A Light That Never Comes
"Remember who you're talking to... Jack."
Jack sat up in her bed, startled. With a hand to the bandages on her face, she took a deep breath. Dreams with his voice only echoed in her mind lately. It started when Aereon dropped her ass off at Ursa Luna three years ago. That woman lied about everything. Saying that she was going to train her. Yeah, training to become a bottom feeder in this damn place, she thought to herself. That dream in particular... Riddick slammed her against metal bars and held her against it. She said something to him, then he trapped her some more by gripping the bar between her legs- her face heated up. Feeling her mouth twitch into a smile, she tried to shake the dream away.
It had been a week since the surgery on her eyes- she did end up finding the guy. Told her that it was temporary though, which was kind of sad. She had also found the Shiner guards the Elemental was talking about- but that's all they were. Guards.
Eventually, she found herself some friends in the prison. Some guy by the name of Brock- who said he knew her father and saw him within the last five years. It spooked her to the core- she swore he died back home. Then more people- Shiner children. There was a red light district- where all the whore houses were. According to Ezra, some of them were actually tasteful. It was the ones deeper in the city people had to watch out for.
Apparently, a few of the Shiner guards were actually Furyan prisoners at one point in time. Their vision was more acute than those who had went to Cutter, who was really a veterinarian. And of course, she followed along with what Riddick said. However, when she brought it up to the vet, he denied all part in that. If Riddick had shined eyes, it was after he left there. Cutter went on and on about Riddick, too. He wasn't even there for a full rotation before he stole a ship and left. Lot of people died that day; it wasn't even that long ago, either.
So now, here she was. Twenty menthol Kools and a week later, she wanted to take the bandages off. Wanted to test out her new toys. Moreover, she wanted to leave.
Aereon proposed to her that she was going to take her to the Bedlam System- and when she asked her tall, brown skinned friend; Brock, he told her that he had never heard of such a place. Furya was located in the Furyan System but it was a dead planet after the Necromongers invaded it. Jack shook her head again. How that man, who had been in Slam city for longer than she'd been awake, knew her father or their history, was beyond her.
After all that went down on Taurus Three, she had to go into hiding for three years before even looking passable to be able to stow away on any transport ship. It was the longest years of her life- she stole Universal Denominations just to get by. That chip was long gone now, lost in between New Mecca and Ursa Luna Maximum Security Prison. Her fingers gripped the cot she was sitting on and she thought about how Imam would be doing. Would Ziza be in school by now? Were they happy that she had left? Jack slumped her shoulders.
There was a knock on the doorway, her head turned to it. Jack breathed in through her nose silently and exhaled audibly when she smelled perfume.
"Hey, Jack. Isn't it about time to take those off?" A female voice, kind of high, spoke softly to her. It was Ezra's twin, Efka. Both of them were considered dark eyes to the older Furyan's who had shining eyes. It was the name to all younger ones who had the possibility to be gifted the sight.
Jack sighed through her nose, deep and heavy. "No. Cutter said I had to wait at least a week and a half."
Efka was shorter than Jack by a couple inches, with short pixie cut hair. Her mother was a whore in one of the more decent of brothels in the district. In fact, there were tons of children born there. So many Furyan's under the Necro's noses and they never knew. Brock told her it was amazingly sad; some of the young girls would only grow to be like their mothers. And the men would grow to be lap dogs for the Guild that ran the facility.
If Jack ever got out of there, she promised to take them with her; if they so desired of course.
The bed sank as the younger girl sat next to Jack. "I want to see them now though." There was a pause as if she was trying to figure out how to say the next line. "You know... Brock's mad. He said you were already a dark eye and you could have just waited a little bit longer before you-"
The brown haired woman stopped her friend before she could get into it, "I know what he said and I don't give a damn. He should know me by now- I'm totally impatient and I don't follow orders or suggestions. Though, I suppose if I had, I wouldn't be here right now."
Efka sat with Jack in silence for a little while until she got up to leave. "I guess I'll see you later. Brock says he'll stop by soon to see how you're doing. Are you still having those weird dreams?"
Jack rubbed the back of her neck through her thick brown hair and gave a small nod. "Yeah. Just woke up from one just before you came in actually."
The black haired girl only stared and hoped for Jack to continue. Once a few seconds passed, she figured she wasn't going to get anything juicy from the girl. Her dark blue eyes turned in time to see a tall, dark skinned man walk up into the room. "Hey Brock. I was just leaving... Maybe you can get Jack to take that wrap off." Efka smiled and waved before walking from the building.
Brock stared at Jack who's head was pointed in his direction. Instead of sitting like Efka had been, he stood directly in front of the young woman. He took his index finger and tugged on the wrapping. "Let's see them."
Jack's brows furrowed uncomfortably under the wrap but did as she was told. When the dingy cloth fell to her lap, her eyes fluttered open before snapping shut. "They kind of sting-"
"That's to be expected when an animal doctor does a surgical shine job on your eye balls. I told you time and time again not to trust that geezer. Hell, Jack, he's from Earth! You can't expect anything much from those types. Try again, this time slowly." Brock stood back so the first thing she saw wasn't his crotch.
This time, her eyes slowly opened. Jack blinked a couple of more times before she took in the room. Finally, she looked up at Brock who was standing silently. "So? What's the damage? Cutter said they won't last too long considering my biology."
He knelt on the cot next to her and held her face in his hands. If she hadn't known the man for three years, he wouldn't have his them right now. He hummed while looking in her eyes. "They aren't scarred, which is a plus. However, they aren't truly shined. Your eyes are still green, but almost not visibly." He dropped his hands as he leaned back. "Tell me what the color spectrum is, Jack."
Light green eyes scanned the room and out the door. Her room was a just a hole in the wall near the district eight. At first, she was in the prisoner corridor- but after some serious running around, she found herself here. And by running around, it meant she ran from the guards non stop. It was like running from Riddick- almost impossible. The bastards' night vision was off the charts.
The artificial Shiners were only in the civilian district- where mercenaries, bounty hunters or other workers resided while the Guild calculated the figures for prisoners or other forms of payment. Real Shiners were in the prisoner areas- they enjoyed hunting fresh meat.
"Purple, black, some gold here or there when I look outside and white outlines everything." It was weird to try to explain what she saw. Never had she been asked that question in her lifetime.
"Sounds good. You should be able to see normal- well, normal as it can be- in the right amount of light. Until then, we have to find you some protection. Keep this information from the dogs otherwise they'll cut your eyes out."
"You're being pretty supportive about this now. What changed your mind, I wonder?"
He was quiet for a moment, "There has been talk of a ship getting closer to Ursa Luna's orbit. Looks like the same one that dropped your ass off."
Jack sat up straighter and looked him in the eye. They were silver, what she wished her eyes were the color of. It made his already dark skin look ominous. He was talking again before she could speak. "You can't leave the way you came, they won't let you. Wayne's working tonight- I only came here to see you off. You should probably reach them before they leave again."
"But what about you guys? I can take you with me-"
He shook his head, hair swished from the motion. "No. The kids are too young yet, Ezra and his sister are only fifteen."
Jack raised a delicate brow, "Seriously? I was younger than that when I left home."
Brock scoffed at her, "You mean how you felt or?"
Her shoulders slouched again. "Right. Never mind, I take the point." Rotating her neck around, Jack stood from her cot and walked further into her room. Picking up the sack full of shivs she made and collected from her time there, she sifted through some useless items before she picked up two UD cards. They had a pretty sufficient amount on them- from what she stole from the civilian section.
Turning to her friend, she handed him one. "What's this for?"
"Those world enders may come this way some day. Use this, and get our friendlies out of here. Go to Helion Prime or something." Jack tightened the grip on the strap of the bag. "I want to be able to see you guys again. I don't want to be known as the one who abandons their family."
Brock started, "Your father didn't abandon you, Jack! I keep telling you that time and time again. He had to flee- make it look like he died so he wouldn't be followed."
She pulled her lips over her teeth in a snarl, "Yeah, well, look how that turned out! He's still running- probably even now! I was planning on using what I had at the time to buy information and now-"
Brock stood abruptly and gripped Jack's shoulders. "Look, don't worry about Jax. The only thing I can tell you that I know is this: stay away from anything that mentions Gurah or the cult faction of Elementals. They use to go by something ridiculous- like The Cloud or The Wind. Go back to New Mecca and find your other family. I'm sure it's been too long since then."
The brunette pulled away from the older man then. "I promise I'll find you all again."
He shook his head and pushed her out of the door. "You have an hour to get out of here. And find something for those eyes. I'm sure if you stop by Medical, you'll find some contact shields or... goggles." He added with a smirk.
Jack looked at him dully before running off down the street.
The plus side of district eight, it was closest to the port. The negative side were the amount of guards. With her newly opened eyes, she was able to dodge what men she could. The men she couldn't, they had similar fates of the group Brock fought when he found her.
The tricky part was getting to the spire to get to the docking bay. From then on, it was skiff city. But, being Jack, she didn't want a skiff. She had enough practice to pilot one of the larger transport vessels.
The green eyed girl slunk around the corner, narrowly escaping the sights of two of the guards. When Brock told her about Wayne, she held back a laugh.
He was one of the most unfortunate newbies to start on night shift. Skeleton crew for the directing tower and even worse for him- he wasn't even Furyan let alone qualified to get his eyes augmented. Jack got off lucky because she personally knew Brock and his crew.
Most of the Shiners were paid by the Guild to keep the streets clean and the prisoners in line. Brock had been in Slam City for the duration of nineteen years. The Furyan's that came with him, were from his home city back on Furya. At first, they thought it was fun to be a part of security. Later on, while some strayed because of greed; Brock's small, tight-knit group, became one of the leading gangs in Slam. Cutter, the vet who augmented her eyes and several others, was a contact in the gang. The only safe zones were districts eight through twelve; the Guards had almost nil authority there- it was where she found her little hole in the wall.
Brock was never rude to her, and trained her to defend herself against the stronger Shiner guards. The only thing she could never beat them in was the dark; and they continuously called her dark eye. When she had brought it up to the gang leader, he looked at her in a new light. He had also asked where she came from- that's how he connected the clues between her father and herself. The man knew a lot more than what he let on, and never told her a thing.
There was a few times during scuffles that she was so angry that when she hit someone with her bare skin, they would suffer first through third degree burns. Somehow, Brock knew about that too. So, whatever her father told him; it must have been everything. There were times on Taurus Three where she would get into it from some of the local boys- the girls were too quiet and reserved most times. Perhaps, the reason why she had to flee was because she accidentally killed one of them. It was like a storm was unchained under her skin, and lightning came from her fingers when they were wrapped around that boys neck.
Never occurred to her that something was amiss.
Looking up, Jack took notice of one of the hovering monitors that showed the UF along with what the time and date was. She had a little less than an hour to reach the spire. Fortunately for her, she mapped out the layout of the prison city. The green eyed girl had lived in the area for a few months before vacating it completely. Furyan's were strong, fast and agile by nature alone. Lucky for her, then. It seemed as though the artificially augmented men were on this shift.
Creeping along the alley, she came across only rats. The woman slipped under an arch and run like a bat out of hell when it was clear. It was a few paces until the control tower. If she took out Wayne, she wouldn't have to fight too hard. Soon, her feet were pounding up the spire and into the port. The lights were so much brighter up here than in the slums. Her hand went into her pack and fingered around for the welding goggles she hijacked from section seven. Pulling her hair into a tight bun, Jack slipped the goggles over her head and eyes.
The light mixed with the tint of the glass helped her see much better- just like Brock had told her. Jack crouched behind some crates when regular guards passed her by. Her head tilted up once more, this time to see the control tower. There were a few ships between where she was sitting and the tower. Peering over the crate, she glanced around to find more guards. Jack slipped from her hiding spot and booked it across the open area until she reached the wall on the other side. Only a couple feet until the door and then Wayne at the top, the brunette thought to herself. Before she opened the door, she looked around until one of the ships caught her eye. And when it did, she smiled. It was the most nondescript one where all the others were flashy and had graffiti all over them. With her target in mind, she slipped in through the door and crept her way up into the room. Taking off the goggles, she reached into her pack and pulled out a finely crafted blade. Not made by her, but Michael who was prospecting to become a welder in district fifteen. Both of his parents were from Furya- and he was pretty young himself. It was a belated anniversary present to the day when Jack dropped into the City. It was the kid's first weapon- she went back for more and to get her own sharpened or detailed.
Wayne was sitting with his back to her, she noticed wires leading up to his ears. She smiled as she stood behind him. She put her hand over his mouth as she slit his throat. While waiting for him to drown in his own filth, Jack pressed a couple of keys and the sky dome opened. She had three minutes before the guards would notice so she slipped away from Wayne's body and back into the open. The ship was across the open area- it didn't look like it was secure. Suckers! Once the coast was clear, she hightailed it to the ship and looked the lever to open it.
Fortunately, it opened. Unfortunately, it was from the inside. She started and ran underneath the ramp. Shit! I was hoping for a quiet get away... A couple of boots stomped down the ramp but there was still movement inside. She watched while a couple of dark toned men walked away from the ship and out of the bay. There were still no guards, thankfully. Once Jack knew her pack was secure, she moved around to stand on the ramp. The layout was something she wasn't use to. She couldn't see the people inside, yet they couldn't see her.
Jack stepped lightly while making her way inside. It was a little bit larger on the inside and from further inspection; found it was one of the Ursa Luna's Guild ships. She felt a shiver of excitement run straight through her as she hid behind one of the larger navigation computers. It was a tight space, but she wouldn't be seen.
The men started talking and she learned their names quickly, "Luna, you're coming with me." The man had a Latin accent; probably the boss of the ship. There was some movement as they walked to the ramp. And then they both paused. "I swear I heard someone walk in here..." Jack quietly pressed herself against the wall, avoiding the wires that latched onto it. There was a small space where she could see the two people. A kid, no older than what she was when she started and an older man with scraggly dark brown hair. He had a western look going for him- probably had relatives on Earth. The boy had short blond hair and a bible in his breast pocket. She rolled her eyes, Instead of Holy Man it's a Holy Boy.
The man shook his head but started walking down the ramp. "Lock up Luna, we'll be back later." Jack waited a few moments for the sounds of them to vacate the premises before getting to work. The ship didn't require a scan of identification, fortunately. Strapped down the the pilot's seat, she started the pre-flight checks. She had fifteen minutes to meet that ship just outside orbit before it left. Fuel was good, charge was good and there were no alterations that had to be made. Her fingers found the lock down mechanism and selected it. Jack didn't want the mercs to be able to get onto their ship while she was taking off in it. And it was totally possible if they had their key with them. Finally, she turned on oxygen and nitrogen, artificial gravity and other important requirements for taking off. Jack swiped through the navigation menu, trying to find the coordinates to Helion Prime- but didn't find them. She grunted but turned on the thrusters and released the brakes. Pulling up on the column, she moved the ship into the bay- and laughed when she saw the merc crew shouting obscenities she couldn't quite hear. Ripping off her goggles, she stared them in the eyes so they knew who she was.
xxx xxx
Santana was only here for more ammo before he left again. It seems as though the world enders were creeping closer to their side of the universe. With his new probie on the roster, he was going to show him the easy how to's. Luna was his lucky rabbit's foot- he wanted him to learn everything he could in case something were to happen. Though, his prayers to God annoyed his crew to no end, Luna was a good kid. Picked him up from Narcon a few months back. His crew was having a shit time finding their next payday in that dive planet- where most convicts went to hide away. And hide that bastard did. However, up came Luna- weird name for a boy- and shortly after, their payday was found. Santana took it as a good sign and had him tag along.
The moment he locked up the ship- no, the moment he heard something on the ship, he knew that he was jinxed. It had been a long while since he had gotten a ship stolen from him. He figured it was one of the men trying to get off that rock of a prison, but when his eyes landed on that gorgeous little woman in his seat- he knew he was fucked. The look of pure glee in those shiny eyes of hers was something he had never seen before. Ursa Luna was known for their guards, but never were they women. Watching his ship leave the bay and out into the atmosphere made him twitch. "Diaz! Find out why the fuck control hasn't stopped my ship!"
xxx xxx
Jack was chortling in her seat as she flew toward the Elemental ship. When she was in decent range, she turned on the mic so she could speak with them. "Aereon! I know you're on there! In case you've forgotten, Jack B. Badd is requesting docking permission."
Her finger left the button and was met with static- which was fine, her message was received. Her harness was unclasped as the track wire began to reel her in. Her arms were crossed over her chest as her eyes watched the mercenary ship was locked in place. There was an alarm that sounded, alerting her to the fact the air was breathable in the bay. Her hand went to the dial to release the ramp; as it was dropping, she saw a face she hadn't seen in a long time. Jack's expression clearly read surprise.
"Dita, it's been a while."
The red haired woman had the grace to look ashamed. Her boot kicked into the metal floor, as she looked at Jack through her hair. And her foot stopped right away when her eyes met very light green. "What happened to your eyes!" The woman ran up the ramp and held Jack's face in her hands. "They're shining like the stars... What happened to you down there? I swear, I didn't know she was just going to abandon you there, Jack. I really thought-" Said woman grabbed Dita's wrists and put them back to her sides.
"I never thought you did, Dee. Look, I just need to talk to Aereon- figure out what the fuck she was thinking. This time, I don't want to be locked up in a room installed with sedative systems." The brunette went back to the cockpit and picked up her pack and slung it over her shoulders. She turned on the autopilot to return to Ursa Luna so she wouldn't be charged for hijacking. She got was she wanted from that place.
"I want this piece of junk to go back down to Slam City- I'm sure it's owners are rightly pissed at me." She grinned at her long time friend, but then frowned. When she was on the metal floor, she slung her arm around Dita's shoulders. "Tell me, what happened to Helion? It's all over the UF- these world enders. I want to know if-"
"I'm not sure, Jack. I haven't been back in a few months. I think we're going there shortly, though. And Aereon's not here. She was captured by them."
Jack's eyes narrowed as she was lead through the ship and into the planning room. There were different kinds of Elementals in different colored robes all over the place. Some of the guards she recognized from New Mecca; while others she had never seen before. There was a hologram of the Cazar System in the center, over the projector. Helion Prime had pillars coming out of it, "What the hell happened? Who are they? What-"
"They are Necromongers and they will convert or kill every last human life in the universe if Aereon's contact doesn't do something about it." A man in red robes spoke to Jack, who's arm slipped from Dita's shoulders. He had golden eyes, and hair was also red in color but was a dark shade. "You are Kyra, are you not?"
Jack's nostrils flared and she growled in response. "My name is Jack- don't fucking call me that."
Dita started, "Jack, don't! He's only trying to help you out-"
The man used his hands to get them to calm down, "My name is Ulan, and technically, we are family." Jack could only gape at him with her head tilted to the side, expression was truly incredulous. His lip twitched on the right side, clearly uncomfortable. "Your father is my older brother." Her expression fell as a large O took over her mouth. "And I will not call you Kyra, if that is what you so wish. Miss Jack, we need your help." And finally, she raised a brow; her hip stuck out and she crossed her arms over her chest.
"My help? Your crazy bitch leader buddy dropped me off at that planet three years ago. What makes you think I'm going to help you Elementals? Huh?" The people in the room paused and stared at the trio. Ulan made a discontented noise before putting his arm over her shoulders and lead her from the room. Once they were in the hall, his arm dropped and he let out a sigh.
"Look, I know what she did was wrong. And believe me, I would have gone a different way. However, we need her back here. She has information about the Necros that we don't." His eyes glanced at Dita who was watching her friend with worry sketched across her features. "Dita, can you please have them direct our course to Helion Prime, please?"
The red head nodded and hugged Jack's side, "I'll be back, I promise this time." She went off into a different direction as they made it to a four way in the hall.
With her arms still crossed over her shoulders, Jack let the man lead her through the halls. What he said next, however, caused her to stop and stare at him like he grew a second head. "What I don't understand is, how in the Universe were you able to reach the level of sight?"
"What in the name of holy fuck are you talking about?"
"Your eyes, Jack. I didn't realize that you could still get them considering Aereon removed the Furyan side of your soul when she placed it in the clone."
Ulan was thrown against the side of the crowded hall by the collar of his robe. His feet were dangling a half inch from the floor- he could smell his clothes beginning to burn. "What are you talking about? My Furyan soul? What did that bitch do to me!" Jack snarled and slammed him harder against the wall. "Is that way I see things I normally wouldn't see? How- That can't be possible-"
"Jack, please calm down. You're burning me-"
"How can I be-" Her eyes widened when she saw that her fists were bright so she dropped him and pulled her hands closer to her face. She felt her body spasm in anger and roared in fury. "Tell me what the fuck is going on, or so help me I'll bury you six feet under!"
Ulan's eyes were wide, never had he seen anything before in an adult. It was like she didn't have control over her abilities- then it hit him that she had no idea. "Jack- please- it's imperative that you calm down."
She rounded on him then, "Calm down? Don't you dare tell me to calm down! How about instead of spewing that command, you use your mouth and tell me what the fuck happened to me!"
She was causing a scene that Ulan couldn't redirect, so he stood and grabbed the fury-ridden woman and pulled her into the closest room he could find. Fortunately, it was vacant- he locked the door and blew up on her. "Calm the fuck down, Kyra! No, don't give me that look- it's your God damned name. This is no time for hysterics. If you want answers, you need to calm down. Your father never told you what he was, did he? Jax was an idiot there- he should have trained you when you were in the middle of that extra long childhood of yours. Yes, I know about it." Ulan pulled up a random chair and pushed her down it, while she held a stupefied look on her face. "You are part Fire Elemental- we run off rage just like Furyan's do but to a different degree. I would have figured our contact would have trained you instead, but I guess I was wrong. Aereon kept you out of the way while your clone did it's duty. It contained your memories up until our arrival into your life. Key words were imprinted on her brain- words to avoid to get Riddick to do what he was prophesied for. And now, Aereon is trapped on Helion by the very people that caused all of this shit." His hands shaped an air sphere to show his point. "You, child, were born on Furya twenty-four years ago. Act like the adult you are and not a petulant little girl, damn it."
Ulan let the words sink in, finally happy that she was calm and collected. He walked over to a far wall where a desk was located and promptly sat down.
The brunette was completely flabbergasted. What was she suppose to say to that- he obviously knew a hell of a lot more than she did. Elemental? That never made sense- at all. All she had were memories of before she should have been able to remember. And now, Ulan- an uncle she had never met.
A clone? What the hell was that about, even? The flashes of dreams over the past three years rained down on her then, "I have a question- a serious one concerning this 'clone' you talked about."
Ulan shifted in his seat but allowed her to continue. "I've been having dreams about moments with Riddick I have never had before. Just this morning, I was in some slam underground. I don't doubt that when I wake up tomorrow, I'll have another vision. It happens every day- every night. Has been happening since that day she gassed me in that room."
The red haired man tilted forward, listening intently. "What Aereon did to you was purely experimental- never been tried before. Also," He didn't look her in the eye when he said the rest, "the cryo you were in for however long was also experimental."
Jack's head snapped up and stared at him, simply. "What are you talking about, what's with all this experimental shit?" She got up from the chair and stood in front of him. "What aren't you telling me, Ulan? Out with it- I don't like the run around games."
The red headed man tilted his head like he didn't really want to tell her, "It's more your father, than me. He was in deep, what with that deal with the Gurahns before you were born."
"Brock mentioned them before. Who are they even?" She didn't let him move, boxed him in. "No- I told you already. Just fucking tell me already."
His gold eyes stared right through her- made her feel small. Jack shrunk away from him- but he held tightly onto her shoulders. "Listen, and listen well. Your father made a deal with them- to make a weapon." Her light green eyes widened and she attempted to pull away again. "Your mother was fooled and as far as I know it- she never found out. Jax fed her hormones full of nano technology to force the blending of Furyan and Fire Elemental. It took millions and millions of Universal Denominations of that time to get it right. When your mother gave birth to you, Jax was suppose to deliver you to the Gurahn government. They wanted their own firepower to protect themselves from the Necromongers. However, Furya was already on it's last leg. He stole you away to Taurus Three. After that, I don't know what happened."
Jack shoved Ulan away from her and backed up to the other wall. "You're saying I was genetically engineered?"
He shook his head and took a step towards her- she froze. "No, you weren't, Kyra. All the nanites did was force your mother's genetic data to coexist with your father's. They learned countless times that it's either one trait or the other. You were the first successful child born to inherit both parent's traits. However, there was a problem with that. Aereon told me of what happened after the Rykengolls."
"What? Did my animal side lash out or something? Figures." Her arms were crossed once more as she looked away from Ulan's golden eyes.
"No- the nanites are still within your body. They are what's causing your accelerated growth- in the beginning, they were programmed to keep you smaller for muscle and brain growth. I know for a fact that there are counter bots to remove them from you. Unfortunately, they are on Taurus Three. And you are not allowed back on that planet for obvious reasons."
"You know a lot about this shit. Did you have a hand on it?" She felt herself grow wary of this man- perhaps she would have felt better hearing it from her father's mouth. Inside, she flinched. She took on the name 'Jack' to emulate her father who she thought died. The name 'Kyra' was what her mother called her, but a woman she had never met in her life save for when they fled Furya. Abu's face flashed before her mind's eye then. Her heart thumped against her ribcage. "What about Helion? You mentioned it before- I have family there."
Ulan recognized a subject change when he heard one; he would let this go for now. Taking a deep breath, he released her and sighed heavily. "Yes. Helion Prime has been invaded- Aereon left for there a few weeks ago. I haven't seen her since then, though. We are on route and should be there within the day."
Jack started, "What do you mean, a day? It takes at least a month!" Her shock fell when she saw the gleeful smile on her uncle's face and she straightened up. "You have light speed drives on this hunk of junk? How?"
He geeked out on her then, with shoulders drawn forward and his fingers thrumming against each other. "Mwahahaha! The power of Elementals is limitless, young grasshopper!" Her eye twitched, he switched moods like a woman on her cycle. His back straightened, "Alright, lesson's over. Let's go get you washed up- I will allow your friend to accompany you so you do not feel threatened by our rooms."
"Can't you just take me to the locker rooms? I really don't trust any of you after the last time..." Jack opened the door and waited for him in the hall. Once he shut the door and started to walk, she followed. "Have you heard from my father at all? Brock mentioned him stopping by Ursa Luna some years ago-"
Ulan didn't stop, but he did silence her. "Your father is on the run from us along with Gurah. What he did was completely illegal and we don't allow that sort of behavior. Honestly, Kyra, when we find him- he will be killed on sight."
Jack didn't respond but followed him. So I was an experiment huh? She didn't feel any different after learning about the small computers roaming around in her body. Save for that moment on the slave ship, she never had an outburst since. The part about her soul had her thinking about all of the memories that transferred to her unconscious state. She actually felt jealous of the clone- being so close to Riddick like that. He came for her, on that unfortunate place called Crematoria. There was more to it than that, though. The way he looked at her when she killed that man, it was like he was trying to see her younger self in that body. The thought made her face heat up- her hands went to her face as she made a noise into them. Jack ignored the stares that came her way, though.
It had only been a few hours since she left Ursa, and it seemed like Riddick was tense at the time. Jack almost wished she could get the visions while she was awake to see him more.
She stopped with wide eyes, "Ulan- is it possible to send a message to the clone?" The eye shined girl idly noticed she was near the locker rooms, like she asked. If she could get Riddick to understand the bigger picture, she could possibly see him with her own eyes. The brunette stopped at the door, watching her uncle expectantly.
"As far as I knew, nothing was suppose to alert you of the clone at all. So what you're experiencing could strictly be a one way street. Dita will be along shortly with a change of clothes and a place to sleep. Perhaps, you could try it then." The red robed man drifted off, and for the first time she noticed he had the same way of moving as the Air Elemental. Strange, I figured he'd billow away like smoke- not drift like air. Shaking her head, she walked into the room. It was empty as far as she knew, so she stripped off the rags that were called her clothes and stepped into one of the stalls. After closing the curtain, she moaned in delight when a spray of hot water greeted her. A smile of content graced her features as she cleaned, shaved and relaxed in the water. Jack stayed there under the stream until her fingers pruned. Her tongue glided over her teeth, feeling the serious build up. In the back of her mind, she sensed someone walking into the room. "Dita? That you?"
The Helion Guard walked further into the room with a bundle of clothes and a tooth brush with paste. "Yeah- did you want to brush your teeth in or out of the shower." A hand shot out of the stall and she laughed lightly. "Alright, here you are. I got you some clothes that seems more your style. I'll set them on the bench nearby."
"You're amazing, Dee. Just what the doctor ordered."
"So... How did you get those eyes anyhow, if you don't mind me asking?" Dita inquired to her younger friend who now looked about the same age as she did.
Jack hummed a little tune while she got the funk of her teeth and tongue before spitting the paste out of her mouth. Her tongue slid over her teeth, and used a finger to do the squeak test. "Ah, squeaky clean." Turning off the tap, Jack stepped out of the stall and picked up the provided towel. "I paid for them, actually. I was sick of running around in the dark there. That's all they are, augmented. I can see who's sneakin' up on me in the dark now."
Dita's eyes were wide, just seeing the scars covering her friend. She had read the report from three years ago- she was sold out to sex slavers. Jack also had no recollection of the years she was slaved out, either. "Jack- your back-"
The brunette didn't respond as she put on the clothes that her provided. The pants were a little tight, black in color. The boots were something she thought were strange, that were outfitted with blades that came out where her Achilles tendon was. The shirt itself was not as tight and cut off near her shoulders- also black but had a stiff hood on it. "What kind of get up is this?"
"It's so you can blend it to the dark- the planet's light systems were cut down. I have a few weapons for you to use as well." Jack pulled up the hood and looked at Dita with her startling silver-green eyes. Dita audibly swallowed, "You look kind of scary like that Jack-"
"I'm going by Kyra now, Dee. It's my real name anyway." It had been so long since she used her name, it almost felt wrong. She continued to stare at the Guard while she fumbled over the other items in her possession. Kyra narrowed her eyes when she spotted weapons she had never seen before. Dita handed her a steam-punk type gun, "Where did you get these things?" Kyra turned it over in her hand, taking care not to touch the trigger. She then took the strap to wrap it around her upper thigh and put the side arm in the holster. The next weapon looked like a large bone splinter- it was deep red in color as if it had been dried with the meat still on it. It had a rope connected at each end, "Shivs now?"
The red head paused, "No, that's not a shiv. It's a weapon we confiscated a long time ago. It belonged to the genetically engineered Bio Raptors that have been found on planet Hades or Hell, as some call it."
She went on to hand her some more items including a nine bang- "Damn- I thought Elementals were calculators not warriors. Where did they get all this shit?"
"Necromongers are a strong race and will not stop even if you have pretty eyes." Kyra took the last of the grenades and put it in the pouch located underneath the oversized shirt. "We still have twelve hours before we reach Helion Prime- until then, you should probably take a nap."
"How does time pass so quickly? I swear, I've only been here for maybe two hours tops."
Dita said nothing, as she led Kyra from the shower room and into the hall. Instead, she led her to a more quiet hall, but still near the bay. "I'll come get you when we're close." Before Kyra could say anything, the door was slammed in her face. With a tight fist, she punched the door.
"No doubt it's locked... Lights, ten percent." When the lights dimmed, she found herself on the bed. Thinking back, she remembered that she wanted to try to send a message across the dream link. Closing her eyes, Kyra felt herself slip into a light sleep.
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"Check her for me, she always has a blade somewhere." Kyra was herded deeper into her cell as the guards came to have their way. She wasn't going to let them, though. As one of them started to frisk her, she complied like the good little girl she was. When his fingers tried to inch their way into the front of her pants, Kyra twisted her foot and kicked up and back into his crotch. He leaned forward, grabbing his manhood as the blood from the blades leaked down the front of his pants, Kyra lifted her feet to wrap around his neck and kicked him in the face. She stole his hammer and beat him with it until he was down.
The guards didn't like that and beat her down until she was on the floor, the blow to her neck didn't make matters any better. A deep voice floated through the air when one of them started feeling her up, "I don't think she likes being touched."
Kyra turned in her sleep, clutching the blanket a little tighter as the dream continued on behind her eye lids.
"Death by teacup, damn, why didn't I think of that?" Kyra said as she pulled the cup from the man's chest.
Riddick didn't seem impressed as he turned away from her, "I didn't come here to play who's the better killer."
"But it's my favorite game, haven't you heard?" She watched as he stopped, Hook, line and sinker, she thought to herself. She went on to tell him how she got there, and he whipped around in anger.
"I told you to stay in New Mecca." He ripped the light right out of the ceiling, "Did you not listen!" When he ripped his goggles off, it felt like he was staring through to Jack- wherever she was. "I had mercs on my neck. I'll always have mercs on my neck. I stayed on a frozen heap just to keep them away from you- but you went on with the same fake badges who wanted to cut you up and use you for bait." He left her standing there, his body language radiating something she didn't quite catch.
"There was nobody else around."
Kyra shot up from her bed, sweat pouring out of every pore. Swallowing, she hoped she could go back to sleep. She didn't want Riddick to know what she did- it brought up memories of that hell planet. His voice echoed in her head, "Don't you cry for Johns, don't you dare." Was that what he meant? He wanted to use her for bait? Her eyes located the wall side clock- still nine hours to go. She slipped back under the covers, hoping to get more snippets of information. As her eyes closed, she felt herself get pulled into sleep unnaturally fast. The feeling made her feel anxious. And rightly so, because she felt a stinging sensation right under her bottom jaw. The Kyra on the other side, her eyes were staring at the floor. Two metal spikes were being dug into her neck, and the line was blurred.
Something very, very bad was happening to her and she couldn't do a thing. Her arms were stuck in manacles, and her feet dangled a foot from the floor. The spines were holding her in the air, mostly. The position made it hard for her to scream in agony- she could only open her lips. What she said, what that clone said, made her understand.
"Not me- it's not me, not really me-" She continued to chant wordlessly. Someone stood under her, watching her reaction. Her green eyes looked up at him, an older man with metal molded to his head. It was not like the other times, as if she were dreaming. Kyra felt as if she was truly there- felt something come through the link. The man flinched as he stepped back and looked around to see if anyone was watching. The colors shifted and she saw everything more clear than the clone's vision. Kyra forced her vocal cords and jaw to move, finally choosing the time for her message. The man's eyes widened as she spoke, "I can see you, from where I am. Kind of like a long range communications device."
"Who are you...?" His brow was lifted and his strangely gloved hand slid across her cheek. "Eyes of a Furyan... Is that what you are?" Kyra's eyes narrowed as much as she could, partly because of the pain. He looked closely at her, his face nearly centimeters from her own. "You are about the right age... I wonder, how are you alive?"
"Shirah." Was all she said and the man understood completely, for her slapped her in the face. Red marks from his crude metal gauntlet began to form and the spine had dug into her neck further. Kyra smirked, and leaned her head as close to his as she could. "He's going to kill you." She felt the control slip as whatever he was doing started to take effect. The world lost it's clarity and she was awake in bed on the Elemental ship.
The knock on the door alerted her that it was time to go. Kyra sat on her elbows as Dita walked into the dark room and jumped about a foot in the air when the lights from the hall reflected onto her augmented eyes. She was successful in making contact, but it was all messed up. She wanted to run to Riddick and tell him everything. Instead, she had left a message to whatever man had hit her. Kyra looked at Dita, who only stood by the door. It really was time to leave- she grabbed her holster and hip pack before walking up to her. The woman gave her a small box, "What's this for?"
As they walked down the corridor, Dita explained what they were, how they could be used and put her on a skiff. "It's your choice if you want to come back. All you gotta do is grab Aereon and the Elementals will stay out of your hair. Um... Can you do me a favor when you get down there?"
Kyra had just opened the cartridge pack to inject it into her system- it was crafted by Ulan to slow down the nanites. Looking up, she refused to watch as the liquid entered her blood stream. "What's up?" When it clicked, she threw the empty cartridge onto the floor. "Want me to check on your family or something?" A look of relief flashed over the Guard's face. "No problem, I gotta check on Imam and his family while I'm down there. Soon as I collect our white witch bitch-"
Someone called from behind, "Hurry up! We don't know how much time we have left!" Dita flicked the person off, "Hey! That was rude!"
"Please, Ja- er... Kyra. That would be great." She pulled out a small hand held and handed it to the newly appointed soldier, "This has information on it concerning where to find Aereon. She was implanted with a tracking beacon- it will do it's duty while you do yours."
Kyra huffed, "I can't believe I got sucked into this shit. Whatever, I'll see you later. I take it I can contact you with this?" With a nod, Dita got off the skiff and closed the ramp. After a few moments, the bay opened and Kyra flew the skiff out like a bullet from the barrel of a gun. The planet looked like shit, and it was in the early hours of morning. It was almost unbelievable that just the day before, she was waking up in her cot in Ursa Luna Max.
The skiff shook as she entered the atmosphere and then she gasped at the damage up close. There were pillars of some kind right outside the city- which was smoking. The buildings were dilapidated, some were crushed- bodies of every kind were scattered haphazardly throughout the streets. It definitely screamed invasion if she had ever seen one before. There was a clearing in the middle of the city where she was clear to land. Feeling the ship lurch, she unbuckled herself and fled the slip of a ship. When the ramp hit the ground, she felt a gust of heat and smoke. Choking, she fled the small space and into the fray. There were survivors here or there, but not many. The once lively streets of New Mecca were now desolate- a ghost of what it use to be. All of the early morning light came solely from the system's star. Every person she tried to talk to only ran away, the only hint at direction were their fingers.
Kyra really wanted to check on Imam, Lajun and Ziza- but it didn't look like she had that kind of time. She took out one of the guns that she had in the holster and began running toward the gargantuan pillars with faces on them. After the hood was secure on her head, she was able to filter out the sun rays reflecting off the surfaces of buildings and sheet metal from downed ships. Kyra wanted her own revenge- she never wanted this to happen here. Maybe T3 but... Never here. If anything had happened to Imam or his family- she would kill that man whom she spoke to before. Her eyes widened when she saw foot soldiers swarming the place. The hadn't seemed to see her, so she marched on. It was miles of desert between herself and the position of the beacon.
"Halt, Breeder!" Kyra skidded to a stop, turning her hooded head at one of the men who's weapon was pointed upwards. I don't have time for this! She pointed the similar gun she had acquired from Dita to the man and pulled the trigger. The man went flying several feet in the air before he landed with a resounding thud- dead. She looked at the little gun in her head and nodded appreciatively.
Kyra ran into several soldiers, with the same 'Halt Breeder' command. And every single one of them met with the same fate. Instead of walking straight into the bowels of hell itself, she ran behind the ships to the one in the center. There were different kinds of guards surrounding it- and it seemed like there was only one entrance.
Holstering the gun, she looked around for another way in. It would be stupid to only have one entrance- the ship itself was longer and wider than what the soldiers were coming out of. It was proving to be a difficult task at hand, and the beacon had begun to round on her nerves. Something caught her eye, and it looked like another way it. The thrusters were starting up, and they came from within. She put the beacon in her pocket and climbed onto the hunks of metal- which weren't even hot yet. Kyra threw the idle thought from her brain as she moseyed into the ship. With one last pull, she hopped into a crouch and met resistance. All the people were wearing clothes that had metal shaped along the spine. With the tilt of her head, she made more use of the handy gun she had in her arsenal and vacated the engine room.
Taking the stairs to the upper level found more strangely clad people. They didn't look at her at all, more at something down below. Moving people over, she stifled a gasp. With wide eyes the size of planets, she saw her clone for the first time. She was wearing some sort of transparent yet black cloak that jingled when she moved. Her mouth went dry as she saw Riddick- who looked a bit beat up. The hall was quiet, and she could hear him clearly.
"Are you with me, Kyra?" The girl continued to talk about some Underverse before he asked the question again. "Are you with me, Kyra?" And the clone only walked around him before disappearing in the crowd. The gun dropped as soon as she heard her name from him. I never told him my name- how does he know? A man looked up, and paused. She knew him, from hours upon hours ago. He tilted his head, and walked to Riddick, spewing something about converting and not rising again. Her fist beat against the wall, and she noticed Aereon drift onto the scene. And there's my mark. Kyra pulled away from the balcony as she made her way through the crowd. There was a spire of stairs on the other side- the sooner she got the Elemental out, the sooner she could talk to Riddick. Show off her fancy new toys.
With that thought in place, she grabbed the Elemental's arm who whirled around with wide eyes. Aereon hissed at her then, "What are you- You shouldn't be here for this. What- how?"
Kyra pulled herself closer to the elderly woman, "Ask Ulan that the next time you see him then. Next time you decide to clone me, ask me first." Kyra peered around to see Riddick start to fight the older man. "Look, I've been having dreams about that clone in Ursa Luna." The guards stared at her, so she smiled and nodded before continuing. "That man, whoever he is, I threatened him hours ago. I used whatever spiritual link me and that girl have." She pulled back her hair and showed the bruises on her jaw, "It snapped when those spines started doing whatever it was that they do. We gotta leave- like yesterday. Your people are waiting for you just inside orbit."
Kyra heard that man talk and it finally garnered her attention. "Give me your soul."
Riddick spun around and punched him in the face, "Fuck you!"
She had never heard him speak like that before, so temporarily, Aereon was forgotten. The woman in white watched in interest as the woman watched the fight. Her eyes- which were obviously artificial were keen- as if a cat watching a mouse before it pounced. She could tell Kyra wanted to go out into the open, her visible muscles were tensed. Something was holding her back, nonetheless.
Kyra gripped her gun that was nestled in the holster when the older man beat Riddick to the floor. His brow and lips were split- blood was streaming down his face.
"You're not the one to bring me down, Furyan." Kyra slowly turned to Aereon, who was still looking at the scene. Suddenly, he screamed out in pain. The clone used part of the spear from before to stab him in the back. Before Kyra could blink, the clone was hit and flew across the room into one of the columns that had spikes protruding from it. She flinched and took a step back.
Aereon whispered to her, "This was what I was avoiding, Kyra. You would have perished this day." Her gaze was locked onto the clone and followed until her body slid to the steps before the throne. Her hazel eyes were staring right back as blood leaked from her lips.
Kyra moved away from Aereon and went around the room. As Riddick and some other man were finishing the fight, the clone watched her with eyes losing their shine. When Kyra stepped out into the open, there was a resounding 'No' that echoed. The boots on her feet made a metallic sound across the marble. Aereon's eyes widened as her charge made her way to the clone's body. No, not yet! Kyra knelt down and stroked the clones face. As she whispered something, a shiver ran down her spine. Taking the gun out of her holster, she pointed it towards Riddick.
As her head got closer to the clone, the steps behind her paused. "Come back to me in five years- you'll be ready then." Kyra received the message and dropped the dark matter gun. Standing to full height, she turned around to face Riddick. His eyes had been on the clone, and went to her. His eyes narrowed, "Who the fuck are you-"
Aereon drifted between them, to placate the distressed man. "We were just leaving- I apologize, Riddick."
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All he knew was fury when Lord Marshall murdered Kyra. She was safe, before she helped him. After he killed Zhylaw, he was going to her but a person completely dressed in black clothing was already there. With another fit of rage bubbling through his veins, he held a steady gait. The person must have sensed him coming, a gun was pointed to his chest. Kyra spoke to the person, "Come back to me in five years, you'll be ready then." The gun was dropped promptly, and then he was staring into another pair of silver eyes.
When Aereon came in between them, the person laughed darkly. It was a woman- the voice was familiar. His eyes went to Kyra's body, who had a smile on her face. His fists clenched tightly and he felt a growl rumbling deep within his chest. He stood on guard when the woman pulled out a grenade and twisted it around.
Before she tossed it at him, it occurred to him something was amiss. Aereon had fear rolling off of herself in waves but the woman gave away nothing. She was a blind spot- and something caught his eye. There was a leather cord wrapped around her neck.
Kyra had been someone completely different. They looked exactly the same but, someone had been fucking with him from the start. He took a step forward and the bomb was tossed in his direction- when it exploded he saw her face. Her eyes squinted from the bright light- but it was exactly the same.
When the flash grenade went through it's cycle, the woman and Aereon were gone and he was left with the entirety of the Necromonger army. He walked to Kyra's body and held her in his arms. "Are you with me, Kyra?" He wanted answers, maybe he could get her to say something. But when she spoke, he felt every single emotion fall on him again. Momentarily, he forgot about the two people from before. His sights were solely on her.
The clone took a deep breath, "I was always with you. I was." It was her last, so he laid her down and sat back on the throne.
When the army started to kneel before him, he felt himself whisper the words that started it all. "You keep what you kill."
xxx xxx
"He would have killed you, Kyra. You never should have been there." Kyra was working on getting the Necro ship out of the docking bay. "Are you listening to me?"
"I hear you, I get it. You're not my mother, Aereon."
"No, but you are my family whether you like it or not." The ship started up without a hitch and she already had the door open. As she got the frigit out of Necropolis, Kyra only paused to toss the tracking beacon to the woman.
"Don't even want to know. I have my own business back on the ground. You get back to your people. Tell Dita that her family is fine- I passed them on my way to that place. From here on out, I won't be seeing you. I'm sick and tired of hearing about training or Furyans or Necros- I'm done. You trained a fine good soldier, perfect for what they paid for. I wonder, is my uncle a part of the faction that my father was with? And that's why he has a death sentence or is it all of you? I'm not-" She stopped herself and shook her head.
"I have the coordinates to Furya, if that is what you so desire."
Kyra turned her head and glared at the Elemental. "You know, that Lord Marshall fellow also called Riddick a Furyan. How interesting, that. And while we're at it- you fucked something up when you sucked my soul outta me. Maybe you shoulda cleaned out the nanites in my system as well. Instead of blaming my explosive habits on just my Furyan side. Yeah, I could just about cut your head off lady. But you dangle home in front of me like a piece of meat- what makes you think I'll just go for it. And what the fuck did that clone mean by, 'You'll be ready in five years.' Really? Ready for what." Kyra was up and out of the seat with a large blade at Aereon's neck.
The woman vanished and appeared on the other side. "Perhaps, when you find your father, ask him why they wanted a weapon such as yourself." The floor under Kyra slid open and she screamed as she continued to fall.
"You bitch!" Was all the white robed woman heard before she closed up the floor. Taking control of the ship, she left then. Ulan was in for a rude awakening- too much was spilled today.
xxx xxx
Kyra dragged herself from the water and onto the shore. Laying back onto the red sand, she watched as the Necromonger fleet recalled the white ball of light and took it with them. She closed her eyes as the sun blasted her irises with light. Five years until what exactly? Something made a noise and she pulled it from her pocket. Somehow, the Elemental slipped the com back into her hands. Opening the message, she found coordinates. Sitting up, she put them into the device and it configured a course. It would take a year from where she was to reach it- even with sufficient ion drives. What kind of place was that far on the edge of the known universe?
Imam and his family came first, nonetheless. Her pack was still on that big ship outside the planet, so what artillery she had on her person was all she wrote. Her fingers sifted through the pockets and pulled out a small chip- her UD card. Pleasantly surprised, she had a hop to her step as she weaved her way into the broken city. It had been far too long to be here and she missed them. The only other survivor to Hunter Gratzner and Kublai Khan ship.
Banners from whatever festival were strewn from building to building- holes and scorch marks all up on them. What got her the most was that the few people left, maybe a couple hundred, were clearing the streets and some vendors were selling what goods hadn't been incinerated. Stopping by one vendor, she asked for directions, "Excuse me, do you happen to know where I can find Imam Abu al-Walid's residence?"
He pointed to a street and told her which way to go off to. Before she left, she bought a bag of fruit that wasn't bruised. The man thanked her by holding her hands and bowing several times. For now, the man could use a little money- so she helped him for helping her. Tucking the bag under her arm, the completely black clad woman meandered through the streets and came to steps where she could see the home. It was destroyed.
When she walked in, Lajun was fixing something up in the kitchen area- Abu and Ziza were nowhere to be found and her heart sank. Coughing, she alerted her presence to the older woman. In turn, she spun and made some kind of noise before gathering Kyra in her arms. "Thank Allah you are home."
"Lajun- where is Abu? Ziza? Are they... Are they alright?" At the mention of Imam's name, the woman froze and slowly let go of Kyra. "Lajun?"
"Imam was... He was killed by one of them. Ziza! Please come down, I have someone for you to meet. She is your older sister." The woman gave a sad smile to the green eyed girl, "Your eyes shine like the stars, Jack."
Kyra wasn't going to correct Lajun, or the little girl running down the stairs excitedly, "Jack! Father and mother have told me all about you." The brunette was right, Ziza turned out to be exactly how she imagined. Full of exuberance; everything a little girl should be. Kneeling next to the girl, Kyra held her arms out to Ziza and pulled her in for a tight embrace.
"Oh, I haven't seen you since you were small. Look at you, all grown up. Man, Lajun, I feel old." Ziza's mother only laughed and motioned for them to follow her into the kitchen. "I bought some fruit- and by the looks of this place, you could use it. I'll be around for a while- so let me know if you need help."
Lajun paused and eyed the hooded girl. "Jack, can you take off that hood please?" Kyra paused and put Ziza on one of the chairs. "It's just- I-"
"No, it's fine." Forcing the piece down, she pulled out a peach and took a bite of it. "Oh my God, it's been so long since I ate real food. Oops, sorry Lajun." Said woman gave her a condescending look that spoke volumes- Kyra felt like she was really home. Smiling, the green eyed girl walked over to Abu's widow and gave her a heart felt embrace. "I really am sorry for what happened, Lajun. If I'd known sooner- perhaps I could have done something."
The darker toned woman regarded the ex-convict of a child she once knew. Older, stronger and from the looks of things; easily faster and more agile than before. Whatever had happened to young Jack did wonders for how she handled herself.
She sincerely hoped that times of peace would last longer this time around- Helion couldn't afford another invasion or war as it was.
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