Srath woke for a dead sleep, no dreams visited in the night. Likely due to the previous nights celebration. He was immediately aware of how dry his mouth felt and a pain that was building behind his eyes, as well as a beeping that felt as though it were ringing inside his skull.

Sucking in a breath that burned his dried throte, he groaned in annoyance. The beeping was coming from his desk, slowly lifting his lids the message light blinked with the beeping, scorching Sraths eyes in the pitch black room. Eliciting another groan.

"Computer," His voice rasping like sandpaper. The ship responded with what was supposed to be a pleasant bleep but it sounded like nails on a chalkboard to him. "Cancel message light and bring lighting to 5%."

The ship replied with another bleep, the blinking faded as his quarters filled with a gentle glow. It still made him squint for a minute as his eyes adjusted but he could see the room clearly once they were. "Bring lighting to full over 10 minutes." Another bleep.

Looking to the clock beside his bed he saw he'd slept most of the day away. He pushed himself upright, swallowing to try and remove some of the dryness. He staggered his way to the bathroom, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he arrived at the sink. "Computer, who is the message from?"

"Altenia GTC Tower Head of Security."

What could Craig want? All his paperwork for Braka was handed over with him along with the location of the ship. Must be something else, couldn't be another shipment, maybe another bounty?

He pulled some pills for his head from the shelves behind the mirror. Washing them down with a few handfuls of water from the tap, wetting his mouth and throat aswell.

"Computer, hail Head of Tower Security." The bleep from the ship was far less grating this time.

The Mor

Ailen still loved Silvia,... it was hard for him to come with these terms and as he looked at the mountain from the view range. What if she doesn't make it Craig?... you can't wait for her say to allow my transfer for too long. That storm is coming in and watching the mines cave in from here, not saying she is dead, but we must prepare for if that mine becomes her grave He said looking to the com that just rang out the status of the mines. Seeing as we just lost the mine, the only use this planet has now is it's military position. If we get her out or not. We have to come to the terms that she might not. If something bad happens to her and decisions are made,... aren't you in charge if such a thing happens in her place? If not sure thing I will wait lets not wait too long though. We got a very short window here He wasn't even talking about the windows at all of course. They had a very perfect moment right now with Srath's bounty looking a lot like Tristan except for the scar. They could switch them. No one would find out until he was already half way to earth. He needed this more then anything. He was sorry for everything,... he was being stupid for these past few days and that stupidity broke the trust of the only two people that cared about him on this shit rock. He moved to his desk and sat down, he cupped his face into his hands. "Sorry Twins,... from the looks of the storm you will be on shift for quite awhile." He glanced over to them. "With your crystals shut down there is nothing for you to do. If you get hungry again or need some rest there is a few beds up here just for the occasion.... of course if you prefer your own, let me know and I will escort you down. You two might as well be tower leads right now. We got one under house arrest and another in the mines.... might as well get comfortable that you two ain't back ups anymore for the time being."

He did not like them but right now his thoughts were conflicted. He figured his distrust for them might just be another bad part of him. Forgive me Craig for my wrong doings... I have failed this tower on so many occasions. Even if I could run a tower on my own without the dangers,... I am not fit to run one. I think the first thing I am doing on earth is hiring a shrink. I have to let my feelings out to someone. Been keeping them within for far too long. I still love her,... I just don't want to see her die or be the cause of it. It should have been me in that damn mine. At least if I died in there we could still get Tristan off and Silvia would be sitting in that chair not the twins. People die all the time I know,... it's only the special ones that effect me so much. Ailen decided to give his mind a rest after that. He might as well seeing as the storm was going to mess with things. Sonic storms,.... storms that effected talents specifically. Sometimes the Brax'Na had for once had something good about them compared to them. With them being absent of hearing the voices of the crystal they did not have certain weakness like they did.

He began to rub his arm and think of the black crystal shard within. It had come from Silvia's crystal, if anything happened to her. At least he would have something to remember her by. People die all the time,... doesn't change the fact that it effects everyone differently. Every time I close my eyes all I see are the dead faces of my men and the civilians of that dreadful day. Each time I close my eyes I hear her final last words to me. She apologized for not listening to him. The foolish woman,... she had nothing to be sorry about. He failed her, he failed Craig, and he failed Silvia. Here I am second in command of security and I am more damaged in the head then most of the people here. I am pathetic,... and people say I could run a tower. What are they thinking,... maybe five years ago I could, but the Ailen that they knew and loved had changed that day. Even now Ailen changed some. If I had to be a emotionless black hole just to control myself. Then fine,... maybe this shard will help me do it. I wish it could erase everything, this pain, this sorrow, this madness.

Silvia was right.. he did not know what love was. May not have been her exact words but they shared the same meaning. He feared he would never know but then again welcomed it. Perhaps it was best he didn't know. Perhaps it was best he never experienced such things. It always tore him up inside some maybe it was best he avoided it all together. For five years he chased it and never found it. Then when he did he destroyed everything he cared about. It's like the universe told him he was destined to be alone forever. Earth huh,... I suppose it's better then here. The farther I am from here the better. At least I wont ruin anything more for Craig and Silvia.

The Mines

Karras looked up at the ceiling and sighed. I just traded one death for another yet to come. "Your friends better be quick or they will be digging up four bodies rather then two." He said referring to the corpses she had found earlier. He looked over to her and saw how weak she looked. Still a woman,... a weak weak woman. Strong spirit though. He wish he could do something for her right now but he was not one of their empaths. I suppose the only logical thing to do right now was to comfort her until her energy returned. He rose back up and walked over and sat himself down next to her. He then pulled her into him. Her head positioned on his chest as he held her. "We will get through this,... I know it."

There was not much he could do but this right now. "Just don't try and kiss me right now okay,... not until your clean off your face anyways." He said jokingly He then looked around the room to try and see if there was anything they could use,... like bottles of water or anything.

Docks Of The Altenia Tower

Lou pulled the main vehicle in with the rest of them following close behind. Gwen hopped out quickly and ran over to the com. “Craig, enacting emergency procedures for the Mine, report to the Mor, I will meet you there,” Gwen said quickly before looking over at Marx. “You come with me, the rest of you, regear. We need the mines, once the storm passes I want everyone back out there and find a new place to create an entrance. Grab the Singers once the storm has passed. We’ve dug out a new mine before, we will again.”

“And what about Silvia?” Marx yelled as he climbed out of the transport.

“Either she is dead or they made it to safety. We don’t have time to dig out a body. If they made it to where I think they were headed, she’ll figure it out,” Gwen said as she walked towards the Elevator. Marx ran after her and grabbed her arm.

“I am not just going to give up on getting her out,” he snapped as he spun her around. Gwen narrowed her eyes and ripped her arm away from him.

“I’m not giving up on her, I am having faith in her,” she said quickly before entering the elevator and heading towards the Mor.

[b][/center]The Altenia Tower[/center][/b]

Craig sighed deeply as he listened to Ailen. ”Just breath man, okay? If anyone can get out of this mess Silvia and that Jun’Krama can. Brains and Brawn. And we have another option, I was just messaged by Gwen to meet her in the Mor, if she is up to what I think she is, we just found option C,” Craig said before receiving the com from Srath.

“Srath man, good to hear from you. Been waiting for your call. Listen I have a job for you but with everything going on in the Mines I cannot risk sending any security off world for Transport. So I will need your unique skills. Soon as you can please head to my quarters, I have you keyed in for access. Let me know when you get there and I will head down do we can speak in person,” Craig answered quickly as he headed to the elevator and up to the Mor.

Craig arrived in the Mor a few moments before Gwen and Marx did. Gwen stepped in and looked around, walking over to the main computer before sitting down. Marx sighed deeply as he stepped over to Ailen but didn’t say anything, he didn’t know what to say at this point. After a few minutes at the computer working in silence Gwen raised the Tower Com.

“Attention all personnel; this is Singer Gwen Ravous. Due to a collapse at the mine our current Tower Lead is M.I.A., since there are no available T-1’s ones left I regret to inform you that your temporary Tower Lead will be,” Gwen said before pausing for a moment. The Twins eyes got wide and a large smile came over their features. Their usual casual demeanor about never wanting a tower fading away and showing that this was something they truly wanted.

“Me, clearance has been granted by GTC,” Gwen finished as she turned around and flung a crystal drive towards Ailen. “Silvia gave this copy to me in the Mines before everything happened,” she said as she looked over towards Marx.

“Same thing she sent me?” Marx asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Bingo,” Gwen said. “The woman knew how to cover her bases.”

“Knows how to cover her bases,” Marx correctly quickly.

“Ailen, hail GTC Justice Division, we have a report to make, open all frequencies to a joining Tower. I don’t want this one getting lost in the static,” she said quickly before looking over at Craig. “Get these bitches out of my Mor until Silvia gets back. They’re off duty for the next 18 hours at least,” Gwen said as the Twins faces went from happy to fury filled.
“Sorry girls, with the mine and the storm, we cannot risk you get hurt as well. Craig, make sure they are confined to quarters for their own safety until their next shift and then escort them back personally. Give them the Tristan Treatment, you know, just to shield them from anything bad that someone may try to do to them,” Gwen added with a wink. Craig smiled and motioned for the Twins to follow him. Both of them huffed but followed.

”We should just make a break for it now”, Gemini said telepathically to her sister.

”No, it will make them suspect,” Gemine replied.

”Well we didn’t have a thing to do with the Mine!”

”I know but we had other matters to attend to, so just go with it for now.”

Craig lead them out of the tower and Gwen sighed deeply as she took a seat in the Tower Lead Chair, retracting the spare one for the Twins. “Marx, I need Silvias crystal unlocked, keep the rest locked down,” she said as she rubbed her temples.

“Why Silvias? You aren’t bonded to it,” Marx said as he looked at Gwen confused. A T-1 using a black crystal that had bonded with another was deadly.

“Yes, I am. I was the singer that cut it,” Gwen remarked as she looked over to him. “I was the first to bond with it and it has a link with her. I need it to see if she is still alive,” she added as she waited.

Marx turned and went to override the security protocol. “Ailen, please, fill me in on what has been happening here since Silvia left,” Gwen said as she looked over to him, waiting on Marx to take care of his assigned task.

Infirmary Of Altenia Tower

Lou had the Moles bring the remains of Trevor to the infirmary for processing before he was to be moved to the morgue as well as the injured. There we about half a dozen people that needed tending to for minor cuts and some empathic mental restoration due to the mines humming before they could get out. It was nothing major thankfully.

Safe Room in the Mines

Silvia sat there on the ground and drew a long deep breath. The reason she was more physically fit than most high level talents was because she had lived on Earth and been cross trained in so many things as she grew up. Cave-ins happened, power was lost, things went wrong and crystals that could act as the physical side to keep stamina and strength going were not always available. What she had done took as much physical fortitude as mental. As Karras pulled her over to him she looked at him oddly. What in the world was he doing? Why wasn’t he looking for supplies? Or an exit? He was holding her, this was yet another thing she wasn’t expecting.

Leaning back against him she smirked slightly at his words. “Yeah, I really don’t want to have our dead bodies found down here,” she said. “I think both our reputations would be ruined if we died with me in your arms,” she said and laughed weakly. She sighed slightly and let herself rest against him, she wanted to get up and look around but she knew better than to push it at this point. The bleeding had stopped but it could start again if she tried too much too soon. She wasn’t exactly sure what was in the room, she had been busy talking to Gwen last time she was in there to take notice of anything but the maps.

“The maps!” she suddenly exclaimed as she looked up at him. “I need to look at the maps,” she added quickly before rolling out of his lap and stumbling to her feet. She barely managed to get upright, an arm wrapped around her waist as she walked, wobbling from left to right as she did before she nearly crashed into the table and rested down on a stool as she began to examine the maps of the dug out portions of the mine that were not in the GTC files.

If one were to look around they would see basic emergency supplies, first aid for basics as well as Talents. Manuals, food supplies, clothing, water, etc; as well as weapons. “Oh I might kiss you,” she said as she looked over the maps and papers that were on the make shift table. “When we get out of here,” she added as she turned her head and smiled faintly. “I guess I need to explain somethings though,” she said before looking back over the maps. As she studied them she filled Karras in on the resistance, what she was hoping to accomplish and why she chose this planet to start. “So you see,” she said once she was finished explaining why they were in a room that wasn’t on the map. “I have to get out of here,” she said as she looked up and across from her, her eyes widening as she spotted something peeking out from under a canvas sheet. “Holy shit….”

The Tower

Ailen sighed as Gwen asked him a very important question as he did what she asked first. Once that was over with he stood up and walked over to a window and scratched the back of his head. Then he turned around. After he thought of a quick way to explain it. "Well the Twins did their T&C thing to get me and Craig stressed out trying to find them while a complete black out happened with the cameras." He said taking his data pad and moving to her to show her.... The cameras in the mor showing that the twins were in there seat one minute then gone the next. "I think they are up to something,... thought they were up to something" He corrected. "Until we found them sitting in the commissary eating soup."

"That was the story in the Mor,... now with some digging while the twins were preoccupied by myself here, and their crystal deactivated so they didn't do anymore mind fuckery.... pardon my phrasing." He said pausing to take a breath. "Craig found some disturbing discrepancies with security in the lower levels. There were two people who where supposed to be off planet for a vacation but never left the planet by our records. They were stationed in docking bay 12 and the cameras being out they must have left somewhere." He then looked over to the mountain. "My suspicions say they might have had something to do with the mishap in the mine. Because they are no where and no matter how much Craig and myself have looked we did not find anything what so ever."

"Other then that stuff nothing. Tristan is still in his floor and everything is going fine." He said not mentioning any of the shit he did or said in the Mor,... all they had to do though was pull up video files and see it but that was not important. He then held the blue crystal drive in his hand. Well we got the crystal drive back... Keep me in touch with anything you have planned Craig. He said. They had all the pieces put together now they just needed to get Tristan off planet. He then remembered the bounty Srath brought in and then looked about the room. He trusted some of them but not many of the basics right now. He leaned in giving Gwen some of his trust. "I almost forgot,... A man named Srath, has brought in a bounty that looks almost strikingly like Tristan. "

The Safe Room

While she looked at the maps he began looking around for some supplies and even found some bottles of water placing them on the table as well as food. He then went to the table and looked at those maps as well. He didn't know what to make of it cause he never went in the mines. He figured she did anyways. He then gestured over to the clothes.... "If you want there is stuff over there you can change into or to use as make shift rags for the blood." He then moved to grab a med kit mainly for basics and talents and flopped it on the table. He shoved a water bottle towards her as well. "Should get yourself fixed up before we go anywhere.... " He then went to look at the weapons only seeing some technology stuff and sighed. He didn't need any of these right?... He was weaponless with his sword being on the otherside of that door.

He decided to pick up one and look at it. "Don't tell anyone I am going to use one of these until we get out. Their scanners may have said we are the only ones down here but I would rather have it to make sure,... you know what I mean?" He said. He did not really know how to use it either. He saw the trigger and figured you just pull that.

Safe Room

Silvia looked over to Karras and just pushed the supplies away. “I’m fine,” she said quickly as she slowly and with a bit more sure footedness than before pushed past him to see what was under the canvas. Pulling it back her face lit up, it was a Black Crystal. “That sneaky old bitch, god I love her!” she exclaimed as she pulled it off completely. It was unique, cut in the oddest shape, sharp edges instead of rounded ones but she could tell it had been cut and she knew the lines of the cutting. “Gwen did this,” she said as she placed her hand on the crystal and leaned in to get a better look at it. Her eyes widening somewhat as she looked deeper past the surface. Her eyes closing for a moment as she let out a soft note from her vocal cords and the crystal sang back to her softly.

Removing her hand slowly she smiled. “Well, I’ll be damned,” she said as she just stood there looking at it. “This must be the crystal she sent me the sample of. I wonder,” she said as thoughts began running through her mind before looking over at Karras. “Okay, give me an hour or two to recuperate and then we are going to get the hell out of here,” she said as she walked over to the table and grabbed the water bottle and some rags, cleaning the blood and dirt off her skin that was exposed. Once she was cleaned up she looked to be in decent condition, the wounds were closed and the bleeding had stopped.

She would have some bruises and scratches for a day or two and one rather large hand print sized bruise on her flesh from where Karras had grabbed her to pull her into the safe room. Her fingers trailed over the bruise as she looked over to him. “Seems you left your mark on me,” she said with a laugh to him and smirked as she watched him with the weapon. “Don’t worry I won’t tell, long as you keep your mouth closed about me looking like this. We both have a reputation to keep up,” she said as she reached out and placed one hand on the weapon and the other over his.

“Like this,” she said as she flipped a few switches on it and it powered up. Stepping closer to him she explained how it worked, her fingers trailing over the gun, his hands and up his arms to his shoulders to show how to handle it. “See,” she said before powering it back down. “Maybe once we get out of here you can show me how to use a blade, you know, in exchange for this lesson,” she said as she looked up at him slowly. “Would only be fair,” she said with a faint smile. She found herself feeling slightly over heated again and looked away quickly. “So, yeah, you got it or need to me go over it again?” she asked as she looked back over to him and tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ear.

The Mor

Gwen leaned back in her seat and nodded to Ailens words, waiting for the channel to be opened. “I see, well that could come in handy,” she said with a wink towards Ailens mention of the bounty that was taken. Placing her hands on the crystal receivers she powered up Silvias crystal and went silent for a moment as her eyes closed. Her expression was blank for a time before a smile came to her lips. “She’s alive, the crystal still sings to her,” she said quietly before opening her eyes once again and taking a deep sigh of relief. Marx jumping up with a fist pump in the air.

“That’s my Angel!” he shouted.

Turning her attention to the screen Gwen motioned for Ailen to hit the upload and broadcast button as a rather odd looking fellow popped up on the screen. His skin was pink and orange with a diamond shaped head and no hair.

“Afternoon Magistrate Velium,” Gwen said quickly.

“Gwen? Wow, I didn’t expect a call from you. What brings you out of the mines?” the man asked, seemingly slightly confused.

“Long story, I am just filling in a place that was already temporary as it was. You should be receiving some files as we speak. I need to make one position permanent and remove a problem from this Tower once and for all,” she said as she rose from her chair. Velium looked over the files and his eyes widened before quickly shaking off the expression.

“I see, well it will take time you know.”

“No it won’t,” she said cutting him off.

“And why is that?” he asked in a huff.

“Check the broadcast,” she said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

“You old bat you,” he said laughing. “You always knew how to cut through the red tape, alright, alright, but you owe me,” he said as her ran tentacle like fingers over his sharp jawline.

“I mined your crystal; you still owe me for that. Let’s call it even,” she said with a stern voice.

“Done!” he said with a bit a glee in his voice. “Give me a few minutes,” he said before he looked down and went to work. After around five minutes of silence and a lot of noise from key strokes he looked back over to her.

“Alright, per GTC emergency regulations and rules governing T-1 Tower Leads the following has been granted. The Tower is now Silvias, you are to be her back up until if and when she replaces you with someone else. Tristan is to be moved off world and will take over the prison planet until his formal tribunal and restricted from ever setting foot back on Altenia. The Twins are to remain in lock down until the mine is cleared and Silvia recovered except for when needed in the Mor, when they are in the Mor they will be under strict supervision of second in command of security,” he said as he looked to Gwen.

“I take it that is it our job to get Tristan off world,” she quipped.

“He’s your problem,” the man responded before cutting transmission. Gwen smirked and looked over towards Ailen.

“He ain’t our problem for long. Now we just need a ship and a pilot that can transport his ass. Got any ideas?” she said to Ailen as she sat back down in the chair.

Tower

"Do I have any ideas,... I do actually." He said as he moved over pressing down on his com and then putting it on speaker. "Hey Craig,... Why don't you go and inform Gwen here your plan of getting Tristan off planet." He said placing the comm down.

He was happy that Gwen confirmed that Silvia was doing well. He knew she was,... He had faith in her abilities to survive. Even if he took steps and thoughts of what if's. He then thought of Tristan. "I most certainly would enjoy throwing him into the shuttle that would take him to the prison planet. I suppose watching it would be just as good." He then looked to Gwen and saluted with his fingers. "I suppose I should go and watch the girls."

He said as he proceeded to leave. Despite Silvia being in the mine the day was starting to look up. Tristan is being sent to a prison colony. He was being Transferred. Earth should be better for me. Hope Silvia understands. With the way I have been she should have no problems saying no. His stomach growled. "Man I could use a double bacon cheese burger right now.." He said.

The Mines

He looked to the hand print and smiled shrugging. Maybe he was a little rough when he did that but he had to get her out and in the safe room. He hoped it would go away soon. He had his reputation to up hold. Yet here he was holding a gun and she was right there trying to help him with the weapon. The way she moved was as if she was trying to invite him in. he couldn't afford that right now. Maybe if his people changed their views about women then maybe. Silvia was not just any woman either. She was a talent,... a stigma hard to wash away from his people. He stepped away and nodded to her as she asked him if he understood everything. "Yeah I understand now" He answered. He began to follow the steps she showed him powering it on. Lets just hope he didnt have to use it. He grabbed a bottle and opened it taking a drink. He looked at the black crystal and nodded interesting. Not that he cared or anything. I mean its just a fucking rock. The GTC wanted them though for their talents. From the way ot sounds this will be one they dont get.

So there was a little Resistance happening right here on the planet. He shrugged,... Nothing wrong with it really he hate GTC just as much as anyone else. He was a little worried about his people. What if this resistance brings a war here and his people get caught in the cross fire. He didnt like it very much the idea. The only way he could see them surviving is if he convinced his people that they would need to use technology like this to stand a chance.

That Stigma would be easier to wash away then convincing thwm their fears were no longer valid in the talents.

He sighed and laughed at the idea of teaching her... "Yeah sure good one. We get out if here alive and I just might." He said. "So where we going now?"

The Mor

Leaning back in the chair Gwen looked around, this was not where she wanted to be. She had the ability to run the tower, she was fully trained but the mines were always more comfortable to her for some odd reason. She was one of the few singers out there that wasn’t insane, perhaps it was because she had chosen to go to them instead of breaking and being forced to. It wasn’t a life many could handle but she had for several decades now. It was hard work, dirty and even heart breaking but in the end she did love it.

“Ailen, Criag has locked them up and there are guards for now. Just grab some food and come back up here. Maybe we can get a few things done around here while we wait for the storm to pass now that we know that Silvia is at least alive right now.”

Looking over towards Ailen she perked a brow at the mention a plan that Craig had had and commed him. “So what is this plan you have in the works?” she asked.

“It’s a long story, I will let you know as soon as I make contact with someone. Till then I will be in my quarters catching up on some much needed rest so I can relieve Ailen in a few hours. Right now I am about to pass out after a nearly 48 hour shift,” he said before cutting the com and lying down on his bed. He knew he would be no good to them if he didn’t get at least a few hours’ sleep before continuing anything else. The storm should be passed them by then and then things can return to normal. Whatever that is.

Safe Room

“Nowhere for now, we have to wait for the storm to pass,” Silvia said as she looked over to him. “When the humming stops it will be safe to move,” she added as she stepped away from him and turned to look around the room. She needed to change but there wasn’t exactly a place to do that, it was a single room with no sectioned off area. Sighing she figured she just would have to suck it up, they were both adults and she had undergarments on. It wasn’t like they were two teen agers that had never seen anything in their lives.

Stepping over to the clothing she went through what was there and she sighed slightly. There was nothing there that was small enough for her but it wasn’t something she wasn’t used to. She had a feeling that Gaia had a worse time of it than she did finding clothing that fit. Finding the smallest Singer jumper she could she kept her back to Karras and kicked her boots off before unzipping the jumper she was wearing and slipping out of it; leaving herself in her undergarments. Holding up the jumper she took off she sighed, it was ripped to shreds but she figured better it than her.

Stepping one foot at a time she pulled the jumper up and secured it back at her waist, thinking that it was better than putting it on fully since it would just swallow her whole. Once she finished tying the sleeves around her waist she sat down on the ground and pulled her boots back on. “I know you probably hate the GTC as much as many of us and I won’t lie. Your people may be caught in the middle of this but I want you to know I am not just doing this for talents. The Brax’Na shouldn’t be in the position where they are now. Having to survive off of what the GTC gives them. On Earth the talents makes three times as much that work for the mines than you do here and your mine produces much better crystals than Earth does,” she said as she finished lacing up her boots.

“I know, my personal crystal was from this mine,” she said as she turned around and smiled over to him. “I doubt you realize how valuable your mining rights are and what the GTC would do to be rid of your race,” she added as her smiled failed. Standing up and brushing herself off she walked over to him. “It’s one of the reasons I came here first. There are rumors of what the GTC plans to do to get those rights. I don’t want your people annihilated. No race should have to live in fear,” she said as she looked up at him and rested her hand on his arm. “I can’t say it will be an easy road but I will do everything I can to protect your people. I promise.”

Getting out of the tub Ashala dried her hair and left it loose. She put on a robe and sat on the couch. Putting her legs up on the other cushion and stretching out to the full length of it. "Sigh, this sucks." Ashala got up from her couch, tossing the robe to the floor. The dock chief made her way to the closet changing into a halter top and a pair of shorts. Since she only had a pair of work boots she put those on too.

Ashala left her mobile comms in the room. This was a day off and she didn't want to hear from anyone until tomorrow. It wasn't quite night yet so she decided to go see if the new T-1 was settling in. Ashala licked her whiskers. "No reason to be unkempt." She stopped by the store and got a bottle of water for her and since this was a terran, Ashala bought a pricey bottle of wine for the new t-1. As the Altenian understood terran customs, it was the thought that counted not the gift. Continuing to the lift and as per GTC protocol the chief requested control to access to Silvia's floor. Ashala never had a desire to see the big shots but she felt somehow this one warranted a special introduction.

Edited after approval....
Control was given no special instructions to deny Ashala entry so the lift continued and the doors opened. The chiefs pupils grew slightly. Taking in the sheer luxury of the place this was so spacious its no wonder they barely left. The chief felt uncomfortable and deided to put the bottle on the closest table from the door. She made sure the note was attached. "Welcome from dock 6". The chief left quietly making sure to not disturb anything.

As she entered the lift to return to the area she was more comfortable in she exhaled. returning to the comfortable familiarity of her surroundings she looked down and saw what she was wearing. normally this was fine. It invited the drunks to get a arm dislocated. The fact it was what she wore to see one of the big shots became a concern for her. The chief only had a few sets of clothes and never was a formal type. fur was the primary fashion to Altenians. to cover it was a curiosity. It was a part of them like terran hair fashions. The racial flaw began to show, perhaps it was time to see if there was a additional items she could wear for a formal occasion. A quart of milk would settle her nervousness. Her tail move to some slow song only it could hear.

Again Ashala left her quarters to the market section of the tower. A place she only ordered from through the tower comm. The order was always the same, boots and a jumpsuit. Not this time. Still in her original garb the chief walked to a shop she had to stop and ask a terran woman for the location. She walked in the door and the scent was over whelming. Her ears went back as her eyes narrowed. "Is this, womans fashion, store?"

"For terrans yes. You want the Altenian clothing shop its further and on the left." She had the fakest smile Ashala had ever seen. The giant cats tail started to whip.

"No I, wanted, to see, fashion, for terran." She straitened her legs to add height.

"Well, everything here wouldn't fit you, but if your here to look then please, don't touch." She darted back behind the counter. Some of the items looked favorable if small. They were different kinds of styles and the chief wondered why she never saw them on any terrans. "What events, do terrans, wear, these?"

"HAHAHHA. Oh, my god you're serious? They are worn under the outer clothes." Ashala's tail came to a still. "Why would people layer clothes?" She thought to herself.

"How is this done?" Pointing to a rack of clothes. The clerk took the chief to a small room and left the door slightly open so she could show Ashala how to use the holographic model. This was the wrong store. She left and followed the insturctions to the Altenian shop.

"Greetings how may I help?" An Altenian was working on the floor. "I was just at the human store and they sent me here. I usually send an order of boots, but I've never actually visited until now. I was looking for a formal outfit that I can wear to a human setting."

"That's a hard sell but I do get requests for that very situation. Please come this way." Ashala left the store with three new garments. The chief also bought five different styles of foot wear.

"Alright, I'll be there soon." Srath went back to cleaning himself up after Craig disconnected the call. What he'd said worried him, something major had happened in the mines, bad enough that Craig couldn't spare any personnel for what he needed. His head began to hurt and gave up trying to think of what might be happening, figuring Craig would fill him in once they met up. The shower helped with his head and gave him some of his energy back, the lights were up to full power as well so he wouldn't be blinded the second he left his ship. He brushed the bad taste that had replaced the dryness in his mouth before returning to his bedroom to get dressed.

The ramp rose behind him, locking closed as he made his way to the elevator and sliding the control pad back into his pocket. The lift doors closed as Srath realized he hadn't grabbed anything to eat as his stomach began protesting. He'd have to grab something when he got back to his ship. The Doors opened at Craigs floor and Srath made his way to his quarters. He pulled the pad from his pocket, calling Craig again as he arrived at his door.

"Hey, I'm just heading in now." He tapped the door controls, they opened with a gentle hiss. Srath went inside, taking a seat just inside to wait for Craig.

The Mor

Thank fucking god for Gwen's deep deep heart, that he would not have to stare at those damn twins for another fucking hour. He then stopped himself at the door way of the Mor and turned around. "Hey any of you want anything?... cheeseburger? big mac?.... double quarter pounder? anything? " He asked. He figured he could just grab it in a to go bag and bring everything back up with him. Would give him a chance to play with powers some. He needed to get back to being used to use them. He always turned to his gun or his sword for his strength. After what happened in the docks, he need his body to get used the powers he was using. What pissed him off is that it was such a simple power. God forbid any teach him how to fucking teleport or some shit. He looked to everyone, specificly those that mattered right now, Marx, Gwen, anyone else of interest. "You know what,.. you got my comm number right?. You think of anything you want just hail me alright." He then stood there and smirked as he turned to leave. "Hail,... as if I was in one of those star trek movies." He head for the elevator and leaned against the elevator walls and pressed the button to go down. There was something really awesome about taking the rides down the elevator. It was the feeling of lightness that came from the experience. It almost felt like he was floating in a cold pool of water. Oh man could I use a vacation right now.

The Elevator stopped and opened as he reached the floor he wanted and started to move to the commissary and that was when he saw them. The very welcoming and soothing glow of the golden arches. He smiled and walked towards them and did so slowly incase anyone hailed him for a request of what they want. "I would like a double bacon cheeseburger, a large fries, and a medium chocolate shake...." He asked. If by chance anyone did contact him he said their order next and so forth. Once everything was in order he finished the request with a... "To go please."
As much of a shit hole planet this was it still had some luxuries. He then wondered about the mines as he waited. There she was stuck in a fucking mine and here he was about to have lunch. He shook his head and just sighed. Once the stuff came he picked up the back and the tray to carry his drink, and by chance what ever anyone else ordered as he headed back up.

The Mines

He looked down at the ground listening to her words. Once more they were like poison taunting him to push himself against her but he fought it back. She cared about his people just as much as he did. He liked that, he liked her. This relationship would only be mutual though and if anything sprouted it would have to be secret, and yet it couldn't. Even with a secret eventually they would get caught and all would be revealed to everyone. Some, most like from the tower, would see no problem with it,..... however his people would be harder to convince. Their stigma over women like her was hard to heal. The last couple days he meet two women that were not like any other. Gwen, who he meet at the entrance of the mine and the Silvia who he meet only recently at the top of the tower. They had meet in such the weirdest way to and un expected. When he heard of a woman running a tower he thought they meant Tristan. Then he realized it wasn't a joke and they actually had. He had mixed feelings back then. He did not know how to react to it. He only thought of it as: Well she's better then Tristan. Then chaos struck the planet and he was forced to save her.

"Listen,... I really enjoy your heroism and all but you can not protect my people alone." He said. "From what I have seen you would do just that in some self righteous sacrifice for my people. Yet you question why I saved you in that tunnel." He said. He then powered down the rifle and set it down to lean on the wall as he stepped closer to her. "You think you know about how my people are just because you read about it in your own history books. The stigmas my people have are not so simple. They were born into it taught it. That the only good use for a woman was ass bent over some post. Why because of fear that if another woman was ever given equal standing that our people would fade completely. Such fear has driven them to not accept new things. However, accepting someone like you is much different then them accepting a new kind of weaponry. I could teach them the benefits from using the rifles like that one. Eventually they would accept it. Perhaps if you were a regular woman they would accept you, yet you are not normal. As much as I love the thought of bringing my people together with you and your friends with such a bond, we still come to the fact that my people are as stubborn as a mule.

"Perhaps, when my people are more healed in their hearts and mind I will revisit that question you asked me, as to why I came down here. As much as my people hate it, we need you. I need you. With your help we could be armed and trained just enough to fight along side you." He then sighed looking around the room and towards the door. " Of course none of this will ever happen or occur if we don't get the fuck out of this god damn hole....." He said.

Craigs Personal Quarters

Hearing the door slide open to his quarters Craig groaned deeply and rolled out of bed, rubbing his eyes slightly as he stumbled out of his bedroom and looked around to see who it was. Seeing Srath he waved slightly as he dragged his feet, walking over to the kitchen area and pulling out something to drink from the refrigerator. “You want something to eat or drink?” he asked as he turned around. “Sorry, almost no sleep in the last couple of days, it has been a mad house,” he added before taking a long drink from a caffeinated beverage he had had chilling. “Feel free to grab something while I explain,” he continued as he sat down in his chair and groaned slightly, stretching his arms over his head.

“Okay, well Tristan is out. Thanks to files Ailen got to Silvia plus the attack on Silvia from Tristan in his private quarters. Sadly though Silvia couldn’t deliver the files to the GTC herself. Gwen, head of the Singers had to. Reason being is several hours ago, as you may have heard, there was an explosion at the Crystal Mines. Silvia was there, she managed to save Marx, who is head of security for Earth, and Gwens life but in doing so she got trapped in the mines. That Jun’Krama fellow went in after her since the Crystals were resonating and it would have driven any of the talents that went in mad. We just hope now, that Silvia is still mentally with us. There was another cave in thanks to the storms over the mine right now, so they are both trapped until the storm passes and we can send personnel back in,” he said before yawning deeply and taking a deep breath.

“So right now we have Gwen running things, Ailen looks to be transferred out to Earth, Silvia is trapped in the mines and I want Tristan off this fucking rock as soon as possible. With everything going down though, I cannot spare a single person to do the transfer. Two of my securities are missing and we think they had something to do with the explosion. You’re the only one I trust to get that piece of shit of a Tower lead to X-52 prison planet until I can revet the entire crew of the Tower,” he said as he looked over towards Srath.

“You’d be paid well of course and you would be transporting not only Tristan but also the bounty you caught last night,” he said as he stood up and walked over to his desk, opening a drawer and tossing an envelope. “It’s triple your normal pay, plus the bounty fee from yesterday. That’s half. The other half when you get back and confirm that bastard is secure on X-52.”

Sitting back down he rubbed his face a few times before looking back over to him. “Only thing I ask on top of that is that you let Ailen be the one to toss his ass into the cage for transport, and I don’t care what condition he arrives, as long as Tristan arrives alive,” he said as a smirk crossed his features. “So, we got a deal?”

The Mor

Gwen smiled and shook her head as Ailen asked if there was anything she wanted. “No, I am good,” she answered before he left. Sitting back in her seat she began to wonder what all was going on and why the explosion in the mine. Turning the chair she looked out the window towards the Mines, the storm was still raging on but at least it was beginning to weaken. They would be able to send out the rescue crew once again and hopefully this time get Silvia out of the mines, as well as Jun’Krama. She had to wonder what was going on in there right then and if Jun’Krama and Silvia had beaten the hell out of each other yet.

It was no secret the Brax’Na hate for women or for talents, she had run into it herself working with them in the mines but some had been coming around. Gwen had saved several from small cave ins and even a select few had let her heal them but it was never put on record. She hoped that maybe Silvia could get through to their leader that they weren’t all bad. If Silvia couldn’t, she doubted that anyone could. Then there were the rumors that the GTC was tired of paying non-talents for their work in the mines and wanted the Brax’Na mining rights for themselves. She had dealt with the GTC on other worlds and seen the destruction they had caused. Entire races wiped out for a crystal mine claim, sometimes not even for that and the Brax’Na had the rights to the most powerful crystal mines in the galaxy.

Marx paced the Mor, worried about Silvia, he couldn’t stay still and he was set to ship back to Earth in a couple of days. He couldn’t let them transfer him out until he at least knew she was safe but how quickly could the create a new mine entrance and dig Silvia and Jun’Krama out? And what about air? The sensors couldn’t read anything due to the storm, so for all he knew they were slowly suffocating to death. He looked over towards Gwen and then out the window. For once he wished he wasn’t a talent, then at least he could have been the one to go in after her but it seemed fate had other plans. Pushing the thought out of his mind he decided to start reviewing a file that Craig he sent up on the missing personnel.

The Safe Room

Silvia stood her ground as she listened to Karras, folding her arms across her chest as she tilted her head back to look up at him as he spoke; her eyes narrowing somewhat as she began to grow more and more angry. Fists balling up as he spoke she felt a rage building up in her that she had not felt before, her eyes beginning to swirl and her hair flickering slightly as if there was a soft breeze blowing through the room, though the air around them remained still.

“So, that’s what you came down here for? To save some fucking woman that is only good bent over while you do your thing? Well let me tell you something shit doesn’t change overnight, I know this. I have been working for the last seven years just to get transferred to this hell hole of a planet,” she said as a single finger started poking him in the chest.

“You want to know something else? Shit won’t change unless their leader mans up and has the balls to do what is right. To show his fucking people that the hatred and fear needs to stop. It’s up to your ass to show them the way, not hope and wait and pray that in time they will see and change. You have to lead them Karras! You! Their Jun’Krama has to let them know if some pathetic little talent of a woman has the guts to be willing to die to save them they need to stand up with her. If you can't stand openly beside me in this fight how can you expect them to! Shit happens, people die, I know this! I lost my fucking parents when I was child at a mining camp on Earth! A camp run by the GTC that was not properly set up and would flood every damn year. You have some fucking legend that keeps your people hating, I have personal loss. I want them gone more than any of you,” she hissed as she continued to poke him in the chest. Each word cold as ice and yet at the same time burning with rage.

Every word she spoke slowly caused her to rise in the air until she was eye to eye with him. “And as far as saving your people alone. If that is what it fucking takes, then yes. I will do it alone! With or without you” she spat. “Just like I did with the cave in to save your ass! My life means no more to the world than a single life of any man OR woman in your village as far as I am concerned. If I die saving this planet or I die saving a single child of your village, it will be worth it to me! You got that Karras!” she said, finally finishing her rant. She was livid, her breath ragged as she floated there eye to eye with him, her finger stilling but still pushing against his chest.

WHACK

Jeremiah’s hand slapped his metal door and it opened with a whoosh. He closed his eyes and took a step forward, waiting for his feet to give way, so he could float down to his heavenly pillows. Before he could even get his second foot through the door however, a tiny voice squeaked from the hall.

“Mr. Strong?” Kendra asked behind the man. Jeremiah arched his neck and looked over at the little girl, dressed in a child's pink nightgown of thick cotton, and stitched with cartoon characters.

With one eye open, Jeremiah looked over at her and leaned against the door frame, he yawned, “little early for bed don’t you think, princess?”

Kendra seemed to shuffle in her space and whined, “mommy made me, she always does when Daddy is drinking.”

Jeremiah’s other eye opened, a faint dark ring of fatigue carved below it. He stood up straight, “is everything okay?”

He knelt down and Kendra all but flopped on his knees. She looked up at him, and taking in his serious expression, she jutted out her bottom lip, wobbling it. She looked just as confused as the Engineer, choosing to bury her face into his lap rather than answer.

The man threaded a finger through her brown hair, and furrowed his brow. Any questions about getting involved were quickly crumpled and dismissed in the back of his mind. A single memory seemed to scream at him, and on an impulse, his heart jumped. He patted her head and lifted her chin up, “is everything okay?”

“Mommy…” Kendra whimpered, “mommy cries.”

Jeremiah lifted Kendra onto his hip and walked into his room, placing her down on a spare chair. He pointed a finger at her, “stay right here, okay?”

He looked over to his closet door, and swore he saw his gun glisten underneath a folded shirt. he shook his head and urgently walked out of his room. He practically leapt in front of Hannah’s door and tapped it open.

The door slide with a whoosh and he squinted to see in the dim light, his head kicking him from the start of his withdrawals. There was a gulp and he looked over to where they played cards. A dark figure sat on the chair alone, swallowing tears and choking on sobs.

“Hannah?” Jeremiah asked, taking a few steps forward. He quickly looked away once his eyes adjusted. Her shirt was torn, and she was exposed. A dark angry pit plopped into Jeremiah’s acidic stomach and he spoke again, “Hannah…”

“Jeremiah p-please go.” Hannah gurgled.

“And who the fuck is bothering me now!” A baritone roar boomed from the other room, forcing Hannah to wince and shrink into her chair. She brought her knees up to her chest. Jeremiah took a few steps forward. A sudden clunk! caused the man to reel back as glass shattered across his forehead.

He blinked his blurry eyes and realized a bottle had been thrown at him. His eyes shone bloodshot, and a rage swelled as a stumbling figure backgrounded by a dim light came into view, arms waving angrily,

Without much thought, Jeremiah burst by the table, flipping a chair on the way. He wasn’t sure if he was helping at this point, but a thick cloud of anger and addiction choked his reason. He ducked under a thrown fist and slammed his forehead down across Phil’s face.

Blood popped from both men, but only Jeremiah remained standing. The engineer pulled back and thrusted a foot forward, cleaving a heavy boot into the man’s rib with a faint crack. Phil turned over and started coughing hoarsely.

Jeremiah shook his head and turned to leave. He suddenly turned back and kicked the man once more but in the back, equally as hard. The man yelped and coughed roughly and Jeremiah kicked him again.

The Engineer turned to Hannah and saw that her tear stained face was wide in surprise, and hate. Jeremiah knew she was looking at him more as a monster than a hero, he knew this, and he felt terrible for it, but with all his will, he didn’t regret beating Phil down.

“Do-” Jeremiah started abruptly, “do you want me to walk you and Kendra down to the infirmary for the night?”

Hannah nodded silently shaking in her seat.

The Mines

His anger build up as she ignored every fucking word he spoke. "I have no balls?..... maybe you should shut the fuck up and listen for once instead of solving every fucking argument with anger!" He barked. "Maybe you never read our file, I am assuming that because you seem to forget I have been trying to save my people sense I took charge of them. You think I rode up to the tower every fucking week just to show of my good looks? No!, you stupid ignorant woman. I have been fighting the GTC ever sense then. Maybe you see only your own heroism and ignore everyone elses." He yelled back. He wanted to unleash his anger on her right now and smack her across the face. He had never seen a woman so bent up that they didn't listen.

"Thats why I have a hard time convincing my people we need to change!... yeah thats right, if thats any clue for your thick skull then I don't know what is..." He was more angry then anything. "I have been trying to save my people for the time I have been put in as their leader. You talents are all the damn same. Ignore the actions of others and only accept your own. It took all my power to stop my people from attacking the GTC, then again from the sounds of what I hear maybe I shouldn't maybe they should have attacked and died at the gates maybe then your fucking head would wrap around the idea that we did have balls!"

"Of course you don't know what I have done! you want to know why? I am surprised the thought never occured to you sense apparently you got you need to take over the tower,... apparently you ignored those too. The reason the records never show me standing up for my people is because that fucking asshole blocked and erased all of it. You think I came to the tower that day just for the walk?!"

No he couldn't see himself being with this woman ever, she has too much bent up anger and hatred that she don't listen EVER. It's only her words that are allowed to heard no one elses. "Also,... you didn't save us alone back there... or did you already forget the fact I tossed your ass in here because if I didn't you would have died right fucking there. Your so blind in your feelings you can't see the events around you. Only your own."

"And I was talking about my people when I said everything not me or are you that ignorant as well. How did someone like you ever take charge when all you know how to do is give orders and yet not listen...." He said snarling at her. He spat at her feet. To angry to be even slightly afraid of what she was doing. "I have been manning up you stupid bitch!,... I have been trying to change my people for a long as time. But I guess because you were never there to see it it never happened. I change what I said,.... my people cant follow a woman so hell bent on getting herself killed and would never try to understand anything around her. Also you lost two parents,... join the fucking club. We all lost something,... what makes you so special. You think just because you lost something that your voice is better heard then ours. Your no different from Tristan, he never listened to a damn thing I said either."

"For ten years I have been fighting the damn GTC but go ahead still say I have no balls because the day I killed our previous leader who feed the stigma's never happened in your fucking eyes. Maybe when my people fight the GTC and die out then maybe you will be convinced we do. Apparently all you understand is self sacrifice. I have been trying to change my people so we could survive, I did not tell my people to shut the fuck up and start pulling rocks to save a woman just to be told I have no balls to right here"

The Tower

He grabbed his order and drink and started to head back to the elevator. He sipped on his shake while he did so. It was a long time sense he let himself gorge like this. He wondered out of the commissary and then towards the elevators and took them back up to the Mor once he did so he would move back to his desk and began to eat. He looked at his old crystal as it sat there on his desk and began to wonder why he went out of his way to make such a charm. As if hell she would accept it, nor should she. Her thoughts should be on the tasks at hand not him. That's why he was going with his transfer. He was certain he could pull out all kinds of excuses to Craig to convince him to let him stay. He just decided not to. What was the point?... no he need to get to earth and get his head checked and fixed by some of the empaths there. He needed a time to relax and he hasn't had the time to.

He began to do his old job and start monitoring the cameras as he ate. He suddenly began to wonder about the twins though. Why? Hell if he knew. The time of the blackout and their T&C they could have easily broken Tristan out or done something to speed up his release. They didn't, they teleported to the commissary instead and had some soup. "Hey Gwen,... if you had a twin and you got a opportunity such as a tower wide camera outage, and could T&C anywhere,.... what would you do? If you were them. I have been trying to understand why they did it. IS it their way of telling us they don't care what happens to Tristan, because within the time it took us to find them in the commissary they could have easily done something to help free him. Like shut of the shields to his room or something but no."

Safe Room

Silvias eyed widened slightly as he yelled, part of what he said was true but he was missing her point but that wasn’t what shocked her. Slowly she lowered herself herself and started pacing back and forth around the room. She seemed to calm down instantly, her paces slow and thoughtful; glancing over to him from time to time before she started laughing and looked over to him. “It seems both of us are so used to fighting alone neither of us can see that we’re fighting together without even knowing it,” she said as she continued to move around the room. “Or that there are more enemies out there than just the GTC.”

Stopping she took a deep breath and looked over to him. “I did read the file Karras. All of it. The thing is the file is lacking. I have no doubt that complaints were made but the thing is, they never even made it to the Tower, to Tristan for him to erase. Everything goes through security first, then him,” she said and she was right. The Tower had never once received anything against the GTC from the Brax’Na. All the complaints, all the problems to be reported, everything had been stopped inside the Brax’Na Village itself. Karras may have written up report after report but it never left his own village. Stopped and hidden long before they were even set to leave the Village. The only complaints that had reached the tower were ones Gwen filed for the workers of the mine. None of those were from Karras or the village itself. “Someone in your village must be blocking the communications,” she said as she stopped in her tracks.

“That and we had a bounty brought in last night, someone selling technology to your people,” she said as she remembered the report she got before she left the tower from Craig about the bounty that Srath had brought in. Sighing she took a breath and walked back over to him. “I’m sorry. I should have known better than to say that and insult you. It was wrong. And no, my loss doesn’t make my voice better heard, in fact with the GTC is makes it less heard,” she said as she turned around and started creating a part in her hair to reveal a large scar that ran from the top of her head and down to the base of her skull.

“They don’t even listen to a teen screaming as they cut into her skull so they can see what makes her tick,” she says in a low voice as she lowered her head. The scar was thick and mangled. “They wanted to see how strong I was, how much pain I could take and if I could heal on my own, along with god only knows what else. For all I know they did it for grins and giggles,” she said as she dropped her hand and her hair fell back into place to cover it. “Three years I was locked in a room, all because I was a talent, because I was different. Strapped to a table as they would carved into me, cut through the bone of my skull all the way. They wouldn’t even bother to set up a pain block, no. They had to see if I could survive it. If I could heal myself without the aid of a crystal. For a long time I became numb to it, thinking all talents went through that. That it was this that broke the Singers,” she said, her voice trembling as she thought back to it.

“Then when they were finally done, I returned to my class mates. None of them had gone through it, thank god. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. God, not even Tristan,” she added before turning back around and lifting her head to face him. “No, my pain hasn’t been greater than anyone elses, nor my loss. But I have felt their cruelty first hand. I just don’t want anyone else to hurt like that. I want to do this alone, so if I fail it is on me. Not my staff, not my brother, not your people,” she said as she paused for a moment. “Not you. Everyone has suffered enough. I know I can’t, I do listen even though it may seem like I don’t. I do see what people do to help. It is part of what pushes me to keep going to try to stop all this.”

“Like Srath and Craig risking everything to get your people supplies. Like Ailen stopping the collapse to save workers in the docks. Like Gwen where she could be safely in a Tower down in the mines risking her sanity to make sure your people stay as safe as she can make them,” she said before taking a pause as her back was to him; turning around to face him. “And I see your heroism, I do. Why do you think the first words out of my mouth when you saved me where Thank you?” she said before going quiet and leaning back against the wall, sliding down it to sit on the ground as she pulled her knees to her chest as she tilted her head back and looked up at the ceiling. Not bothering to mention that he had only laughed at her when he did and never once returned the thanks for her risking her life for him.

The Mor

Gwen looked over towards Ailen and sighed. “I wish I knew what they had been up to. Something in me tells me that they aren’t working with Tristan though. Like you said, they could have done something to help release him. But they had to be up to something. What that is, your guess is as good as mine,” she said as she ran her fingers through her hair to push it out of her face. “And for some reason I don’t think they were involved with the mine either. That it happening just gave them a moment to do something else but what that something else is eludes me. I wish I knew Ailen, I wish I knew.”

Marx listened as he stared out of the window, watching the storm. It was beginning to break thankfully. Hopefully soon he could head back out to the mine with the others and get Silvia and Jun’Krama out. The waiting was the hardest part. He had dealt with cave-ins before, they were never easy but he had never seen one to this scale. Even the smaller ones took hours to get through to rescue anyone that may have been left inside. This one was a complete loss. How they were going to get to them in time he had no idea. All he could hope was that some miracle would get them out.

The Mor

He kept thinking on it trying to come up theories of what the Twin's plans were. "At first I thought they were in on it, like they had something to do with it. Then their actions just kinda fucked that theory over. They might just be in it for their own gain.... Like maybe they want their own tower to run as well, even though they said they didn't." He said. Again everything was being thrown in the air. He quickly finished off his burger and nearly got a bit of brain freeze. He quickly shoved one of the fries in his mouth hoping the warmth would stop the pain until it subsided. He then stretched and picked up his fries and walked over to the window. He sighed as he shoved a fry into his mouth. He then offered Marx a fry. "Don't worry man,... she will be fine. She is in good hands right now. Plus have a little faith in the people who helped you there. Jeremiah got the fans working right?...have some faith he did a good enough job and that there is enough supplies in there for them to survive until the storm gets done with."

He then looked to the ceiling and sighed using his telekinesis to bring his shake to him and took a slurp. "Besides she is a survivor right?... and Gwen said she was still alive. I know your like her brother so I understand your worry I do.... before you say I don't, don't everyone here in this room knows I lost my sister in a bit of civilian retaliation. I know what it's like to have a sister to worry about. Not saying don't worry... just don't be so tense. Relax,... and maybe find out who is behind the two security guards. I know two of our security officers wouldn't just go off and blow up the mine."

He then looked to Gwen. "Don't the Brax'Na have the mining rights to that place?..." He said as he looked back. "Maybe that's why the mine was targeted... No mine no rights. No rights,... means nothing to stop GTC from taking over.... kinda stupid to just cave it though. So I don't think GTC is behind it either. I mean it produces the most greatest crystals.... GTC destroying it would be the last thing they would do. They would sooner find a way to annex the BraxNa or wipe them out then........ son of a bitch. That explains why Tristan was starving them."

He took another sip and another fry as he paused to think and chew. Once he swallowed he decided to talk about the time when they would take Tristan off this planet. "Just saying,... I want to be the one to toss his ass in the shuttle to the prison planet... would break his jaw but I wouldn't want him to be too damaged when he arrives." He sighed and finished the shake and wondered if the pictures of earth were real. It looked like the factory end of Courosant from star wars. It was not pretty at all. Not like the old earth.

The Safe Room

"Well maybe when the storm goes away I will back track to those corpses and we will drag them out with us... maybe they have some answers on their bodies as to why they did this." He said. He was still pissed at her for insulting her. He would make her feel bad about it for awhile before accepting her apology. Sometimes it was the only way spoiled brats learned. "God, I feel like killing something... do not take me to see Tristan. Whether he did this or not it is still his fault. This planet is dying even worse sense he took over. Now our mines are gone.... I don't think the GTC is behind THIS though. If what you say is true and there is value in it. They wouldn't create a cave in and risk destroying a gold mine. Some other group is involved... maybe Tristan,... maybe he doesn't want GTC to come in and stomp over him so he got rid of the mine hoping they would only look to Altenia for its position."

"You can always trust in that man to be greedy and spoiled. He would not like it if something happened to take from him what he wants. Destroying a mine will be one thing he would do,... you being in here a added bonus after what you did. Because you always like making new friends everywhere you go don't you?.... any how when I get out of here I will take this gun and tell my people what is coming and that we need to prepare and we can't fight no GTC with swords and horses. They will listen to me, perhaps find that gun runners cache and use his guns." He then smirked and laughed. "Oh I know one man would be happy to hear me say these words. He has been pushing it himself. I only shot him down because we are out of our league... still are even with the guns." He drank the rest of the water from the bottle and tossed it aside and tried looking for rations and food to eat.

He found one can of rations and looked at it...... "Don't tell me all your people even at the tower eat this?... no wonder Ailen has hardly any meat on his bones. How can they get big eating food of this kind.... wheres the steak or jerky?"

The Safe Room

Silvia continued to stare at the ceiling, a blank expression one her features as her hands draped over her knees; her breath steady as she sat there thinking to herself. She felt horrid for insulting him, she should have known better than to prejudge him like his people did to all women but she could not help but be angry as well. He had compared her to Tristan and showed no gratitude towards her. He expected submission in her mind, whether she was right or wrong, that is how she felt. Sighing deeply she shrugged her shoulders. They were getting nowhere. He wouldn’t listen to her. All she wanted to do right then was get out of there but the storm had not faded enough to make it safe yet. Soon though, she felt the hum of the crystals lessening, she knew it wouldn’t be much longer and then she could go back to the Tower and deal with things there and he could go back to his village.

“Actually I do think the GTC is behind this. This mine is technically under your control. An explosion and a cave in would give them the right in their minds to take it over even more. Me being down here would be an extra bonus. I die down here, the Brax’Na are responsible for the death of a Tower Lead, would give them everything they needed to annihilate your people,” she said in a flat voice as she continued to stare at the ceiling. “As far as weapons go, the Tower can supply your people under the table through Srath if need be. If they need training I am sure I can locate male non talents to send to help,” she added as she reached up and ran her fingers along the scar on the back of her head. “A mine that is collapsed doesn’t kill the mine, they can always blast a new entrance.”

“No, that’s not what we eat. It’s just rations for emergencies. Actually Talents eat a lot. More than I have seen most non-talents eat. The higher the rank, the higher the metabolism. You would probably be shocked to see how much I eat when I actually get a chance to,” she remarked as she glanced over to him for a moment before looking away again and closing her eyes. “If you want to kill something, I’m right here. Might as well since I am not different than Tristan in your eyes. Hell your people might even throw you a parade,” she quipped under her breath. “But at least wait until I get you out of here,” she added quietly.

The Mor

Marx eyed Ailen and then the dry before looking away again and looking back out the window. “You have no idea what that woman has survived to get here, that nightmare of hers was just the beginning” he said under his breath. Gwen looked over towards Marx and shook her head slightly. “What?” Marx asked as he felt a mental tug from Gwen.

“Not here, not now. That is for her to say to someone she trusts when she wants to. It is not our place,” Gwen commented quickly. Marx sighed and nodded before looking back out the window. “Yes Ailen, she is a survivor. I have no doubt she will make it out of the mines,” Gwen said before looking over towards Ailen and getting back to the topic at hand.

“Yes, the Brax’Na own the rights. I don’t think Tristan is in on anything though. He is just an over bearing jack ass who enjoy causing people pain. The GTC wouldn’t entrust that dumbass with anything that was crucial to them. This goes beyond Tristan or even the Twins I think. Hopefully once the storm passes we can start getting answers,” she said as she leaned back in her seat. There was a lot more going on but it wasn’t something she could discuss with Ailen. Marx had barely been brought into the fold, Ailen had not. She wasn’t about to go speaking of the knowledge she had gathered while in the Resistance to someone she didn’t know if she could trust. Right now everyone was suspect in her eyes.

The Mor

"Well in that case,... we might have to expect GTC to come down and do what I have been trying to prevent for five years... Been getting them supplies so they don't revolt and yet looks like it will be wasted if the GTC comes to take claim of the mine. Whether she dies in that mine or not they got enough ammunition to come and do it. Hopefully I will have been transferred by then. I am not being their pawn in the destruction of a people that I have been trying to help." He said. Suddenly he didn't want the rest of his fries and his shake and moved to a basics desk. "Enjoy, finish that for me..." He said and then moved back to his desk and sat down. Seems like it never ends around here,... once one problem is solved another rises in it's place. Once more it came down to one thing. He needed a vacation. He had a feeling that wasn't going to happen. Perhaps Craig can work his magic fast enough and get him off this planet. They waited for Silvia though, too bad someone else couldn't transfer him right now.

He shook his head and decided to get it all out of his mind and slowly popped open the panel and looked at the black crystal shard. Once more if gave a inner glow of a dark purple as energy poured around it. It was indeed beautiful. He would not want to remove it from the arm and replace it. The glowing pulsating as he stared at it. Almost in a rhythm and suddenly he began to feel his eyelids get heavy. He quickly shook his head and closed the panel and began to do what remained of his job at his desk. Checking security cameras and he took no of the engineer that helped him leave his quarters with chocolate spots on his face and with a candy bar in his hand. Ailen smiled at it and clicked on for the next camera. He was glad he was able to give one last gift to these people before he left.

Can't wait until the storm passes and they can get back to work getting her out of there. He wanted off,... he wanted a break before the shit hit the fan and everything else.

The Safe Room

Karras snorted at her words. You think acting like that is going to get me to cave and apologize?... yeah try again. He said as he decided the food would be better then nothing and grabbed something to open it with and once he did he began to eat it. It wasn't like anything he ever had. It tasted kinda bad. He sighed and decided to eat it anyways. He patted his stomach. "Don't worry, as soon as I am out of here I am giving you something a lot better." He said talking to his stomach. He would then be out of her hair and he welcomed it. Perhaps this time he will stay there in his village. They would prepare for a fight and if Silvia wanted to help she was more then welcome to.

Once he got done eating he plopped it on the table. He then moved to the door and leaned his ear onto it to see if he could hear anything on the other side. It was real tempting to open it and leave. So what if her mind boils. So she believed the GTC was behind it. In that case it would not be long before they would come and take more from his people. They would fight it, they would fight them. No more hiding, no more cowering. If they were going to die in this fight then so be it. He would rather die with courage then like a coward.

The last ride of the Brax'Na was about to be taken soon and he would make sure they did not go with out a fight.

The Safe Room

Silvia sat there in silence staring at the ceiling, trying to recuperate from earlier and the hum of the crystals. It had taken a lot out of her both mentally and physically. Glancing towards Karras as he moved towards the door she perked a brow, wondering what he was thinking. She could have read his mine, she was a high ranking telepath and he was just a Brax’Na after all, he had no training to keep people out of his mind. It wasn’t an ability that all had but once you became a Tower Lead in training you were taught in case you were attacked or for interrogation purposes. It wasn’t given to security though, it was not a skill the GTC wanted running rampant throughout the talents and it took years to master without frying someones brain.

Sighing she looked away, she could have but it wouldn’t be right, it was not her way. She had never probed the mind of anyone that did not invite her to. It just didn’t seem right to her, something in life were their own, and their thoughts were one of them.

Closing her eyes she listened for the hum, it was still there but it wasn’t horrible anymore. It would be enough to keep her from getting them out of there but there was at least one thing she could do. Rising from her place she dusted herself off and stepped over towards the door. “Excuse me please,” she asked and waited for him to step out of the way. Once he did she looked over towards the crystal in the corner and let out a soft note from her vocal cords to tap into it turning as it rung out she looked at the door and it slowly opened, and a wall of nearly solid debris was held back by a telekinetic shield. Tilting her head she looked down and spotted his sword laying beneath it, just a faint glimmer of it was seen. Suddenly a few of the rocks that covered it turned to dust and the sword moved into the room and over to her hand.

The door quickly shut and locked back into place as the song of the black crystal in the room faded; looking over the sword for a moment before glancing over to him and handing it over. “Better you walk out with this than that,” she said as she motioned over to the gun against the wall. Once she handed it to him she walked over to the supplies and dug out something to eat and a bottle of water. Leaning against the wall she took a drink of water before taking a small bite, a drop of blood falling from her nose. Rolling her eyes as it hit her hand she wiped it away, she needed a bit more time before she did anything else with her abilities and a sometime with an empath it seemed but that would have to wait.

The Mor

Marx glanced over and nodded slightly to what Ailen said. “They probably will but if the transfer is something you really want, my second in command is up for promotion as it is to head of security. I can appoint you to second in command on Earth and stay here with Silvia,” he said as he stepped over. “But make no mistake, whatever happens here is just the beginning. It will spread, like a virus to each planet. The GTC will do whatever it takes to keep control. I only hope that there are others willing to fight,” he said before sitting down at the security desk and propping his feet up.

“You know there are others Marx,” Gwen said as she looked up from some papers she had been going over before looking at Ailen. “Crisin runs Earth as I am sure you are aware, she raised Silvia for the most part, at least on paper. But the whole tower helped to raise her. I think that is one reason she is like she is,” Gwen said before leaning back in her seat. “Anywho, once Craig gets back in contact with me, we will start moving Tristan off world, whether or not Silvia is out of the mine. Then at least there would be one less thing to worry about around here.”

Mark nodded and rose from his place. “I’m going to go start working on repairing the cameras for security so we are better covered, keep Gwen safe Ailen until I return or Craig relieves you please,” he said before heading to the elevator and making his way down to supply to get what he needed to start taking care of the holes in the Towers Security footage.

Srath sighed as Craig caught him up on the days events, explosion in the mines, the new tower lead trapped after kicking Tristans ass (he smiled at that part) and missing security personnel. Well at least he'd be getting rid of Tristan and X-52 was as good a place as any to dump his ass. His biggest concern was the mine, clearly Tristan had something to do with it. The fact that Silvia was there after having beat him, taken his job and was sending him X-52 made that clear.

'That and it's just the kind of thing an idiot like Tristan would think is sneaky.' He thought. 'Of course if Tristan still has people working for him, they may try something while he's being moved.'

He accepted the envelope from Craig. "If Tristan still has people working for him, I'd bet they're going to try something when he's being moved. I'll help with the transfer once I get my ship ready." Srath paused just as he was about to leave. 'No he wouldn't let me, would he?' He turned to Craig, still siting with his drink. "Seeing as how there's a chance something may occur while we're moving Tristan to my ship, I was wondering if you'd let me bring Lola, purely as a precautionary measure." He added quickly.

Craig titled his head to the side and a sadistic grin came over his features. "Request granted."

Srath smiled back, turning around and walking to the door. "Lola! Get your going out shoes, we got a party to get to!" He called out as he exited Craigs quarters. Laughing to himself as he made his way back to the elevator.

A Few Moments Later

Srath rode the elevator up to Tristans level, shifting his body armor trying to get it to sit comfortably. Lola clacked against the armor as he got it resting snugly, he took the weapon back into his hands from it just hanging from the sling. He looked over to the maintenance engineer that he'd gotten into the elevator with, he was pressing himself into the corner desperately trying not to make eye contact. Srath smiled, deciding to have a little fun.

Looking ahead to the door, keeping a straight face and level voice he spoke. "Rats."

"E..excuse me?"

"Rats. Someone saw one scurry into the vents." The elevator slowed to a stop and the doors opened, Srath walked out, turning around to see the dumbfounded expression on the engineers face. "Keep an eye out for 'em." The doors slid closed and Srath chuckled to himself. 'Okay, fun and games are over.' He huffed, shaking his shoulders lose before making his way down the hall to Tristan.

The Mor

Ailen sighed and shrugged. "It is only a temp. transfer, more like a vacation then anything. However, from the way you are all talking it looks like I might not get one anyways. At least not much of one. I have not had a vacation in five years sense my sister died." He said and then he leaned back in his chair. "I just need some time to get my head back in the game. I just momentarily experienced that my body hasn't used the two powers I have for a long time and I am so rusty at it that my arm began to bleed. If that accident never happened it would have happened at another time. Good thing it did." He then looked back at his arm and rubbed the compartment where the crystal shard was located. "Besides I got to get used to using the shard within. I need to know my limits and what I can do because of this new arm. I do wish just like Silvia did that she could have just removed the sensitivity to black crystals altogether but maybe this is just the start of it. With me and you as her test subjects. Perhaps she can find some way of pushing all my sensitivity away. Then again even if she did,... I don't know what I would do if I could. I do not have enough confidence in my self to run my own tower. Nor do I want to."

"If you need any help setting up those cameras let me know, once Craig relieves me I can take over." He said as the man left. He found his glance going to the window once more. Once he was sure he had left the room he shook his head. "That man's lack of faith in his sister is disturbing.... Silvia has obviously faced much worse then this to suffer the nightmares she has. This is probably nothing to her, all she has to do is wait for the storm to pass and then once it had start finding a way out." He looked at the storm and he too felt worried for Silvia, he just knew she would make it out of their alive.

"Now know the type of person Karras is, whether she kills him out of frustration is a different story. That man is sexist being belief. Surprised he was willing to climb in the vent to save her in the first place. You know what his first question to me was after I introduced him to Sil?.... He asked me if I had sex with her yet. I mean seriously,... A man who thinks on that and on that alone doesn't deserve any woman." He said as he scoffed. He wished if it wasn't for his sensitivity and him being a talent that he was there with her. No,... Craig would tell him that it was best he was here and that he was more help to him.

He looked to Gwen and smiled. "So anything you need of me? files, videos, coffee?" He asked. He wanted something to do. That's what helped him keep the edge off of Silvia being in the mines. Talking with Craig helped but Craig couldnt be expected to answer him at every turn. "Wonder if Craig has already started moving Tristan?..." He asked as he looked to the monitors.

The Mines

Karras shook his head. Once more she had not been listening to him. He took the sword but put it where it belonged on his belt and still held the gun. "Swords will not work against the GTC,... I have been explaining that to my people for so many years. Taking a knife to a gun fight is never a good idea, even if you had many knives." He said as he kept doing the process over and over again. He was trying to master how to use the gun so he could show and explain it to his people. After he got that done he looked to the can his food was in and grabbed it and placed it on a box against the wall. He took aim towards it and fired. The blast only made a black mark against the wall beside it. He adjusted his aim now that he knew how and fired again this time nailing the can. He nodded and then suddenly sneezed.

Some asshole must be talking about him,... He shook his head and nodded at his work. It was not perfect but it was good. He ignored her attitude. If she thought he would apologize to her when she talked like that she had another thing coming. He did not have the time or the mood to apologize right now and her choice of words did not help the situation. She was an annoying brat. Maybe nothing like Tristan but one thing was the same. They were both brats. One just lacked a brain. He then shrugged and sighed. "Look I am sorry I compared you to Tristan, I was angry. As for not wanting to cut him open and see how he ticks... I don't know I might want to. I want to see if he even has a brain."

Tristan deserved a lot of things, a cell on some prison planet was a start. Even if he was running it, there would bound to be a few there that hate him as well. Who knows maybe a few where put there because of him.