H O R I Z O N // Sci-Fi // Literate (Accepting applicants!)

[The Smut Peddler]

ⓒⓞⓜⓜⓐⓝⓓⓔⓡ ⓝⓞⓥⓐ ⓥⓔⓖⓐⓢ

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❝As long as a word remains unspoken, you are it's master...❞

╔══════════════════════════════╗


This shattered dream you cannot justify
We're gonna scream until we're satisfied
What are we running for? We've got the right to be angry.



╚══════════════════════════════╝

Entering into the center room Alister gave his orders and headed up alone. Vegas and Gunnar left to clean up the ballroom. Vegas smirked as she lifted up her chainsaw as it whirled and dripped pools of laser light. She would offer a salute and looked back at the remaining enemies that stood before herself and Gunnar as Alister quickly raced up the stairs and ventured off. Vegas moved close to nudge Gunnar on the arm.

"So, I'll take the half on the left, you handle the right? Ok?" She wasn't really waiting on an answer as she quickly leapt up into the air and went to charge a large guard from above. Coming down with great force the large man with heavy gauntlets stopped her assault in mid air. His forearms were plated with some sort of metal or stone that rendered her chainsaw completely useless. Vegas would start to leap off and away as he would take his free arm and send her flying with a solid punch. Vegas would scurry in the air to catch herself but she would unfortunately become a human hacky sack as he continued to kick and punt her into the air.

Eventually this charade would loose its thrill and he would take one final punch and throw her across the room, the wall around her cracking and breaking as the impact reached an equal force. Vegas would flinch, move her hands ready to get back up, and her body would slump over. She would feel the stomping movements of the man continuing forward, his companions close behind ready start their attack as well. Cracking his knuckles the man was surprised at how easy it had been to defeat the young woman. She had been whipped around like a ragdoll, and fought just a fiercely.

The pink haired woman's eyes would flutter as she tried to keep them open, but there was little fighting it, she was blacking out completely.

The room became darker and quieter until finally she wasn't even there at all. She stood in a world of weightless black. No up, no down. There was absolutely nothing as far as the eye could see, in any direction. Finally as Nova's ears adjusted to the silence, hearing hear own heart beat, her lungs breathing, she would begin to hear a sound off in the distance. Standing upright she would grab at her chest where she had been hit only to realize she was not in as much pain as she had been. In fact, there was virtually no pain at all. A relief to say the least. The sound off in the distance grew louder and closer and Nova began to head towards it. It began to grow definition, it was humming, a woman, humming a tune. In the distance she would see a woman as she spotted this she would race to her, the closer she came the more the woman she closed in on looked like just like her.

Upon reaching the stranger Nova realized that this was the 'older' self she'd seen in her vision. What was going on? How was this happening. Nova tried to speak, but instead the humming woman began to sing. Her voice made it quite evident that she was not a native speaker of the universal language.

Fly me to the moon, and let me play among the stars
Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars...

The woman stopped, smiling up at Nova as she paused.

"Who...are you? Why am I here?" Nova would ask abruptly.
"Quite simple, my dear, I am Mother. I am you." The woman would make a sickly chuckle as she made the statement.
"That makes no sense..." Nova would stare dead ahead, unmoved by the woman's madness.
The woman would lean up, arms reaching out as Nova would step back.
"I am neither you, nor am I your child. I'm... sorry. You must have me confused with someone else..."
"My sweet Nova, fighting out there, you call on me often, and yet you deny me here now. Fear not though, I am not angry. You are so innocent. You were not meant for the world you were whelped in." Standing up she would grab hold of Nova and pull her close, stroking her hair and laying her head on her plush breast.
"You want to know who I am child? I am a fleeting memory and you, my darling doppelganger. You wanted to know why you are here?" The Super Ego would ask the young id, the id nodded.
"You are here because I called you here. The residual parts of me that linger in these catacombs of this mind crave what you so selfishly deny yourself. I am rage, I am violence, I am the embodiment of your deepest darkest thoughts..."
Nova struggled to pull away but the grasp the homunculus had on her was too great. "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?"
"Fight! Let me fight for you. Allow me the chance to destroy our enemies. When you fight. Let me fight."
With that Nova began to shake her head in protest but she felt the slightest bit of relief from the concept and she would fade.

...

The Commander's eyes would open, the man with the vicious gauntlets continued to pound into her face. She'd been battered and bruised pretty badly, but she would smile taking the man's hand and stopping it. She would move her waist and send him and his lady friends flying backwards, crashing into the buffet table. Without delay the woman rushed over her eyes cold as ice as she grabbed a long neck bottle of beer, popped the cap and guzzled the contents as she waited for them to reassemble. The man would glare and the pink haired woman would smirk. He would thrust a fist out to hit her and just as fast she would break the glass on the side of the table dip under his swing and stab him in the eye with the broken bottle.

The man would pull away and the Commander would rev up her chainsaw clicking the switch on her tractor beam as she pulled him in, slicing the man in two, letting his innards litter the floor. The two women would leap out to attack the green eyed woman and she would flick the chainsaw splattering their companions blood in their eyes as they stopped in their tracks. She would slash with wildly trained strokes as she slaughtered the two as if it were a dance she knew every step to. Finally she would slam the blade into the ground letting it idle dully. She'd look over to the buffet table, moving over and grabbing a six pack of high end imports. Nova was coming back, and she was happy to think she might have party favors for Rhia and Devaro since they'd missed all the fun.

╔══════════════════════════════╗


We can't afford to be innocent
Stand up and face the enemy
It's a do or die situation; we will be invincible



╚══════════════════════════════╝

❝...once you utter it, you are it's slave.❞

xxxx┇ ✦ Ballroom
xxxx┇ ♢ 50%
xxxx┇ ✦ Scared//Empty
xxxx┇ ✦ Fly Me to the Moon

[Space Candy]

xxxx"Speech."xxxxx"Thoughts."xxxxx"Others."

XXXXXXXXDaniella held on tightly to Alister, and she could feel him loosen up a bit. He seemed somewhat confused, and maybe relieved. Dani wasn't too sure though. Whatever he had been feeling didn't last long and soon he was giving his reasons for wanting Alexei dead. And even though Dani didn't want to admit it, they were justifiable reasons. Dani didn't quite know what to say to him and instead squeezed her arms tighter---like that would actually help. "I'm not moving. I promised to help her in return for calling you all. I have to fulfill my contract, I learned that from you." Dani insisted. "Besides, you should let Rhia decide what she wants to happen."

And that was about the time Alexei made her move. Dani released Alister as he was shot through the hand. The blonde let out a small gasp and then glared at Alexei. Just because Dani offered to keep her safe didn't me she was going to let her hurt her friends. She glanced over to Christian for a few seconds, Karl safely in his grasp. Dani moved her eyes back to Alexei, happy to see that she wasn't continuing her attack. She seemed defensive, but not in a violent state for the time being. The darker haired woman and Dani locked as she spoke and Daniella listened to her words. She was about to protest, insist that Dani would indeed get to Zeus, but then the woman stopped talking. Daniella watched her look around the room, and she came to the same conclusion Alexei did just by watching her.
"He took it, didn't he?" Finally, Dani released her hold on Alister and took a side step towards Alexei, and as she did that she was able to see Leon as he held his sword up to Alister's neck.
This was not good. Alister was her ticket out of here. Daniella glared at the new arrival, not at all happy that he was threatening her escape route, as well as her 'friend'. From the way he spoke, it seemed he was on Alexei's side, and also part of Lethe. He was just letting information fly loose, but it was nothing Dani wouldn't have been able to figure out on her own. Dani turned her head as Alexei reacted to the man's presence. Ganymede, she called him. He smiled at her, but the expression was so calm Dani didn't know how to take it. He was still holding a blade to Alister, and since Dani was standing so close to the brute she could practically feel his responses to the situation.

And just like everything else, this was all her fault.
Daniella kept her silver eyes locked on Leon as he spoke again. Escaped lab mice? The petite woman frowned, but didn't correct the man. He rattled on and on, throwing in a few choice words about how the situation had gone down and then proceeded to threaten Alister some more. And while Dani wanted to keep Alexei alive, killing Alister wasn't in her plan for that. She needed Alister more than she needed Alexei, that was for sure. Dani owed Alexei, that much was true, but she owed Alister more. If she had to pick between them it would be an easy enough decision. Without a word, Dani lifted her hands and untied her mask. She removed the piece and tossed it to the side just so Ganymede, and everyone else, could see her angered expression.

"Enough of this." Dani's voice was smooth, but laced with anger. It was unusual to hear Dani speak in such a way. Usually her angrier tones were reserved for her mental chatting, where as her audible voice was much softer. But this time was different. She was pissed off. She wanted to leave and she wanted to keep her friends alive. Dani moved past Alister so that she was standing closer to Leon and his blade. She stared at the taller man as she stood between him and Blood. It was quite a switch of roles, that was for sure. Alister had been protecting her since they met at Event Horizon back on Kessel Station. He'd gone so far as to crash an Olympian party just to get her back safely. Now it was time for Daniella to return the favor. Her anger would be her fuel...but she needed to focus. She could do this.
Daniella slid her eyes to Leon's hand that was holding the sword and frowned. "I'm tired of this squabble." Dani spoke evenly, shoving Leon a foot backwards and knocking his sword out of his hand with invisible force. She moved again, now standing with her back to Alister's as if she were guarding him. He was much larger than her though, and she looked even tinier than usual by comparison. With narrow eyes she looked to Alexei. "Control your friend. We are leaving now."

xxxxLocation :: Phobos - Dionysus' party
xxxxCompany :: Christian, Karl, Leon, Alexei, Alister, Six
xxxxHealth :: 85% - Pissed.
xxxxTunes ::W.D.Y.W.F.M. - The Neighbourhood
xxxxAttire ::Fancy

[Yasha_Glory]

I'm miss autonomy, miss nowhere, I'm at the bottom of me
Miss androgyny, miss don't care, What I've done to me
¤Company: Everyone ¤Condition: 79% ¤Location: Dionysus' Party
I am misused, I don't wanna do, Be not your slave
Misguided, I mind it, I'm missin' the train

The charming scent of fear wafted away as quickly as it had entered her nostrils. The terrified man had decided that, not only was Róisín no longer a threat, but that he could scoff at her warning. She had given him a second chance. She could have sliced him to bits at any moment, and it was taking most of her will power to keep from doing just that. What had he done? He had thrown her good will back in her face. The mild sedative was still swirling about in her system, keeping the creepy Stanford smile curled across her lips. That might’ve been why she continued to stand there, like a dumbfounded idiot, even as the man flicked his cigarette into her drink and turned his back to her. She stared at the man’s shoulder blades as he peacocked through the crowds, envisioning the muscles, tendons, and bones beneath the flesh and cloth. What if she had actually been a dunce walking around looking for a good time? If he had noticed the shards sparkling within the dark liquid after swiping the cup from her hand, had he intended for her to continue drinking and eventually rupture her organs? Arguably, he had ruined her drink and any normal person would have dumped the dangerous cocktail of pointy bits, however, the way his words hung in his wake and the pompous glint which sparkled in his eyes destroyed any nobility he may have had. Though her intent had been to use him as her alibi, the only thing she wanted from him at that moment was to gnaw down to his bones and grind them into unsalvageable mush. Róisín didn’t know whether to be flattered that her disguise had worked well enough to cause someone to turn their most vulnerable blind spot to her, or offended that he had the gall to accuse her of things she had no intention of doing and willingly insulted a lady of the utmost refinement. So her lunch hadn’t been the epitome of dainty perfection, and she would have dressed in something far more revealing to show off the doctor’s work, but there was not a soul at the party who could have known that she couldn’t have cleaned up nicely for her significant other. She was a nobody. She was just around until she found someone better to squeeze for money. It was why it made it so easy to replace her. But she was human; she was human and this man was treating her like dirt, the way so many humans treated lesser beings and objects. The more Róisín thought about it, the more infuriated she became with the situation. Her teeth, had they still been made of enamel, would have cracked with how hard she was clenching her jaws. The glass, still filled with wine and ashes, shattered in her grip; pieces tinkering against the floor and maroon liquid running down her gloved arm. No dancing, no etiquette, no respect; what point was there in sparing people? If this was a party then it was serious lacking some favors, and Róisín was suddenly glad that she had thought to program a little something extra into the girl’s obnoxiously pink phone. Her smile waned and she flicked open her fan once more to cover her lips and check the screen of her hand held computer system as she strutted through the crowd with the grace and cunning of a fox.

Karl: I’m on an adventure! <3
Me: Yes we are, Karl. Now I want you to lock onto that man’s signal. He was using a computer earlier and he should be easy enough to track down the next time I need a meal ticket.


Karl, on the other hand, was having the time of his life. He was meeting so many new people and this ‘Dani’-person was so nice! She let him be a part of the party and carried him in her arms the way Róisín used to do. It had been literally hours since he got to snuggle up to Róisín! What was her deal making him wait like that? It was always, ‘I’ve got blood on my hands, Karl’ or ‘Karl, I’m in the middle of replacing this man’s lungs with defective models can’t it wait?’ with her. It was only when she needed to sleep that he was allowed to be as close as possible to her and nestle against her in her mountains of pillows and fluffy comforter. This girl was nice, warm, and she smiled as much as he did. He wished Róisín smiled as much as she did. He loved it when she smiled. He knew she was perfectly capable of it so the excuse that it wasn’t in her programming was long gone and hardly mattered to the glowing AI system. He turned his tiny head up to look at the blonde when she questioned if he had ever been to a party before. “Of course I have!” he exclaimed. “My bestest friend in the whole wide world LOVES to be fancy! They dressed in red too! They looked so nice! You should meet them so you can be friends too!” Karl looked around from side to side as though he were looking for someone familiar to call over. His little smile pursed into a curious, yet worried line. He couldn’t see Róisín anywhere. She had told him not to talk to anyone until it was safe, and not to talk to strangers for that matter… But he was with friends now! That made it okay, right? Surely, Róisín would understand. Karl, lifted up on display for this new-comer with hair as white as Róisín’s, turned his attention to the man and smiled the same fishy smile he always did. ”Hello, friend!” he beamed. He was getting popular, and he could only hope that Róisín was having as much luck as he was. Maybe if she wasn’t alone all the time she’d cheer up and turn her frown upside down. He had no idea what was going on, more so where he was going. When he got Róisín’s message he knew he was going to get in a bit of trouble for wandering. She hadn’t even noticed that he was gone! Oh this wasn’t good. He’d have to apologize to her later when they reunited. For now he had to get adjusted to all this moving around and switching hands. ”Please don’t drop me! I don’t like the floor; people will step on me and I don’t like being offline!” he added to a conversation he obviously wasn’t a part of. He didn’t care. Most people forgot that he could talk and things seemed to be getting a bit busy, even for people who weren’t Róisín! Was this how parties were? No wonder Róisín liked them, they suited her.


Róisín stopped dead in her tracks as gunshots rang through the tall hallways and people began to scream. She hadn’t done anything yet, so what on earth was going on? Well, things were already ruined, they couldn’t get any worse. No, now that she thought about it, this was perfect. She gazed out one of the many windows at the decorative fountains as their water slowly came to a stop for no more than a moment or two. With a metallic groan of rapidly expanding metal a burst of light sprayed out of the ornaments, lighting the night sky ablaze with flames that threatened to rain down upon the unsuspecting garden guests. ”Well, there’s something you don’t see every day…,” she thought to herself. Though, judging by the reaction of the guests, this was not something that normally happened at the gods’ parties. Some running this way and that, and others cheering in inebriated delight, it was clear that the party was still missing that final ‘oomph’-factor. Róisín knew just how to fix that. In fact, things had turned out better than she could have hoped for. Someone was obviously already crashing the party, she might as well help them along with their little escapade. What did it matter who started what as long as it wasn’t traced back to her and some type of vendetta was born that night into a world of fire and madness? This was what she loved. This was the chaos she was craving; all that was missing was—her thoughts were interrupted as more gunshots echoed about the dance floor and large pieces of ceiling came tumbling down not far from where she was currently standing. Brilliant, the place was being torn apart with everyone inside. It was time to start throwing her own little monkey wrenches into the mix.

Me: I’m scared.
SugarBear: Don’t b, we r getting out of here, where r u?

The second the man clicked ‘send’ his device popped up a rather official looking document. Like clockwork, similar screens started popping up the unusual message around him and spreading across the room in a wave like pattern to those who still had working electronics.

☣ Warning! ☣
Due to the presence of a dangerous pathogen in close contact with your personal device, this message has been automated to protect the lives of civilians and our loyal consumers. Perishable consumable goods have been contaminated with a mutated zoonotic virus due to extensive genetic modification and improper preparation techniques. If you experience any of the side effects listed below please seek immediate help and begin quarantine procedures:
-Blurred Vision
-Coughing
-Fever
-Sore Throat
-Nausea
-Vomiting
-Aches or Bodily Pain
-Headache
-Dizziness
-Cell Rupture
-Internal Hemorrhaging
-Organ Perforation
-Organ Failure
-Internal Liquefaction
-Artifical Body Part Failure & Cybernetic Implant Self-Destruction
-Death
Reminder: Do not panic & have a nice day, Thank You.

Róisín stared at her screen for a few seconds as though she were reading the warning, though she had gone over it time and time again with a fine tooth comb to make sure the authenticity matched the real deal. She had been familiar with typing up such messages when she was still employed by Cyberteknik Industries; it was only a matter of fancy coding that would make it identical to a true alert. If everyone in a room got a message, then it must be true; would be the mentality Róisín was banking on to make her plan a success.

Me: I love you.

The man wrote a reply, probably attempting to calm what he assumed to be a hysterical girl, but when he attempted to send his gentle words of support and tender emotion, a far more insidious chain of events began to unravel. There was a soft beeping sound before his face started to feel hot. He raised a hand to touch his cheek and instead got his hand soiled with blood as his right eye exploded and spurt forth nearly a pint of blood out of its socket with enough projectile force to dirty several other party guests standing several feet away. He cried out in agony, clutching his face and yelling, “WHAT THE ******** IS HAPPENING?!” His hands and vision trembled as she hunched over, trying to figure out what was left of his cybernetic eye. He had spent so much on it to keep from missing any calls or being caught without access to his business files. Who would have thought it would backfire so badly?! Róisín’s head spun around at the sounds of screams, noticing the blood splatter and a man clasping a hand to his eye wearing a white mask now stained with his own blood and scorch marks. She stared, keeping her fan against her lips incase a smile managed to slip out, and suddenly knew why she could not find her target quick enough earlier. His eye had been his computer system. She could have looked for days and never found him by chance. Ah, whoever these party crashers were they had saved her a couple of days of boredom and frustration. Things were running along smoothly, so she hadn’t the tiniest bit of worry when she closed up her fan and let it hang below her elbow along with her handbag to check her latest message from Karl.

Karl: I will send a message to the ship. Don’t get mad. <3

She stared, confused, at the screen, and nearly oblivious to the anarchy buzzing around her as her frequency roamed the area and sent self-destruct signals to susceptible models of cybernetic parts. What did he mean by don’t get ma—BOOM!

Just as she began to think about all the reasons Karl could have possibly said what he had, the hot pink device detonated in her hands, leaving raggedy, fingerless nubs, attached to her wrists. Her gloves appeared to have melted and fused with her own skin and her rosy red lips curled back in a snarl. She had forgotten that her phone was going to make quick work of itself and destroy all evidence that linked her to anything to do with the rogue signal. Only one hand was supposed to be lost, now it seemed she had lost two. She screamed as loud as she could and began to run holding her mutilated limbs out in front of her for all to see. She wasn’t really scared, she wasn’t even in any real pain, but she was a damned good actress and no one would have been any the wiser watching her run about like a chicken with its head cut off. All she needed to do was play on the hysterics and find a way outside so she could get back to her ship. She didn’t know what else the party crashers had in store, and she wasn’t going to stick around to find out. She had done her job. She had framed both parties and the man who tried to have her killed. The Dominion would think the Olympians had falsified the warning to make the people wary of their experiments, and the Olympians would think the Dominion had purposefully infected their food and drink in a type of biological warfare. Even if they managed to track down the origins of the signal, they would be led to the man with the now missing eye, and with his girlfriend dead and her phone destroyed they’re only option would be to pin it on a corpse that no one would ever find. That was if, they could stop squabbling long enough to figure out that more than one person had come to sabotage the party.

Karl, now in the arms of the dapper snowy haired male, watched as the humans piled up on one another. One against the wall, one holding her there, Dani sandwiched in between, and the last with a blade to the others. That was something Karl honestly hadn’t seen before. Perhaps this was how humans greeted each other at parties? The atmosphere had certainly changed, and he knew Róisín’s plan hadn’t included anyone else. There were guns, swords, fire; all sorts of exciting things to take in. He would have to save his video files to remember this day and show Róisín that he could have adventures all on his own. If this was a part of human behavior and interaction he had never seen before, he wanted to be sure he remembered it. He saw his friend get upset and unexpectedly the last of their little conga line flew back and his weapon soared clear across the room. That was something Róisín would have loved to see, or so he thought. The man could fly! Not very far but maybe he was too heavy to get off the ground. With a gleeful burst, Karl belted, “I DON’T KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON, HA HA HA!”

And I don't know where I've been, And I don't know what I'm into, And I don't know what I've done to me
And as I watch you disappear into the ground, My one mistake was that I never let you down
So I'll waste my time and I'll burn my mind, On miss nothing, miss everything

[Lysander the Poet]

”You’re a bit more clever than I give you credit for, Kitten.” Alister said to Daniella, playfully. Why did she insist on getting in his way? ”But this isn’t the same thing, as that. And trust me, Rhia would want this b***h dead for than just almost killing her. She may had a cold exterior...and interior, but you were something good for ‘er. She would have preferred dying to protect you than be battered and broken, unable to come and save you.” Say what you will, Alexei was a sly one. She was out of his grasp in moments, right as he had loosened up just enough, since Daniella had decided to interfere. The energy bolt puncture a small hole in his hand, the wound instantly cauterized, and he snarled like an animal. His attention was still on Alexei, and he didn’t notice the additional figure who had approached them, and would momentarily be threatening his life. ”You said as much in your message. But you’ve also proven your lack of trustworthiness in anything but a paycheck. I almost admire it. But unlike you, I don’t enjoy profiting from betrayal. You think you were in the right because you felt threatened by Rhia? So the fact that you were trying to kidnap Daniella, someone her and I both were paid to transport and protect, that means nothing? Should have expected it, though. A lack of any honor, and trust me, I know very personally how that works. I suppose if I threatened to murder someone you cared about, and they attacked me first, that it would be quite alright to finish the job in retaliation. What else would you expect me to do?” His words were appropriately harsh, though the softening in Alexei’s tone when she spoke to Daniella, and then her reaction as she realized...something, well, Alister was slightly more convinced, though he wouldn’t admit it to her. And ******** it if he didn’t still want to murder the dumb b***h for what she did to Rhia. It was only the cold blade that stopped him from reacting to her new position of relative safety. It was awkward for Alister to be in this position, as he could have sworn he had this exact same maneuver in his repertoire. Any wrong moves, and the sword kills you. Try to spin around and react, and the other hand has a gun, aimed at the back of your knee, and they shoot you, and take your ******** head off. Alister smiled, though. Not even a sign of being slightly worried crossed his countenance. He’d been in worse situations, even with someone ready to kill him, and the mansion falling down around him. False confidence, it was, as he only had a few aces up his sleeve, and none of them were a sure way to get out of this. He decided who would play this stranger’s game, such as it was.

”You know who I am? I see my reputation precedes me, even in this shithole. You have me at a disadvantage, though, mate. I don’t know who you are, though, by the stench...I’m still not sure. It’s horrendous. Have you looked into showering? At least, as far as Olympians go, Alexei was pleasant to look at. I’m sure if I turned around, I’d probably vomit just looking at you. But I guess at least one of the rumors I’ve heard about the Olympians are true. They have less understanding of honor than a pile of dog s**t. You and her, both. If those smugglers and garbage want to interfere, I’d tear them all apart to get to her, for what she did. Lethe can ********’, and then drown in the river Styx on their way down to whatever you shits do in the afterlife.” Alexei’s expression of recognition when seeing Alister’s attacker was unsettling to the pirate, but not unexpected, since he threatened Alister from the very notion of him trying to kill her. Boyfriend, maybe? Or something more sinister. This man continued to blurt out more ******** words, and made it clear he knew more about the situation than a simple Olympian scumbag should. He had information that he shouldn’t…and something about a briefcase, and ******** that God-fella. Though, on second thought, the last part wasn’t too much of a revelation to Alister. He figured she probably ******** Ben, too, while they were all cozy together. And even that made it a little easier to believe that maybe she betrayed him too. At least that would breed a theory of consistency. ******** ‘em, then betray ‘em. A good system for getting what you need. There was still this little problem of him being at the mercy of someone else, that hardly enjoyed. He wasn’t sure if he would rather be skewered by the sword, let the ceiling collapse on him, or continue to endure the chatter and see if you could possibly be bored to death. ”I’m sure you’ve got all sorts of experience playing with other men’s assholes, buddy. I, for one, plan on keeping mine just like it is. And, just for clarification, I wasn’t look for approval or permission. It’s not my style. I’ll kill whomever I like, especially if they deserve it. Part of me wishes I didn’t have to, but that part of me is a liar. Though I’m sure Rhia would have loved to come on down and do it herself...if she could even walk.”

Daniella’s new little act was not quite as cute and innocent as usual. In fact, there was real anger there. And then he felt the sword’s cold metal leave his skin, and the sound of a larger form sliding back, at the same time that the new, angry Dani’s voice spoke out. What the ******** had Ben done to her? But now wasn’t the time for this, as he spun, around, and shifting the sniper rifle from his back to his hands as he did, lifting it up to firing position, and pointing it at Leon, then glancing over at Daniella, his brow furrowed in concern. ”The girl’s right. We’re leaving. This place is falling apart, and our welcome seems a bit...thin. I guess you got lucky this time, gramps. I won’t be splattering your brains all over the wall today. You have the little one to thank for that. As for you,” He said, looking at Alexei next. ”For now, Daniella has saved your life as well. You owe her big time, it seems. And I don’t like your little boyfriend over here. He’s old, and sort of creepy. Has a weird fetish for assholes, too.” Slowly, and watching Leon for any sudden movements, he slid the rifle back over his shoulder, and approached the injured woman on the floor that he had seen fighting earlier. Hoisting her up over his shoulder, he used his free hand to grab one of his SMGs. ”Alright, people, let’s get the ******** out of here.” He stalked out of the room, stopping only to grunt at Leon, ”There, she gets to live. For now. You happy, old man?” He then proceeded right past Christian, whom he nodded at with approval, and looked around the carnage, opening up a comm channel to Gunnar and Nova. ”We gotta jet, ladies and gents. Last order of business...I need you to find Ben. We can’t let that piece of s**t get out of here, except with us, or in a body bag. I’d prefer him alive...I think a good interrogation is in order, now that I consider it. Meet us at the ship, and we’ll be off to the great black yonder. We’ve even picked up a few new friends, it seems…” Things seemed to have gotten even worse in the mansion. The people were...staring at their phones, and then going ballistic. Alister swore he saw a man’s ******** eyeball explode down on the ballroom floor.

”Hustle up, people.” Alister took it as fast as he could with the injured woman over his arms, as he lead the others through the building, trying to remember exactly where the hangar was where all the ships were docked. People were running in all directions, and honestly weren’t of much help. ”Hey, Persy, I think I’m lost. Got directions for me? Or at least a Navpoint?” Alister looked down at his wrist computer, bringing up a map of the compound, drawing a beautiful line from his current position, straight to the ship. He took off in the opposite direction from moments ago, calling to the others to follow him. The winding hallways weren’t that bad. It was the masses of frightened people that made navigating the mansion challenging. Their little stunt had done a little more than planned...but something, or someone, else was at work here as well. As Alister rounded a corner, a pair of Olympian grunts caught his eye, and he opened fire with his SMG, the weight of the unconscious woman slung over his shoulder throwing off his aim. One of them got a few holes in the wall next to him for his trouble. His buddy, however, was the unlucky one, as several of the shots passed through his skull, splattering the wall with blood. The living soldier returned fire, but Alister kept moving, shots ricocheting off the wall behind him. One of them planted itself in the back of his shoulder, and he dropped his gun, crying out a bit in pain. He didn’t have time to recover his weapon, so he kept on moving. Out through a set of doors, and the rocky surface of Phobos spanned around them, the massive hangar in the distance, and a huge crowd of people rushing towards it to get to their ships and escape from the chaos. Alister made his way into the mass, weaving in and out of the frightened civilians, almost ready to thank a few of the Gods that he didn’t believe in when he finally made it to the interior of the building, and spotted the Persephone. The docking ramp dropped down at his arrival, and he awaited the arrival of the others, laying the unconscious woman on the ground. A few of his crew members came down the ramp, and he started barking orders. ”Take this one to one of the guest quarters, and lock the doors. I want surveillance at all times. I don’t want her to even leave the room without someone at her side. We’ll be bringing Ms. Santogold and a gentleman friend of hers on board...I want even tighter security for them. If they’re hungry, you find someone to get food for them. They start suffocating because the life support systems are failing? You blow ******** oxygen in through the door before you even think about letting them out? Miss Pearson will also need to be escorted to her room...but she is free to come and go as she pleases.”

[chibichick27]

Ʌℓεxεɪ Ϩαηʈɵɢɵℓ∂

"I need a FIX 'cuz I'm going down."

outfit // Masquerade
stamina // 32% - lightheaded, feverish, battle-weary (Leon, 89% - psyched up)
addiction status // craving

As Alexei stood there with her life delicately caught in a balance of Alister's fury and León's protection, her heart sank with the realization that the Olympian's presence could not be a coincidence. He knew about the briefcase and its importance to Zeus, perhaps even was more aware of its significance than she, and even though he had only made contact with Lethe three years ago, she had heard every malevolent rumor--no, they couldn't be rumors because they were certainly true--about him. While he put on a friendly face, and he certainly took care of those he liked, he could switch personalities in an instant in the interrogation room. And his methods were legendary. Alexei had seen a few of his victims. How they were still breathing, she did not know. She was convinced he was absolutely crazy, and that his many faces were actually all truly him. Those who saw them, went mad themselves.

And now he was here to do the same to her.

"I didn't know, Ganymede, I swear. I had no idea Dionysus would even consider that. I--" the raven-haired girl struggled to catch her breath as it tightened her throat. She felt the immense pang of addiction scratching the base of her skull, roaring to be satisfied, but she had nothing on her anymore. She began to sweat. Honestly, while Alister's threat on her life worried her, it was nothing in comparison to being in León's clutches. That's when Alister interrupted, taunting the older man until Daniella stepped in and summoned her Godly strength. Seeing it again filled Alexei with pride to be near her, but she had focused her power against Ganymede. His alias was so misleading, it hurt. Alexei was ready to step in and protect Daniella from an onslaught.

León's expression didn't change as he felt himself knocked back by a force that seemingly had built a spring out of air and pressed him against it. His sword flew out of his hand from the surprise, and soon Alister's gun was trained on his nose. Had that blonde mouse done this to him? So, she was more than just a little escapee running around with the big boys. A grin stretched across his face, and he gave an impressed nod. "Well, damn. Ya got me. I like you, ratoncito," he said to Daniella. The playful ring in his voice belied a calm unnatural against the chaos surrounding him. "Guess I won't be playing with any assholes today," he said with a sigh. "Also, it's cute that you think I pretend to have honor, because really, I've got...well, not a lot. And I hate to break it to you, but there isn't an afterlife for you to send me to. Just the cold, black, nothingness of anti-existence. Which I would prefer not to visit earlier than I absolutely have to." He leaned forward, the cold metal of the gun pressing against his forehead, and then cocked his head towards Alexei. "I hear the fear in your voice, mi araña. You never have to be afraid of me," the older man spoke gently to her.

Alexei's brow furrowed. She didn't believe him. Every time they had worked together, his ability to be so good at his job didn't sit right with her. Sure, she'd killed a lot of people. But he...he did things worse than that. And though he was always gentle and sweet to her, damn, she sometimes just wished he'd just be cold. It'd be easier that way. Alister lowered his weapon as Daniella reminded them all of the fact that the place was coming down around them. Once again, destruction everywhere she went. An internal sigh of relief at being off of Alister's hit-list--for now, at least--was quickly replaced with anxiety about the briefcase. "There, she gets to live. For now. You happy, old man?” Alister grunted at León. "Pleased as punch, honey," the man sung back as they made their way out of the room, looking for Ben on their way to Persephone. Once again, the Kessel crew, tossed together by fate, were once again battling against all odds in a death-filled trap of a place. With a few additions, of course--Six, whom Alister had grabbed from the room, a fish-computer thing Christian was holding (he had remained quiet the entire time, but she saw the fury in his face when they laid eyes on each other), and León. Said man leaned in towards Alexei as they ran. "I think it's funny that he said 'gets to live', as if he thought he would be able to kill you with me around anyway," he whispered to her, letting out a small giggle of amusement. She said absolutely nothing in response, and wished that she could just hop a ship and fly the two hours to Mars to see her family and leave this whole mess behind her.

That's when her keyPC beeped on her wrist and the screen flashed.

☣ Warning! ☣
Due to the presence of a dangerous pathogen in close contact with your personal device, this message has been automated to protect the lives of civilians and our loyal consumers. Perishable consumable goods have been contaminated with a mutated zoonotic virus due to extensive genetic modification and improper preparation techniques. If you experience any of the side effects listed below please seek immediate help and begin quarantine procedures:
-Blurred Vision
-Coughing
-Fever
-Sore Throat
-Nausea
-Vomiting
-Aches or Bodily Pain
-Headache
-Dizziness
-Cell Rupture
-Internal Hemorrhaging
-Organ Perforation
-Organ Failure
-Internal Liquefaction
-Artifical Body Part Failure & Cybernetic Implant Self-Destruction
-Death
Reminder: Do not panic & have a nice day, Thank You.


She noticed León looking at his computer as well. "Is the Dominion trying to kill us all with biological warfare, or what? Hell, maybe Dionysus got bored." He didn't seem particularly worried, but immediately the raven-haired girl's hand went up to her eyes. Cybernetic destruction would be catastrophic. But nothing happened. In fact, she felt fine. No indication her body parts were turning to goo, and she wasn't puking up her esophagus. Was it spam? It looked much too official. No matter where it came from, it seemed to cause even more panic. Pretty soon, Olympian soldiers were attacking anyone that moved funny. Alexei did not want to kill any Olympian men and women, but then she remembered they worked for Dionysus and that made her angry enough to sent bolts through their heads and bullets into their hearts. Down towards the entrance, a soldier took aim at Daniella. Alexei quickly wrapped her arm around the blonde and spun so her entire body was shielding her. Then then bent over, still holding the girl--it might have looked like they were dancing--as the bullet whistled over her skull. She spun around again and planted a bolt right through the offender's nose. "Stay close to me," she said to Daniella, "and I will not let anything happen to you."

A group of Olympians were standing right outside the doors of the mansion. They lined up to take shots at the identified attackers, but halted when they noticed León approaching. "Staff Commander, cease and desist. Leave the enemy's presence and we will not hurt you." León sighed and scratched his temple, his sword gleaming against the lights flooding the mansion's exterior. "Hate to break it to you, but I think your boss has royally screwed up this time. Betraying the big guy, damn...oh wait--you knew that! Once I lower my weapon, you were--nooooo, tell me you weren't!--going to drop me like a hot potato, weren't you?!" He laughed, the echo uncomfortable in Alexei's ears. "Well you know what I say? You can go right ahead and kill your superior officer. Oh, but, you probably won't succeed. Spoiler alert, I guess." León marched up to the gun line. Stunned, they struggled for a moment to begin to open fire. He cleaved one of the men in half and, holding up the top half of the body, shielded himself from the bullets and heat of the close-range shooting and barreled through them, laughing with glee at the carnage.

Alexei shuddered upon seeing his brutality, its animalistic nature off-putting, but she knew she didn't have time to complain. She kept one eye on Daniella--and Christian as well, because of Daniella's fondness for him--as she joined the fray with everyone else, killing the soldiers, and even taking the time to throw herself in front of Alister with her shield activated so him and Six wouldn't get sprayed with shrapnel. She gave him a wordless glance before jumping back towards Daniella. He had spared her life twice now. Why? It wasn't worth it to him. But she wouldn't question it for now.

Finally, they got to the ship. Alister's captain tendencies kicked in as he ordered her and León into essentially lockdown and surveillance. She glanced at her superior. Despite Alister's attentiveness, she knew him. He could easily break out of this temporary captivity and head back to Charon, right now. But he didn't do anything, just smile kindly at her and wink as they were herded onto the ship. As if he was having fun.

Oh, and he was.




_____________________________________



I, too, saw God through mud —
The mud that cracked on cheeks when wretches smiled.
War brought more glory to their eyes than blood,
And gave their laughs more glee than shakes a child.
Merry it was to laugh there —
Where death becomes absurd and life absurder.
For power was on us as we slashed bones bare
Not to feel sickness or remorse of murder.


- "Apologia Pro Poemate Meo", Wilfred Owen


_____________________________________

[Nebish]

”Alright. You two cover the bottom floors. Look for Ben, Alexei, Christian, and Daniella. If you find Ben or Alexei, give ‘em some ********’ hell, but leave ‘em alive. They’ve got too much to answer for to be allowed a quick death. And kill as many of these masked cunts as you like. Especially the really threatening looking ones.”

"So, I'll take the half on the left, you handle the right? Ok?"

Yes, half of a ballroom. This is perfect. It dawned on Gunnar that sarcasm went wasted if left unspoken. And how in the ******** was he supposed to find this Ben, person? He'd seen the man once and he had been armored head to toe. Still, he'd volunteered for this ludicrous mission; if he hadn't been willing to go up against an entire room full of armed psychopaths - half a room full of armed psychopaths - he should have stayed on the ship. No time for doubts.

A group of men and women rushed toward him. The doctor raised his pistol at the crowd. Many of them screamed out in terror. In the rush and fear, he had nearly gunned down a group of civilians. Still, a single gunman in that gaggle could spell his end. He raised the pistol until the bullets would strike the walls behind them and let out a three round burst. The machine pistol roared as it belched out the bullets. Momentarily deafened by the sound, Gunnar didn't hear the shrieks as the crowd bolted in all directions, parting before him like the Red Sea parted for Moses.

One man caught his eye - not phased by gunfire and obviously armed, he was using the frantic movements of the crowd to disguise his own. Gunnar squeezed the trigger once more and let a pair of rounds strike the man in the thigh. The stranger fell onto his back. Gunnar walked over to him and kicked the firearm to the side "Is your name Ben?" Startled confusion came over the man's face. That's a no then. "Pity." The doctor brought his foot up in an arc and brought it down, sharply, on the unnamed man's throat with a crack.

Aaaand that ought to clear out any stragglers. Seven figures stayed on the dance floor with him. This isn't going to be easy.

"I don't suppose any of you are named Ben, are you?" His question was met with only silence from the assembled killers. Well, at least that means that I don't have to keep one of them alive. That makes this insane instead of impossible. Gunnar swept his arm in front of him, unleashing a wild barrage of bullets. His targets dove out of the way and he dropped to the ground, pulling the body on top of him. Rounds slammed into the human shield. Gunnar waited until he heard the weapons click. He lifted the machine pistol and pulled the trigger. Bullets ripped into one of the assailants, and then another. The bolt slid back. Empty.

The remaining Olympians began advancing on Gunnar, pulling out short bladed sword. He dropped the machine pistol, grabbed the hand of the dead man that hell held up against his body, and then picked up the corpse's weapon. Fooled by the biometrics of the fresh body, it let out loud electric barks as six inch long metal slivers ripped out. The unusual rounds slid into flesh. Three more bodies hit the floor. One of the men made it to the doctor and swung his sword down. The surgeon brought his left arm up to meet it. The gladius landed with a loud clang. Gunnar rose to his feet and let the breaching hammer slide from his sleeve. He brought the hammer straight in the man's sternum and then down on the man's skull.

The last person slid his blade in through Gunnar's back and out his stomach. The doctor yelled out in pain and surprise before swinging the hammer in a wide arc. It struck his attacker's face and the man fell to the ground. Gunnar's vision was clouded in a red haze as he brought the hammer down again and again onto the unmoving body.

"I'M LOOKING FOR A MAN NAMED BEN AND I AM GETTING VERY IMPATIENT." A few of the remaining party-goers looked toward a man sitting in a booth in the back. Gunnar walked up to the man and adjusted his grip on the hammer. "I'm taking you to Blood. Time to go."

Gunnar and Vegas marched their captive out of the still burning palace and to the Persephone where the surgeon had Sara tend to hole running through his abdomen. Still affected by the powerful stimulants he had taken earlier, the doctor's first thought was in how much he had liked this suit.

Deep Turquoise #00C5CD ==

[Space Candy]

xxxx"Speech."xxxxx"Thoughts."xxxxx"Others."

XXXXXXXX

Dani was more than relieved when the consensus to get the hell out of there was reached. She didn't have time to be worrying about everyone trying to kill each other. It was more important that they didn't get crushed by the ceiling.
It seemed quite similar to what had happened on Kessel Station in that everyone was somewhat cooperating in order to stay alive. Daniella wasn't about to complain though...but it had dawned on her that there really was a sort of pattern going on here. The blonde frowned slightly but continued on their escape route. She did her best to not get bit by any bullets and to dodge any physical attacks. Everyone was going crazy. Freaking out and screaming and the like. It was a mad house, and her shoes weren't helping. It was growing harder for her to concentrate on blocking the frantic thoughts of passerby out of her head as they ran and things grew more chaotic. Everyone around her was screaming both externally and internally, and it was driving Daniella mad. It was bad enough being in a crowd, but the imminent danger made it ten times worse. Still, she pressed on. Dani lifted a hand to the side of her head and winced. Briefly she looked to Christian to make sure he was alright, and to make sure he hadn't dropped Karl. Thankfully that wasn't the case. She gave Christian a smile, though she wasn't sure what good it would do.

And that was about the time that Alexei wrapped her arms around her. Daniella let herself be handled by the woman and bent to her will. Grey eyes squinted shut as she pressed herself to Alexei. Yes, it was definitely better to have Alexei on her side than for her to be dead. Dani had managed to convince Alister to spare her, but convincing Rhia would be another challenge entirely....Alexei shifted again and shot whomever was attacking them. Once the threat was gone, the woman in the red dress straightened and moved to brush a few flaxen strands out of her face. Alexei once again pledged her protection, and Daniella gave her a curt nod in response. The telepath stuck close to Alexei and Christian for the duration of the escape.
Eventually the group reached Persephone, and the only time Dani had been happier to see a ship was when she had escaped from GenEx. Alister began barking orders and she listened to him calmly as she moved toward Christian. Gingerly, Dani took Karl from the taller man's grasp and cradled him in her own delicate hands. She looked down at the green fish, silver eyes filled with concern for the AI. "Karl, are you alright?" She asked in a quiet tone, doing her best not to interrupt Alister as he went on. Daniella's hair slipped over her shoulders and her brow knitted in concern as she waited for Karl to respond.

"I need to get back to my ship and find my friend!" The fish exclaimed.
Dani bit her bottom lip and shook her head. "I'm sorry Karl, I can't help you. Going back is too dangerous."
Karl's expression changed a bit, and Dani couldn't help but feel guilty. She had stolen him really, and someone was probably looking for him. "Can they come on board too?" He chirped.

Daniella looked over to Alister for a moment before returning her gaze to Karl. "That's not really my call...but why don't you send them a message telling them you're safe. Maybe after that we can meet up and return you to them." For now it was the best solution Dani could think of. The blonde looked from person to person. Gunner and Nova approached with Ben in tow, and he looked rightfully pissed. Things would be more tense between them now than ever,and Dani wasn't particularly excited about that. But Alister had order her former captor to be locked up. She just hoped it stayed that way...
Still holding Karl, Dani made her way to the ship. One of the crew members waited for her, ready to take her to her room as Blood had instructed. But Dani shook her head at the man with a calm expression.
"I will change later. I want to see Rhia." She spoke calmly though inside her stomach was beginning to knot. There was no guarantee that Rhia would be awake, or that she would want to see her. After all, it was Dani's fault she was injured so badly. All because she had been careless...because she hadn't been paying attention.

Dani followed the crewman as he lead her to the medical bay. She walked without a word, only the click of her heels on netsl indicating her presence. It was time for her to buck up, just like she had moments ago when Leon had his sword at Alister's neck. GenEx had given her the tools she needed to succeed, she just needed to stop being so afraid of herself. Thoughts f her brother gnawed at the back of her mind as they neared the medical bay.
The pair halted and the doors slid open. Dani stepped into the bay quickly. Rhia was laid up on one of the beds,and even laying down and mostly covered she looked like hell. The blonde rushed to Rhia's bedside and set Karl down on the bed near her hips. She doubted Rhia would knock the AI off of the bed...Satisfied with Karl's safety, Daniella kneeled beside Rhia's bed, not giving a damn if the expensive fabric was getting dirty from the floor. She remained quiet for a moment, silver orbs taking in the damage done to her friend. "Oh, Rhia..." The female muttered quietly. Daniella reached out and took Rhia's closest hand in both of hers. Gently, Dani rubbed the back of Rhia's hand with her soft fingers. "I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. Just like everything else. You didn't deserve to be hurt like this...I will do better from now on. I promise." she continued to stroke Rhia's hand. She continued, dropping her voice a little lower. "I'm already getting stronger...One day I'll be protecting you. You'll see. "

xxxxLocation :: Phobos - Persephone , Medical Bay
xxxxCompany :: Rhia & Karl
xxxxHealth :: 85% - Determined
xxxxTunes ::W.D.Y.W.F.M. - The Neighbourhood
xxxxAttire ::Fancy

[The Smut Peddler]

ⓒⓞⓜⓜⓐⓝⓓⓔⓡ ⓝⓞⓥⓐ ⓥⓔⓖⓐⓢ

╰☆╮░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░╭☆╯

╭☆╯░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░╰☆╮

❝As long as a word remains unspoken, you are it's master...❞

╔══════════════════════════════╗


This shattered dream you cannot justify
We're gonna scream until we're satisfied
What are we running for? We've got the right to be angry.



╚══════════════════════════════╝

It wasn't long before Gunnar had found Ben and they were off to the ship. Nova glanced back at the demolished buffet table, taking notice of all the lobster tails and shrimp that decorated one of the displays. She sighed, knowing she had to keep a close eye on Ben and her tail was already preoccupied with the six pack she was taking back to the ship. Disappointing as it was, the delicious feast would have to be left to waste. She'd shake her head and return to her work of getting Ben back to the ship.

Once on Nova would let go of Ben and allow a few of the crew to take him to a room. With that she'd board, looking over to Alister who was a bit preoccupied with ordering the crew around, as apparently there was quite the reunion to be taking place there on the ship. And from the sounds of it, even a few she'd not anticipated. As soon as he was finished, Nova noted a few other things to the busy crew.

"Keep him in a room separate from the others, we want facts when we talk, not a pleasant little story that everyone agrees upon. And check them for wires and trackers. I'll be damned if I'm falling for that twice. In fact, just use one of those EMP grenades in one of the faraday cages. That should do the trick... Better yet, why don't we just keep him there? Ok?" Vegas would glance over at Alister for a moment just to be certain he hadn't objected before she rushed off his crew.

As the chaos died down and Alexei, her little man friend, Will, and the unknown woman were carted off the pink haired woman sighed. This had been a crazy day. She was exhausted and glad to have made it out in one piece. Leaning against the wall she pulled a single pin from on top of her head and let her long pink hair fall down. Reaching up and taking the mask off for the first time that evening. Glancing over at Gunnar as she chuckled.

"I don't think we did half bad for ourselves. If we didn't have all the extras to watch over, I'd say we should party like all good pirates do." She'd smile, her face softening up some. She knew now was not the time, but she wanted the rest to know she was pleased with the success of their mission. Nova's eyes would rest on the six pack and she would nod to Gunnar, Alister, and Christian. "My apologies boys, but I still need to hand out some party favors."

With that Nova headed to the medical bay, but stop before she opened the door when she noticed Dani sitting with Rhia. She was glad to see Rhia getting some attention, and she was sure Dani needed this too. She'd turn on her heels to head off, she could always deliver the goods at another time. She didn't see Devaro anywhere, so therefore she'd just meet back with them later. She'd take the booze to her room and set them and the mask down on the dresser. Once she finished she'd head out, heading back to the group she encountered Alexei and her male friend being placed in a room. Nova felt an unusual pinprick sensation on the back of her neck when she watched the man's total amusement in the detainment. It did not sit well with her. She'd hope he was just mad or ill minded, because the notion that he was unmoved by the situation simply made her sick.

She would stand by, watching as they set them in, something in her felt that the crew may need back up, and she wanted to ensure that if that happened she would be able to lend a hand. The uneasiness never seemed to fade, and that bothered her greatly, reaching up she turned on the comm device and spoke.

"So Captain, far be it from me to argue, but what's with picking up Tiny and Butch? Ben and Alexei I get, but who are these clowns?" Nova was curious why Alister would have grabbed the older gent and the pink haired woman, but she was sure he had his reasons, she just hoped they might ease her mind a bit if she heard them aloud.

Finally she would make her way to the mess hall, she wasn't sure who she might find there, but she figured that if anyone else on this ship was like herself, they'd likely not eaten since... God knows when. She'd pull out some dishes, some cookware and finally open up the fridge, hoping she might find something to cook for everyone. Once she opened it her eyes glazed over some as she looked at what was an almost overabundance of steak and other meats. It was not hard to tell what was the popular dish here. She'd sigh heavily as she pulled out several items and stared to cook.

Once she finished she grabbed a pile of plates and sat them down. Steak burgers, fries, and for those more like herself - vegetables. While Nova herself did no eat meat, the dish was one of Captain Pierce's absolute favorites. So she'd only made it, a half million times before. She'd pour herself a drink of scotch and sat down at the table. Leaning back, she would place her hands behind her head and bask in the moment of peace. Eventually calling out, to the ship's AI.

"Persephone, I hate to ask, but would you be so kind as to let everyone know dinner's on. I'll take some to Rhia once she's free..."

╔══════════════════════════════╗


We can't afford to be innocent
Stand up and face the enemy
It's a do or die situation; we will be invincible



╚══════════════════════════════╝

❝...once you utter it, you are it's slave.❞

xxxx┇ ✦ Ship // Mess Hall
xxxx┇ ♢ 50%
xxxx┇ ✦ Relaxing
xxxx┇ ✦ The Ultimate

[Lysander the Poet]

Alister merely gave Nova and the crew members attending to Ben a stern nod, as he was started to feel a bit tired. His shoulder had been steadily bleeding, and after the injury he had sustained on Calypso, he was pretty out of it. The powering force of adrenaline was finally melting away, and Alister just wanted to grab a good bottle of whiskey, and drink himself to a nice sleep. Ben, on the other hand, probably was not the happiest person to be captured, and that made Alister almost giddy. The smug b*****d really had no idea that Alexei had signalled them here, did he? It was a thing of beauty, though Alister couldn’t help but clench his fists at the mere thought of Alexei, and now Leon. He was going to cause some trouble, Alister was sure of it. Considering the circumstances, however, there was no other way this could be done. The ship was going to have to play host to all these traitors, psychos, and enemies...and perhaps, even a few nightmares. The crew worked busily around him to haul away the prisoners, and the chaos outside was now overflowing into the hangar bay. It was most definitely time to leave Phobos behind. Alister shrugged at Nova’s notion of celebrating, ”If only we had that luxury.” Things had begun to get too real too fast. Only a few days ago, Alister would have blown caution to the wind, and cracked open a drink or two right there as they were making their escape. He would have picked one of the pretty young ladies that chose to be a passenger, and wooed her, and made certain that she ended up in his cabin that very night, only to drop her off at her destination and never see her again. The life of a pirate, simple and free. But now Halloran was on his a**, harder than ever before. Must have been getting pretty frustrating, being shown up by someone who was once under your command, who only had a ship and a rag-tag group of criminals at his back, against the immeasurable power of the Terran Fleet, and the Dominion’s payroll. How far that psycho would go to kill Alister Blood was amazing. Now, Alister wasn’t pompous enough to think this was all for his life, (though, to be fair, he does tell himself that sometimes to soothe his ego) and knew there was more to it than that. If the Dominion had Halloran in their pocket for so long...why did this begin now? His thoughts drifted to Daniella, to the little nuggets of information Christian shared...and to the horrid monstrosity he had fought on Calypso Station. People were dying in droves, some of them men and women that Alister had either known for awhile, done business with, or just one of the many folk who were willing to risk their lives and livelihood for the freedom piracy provided. It was moments like this that Alister thought maybe Devaro and his notions of industry, and his persistent belief in the Independent Alliance wasn’t completely pudding-brained after all.

He made his way up the boarding ramp, ascending into the bowels of the worn out old starship. He ran his fingers softly against the metal, taking in the subtle hum of the ship’s engine spinning back into life. The last few days, she had been at the edge of the system back, and he couldn’t help but wonder if she was getting as tired as he was. Always running, always fighting, and all the escapes seemed to be in the nick of time, and Persephone was always there to save him. The ship’s AI had revved up the engine, and judging by the slight shift below his feet, she had set a course away from the moon. After all these years, he trusted her judgement, of course. It wouldn’t take much for her to break away from Phobos, and in almost no time, they would be drifting among the stars; except, the Olympians on the ground had slightly other plans. A pair of large, defensive turrets were calculating the firing solution in milliseconds, turning towards the Persephone. They opened fire, and the first pair of shots slammed into ship violently, sending it careening into another, smaller ship that was attempting to take off. The other ship was practically cleaved in half. Alister took off at a full sprint, the ship shaking around him. He dashed into the cockpit, and practically threw himself into the pilot seat, his hands flying across the controls in a frantic dance of survival. The holographic image of Persephone flickered into view, and it appeared as if she was bracing herself. ”Not your finest hour, Captain.” The rumble of the ships engines intensified as they finally completed their ignition sequence. ”Do you really have the time to be a smart a** right now, darlin’?” Alister as sure that if the AI hadn’t been programmed to simulate the human behavior of bracing for impact, she’d have instead huffed and crossed her arms, the common expression she chose to show her frustration with the Captain. He supposed the action was implied as he looked at his digital companion. ”Enemy guns are spooling up again. Ready to fire a salvo in 5.”

Alister spent most of the first second processing the information. The second, third, and fourth seconds were used to move his hands along the controls as quickly as possible to pull the ship into an evasive maneuver. The entire fifth second was a subconscious prayer that they would live to the sixth second and beyond. Another ship glided in front of the Persephone, attempting its own escape, and was moments later a pile of scrap metal raining down on the moon below. The second group of shots jetted past the ship for the most part, but a moment too late, and the entire ship rumbled. Persephone’s normal purple glow flickered to red for a moment, and her expression turned to one akin to fear. ”Captain, that hit was quite severe. I recommend that avoid further damage to the ship.” The Persephone had almost pulled out of range from the mansion defense systems. Alister gritted his teeth, attempting to force the ship to go faster, seeing the stars laid out before him beckoning them all to escape. They broke free from the confines of Phobos, just as another salvo of shots whizzed by into the darkness. Alister breathed out, in a sigh of relief. He left the cockpit without a word to Persephone, who assumed control of the navigation systems. Nova’s voice came over the comm a short while later, Alister assuming the prisoners had been situated, and he made his way to his cabin, pondering on her question. ”The woman...I’ve had a run in with her before. She saved my life, once, despite being both an Olympian, and also, in that same day, trying to kill me. I figure maybe it will give us some good luck if I pull her a** out of the fire this once. I also spotted her fighting with one of Dionysus’ little cronies, probably having something to do with Alexei...which means she may have answers. As for gramps...I’m afraid to say that I’m not sure I could have stopped him from coming, with us bringing Alexei. But as long as he’s aboard the ship, I want to try to get what I can out of him as well. I feel like I should know who he is...definitely acts like an Olympian big wig, someone of consequence. Speaking of our prisoners...what do you think should be done with Alexei and Ben? The latter I planned on interrogating, seeing if we can’t get to the bottom of his obsession with the girl. But Alexei...well, you know that the situation with her is a bit more complicated.”

In the medical bay, Rhia had been completely unconscious for God knows how long. She didn’t even register when Daniella had entered the room, hadn’t heard any of her words, or even noticed the touch of her hand. The moments passed by slowly, and eventually, Rhia’s eyes fluttered open, and slowly they shifted to take in the sight of the younger blonde. Rhia was partially delusional, and had been consuming an unreasonable amount of alcohol, while also being pumped full of all sorts of fun medicine, which was a deadly combination. She justified it by alternating every few hours which poison she picked. She reached out, caressing Daniella’s cheek, mostly because she didn’t even believe the girl was real. She even considered for a moment that she had possibly died and gone to Heaven, and perhaps Ben killed Daniella, and they were both enjoying the eternity and peace of the afterlife. If only things were that simple. Everything faded into focus, and the light surrounding Daniella faded away, the ethereal glow that had surrounded her now gone. Rhia blinked a couple more times, and suddenly a rush of her previous emotions followed. The Captain wouldn’t let her go on the mission, and while she couldn’t blame him, she had been furious. Her hand dropped from Daniella’s cheek, and she forced herself to sit up, her hands balling into fists, and she scanned the room to see if anyone else was about. She then looked at Daniella. ”I can hardly believe my eyes...here you are.” She waited for a moment, and then she slapped Daniella across the face. ”What the hell were you thinking? Trusting Alexei to contact the Captain. How could you put any faith in her when she’s the reason you were taken? And she decided to work with that scumbag, Ben. You could have died, or...been raped...or anything. Sold off to the highest bidder! Don’t you EVER endanger your safety like that again...do you hear me?” The shouting echoed from the medical bay, the heavy Scottish accent probably passing up a deck or two. She released most of her anger in this burst, and now she just sat there, looking at Daniella. Eventually, she cracked a grin. ”So are you going to tell me what happened? And did the Captain kill those ******** bastards?” If Daniella was going to say anything, she was briefly interrupted by the sound of Persephone’s voice, traveling through the ship. ”Attention all crew and passengers. Dinner is being served in the ship mess hall. Security personnel please dispatch members to retrieve meals for all our...’guests’.”

[chibichick27]

Ʌℓεxεɪ Ϩαηʈɵɢɵℓ∂

"I need a FIX 'cuz I'm going down."

outfit // Masquerade
stamina // 23% - lightheaded, feverish, battle-weary, hysterical (Leon, 89% - worried)
addiction status // withdrawal (paranoia, restlessness, pain, sweating, fever)

Alexei was marched onto Persephone without much ceremony, though she noticed the way the crew looked at her as she passed by. A fire of disgust burned through them--she was sure that they, by now, had all heard about who had brought their beloved second-in-command to the brink of death. Though Alister was a brutal man at times, she envied the trust and respect others placed in him. It was beyond the cold hand of servitude she felt to Lethe. Of all the people in the organization, she could count on one hand the number of people who genuinely cared about her (and seeing how León was one of them, it didn't make her feel any better). Beyond that, she only had her family. And oh, how close they were...she pressed a hand up to a window, staring at Mars beyond the distant darkness of Phobos. A hard rifle butt to the side prompted her to keep moving.

What bothered her the most about this entire situation was the uncertainty of it. She wanted to protect Daniella, but honestly, the girl was much safer on this ship, now that Alexei had handed over a very valuable item to a traitorous God. The mere thought of it boiled her blood. To think that she had fallen for his magic and forsaken her duty. The raven-haired woman had heard tales of the Gods' constant war, but she never expected to be a part of it. All she wanted was to appease the spirits and find some semblance of peace. Hades, she hoped Daniella would be able to find it to.

She glanced over at León, who sat opposite her in the heavily-guarded room. He had an unreadable expression on his face. If Alexei had been able to delve into his mind, she'd have seen a mixture of worry and amusement.

Nova Vegas.

Of all the spaceships in all the galaxy...

He chuckled to himself and closed his eyes, tilting his head back. To think he would get to see, in person, the lady of the infamous Tiberius Pierce. It didn't seem right. Some could call it fate, but León believed that fate was a crock of bullshit cooked up to explain away the simple natural miracle of probability.

León barely had his eyes closed for more than five minutes when he felt a sharp poke at his head. He jolted awake to see that damned tail flicking about in the air, ruffling his hair playfully as the man attached to it smirked. "I'm trying to take a nap, dammit," León muttered irritably, yawning. "Stop bothering me." Tiberius rolled his eyes, a picture delicately caught in between two fingers. "Oh come ON. You're the worst guard ever." "Well, if you manage to get out of this room and past the dozens of fully armed and gen-modded guards with just your charming smile and your godsdamn tail, then by all means, call me what you want." Ti grinned sharply and shoved the picture in León's face. The woman in it was in an obscene pose, and she looked fairly young too. León blushed and batted the picture away. "I don't want to see a naked picture of your lady, thank you very much." Tiberius laughed and stowed it away. "Yesterday, you were telling me about how you pulled a man's fingernails off, and you can't even look at boobs without blushing? Are you sure you're not fifteen?" "I happen to find that sort of thing very personal and important. If she's your lady, then her body is meant for your eyes only. Besides, you know she's not my type." Tiberius patted León on the shoulder with a friendly smirk. "You are one weird man, León." León smirked back. "Look who's talking."

Alexei wondered about how Rhia would react to her being onboard. It didn't take long for her to conclude that the woman would try to kill her. Perhaps she could strike some sort of deal with Rhia--after all, they both had the common goal in wanting to protect Daniella. But she knew it would be nearly impossible to explain to Rhia and Alister both about her change of heart. They didn't seem like particularly religious types. And even if Daniella did not prove herself to be a Goddess, it didn't matter--those with the gifts beyond those of normal men should still be respected, awed, and protected. Alexei herself had no gifts. Her eyes gave her sight, to see a world bitter and harsh. They were owned by another. Perhaps she'd be better blind. After all, when she fell into Hades and was clawed to pieces at the bottom of Styx by the ones she wronged, she wouldn't need to see anything.

Her only salvation came from every time she sent a money transfer to her family. When she would visit home and see that her dad's medical bills were paid. When she saw Nikolai could go to school for another year, or that Aunt May and Uncle Quentin had been able to buy Old Earth soil and keep their garden up and running. Hell, she even felt light whenever she saw that Grandpa had added another book to his library.

A paralyzing fear came over her, a fear that gripped her a few times a month, when she thought about her situation and how hopeless it seemed. It didn't help that she had absolutely nothing on her to satisfy a fix, and that she had been nursing a high fever for the past few hours after a blank experience with Dionysus that left her memory scattered and her mind cracked. Alexei's mouth ran dry and she began trembling from hunger, illness, anxiety, and addiction. "I need a fix," she mumbled quietly, her face pressed against her knees. León glanced at her, his own thoughts falling to the side for the moment. "What?" Alexei looked up at him, her face pale. "I-I need a fix," she repeated. Her body began to spasm uncontrollably and she ran her hands up and down her knees, looking every which way. The beating of her heart pounded in her ears at a million miles the speed of light. "Please, please, get me something, anything, ******** I need, I need--I n-n-need..." it began to get harder for her to enunciate her words. Sweat dripped down her white face, and she began to scratch at her skin in paranoia. "Please, for ******** sake, call someone, help me, please, I can't t-think straight." Blood began to bead from the scratch marks that she had clawed into her arms. León swore and knocked at the door. "Hey, get a doctor in here or something. My friend's badly sick," he yelled through the door. Alexei began to cry, yell, and moan in pain, falling to the ground and shaking, only to sit back up and scratch again. León grabbed her arms to restrain her, which only succeeded in making her cry louder. Inside her brain, thousands of needles pushed through her tissue and demanded a satisfaction that she couldn't get.





_____________________________________



I, too, saw God through mud —
The mud that cracked on cheeks when wretches smiled.
War brought more glory to their eyes than blood,
And gave their laughs more glee than shakes a child.
Merry it was to laugh there —
Where death becomes absurd and life absurder.
For power was on us as we slashed bones bare
Not to feel sickness or remorse of murder.


- "Apologia Pro Poemate Meo", Wilfred Owen


_____________________________________

[Nebish]

Gunnar's attention was pulled from attending to his own wounds at the sound of Rhia striking Daniella's face. The doctor's initial instinct was to put a stop to the fighting in his infirmary but Rhia's tone changed suddenly and revealed her emotions for what they were: fear. There was obvious concern and fear for Dani that she'd been holding onto since Calypso. The outburst hadn't been about anger or violence, but catharsis. Hopefully this display would mean that healing could finally start.

At once, the implication of his thoughts struck him: his infirmary. This was a pirate ship. Blood's ship. Gunnar wasn't staff, he was an outsider who had used his trade to book passage away from a desperate situation. He didn't have the authority to tell anyone how to behave, and why should he tell them? If the infirmary isn't his, then it isn't a matter of disrespecting him. Maybe I've just spent way too much time on ships. Still, it felt disingenuous to write the feeling off as simple habit, but the idea that he could count himself as part of the crew of a pirate ship horrified him. The doctor didn't want to dwell on this. His mind wandered back go Daniella and Rhia. Gunnar allowed himself to see them not as patients but women. The two were vastly different, but he still attractive. He took a few minutes to admire the view in front him before realizing that his thoughts on the matter may not be private.

At Persephone's announcement that dinner was to be served, Gunnar realized that it had been nearly a full day since he had eaten anything and longer since he'd eaten something that wasn't dog food with delusions of adequacy. The stims would keep you going, but they don't replace things like food or sleep. Hell, he'd just lost a good deal of blood. That in and of itself means that he needed to eat something or he was liable to pass out. Besides, any excuse to get out of here would be welcome. He finished dressing his wounds and threw on some loose fitting scrubs before heading to the mess hall. The Veti-Gel would keep him from bleeding out or getting sepsis, but he needed to be careful to avoid further injury.

The dining hall was easy to find, as it was intended to be. The ship's layout wasn't entirely unfamiliar. Most military and paramilitary ships had certain structures in certain places. The hub for food and social activity was one such place. What crew Persephone had was assembled in the mess hall and, for a moment, Gunnar forgot he was aboard a pirate frigate. Crew in and out of uniform, if one could call their gear a uniform, assembled for a bite to eat. The dull roar of men and women socializing was exactly like the sound of soldiers assembled in the lull between missions. To the long traveling surgeon, it felt like home.

Gunnar served himself a pair of burgers piled high with fixings and a plate full of fries and veggies. He sat down at the table near Commander Vegas and smiled appreciatively at the cook before raising a burger to his lips. Before he could sink his teeth in, his meal was interrupted by a message from Persephone. "Doctor Davis, the prisoners are requesting your presence."

The doctor looked down to his meal and let out a small sigh. "Any idea what's going on?" As the ship's AI answered his question, he took the opportunity to dive into his meal.

"Security personnel report that one of the prisoners is bleeding while another attempts to restrain her. It is this second prisoner that alerted guards to the need for help."

Suicide? It wasn't unheard of for prisoner's on military ships to kill themselves to avoid torture or revealing information to the enemy and Gunnar assumed it was probably more common for the prisoners of pirates. "Tell security I will be right there. Persephone, please have someone retrieve my robot so that I don't have to stop by the med bay." He started to move but realized that between the exertion, blood loss, and lack of food or sleep, his stomach was twisted in pain at the idea of leaving his meal. The surgeon settled back down and began eating. He didn't take time to enjoy his meal, opting to eat as quickly as he could. Fries and vegetables were unceremoniously shoved into the burgers and then devoured. When the burgers were gone, he left to tend to his newest patient. Even taking the two minutes or so to eat made him feel guilty - someone could very well end up dead because of the delay, though he had to admit that if he passed out, he wouldn't be able to help anyone. Physician, heal thyself.

Arriving at the Faraday cage/ impromptu holding cell, Gunnar removed his own side arm before allowing security to open the door. Inside, he saw Alexei on the pinned on the ground.

Deep Turquoise #00C5CD ==

[The Smut Peddler]

ⓒⓞⓜⓜⓐⓝⓓⓔⓡ ⓝⓞⓥⓐ ⓥⓔⓖⓐⓢ

╰☆╮░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░╭☆╯

╭☆╯░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░╰☆╮

❝As long as a word remains unspoken, you are it's master...❞

╔══════════════════════════════╗


This shattered dream you cannot justify
We're gonna scream until we're satisfied
What are we running for? We've got the right to be angry.



╚══════════════════════════════╝

While it wasn't much of a relief to have Alister say that he wasn't sure he could have stopped the man from coming aboard, Nova took it as it was. Turning the comm output audio off as she groaned out a sigh of exasperation at the thought of another disaster in the making. Alister's desire to get her opinion on the matter surprised her a little, she'd really not expected it. At the mention of interrogation she stared up at the ceiling.

"Unless you need an interrogator, I will leave that one to you." She would close her eyes as she thought about Alexei and pondered for a moment about the situation they were in with her. Things didn't add up. And then she felt a pang in her heart as she felt a slight twinge of understanding. Perhaps, she was like herself...? "I think we need to get more on Alexei's sudden change of heart. I just can't make sense of it. If she were in it for the money, don't you think she'd have tried to at least attempt to get everything she could out of Christian before leading us right to Dani? And if it were a trap, why wasn't there more security and action taken on Phobos? Despite all of Dionysus estate being covered in security it was nothing like a barrage. And it certainly didn't seem as though they expected it."

Nova looked at her drink and shook her head.

"Something in me says that she could have been blackmailed, or something similar..." Nova grit her teeth as her eyes closed tightly shut. The things she herself had committed, against the Alliance, against Kessel Station, the exploits she had been put through, she cringed at the thought of someone else carrying such a burden. "I mean, it could happen to anyone. Who's to say the reasons behind it. But until we have a conclusion, I think we need to be gathering information."

Painted by her own convictions it was obvious Nova wasn't thinking tactically, but with her feelings. A dangerous mistake as she'd try hard to break herself from her own guilt.

"All I'm saying is we should know before we jump on this. What if this is an opportunity we're looking in the mouth?"

It wouldn't be long before people started filing in to grab plates and a small bit of rest. Even Gunnar came in and sat down by the young pink haired woman. As he would smile over at Nova, she would lift her glass and nod over to him. It wasn't long before Persephone would chime in and call the poor doctor back to work, he'd not even a chance to take a bite and yet he was being summoned again. Nova would chuckle inwardly, it was both comedic and tragic, but thankfully the doctor made the best of it. Nova would be a bit concerned by the notion that it was either Alexei or the larger man that was causing the problem, as they were the only two detained together which meant it had to be one of them that was having trouble. She would try to dismiss it, but she worried that it might be a cleaver ploy to get their guard down, and that terrified her. Downing the remainder of her scotch she would shudder, trying to relax for just the moment she had the chance to. Everyone was bone tired, and exhausted. There wasn't a soul on the ship that appeared otherwise. It would be all too easy for something to go wrong, but if they couldn't rest that would leave the crew even more beaten and broken than it already appeared to be. As she had been temporary First Mate, Nova knew she above all else had to be the calm in the storm of chaos, appearing rested and energetic, while Captain Blood rested, and the crew strengthened their morale.

Gunnar had made his way out of the mess hall and so Nova turned to look at the antics of some of the other crew members. Beside her a few gents were playing a game that included a pair of dice and a wager of credits. The man beside her took notice of her interest and reached over to pull her close to him, Nova would object, but the man seemed to think his physical advantage meant she would do what he willed her to. She would sigh heavily, hating that it came down to this. She turned to face him, and socked him forcefully in the gut. Removing his arm from her and sitting back at her original distance. What so many women in her position did wrong, was vacate, providing a chase which allowed for more to continue. Nova on the other hand had been practically raised on a pirate ship, and knew the mentality. If she did not establish herself as an Alpha female, she would be treated like a wench to frequent the barracks. That life had been long since behind her, and she had no interest in a miscommunication either.

With that situation in place Nova pulled a chip of credits out and tossed in on the table, looking over at the man across the table with an emotionless gaze.

"Odds, 7 is wild, all in." It was against her nature to allow the crew to think she was still mad, and certainly important that they knew she could have fun too. Something she'd learned from her Captain as he was often seen with his crew goofing around and acting like a college frat boy. He was kind, warm, and welcoming. Unless of course there was a hint of betrayal. Just as much as he'd starve to keep his crew fed, he'd kill a man without a second's thought if he smelled a hint of deception. Despite her feelings on the matter, she did want to make an effort to mingle with the others and have some fun when it was possible.

Eventually Nova would remove herself from the table and gather several plates to take to the 'guests.' Making her way around she'd dropped off two at the location that Alexei and the tall man were confined. She'd notice Gunnar already there, and Alexei writhing about as the man did what he could to restrain her from clawing herself. She gained access in, and stood by the door, just to offer Gunnar support as he tended to the young black haired woman. She was unsure what was going on, but if the two ganged up on the doctor for any reason at all, it would put the entire ship in jeopardy. So she waited and watched in the corner, unwilling to make a move or sound but ready to spring into action if needed. While she truly was unsure of Alexei's motives it was those of the taller man that worried her the most, especially while in the presence of the only medical doctor on the ship.

╔══════════════════════════════╗


We can't afford to be innocent
Stand up and face the enemy
It's a do or die situation; we will be invincible



╚══════════════════════════════╝

❝...once you utter it, you are it's slave.❞

xxxx┇ ✦ Mess Hall
xxxx┇ ♢ 65%
xxxx┇ ✦ Anxious
xxxx┇ ✦ Somthin' Bad

[The Smut Peddler]

Ｃｈｒｉｓｔｉａｎ Ａｄａｍ Ｂｅｒｎｅｔxxxxxxthe heir to GenEx


xxxxxxxweep » for yourself, my man,
xxxxxxxxx☎ You'll never be what is in your heart
xx■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
♔ x x WEEP LITTLE LION MAN
xxxxxxxxxxxxYou're not as brave as you were at the start
xx↷ *)Rate yourself and rake yourself
xxxx ● ● Tak ⊹ e all the courage you have left
xxxxxxxxxxxxxWasted on fixing all the problems that you made in your own head


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➤ phersephonexx➤ no one // crewxx➤ recovering




He didn't like it. Trusting Alexei, he wished he held Daniella back instead of having her stop Alister. However, she could have information and she knew Ben didn't work for the Dominion. He could help figure out who Ben worked for and what other people were after Daniella. Few knew of the experiments, whoever Ben worked for had to get the information from somewhere, from someone. Whoever that person was worked on the inside. They knew of the program and knew that Daniella had gotten out. Perhaps Alexei got some more information out of Ben. Something that could help Christian put things together. Aid Alister in that way, do something besides pay the man.

He was even more uncomfortable that Ben was on the ship with them. He wanted to shoot the man on the spot. "Why even keep him alive Alister, just shoot him now. Get it over and done with," Christian muttered as he glared towards Ben. Even if he was locked up, no one could prevent Christian from going to pay him a visit. At point blank range with a pistol he couldn't miss. It might make him feel better as well, knowing that one danger is out of the way. Little could be done though, Alister made his choice. Maybe Ben would spit out some information, but he doubted it.

Christian headed towards the room he was staying in. He wanted to get cleaned up, relax for a bit. Grabbing a change a clothes and was quick to hop in the shower. The hot water felt good on his body, his shoulder and leg were aching. He wasn't used to this way of life, the pain that came with it. It would only be for so long though. He would return home soon and back to the life he was missing.

After the shower he pulled out the computer and signed onto an alias to get a hold of Prudence. The secretary looked worse then he did, bags under her eyes, her hair looked like she hadn't brushed it, and her clothes were in disarray. Though, she beamed as she saw Christian.

"Mr. Bernet, I am so glad to see you. Everyone is so worried about you, why can't you just come home," the secretary looked upset almost hurt that Christian wasn't giving her a location.

"I'm fine, but like I said I have to do this. I just want you to not worry so much. You look like hell, after this I want you to go take a break. Eat a good meal, have some wine, take a bath, and get a good night's sleep. I am in no danger, its not like I'm doing this alone," Christian reassured her.

"Easier said than done. I don't know where you are and no offence, but you don't look so good either. I mean, you look clean. But, outside of that. You look like you haven't slept well and like other things happened. Are you sure you are fine?"

Christian chuckled lightly. "Prudence I am fine, just been busy. Doing a lot of things lately, that is all. But, I promise you I am fine. I'll be back before you know and you can go back to telling me what to do. And I'll let you drag me to your theater productions for as many seasons as you wish."

"Are you saying my theater is bad?" Prudence asked.

"No, your group is talented. I'm just used to more flashy shows."

"Your brutally honest Christian."

As the announcement for dinner was called out, Prudence frowned a bit. "I'll talk to you tomorrow, look for Ryder Harris. But, I am famished I need a good meal. Take care of yourself Prue, I'll be home soon. And tell my dad not to worry too much. His son is safe, just taking care of business of his own."

"You got it Mr. Bernet, I don't know how much it will ease him. He'll wonder why you contacted me and not him, probably keep on questioning me. Or have one of those guys question me. He has a lot of people looking for you, I don't trust a lot of them either. Just take care of yourself Christian. I want you to come back."

"I'll come back Prudence. But I gotta go, just tell my dad it was an e-mail you got. I remember how to contact you more then my dad. Take care, I'll talk to you soon."

With that Christian logged off the computer and walked to the dining hall. It was full of the crew and Nova was gambling in the corner. Christian helped himself to a plate of food and took a seat. Raising a hand to rub his shoulder, a small sigh left his lips and he started to eat. It had been a long couple of days, all he wanted to do was rest for a bit. Get some sleep and recover. "Looks good Nova, hopefully the taste matches," he playfully teased.

[Space Candy]

xxxx"Speech."xxxxx"Thoughts."xxxxx"Others."

XXXXXXXXThe blonde rested her forehead on the edge of Rhia's bed. She kept hold of the woman's hand and let out a sigh. The crew went about their duties, but the sliding of the door caught Dani's attention. She turned her head slightly so that she could peek over her shoulder. Grey eyes landed on the figure of Nova as she peeked into the room. She looked gorgeous, much like Alexei often did. Daniella watched the woman assess the situation before turning on her heel to leave. Really, Dani wouldn't have minded the company, but she was kind of relieved that she didn't have to spur up some conversation at the moment. Dani lifted her head, letting her eyes drift to Karl. She adjusted her sitting position on the floor. Gunnar was in the medical bay as well, patching himself up. Dani glanced to him out of the corner of her eye and added his name to the list of people who had been hurt due to her actions.

Rhia began to stir, and as her eyes opened Daniella put her full attention back onto the short haired woman. With her eyebrows arched, Dani stared at Rhia, waiting to see how she was feeling and what kind of reaction she would have to things. She calmed as Rhia seemed to become more aware of her surroundings. The blonde remained still as Rhia touched her face, not knowing exactly how to respond. Finally she gave a soft smile, but as she watched Rhia's expression change and it didn't take telepathy to understand that she was piecing everything together. Eventually, Rhia dropped her hand and sat up. She was rigid, and angered.
"I can hardly believe my eyes...here you are."
Dani gave her a small smile and a gentle nod. "Yeah. I'm here."

Daniella's head snapped to the side when Rhia slapped her. However, her face didn't register the emotion or pain and was left blank. She stared at the wall, listening as Rhia went on ranting. Eventually Daniella dropped her gaze to the floor, and she swore that the woman's words hurt worse than the slap. She did notice that Gunnar had bothered to look over when she had been slapped. With Rhia screaming at her, it was easy for Dani to make the decision to block Gunnar's thoughts out, as well as anyone else who may have been within her reach. She didn't need Rhia's screaming plus whatever thoughts everyone else had about things. Daniella kept her gaze on Gunnar for a moment, and gave him a close-lipped smile just as Rhia finished her initial fit of rambling. The blonde turned her head back to Rhia and sighed. "Yes ma'am. I hear you." Dani cooed, giving Rhia playful smile. [colro=rosybrown]"I'm alright though, so I think I did pretty good."

She stared at Rhia for a moment, and for a few seconds she tried to get into the woman's head. Rhia was a difficult one, Dani already knew that, and before she could actually delve into her thoughts she began speaking again. Daniella brought herself back to what was going on around her, listening to Rhia as she asked her questions. It dawned on Daniella that Rhia wasn't going to like the answers she was about to give. The petite woman sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. Gently, Dani placed her hands in her lap and ran her fingers across the crimson fabric of her dress. "We can get into details later on. But no, he did not kill them. I've offered to assist Alexei with something in return for her contacting you. I know she's not exactly trustworthy, but I am not afraid of her...But that doesn't affect things between you two. She's being held in a cell with a peculiar friend of her's...As for Ben, Alister has decided to keep him around to interrogate." Daniella shut her eyes, almost certain that Rhia was about to slap her again. Thankfully she was saved by Persephone as she called everyone to dinner.
Calmly, Daniella brought herself to her feet and brushed off her dress. She reached over and lifted Karl from his spot on the bed. Dani inspected the AI for a moment before looking back to Rhia. "I'm going to get changed and then grab a bite...I'll make sure to bring you food, or someone else will." She turned on her heel and began to exit the medical bay, but paused at the doorway. She glanced to Gunnar again before looking over her shoulder at Rhia. "I'm glad you're alive, Rhia."

Dani exited the infirmary and headed towards her room. She carried Karl in her hands, careful not to drop him. It didn't take long for Daniella to find her room, and once there she set Karl on the bed next to her backpack that had miraculously been recovered. Whoever grabbed it she would have to thank. The blonde opened the pack and pulled out her few belongings, including the gun she had bought. Someone on the crew had even bothered to clean her clothes...Dani moved away from the bed and twisted her arm to unzip the dress. It fell, pooling at her feet. Dani stepped out of the garment and then out of her heels. She needed a shower, and some comfortable clothing.
"My friend should be on their way! I told them where I was at! They might be having dinner though..."
Dani knitted her brow together and looked over to the green orb. Alister probably wasn't going to like the sound of that...The blonde brought her fingers to her mouth in thought before turning the shower on. "Well, the sooner you get back to them the better I suppose. I'll let the Captain know..."
"I'm going to go exploring!" he exclaimed before hovering off and buzzing through the halls of the vast ship. Every so often he would fly past the head of a crew member and chirp, "Hello, friend!", as he made his way around the twists and turns of the ship's inner bowels.

Dani watched Karl exit her room, and the door slid shut behind him. With that the woman stepped into the shower. She washed quickly. Dani really just wanted to get some food, and to thank people. Maybe she'd bring Alexei some food...or maybe she could convince Alister to let her out of her cell. She bit the inside of her cheek and rinsed herself off. Daniella stepped out of the shower and dried herself off before slipping into some other clothes. A soft T-shirt and a pair of cotton shorts. Daniella towel dried her hair for a few moments and looked at herself in the mirror. Most of the make-up Alexei had put on her had washed off, but there was still a faint red tint on her lips. She pulled her hair up into a high knot with her hand and stared at her reflection. With her other hand, Dani traced the scar on the back of her neck with her index finger. The woman shuddered slightly before dropping her damp locks down and twisting them into a braid that managed to cover the scar. Even after all of these years, she was still insecure about it...After she'd finished her braid, Dani exited her room and began walking towards the kitchen. She was starving truthfully. Just the smell of the food was enough to make the thin female's stomach growl.
But first...

The blonde stopped outside of Alister's door. She faced the metal and lifted her hand as if she were going to knock, but she bit her lip and lowered her hand. Daniella just stood there, her face merely four inches from the door. Grey eyes closed, and with a bit of prodding she was able to sync up with Alister. He was difficult, but not as difficult as Rhia---and that said a lot about him in Daniella's opinion. "Alister...I just wanted to say thank you." She paused and laced her fingers together. "I'm aware you didn't have to agree to help me at any point, especially after I had been taken away. Though I must admit, I knew you were a man of your word. You always keep your contracts, or at least that's what everyone at the Event Horizon was thinking when you shot that man at the card table...Hah, I knew he was cheating before you did...But that's why I picked you. Your word is good Blood, and that's something that is hard to come by these days." Dani pulled her braid over her shoulder and sighed. "Anyway...Thank you. And I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused...Speaking of which, we may have some more company. I picked up an AI while at the party, and the owner is coming to retrieve him. I know it's not my place, but the AI had contacted them and there's really nothing to do now." She squinted her eyes shut, fully aware that Alister couldn't see her. Still, he wasn't going to be happy to hear that. Hell, his life would be a lot easier if he just opened the airlock and let Dani go out into the darkness...It was about that time that Gunnar was called off to assist the prisoners. Her mind immediately went to Alexei...

Without another word she turned and continued on her way to the kitchen. Her bare feet pressed against the cool metal, and it felt nice. She would go check up on Alexei soon enough, but she would be in good hands with Gunnar. Daniella passed the Good Doctor on her way to the dining area. She arrived just a bit after Christian, and Nova was there as well. Daniella thanked the pink haired girl for the meal and fixed herself a small plate. She wanted to eat more, but her worry was gnawing at her gut as well as her mind. Daniella set herself across from Christian and offered a smile. She took a few bites of her food, absolutely delighted. She'd never had anything like this...Daniella picked up a fry daintily, peeking at Christian. "Maybe we could talk later..." Dani said to him easily, figuring they could both use some time to just relax and breath easy. Since leaving GenEx her life had only become more chaotic. Christian remained the only constant presence in her life, and that was something she didn't want to let go of so easily. Dani bit her cheek and looked down at her plate. Her thoughts wandered back to Alexei, piecing things together...

The drugs.
Dani pressed her hands on the tabletop and frowned, her mind clicking a few pieces together. She knew well enough that the girl had her vices, and having been to the party and now here---well, it wasn't hard for Daniella to put two and two together. With most of her food eaten, Daniella stood. "Excuse me..." She took care of her dishes and headed down to where Alexei and Leon were being held. Nova was there already, as well as Gunnar.
Daniella moved past them and closer to Alexei. She inspected the girl, her expression not changing as she took in the sight of blood and the scratches on her arms. The blonde looked to Leon for a moment and then put her attention on Gunnar, who was doing his best to assess the situtation. "She's having withdrawals..." Dani informed the Doctor privately, not wanting to spill Alexei's business out in the open. Perhaps she was being redundant in informing Gunnar. It was probable he already knew that, but Dani felt like telling him anyway. She'd read about withdrawals in her books back at GenEx, and also had seen some of the less fortunate experiments go through withdrawals as well. Different substances sure, but it all lead to a similar response---though Alexei's was much more drastic.

She made sure to stay out of the way. Daniella moved closer to Nova but kept her mirror-like eyes focused on Alexei. "Alexei. It's alright..." She wasn't sure how to calm her, or comfort her. "Just breath. Focus on breathing." Daniella cleared her throat and moved her eyes to Nova.

"Thank you for dinner. It was quite good." Dani commented softly.
Things could never calm down could they?

xxxxLocation :: Persephone - Holding Area
xxxxCompany :: Nova, Gunnar, Alexei, Leon
xxxxHealth :: 85% - Worried
xxxxTunes ::Too Close - Melanie Martinez
xxxxAttire ::Simple

[chibichick27]

Ʌℓεxεɪ Ϩαηʈɵɢɵℓ∂

"I need a FIX 'cuz I'm going down."

outfit // Masquerade
stamina // 22% - lightheaded, feverish, battle-weary, hysterical (Leon, 89% - worried)
addiction status // withdrawal (paranoia, restlessness, pain, sweating, fever)

Every time Alexei blinked, the room swam in front of her eyes. León's large image distorted around her, and she just barely became aware of his hands pressing her against the little bed in their cell. He was yelling for a doctor, and then said doctor appeared out of nowhere. Strangely enough, it was the man they had met on Calypso, the bartender-turned-doctor, the one who had a keen eye for Alexei's relationship with Virgil. She whimpered upon seeing him and scooted away, only staying at her spot because of León's grip on her shoulders. She felt a searing pain down her arms and a warmth run down her lips, mixed with a copper taste--her nose was bleeding, as were her arms. She stared down at her fingernails and saw them caked with her own fresh blood--so, she'd done it to herself? Everything was too hazy for her to focus.

"Help me," she whimpered. She thought of her heroin needle, discarded somewhere on Phobos; thought of its cold tip and the little pinch before ecstatic warmth enveloped her muscles. She thought of the briefcase, gone in Dionysus' hands, full of that sweet lotos that made her body fall into sweet release from reality. Or perhaps a cocaine bag, with a little bump on her fingertip to flood her body with energy and enthusiasm. Those thoughts encircled her mind and squeezed her throat and heart with its need, clawing at her desperately as if they were the victim for not being satisfied. Alexei curled into herself, whimpering, then glaring as Gunnar approached her. "Get away from me," she snarled, eyes wild and brighter than usual. He'd try and keep her from her sweet, sweet drugs, no, no she couldn't have that...

León's grip on the girl faltered when the sheer amount of sweat that had gathered on her skin allowed her to wriggle away from him when his fingers slipped from her shoulders. No longer, however, did it appear Alexei was keen on hurting herself, instead she seemed to want to curl up inside of her body and escape all of this attention she had garnered. Finally, the doctor had arrived, and Nova shortly after, her gun at the ready just in case the whole thing turned out to be a ruse. Certainly though, León had no intention of making a run for it and hijacking a pirate ship while his charge was in such a state. He'd seen plenty of withdrawal attacks in his time with Lethe, and of course among drug-addled peers, and Alexei was no exception. But he hated to see it take control of her like that. "This man's just here to help you," he assured Alexei as she drew away from Gunnar. She shook her head and, as Gunnar made a move towards her, she tried to jump away. León grabbed her and forced her down. "NO! NO! He's going to kill me!" Alexei screamed in fear, her mind going to another reality as she gripped onto León for protection, her fingers curling around something at his neck underneath his shirt. As he forced her off of him, she held on and a snap penetrated the thickness of the air. León clasped a hand against his shirt, his eyes widened a little, as a chain drooped, broken around his neck.

Alexei fell down onto the floor, tightly curled up, eyes wide and body trembling. She wasn't in the cell anymore, she was naked, on the floor in a large bedroom, covered in bruises. Virgil stood over her, holding a heroin needle in one hand and a police baton in the other. A second later, Goodall was dragging her down the hall by her hair as she stared at the floor in an opium-addled stupor...Alexei. It's alright... Someone was talking to her. A God? Was she making it up in her head? No, the voice was so familiar...Daniella's figure came into focus as Alexei scanned the room, eyes darting every which way. She had such a soothing voice, so calm..."No, no, it's not okay, he's going to hurt me, please don't let him hurt me," the raven-haired woman responded out loud, watching Maiachev smile cruelly as he held out his hand towards her, knowing she couldn't say no. Just breath. Focus on breathing. Who had created this woman? She always had the softest words, like a pillow for the mind. Alexei smiled through her misery and closed her eyes, slowly inhaling and counting each second it took to let the breath slip between her lips.

León was glad to see her calm down a little, though her skin still burned with fever and dripped with sweat and she still trembled heavily. The blonde ratoncita's presence must have calmed her down, somehow. He disregarded the claw marks at the top of his shirt as he opened his palm and looked down at the broken chain, and the engraved wedding ring looped onto it. León closed his hand and carefully placed the ring into his pocket before looking back at Alexei, and then at Nova. He cast another glance at Nova. "You can put your gun away, Rosa," he said to her. "She's not a danger to anyone right now."




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I, too, saw God through mud —
The mud that cracked on cheeks when wretches smiled.
War brought more glory to their eyes than blood,
And gave their laughs more glee than shakes a child.
Merry it was to laugh there —
Where death becomes absurd and life absurder.
For power was on us as we slashed bones bare
Not to feel sickness or remorse of murder.


- "Apologia Pro Poemate Meo", Wilfred Owen


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