CHAPTER SIXTEEN: Transfer

PART ONE…Old Wounds …

Tessla sat alone in a cold, pink room. God, how she hated pink. She hadn't worn that color for 70 years.

Staring at an irregular spot on the wall to her left, she sunk into her hard seat. The last time she saw her father was two hours ago, when they'd touched down on the airlift pad. They'd flown in on a hover lift with blocked-out passenger windows and a barrier from the cockpit. Judging from the time it took to travel, she guessed they were a fourth-way across the globe from liftoff in Asia. However, due to the manner of transport, their destination was a mystery. Even the platform they touched down on was within a high walls, such that the only view they had was a cloudy sky. The temperature outside was a few degrees above freezing.

The people in this building were dressed in dark, plain clothes. They were stern and spoke little. What they did say was enigmatic and vague, and English. The men and women took Vash's gurney to the elevator and made her wait. A few minutes later they let her exit the platform, but led her to this strange, little room – this disgusting, pink room.

She contemplated escaping. Having no idea what destruction she was capable of with her angel arm, she thought it illogical to use it in this situation. Her father could be nearby – she could hurt him. Plus, there could be weapons, guards, traps; they could be in a building on an island, miles away from civilization. She had to be patient. Though the situation was terrible, she decided not to act against these people and this situation unless she felt that she, or her father, were in immediate danger.

"Whoever picked this shade of pink is a moron," she commented dryly, assuming that someone was listening in on her.

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With a tube of oxygen up one nostril, a fresh, thin cast on his arm, and 31 new disinfectant bandages on various little scratches, Vash should have felt like a million bucks. But now, he somehow felt more like two billion double dollars…again…

Silence was broken by a woman who was clearly a psychologist. She sat and smiled.

Vash was surprised, but tried not to show it. He could tell already – she was far more skilled at her craft than the others he'd worked with. It was clear in the ease of presence she was giving off.

"I'm Rita Child. It's nice to meet you." She shook his hand warmly. "How are you feeling?"

He smiled goofily, attempting to play stupid, even in this extreme time. "Much better! When can I go home?"

"Pardon the delay. We're working as quickly as we can to get you healthy and back on your way. In fact, we've already arranged for your departure to Nippon."

"What about the bombings? Aren't all airports closed?"

"Yes they are. But our private hover lift will be available upon your departure. In the meantime, there are some things I'd like to ask you about. Let me know if anything I speak of makes you uncomfortable. Alright?"

Vash nodded. Why would they promise him a ride out of this place? Probably to keep him calm and give him hope – false hope? And what about Tessla? He felt it best to keep quiet about these fears until he could discern what she wanted from him.

After all, if they wanted him dead, they would have killed him by now. If they wanted to dissect him, they didn't need to speak with him. However, if they planned to imprison him, in a bulb or otherwise, or if they planned on removing his angel arm 'gate,' treating his wounds and making him feel comfortable would make sense. Why not gather information in the process?

"Well first off, we know," she stated, still smiling in such a genuine-seeming way. "You and Vanessa, sentient plants from Gunsmoke, migrated to Earth. Your daughter, Tessla, also a sentient plant, has been accompanying you around the globe since then. Both of you show no interest in politics or world dominance of any sort. In fact, your service to humanity, if a front, is a very convincing one. And Tessla's great leaps in invention have brought mankind's technology to levels hardly dreamt of a century ago. Are we correct in assuming that you are simply trying to live peacefully?"

"Yes," he squeaked. Had he lost a lot of blood somehow? He was dizzy, nauseous. "I love people," he whispered ridiculously.

Rita laughed softly. "Yes, you seem to," she replied warmly. "And so long as you allow us to implant tracking devices in your and your daughter's cores, and never allow output lest in self-defense, we will help you live peacefully, as you wish. Does that sound reasonable?"

Vash gulped. "Tracking devices? I don't know…If you change your minds later, who's to say you won't-"

"A valid point." She nodded. "We'll see if we can't take that little matter off the table. We'll know if you use your angel arms for ill purpose, and we'll stop you. Perhaps tracking is unnecessary.

"Now, on to the meat of the issue." She opened another file on her mini screen. "About Vanessa. You have never been contacted by her, since landing on Earth, correct?"

"Yes," he answered solemnly, shifting in his seat. "This is making me uncomfortable, though. You told me to mention that."

"I did. Would you rather I not continue?"

"Yes. I don't want to know anything she doesn't want me to know – she said it would be insulting of me."

"That's what she said to me, too." Rita sighed. "But she eventually changed her mind. Just a short while ago, she asked us to bring you here. She said, 'Just Vash,' but we felt it best that you not be separated from your daughter. Again, she changed her mind and agreed. Vanessa gave expressed permission to bring you two here and to tell you the things that I have and will say."

Resting his false hand atop his now-bandaged hand, he looked into her eyes sheepishly. "Man, I could really go for some-"

"Sushi. With donuts for dessert?"

"Honey…flavored…" That was the recitation with replies that he and Vanessa used back on Gunsmoke. Should they ever use a third party to communicate, that string of words had to be given. They'd never used it before. Before now. Though, if they had gotten the information from Vanessa, either by slip of tongue or (he shuddered) torture, this may not truly be a message from Vanessa.

Rita smiled. "That doesn't remove all doubt, though, does it? Well, to fill you in briefly on her past 90 plus years, she came to security on the ships, and demanded to be held. I'm sure that's difficult to believe. She offered herself as a plant, and demanded that her family not be contacted. They believed her when she claimed that she was the only plant, that Vash the Stampede remained on Gunsmoke. You didn't did you, sir?" She smiled, then continued. "Shortly after the ships' arrival, we founded an Agency to discuss, explore, and execute tasks for Vanessa. She worked with us to reconstruct the missing parts of her core, and became whom the public refers to as 'Agent Peace.'"

"She's dead?" he yelped, jumping from his seat.

Rita stood and rested her hand on his shoulder. "No, Vash. There was an accident, but she'll be fine. She's resting in this compound."

Vash sat, slowly. "So, you brought me here to tell me this stuff? Can I go?"

"Not yet. She asked that we tell you this information, and requested to tell the rest personally." She sat again. "Would you like to go now, or would you like time alone to think about this?"

"Can I see my daughter?"

She turned her mini screen towards him. Upon it was live feed from Tessla's room, showing her seated and unharmed. "Vanessa asked that Tessla wait here. She wanted you to speak with her first."

"I'm going to need 5 minutes," he stated plainly, eyes full.

Rita nodded. "I'll be back, then."