Fatum
Universus
By: Sango Ai
A/n:
Wow, thanks for reviewing so nicely. I've never had such a
fast
response to anything. The fact that it was so fast makes me
feel like
I'm lying down on the job… even though I feel I have
license to pity
myself because I am trying to fight valiantly for
a nearly year long
writer's block. My writing style for this
chapter may prove a little
different than what I usually do
because in order to not reveal things
that would interfere with my
story at this point I have to be somewhat
vague; that however is
the price you pay for meeting Ariana. Now to
reply to my
reviewers:
AgiVega: Considering how long I have been
following your Aztec
Incident and what a great person you seem to
be I feel honored that
you'd say such things about my story. I'll
try not to disappoint. ;-)
Me, (or should I say you)
Obviously: I will try my best with Ariana
and Anthony not to make
them stereotypical or Mary-Sue/Gary-Stu-ish.
Romance will hold up
in my story eventually, considering I am in fact
a hopeless
romantic but its going to take some work, which as I know,
all my
writing is.
Black Aliss: There is a ship but I cannot reveal
it yet. It has a
great deal to do with my plot and thus telling
anyone publicly now
would be premature. If you really want to know
you can email me.
Also thanks to: Spotzplaya888 and
ArtyChick
-
Chapter One: Ariana
Sometime about fifty years in the future
A
young fairy with black hair and striking blue-green eyes secured
the
seat harness around her petite frame inside a shuttle. She
looked at
her instruments and, confirming that everything appeared
to be normal
spoke into her helmet mic"All readings stable.
Requesting shuttle
launch" she said, most
professionally.
The voice at the other end, which sounded
suspiciously like Foaly
responded"Cleared for launch.
Launch in twenty seconds" the voice
paused for a moment and
continued in a far less technical tone"Are
you
sure you can do this, Ariana"
Ariana smirked for some
unknown reason"Yes, Foaly yes, one would
have thought you
would have learned better than to be sexist long
before I was
born."
Foaly sighed"This has nothing to do with
sexism; it has to do with
this being dangerous and me not wanting
to lose a friend, to death or
even to kidnapping by eccentric Mud
Boys. I just don't want anyone to
get hurt…especially not you.
Everyone I know would try to kill me."
Ariana chuckled"Confido mihi" she replied, almost smugly.
"I'll
try" responded Foaly, if he said anything else it was
lost
because of the loud, explosion-like sound caused by this very
special
type of shuttle when it was ejected from its docking port
and was sent
hurtling into a wall of what appeared to be sparking
plasma.
Ariana gripped the twin joysticks that controlled the
shuttle's
movement in an attempt to brace herself just before the
impact. The
shuttle sped through the wall of sparking gel at
Mach-3 speed if not
faster. Then everything seemed to be darkness
for a moment until blue
sparks engulfed the shuttle and blocked
any view Ariana had out of it.
When the blue sparks faded the
shuttle was sitting on a docking bay at
the E1 Shuttle Port in
Tara, present day.
Two of the LEP lackeys, otherwise known as
guards, stood and gawked at
the new arrival. The shuttle was far
shinier than any of the others
that had docked there previously
and looked pretty d'arvitting
expensive and new.
"Wha" asked the one.
"How" the other managed to say.
They scampered into the inner area of the docking bay,
one on either
side of the shuttle. One stuck out his green finger
and started to
poke at the aerodynamic surface of the shuttle's
exterior. His left
wing twitched as the driver's side door hissed
open automatically and
a very pretty, relatively tall… most
likely elfin girl emerged. She
smiled
an eerie, almost, foreboding smile"Can any of you tell me
the
most efficient way to get to Police Plaza"
"Listen
missy, I don't know how you got here but…" one of
them
started, trying to pretend that he could not see his partner
drooling
out of the corner of his eye. His partner happened to be
Chix Verbil's
first cousin on his father's side.
"Don't
call me missy" Ariana snapped"Furthermore, don't try
to
intimidate me, what are you and 'slobber-noggin' going to do,
drown
me? Besides, I'm no threat. I have legitimate, important,
business
with the LEP. It's a national security matter. Now
please, try to be
little green gentlemen and show me out of here
and to Police Plaza."
The one who had formerly been
drooling wiped his mouth and gave Ariana
a reproachful glare. She
was pretty, but she was mean"Fine" he
grumbled"Prissy, come with us" he said as he turn on his
heel and
his partner followed behind.
Ariana fingered the
trigger of her Neutrino V.4, but decided that he
wasn't worth the
time and followed the two sprites into the lobby of
the shuttle
port.
At Police Plaza
At the receiving desk a
young officer-in-training who was working as a
receptionist while
the usual one was off on holiday in Atlantis was
arguing nervously
with a very annoyed sprite.
"Listen" said
'Slobber-Noggin'"I had to take my lunch break to
bring her
here and I can't leave her unattended, so you'd better tell
Commander
Root to quit playing Kiss-the-Tail-of-the-Centaur, or
whatever it
is he's always doing when there's something important
going on and
have him take Little Miss Star Trek here…wherever it is
she
wants to go."
Ariana would have intervened but watching
the annoying green
creature's temple pulse was entirely too much
fun. It would be over
soon enough anyway, Anthony would have to
rally some forces in present
time; that would take at least 48
hours so she wasn't in a hurry.
"What seems to be the
problem here" sighed a female behind the
frightened
receptionist.
Ariana blinked, she could not believe her eyes
even though logically
she knew she should. This was the Holly of
fifty years ago… her looks
had not changed much over the years
but she seemed so different.
Ariana was not even sure how. 'Don't
blow this…' she told herself
mentally.
"Um… Hello
Holly, my name is A-Ariana Fiore and I'm… well its sort
of
important that I stalk to you in private" stammered
Ariana, so much
for professional eloquence.
Holly looked at
the girl who was about two inches taller than she was.
She was
pretty, very pretty, and most of her features looked elfin,
but
there was something about her that looked very different.
Holly
didn't spend much time admiring the new girl before she
looked into
her eyes; there was something about those eyes…
Holly shook herself,
unnoticeably to anyone but her"Allow
me to escort you to the
interrogation room, it's the most secure
place to talk."
"Yes, ma'am" said Ariana,
though it sounded a bit silly, seeing as
Ariana was scarcely, if
any younger than Holly herself.
The door of the interrogation
room closed with an almost majestic
thud. Holly went over to a
panel at the opposite side of the room and pressed a button that made
the room secure, "Now, what is it you need so badly? What can the
LEP help you with?"
Ariana reached into an unzipped pocket and Holly reached for her Neutrino instinctively.
"It's all right," Ariana reassured, "I'm just going to show you my LEP badge."
"LEP?" Holly asked, "How's that possible, I know that Lilly Frond is the only other female LEP operative, if you'd even call her one."
Ariana pulled out a badge and a small electronic device that looked like a pager, "She is, in your time. You see, I am an LEP officer from about 54 years from now, and I'm here regarding Anthony Spiro."
Holly's jaw dropped, that was happening a bit too much lately, 'If she knows then she must be either legit or working for him…'
Holly groaned, why did things like this always happen on her watch? She pressed the intercom button that fed into the Ops Booth, "Foaly…" she groaned.
"Yes, Captain Short?" he asked.
"Come down to the first interrogation room immediately. It's important."
"Did you get Artemis?" he asked.
"No. Unfortunately, as always, I have been… diverted."
Ariana, who was sitting in one of the needlessly uncomfortable chairs in the room felt suddenly guilty. 'What if I make things worse?' she thought to herself.
"All right, Holly," said Foaly, he knew better than to ask further questions. When Holly had an urgent request it was most definitely urgent.
A/n: Thanks for reading. Please review!
