Authors Notes: Sorry about the pause I'm in New Orleans on business.

Frozen Timepiece

Chapter 20

Cybernetics

If there was one thing Echo knew. It was that the desert was a lot like the ocean. There was a lot of sand, and it got into your gears. At least Kate planned ahead and ordered oil to be sent to them on a monthly basis. His joints sure needed it. He stood in a tub and Kate poured oil into his joints. She really enjoyed the look on his face when she did so. Almost a look of pure bliss. She took a butter cloth and spread the oil over his back plating and around his neck. Going down the more sensitive side plating was her favorite, and she was sure Echo knew. He would laugh from being so ticklish. Specially his arm joints around the shoulder. He would almost fall out of the tub trying to get away from her fingers. More often than not resulting in them both running around the camper.

Misako giggled to herself having seen her employees playing around the camper again. The oil bath forgotten about in the morning sun.

"A nindroid though?" One of the much older employees asked. She wasn't trying to make fun, just a little confused. "She's from a very important name. Her father left her with a very prominent company and she leaves it to her brother to whom she will not name." She took a sip of her coffee. "She could have any man she wanted."

"But she doesn't want just any man. She wants that one." Misako looked over her coffee cup at the woman. "I suppose it's true what they said...love is blind."

"Perhaps Mrs. Garmadon...but I'm afraid being with that one in particular can very well get her hurt." The woman stood up taking her plate and bowl over to a sink to wash them. This notion wasn't unheard by Echo. He stopped and looked down at Kate who was still giggling, and trying to get the hair from her face.

"You know I've been thinking. Maybe I should cut my hair." The horror on Echos face looked slightly panicked.

"Wouldn't it hurt?" Echo asked moving her hair out of her face and pulling it around to braid it.

"Oh no not at all. I've had my hair cut many many times. " She said handing him a ribbon to hold her hair which had grown down to her tailbone. "Some people think its rather enjoyable to cut ones hair, might even stop headaches, or feel a lot more light and breezy."

"But I like your hair." Echo said and smiled running his fingers over it.

"So just a trim then?" She said smiling up at him. He seemed to melt when she smiled.

"Yes...just a trip." He said leaning in and pressed his bronzed lips to her peach colored ones.

"No matter what anyone things Ms. Cherrywood. If anyone deserves love...its them." Misako said smiling at them. The other woman nodded her head, if there was one thing they agreed on it was this.

Zane found his way down the long steps to Borg industries. He had visited to get his processor def-ragged which took a lot longer than usual since Borg and Pixal began to talk about...well normal Borg Industries things. Mostly his mechanics. Since he was created out of desperation, and Pixals parts he was still missing some things he was going to need. A complete overhaul was declared, and now he was looking at yet again changing bodies. It kind of scared him, but it would be good in the end. He needed to tell his brother what was going on. He was due home within a few days.

Zane felt a little buzz in the back of his neck. The last time he felt something like this was just before he and Pixal had been kidnapped. His feet were moving on their own, and his mind seemed to relax.

"Pixal?"

"Yes Zane? Still afraid of the new body?"

"My body is moving on its own again. Contact the others quickly. I'm afraid they'll be to late, but get to Echo...please. My brother must be protected." Zanes body got in the back of the car. The door closed behind him and sped away.

"Zane…? Zane can you hear me?!" Pixals voice echoed within his processor, but it was far too weak to answer back.

"Good afternoon Zane. My name is Dr. Sanza your father and I go way back. A lot of your systems were what I had created...but it looks like your system is Borg created now. Pity." Sanza reached around pulling Zanes chin to look at him.

"What do you want with me?" Zane was able to speak finally after the hack wore off. His body was restrained to the chair via magnets.

"Why my boy...to do what I had wanted to do before your father ran off and left. You see...I'm the reason why he went into hiding. He hid the plans to protect you." Zane looked at him with surprise. "I wanted to make a super soldier, something to use in battle. He wanted to create something to protect, I wanted to create something that could win." pointed to the driver. Raya purple eye shadow was all he could really see.

"I create Bio-Mechanical beings or what some people call Cyborgs. Raya there was created between myself and my wife who was unable to have children. 68% of her is mechanical because she wasn't able to survive at birth."

"So...you saved her?" Zane asked looking back at Raya who rolled her eyes. She must have heard this story many times.

"No...I killed her." Zane looked at him with amazement.

"But you created her and…" His eyes grew wide when he realized what he meant. "You did experiments on your own offspring?"

"Smart aren't you? And I bet you actually thought my wife couldn't have kids naturally too." The crooked grin on the mans face sickened Zane. He probably would have threw up if it weren't for the fact that he doesn't have a stomach anymore.

"You experimented on your wife as well. You are a horrid person."

"You aren't wrong." He laughed.

"Where are you taking me." Zane asked, his processor was swimming. He felt incredibly dizzy now.

"Thats none of your concern I'm afraid. Raya...you can do it now." Sanza said smiling down at the nindroid who had begun to pant. Something was wrong with him. His systems were slowing down.

"Please...stop." He could barely get above a whisper before his optics went out and be grew still again.

"Like a puppet." Raya chuckled.

Jay yawned and stretched as he sat down on the observation deck on the Bounty. It was 12 in the morning and he was about to go get something to wake him up. He'd be up till 3 and then turn everything over to Cole. Oh he hated night watch, but sometimes it had the best tv shows.

"JAY!" Jay fell back in his seat and scrambled to his feet.
"Pixal?" Jay called out looking around. "Zanes not here. Can I take a message?"

"Zanes gone because he's been kidnapped!"

"What!" Jay ran over to a large red button in the corner and pushed it. Every room within the bounty could hear the alarm.

"What's going on Jay?" Lloyd asked walking in a few moments later.

"Yeah I wasn't supposed to wake up for another 3 hours." Cole mumbled and yawned. Nya walked over to Jay and put her forehead to his back. Jay just smiled and took her hand.

"Pixals can tell us what's going on." Jay said Pixal pointed at a map on the wall. A large red dot could be seen flashing.

"I lost Zanes signal there. He told me to tell you all that something was wrong, and he couldn't control his body. He then started walking toward an unmarked car. After the door closed I lost his signal." She said quickly.

"Its alright Pix we'll find him for you. Just relax and tell us anything you might pick up from him...anything...even a false alarm." Lloyd said and smiled at her. "Or if you just need to talk alright. We know you miss him." He could see her messing with her hands. She was concerned and Lloyd could see that.

"Thanks Lloyd." Pixal said smiling shyly.