A/N: Not the best chapter I've written, but I'm having trouble with my computer. Thanks everyone!!!
Project
The encounter with Erica had taken placea few days earlier, andhe'd seen little of her since the incident. Only at meal times and the occasional talking in the arboretum. Vash had returned the next day as promised, a very knowing grin plastered on his face as he'd looked from Erica to Knives. The insane plant had nearly strangled him then and there, but really had no idea if his twin knew what they'd done in his absence. Nor did he care much.
Knives now sat at his computer, reading the daily scans for the systems. Work before pleasure was still his rule, and he followed the strict routine of his life. After scanning the more recent files saved upon the machine, he decided to remove the older ones. They were simply taking up too much space for his orderly nature to handle. A file caught his attention, hidden in the deepest part of the registry. Project Eve?
The name didn't sound familiar from the files he'd read aboard the SEEDS ship, nor had Rem made any mentionof such activities.
He clicked on the file icon, curious about the contents.
Scientists' Report: After careful analysis of the SEEDS project, many of our colleagues have concluded that the likelihood for finding a planet with living conditions parallel to Earth's to be nonexistent. Therefore, we have undertaken the Project Eve experiment, balancing the limited number of planets for settlement.
Project Eve: The attempt to create a plant angel capable of transferring power to other life forms, primarily humans. The ultimate goal of the project is to create a life form with a longer life span and more adaptability to harsh environments. Death of plant likely in transfer.
Knives stared at the screen before him in shock. The last phrase was almost an afterthought, nothing more than the byproduct of an experiment. He continued to read the logs made by the scientists.
Log 1: After several failed attempts at producing a power transfer angel, or what we have named a Mother Plant, geneticists have succeeded. Experiments on humans will begin immediately. Will also begin mass production of Mother Plants.
Those filthy creatures were even willing to experiment on their own kind!? he thought, his anger rising.
Log 2: First experiment failed after both plant and test subject were killed in power transfer. One possibility has already been presented. The test subject may be unable to receive power because of genetic incompatibility. Will run more tests on future subjects to verify hypothesis.
The last entry greatly interested Knives.
Log 3: Project Eve has been suspended, pending the greater importance with Project Gemini. Remaining Mother Plants have been sent to separate ships to serve as generators.
Following the last entry was a list of the ships the plants had been sent to. Knives recognized that none of the ships had survived the Great Fall. But apparently one had, with Erica as living proof of that fact. if the girl had been infused with plant energy, and the angel had died in the process. The fact that the plant had willingly given her energy mattered little to him. She was a plant, a superior being with a greater right to live than those pathetic spiders.
Those filthy humans had wanted to adapt to their new planet by sacrificing his kind!!! And the proof was before him, no mistaking any of the information. He felt betrayed once again, and all of his anger was now focused on the one spider in the ship. The attraction had obviously only been one of a physical nature, nothing more.
Erica was coming from the plant room, having been talking to the angels, telling them about her training. Though not about what she and Knives had done, for obvious reasons. Hearing footsteps behind her, she turned around. The smile on her face slipped off, as she watched Knives approach her. Erica knew immediately that something was wrong with him. The insane glint in his eyes had returned and his whole body was tense with anger.
"Knives, what's wrong?" she asked cautiously. Erica nearly screamed when his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist in a painfully tight hold.
"Filthy human, destroying my kind for your own gains!" he screamed at her. "You made the plant angel sacrifice herself for her power. Pathetic spiders, not even realizing your cruelty" he hissed.
"You think I don't know the cruelties of humans?! I was a slave for a whole year, bought and sold like a cow! Treated like nothing more than a piece of property!" Her voice had become high pitched, as Erica's emotions overtook her reason. Tears came to her eyes when she realized the horrible truth. "You haven't changed at all!! You're still the same spoiled brat who can't-"
Her words were cut off as Knives' hand came up and connected with her cheek, knocking her to the ground.
The tears slid down Erica's cheeks, as one of her hands slowly reached up to touch her now bruising cheek, the same cheek he'd kissed only days before. He hadn't struck her then.
"You can't handle losing control!" she yelled, finishing her last sentence.
Knives grabbed her by the throat and slammed her against the wall, raising her off her feet. Erica's head knocked against the hard surface, causing her to scream out in pain. She writhed in his grasp, trying to free herself. But her useless struggling only made the plant angrier, as he pushed her harder against the wall.
"Shut up you filthy spider!!" Knives screamed, tightening his grip on her wind pipe. "Don't pretend you know me!!"
Erica's eyes lost focus, as her breathing was cut off by his hand. She felt herself losing consciousness, as the room spun around her.
Knives was suddenly slammed back into the opposite wall. Erica slumped to the floor, coughing as blessed air returned to her lungs. A shadow fell across the psychotic plant on the ground.
"Still using the same logic, Knives?!" Vash asked angrily, towering over his brother. "They're dead! Everyone who's to blame is dead! Why don't you understand that!?"
Knives watched his brother's anger in shock. He had never seen him so furious, But he wouldn't let him get the advantage, and he was too angered at the interruption to care. The insane plant charged at Vash, but was suddenly thrown back against the wall. He'd underestimated his brother's powers once more, as he felt the effects of the mind blast slipping off his body. The blond gunman had used telekinesis to stop his assault.
With his brother too stunned to move, Vash looked around the room, shaking his head sadly.
Erica was gone.
I have to get away Erica told herself, as she ran to her bedroom. Tears landed silently on her clothes, as she packed them away in her bag. He doesn't care about me, he never did. Sorry Vash, but I just can't stay here anymore.
Silently sprinting through the halls, Erica gathered as many food supplies as she could. She didn't know how long the journey would take on foot, but she needed to get as far away from here as possible.