Battles and Friends
The stranger's eyes bored into Crastil and he walked forward no fear evident in his movements or his smell. That alone was enough to make Crastil afraid. He had never encountered a human who wasn't scared of him. "Time the games begin."
Crastil reached back and drew his phase pistol and fired. The stranger didn't flinch, he didn't even move as the bolt of force tore into his chest. He flew back and hit the wall; while Crastil's dry laughter filled the room. "Foolissssh human."
Crastil stalked forward, much like a lizard, tracking its prey. He came to stand next to strange human. He lifted his foot and brought it down in the middle of the man's back. He continued to laugh as he heard Kahlua scream yet again in fear as his gaze traveled to her. She was scrambling away from him on her hands and knees and he took one step towards her.
As his foot left the body of the strange man, the man rolled over and grabbed a hold of Crastil's leg. Crastil crashed to the ground as his leg was yanked out from underneath him. His head smashed into the floor and he saw stars dancing before his vision, as he felt the strange man roll onto his body, his lower back, while still holding onto his leg.
The stranger then yanked Crastil's leg back towards his head as hard as he could. Crastil screamed in pain as he felt his leg dislocate. He as a reptile was quite flexible but not quite that much. The stranger heard the pop as the leg was dislocated and then rolled up the back of Crastil coming to rest on Crastil's upper shoulders. The stranger then sat down on Crastil's shoulders putting his knees in the center of Crastil's back. "Now you die." The stranger then reached down and gripped Crastil on both sides of the head and twisted violently. The stranger heard the satisfying snap of bones and then Crastil's tongue lolled out of his mouth, his eyes staring forward sightlessly as his screams were silenced forever.
The stranger turned his gaze to Kahlua who had her back to the wall, her chest heaving from taking deep breaths, her eyes were frantic and filled with tears, and she had her knees pulled up to her chest. Her arms were wrapped around her legs and she was rocking back against the wall. The scent of fear from her was almost overpowering but the man made himself approach her.
"Young one, are you alright," he asked as he knelt down in front of her. "I am sorry if I have frightened you but you are safe now."
Her eyes grew wide and she hunched in on herself even more. He sighed as he stood up, then he heard Magno's voice sound over the intercom. She was talking about fighting back. "One more thing, there's no dying aboard this ship."
The stranger chuckled to himself. "Well isn't that interesting. No dying on this ship." He turned his gaze back to the girl. "How about we go save everyone huh? You and me, and then . . . "he didn't get to finish as she flew to him. She wrapped her arms around him and he knelt down and took her in a hug.
Her tiny body was wracked with sobs. "I was so scared," she started while tears flowed down her cheeks and she continued to have her body shake from crying. "I. . . I . . . my mom! She's a prisoner! Everyone is in trouble, I . . . we . ." she wasn't making much sense.
He just held her though and let her fright runs its course for now. He knew it all too well, the fright and how it would disappear. He didn't know how though, but then it happened. The scent of her blood wafted to him and his stomach knotted. He gritted his teeth against the pain and yet it was same hunger he had been feeling since he had awoken only intensified now.
"Will . . . will you help us," she cried into his shoulder. She then moved away from his embrace slowly as she dried her tears on her red shirt. She looked into his eyes and saw something there that she couldn't place.
He slowly fought the hunger down. Now was not the time to be hungry. Now was the time for action. "Yes I will help you. Stay close to me and you will be safe," he answered.
She then noticed that it appeared as if one of his ribs was broken and she started to ask him about it. She saw him shake his head at her though and she remained silent. This man wasn't like Hibiki or the others. He was quite different. He was scary, and yet she felt safe in his presence. He led her out of the prison area and they went in search of the other Slythiks.
BC had been searching though the ship but had found none of the enemy. "Hmmm," she mused holding her whip at the ready. She shook her head. "I'll find them eventually." She then continued down the lonely corridor of the Nirvana. Her footfalls echoed as if to warn all that she was coming, and to tell them that they should find shelter from her rage.
The stranger and Kahlua walked down the corridors. She stayed right behind him within five paces. She would have been closer but he had warned her that if she was too close then he couldn't fight as he would need to. She had reluctantly agreed to stay the five paces behind him and she was constantly counting the space between them making sure that he was always five steps ahead of her. She never let him get farther than five steps though and she never came closer.
His steps were quick and light like a panther. He stepped on the balls of his feet making no sound and his gaze was constantly moving scanning for enemies. He watched everything and was impressed with the ship. It was perfect with its design, how well thought out it was. The walls were sloped ever so slightly not angled as most ships. The walls were thick as well he could feel that much. The ship was indeed impressive but he wasn't examining it close.
He picked his pace up, but then stopped as he remembered the girl. He stopped abruptly and felt her run into his legs and fall to the ground. She got up rubbing her butt. "Ouch, warn me next time," she whined with tears in her eyes.
He grinned down at her. "Sorry about that. I never asked you your name."
She thought about it for a moment and decided it was okay to tell him. He had after all saved her. "I'm Kahlua."
"Pretty name," he told her as he grabbed her up and held onto her with one arm.
"Thanks. What are you doing," she inquired.
"I'm going to be moving a bit quicker now and you won't be able to keep up unless I do this."
"Okay. What's your name?"
"I don't remember."
"You don't remember? I'm sorry," her head dropped against his shoulder and it wasn't as bonny as Hibiki's. She had fallen asleep against his shoulder once and he had sat there until she woke up. Her cheek had hurt because of his bonny shoulder. She wrapped her little arms around him and he wished he could remember things as he held her close. He wished he knew if he had a family.
"Don't be," the man whispered to her and smoothed her hair back. He patted her back softly then hoping to comfort the girl. God knew she needed it. She was seeing so much that she didn't need to.
They ran down the hall and he asked, "So where were you when they attacked?"
"Oh no my mom! The others! They . . . the cafeteria," she cried. He was surprised by how well she spoke for her age and he wondered if she was a prodigy. One of those extremely skilled children that he'd heard about.
He ran down the corridors using her directions and then abruptly he smelled that familiar stench. It was the smell of wet swamplands, mulch, moss, and many other smells that were mixed together signaling that a Slythik was close.
He stopped and set her down. "Stay here, where it is safe," raising his eyebrows and putting his hand on her shoulder.
She nodded. "Okay," she whispered back. "Be careful."
He paused for a second at those words and smiled to reassure her. He moved further down the corridor his steps as light as air never making a sound. He realized that perhaps he should have gotten a weapon but it was too late now. His steps had carried him to a bend in the corridor and he knew from Kahlua's directions that the cafeteria was just around the bend. The smell of fear was almost overpowering for him and he turned his nose away covering it up. He shook his head then and took a breath, though his mouth hopping the smell wouldn't be so bad.
He stepped around the corner and in the same instant reached out and caught a handful of what appeared to be air. He stepped back around the corner and twisted his hand snapping the neck of the struggling Slythik. He dropped the body to the ground and he turned his gaze back down the corridor from whence he had come. He saw Kahlua looking at him, peering around the corner. She had wide eyes and when she noticed his gaze on her she ducked back around the corner.
He shook his head. He had only killed two, which meant he had just a few more to go. Yeah just a few, he thought ruefully as he ran his hand through his hair and then he heard the commotion. It was about time, man these must have been rookies, out on their first mission. He should never have been able to catch one by itself and yet he had done just that.
He heard a crash of dishes and then a scream of pain. He nodded his head and turned the corner swiftly. He saw the door as he approached it, but he didn't slow his pace. As he neared it the door opened and in he disappeared.
Kahlua watched him go and her little heart was aflutter. She hoped he would be alright. He was so nice to her and he had helped her even though he had been a prisoner. She set her little mind to work and come to the conclusion that this man couldn't be bad. No bad man would have helped her.
She saw the doors close behind him and she closed her eyes hoped that the butterflies in her stomach would settle down. She didn't know how he was going to help her mother and the others when he had no weapon. She wasn't sure she wanted to know but she did know that had said they would all be fine and she was sure that he wouldn't lie to her.
"Be careful stranger," she whispered as she bit her little fingers lightly. She didn't want to admit it but she was still scared.
Dita had had enough of just sitting there and so had Hibiki. Being still and quiet was one of Hibiki's less practiced skills to say the least. He couldn't wait any longer and so he had rushed one of the lizards. His shoulder had hit him and they both tumbled to the ground. Dita had taken the cue and ran to try and get the weapon that spun across the floor only to feel something smash her in the back.
Dita flew through the air literally, and slammed into the table where the dishes had been stacked up waiting to be cleaned. They clattered to the floor those of glass shattering sending their sparkling shards dancing across the floor. Dita tried to rise but could only get on her hands and knees. "Dumb bitch," one of the creatures growled and kicked her in the stomach sending her tumbling across the floor where the glass diamonds cut her flesh leaving a mist of red.
"Dita," Hibiki screamed as he saw what happened to her. "Damn it all you bastards," he growled and hit the creature in the face. The only thing he accomplished though was hurting his hand on one of the bone extrusions. The creature threw him off and he landed near Dita.
"Dita, Hibiki," Ezra and the others called and they both looked up at their friend. Dita's face was cut and she was bleeding quite a bit which wasn't a good sign Ezra knew that much. Hibiki wasn't much though. He was favoring his arm which he had used to try and break his fall. Ezra thought that perhaps it was broke.
One of the larger ones, with a tail of pure muscle stepped in front of Dita and Hibiki. Hibiki knew it was the one that had hit Dita in the first place. "You bastard, you'll . . ."
The creature kicked Hibiki in the face and pinned his head to the wall. "Hibiki!" Dita yelled and tried to pry the leg off of Hibiki.
"You will what little human," the creature taunted.
Ezra noticed the doors open and a man step in at that moment. She noticed right away that the man was the prisoner that they had taken in and her heart sank and a new fear started to gnaw at her. How had that man gotten out of his cell? Was he in league with these invaders? Where was her daughter? Did this man mean them all harm? As she watched him she got some of her answers though.
None of the Slythiks had even heard the doors open and that was working to the strangers' advantage. He was upon the first one in no time. He reached out and snapped its neck, lowering it to the ground. He took two steps hoping to get at least a couple more while their attention was diverted but his hopes were dashed rather quickly.
Most of the Slythiks were watching their friend toy with the human boy before the boy was killed. They were laughing back and forth, all of them but one. That one glanced over to see the reactions of the other humans they had captured and he noticed that they all had their gazes locked on something behind him.
The Slythik turned just in time to see a human man close the distance between them. "Die," he yelled and slashed his claws at the human who was impossibly fast. The human spun away from the slash, then stopped, planted a foot and drove his hand into the jaw of the Slythik. His hand connected and he continued to push up with all the strength he had snapping the Slythiks head back breaking the neck with ease. It dropped to the ground dead but the stranger was already moving.
The others turned at the shout of their friend and watched him thud to the ground his body unmoving. They saw a human man darting around and they brought their weapons to bear.
Shots fired and the human ducked, dodged, and rolled out of the way. A shot rang out and ricocheted off the floor, catching the stranger in the leg. Blood started to flow from the wound and he rolled to his feet amongst the clatter of pans. "Now you die," the one with the tail stated coldly bringing his weapon to aim at the stranger.
The strangers' eyes narrowed and as the Slythik squeezed the trigger the stranger kicked a pan up into his hands and used it as a shield. The shot fired and clanged into the pan. The man in that instant drew back his hand and threw the pan at the Slythik. The Slythik ducked as the stranger had anticipated and he charged with his blinding speed.
Dita turned to Hibiki and took him in her arms. He felt so weak and frail at that moment that it made her cry. Her tears trailed down her face and landed on his cheek. He opened his eyes and smiled at her, "You idiot." His whisper was barely audible but she heard it and smiled.
"Hibiki I love you, don't scare me like that anymore," she chided him as she wiped a tear away.
"I . . . I love you to Dita," he said with a smile reaching up and brushing a stray strand of hair back from her face.
"You do," she exclaimed.
He nodded. She hugged him to her breast her tears falling all the faster. He had finally said it! He had finally admitted his feelings for her! It had taken him more than four years but he had finally done it! Nothing in the world could have made Dita happier at that moment. She heard a muffled cry and realized she was hugging him a bit hard his face buried in her chest.
"Sorry," she said letting him go albeit reluctantly.
"I could have died," he exclaimed. "This is not the place for that sort of thing!" She just smiled at him though and he ran his hand through his hair. She had blood on her chest from where she had held him but he had finally stopped bleeding.
Ezra had watched her two friends and smiled at them. They were so different than most. Even during a battle like the one going on with the creatures and the stranger they argued. She was glad for them. It seemed that they had both found something that they had been searching for.
Ezra watched this stranger then and was amazed by how he moved and fought. It was as if he was a breed apart from any one else that she had ever met. There was no give in the man, no smile, no anger, no hate, nothing. She watched him and decided that he was empty of petty emotions, at least in combat. She hoped that he won, though she didn't like to see someone kill.
Ezra was glad that this man was on their side as were the rest of the prisoners. It seemed that he was going to save them after all. Ezra continued to watch the fight which still raged ignoring the onlookers.
The man had charged in close and punched one of the Slythiks in the throat crushing it, making the creature unable to breath. The creature dropped to the ground and he continued to fight but the numbers were pushing him back towards the table. The Slythiks clawed at him, or slashed with knives and swords. He blocked claw after claw and ducked a sword swing only to take a knife in the shoulder. The blade was lodged deep and he punched up breaking the arm of the Slythik who released the blade.
The stranger grabbed the blade and yanked it out of his arm and felt the flesh tear. He saw that the blade was serrated and as another claw came at him he sliced the Slythik across the arm and then stepped in close. He was too close for anyone to attack him without hurting their friend but the stranger reached up quickly and shoved the Slythiks head back and tore the blade across the throat of the Slythik. Blood rushed out and it fell back clawing at its throat and at the same moment threw the knife catching another in the heart. It crashed back landing near Dita and Hibiki who had seemed to have forgot the battle until that moment.
Dita's eyes went wide as did Hibiki's. "Die damn you," a Slythik yelled and brought his gun up. Dita without even thinking reached down quickly and picked up one of the kitchen knives. The Slythik sighted down on the stranger who was helping them. Dita looked from the Slythik to the man and back to the knife in her hand.
"No, don't hurt him!" Dita yelled her voice tinged with fear, anxiety, and anger. She drove the blade then deep into the Slythiks back. Its eyes went wide in shock and he dropped to the ground finding it hard to breath. He turned and looked at her. She released the blade and stumbled back against the wall and sank down hugging her knees to her chest.
"You . . . you killed me," the Slythik stammered out as it collapsed to the ground dead.
"I . . . I . . . I k . . . ki . . . killed him," Dita stammered over and over as she rocked back and forth her eyes staring wide-eyed at the body of the Slythik that she had just killed.
"Dumb Girl," another claimed and brought it's sword to bear. He started to bring it down to kill the unsuspecting Dita when his head slammed into the metal wall making a crushing, slurping noise of someone biting down too hard on a chicken bone. The body thudded to the ground its skull crushed. The stranger gazed down at Dita and was hit across the back with the tail of the Slythik.
He slammed into the ground hard and the air left his lungs. In an instant though he was pushing himself to his feet as another rolled in and clawed him across the face with the claws on its back feet. The blood splattered across the floor and some landed on Dita who didn't even seem to notice. Hibiki grabbed her and started shaking her. "Come back to me Dita damnit! Don't do this! Dita! Come on you idiot!"
He continued to shake her though lightly as the battle continued around him. The Slythik scrambled away and they re-grouped as the stranger pushed himself to his feet. There were still twelve left one of which had a broken arm. None of them though could use their ranged weapons as they had no more power packs or bullets. It was now melee combat and they didn't know it but it favored the human.
"You will die human," the one with the tail hissed. The stranger guessed him to be the leader.
"We'll see," was all he said. The blood trailed down the strangers face and fell into his eye. He reached up and wiped it away. He was still standing back where most of the kitchen utensils were and he glanced around seeing a pair of knives on the counter next to him.
With blinding speed he reached out and snatched them up hurling them in the same instant. The blades flipped through the air and each found their mark. Two Slythiks dropped dead; one had a knife in the eye, the other a knife in its throat. He stared at them and stalked forward. One of the Slythiks was new to battle and at the look on the humans face he grew scared. The stranger stepped forward over one of the dead bodies and he gave a frightening half-smile showing his teeth. The Slythiks eyes widened in true fear. Never had it imagined that a human would fight like this. Never had it thought they could lose but it was scared. It was scared for its life and it turned to flee dropping its weapon from its clawed hand, hoping to preserve its own life. It was a hope that was soon crushed.
It ran as fast as it could its claws clicking on the metal floor, and its heart thrumming to a beat most could dance to. It reached the doors and as they slid open to reveal safety and the way home it crashed to the floor face first. It slid outside the doors and they closed shutting the body out in finality, saying that the end was there and to leave through the doors was to die.
"No one runssss," the tailed one hissed as he eyed the rest of his companions. "Crassstil will join usssss sssshortly."
The man charged in the blink of an eye. He punched the first two in the throat crushing them. He spun kicking another in the stomach doubling him over and while he was doubled over the stranger snapped the Slythiks neck. He shoved the body into another one that charged and it crashed to the ground. Its head was out to the side and the stranger stomped down on it crushing the skull.
The stranger heard one approach from behind and he rolled forward where another stepped to stop the stranger. The stranger came to his feet quickly punching up snapping the neck of the creature he hit it with so much force. He kicked to the side crushing the knee of another, while a third clawed at him. The stranger caught the arm and yanked it out of its socket. The stranger pulled so hard the creature stumbled forward off balance. While it was off balance he ripped its own claws across its throat dropping it dead to the ground.
The remaining five were a little more wary now. It seemed this human was a bit more dangerous than they had first thought. He was strong and fast like a panther. His gaze was like steel.
"You are all dead. Crastil will not come because he met an unfortunate demise, just as all of you will. You will not sell these people and you will not kill them," the stranger then charged again.
The one with the tail hissed like a snake that someone had angered and snapped its tail forward. That tail had enough force to crush bone but the human just reached up and grabbed a hold of it. He then yanked hard and the creature was pulled off its feet and into the air as the man swung him like a giant club. The Slythik crashed into one of its companions and their bones shattered like dry kindling.
He left the two in a heap and turned to the last three. One glanced around frantic but as its gaze came back to the human he noticed that the human was now standing right in front of him. It should have been impossible for the human to move that fast. He had only glanced away for a second. This human was like a shadow, like the wind, and he was their death the Slythik knew that much as the human punched forward. The strangers fist hit the Slythik in the chest crushing the ribs and sending one of the ribs into a lung and another into the heart killing the Slythik who sank to the ground slowly like a cobra who had been calmed by a snake charmer its eyes closing in eternal sleep.
The last two stood rock still too scared to move. It was like children who encountered the Slythik race. Children were inherently scared of them because most children were scared of snakes. Now though the Slythiks got to feel fear and it was a feeling none of them liked. They didn't like feeling like children who had been caught by the scary old man down the street.
The man walked up to the two of them and on his way reached down and pulled the knife out of the Slythik that Dita had killed. He closed the distance to the last two as they snapped back to reality and the severity of their situation. They both tried to run but they ran into each other and the strange human just shook his head at them as he stomped on the outstretched leg of one shattering it with ease. The creature howled in pain and everyone who could, covered, their ears except for the stranger. He dropped down and drove the knife into the heart of the creature and then turned to the last one. He dropped the knife down in front of the creature. "Kill yourself. If you do you can make it quick, if I do it, it will be painful." The humans' voice was as cold as the artic world of Fazergass.
With a trembling hand the creature reached out and gently took the knife as one would a baby or a cherished item. Such an item so important that you didn't want to break it. The creature looked up at the human, "Thank you. Thank you for letting me die with honor, by my own hand." The creature then placed the knife high on its chest and pushed it into its chest. It made a face of pain but didn't make a sound. It then shoved the knife down slicing its chest wide open killing itself. The body fell to the floor its head coming to rest on the chest of its friend.
The human nodded his head. Ezra and the rest turned their gaze from the scene. There was blood everywhere and the stench of death. Tears were trailing down Ezras' cheeks. She was saddened for this man who had killed all of the creatures. It didn't seem to bother him and yet she couldn't help but cry for him. He was a hero at least for now to them, but a cold hero. She cried because she hadn't ever seen anyone really kill anyone else, at least not in person and it was frightening. She shut her eyes tight and let the tears fall.
The man licked the blood off his hands like a cat cleaning itself and it was unnerving to watch yet Hibiki had to admit he couldn't tear his gaze away from this man. This man had killed the enemy with no hesitation. He had killed them with his bare hands and Hibiki didn't know what that would feel like. Hibiki looked down at his hands and saw them trembling. He had been scared, for himself and for Dita. He had been scared for all his friends aboard the Nirvana. Hibiki had always wanted enough power to protect his friends and family but he didn't want the power this man had. He didn't want to be able to kill so easily. He didn't ever want to have to kill like this man at all. Fighting to defend oneself was one thing, as was fighting to protect life but what this man had done. Hibiki shook his head. What this man had done was more than that. This man had killed them when they had tried to flee.
The man looked down at himself and shook his head as if to berate himself. "Well I suppose I shouldn't wear this around or everyone will be scared of me."
Hibiki looked at the man and thought the man was an idiot. Of course people were going to be scared of him! He had just killed nearly 20 of the enemy! What the hell was he thinking, the moron.
Hibiki helped Dita to her feet who had her hands covering her eyes so she couldn't see all the bodies. She was sick, by what she had done and her legs were like water. They didn't seem to want to support her weight. "What have I done, I didn't want to hurt anyone," Dita kept crying and yet she had been crying so much, tears were hard in coming.
Ezra still had her head turned and eyes closed when she felt the ropes binding her fall away. She opened her eyes and saw the man standing there a knife in his hands and she gasped, jerking away from him instinctively. He stepped away from her quickly realizing what the problem was.
"Sorry," he said turning his head away from her and dropping the knife kicking it across the floor to Ezra. "Free your friends. Obviously you don't want me near you."
He started to walk away towards the fridge. Ezra felt ashamed of her herself for her reaction. She shouldn't have acted that way but the man was frightening and he had a knife standing in front of her and . . . . She sighed. It seemed that everything was not the way it should be. They should all have been home on the asteroid where their base was located. They should have all been laughing and talking having a good time. Kahlua should have been with her oma, and . . . Ezra dropped the knife as she freed the last person. "Oh no Kahlua," Ezra whispered as tears formed in her eyes and she felt the strength leave her legs dropping her to the blood stained floor. Her shoulders shook as she remembered her daughter. How could she have forgotten all about Kahlua? What kind of fama was she anyway? She had been so scared for herself that she had forgotten about Kahlua and now . . . and now she might be dead.
The man had pulled a steak out of the fridge and set it on the table he had returned to its upright position. The steak was sitting on a clean plate. The plate that it had been on in the fridge was set aside and the stranger grabbed a glass. The bloodied water looked so good he just couldn't resist. He poured it into the glass and was ready to take a drink when he heard a woman crying. He turned and heard her words.
He walked up and stopped a few steps away from Ezra. "My lady, Kahlua is fine. She is waiting outside for me to return."
Ezras head snapped up and her gaze locked with his. "What? Are you sure?"
"Yes I am sure. Let's go get her."
Ezra nodded and stood up. The others had all left to inform the captain of what was going on when the door opened again and BC walked in with her whip in hand. Her gaze swept the area and fell on the stranger with the glass in his hand.
She gazed at the man and lifted in eyebrow in a question. "You did this?" The man was covered in wounds but most were bandaged it seemed. He was wearing no shirt and she saw it discarded in a corner covered in blood. He had a bandage that was red on his arm, and one on the same shoulder. On his other arm was another bandage and one on his left leg. His chest had one as well but his face didn't. There were claw marks but they weren't bleeding. This man seemed to be very dangerous and it put BC on edge slightly. She would have to keep an eye on him.
He nodded as he saluted her with his glass. "Of course and with that he downed the glass of bloodied water.
Ezra and the others nearly choked on what they watched him do. They felt their stomachs turn and Hibiki turned his head. "What the hell is wrong with you, you sick bastard."
The man frowned. "It tastes good, and it was cold and refreshing. You really should try it some time little one."
"Little one," Hibiki exploded as he always did when someone referred to his size. "I'll show you little you bastard! I'll kick your ass!" Hibiki started forward pushing up his sleeves when he felt Dita's hand on his bicep. He turned to look at her.
"Don't," she whispered.
He ran his hand through his hair. "Awwww, damn it anyway," Hibiki nearly whined giving in to Dita this once. "You're lucky you know. If she hadn't saved you I would kick your ass!"
"Well then thank you young lady," the man inclined his head to Dita and flashed a smile. She blushed slightly but she didn't know why and then her gaze fell on the bodies behind him and she turned and threw up in the corner.
"Well I didn't know my smile was that ugly," the stranger said scratching his head. "Sorry about that."
BC shook her head with a smile on her face. "Let's go talk to the captain everyone."
She led the way out followed by Dita and Hibiki. Behind them came Ezra and then the stranger. "Mommy," a small voice yelled and Ezra turned in time to catch Kahlua up in her arms.
"Kahlua you're alright thank goodness. You were so brave," Ezra said as she hugged her daughter. She ran her hands down her daughters' hair smoothing it and was just glad that she got the chance to hold her again.
"Mommy this man saved me," she gestured with her little hand to the stranger.
Ezra looked at him and smiled uneasily. "Thank you for saving her?" Ezra even meant it. Maybe the man wasn't so bad. He seemed completely different now that the battle was over. It was a night and day difference. This man joked and smiled while the other hardly spoke and when he did it was chilling to hear.
The man smiled kindly at her. "It is she who saved me. I should be thanking her. You see I would have just sat in that cell waiting for them to kill me if she hadn't stumbled upon me. Not only did she save me by coming into that room but she may have saved the rest of you."
"Everyone I want you to do a sweep of the ship and make sure no more of the enemy is on board," Magno's voice resounded over the intercom.
"The captain I take it," the man asked.
"Yeah she is a good captain and one that cares about the crew. She cares about everyone and we have all been through so much together," Ezra said as Kahlua walked hand in hand with her mother.
"I see. A good captain; those are hard to come by."
BC turned to him. "Remember you are still a prisoner for now. I thank you for your help but until you have spoken to the captain you will remain in custody." BC's voice was businesslike as usual.
"I understand," the man nodded. He reached down into his pocket and pulled out a set of handcuffs that he had found in the kitchen. He put them on quickly and smiled at BC. "There all better right?"
"Don't be a smartass," BC said turning her back on him and continuing down the hall.
He shrugged and walked with them. He had forgotten to put the handcuffs on earlier and he had known he was still their prisoner. He berated himself for not putting them on beforehand. He had been foolish. He stumbled a bit as he walked as a cramp hit him again though much worse than before. Damn he thought as he put his hands against his stomach. Will the cramps ever go away he wondered as they came to the bridge?
Meia along with Jura and Barnette were searching the hangar bay. They hoped they didn't find anything there but you never knew. A cunning enemy would lie in wait and take out the pilots as they ran to their ships.
"Have any of you found anything," Meia asked as they met back up at the entrance.
"No this is a waste of time," Jura whined as she ran her hand through her long golden locks.
"Jura searching for enemies is never a waste of time," Meia scolded her. Jura could be so selfish sometimes.
"Meia did you hear? It seemed our prisoner is the one who killed the enemy. He killed them all with his bare hands," Barnette said sounding impressed despite herself. She grimaced as she realized what she had just said. She had been impressed with a man, what was wrong with her. She was losing it, damn Hibiki and the others she thought though she had to admit she was finally starting to like having them around. She always was a stubborn one though and breaking away from old habits was hard for her.
"I don't know about that. Stories have a tendency to get exaggerated. If he did though he may be quite the warrior," Meia said her voice calm as always. She mused to herself though about the man. He was interesting to say the least.
"Well let's head back to the bridge, we need to report to the captain," Meia said leading the way.
Duero was helping with the wounded still with his nurse the great Paiway. "Things are getting interesting," she chimed in as he finished bandaging a pilot.
"It seems that way. Why do you bring it up," he asked turning to look at her and realizing that for the first time since he had known her she wasn't wearing her puppet. He smiled to himself. She was finally growing up, to reflect her age. She was a young woman now he thought.
"Well I realize that I am growing up and once again we have a new man on board. This one though isn't like you, Hibiki, or Bart. He seems to be dangerous and I just don't know," she finished her head downcast.
Duero put his hand on her head softly and her cheeks colored though luckily he couldn't see. "Paiway everyone grows up and things change. That is part of life and that is why we fought so hard to stay alive remember? Don't worry so much about." He then went back to work leaving Paiway to think.
She wondered why everything seemed so much more complicated now. Could it be because she was growing up and becoming a woman? Could it be because of everything that she had witnessed? She didn't know for sure but she knew that growing up with the men on board had changed her view more than those who were already adults when Hibiki and the others joined. She honestly couldn't see this ship being home without them now. She knew that she wasn't a Majerian anymore; her thoughts were too far beyond what theirs were anymore. Especially since the living experiment was still going on.
That was definitely something to remember when those men and women from the two planets had shown up and tried to live together. Paiway grinned and laughed a little to herself remembering some of the blunders and things those men had made, though of course the women hadn't been immune to blunders either.
She shook her head and realized she had more important things to do than to remember how things were back on the base. They would be there soon enough and perhaps then they could start incorporating men into the crew. It was going to be an interesting future that was for sure.
Parfait was down in the engine room with a few of her engineers looking for enemies with their weapons at the ready. They were all nervous, and none of them wanted to have to use the weapons. That wasn't really their job but everyone had to chip in when it was needed and now it was needed.
She was off by herself looking through some of the darker corners when she slipped and fell scraping her knee. "Oww, that really hurt," she complained as she rubbed her knee.
While she was rubbing it though she thought at least it gives me a good excuse to go visit the doctor. A grin came to her face and her cheeks flushed. Her hands came to her cheeks and she shook her head slightly to clear it of the image of the doctor, and how he gazed into her eyes, and how they slowly came together in an embrace. Her heart started to race and she had to shake her head again. "No, no, no, now is not the time for such thoughts."
She put her hands down and began to push herself to her feet when her glasses fell off. She tried to grab them but she knocked them under an accelerator tank. "Damn," she cursed. "This is just great," she complained as she dropped to her stomach and started to look around under the tank for her glasses. She saw them under a small device with glowing green images on it but she couldn't make them out. She also didn't remember there being something like that on the ship.
She grabbed her glasses and slowly put them on. "There that's better," she said and looked a little more closely at the device. It was about the size of a cat and was matte black. There were seven small screens each with a different symbol that she didn't understand but as she watched three of the screens went black leaving only two.
"Parfait, what's going on," one of her friends called.
"Umm, I'm not sure. I found something and I think I better report it to the captain," she said as she punched her comm. Link.
"So this is the young man huh," Magno asked from her customary seat.
"Yes captain. It also seems he killed all the invaders. Quite impressive I might add," BC reported.
"Ah I see. Well thank you for that young man. It seems that perhaps we have a common enemy," Magno reasoned.
Bart was standing with them as the enemy ship had fled or so it seemed. They were no longer near enough that they could be detected and that made the rest of the crew breath a little easier.
"Ah, what's wrong with him," Bart whined as usual. The girls rolled their eyes used to his foolishness but it still never stopped to amaze them.
"I don't know," the captain said as she looked at the man.
"He's just being an ass that's what," Hibiki chimed in. Dita was still withdrawn within herself but Hibiki was standing with her his arm around her almost protectively. Misty saw it and smiled. It was like on her planet. The friendly gesture of a lover, that gesture which, said so many things without a single word needing to be uttered.
Misty heard what they others said and she stuck her tongue out at Hibiki. "Maybe he doesn't like your attitude you know. You can be kind of an ass yourself Hibiki."
"What did you say," Hibiki demanded spinning to face her.
"I don't know what you are talking about," she innocently replied as she put her hands behind her head with her elbows against the side of her face. Oh how much enjoyment she got out of picking on the foolish Hibiki. It was mostly because of how easily he lost his temper, like some wild animal. All it took was a little prodding and he was likely to lose it and make a fool of himself.
The stranger though heard none of it. He was so thirsty that his tongue was starting to swell slightly, or so it seemed. His stomach was in a knot from hunger and he didn't know why. He had even eaten a few bites of the steak raw hoping that it would stop the hunger but it didn't. He had really only drank the bloodied water to quench his thirst but that didn't really work either.
His eyes were rolled back and his breathing was slightly harsher than it should have been, as though he had run a great distance. He growled slightly nearly in tune with his stomach and the others all just stared at him.
"I think he is really sick," Misty said moving forward.
Kahlua looked at the man and she felt bad for him. She hated being sick herself, and peyoro always seemed to pick on her when it happened. Stupid droid anyway, she thought in anger. He was more of a pain than anything, though a friend she admitted.
Misty really looked at this man this time. He was tall and muscular that was for sure, and he had scars but in truth she thought most people did. Maybe not physically but mentally. He seemed to be gentle from what she had heard said about him. He also seemed to be very handsome with that odd colored hair. She saw his body start to shake slightly as though he were cold.
"Someone help him," Kahlua cried from near her mother.
Misty moved to stand in front of him while the others watched to see what she was going to do. "Hey are you alright," she asked looking up into his eyes. He didn't seem to hear her though. She snapped her fingers in front of his drawn face. A face that seemed to be filled with pain. She reached up and grabbed him on his cheeks and pulled his face down to look at her. His eyes were still rolled back though. His skin was pale and slightly cooler than it should have been. It was an unnerving feeling.
"Misty," Magno cautioned but Misty didn't seem to hear her.
"Great, now no one is listening," BC muttered and the girls giggled a little. It was a big family and even Misty was a part of it now. It was only natural that everyone be concerned for everyone else. What the others didn't really understand was how Misty felt towards this man. She understood what it meant to be alone and an outcast. She hoped she might be able to help him and that was why she was worried about him now. She had only had Meia for so long and it had hurt so much to see Dita and Hibiki. It had just hurt to see everyone so happy all the time but she had learned to hide the hurt. She didn't want this man to have to go through the same thing.
"Come back to us," Misty whispered into his face which was so close she could feel his breath on her face. What a handsome face it was, she thought as she traced a scar on his cheek with her thumb. The man didn't answer his body still trembling slightly. She frowned and for some reason knew that he was hungry, starving in fact. She gazed a little more closely at him and realized that it was true. He was starving but he didn't have the loss of meat on him that most did. That was odd.
"Misty help him," she heard Kahlua say in a tiny voice from next to her. "He helped mom, so help him please?"
Misty smiled down at Kahlua. "I'm gonna try 'kay."
Kahlua nodded and stepped back. Misty tilted his head back slightly and breathed deeply. She didn't know what else to do. Back home it had always worked to bring a boy back to the present when he wasn't paying attention. She ever so slowly leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.
Author's note: Sorry for the long chapter everyone. It didn't start out to be this long but as you can see it ended up being quite long. Well we're getting closer to finding out a bit more about this mystery man. I hope everyone is enjoying the story. Also if anyone wants to know something just ask me. If you want something in the story ask me. Oh and if I decided to give him a romance suggestions are welcome. Thanks to everyone who has been reviewing its makes me feel good to know that someone enjoys this.