Chapter 6 - Complications part 8

(Dylon)
=i nod=
Rain it is. And so you are a bounty hunter? Interesting...who hired you?

(Miranda)

I know you can't talk, but that's fine. I just want you to know this: I know now that you never meant to kill Adam. I also know that you've been seeing hallucinations of Adam since Therum.

(Jason)

=Adam's voice popped up in my head=

Ohhhh, busted!

(Miranda)

You aren't a monster Jason. I should have seen that.

=I nod=

UNSC hired me.
Seems like this one, as well as a few others, have been going against them.

=I smile=

Perty high bounties on their heads.

=I look at him=

What about you. What are you doin out here?

(Dylon)
=i cross my arms, putting my revolver within easy access=
UNSC you say? Hmm....well, as for us, we didn't really come here for any reason, unless you count exploring for the sake of exploring a reason.

(Miranda)

=I continued to speak, even as my voice shook with emotion, and tear filled my eyes=

I'm so sorry, for beating you. It's just, for so long, I had envisioned Adam's killer as being this cold, ugly, monster. And then I found out it was you. I felt betrayed.

(Jason)

=My own eyes were beginning to tear up, and though I couldn't open my mouth, my mind began to fill with emotions without words=

=I nod=

I do count that as a reason

=We near the messhall=

And as for that revolver. You wont need to use that. I have no need to kill a non-target.

*Like you will kill Dante anyway*

What was that Kane?

*You wont kill him*

Why?

*Read his file. Going to be a lucky kill if you do*

(Dylon)
Kane? Did you not hear right, Rain, my name is Bullet.

=we arrive in the messhall and we go over to the food counter=
As for this revolver, well, I've had some bad luck with the UNSC, and I found out that just about anyone connected to them is bad news.

=My eyes go into surprise=

Sorry. I was speaking to my A.I. His name is Kane.

=My eyes go wider as I look at the display=

Well. I tend to not kill non-targets. You are safe with me.

=I see a nice juicy steak and grab a plate. I take it and go to a table=

Mmm. Steak.

(Miranda)

=As I spoke, I could see Jason's eyes: they were filled with tears, and his face was a mask of shame=

Jason, I have two things to say to you.

=I leaned in close=

First: I will always, love you, no matter what.

=I leaned in closer still, until I was staring into his eyes=

And second: I forgive you.

=Then, I kissed him=

(Dylon)
=i sit down, opposite of Rain, my arms still crossed=
Forgive me if I don't believe you, Rain. but I just met you.

=I shrug and dig into the meal. Blood coming out=

Mmm.

=I begin to scarf down the steak. Breaking for a few words=

Its a natural response.

=Scarf=

Someone you dont know.

=Scarf=

You are skeptical.

(Jason)

=I closed my eyes, as Miri's words flooded my mind=

Miranda wrote:

First: I will always, love you, no matter what. And second: I forgive you.

=As her lips met mine, it was like a dam broke behind my eyes. She had forgiven me. The woman that I loved, had forgiven me=

(Dylon)
=i nod=
It sure is. Oh, and just so you know, the only places we have available for sleeping are the cells, and the doors tend close whenever the ship moves.

=i shrug=
Just thought you should know if you want to stay on a real ship for a bit.

=I finish the steak and sit back=

Hell, Bullet.
Im fine here.

=I fall forward. My head smacking the table=

hmm.

=I fall asleep right there=

(Dylon)
=i sigh and shake my head, relaxing=
Put him in cell block...let's go with A, no B. Which one was it that we put those not from the Nearly Dead in? B or C?

=two of the men pick up Rain and take him off to the cells. one of them looks at me=
"It was B, sah."

=i nod=
Thank you. Now I remember, "A is for Almost dying, B is for other Bastards, C for for Collecting things."

=he nods back=
"No problem, sah."

=i get up and clap him on the shoulder=
Carry about your business. I'll be looking for that damned workshop.

=i turn and walk off. At this point, the men who had taken Rain to the cells set him down in one of them. They let the jailer know that Rain is free to go, he just needs a place to sleep, for now. They go back to what they were doing=

(Miranda)

=I broke off the kiss, and saw that his face was flooded by tears. I couldn't tell if they were his, mine, or both. I grabbed a piece of his blanket, and wiped his face off=

I won't leave your side Jason. I'll stay with you.

(Jason)

=On my left, Adam appeared, though it looked like he was fading=

Look's like my job here is done. I guess that means it's time for me to leave.

=A bright light appeared, and he was halfway gone before I asked=

Wait, were you a hallucination, or a real ghost?

=His voice laughed in my head=

You'll never know.

I never saw the shooter. One minute, I was walking in the ship, the next I was on the floor bleeding. One shot. In the back no less. Missed the spine, I could still feel my legs, and all my parts. I must have blacked out, the next moment I remember, I was in some kind of room. I wasn't sure. It felt, Ancient. Before my time. Ages before my time. I was also naked. The floor was cold.

=The night after his surgery, Xazhi's vision slowly returns, although it is fuzzy. He has a major headache, and has great amounts of pain throughout his chest and stomach area. As his sight comes back, he looks back to the table adjacent to him and sees the pile of corpselight colored organs replaced by red and pinkish colored ones in jars. He looks around and does not see the doctor. He assumes the surgery went well and tries to sit up, but fails due to the pain, and the many cables and tubes running in and out of his body. he feels the back of his neck with his right hand. His skin feels different, as if it were made of leather. He feels the outline of a group of 5 small octagonal plates over his spine near the base of his skull. He opens one and can feel a port (Think something like a USB). He closes it and the doctor walks in to greet him=

Xaz- Hello Doc. I assume the Surgery went well?

Doc- Surprisingly, yes. You're body is now 75% Non-organic. Congratulations on being the first success in this project.

Xaz- Just for the hell of it, what happened to the failed subjects?

Doc- Their bodies rejected the changes and tried to destroy them. The immune system of the new organs and implants were vastly superior in their retaliation, and destroyed the organic body.

Xaz- Gruesome. So, what exactly is changed about me?

Doc- Well, you may have noticed a few already. The ports in the back of your neck, your new skin, almost all of your organs, excluding of course your brain, your eyes, and your blood.

Xaz- My blood? How did you manage to pull that off?

Doc- We injected your body with the new blood as we removed the old.

Xaz- And what is different about this new blood?

Doc- Not much. It has a slightly better immune system than your own, to protect you against human diseases. Other than that, its just supposed to run better with your new body.

Xaz- And my skin and eyes?

Doc- Your eyes enhance your vision, and can also summon your HUD to your vision without the use of a helmet, assuming that you are linked to your armor. Your skin is simply better inculated.

Xaz- So im assuming thats what the ports in my neck are for? To link with my armor?

Doc- Yes. You can now link your body with your armor, the benefits of which are yet to be seen. You can also download information directly into your brain via those ports.

Xaz- What kind of information? Just general knowledge?

Doc- Well, once Project L.i.f.e. is completed, you will be bonded to your partner and gain even further enhaced abilities.

Xaz- Like?

Doc- As of this stage in development, you would be able to share thoughts, like a comm without words. Although this has presented many complications.

Xaz- Interesting. What else?

Doc- You will be able to see your partner via a marker displayed in your vision, emitted by an implant over their heart. You will also be able to see their vitals in this way. You have the same emitter.

Xaz- Are there any drawbacks to this?

=The doctor sighs=

Doc- Many. In the event of an EMP, your vision will cut, as well as your emitter. An experianced hacker could potentially also shut your brain completely off.

Xaz- Yikes.

Doc- Indeed. Similarly, a hacker of great skill could cut the signal between your brain's comms.

Xaz- About that. So could i effectively communicate with anybody who has these... 'upgrades'?

Doc- No. You would have to be bonded to them in the way that you will be to your partner. Additionally, you are the only success in this project so far, and not many are willing to undergo the surgeries.

Xaz- Alright. Any other changes i should know about?

Doc- As of now, no. You should rest. Ill see you in the morning.

Xaz- Thanks, Doc.

=the doctor leaves, and Xazhi tries to sleep, but the new parts of his body make it difficult, and the wires make it uncomfortable and awkward to lay in any position other than facing the ceiling=

Night cuts the comms off for a moment and brings up a vid link with P.

They still could be lying?

Code:

I'm not sure. They seem pretty honest

That is true. It is a drain on our rescources.

Code:

But maybe if you keep them alive, you could find out who you were

Hmm.

Code:

Well?

Lets put them to the test. If they beat this thing, then we will have rid ourselves of one menace. If they don't, well at least they'll have weakened it for us.

Night cuts off the comm link and opens the final door between the team and the monster.

(Jon)

(He sees without seeing. Hears without hearing. He stomps through the final door)

Lynn...Grace...Please...


(The two turn to face the beast)

Lynn(noticing the armor)-Jon...?

Grace-What is it. Is it Jon?

(She shakes her head)

Lynn-No...

(She aims the BR at Jon)

Lynn-We need to kill him. Jon isnt Jon any longer.

(She fires the BR at him. Three shot bursts ring out and hit the beast)

=The pelican lands nearby the base. The base starts building fast. Building are already almost done. Justin sees a guy who has fallen off a building and some guys were helping him. I walk tover to the south side to see a few building almost complete. I walk around the base a few times. Inspecting the new base as I walk through. I see a little table with a few guys around it. A guy was pointing to a few things. I walk over to see what they are doing=

(Justin) : What are the plans for the new base?

(A guy) : We are building different things all around the base. Like the guy wanted.

=Justin walks away to the eastern side. He sees a few building conplete, while the rest were sttill being worked on. He takes a good look then heads back to the pelican=

Tar:

=continues to sit by Aura, waiting...=

=heads to the captains chair and sits down while going over the new data from the tests=

tar:

i hope she wakes up...

=Delthia begins to awaken in the medbay. Her eyes open slightly. A few rooms over, Xazhi is released from the machines and wires, and tries to stand. He feels awkward in his new body, but is getting used to it. He gets back into his armor and heads back to the labs to continue work on his partner=

Tar: Aura?

=Silaev takes a transport down to the surface to continue helping with Base Construction. Delthia wakes up slightly more=

=I wake up screaming=

Let her go!

=I breathe heavily and focus=

God...

=I look around to find myself in a cell=

HEY! What the hell!

=I see my things against the wall=

Yeah. Better not have taken my Katars...

=I stand and go up to the door=

aura... are you okay?

=I yell out=

Hey! Let me out!

=I hear the jailer=

J-Hush up boi. The boss tol' me ya were free ta go.

=I back off=

Alright...

=I turn and go to the weapons. I equip them and go back to the door=

Hey. Tell Bullet that theres a planet nearby. We can land on it.

(Dylon)
=I get a comm from the Jailer=
"That Rain fella said there is a planet nearby, that we can land on it"

=I reply=
Tell him, thank you, but I know. And I hope that the bed was okay.

=the jailer relays the message=




(still off for now)

=I sigh=

Alright.

=The door opens and I step out=

=I thank the jailer and send a message to Bullet=

Thank ya for your hospitality. Ill be down on that planet.

=I head off to the hanger=

(Dylon)
=i hear the second message. i think for a moment and turn around to the rest of the bridge crew. i shrug=
Why not? Set course for that planet. Let's go see what we can see, eh?

=i chuckle a bit, as do a few of the others. i go and sit in the command chair as the ship starts heading towards the planet=


(Dormii/Mali)
=i wander my way down to the planet, using the grav lift. i walk around, not really looking where I am going, just thinking=

(Lynn)

(She continues firing)
(The beast lets out a roar and charges)

(They manage a dodge and notice the beast run into the wall)

(She aims and fires)

This is going to be difficult

(Salem)

=I make it to the hanger. Hop into the Sabre and take Kane out=

*Hope it was fun*

Not as much as I wanted it to be

=The blast out of the hanger and to the planet=

(Dylon)
=i snap my fingers as an idea hits me=
Comms, send a directed signal at the planet.

=the comms guy looks at me=
"What should it be, sir?"

Have it be, "No Heaven." That'll be a good calling card.

=the comms officer does just that=

=I break atmosphere=

Oh wait...

*I have already sent a message*

Well. What did it say?

*Rain is in the forecast*

...Cheesy...I like it.

(Dormii/Mali)
=i look up and see a Sabre making it's way down. i start heading towards where it looks like it will land=

(Dylon)
=i wait patiently in the chair, tapping my fingers as I wait for us to enter orbit. Yes, I am aware of the iront in the statement=

=I land in a clearing of sorts=

=I take Kane out and hop out=

=I look around the area=

Hmm.

(Lynn)

Come on. Die.

(She is running out of ammo, fast)

No...come on!

(She takes her knife and throws it into the chest)
(The beast roars as the blade sinks in. Almost touching the spore)

(Dormii/Mali)
=i make my way over to the Sabre, I see a person standing next to it, looking around=
Hey!

=I hear a person and turn to face him=

Spartan. Hmm.

=I wave at him=


(Lynn)

Cmon you bastard.

(She sits grace down on the nearest wall)

You would help...If you could

(She takes Grace's knife and stands at the ready)

(Dormii/Mali)
=i walk over=
Hi, may I ask who you are and why you are here?

=I continue to look around=

Um...

*He is here to find someone. Maybe you know of him?*

=I look at my Tac/Pad=

Hush Kane.

*Well it is kind of ridiculous that you cant remember your own objectives*

(Dormii/Mali)
Maybe I do, who is it, and why?


(Dylon)
=we finally get into orbit. i get up and start heading to the hanger bay=
Keep my ship in one or less pieces!

=i make my way down and grab a Pelican along with a small squad of soldiers=
Everyone ready?

=I look at him=

Dante Faulkner?

*Yes*

I need to speak with him. He is an old friend.

(Lynn)

(The beast runs at her again)
(She runs at it. Kicking the first knife in further)
(She hops onto the "head" and jabs the knife into it)

(She hops off and the beast roars again)

(Jon)

I can feel it. The sweet release. Death. True Death.

(Dormii/Mali)
=i tilt my head, not realizing my eyes reflect more light when Mali is in control=
Do you mean Draco? He's not here right now.

=Xazhi finishes the shell of his partner and brings it down to medical. He sees the doctor again, and the doctor has him take the shell into the same room where he had surgery the day before. The doctor opens the shell and begins his work as Xazhi exits to the hanger, where he catches a trasport to the Surface. Silaev continues helping with Base Construction, and does a quick status report. The base is nearly completed. He looks up and sees a ship arrive and begin taking more troops and supplies down to the surface. It hovers above the atmosphere with the others, making a total of 6, however none nearly as large as the Comet. Xazhi speaks with one of the lead builders=

LB- Yes, sir?

Xaz- We have a problem. This base is going to need to be at least three times as big as we had planned.

LB- It can be done sir, but it will take untill the end of the month at least.

Xaz- Alright.

=Xazhi looks at his calender on his TacPad=

Xaz- Thats two and a half weeks from now... Damn... Alright, get to it.

LB- Yes, sir.

=Xazhi goes off to the rec building. Delthia falls back asleep=

=I sigh. A tone of anger shooting through=

Well do you know where I can find him?

*Rain. Calm.*

I mean. Can you. Please tell me. Where I can find him?


(Lynn)

(She runs at the beast's back)
(She kicks it into the wall)

(The beast turns around and punches Lynn)

(She flies back. Doing a recovery and landing on her feet)
(She runs again. Unloading the BR)

(Dormii/Mali)
=i shrug=
No idea. However, I am certain he will come back here eventually. You are welcome to stay as long as you want.

(Aiden) : Yes sir. What are we going to do?

=I smile=

That would be nice.

=I stick out my hand=

Rains the name.