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!