Disclaimer: Don't own it … still. . .
Author's Notes:
I'm sorry about this chapter! It's over a week late! o.O Again, I didn't really have time to finish this … and I was lazy. So, to allow more free time for me and so I won't be late again, I'll only be updating this story every 2-3 weeks. Very sorry, but I have a life to live as well… :)
Anyway, I think … instead of starting my Haunting Ground or Avatar: The Last Airbender fic, I'll be starting an Inuyasha fic. I think I finally have the plot figured out … check my profile under .:Upcoming Fics:. for more information!
Also, once that fic has started and is posted on I will only be posting bios for OC's on my page! I will still have links to all the pics I've put up, but I will only post the OC character bios! If this is inconvenient in anyway, I'm sorry once again. Oh, yeah! I'll also be listing my favorite anime/manga list! Be sure to check it out to see if your favorite anime/manga is subject to a fanfic by me!
One more thing then I'm done! I will be posting Chapters 10 and 11 with this chapter as an apology for the lateness of this chappie! And—this is a rare thing to hear from writers—I am asking for all of you reading this fic to give me some constructive criticism! I am in desperate need of motivation and also need help on pinpointing what I need to do toimprove in my writing!
All right, listing the songs and then we're on with the show!
Music Pieces:
Chapter 9: Rescue – "Title Theme" – Norikatsu Fukuda -- .hack/INFECTION (games)
Xenosaga: Nexus Ties
Chapter 9: Rescue
Escape Pod
"Hello? … Is anyone there? … Please, we need help!" Allen shouted into his terminal intercom. "Someone help us! C'mon, Chief, you give it a try." he suggested as he dared a glance around her seat where she resided.
"It's not us that I'm worried about." she answered, her arms crossed and her eyes troubled as she gazed at the pale floor. "Now, KOS-MOS … where could she have gone?"
"We're stranded out here in the middle of nowhere and you're worried about KOS-MOS?" he exclaimed. "Chief, she can take care of herself. Forget about her and help me contact someone."
Shion's temper flared when Allen had asked her to forget about her creation.
"Forget about KOS-MOS?" she emphasized her disagreement. "Allen, our jobs are to keep KOS-MOS safe and under control!"
"It isn't my fault that you lost control of her!" he argued back, their voices rising. Oh boy, he wasn't looking forward to the Chief's wrath, but he had to talk some sense into her!
"My fault?" she shouted, her temper beginning to rise once more. This man was asking for it!
"Yes, your fault! You pushed her too far in the Encephalon! I told you it wasn't a good idea, but did you listen? No!" he called back.
"Oh, Allen, I swear…!"
The Elsa, Cockpit
The Captain continued to lean over Hammer's shoulder, listening to the unexplained argument with his brow furrowed. Tony and Hammer had their eyes brows raised as they listened to the man and woman exchange accusations.
"What the hell?" the Captain blurted with confusion and a glance at Hammer. He merely shrugged in reply, clearly as dumbfounded as he was. They both jumped back as the light blue woman they had rescued not five minutes ago pressed the receiving button on the console.
"Shion." she addressed.
Escape Pod
"Oh, and I suppose—KOS-MOS!" Shion exclaimed as she snatched the console from Allen's hand. He sighed, relieved that he wouldn't have to face the whole of her wrath and also with the feeling of disrespect, as if he were unimportant.
"KOS-MOS, where are you?" she inquired worriedly, taking note of the two strangers beside her beloved creation.
"I am aboard a civilian ship passing through the area." she answered, the two men unmoving. "I plan to commandeer this ship en route to Second Miltia. Please stay where you are and wait for help."
Shion thought for a moment before mumbling, "Second Miltia…"
Allen simply sighed and shook his head as Shion raised her voice once more.
"KOS-MOS, just what are you up to? You can't go to Second Miltia by yourself!" she exclaimed. "Take us aboard that ship, right now!"
"I cannot do that, Shion. Please wait there for another ship to pass by." KOS-MOS insisted.
It was Allen's turn to shout.
"What? And leave us here to starve to death?" he yelled. "No way!"
There was no hesitation before KOS-MOS replied.
"Actually, suffocation would come first." she stated matter-of-factly and Allen sighed with relief.
"Oh, good … Wait, suffocation?" he shrieked
The man in the red cap next to KOS-MOS turned towards her with a timid, yet assured expression.
"Ya know, they are pals of yours. We wouldn't mind taking them in." he offered. There was a small pause all around before KOS-MOS broke the silence.
"That will not be necessary." Her voice was final as she turned away from the terminal. Shion's expression became angry and firm as her determined voice called out to KOS-MOS.
"Now, just a minute, KOS-MOS." she seethed. "Your job is to protect us, isn't it?" She placed her hand on a crimson handle to her left, knowing full well what its function happened to be. KOS-MOS turned around to face the screen at attention.
"You know full well what this does, don't you?" Shion continued, her voice threatening. "You let us into that ship, or I'll pull this handle."
"Uh, Chief? What are you doing?" His voice was shaky with fear, knowing what the Chief was capable of when she was angry or upset. Oh dear god, please don't let them die here!
The Elsa, Cockpit
KOS-MOS turned to leave once more, but Shin's firm and raging voice stopped her.
"KOS-MOS!" she scolded. "You don't believe I'll do it, do you?" An alarm began to sound over the intercom and the screen began to flash a daring red as the alarm lights also went off. KOS-MOS turned to the console and stared at the screen silently, her mind trying to reason with Shion's logic but to no avail. She wouldn't dare pull it … would she?
"Sounds like she means it, if you ask me." a soft male voice carried from behind her. She whirled around to see a silver haired man dressed in black, orange and blue as well as a blonde woman in red beside him. KOS-MOS hadn't even heard the doors to the cockpit open or close, yet there they were, closing normally. Carefully, she replayed the scene over before her eyes, but she could come to no conclusion as to why she was unable to detect their entrance.
"Ah, chaos." the Captain acknowledged as they made their way further into the cockpit, halting just behind the startled woman.
"I think it's fine to let her in with us. It doesn't look like they're trouble and adding two more people to the crew wouldn't be so bad." he explained and the Captain nodded in agreement.
"Tony, open the hatch. We'll let 'em in." he ordered and Tony was silently away at the console before him, opening the cargo hatch. "Chaos, you and NINA can greet them and show them the way back up here, got it?"
Chaos nodded and turned back to the sliding doors, motioning for NINA to follow. She cast one glance back at the new light blue woman, knowing instantly that she was a machine. Narrowing her eyes suspiciously, she turned and followed chaos through the doors. Something wasn't right with that android…
Kael slammed a fist on his console's keyboard with rage, causing his two brothers to jump slightly.
"Damn it!" he screamed as he gazed ahead to what lay floating in front of them. It was the light blue casket, the one Wilder had said was holding the experiment inside. However, the casket was empty and abandoned.
"I take it what was supposed to be inside this casket is what we were sent to retrieve?" Juris sighed in his wispy voice. Benit groaned as he slapped his hands over his face, frustrated with the situation.
"Yes!" Kael screamed again in outrage and paused for a moment before seething and growling his next command.
"Get me Wilder! We have much to discuss!" Immediately, Benit obeyed and soon a giant screen appeared, along with Wilder and his emotionless face.
"Ah, Kael." he said with a hint of surprise. "I didn't expect you to retrieve my experiment so soon."
His blood boiling, Kael sent an image of the scene before him to Wilder.
"What is the meaning of this?" he shouted. "You told me she would be inside that casket, and then I discover she indeed is not inside! Explain this!"
There was a hesitant pause as Wilder ran around his thoughts.
"I'd expect someone found her first; perhaps a few merchants." he answered lightly. "No need to worry."
All three brothers were now aggravated.
"'No need to worry?'" Benit repeated heatedly. "Spare me! She could be anywhere by now!"
"Enough, Benit." Kael sighed as he rubbed his temples with his fingertips. "What do you mean, 'no need to worry?'"
With that, Wilder smiled a wicked and twisted smile, a smile that sent shivers down Kael's spine. He had a bad feeling about this…
Well, there's the long awaited Chapter 9! Sorry it wasn't very engaging, but it had to be done. Chapters 10 and 11 will be splendid, I assure you! Remember, they are going to be posted tomorrow and on Tuesday as well!
Oh, that's right! The first chapter of my Inuyasha fanfic, Twilight Lavender, will be up sometime between Tuesday and Thursday this week! Look out for it if you're into Inuyasha!
Reviews are appreciated, and I also want some constructive criticism, people! Help me out a little!
………
Please?
The Next Chapter Will Be Up Tomorrow (July 24, 2006)!