A Day At the Beach

Elaine sat on the floor as the lab robot whirred playing back the different recorded notes of Adam Fenix while she read the notes littering the floor. She spent already a few hours on her own, when she wasn't reading she stared at the creature in the tube. It seemed it was listening as well.

"It seems the male test subjects will only follow the commands of their alpha female. In testing to see if its the Locust mindset or just like the will of bumblebees proved to dangerous for any workers here in the facility. Along with Elaine's premature break out of her incubator tube, and their already aggressive behaviours I do believe we have a break through. A prefect mixture of both worlds. Elaine is the only of this hybrid ... sadly to say her results are tainted. Being that I have tampered with her genes to make sure she acquired the more human traits."

Elaine shifted her body slightly as she picked up a piece of paper, her fingers creasing the fragile fibres barely holding together. She read the fading ink slowly. 'Great, so does that mean I am the alpha? Nothing like having a whole other role to fill while playing test subject for the weird ass doc that has a weird fetish to play gawd and with the locust queen. Go creator!" Her eyes travelled up to the tube again, pushing herself up to stand. "I guess I should be thankful for not having your mug." She spoke harshly to the tube with the blob with a face.

It was grey, and pock marked. The water around it bubbled, as its edges fluttered. It would of resembled the sting rays she read about in one of the children's stories while living in Mecca. Sighing as it looked back Elaine, it was in horrible pain, its organs were on the outside of its body, the emulsion streaks ran thru out. The feeder tubes embedded to far in to it that looked the clear, plastic hoses were its extra appendages. The yellowing eyes rolled as Elaine bobbed from one side then to the other.

"Hey Ichabob..." She waved her fingers in front of the tube. The robot started up again. Whirring off to Elaine's right over a small metal table with the subjects folder.

"Subject Lacy, has proved to be a failure. You can not inject living human tissue in to a locust embryo. Organs can be harvested but the functionality of the subject proves to be in capable of normal brain functions, or self sustainable. We have yet to replicate Elaine's test conditions. Adam's notes seem to be disorganized. I am starting to believe the good Doctor Fenix only stumbled on to Elaine with sheer dumb Luck or brought in a child from the stranded drones."

Elaine blinked as she looked to screen, it was the other doctor that was speaking. He was the one that replaced Adam when he left. The one who intensified her already rigorous training, and lethal tests with emulsion. Elaine's shoulders sagged, picking up the folder, she flipped thru it.'It should repulse me what they did here. But the more I know, the harder it seems to believe I don't remember it.' Elaine looked up at the blob again. "I think the doc didn't know what he was talking about. I think you are suffering and are quite able of intelligent thought. Huh Lacy?" She tilted her head slightly to the off set face.

The blob fluttered, Lacy could hear Elaine thru the murky waters, her edges fluttered as the air expelled form her deformed lungs.

"You don't want to live like this do you?" Elaine could see that Lacy was communicating with her. It broke her heart, as cold as Elaine believed herself to be, this wasn't fair. She wouldn't want to be living on tubes, and monitored till the end of days. Nodding to herself softly, she put her hand over the red button. "Lacy if you want me to end this now; make those air bubbles."

Lacy's heart beated faster at the thought of escape from the pain, finally the rest she sought was at hand. Her tube filled with air bubbles, she couldn't stop fluttering, all the energy she stored for this moment. Her yellowy eyes were joyful and shone brightly thru the tube. So many years she felt the needs poking, the weight of her own body, constant touching. The burning light. Everything, and in all she suffered; wishing it has finally come.

"What do you think you're doing?" A voice shouted from behind Elaine. As Elaine pushed the button, she looked over her shoulder. Ichabob the lab robot started another recording. It was some one else's voice. Elaine couldn't place it, as she looked back to the glass tube; it already filled with an electric current, then after the subject was dead, drained slowly. Disposing the body some where in the furnaces, as that was what Elaine hoped.

"Good bye Lacy. I hope you are at peace."

"No, no... Terran... stand down." Then there was a serious of screams and the clashing of broken things.

Elaine took Lacy's file reading it as she moved to the next tube. There were only eight left out of the original 20 glass incubation tubes. Eight subjects who survived this far. They weren't at the best of odds. Elaine kept reading the file on Lacy. She was a embryo donated by a berserker. She was the first test subject that was a majority of Locust genes.

"Glub glub glub" The test tube came to life, tossing the file in to the a crate that Elaine kept kicking along the floor. Tossing the files that didn't seem right to keep. These creatures, no matter the side needed to be protected. 'After all they are my only family.' Elaine thought, it was a sickening thought that soured her stomach. She didn't want to know how many suffered here or at other facilities like this one.

Elaine stopped at the tube, her hand brushing off the filth collect on the surface, a large hand shot out at the glass, "plink" followed by a very male looking face, over its mouth Elaine could make out a breathing mask over its nose and mouth. A static sound came over a speaker as it breathed out.

The bot beeped again as it clicked to another sound file. "The twins, Terran and Eric have progressed at the same speed as Elaine. The Kantus parental D. N. A. Proved to be a interesting mix to the maternal human D. N. A. The two are the same height as a normal Kantus. We measured both in between the 6'5" to 6'9"range. They are capable of great intelligence, and fighting skills are far superior to any solider we have seen so far. Though Terran, the predominate male is showing signs of emotionally instability. The link to Elaine and them are slowly closing in links. If only I could figure out what is missing. But at least..." The message stopped, the sounds of static and then the whirring as if the original message was erased. Elaine turned to see what was wrong with the bot when the screen light up. Adam's faced showed now. Standing right where Elaine was.

"Lets see... yes I think I got it." Adam nodded, then wiped his brow with the sleeve of his white lab coat. The thing gold frames of his glasses shone for a moment as he moved back towards the empty tube. He had a locust looking male in front of him; sitting in a chair. There was still the I.V. Tubes running into the locust's arm, and electrode patches attached to certain areas of his head, and chest. Adam sat across from the locust. It didn't seem like any one else was in the lab with them.

Elaine watched engrossed with the video. Her head tilted to one side as she noted the way Adam's body was sitting slightly hunched to one side as if he was hiding something, and the way he kept looking over his shoulder every few minutes. They sat in silence then Adam looked at Terran. El's brow arched up as she thought, 'He's too drugged up. But doesn't seem like Adam is doing that. But I remember that day. Except that's not Terran. No ... that's Eric.'

Elaine drifted back to that day, she closed her eyes; the sunlight penetrated thru the dirty bank of windows on the eastern side. It was the pinnacle of the day, and there was a buzz thru out the techs and nurses. Even Adam Fenix seemed to be on edge. Elaine stood in the atrium when she first heard the sounds of an approaching king raven. The 'chukka chukka chukka' echoed when she took a fighting stance. Across from her was Eric who mirrored her stance. Both with their legs slightly bent, their backs straight, shoulders squared. The only differences besides Eric's broad shoulders and muscular tones was his fists were closed and tightly tucked to either side of him. Elaine's were at ease at her side with each rise and fall of her chest they flexed open and closed.

The atrium shook as the king raven's were landing. It was some time after emergence day; and whom ever was making an appearance was a high up in the brass. The soldiers around them seemed to be alert to either of them. Elaine stood there as Eric roared at her, flexing his muscles, trying to appear larger than he was before his feet started moving in a full blown run towards Elaine. She stood there in her stance till he came with in a couple of feet, she lowered her centre of gravity; rolling her hips as she launched herself in to a spin kick. Her boot connecting with his jaw, throwing his weight off as he collided in to her.

The two rolled on the ground, Eric's massive hands pummelling Elaine in the sides as she threw up her arms to protect her neck and face; her body wasn't pinned as she quickly rolled to her bruising stomach; the sounds of pen checking and scribbling as she drew in a breath. Filling her lungs to compacity as she drew her knees up under her. Eric moved with her, still aiming for the spot just above her kidneys. As he lined his body behind hers, she quickly rose up, cracking him in the face with the back of her head.

"KRACK!" Both felt the greying on outer rims of their vision, Eric wobbled backwards, his hands trying to correct the crooked nose, Elaine quickly moved, with lithe grace and deliberate movements, she was on him, beating her fists in to his face, repeatedly beating him where she cracked him.

"Clap. Clap. Clap."

Some one was clapping at the display, just audible over Elaine's guttural growls and series of undecipherable words. Eric was trying to buck her off when she wrapped her legs around his hips; even with the shooting pain thru her knuckles and wrists. The taste of copper in her mouth; she kept fighting.

"She's showing a steady progress. Her healing abilities alone are three or four times better than a regular human being..."Adam started, preening over her as she more than a test subject.

"And can she procreate?"

Adam knew that question was coming, Chairman Prescott seemed too eager for early test results; that he could not see the viability in ending the Locust/Human war on Sera. Something on the Chairman's smirking features or the glint his eyes as he watched Elaine didn't sit right. "She's not a broodmare Chairman. She wasn't created for that purpose."

Prescott looked to Adam. 'Snivelling Doctor, seems hes going soft. First was with the hammer of dawn and now with a woman.' His head shifted slightly as he stroked his chin. "Think of the possibilities Adam. Best of both worlds. And even you said that the Locust females gestation periods aren't as lengthy as human females. Not only that but as well the extra strengths to show that human race here on Sera is the dominate one."

Adam Fenix shook his head as he watched Elaine. "Are you saying that the only reason you wanted this done was so you can make brood mothers... so that they have litter after litter of cannon fodder?" Then he turned to look at Prescott. His left fist was closed, his knuckles gone white from the strain.

Eric was a bloody mess when the audible sound of some one being knocked back, when Adam finally got Elaine off him. Prescott was against the wall growling at Adam. "You'll regret that."

Adam glared at him. "I regret listening to an idiot trying to be like his father."

Prescott stood there for a moment then turned to leave. He looked at Elaine with a sneer, his hand rubbed his jaw as he and his vanguards left. Eric was being carted out to the infirmary as Adam held on to Elaine's arm. Then turned to look at her. Checking his vitals as his assistant strode up.

"What was that about Doctor?"

He was flashing a light into Elaine's pupils. "A disagreement on options."

Her manicured brows rose up as she wrote down the various numbers he called out. "A disagreement? I would say you won then."

He chuckled lightly. "I won this round only Moira. He just doesn't see Elaine's potential."

Moira tossed her long strawberry curls over her shoulder as she slowly moved to Elaine's right. Checking the bruising damage. "I think she might have some bleeding under the skin. And what is her potential Doctor?"

Elaine shivered at the soft touches as she was being examined, She could figure out quite quickly on what was wrong. Besides the slight concussion, a fractured cheek bone, two black eyes, a broken nose, countless bruised ribs, a sprained wrist, and a few deep cuts, and bruises. As she stared on Terran was staring back at her. Her fat, and bloody lips curled int a snarling smirk. 'I won this round.'

Adam stopped and looked at Moira as he settled on his heels, checking Elaine's extremities. "Do you know why I choose to make her a female?" He paused as he watched Moira's hair bob. "Its not because the female is docile. Quite the opposite. She's a fighter, a natural killer, protector, and she would be independent."

Moira laughed lightly. "You're kidding right Doc?" Her pens scratched at the paper as she made her notes and recordings. She didn't have to look up to see Adam's face to know he never kids. "How many females do you know that are all that? Even I am not all that."

Adam looked at her in regard, his hand stroking at his chin again, the other slumped across his chest, holding the end of his elbow. 'No you are not.' He turned his darkening gaze to Elaine. 'But she is. She wouldn't allow those she cares about harmed, shes smarter, faster. She was made to succeed where we have failed.'

Moira's heels brought Adam back from his methodical thinking as the nurses started tending to Terran and Elaine. The grunts and growls between the two when placed in the infirmary in close quarters echoed long after the heels stopped. Adam's shoulders sagged as the weight of too much bared down on him.

Elaine felt Dom's hands touch her shoulders as he shook her a bit. "Elaine? El? ELAINE?"

Shaking her head softly; and blinking her eyes several times as she tried to disperse the fog of that particular memory. "Yah Dom what is it?" She made it look like she was sleeping standing up, but greatly failed.

Dom studied her closely for a minute. "Hoffman wants to know how you're coming along? Anything of use yet?" His brown eyes travelled over her shoulder to the tube. As he watched the creature in side, he had the feeling it was watching him in return. 'Seriously wheres the sires? How much did Maria know was going on here? What did they do to Elaine? Was she suppose to be like them? Poor kid... no wonder she doesn't like Marcus' dad much. The deeper we go it seems the more we find out that he wasn't really more concerned about his job.'

Elaine turned and nodded, her hand rested on tube. "Yeah but I need some docs to look at them first."

Dom nodded, pausing as if he were to say something, but decided to not too. He smiled weakly at Elaine then left the labs. The flesh on his arms goose pimpled. With all the reasons they were there. It didn't settle easy with him. He strode quickly thru the corridor, and turned the corner to where Hoffman set up command.

"Ah Santiago.. any news?" Hoffman spoke easily as he stood in front of the first bank of computers they passed. He was quietly sipping his black coffee. Trying to save off the chill he had from the facility.

"Yes, Sir. She needs a couple of docs. Thinks there is a few that could be of use."

Hoffman's head inclined a bit,then looked to the screens as he watched the labs. "Good I will patch in a request." His eyes focused thru the snowy reception. 'What abominations did they create here and how much is just becoming declassified.' Then he turned to Dom. "Dismissed. I think your squad is outside enjoying what is left of this vacation. I think y'all should go and check out the village for weapons and supplies. "

Dom nodded as Hoffman confidently strode to see what Elaine had exactly found. Then let his fall, rolling it slowly as he made his way out of the building. 'A change of scenery is gonna be welcomed after this place.'

~~~/~~~

Baird wiped his hands on a newly mad rag as he finished tinkering with the dill, his blue eyes drifted to the others. 'What is she doing up there? I wonder what sort of shit detail they have her on. I mean she deserves to be here too with us. Maybe I should get her something.' He torqued the bolts a bit farther as Marcus leaned against the dill trying to read the old layouts.

Bernie sat on a crate, cleaning her long shot. "Okay lets not all talk at the same time."

Cole chuckled as he he sat down next to her, eating a slice of watermelon. Baird looked over, "You're gonna get dysentery from that shit." Cole let his shoulders rise and fall quickly as liquid watermelon dripped down his chin. Baird arched a brow. "Seriously do you even know where they grow those plants? Have you seen any watermelon patches around here?"

Cole grinned, resembling at kid rather than a battle hardened solider. " I ain't asking where they grew 'em, I am just enjoying the taste."

"So what is it we are suppose to be looking for Dom?"

Dom looked up from his distant thoughts to Marcus. "Some sort of survivors."

Anya's hands gestured as she spoke. "But that's a weapons a facility. There should be a lab in there."

"Well there is. And it seems Elaine knows a lot about it."

Marcus nodded slowly, the cradled his lancer watching the villagers carrying baskets of odds and ends. "Ah, I bet."

Baird finished working, and stood up. Dusting himself off as he walked off to the market. Avoiding the conversation of Elaine, his eyes scouring for some thing for Elaine. As he walked away Marcus turned looking oddly at him then to every one else.

"Don't be ragging on Baird's lady." Cole chuckled and finished off his sweet, summery fruit.

Marcus ran a hand over his face. "Just great." Then decided to go on his own trek around the village as Dom and Anya sat down with Cole and Bernie.

"Cole can you get me some of that watermelon?" Bernie asked after setting her sniper rifle aside, noting the distraught look Dom carried like a second skin. They watched as Cole walked off to go retrieve Bernie the melon, taking the subtle hint. "Spill it."

Anya waited an extra minute then looked at Dom. "Whats going on?"

Dom shifted as he tried to get comfortable, it if was possible. "I already explained whats going on."

Bernie looked right at him, she studied the way his body shifted. "Elaine's one of them. We all know that."

Before she could finish her statement, Dom cleared his throat. "You didn't see those things in the tubes." His shoulders drooped a bit as he looked between the two woman. "They are still alive. Its just creepy."

Anya nodded slowly with a frown, then the remaining three just focused on other things. Cole returning with some extra food for them as they tried to enjoy what little time they could. Their eyes drifting over the marketplace as Baird was shopping. He kept picking up various different objects, trying to find something that Elaine would like.

Baird frowned, it was really hard to find Elaine anything. There were a few locust items, littering the table top of one table, 'I don't want her to be reminded of the hollow. Bloody grub shit.' As he turned, the sun shone thru the could cover, high lighting the blade of a retro lancer. 'Elaine would like that.' He picked it up, it brought back memories of training, he looked down the sight, It was almost like back in the old days. He looked up, trading a couple of ration bars and a broken knife. Baird grinned from ear to ear as he made his way back to the group. 'Whoever said the way to a man's heart was thru his stomach, also said a way to a woman's heart is give her a big ass gun.'

Bernie laughed a bit as she saw Baird return with an ancient weapon. "What do you got there Blondie?"

"Just a wish you were here postcard granny."

~~~/~~~

Elaine tossed the last of the files in the pile. She spent the better part of her day and night in the labs. It didn't haunt her as much when she learnt about the origins of the others. It bothered her that they stayed in tubes and she didn't. Elaine settled on the steps that lead down to the main floor. Her head was held between her two hands as she shook. She was hungry, exhausted, and mentally felt like she ran thru the ringer when Hoffman copped a squat next to her.

"Find anything of interest?"

She looked at him. 'Sure so the C.O.G. Can benefit from all the pain and hurt you caused to begin with.' Elaine's mouth opened as she went to speak.

Hoffman looked at the lab, his hands resting on his knees, the pair looking like a grandfather and his grand daughter, sitting on the dock. "This place should be burnt down." He looked at Elaine who went from a rabid face to shock. He patted her knee. "I don't agree with the non sense they did here. And you will have your doctors showing up here in a few hours."

"Th- thank you." Elaine stuttered as the arrogance flooded out of her, then she looked to the lab, primarily her tube. Her blue eyes couldn't stop studying the shards left, and how every one else was stuck there.

The lab robot, Ichabob whirred up to them, appearing as the screen folded out. Elaine had thought that she went thru all the entries as it started up again. The static and rolling bar crossed over the screen as Adam sat down in front. He had aged a decade since the video document before. The bot beeped a few times before Adam looked over his shoulder then the other. No one else was around him, in the back ground was Elaine sleeping in the generic box room. She was having a fit full sleep and Maria was sleeping next to her; cradling her close every time Elaine whimpered.

"Elaine. If you are seeing this, then all my fears haven't come to terms yet. But I believe you should know why - " He paused as his hand rubbed at his chin, glancing over his shoulder.

"What the hell is this?" Hoffman straightened up.

Elaine blinked as she watched. The image jumped a bit, and the static was starting to take over the voice. "You should know why you wouldn't find any of your history in the notes. Why you only find statics, and medical procedures." The voice cleared up a bit. " Elaine your maternal D.N.A. Is not like any of the other test subjects." There was a sharp scream from Maria in the back ground, then there was silence. Adam started to frown. "Your mother's D.N.A. Is from the hollow; yes you have the same characteristics as the others. One of your parents being locust.."

Elaine rolled her eyes when Hoffman looked at her; then back at the screen. Silently putting pieces together. 'Figures...this is next big weapon to destroy Sera.'

"Elaine, this isn't easy. But I fear that once people out you will end up in another lab. I am sorry it wasn't fair to keep you locked up. Maria proved that you needed a life. I am sorry I couldn't provide you that. If things...were different..." The picture faded when it finally cleared after moments of silence, his hands were at his chin. He was staring off behind Ichabob. "Elaine your mother is Myrrah. It was on agreement that we ended this war. She specifically wanted you to survive looking more human."

Elaine shut her eyes hard, then looked at the screen. 'So the creator and the queen planned for me to be some sort of great peace bringer. Oh please... no pressure there. What a spiny little bast...'

"Elaine I am your father. You were named after my deceased wife. Elaine you are special. There will never be any one like you because I destroyed my notes. Just keep that knowledge from..." As Elaine choked on the very breath in her lungs, she trashed her head side to side as her wild locks flowed over her shoulders. "I did it all for you. Be careful. And some one have mercy on our souls." It ended, there was no more. The static took over the video and sound, showing the years of corruption and lack of care.

"WHAT?" She screeched.

Hoffman tugged at his ear when the ringing started to fade. "Listen Elaine. I don't know exactly if what Fenix says there is true. But if you are..." He looked at Elaine as she finally stilled, staring at her hands. "what he says. Your secret is safe with me. And I will leave it up to you what we do with this place and the notes."

Elaine jutted her jaw a bit out. She took slow breathes; She got up, grabbing her pistol as she descended the stairs. She was numb and the ice was flowing thru her veins as she lined up the first shot. The pressure of her heart hammering in her chest. Her thumb smoothed over the safety. "Once the doctors freed the four, I want this place and all the notes destroyed. " There was an soft click as she turned the safety off, her finger squeezed the trigger, and shot several rounds in to three tubes. The subjects long dead.

The festering water hit Hoffman's sense of smell quickly. It smelt like being in the latrine on a hot summer's day. He gave a stiff nod and turned on his heel. Moving to the outside where the smell was already dissipating. Her hear the sound of five more shots sounding off the walls before he turned down another hall.

As Elaine's weapon arm fell to her side, the other resting up on the glass of Terran's tube; she felt so cold inside. Adam's words echoed in her head over and over. 'Myrrah is your mother. I did it all for you. I am your father.' Elaine slide down the tube, feeling to cool temperature against her back as she sat on the floor. Her blue eyes staring at the floor as the putrid water ran down to the drain. She didn't know whether to be elated to the news or to feel hollow.

It was like being freed from the hollow, the first time she had seen day light in years, she cowered away from it, it burnt her to see and her skin. The world outside had changed so much from when Maria brought her over to the main land. Elaine couldn't remember exactly how she got back to the islands. The memory was hazy still, even after all these years, and was a toss up between border some dingy and letting it float away as she hide under some tarps, or being taken prisoner again, being drugged up and brought over as some stranded's play thing. The second started to become less likely.

Terran fluttered with his breathing tubes, and the constant tubes feeding him nutrients, and medicine. As did Erin beside him. The other two were just Drones. Human mother, locust father. They just called them 13 and 19. Elaine looked up from the drain, their tubes off to the right of her. She started to laugh to herself as her cool blues started skittering around the room. The memories started to flood thru her, this place was horrid but it was home. And now she knew why she was so special.

Tears started to flow down from her eyes, rolling in soft tempid waves on her cheek. She drew up her knees to her chest, her arms wrapping themselves around them, trying to make herself in to a ball as she rested her forehead on her knees. Sobs racked her body. Whispering over and over again. " I am not a frail creature." But she couldn't make herself believe. It was so hard to stop thinking about Adam's confession.

Baird stood on the steps of the lab, seeing Elaine tyring to make her self so small as she sat against a tube. Setting down the gift for her, he moved with quick movement till he was in front of her. 'As bad ass as she is... she doesn't need to be alone.' He bent down to her. His hands resting on hers as she glanced up at him thru her bangs. His fingers curled around hers as he pulled her up to him, then his arms wound around her as she buried her head against his shoulders.

Elaine tried to stifle the tears and sobs that had threatened her, her arms hanged at her sides for a few more moments. Then her hands rested on his arms, in behind her Baird could see the creature in the tube flutter, his eyes watching them closely with a predatory glare. Feeling uneasy, Baird lead Elaine away from the labs, stopping to pick up her present as he held her close to his body possessively, then kissed the top of her head as he handed her the retro lancer.

"Whats this?" She wiped the back of her hand against her eyes. Then looked at the retro lancer in her other hand. Softly flipping it over as she inspected it. It had seen some nasty business by its previous owners, that was evidently, the bayonet was scored, and bloodied. It weighed a bit lighter than the lancer with the chain saw, and felt like it was molded for her hand. Her eye caught the scratching marring the surface. Her fingers traced along her name.

"I hope you like it." Baird whispered against her temple as they walked down the hall way.

Elaine nodded softly then inclined her head to look at him, the length of her tresses rolled down her back. She could smell the carbolic soap he used, the ashy scent with grease. 'Will wonders never cease.' Her smiled brightened a bit to a luke warm reception, the earlier findings still bore thru her as she tried to relax a bit. "Thank you Damon I really love it." She stood up on her tip toes intending to lightly kiss his cheek as he turned his head at the right time. Their lips melding to one.

He was warm, masterful yet gentle as his lips sought hers. His hands slide along her body, hugging every curve till they wound themselves in her hair. Her lips soft and full following his lead. Her one hand holding tight to the lancer, the other's fingers resting on his jaw bone with the feather like touch. Her eyes locked with his deep fathomless blue eyes, then closed softly. Trying to lock the memory away in her mind forever.

After his left hand won its freedom, it raked softly and slowly thru the stresses down the spine of her back, evoking the barest of tingles to ripple thru her. He breathed in slowly thru is nose, memorizing her scent. Memorizing the feel of her lips, the way her heart beated faster against his. The way she touched him as if he were going to fracture and blow away like dust. The way she followed his lead, hungrily. Her body was hot to the touch, and her cheeks painted the softest hue of pink he had seen in a long time.

As the kiss slowed, deepening there was a clearing of a throat behind them. Slowly Baird broke away from Elaine as his eyes opened to see Bernie standing there with a few C.O.G. Doctors. He chuckled lightly as his hand travelled from her hair, to her jaw. Cupping it as his thumb ran over her lower lip, leaning in. He whispered so that she could only hear. "We should continue this later when we don't have company." Taking a slide step back, allowing Elaine to steady herself. "Heya granny."

Bernie watched Baird's smug look, her brow arched up as she gestured with her head. "They need you in the helipads, one of the King Ravens isn't right."

Baird nodded as Elaine finally turned around. 'Busted. And she doesn't look all too happy to see it. Oh shit,' she sighed softly. Running her hand thru her tangled tresses. "Er um... hi Bernie."

"Don't er um ... Hi Bernie me Elaine."

She frowned more, clipping the lancer to her back pack. 'Okay she's really pissed off.' Elaine started to gnaw at her lower lip as she rocked nervously on her heels. Both of her arms folded behind her as her hands twisted her obsidian hair in her fingers.

Bernie huffed out something as she looked to the doctors when they walked passed, eyeing up the red faced Elaine. "I hope you realize what you exactly are doing Elaine!" It was a statement more than a question.

The tone of Bernie's voice made her flinch, her mouth closed as her lips pressed together in a thin line while her head inclined up and down in a slow succession. "Mm hmm." Elaine looked away trying to avoid Bernie's gaze. Elaine remembered the last time she did that was when Bernie tried to teach Elaine how to be civilized. Elaine covered up her chuckle with a cough as she thought about it. 'Still was his fault that he got his arm broken in the first place, he tried to take my tags.'

Bernie saw how Elaine lightly touch her Locust tags at her neck. Bernie's coiled hair rolled over her shoulder as she walked closer. "You realize that boy is a soldier. He doesn't have time to have a tryst and needs to be alert. And I don't need to tell you were babies come from do I?"

Elaine choked as she sucked in a breath. 'Oh gawds no. She isn't starting that again.' Elaine groaned as she turned to face the bear Bernie was trying to be. "Bernie. We. Were. Only. Kissing." She carefully enunciated each word as she spoke slowly.

Bernie's right eye twitched slightly in delight that she was causing Elaine to be uncomfortable. "Yah well you know when a man and a..."

Elaine's eyes grew to the size of saucers as she raised up a hand to Bernie, her head shaking quickly back and forth, causing her tangle mess of hair to shadow her features. "Bernie seriously stop." Elaine looked at the older woman for a moment. "I know about the birds and the bees. When a mama bird gets frisky she beats down the daddy bird and has her way with him till she lays a egg. But I see you're starting to lay one now; I am gonna go over there... now... quickly too." Nodding Elaine broke into a fast gaited walk right after the doctors to the labs.

Bernie laughed loudly as she stood there. Hoffman strode up behind, he had silently watched the last bit of the conversation, chuckling as he stopped at Bernie's side. "I take it there is a island romance blooming?"

Bernie turned to look at him, her amused smile softening her features. "Yah, and they are so easy to tease right now. Kinda reminds me of one of those old films."

Hoffman smiled as he fell at ease with Bernie being so nearby; with after everything they had been thru he was thankful for another veteran to the game, and one he can trust. "I guess we shall be making sure that they aren't on the same roster when it comes to patrol."

Bernie just chuckled and started back down the hall. "It might be a good idea."

~~~/~~~

Elaine helped cart the bodies from the tubes, those who were left. Her fingers wrapped around the tubes leading in to Eric, carefully pinching the feed as she drew out the long cylindrical needle out of his arm. Tossing it aside with disgust, then ripping off the electrodes. Letting them hanging from the top of the tube. It was a eerie sight as she looked back at it, hearing the wheels on the gurney squeak away.

The doctors worked quickly getting the limbs to work and respond. Making sure that they don't scare the patients. Though their locust like appearance, the doctors took their size more as a threat. Terran was the first who awoke from the drug coma. His hand shot up wrapping around the neck of one of the doctors. Elaine moved quickly, jumping up on Terran's gurney, her weight barring down on his chest. Her face was inches away from his as she bared her teeth at him.

The doctor's hands were hitting at Terran's massive arm; his vision was starting to grey around the edges. His twitching was starting to slow as his body was gasping for the vital air he so needed. The strangled cough came out lower than a whisper. His voice whined. "He... help ...me."

Elaine's fist curled and connected with force as the audible pop could be heard. It was a moment later when the doctor fell to the floor released from the grip. Terran's eyes met Elaine's as she bared her teeth more. His lips pulled back over his teeth. Mimicking her very sign of aggression. Her head surged forward. Head butting him as she spoke in a clipped tone in locust growls, and hiss.

The doctor's frozeas the watched the human looking female and peached colour locust male glared at each. The lab echoed the sounds of the needles in the tubes hitting against the back of the glass, and the feeds still ran rampant.

Terran'ss jaw popped back in to place as he nodded, letting Elaine win silent match, she waited for a moment longer then slinked off his body, her boots hitting the floor asTerrann grabbed her arm, tugging her close as his thumb with a razor like nail dug in to it. Creating a long cut from shoulder to mid bicep. "Traitor." He hissed out as she glared at him.

Her hand shot out quickly at his throat, curling her nails around his Adam's apple. She growled, watching him closely as the blood trickled down her arm. The slow red essence curled over his fingers when he slapped her hand away with his free hand. His body responding to his will now. The hand that slapped hers away as she blinked wrapped at the collar, he easily picked her up and tossed her back in to the glass.

The sound of it shatter, and the wind being knocked out of her started the chain of panicked, and clipped shouts. Elaine's body wracked in pain, she looked down at her body, the littering of glass and blood, she pushed her self up. She could hear only Terran's heavy breathes, and scrapping on the floor as he made his way to her position quickly.

She pushed herself up quickly. Pain and her body protesting. Her skin rippled at the thought of having to fight like this again. Dominance.She hand to show how was more dominate. Rising to her knees, her hand curled around a jagged shard of glass. Her feet moved on their own volition as she propelled forward.

Terran came at her. Huffing thru his bared teeth, fingers itched to wrap, and strangle her breathe. 'Must prove I stronger. Must make the traitor pay.' He was still stuck in the same loop that claimed Elaine. The same training that they both went under to be immoveable beacons to the test of human superiority.

Her arm swung out like a rattle snake striking at its attacker. The glass bit thru the skin in his forearm as she went to punch with the other side. She couldn't breathe, her lungs weren't finding enough room to spare any more oxygen. There were flecks of Gray and sparkling stars on the out rim of her vision. She saw red, her adrenaline kicked thru her.

The two locked in to punching, trying to show who was stronger. Who was faster. As the other three patients awoke watching and cheering solely in the only language they knew. With the guttural and hiss sounds the doctors stayed on the outer fringe of the labs, some pointed a shaky gun at the fray.

"I'll slice you open." Terran growled as he landed punches in to her midsection.

Elaine coughed as her body was being beaten slowly inch by inch. Her steel blues focused on Terran and only Terran as her hand gripped the glass shard, wiggling it back and forth in his arm as it cut her own hand in return. "And I'll make you bleed!" She screamed at him.

Hoffman could hear the commotion, his feet moved in to a swift run along with the doctor's escorts. They stood at the door, His eyes focused on the two in combat. With in a blink of a eye he watched as Elaine's knee shot up to his groin, her fists moving to his solar plexus, then pushed him back.

Terran stared up from the ground at Elaine. As she stood over him, the fell down with her knees finding his chest first. Her hands pressing down on his windpipe. She already knew she couldn't truly beat Terran. He out matched her on strength, size, and speed. The only thing she had for her was wit. But the pain started to over ride the parts of her brain were her nefarious plans came from. The haze was starting to ebb and flow back and forth.

Hoffman cleared his throat, moving to the doctor with the gun; forcing the gun out of the shaking hands. "I believe they have an accord."

The doctors exited the room, refusing to work around unstable creatures. Elaine looked up, her right eye was swollen and bruised, her lip cracked and fat. She grinned up to Hoffman as she then looked to Terran. She only just barely showed her own strength.

Eric was watching Hoffman with apt curiosity. "We fight."

The statement made Hoffman bristle. After everything that Elaine allowed to be seen from the notes that were left behind. He was staring at a human coloured locust. 'Prescott went to far this time. Making us look like the enemy or the enemy look like us.' His gaze fell on Elaine as Terran sewed up her bicep. 'Making them strong, quick, and able to procreate. Never thinking of the consequences of what would happen if they fell in to Locust hands. Elaine may look human, but she is just as dangerous as the rest of them.' He didn't like to begrudge the matter, but they all shouldn't of existed. Yet here they were. 'But on whose side are they going to fight.'

Terran looked up as he saw Hoffman watching Elaine silently. It didn't take much for the small freakish kin to realize they weren't truly wanted. Her growled looking to Elaine who was still preening like a peacock at surviving after so many years away from the labs. Only facing purebred humans.

"Hoffman." She spoke slowly with a diplomatic tone. Her smile faded as she looked battle hardened in her own way. "I need C.O.G. Armour. If you want good fighters and our trust. You have to trust my judgement."

Victor Hoffman snapped out of his thoughts. He couldn't help but feel the worse when it came to the situation. He didn't know exactly what was done to the five survivors of this hell hole. "Elaine you have..."

She looked thru her messed hair. 'I want to be human, I want to at least feel like I am human.' She breathed out, her obsidian locks wavered with the breathe. "Hoffman, they are well trained, and can go in to places you can't."

Hoffman paused. He nodded as he weighed his options. Killing them would only hurt Elaine who wanted to stay with the C.O.G. Or at least that was his assumption. Allowing them free could cause a tear thru the precious remaining sanity with in the humans left Sera. The only logical route was making them soldiers. His upper lip curled. "Well boys, Prescott be damned." He nodded sending one of the escorts to get the spare armour. "I guess this means you are all classified."

~~~/~~~

Every one else was outside, the four brothers dressed in their blackened armour when Elaine took one last look at shell of her nightmares. Her picture in hand as she ripped it in half. Putting Maria's half back. She stared at the child in it. It was a life time ago when she didn't know any better. Her free hand down dug out a lighter from her pocket. Flicking it to life as she lit the image. Watching the image curl and melt. Then tossing it on the ground where the now fuel dosed pile of notes, and research notes littered. She looked around as the flames started to roar spreading faster than rust lung.

The exploding glass made Elaine turn and leave the labs. Destroying the evidence of their existence didn't make her gut relax at all as she moved along the smell of refined emulsion fuel made her dizzy as she made her trek back out of the building. She could hear the rotating of the king raven's rotors. The crackling sizzle behind her. The heat was causing her to sweat as she finally made her way outside.

Dom turned to see the yellowing oranges behind Elaine. She held out something to him. As he took it from her, he could hear her say "its not mine to keep." His brown eyes narrowed on to the ripped up picture. He knew the image, frowning as Maria smiled up from it.

~~~/~~~

Confusion rang thru as one more King raven landed, Prescott moved with a swagger of a politician. He was furious that a C.O.G. Facility was up in flames. "Hoffman what the hell is going on here?"

Elaine stood with her brethren watching Prescott with a predatory attention. She put up a hand as one of the nameless twins surged further. She spoke in the locust language slowly as she looked to the visor. Cradling her new toy as her staff halves hung at her hips, she turned her attention back to Prescott when Bernie waved her over. "Stay put." She looked to Terran this time who nodded slowly.

Prescott watched with a lecherous grin forming on his smooth features. Baird noticed this as he gripped his lancer tightly and looked back to Elaine who moved with grace and a swagger at her hips. Her focus was on the group at large, her features were hardened.

"Aine. Prescott." Hoffman started shooting Delta a pointed look not to correct him.

Elaine nodded but refrained from talking. She could feel the bile rise up in her throat as she stood there.

"Ah the stranded and her brothers who wanted to join the C.O.G."

Baird muttered, "Survivors."

Elaine gave Baird a small private smile as she turned her attention to him.

Prescott looked at Elaine then tried to follow her gaze before he canted his head, his arms wrapping behind his back. "What can they do?"

Elaine looked back to Prescott. Just looking at him made her stomach sick. "We can track, fight ..."

Prescott looked at the four with a slow smile. He took in their size, the fact they were tall and built like any veteran to the C.O.G. "Good we can send them back to Port and you Aine will be needed with one of our encampments. They are short staffed with helping families..."

Elaine watched as Anya's eyes went wide. 'He wants to send me to a breeding prison. Oh hell no." Elaine tossed her lancer to Baird who caught it easily as her fist crumpled in to Prescott's nose. Shaking her fist as she took her lancer with her other hand. She walked back to four locust males.

Their bodies displayed a tightly wound trigger ready to spring. They watched Elaine's own aggression flow freely. Baird watched Prescott for a moment before going after Elaine.

Holding his nose as it spurted blood. "What the hell was that for? Some one arrest her."

Anya stepped in quickly after Marcus produced a dirty rag to Prescott. "They are a packaged deal Sir. Aine has proven her fighting capabilities over and over again."

"I think the bitch broke my nose."

Hoffman smirked .

Elaine turned as she stayed close to others like her. Her eyes didn't fall back to the group with Prescott. She was trying to slow the want to rip him apart limb by limb. 'If it wasn't for him I wouldn't of been created.' Her fist didn't relax as she looked now to Marcus. He was watching them, then turned back to the group. Her lips curled in a slow amused smirk, then looked to Baird who was watching the group from her side.

"You okay?"

Elaine nodded.

Prescott got the blood to stop from rushing out his nose, he growled as Hoffman and Anya kicked in to gear trying to soothe the situation. "Fine. Make them swear the oath." He turned walking back to his helicopter with the doctors and escorts. 'Then I will make that bitch pay. She'll regret ever trying that shit with me.'

Hoffman chuckled. "Already done. All except Aine."

"Make sure you explain propriety to the stray bitch."

~~~/~~~

Elaine watched as the Terran, Eric, and the twins boarded the other king raven with Bernie, Hoffman, Cole and Anya. It lifted away as Baird pulled her up as she turned. Standing at the gun well she watched the building collapse into its self, the flames reaching up as the sounds of small explosions came from inside it. She gripped at the roll bars in the copters ceiling. Baird sat on the seat next to her; watching the smoke slowly fade in to the distance.

Marcus watched the two then solely focused on Elaine.

It was a long ride back to the Port. The chukka chukka chukka washed out any conversations as the two king raven's sailed thru the clouds above the waters below. The sun was slowly setting in a smokey haze of oranges and deepening purples.

The group in the first copter watched the waters below, it had been the first time the four ever were outside of their tubes or lab in many years. They didn't, unless the elected official for them asked a question. Hoffman knew their secret and knew that as for now he could be trusted. But for how long was another question.