Spooky: Well you asked for it, and here it is! This chapter's for Natasha Radinov. Cool name, she was so cool. Okay so I've only seen like three episodes of GunSmith Cats but she's still cool. I had my hair cut like hers for a while!

Chibi scythe-weilding bat Duo: There you are!

Spooky: Argh! I thought I had lost you!

CSWB Duo: No way baby!

Spooky: (grits teeth)

CSWB Duo: (looks around) So this is where you go when you're not in the limbo.

Spooky: Would you be quiet.

CSWB Duo: Only if I can stay.

Spooky: Fine. Just be quiet. Anyway, You will know more about her past soon! I promise. There's a little bit in this chapter but there's in later chapters. You have to understand there's not much romance right now because she doesn't trust anybody. Well I've kept you long enough. Here's the story!

10:35 P.M.

Veronica walked into her room took off her jacket, swords, gun, and boots then flopped down on the bed. "Man I am exhausted," said Veronica out loud.

I bet you are. Came a mental response from outside the door. Now let me in.

"Huh?" Who the hell could be in my mind? Thought Veronica. The only people who could be in my mind are the other kids. So who…?

Pepper. That's who the hell it is. Came the mental response. Now let me in. I don't like sitting around with all these people walking down the hall.

Veronica let out a huge sigh. Then she used her mental powers to open the door. Pepper trotted in and she shut the door.

"Boy Pepper, I'm glad it's you," said Veronica.

Who else could it be? said Pepper as he jumped into her lap.

"I thought maybe Valren had planted someone on the ship," said Veronica as she petted him.

That wouldn't be good.

"No kidding." Veronica thought for a minute.

You should probably get some sleep. Suggested Pepper.

"Yeah. I'll do that," said Veronica. Then she put Pepper on the bed, stood up, and went to get her pj's on.

Veronica felt the 2 by 4 slam into her stomach. Pain ripped through her head. She clutched her stomach and fell to the floor. Someone grabbed her by the hair and pulled her to her feet. A fist slammed into her face, she felt blood run down her face.

Veronica's eyes flew open and she sat right up. She gasped for breath. Sweat ran down her face. Where am I? Thought Veronica, panicking. She looked around the room. It was still dark. She looked to her right and saw the outline of the couch and the red glow of the clock. Oh that's right. I'm on the Mars5. She thought with relief. She looked at the clock again. It read 8:02 A.M. I had better get up. She pushed a button on the bedside table and the lights came on. She got out of bed and stretched. Her muscles were sore as if the dream had been real.

It has been before. Said Pepper.

"Yeah," said Veronica. "Just 3 days ago."

Pepper watched her stretch. You know I noticed something. The bathroom doesn't have a shower.

"There's a co-ed bathroom down the hall." Veronica grabbed some new cloths.

I bet you'll like that. said Pepper teasing her.

Veronica rolled her eyes and headed for the door.

8:36 A.M.

Veronica sat alone at a table in the mess hall. She had her laptop open and was eating French toast and a breakfast shake. She stopped eating to type in her laptop. Then frowned. Quatre came up to her table. She didn't notice. Then she looked up and was startled to see him standing there.

"Uh…hi," said Veronica surprised.

"Hi," said Quatre smiling. He was wearing a red long sleeve shirt with a blue vest and kaki pants. The sleeves on his shirt were rolled up to his elbows.

"Have a seat." She indicated the seat across the table.

"Thanks," said Quatre sitting down. "I saw you sitting by yourself and thought you might like some company."

"Thanks. But you're wasting your time," said Veronica plainly, going back to her work.

"Oh," said Quatre quietly.

She looked at him. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

"No, you didn't," said Quatre quickly. "You're just so anti-social, it…surprised me."

"It's the way I am," she said matter-of-fact. Then went back to typing.

Quatre just sat at the table with her.

How come I'm so nervous? Thought Veronica. Her hands started to shake, but she forced herself to concentrate. Darkstar needs to be fixed. I need to concentrate on that. If I trust Quatre or anyone else I could end up getting hurt. Like with Bren. Her dream flashed through her mind. She shook her head to try to clear it.

"Are you OK?" asked Quatre concerned.

"I'm fine," said Veronica putting a hand to her head.

"You don't look fine."

"I'll be fine. Really." She shut down the laptop and stood up. For a second the world spun in front of her eyes. She blinked rapidly and shook her head. Then grabbed her laptop and went out the door. Quatre followed her. She headed for the shuttle bay.

"Maybe you should lie down," said Quatre worried.

"I'll be fine. I just need to get back to work."

"I know you're anti-social, but could you at least let me help?"

"Yeah. I could use the help," said Veronica as she opened the door to the shuttle bay. They floated over to her mobile suit. She pushed a button on the mobile suit and the door opened. She floated in and Quatre followed.

"Wow. This looks a lot like a Gundam."

"My brother designed it," said Veronica softly.

"Is your brother dead?"

"No. He's just… I can't tell you."

Quatre nodded in understanding.

Veronica walked over and sat in the control chair. She flipped a switch and the power came on. She typed in a few commands and a list appeared on the screen.

"That's the list of repairs we have to finish," said Darkstar. Quatre jumped, surprised.

"This is what we have to do?" asked Veronica shocked.

"Yes."

"But this will take at least 5 days to fix!"

"Then we better get started," said Darkstar.

Veronica scowled at the computer then floated out of the chair over to the wall behind the chair. She crouched down and pulled a panel off the wall near the floor. It looked like a duct. Veronica crawled inside and flipped over onto her back.

"Hey Quatre!" she called.

"Yes?"

"Could you hand me a flat blade screwdriver? It's in a tool box."

"Where's it at?" asked Quatre.

"Shoot. Darkstar would you tell Quatre where the toolbox is?"

"Turn around and there's a control panel with a yellow button on it," said Darkstar to Quatre.

Quatre turned around. "This one?" he asked as he pointed to the panel.

"Yes. That's the one."

Quatre pushed the yellow button and a panel slid back. He pulled out a red toolbox. "It's red, right?" he asked as he pulled it out.

"Yep," said Veronica.

Quatre brought the toolbox over and set it down at her feet. Then he opened it. There were two pictures inside the toolbox lid. One was a picture of her and a black haired boy. The other was of her and a woman with brown hair in a ponytail, a man with light brown hair, and a boy of about 17 with sandy blonde hair.

"Who's in these pictures?" asked Quatre.

"Just a sec," said Veronica starting to scoot out of the duct. Quatre heard a bang. "Ouch! Crap that hurt." Then she crawled out.

"Are you OK?" asked Quatre.

"Yeah, I just banged my head," said Veronica rubbing her head. "Now what pictures?"

"These ones. In the toolbox lid," said Quatre pointing to picture.

"Oh those," said Veronica quietly. She pointed to the picture with the black haired boy. "That's my best friend Mike. Those are my parents. Amy and Dan," She said pointing to the other picture. "And my brother Nick."

"How come you're on your own if you have parents?" asked Quatre.

"It's a long story," sighed Veronica. She grabbed a screwdriver and slid back into the duct. They worked on Darkstar for 3 hours before taking a break.

Spooky: Well that's it for now. Review and I'll post more!

CSWB Duo: Review or I'll send Jenny after you!

Spooky: You, (grabs CSWB Duo by the hair) OUT!

CSWB Duo: Hey leggo! That hurts!

Spooky: (tosses him into a portal back into limbo) And just stay there! Sheesh.