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Post by Admiral Hart on Mar 24, 2010 7:00:08 GMT -5
Angel nodded and reached out to the water. The geyser changed direction and sprayed over the piano, which gnashed its teeth and pulled harder at the ex-Mamba in its grip. Then Angel concentrated and closed her hand, and all of that water froze solid, freezing the piano along with it.
The pull finally ended, Miller cut himself free. There was something of a cold, dark look in his eyes. "Where did it go? Did you see where it went?"
"We have it on the scanner." TK said, glancing at Shiyounin. "Where's it headed?"
"The bridge, master." The bunny-girl AI replied. "If it is the same anomaly that was present in this room before."
Miller was already out of the room and running. TK ran after him, Angel and Shiyou behind him.
"Why are we hurrying so fast Master?"
"Are you kidding? We know exactly where this ghost is headed. No way it can get away from us this time."
****
Hart and Cook stood on the bridge of the Golden Chance, both of them scanning through crew logs and sensor reports.
"It just goes dead at December 3rd, 098, Midnight, Cap'n." Cook said, flipping through more records. "They all do. Every camera, every video log, every...oh. Huh. That's odd."
"What's odd?" Hart asked, not having much luck herself.
"Oh, nothing. I just recognize a couple names on one of the last passenger manifests." The small man replied. "Looks like on the trip right before the last one, my Great Grampa Reginald Montefort the First and my Grandma-to-be Esmeralda Rigel were on this ship. Maybe they met here."
"Interesting genealogy, Reggie, but it still doesn't answer what happened here." Hart said dryly, going back to the records. "What could've happened here? You'd think there'd be some sign of something."
"...Actually...it looks like the main power went off at the same time all the surveillance did. That's....suspicious. But it looks like it shut off for no reason."
They were interrupted by a call over Hart's comm. However, when Hart answered it, it was not Morgan's voice that came out but, rather, an ear-splitting scream. Jo collapsed to the ground, holding her ears.
"Cap'n!" Cook cried, rushing over to her, and then stopping, dead in his tracks, as Dr. Reyes, hair wild and eyes blank white, hovered into the room, a struggling Willie suspended in the air behind her.
"Montefort. Good to see you again." Dr. Reyes's mouth sneered, in a voice that was not her own. "See, Esmeralda? He was never true to you, not like I was. Look at him, at the side of that...pirate. No doubt one of Melrose's illegitimate daughters by the look of her. I was always on the straight and narrow. All of my dealings have always been fair and honest. But him!" Dr. Reyes pointed dramatically at Cook, her body twisting like a marionette in tangled strings in the process. "He has always had dealings with scum and pirates. Now do you see him for the worthless criminal he is?"
"Lemme go you crazy ghost!" Willie struggled. "I told you I'm not Esmeralda!"
"...you're Henry Rigel. I've heard about you, from Grandma." Cook said, dumbfounded. "Great Grandma Esmeralda was married to you at first, but you were so petty and jealous she ran off with..."
"Lies!" The ghost inside Andromeda bellowed. "You tricked her! You with your scheming ways tricked her from me! My Esmeralda!" Willie floated forward a bit, and Dr. Reyes's hand caressed her struggling cheek. "Now she is mine, Montefort, and mine forever! And you...you will die here."
Hart struggled to her feet, shaking off the effects of the scream at last, her sword pointed towards the ghost. "Get out of that body or I swear to Melrose I will force you out." She said, eye flickering coldly, as she stepped between Cook and the floating Doctor.
"Oh look, Esmeralda, his little pirate whore wants to save him. How romantic." The ghost said with a smirk. "Go ahead, then. Force me from this body--and you will have to kill it to do so. I will simply find another. And another. And another. Until everyone but my Esmeralda is dead."
The possessed Doctor gestured, and Hart found herself picked up by a strange force and thrown into a wall--hard. Hard enough that her sword went flying out of her hand spun across the floor.
"Ah, perfect." The ghost said , gesturing to the rapier. "The instrument of your defeat. So poetic to kill you with your own whore's weapon."
Cook backed away, his back striking the ornately detailed console behind him and jumping about a foot in the air.
The ghost frowned at the sword and gestured again. It did not even twitch.
"Damn you, obey me!" The ghost floated over to the blade and used its stolen body to grab it.
There was a bright flash of light, and the possessed form was launched into a wall. While distracted, Willie dropped from her invisible hold to the ground, somewhat dazed.
Hart was on her feet and grabbed Cook, sheathed her sword, and then grabbed Willie with her other hand, pulling them both out of the bridge. Outside, Thorn, Morgan, and Toby turned one corner, and Miller, followed closely by TK, Shiyou, and Angel turned another.
"Close the damn door!" Jo called. The Possessed Dr. Reyes pulled herself into view, an unearthly scowl on her face.
"DAMN YOU YOU MELROSE WHORE!" She/it/he roared. TK pulled his goggles down and tapped rapidly on a datapad. The door closed faster than it should have. The next moment, the door began to creak and groan, pushing itself slowly outwards. Thorn reached out and concentrated, a massive ice wall covering it and thickening, until the creaking and cracking and groaning slowed. Angel raised her hand to it as well and, though weaker in ice magic than Thorn was, helped him seal the door until it stopped altogether.
"What the bloody hell is going on here?" Morgan asked. Miller was embracing Willie, who was obviously very shaken by these events. There was a look in Miller's eyes, cold and bloodthirsty, that was new to all there save his girl.
"We talk on the move. That's not going to hold the ghost for long." Hart said, and started, with the rest of them, to move quickly down the corridors, to the Plunder.
"I told you this was a bad idea." Thorn and Willie said in unison.
"We can worry about who told who what later. Right now we have the ghost of the man that Reggie here's great grandfather stole a woman from in the body of my woman, trying to steal Miller's woman, and also kill Cook. Any questions? No? Good. Anyone have any ideas how to free my Andi and make sure that ghost doesn't possess anyone else?" Hart asked. "I don't think starmetal likes it very much. Besides that...ghosts aren't really in the Mamba textbook."
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Ulysses Grante
Cabin Boy
Every man has their toys. Mine just happen to be plastic, with realistic kung-fu grip.
Posts: 15
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Post by Ulysses Grante on Mar 24, 2010 7:27:50 GMT -5
Ulysses trotted up to the group just as the Admiral was giving her overview, his scarf trailing behind him like a banner. When the others were silent for a moment, he blinked, stunned that no one else had thought of it.
"Well, you know . . ." Everyone turned in his direction, somewhat startled, not having noticed his arrival. When he hesitated at that, Thorn scowled.
"Spit it out, kid."
He shrugged. "Well, I mean . . . the most obvious answer is unfinished business." At the odd, confused looks, he sighed. "Any entity still inhabiting the material plane is being bound here for some reason, some task that they were unable to complete in life, which then creates emotions and psychic resonance powerful enough to hold them here rather than moving on. So, in order to send the entity on to the afterlife, we just have to figure out what it is that's holding it here, and help finish it."
Thorn snorted. "Great idea, except it seems this thing's unfinished business is Willie."
Miller, still looking dangerously on edge, let out an eerie soft growl and in a blink there was a knife in each of his hands. "Like hell," he snarled low. Willie eyed him warily, then carefully wrapped her hands around his upper arms and leaned her weight into his back.
"I'm alright, Major," she murmured, tone soft. Soothing. "A little freaked out, but I'm still in one piece."
For a minute, Ulysses didn't think Miller could even hear her, as he remained stiff and somewhat unresponsive, his dark eyes glinting with an anger that was almost . . . unholy. But then, as suddenly as it had come on, the anger was receeded again. His posture relaxed, the knives disappeared as suddenly as they had appeared, and he twisted slightly to nuzzle the smaller pilot's curly hair.
The group let out a collective sigh of relief. It was only then that Ulysses noticed both the Admiral and Captain Thorn had had their hands on the pommels of their swords, just in case. The dark-skinned Mage shook his head then. Somehow, he had a bad feeling that this was gonna get a whole lot worse before it got better.
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Post by Admiral Hart on Mar 24, 2010 18:47:46 GMT -5
"So how can we use what we know to get Andi back?" Hart asked.
"Maybe we don't." Miller said quietly. Everyone turned to him in shock.
"What did you just say?" The Admiral said in a freezing cold voice.
"The way that most of us survive. We all cut our losses and leave." Miller explained.
"That is not an option, Miller." Hart replied coldly. "We find a way to get Andi back."
"What, using Willie as bait?!" He snapped back. "Or maybe Cook? If it kills him, are you going to be the one to explain to Allison why you sacrificed her boyfriend for your girlfriend?"
"Yes." Hart said, no hesitation in her voice. Cook yelped. "If necessary, I will sacrifice every single crewman I have in order to save Andi. But I don't have to. Because TK has some sort of ghost catching gizmo."
"Yes I do." TK replied, holding up something that looked a hand-held sphere, a stripe around the center where it split, and marked with a symbol of two concentric circles.
"But Master!" Shiyounin exclaimed. "You've never tested it!"
"Yeah, an' the others..." Angel trailed off.
"This one will work perfectly. After all, this ghost can't go through walls if it's in Doctor Reyes." TK replied.
Hart turned to Willie and Cook. "You two are the ones it wants. I need you to make a distraction. Uly's right...it's going to come right for you two because you're a reminder of why it's still here. When it gets to you, you're going to have to keep it busy while TK uses his little..ghost..trapping...ball...thingy."
"And if that doesn't work?" Miller interjected before the others could.
"Then they are going to have to talk it into the afterlife. It shouldn't come to that, but if it does, I'm confident these two can pull it off." Hart was now speaking with her usual, half amused tone.
Miller was not even a quarter amused. "Willie doesn't help you in this."
"Mil..."
"I'm serious, Willie." The former Mamba said. "She's going back on the ship and away from all this. Like hell am I going to let you sacrifice her."
"I don't intend on sacrificing your girlfriend, Miller. I would if I had to, granted, but I don't have to. We'll beat this ghost. I know we will." She replied. In the distance, she heard the sounds of the door cracking and bending again. "Alright. We need to set up and we don't have a lot of time to do it in. Uly, you and Miller go find my Mom, Dagger, and Cassi. Tell them to meet me at the banquet hall. Morg, go back on board Patches and see if you can't round up Katy, and bring her there too. TK...do whatever...thing you need to do to get that...ball up and running."
"I'm not leaving Willie." Miller insisted.
"Okay. Miller. The comms are not working..well, they are, but that ghost can use them to attack. We need starmetal to hold off the ghost, and I don't think it's going to possess anyone actually holding it, which is why we need the people with starmetal to be there, protecting your baby mama. Now go follow orders."
The former Mamba glared briefly at Hart, kissed Willie, and then slipped away from the group. Uly nodded and awkwardly sped off.
Morgan also sped off after that, though not without shooting Jo a worried look.
"What about me?" Thorn asked.
"You're with me. Come on, we need to get to the banquet hall before that ghost can cut us off."
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Willie Barbary
Buccaneer
Pilot
It's worse when you know that hell is coming, but nobody else will believe you . . . .
Posts: 52
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Post by Willie Barbary on Mar 24, 2010 23:34:34 GMT -5
Willie allowed herself to be led toward the banquet hall, her heart and stomach lodged up into what felt like her throat region. The small pilot wrung her hands a bit as she followed after the Admiral and Captain Scarsgard. Cook, the sensor officer, trotted along beside her. The thin blond man shot her a wary look.
"I dunno about you, but I'm almost more afraid of your boyfriend," he mumbled, eyes wide. Willie just winced.
"You and me both," she muttered under her breath.
Sure, being held completely helpless by some barely-understood ghostly being had been pretty scary. She sure as hell didn't relish the idea of purposefully putting herself in its path again and all but daring it to take control of her again. Yet that scare somehow paled in comparison to the worry she now had for Miller.
She hadn't seen him lose control like that since Jackson, back when they were still in the military. The fact that he'd seriously considered the thought of letting Dr. Reyes die--the woman who had saved her life, saved his life, saved their son's life on more than one occasion--just in order to keep her out of harms way was more than a little unsettling. That he could view things in such a harsh black-and-white . . . Willie gave a tiny shudder. She didn't love the man any less . . . but she also couldn't deny that a very tiny part of her feared that side of him. Feared what he was capable of, once he was backed into that corner, and forced to act.
A moment later the four of them entered into the huge, ornate dining room. An hour ago Willie might have been entranced by the gigantic crystal chandaliers that hung from the domed ceiling, or the impossibly expensive, richly made dinnerware that made her great-grandmother Soren's million-credit spread seem cheap and tacky. Now, however, all she could do was wrap her arms around herself, chilled.
"Just . . . whatever happens," she suddenly called, gaining the others' attention. "Don't . . . don't let it touch me again."
The Admiral's blue eye softened slightly with sympathy, reaching out to pat her on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Miller's Girlfriend. We won't let it hurt you."
Willie just shook her head, expression shuttered. "That's not what I'm afraid of."
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Post by Cassiopeia Reyes-Hart on Mar 25, 2010 8:24:14 GMT -5
Cassi hummed softly to herself as she sorted through come of the clothes that had been left behind, looking for especially rich fabrics or anything that could be of value. Her reverie was interrupted, however, by a loud noise down the hall. Scowling--suspecting Coop was up to more mischief--she whirled around and glared at the open doorway. Only to blink in surprise when a gray-skinned blur whizzed past, followed by a loud thump and a pained grunt. Her eyebrow lifted.
"Uly?"
Moments later the Mage in question fumbled back into view. He doubled over, panting for breath, the ends of his scarf pooling the ground in front of him.
"Is something wrong?" Ulysses lifted up, tried to speak but couldn't get out the words past his heaving for breath, so held up a finger indicating that he needed a moment. Cassi's brow furrowed. If he was in that much of a hurry, he probably didn't have a moment to spare.
The liquid-silver of her eyes began swirling counter-clockwise. Her vision followed Ulysses in sped-up reverse as he tore hell-for-leather through the Golden Chance, until she found him trotting alongside Josetta, Thorn and several others. She stopped the vision and replayed it in real time.
A few seconds of listening to the conversation, and her eyes slowly widened to the size of saucers. And then she was pelting out the door, leaving Uly to groan and trail after her.
Cassi burst into another room, where the tall, redheaded figure of her adopted grandmother stood. "Alex!" she called, tone fearful, causing the woman to turn sharply.
"What's the matter, Cass?"
Uly tumbled into the door behind her, though he was largely ignored by the two women. "My sister's in trouble!" Cassiopeia announced. "Apparently she's been . . . possessed by a ghost?" she somehow managed, looking back to Ulysses for confirmation. Still panting, he managed to nod vigerously. She swung back to her grandmother, who looked as perplexed as she felt. "I dunno, but Jo says she needs us in the banquet hall right away."
"Well then, we best be off," was Alex's simple retort, confident as always. They stepped out into the hall just in time to see Miller approach, Dagger trailing behind him. Cassi had to hesitate at the look in her crew leader's eyes. The easygoing softness she was used to was gone, replaced by a cold harshness that gave her the willies.
"We're out of time," he near-barked, tone impatient. "Follow me."
Alex's eyebrow lifted again at the tone, but she gave no argument. Cassi just wrung her hands a little as they all began jogging back the way he'd come.
Please, please let Andi be alright . . . .
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Post by Admiral Hart on Mar 25, 2010 11:20:59 GMT -5
When the possessed Andromeda entered the room, Cook and Willie were in the back of the ornate banquet hall, and between the ghost and them were Hart, Alex, Thorn, Dagger, Miller, and Cassi.
"So, a last stand to save the whore." The ghost mused.
"Get out of my sister!" Cassi cried, stepping forward. "Please, you don't need her."
"You all bore me." The ghost, with Andi's mouth, replied. And then the floor melted.
It happened so quickly, no one realized that they were sinking into liquid plastic, wood, and ceramic until Cassi tried to take another step towards the ghost and found her boots stuck in the thick, sticky floor. Only Cook and Willie were spared--the rest sunk down to their chests almost immediately, their heads and shoulders just barely poking free, and the ground solidifying right after.
"Hey! No fair!" Cassi called as the ghost floated over their heads, towards Cook and Willie.
Hart turned to them as best she could. "it's up to you two now."
"We're not who you think we are!" Willie explained.
"I'm not even Montefort! I'm Esmeralda and Montefort's great grandson, they've been dead for years!" Cook exclaimed.
"You trickery will not work on me, scum." The ghost sneered. "Soon, you will be dead, and she will be mine."
Cook looked to Willie and gulped, sighed, and said. "Sorry Miller." And then he kissed a shocked Willie right on the lips.
The ghost in Andi's body gaped at this. "NOOO!!!!" Both it and Miller let out a snarl of inarticulate rage, and suddenly Cook was ripped off the ground and slammed into the back wall. A strong force continued to exert pressure on him, especially his chest, and a cracking noise could be heard from his chest, the small, blond ensign screaming in pain.
It was so distracted by this that the ghost did not notice the android girl come up behind her and, with a jump grabbing Andi from behind and embracing her.
The starmetal in Katy's body shone bright through her skin, and the ghost screamed in rage and pain as it was forcefully thrown from its host, and Andromeda went limp in Katy's arms.
The ghost was mostly transparent, and appeared a moderately handsome man in a fine suit. He would have been more handsome had his face been been twisted in a scowl of rage.
"NO! I WAS SO CLOSE! DAMN YOU, MONTEFORT! I WILL HAVE ESMERALDA, IF I MUST CLAIM YOUR BODY TO DO IT WITH!" The ghost roared.
"Not so fast, evil spirit! Bwahahahaha!" TK exclaimed, jumping into the room with his arms crossed across his chest dramatically, ghost ball in one hand. The engineer tossed the ball, which split open and summoned a vortex that shot out towards the ghost, drawing it towards the ball.
"NOOOOOOO!" It cried as it was pulled into the sphere. "BELIAL, YOU PROMISED ME MY REVENGE! GOD DAMN YOU, YOU LIED TO ME!"
The ball snapped shut, and the inner circle blinked a few times, the ball bouncing and shuddering, before stopping.
Those who were trapped in the floor now found themselves lying on it, as if nothing had ever happened.
Cook, however, was on the ground, moaning and cradling his chest. He let out a cough, and blood sprayed onto the floor beneath him.
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Dr. Andromeda Reyes
Sailor of the Eight Planets
Plunder's Heart Chief Medical Officer
I've given up everything for my sister once. I wouldn't test my loyalty if I were you.
Posts: 119
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Post by Dr. Andromeda Reyes on Mar 25, 2010 11:32:39 GMT -5
Andromeda came awake with a start. She blinked up at Katy, who was holding her with a worried expression on her face, and then glanced around blearily at the others around her. Who all looked frazzled and shocked, most of them still laid out on the floor. TK was prancing around happily with a glowing orb in his hands, oblivious to all else. And Cook was on the ground, gasping and wheezing with blood oozing from his mouth.
". . . what in Stars' name is going on?" she managed, wondering why her voice was so hoarse. Or why she felt so drained. The last thing she remembered was being in the medical bay, and then she'd seen that . . . . ghost?
"Ghosts, adultery, internal bleeding," Josetta rattled off somewhat blandly. Andromeda just stared at her blearily, her vision going fuzzy again.
"Ensign Cook seems to be suffering from multiple broken ribs," she managed weakly, "Which have apparently done internal damage. Someone . . . might want to see to that, before he bleeds out."
And then the shock and trauma caused her to go slack once again.
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Willie Barbary
Buccaneer
Pilot
It's worse when you know that hell is coming, but nobody else will believe you . . . .
Posts: 52
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Post by Willie Barbary on Mar 25, 2010 11:58:17 GMT -5
Willie hugged herself, wincing as Dr. Reyes went slack again. She hoped the woman would be okay. And Cook too, she decided, glancing back at where the man in question was curled up somewhat on the ground. Thorn knelt beside him, murmuring for him to relax and stay and still as possible.
She tensed when Miller suddenly appeared at her side. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah," she assured, though her voice was still shakey. "Yeah, I'm ok. Just a little rattled . . . ." Willie trailed off as she suddenly realized the change in his demeanor. He wasn't touching her. Normally Miller always touched her; a hand in the small of her back, nuzzling her hair, even tossing a possessive arm around her hips or her shoulders. Instead he just stood in front of her, face blank and dark eyes cold. She stared up at him for a couple seconds, confused. And then hurt. And angry.
". . . you're mad at me, aren't you," she finally managed, tone accusing.
Miller didn't even bat an eyelash. "I'm angry at a lot of people," he admitted tonelessly. "You did what you had to do."
Willie gaped, suddenly furious. "Don't you dare turn this around on me! I didn't even want to get on this damned ship! I told you it was a bad idea, but you never listen to me!"
He just continued to stare at her, and the blank look on his face caused her insides to go cold and numb. ". . . years of training, Willie. Years of training, and I was about as useful as a butterknife in a gunfight. I can't be counted on to keep you safe."
Willie did the best to ignore the flood of moisture that suddenly filled her eyes, as well as anyone who might be witnessing this bizarre tableau. "So . . . what, are you saying I'm a liability to you now?"
". . . it's too dangerous for you out here," he finally pronounced, and Willie felt as if he'd just stabbed her in the gut with one of his precious knives. Especially as not an ounce of emotion ever lit his face. It remained cold, blank, impassive. Dead. "You should leave. With Joey."
A sob finally escaped then, as well as the tears, trickling down the side of her face. But her temper ignited too. She scowled through her pain, her whole body starting to tremble. With pain, and with fury. "Fuck you, Randolph," she hissed. "I gave up everything for you. My family. My career. Everything. And now all of a sudden you wanna toss me aside like a piece of garbage? Because now all of a sudden, it's too dangerous for me to be here? Don't insult my intelligence," she spat then. "You're not afraid I'll get hurt. You're pissed off because I had to kiss Cook. To save Andi's life." More tears slipped loose, but she didn't seem to notice them. "Well fine. Have it your way. I'll just take our son back to Mars on the next goddamned shuttle I can get ahold of, and you enjoy the rest of your fucked up existance."
With that she spun on her heel and stalked out of the room, ignoring the stares that followed her. Part of her praying, hoping, that Miller would stop her.
And then dying inside when he didn't.
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Dagger Leopold
Cabin Boy
Bounty Huntress
No more heartbreak.
Posts: 11
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Post by Dagger Leopold on Mar 25, 2010 15:52:11 GMT -5
Dagger hesitated for the briefest of moment when she saw Miller standing on one of Plunder Heart's observatories, staring out into space, a blank, cold look on his face. A look so completely un-Miller it gave even the bounty huntress pause.
"Save it, Dag. I'm in no mood." He said without turning to her.
"You need to hear this, Mil. Trust me." The mage replied. "Now, lis..."
Miller pivoted, knife in his hand, probably not intending to throw it but, rather, to emphasize his point. Before he could fully turn, Dagger had her rifle out and fired a single shot, which struck the weapon and sent it spinning back, into the ground.
Dagger did not lower the assault rifle. "If I need to tell you this at gunpoint, I will, Randy." She said sternly. "Now, listen close. Willie's hurting. She's hurting very badly. If you don't go to her, you're going to regret it. For the rest of your life."
"Are you finished?" Miller asked coldly.
Dagger stared at him for a moment, almost dumbfounded. "My God, Mil, what did they do to you in the Mamba?"
"They gave me perspective. Now leave me alone." The dark-haired man turned back to the stars. The Golden Chance was, barely, visible through the observatory's window-like viewscreen.
"It was just one kiss. And it saved both their lives." Dagger continued, pressing the issue further. "You can't blame them for it."
Miller said nothing. Dagger stared at him for several more minutes before holstering her rifle on the magnetic port on her hips and turning away. "Whatever. I tried."
She took a step away from him when he said, "I wanted to kill Cook. And Dr. Reyes. And I would not have felt sorry for doing it. Willie needs to leave, Dag. She needs to leave not to protect her from other people. She needs to leave to protect them from me."
"Mil..." Dagger turned back around, eying him with obvious sadness.
"I'm she isn't safe with me around her. Neither is Joey or anyone else on this ship. It's safer for everyone if she leaves."
"It was safer for my family that I didn't say goodbye to you. They died anyway, and I spent my life regretting it." The bounty huntress countered. "You'll spend your life regretting this, too." The mismatched eyed mage glanced back, deeper into the ship. "She's getting ready to leave, right now. She's throwing your things in the hall. You have to go to her." Dagger turned and started out of the observatory. "Don't live a life of regret, Mil. You can never know what the future holds. But it will be worse for you without her. Trust me."
Then Dagger left, leaving Miller alone to think about his former girlfriend's words, and wonder if this was truly the right path.
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Dr. Andromeda Reyes
Sailor of the Eight Planets
Plunder's Heart Chief Medical Officer
I've given up everything for my sister once. I wouldn't test my loyalty if I were you.
Posts: 119
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Post by Dr. Andromeda Reyes on Mar 25, 2010 20:54:32 GMT -5
The second time Andromeda came to, she was back on the Plunder's Heart II, in the technologically advanced medical wing. She blinked a few times under the bright lights, still feeling somewhat groggy and not quite herself, wondering what had happened exactly and whether or not the fragmented images still floating in her head had all been some sort of bizarre dream. But then an agonized groan hit her ears, causing her to turn and find Cook stretched out on one of her DSI exam beds, and it all rushed back with a vengeance.
Allison stood at his side, the large female shifting her weight back and forth, looking torn between anger and worry. As if she couldn't quite decide if she wanted to kiss him or hit him. Meanwhile Katy fluttered nearby, her fingers flying across the controls of the machine he was resting on.
"Just . . . um . . . t-try and relax," she called, tone somewhat unsettled.
Just then Andromeda had a flash of memory. She had felt rage . . . terrible, all-consuming rage at the sight of Cook kissing Willie. And then she--or rather the entity inside of her--was using some sort of power to throw Cook through the air, slamming him against the wall. And continuing to exhort pressure, slowly crushing every rib in his body.
"Oh Stars, what have I done," she whispered somewhat tremulously.
That caught all of their attention. "Oh, Dr. Reyes!" Katy spouted, relief evident in her tone and expression. "I'm so glad that you're awake! How are you feeling? Any dizziness? Nausea? Any trouble seeing?"
Andromeda allowed Katy to press her palm to her forehead, but her eyes never left Cook, who'd turned about as much as he could in his condition and eyed her warily. Somewhat horrified and filled with shame, Andromeda felt her eyes water.
"Cook I . . . I am so sorry--,"
The younger man just shook his head. "Naw, don't worry about it, doctor. It wasn't your fault. I don't blame you, so don't blame yourself."
Andromeda wasn't quite sure she could manage that, but didn't say anything more. Katy sighed.
"You still have a slight fever. You need more fluids. A-and bed rest I think, for at least twenty-four hours."
"That sounds like an excellent suggestion to me." The others turned to see Josetta standing in the doorway, her face fixed into her typical smirk. Katy stepped back to make room for the tall redhead, who then bent without preamble and scooped Andromeda right up off the examination bed.
Somewhat startled, Andromeda stiffened up a little, eyes wide. "B-but . . . Captain--Jo--what--?"
Unperturbed, Josetta just swung around and strode from the med-bay without the slightest hint of strain. "Ah-ah, you heard the nurse. Bed rest, she said. Better be careful, because I know the Chief Medical Officer in this Armada, and she's a stickler for following medical orders."
Andromeda couldn't help but smile a little at that. Giving in, she curled her arms around Jo's neck, tucking her head beneath the other woman's chin and allowed herself to be carried back to what appeared to be the Captain's quarters. They were quiet for several feet, and then Andromeda felt herself give an involuntary shudder.
"There were times that I could see what was happening . . . but I couldn't stop myself," she whispered somewhat tremulously. "It was like being a prisoner in my own skin." Josetta's arms tightened a fraction around her, and Andromeda felt the redhead's chin nuzzle a little into her hair.
"You're safe now, Andi," she reminded her gently. "It's over now."
Andromeda nodded to that, but her gaze remained slightly haunted. The events might be over with, but unfortunately the feelings of helplessness and violation would probably stay with her for a while to come.
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Post by Admiral Hart on Mar 26, 2010 8:56:02 GMT -5
"Morgan, I hate to pull a Cook." Helmsman Xiao said, temporarily acting as sensor officer. "But something weird's going on with the Golden Chance."
"Weird how? All our men back yet?" He asked. Xiao nodded.
"As much plunder as they could carry but..." He glanced to the viewscreen, which was empty. "It's gone, Morg. Not on scanners or viewscreens or anything."
*****
On the bridge of the Golden Chance, Belial brooded.
He was a mage of average height, with messy, black hair and deep blue skin, dressed in a solid black suit. While slim of form, he had a certain lithe muscle to him. One of his eyes was red--the other, blue, and neither had whites--instead, they were set into black.
He smiled slightly. "Good. While things haven't gone exactly as planned...I can feel the cosmos realigning. Soon, fate will give me the chance I need to live again. Then, perhaps, I can make sure my existence is safeguarded. And the first step..." The mage's grin became a wicked smirk. "The death of Wilona Barbary."
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