. For a Remsteth, a smile was a scary thing. Remsteth's looked like a cross between a human and a dragon. They had the general build of a human, but with fangs instead of teeth, and their fingernail's looked like claws. Some had scales on one arm, but the Colonel's arms were coated in them, a sign of his inner strength. His serpentine tail swished lazily behind the chair, and Reign kept his own wrapped about his leg. The colonel's eyes were reptilian, a deep black pierced by sapphire blue pupils.
"Speaking of missions, Reign, there's a transport leaving in an hour or so. Your contact will be aboard it, in the first class compartment. You are to rendezvous with the transport three hours after it departs." He opened a draw on his desk, and reached in, then pulled out two ID cards, and handed them to him. "Those will get you on. He will give you further instructions then."
Reign nodded all signs of joking gone from his face. "Yes sir. Any other instructions sir?"
The colonel nodded. "Take your battle gear. You may need it."
Reign nodded once more. "Yes sir." He turned, and left, throwing a glance to Liliana on his way to the door. She stopped typing and turned her system off. Even from here, his Remsteth eyes could see Reign's keyboard typing by itself, and the mouse moving to shut the system down, even as Liliana left the room.
He took another sip of his coffee, and leaned back.
This would be interesting.
-
Northern Alberta, Earth, Universal Year 6558, Earth Year 13,508
8:25 AM
Farin flipped backwards, repeated the move, and then launched himself into the air. As he soared backwards, his right hand swept back, and his fingers stretched into a claw shape. Energy began to pulse about his hand, giving it an aura of its own. His eyes locked one something, and he swung his hand in a long slash.
Hundreds of energy balls tore from his hand in the arc, and collided with the ground, throwing up dirt and sod as they exploded. He spun to the side, and threw out a well-practiced side kick, then dropped to the ground, falling like a rock. He angled his feet, and when he touched the ground, he settled gently. His piercing emerald eyes drifted closed, and his hair faded from a brilliant gold, to midnight black. When he opened his eyes, his pupils had also seemed to invert.
He looked around, and saw a car, bright blue and expensive, tearing towards him. He stretched, then ruffled the front of his shirt, trying to cool himself as the vehicle spun to a stop beside him. When the window slid down, he smiled helplessly. Her face framed by a mass of red hair, was Silias, his soon-to-be-wife. He crouched beside the window. "Hey hun. What are you doing up this early?" he asked. Silias rarely rose before ten.
She grinned impishly. "I have to go do some shopping, so I wanted to get there before the crowds. Did you wanna come with me?" she asked in her melodious voice.
Farin looked about. "Can you give me about ten minutes to wash up?" he asked.
She nodded, and he looked around. "And hun, wait for me out front okay? In a few minutes, there's gonna be kids everywhere."
She laughed as she agreed, and Farin started towards the large building in the background, his feet lifting off the ground as he walked. With twin explosions of dust, both car and man started towards their destinations.
Farin's feet touched the ground again outside the staff entrance to the school, and he entered through the door, nodding to another teacher as they passed. When he was cleaned, and dressed in his casual attire once more, a white shirt, dress pants, and a blazer, he went to the front of the school. Along the way, he met his assistant, a young college intern named Kelim. He rushed up, the crook of one arm loaded with papers, and a pen gripped between his teeth. Kelim took the pen from between his teeth, and smiled briefly in greeting. "Professor. I've got the reports you wanted." Farin nodded, and pulled his reading glasses from the pocket of his blazer, and put them on. He glanced at the reports, and nodded. "Put them on my desk please Kelim. I'm going out before class, but I should be back before it starts. If not, please take the children outside and have them start practicing their forms, okay?"
Kelim nodded, and told him he would see to it, and then rushed off towards Farin's office. Farin started towards the door, and saw the bright blue car purring in front of the school. He took off his glasses, and smiled at the children and young teens rushing past him to get inside before the first bell as he walked to the car. He strolled around it, and opened the passenger side door. He bent over, and then folded his tall, lean frame inside. As he closed the door, he looked at Silias, who was smiling at him. "Ready?" she asked.
He nodded. "Anytime."
She put the car into gear, and pulled out into the morning traffic. As she drove, she talked about whatever happened across her mind, and he listened with half an ear. He was happy, in a way, that school was being released early today. It would give him a chance to go and see to something he had been doing every year since he was thirteen years old.
Today was the day when, twelve years ago, his parents had been killed in a vicious fire, one that had claimed the life of his younger brother as well. Today he would go and visit their memorial in the city graveyard.
"Farin? Are you okay?" he heard Silias ask.
"Hmm? Oh, yeah, I'm fine, why?" he asked, coming out of his dazed reverie.
"Farin, I just said you had a foot sticking out of your forehead. What's wrong?" she asked.
He sighed. "It's March 30th." He said quietly.
She blinked, then nodded. "Oh, right. I'm sorry." She said quietly.
He forced a smile. "Hey, no problem. Green light hun."
She looked forward, and cursed. With a well-aimed foot, she hammered the gas petal, and the car took off like a shot.
-
Relcon Station, Universal Year 6558, Earth Year 13,508
8:43 AM
Reign sat in the pilot's chair of his small, sleek vessel. It was designed for 2 people, a pilot and a co-pilot, and while it was lacking in the weapon's department, it more than made up for it with its incredible speed. He tapped a small button, and glanced at Liliana. She was finishing her pre-flight, so he opened his link to the control room, and checked his headset position. "Control this is Londoric One, requesting permission to light burners."
"Control here Londoric One, you are aft-side clear and in the green."
Reign flicked a few switches, and moved the throttle bar slightly upwards. He could feel the powerfully quick vessel rumble with life as its burners lit. "Control, requesting main depressurization."
Liliana tapped a few keys, and he felt the internal gravity kick in, as the main hatch, a large, circular portal, spun open. "Londoric One, main bay depressurized, and hatch open. Spread your wings and fly."
Reign tugged on his control stick as he slightly increased throttle. He felt the vessel slowly start to move forward, and felt it resist less as its landing pads were withdrawn. He straightened the vessel out, and increased the throttle some more. The small ship eased out of the bay, and he spoke again. "Londoric One, clear of bay and in the green. Preparing for sub-space jump." He said as he pressed the throttle bar farther up, making the little ship leap forward, into space.
"Roger Londoric One. Your path is clear, and you are good for sub-space jump."
Liliana nodded, and spoke. "Initiating sub-space jump."
The stars around them suddenly lengthened, and they were pressed back into their seats as the vessel tore forth, it's engines crooning with the speed. Reign checked the course, and released his buckles. "Lil, I'm gonna get something to eat. You hungry?" he asked, remembering his manners.
She shook her heads. "Amsteadians don't eat as much as Saiyans do Reign."
Reign grinned boyishly. "What does?" he asked as he left to cockpit. Liliana shook her head. 'He will probably never grow up.' She thought to herself. 'Of course, do I really want him too?' she mused silently.
A few hours later, the sensors on the ship beeped as Reign walked back in. He handed her a sandwich, and she smiled, wondering again if he didn't have Amsteadian blood, or at least some hint of psychic ability. He always knew when she would be hungry. He slipped into his chair, and buckled himself back in. "That them?" he asked.
She nodded. "Yes. I hope they did a good job with the cosmetics on the vessel."
Reign nodded. "It'll work. She's been damaged there before, so it wasn't hard to get a visual aid for the work." He tapped a few buttons, and brought the vessel out of auto-pilot. It jerked as he took the controls. "Okay, do it when your ready." He spun his head in a quick circle, and she took another look at him. Grease smeared his face, and he looked a little haggard.
"Why the grease?" she asked.
He smirked. "Acting. If I've been trying to hold it together, why would I have a clean face?"
She sighed. "On five."
He nodded, and she began to count backwards. When she hit three, however, she flicked a switch.
A massive explosion tore through their back right engine, sending it off-line immediately. Several panels around the cockpit also exploded in a shower of sparks, and Reign cursed. "You said five!" he shouted, reaching to activate his stabilization thrusters.
She spun her chair, and began to take damage readings. "It's more genuine when not expected. Okay, we have no right side thrusters at all, including stabilizers. Right side clamps are fried, but we still have sub-space comms."
"Okay. Get ahold of them. See if we can use a cargo bay to patch this poor beast up." Reign said.
"This is Londoric One to any available craft, please respond. This is a general SOS."
Reign cursed. "Thirty seconds to sub-space de-stabilization. I have to pull out." He said.
"This is Londoric One to any available craft, please respond. This is a general SOS." Liliana repeated over the comms.
"We read you Londoric One. This is the transport ship Blade-stalker. Please state your emergency."
"Blade-stalker, we have lost all right side engines, and are 15 seconds from sub-space destabilization. We request use of one of your cargo holds to attempt repairs."
"Ten seconds." Reign said, his teeth clenched.
"Affirmative Londoric One. Exit sub-space and we'll help you in." came the reply.
"Ten four Blade-stalker." Liliana said.
Reign flipped a switch, and space returned to normal. He reached over, and hit another, and slammed the throttle bar down. She felt the engines go dead. Directly in front of them, maybe a half mile away, the massive transport ship appeared, announced by a bright hole in space, which soon closed behind them.
"Attention transport Blade-stalker. This is Reign, pilot of the Londoric One. I'm going to have to come in broadside, with a starboard lead. Do you copy?"
"Roger Londoric One, we copy. Awaiting your arrival."
Reign flicked off his comm, and looked over at the vessel. "Okay." He flipped a switch, and the left-side stabilizers came on, pushing them towards the vessel. As they approached the bay, he saw a shimmering field of light.
"Hmm. They have shield generators. No wait to pressurize." Liliana stated.
Reign nodded, and glanced at his panels, then back to his flight path. "Are those guys holding magnetic pulls?" he asked. When she nodded, he grinned. "Okay, let's let them do the work." He reached out, and flipped a few more switches, and he felt the landing thrusters come to life, even as he shut down the port stabilizers. The ship leveled out, and he heard several loud clangs as the men locked the ship in place. Liliana ran out the landing struts, and the vessel settled to the deck. Reign powered it down, and unbuckled himself. "Let's go see our generous hosts Lil."
He left the cabin, and walked through the narrow corridor to the common room, again designed for minimal people. The walls at the far back were curved, helping to support the engines, while the rest of the room was dominated by a kitchen. He had passed the staterooms already, and now opened the main exit hatch. He stepped out of the ship, and looked back along the engines, noting the massive black streaks from where the false panel had blown itself away. He looked down, and saw a few mechanics waiting for him, tools in hand. He carefully descended the ramp, and nodded. "Hey, guys."
The eldest of them, dressed in dark blue mechanic's coveralls peered at him. Reign had known him for a long time. He also worked for Varstith. "How much damage?" he asked.
Reign shook his head. "Lost all my starboard engines. Port side is down to half-power, and we can't seem to hold a sub-space fold. Explosion took out three panels in the cockpit." He said, looking about the bay. The mechanics nodded, and walked into the ship. Reign slipped behind a stack of boxes, and wiped the grease from his face. He pulled out the ID card with his name on it, and clipped it to his jacket, then walked towards the employee entrance, which would take him back into the ship.
'Reign, what are you doing?' came the silent question.
He sighed inwardly. 'I'm finding our contact. And did you really have to ask?'
'Yes, I really do. If I don't watch you, I'm always half-afraid that you'll eat the whole of Relcon Station.' She said sweetly in his mind.
Reign sighed, and stepped through the door, then into the ship's passenger section. He moved through the third and second class compartments, and was met by two security guards. They opened the hatch when they saw his ID badge, and he stepped into the first class compartment. His eyes swept the seats, looking for the contact.
'Three rows up, right side, window seat. He's got an empty chair beside him. He also has your description, and mine.' Lilianainformed him. Reign gave a mental nod, and strolled up the aisle, then sat in the empty chair. The man looked over with a startled squeak, then regained his composure. "You would be Reign."
Reign nodded. "I am. You have the information I need?"
The contact nodded, and handed a small data disk to Reign. "Be careful with that. It's the only one in existence."
Reign nodded. "Understood. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go." Without further ado, Reign stood, and spun, his long hair flipping out behind him as he moved smoothly past the guards, and back to the hangar. He felt a tremor in the decks as it went into sub-space again. Doubtless the captain had decided they had delayed long enough. When he got back inside, he pulled off his ID card, and stuffed it into the interior pocket of his jacket, then walked to the ramp of the ship. He floated into the air, and looked at the engine. Several wires had been blown apart on false connectors. That was the main source of the problem. He touched down on the ground, and entered the ship.
Inside, the elder mechanic was waiting. "I have my men checking the coils in the back, since they're done in the cockpit. I'll take care of resetting the false connectors again, then getting a new panel put in place." He glanced to the side, and spoke louder. It'll hold it until you reach Earth. We don't have all the capacities of Relcom Station, or even Frost VI." He said as one of his mechanics ducked back in. "Coils look fine. A little stressed, but okay nonetheless." He reported.
Reign. "Hey, can you do me a favor? Check the starboard strut cables inside. It felt a little loose when I put them down?"
The mechanic nodded, and rushed off. Reign looked to the other. "You should get started." He nodded, and moved away as Reign made his way to the cockpit, where Liliana was rapidly typing something.
"What are you working on Lil?" Reign asked as he flopped down into his seat.
Liliana smiled. "Nothing important. Just checking weather conditions on Earth." She held out her hand, while the typing continued unabated. "Disk please."
Reign pulled it out, and, with a flourish, he handed it to her. She popped it into a disk reader on the console, and words began to scroll past. Liliana shook her head. "We're to handle anti-government guerilla troops, out of South America. Our employer is none other than President Araka. Marvelous." She said sourly.
Reign, however, smiled. "Ah come on Lil. Last time, we just sat around and got bored while everybody talked. Now, it looks like we'll see some action." He said enthusiastically.
She shook her head. "Why are all Saiyan's such little boys?"
Reign continued to grin. "It's part of our charm."
-
Northern Alberta, Earth, Universal Year 6558, Earth Year 13,508
1:52 PM
Farin sat cross-legged in the middle of the school's gym, floating four feet off the ground as he looked at the children in his last class of the day. "Okay, now, as you've practiced, put the force of your chi beneath you. Use it to lift yourself up, while you are sitting." He instructed calmly. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Kelim slowly lift from the ground, wobbling madly. "Don't force it. Remember where your center of gravity is. Focus in just below there. Adjust it as you need to."
Slowly, the children began to float upwards, and he saw Kelim's wobbling straighten out, if only by a little. Once they all had attained the same height as he had, he glanced at the clock on the wall. "Good. Now, hold this until the bell goes. Then, you may go home." He unfolded his legs, and placed his feet on the ground, relaxing his chi as he did so. He looked at Kelim. "Kelim, see to dismissal please?"
Kelim nodded slightly, his eyes scrunched tight.
Farin stepped into his office, and removed his track jacket, then his shirt, and stepped into the shower room.
When he was cleaned, he dressed himself into a black, fitted suit, and picked up the three bundles of flowers he had purchased earlier. Quietly, he left the gym, and walked outside. Between one step and the next, his aura flared, and he launched himself into the sky.
As he flew over the massive city, he let his thoughts drift again, as they had been all day.
He still remembered the heat, the flames, the horror of that night. He had a firm remembrance of the man standing in the doorway to his and his brother's room. His arms had funny scales, like a lizard's, and they were a grayish blue. His eyes were blue, with red instead of whites. His teeth had been stained with blood, the same as his left hand.
He had stepped forward, unafraid of the fires, and reached for them. Farin had tried to throw his brother out of the window before he launched himself out, but his brother wouldn't move. It was as though he were bolted to the ground.
Instead of escaping, he had attacked, and Farin had been flung out the window by his brother instead.
Instead of protecting his younger sibling, he was the one who had been protected.
The fire had claimed the life of his brother, but the Remsteth had claimed that of his parents.
Farin could feel his power trying to awaken at the thought. He could see the golden ripples flowing along his aura, could feel his hair trying to spike up, to spike out. He pushed the rage and hatred down, and locked them away in his mental cellar.
Becoming a Super Saiyan wouldn't help him here.
Twelve years ago, it would have.
He smiled slightly. At least there had been a slight blessing to the curse of that day. A week later, Silias's parents had adopted him. They had brought him home with him, and he had met their daughter. In that house, he had stood out like an opal among rubies. His hair had always been the deepest black, and Silias' families was always a fiery red. He looked around, and landed on the sidewalk, before the gates of the cemetery, and walked in.
He strolled the beautiful, tree-lined pathways, holding the flowers in his hand. His family had loved flowers. They had been everywhere in their house. His mother had a garden of flowers, where they were forbidden to play.
He turned from the path, and walked down a long line of gravestones. He heard a bell tolling somewhere in the distance, but paid it no heed.
He stopped before three headstones, and turned to face them. He placed one bundle, White Lilacs, at the foot of his father's headstone, and ran his finger over the name carved there, then placed a bundle of roses by his mothers, and touched her name as well.
He looked sadly at the last bundle, and placed it at the foot of his brother's headstone. The flowers were rare Night Lilies. They only bloomed once a year, but they never seemed to wilt, so long as moonlight touched them once within a twenty-four hour period. His brother had adored them.
He touched the name on the headstone, ran his fingers along the individually carved letters, spelling out the name.
He stood, and looked down at the tombstones. "I miss you all, you know? I wish I had known about the Dragon Ball's earlier. Maybe then, we'd all be together now, standing on a balcony, watching the sunset, like we used to." He smiled wistfully. "I haven't watched a sunset in years. I'm getting married, by the way. I finally asked Silias about a month ago, and she said yes. We haven't picked a date yet, but we will, and I'll let you know as soon as we do." He knelt again, and touched each name once more. "Sorry I can't stay longer, but I'll come back and spend a bit more time in a few days, okay? I promise." He rubbed the top of his brother tombstone, the same way he had ruffled his long, unruly hair so often, then stood. "I'll see you later, Mom and Dad. You too Reign." He addressed the tombstones one last time. He walked away, hands in his pockets, as a light rain began to fall. As he turned to walk down the pathway, towards the gate, he glanced back once, then picked up his pace.
He was always eager to stay for awhile, but the dead were never good company in the rain. He shook his head, then tried to brush water from his eyes, unable to forget his last sight of the three headstones.
Though Farin knew better, knew such a thing couldn't be possible, the image was stuck in his head.
The tombstones had seemed as through they were weeping.