A/N

Hey everyone, this is just a brief message letting everyone know that there might not be a chapter this coming Wednesday. I say "might" only because it's still up in the air as to whether or not I will find the time to actually plan and write it. As a University student my courses are picking up and I have several exams coming up; therefore, I need to budget my time wisely.

Wow… that sounded oddly formal.

Anyways, there might be a chapter this Wednesday or there might not be… I'm not sure yet…

So if there is no upload, you've been informed as to why.

Chapter 20

"Ashley?"

All around her were people. To her left, to her right… behind her and in front of her; the street moved with a bustling mass of individuals- all strangers. Other than the muttering voices and tapping of feet there was the blast of car horns, the roar of airship engines, and even the sound of an industrial titan stomping around in the distance.

"Ashley?"

The young girl in question stumbled around her spot on the sidewalk; her small pink buckle shoes were sullied with rainwater and detritus- her dress wasn't any better.

"Ashley?"

Two dark eyes brimming with unshed tears scanned the shuffling crowd of strangers that surrounded her. None paid any mind to the little girl pacing in small circles. She clenched her pale hands tightly to her chest, supporting her chin and curling her fingers into the hem of her dress.

"Ashley?"

There she was! Fighting her way out of the crowd! A familiar face peeked out from the throng of faceless strangers.

"Ashley…" The familiar girl frowned as she got down on one knee. "Are you alright? I told you to hold my hand…"

"Sorry Faith," Ashley hiccuped, doing her best to hold back the waterworks building up behind her eyes.

Faith frowned and pursed her lips. She was only a few years Ashley's senior but acted far older than she actually was.

"Do you want to go home?"

"I-" Ashley frowned and looked down at her sullied dress. "Yes…"

A pale hand reached down to grasp hers.

"Ashley?"

The little girl looked up into the face of her sister and screamed…

Where there had once been full, healthy cheeks there were now two gaunt indents- nothing more than stretched skin over bone. Faith's dark hair - which had once been the envy of all the girl's at their school - had become ratty and clumped.

Faith's eyes were the worst part… it was an image that had stuck in Ashley's head for years.

Her two black irises - which had once been two islands dotting a field of white - were now floating in two seas of blood. The blood vessels in her eyes had popped, leaving her with horrible eight ball fractures.

Why did she do it to herself?

"Ashley…" Faith repeated, her lips curling back to reveal yellow teeth. Her voice was different now. Gone was her usual cadence, instead replaced with a harsh metallic voice.

A voice that sounded like it was echoing down a long tube, or like a dull knife scraping against stone.

"Ashley?"

With a shot the woman awoke. She lurched forwards out of her seat, smashing her forehead against the interior of Cain's cockpit hatch.

"Ashley?" Cain grumbled in his usual tone. "Are you alright, Pilot?"

With a gag Ashley could taste acid on her teeth. Some bile had jumped up her throat and found its way into her mouth, leaving behind a stinging flavor that made her eyes water.

"Ashley?" Cain repeated. "I am detecting an elevated heart rate."

Concentrating all of her willpower, Ashley gripped the seatrests and swallowed the bile still lingering in her mouth. She fumbled her hand in the direction of the ration container. Ashley tore open the box and snatched a half-full water bottle; she drank greedily and drained the disposable container.

With the taste of bile gone from her mouth Ashley collapsed back into her seat. Only once she took a moment to breathe could Ashley feel the sweat dripping off her forehead.

"Ashley… are you alright? Please confirm…"

"I- I'm fine," Ashley waved her hand and panted. "I'm alright…"

"Scans show elevated heart rate, increased adrenaline production, elevated blood pressure-"

"Cain!" Ashley shouted. She dropped the empty water bottle and raised her hands to squeeze her temples.

"Yes…?"

"The next time something like this happens," Ashley seethed. "Just shut up… alright? I'm completely fine…"

Cain was silent for a long moment.

"Affirmative…"

"Thank you," Ashley wiped her eyes and did her best to calm down. "What's going on?"

"I was attempting to wake you, the Widow dropship has just docked with the Medusa," Cain informed her. "I would suggest that you disembark and see to the completion of Protocol Three."

"And you?"

"I will see to it that my chassis is repaired."

Ashley nodded and patted the armrest. "Alright…"

With a hiss the cockpit hatch opened. Ashley instantly came face to face the bustling hangar of the Medusa. Dozens of technicians and mechanics rushed around the sprawling hangar, tending to titans or performing diagnostics on ships.

Ashley shakily got to her feet - pausing for a moment to clip her helmet to her belt - and leapt from Cain's cockpit. She landed on the metal floor of the Widow dropship below.

"I see you're finally awake," Templeton muttered, drawing Ashley's attention towards him.

Neither Templeton or his titan had moved from the interior of the Widow. The man had taken off his helmet and was leaning against the metal leg of his titan. In his gloved hands rested his own dateknife, which he was casually running his fingers along the length of.

"Right," Ashley reached up to rub her right eye. "Has it been long?"

"Oh, we just docked," Templeton slid his knife into its sheath. "I was waiting for you to hop out. You should go see Blisk and hand him the goods, I think he's on the bridge…"

"Bridge…" Ashley frowned. "Thanks…"

"Thank you," Templeton chuckled. "See you tonight for that celebratory drink?"

Ashley let out a long sigh. "Well… I already agreed…"

"That's the spirit!" Templeton joked. "I'll let everyone else know!" For a moment his face became deathly serious. "Were all expecting a good, memorable story…"

Ashley let out another long sigh and turned to Cain. "Cain… see you later…"

"Affirmative."

Without another word (and ignoring a squawk of indignation from Templeton), Ashley turned on her heel and wandered off into the crowd of technicians and titans.

For the first time in a while Ashley's mind did not wander as she made her way to her destination. Her attention was instead drawn to unusually busy hallways of the IMC vessel. Technicians darted through every corridor, nook and cranny; each of them carrying tool boxes or complicated pieces of equipment.

Ashley watched in half-interest as two men in mechanic jumpsuits crouched down in front of a gaping hole in the wall. They were messing around with a massive clump of wires and panels.

Had the Medusa seen combat recently? Ashley could only assume that the ships escape from Militia-held territory hadn't been all that smooth. There was no other explanation for the extent of the damage the ship had taken.

After some walking Ashley reached her destination. Passing through a hermetically sealed door Ashley ascended in the elevator that would take her to the bridge.

The door's of the elevator opened with a metallic screech, revealing the most important room on the Medusa. The Medusa's bridge was a sprawling sea of terminals; some of said terminals were manned by MRVN droids, others were being tended to by uniformed officers.

In the middle of the room sat a large holo-projector. Flanking either side of the room was a staircase that led up towards the captains nest- where the steering controls of the Medusa were located.

Ashley's target was standing right next to the holo-projector. Kuben Blisk was currently in an argument with the captain of the Medusa- a well dressed older man in a studded dress uniform.

And from the sound of things… it was a rather uncouth confrontation.

"Oi, and I'm telling you again! What your planning to do is out of the bloody question!" Blisk warned, an outstretched pointer finger in place of his usual knife- although it was just as sharp. "Turn this bloody bird around!"

"Mister Blisk," the older captain hissed with barely restrained anger. "Might I remind you that despite your position as a contractor, you have no true authority over my ship and its crew?"

"Do I look like I give a damn about your authority, you ancient lout!?" Blisk spat back. "This bloody ship doesn't go anywhere without my s-"

"Blisk," Ashley muttered. She watched as the two men faltered and turned towards her.

"Ashley," Blisk blinked and frowned. His mouth settled into a tight line and he turned back to the captain. "Nevermind then."

The older man's right eye twitched. "I will be discussing your conduct with General Marder-"

"Save me the boring details, just tell him to get my money ready," Blisk waved dismissively. "I have a more important person to talk to."

Blisk brushed past Ashley and motioned for her to follow him. The dark-eyed woman did as he silently requested; she snuck a glance at the captain as she left, noting the fuming look on his wrinkled face.

Blisk wordlessly led Ashley into the small boardroom that was adjacent to the bridge; it was the same room where the briefings for the botched mission had been held.

Ashley turned and leaned against the edge of the table as Blisk closed the door. She watched intently as Blisk whirled around and crossed his arms.

His face was near unreadable. Finally he shrugged and gave Ashley a casual look.

"Good work, Tigress."

Ashley narrowed her eyes at the nickname he had dubbed her with.

"We're off mission, I refuse to answer to that," Ashley grumbled. "And that's all you can manage?"

"What?" Blisk shrugged again and held out his hand. "Good work… you should be bloody honoured…"

Ashley's eyes narrowed further. She wordlessly reached a hand upwards to pull her dataknife from its sheath. Ashley flipped the blade so she was holding the tip and passed it over to Blisk.

"Don't cut yourself," Ashley grumbled.

"Hmpth," Blisk deftly twirled her knife in his palm. With slow movements he tucked the sharp blade into one of the pockets of his ammunition vest. "I'll send this off to the techs, they'll pull the data and send it off to Marder."

Silence settled on the two contractors.

"Templeton told me he was pretty pissed," Ashley frowned.

"Of course he bloody was," Blisk scoffed. "He thought that we failed…" The mercenary lifted his gloved finger and tapped it in Ashley's direction. "But thanks to you our reputation isn't in the gutter…"

"That's still not a 'thank you'," Ashley scoffed in return.

Blisk gave her an unreadable smirk. "Fine then… for what it's worth… I'm glad I pulled you out of that rank little watering hole I found you in. You set a high standard, I want you to keep it that way…"

"Keep it that way?" Ashley frowned. "I'm just here for my money Blisk…"

"And you'll get it, we're all going to get out paychecks because of you," Blisk nodded. "You're going to be bloody popular with the other pilots…"

"Yay… exactly what I was going for…"

Blisk smirked again and gestured to the door. "Why don't you rest for a little, yeah? How do you want your credits transferred?"

Ashley got up from where she was leaning and headed towards the door. She activated the panel and watched as the entryway slid open.

"I want physical credits," Ashley muttered over her shoulder. "I'll be in my bunk."

With her piece said she stepped through the door.