The Mor

Gwen looked over to Ailen and smiled softly as she rose from the chair and walked over to him. “It isn’t a lack of faith in Silvia, it is a lack of faith in anyone else, even himself; when it comes to her,” she said before glancing out of the window of the Mor as the storm was breaking up. “It’s just he feels it is his job to protect her at all costs. Silvia has been through a lot and no matter the circumstances, Marx seems to think there was something he could have done or should have done differently to protect her,” she said before looking back over to Ailen and shrugging. “I guess that is the older sibling mentality in him,” she added before wandering back over to the chair and sitting down.

Gwens demeanor changed though when Ailen told her about the Jun’Krama, at first it was mild annoyance and then she laughed. “I guess that is just how some men thing but you never know. We used to have entire ancient societies like that on Earth, they eventually evolved. Who knows maybe he will, after hours with Silvia anything is possible,” she said before looking back over towards the window. “Then again, she could just put his ass through a wall and be done with it. She does have a temper on her.”

Gwen was going to continue but the elevator doors opened and Craig stepped in, looking around for a moment before spotting Ailen and strolling right up to him with a big smile on his face. “Ailen, get out of the Mor and meet Srath at Tristans Quarters. It’s your job to toss his ass onto the ship that will take him out of here,” he said before wandering over to his desk and making a few adjustments in the computer log. “Craig to security detail, Ailen will be down shortly to retrieve Tristan for transport off world, overrides have been sent to you.”

“Yes sir!” a happy duo of voices came through the com in response. Craig smiled, walking back over to Ailen before he could leave and looked him over.

“Make sure to get the bounty and toss him into the ship as well before Srath takes off,” he said handing Ailen the paper work that Srath would need at x-52 for the transfer. “Oh and one more thing, they just expect him to show up alive, they made no mention about condition,” he said with a wink before wandering over to Gwen and filling her in on what was going on.

The Safe Room

Silvia glanced over towards Karras as she ate. “Swords works against anyone, we all bleed,” she said as she watched him working with the gun. “They are always a good back up from what I have seen,” she added before taking a drink of her water. “But that was not the reason I retrieved it. Yes, your village will need help in defending itself against the GTC and yes our weapons will be able to help with that but your sword, well it is a link to your past I would think. As a civilization evolves, you don’t do away with the past entirely but find a way to keep a hold of somethings. A way to respect the past, even if it is only in spirit. Somethings need to be left in the past. Like hate, fear, animosity. Somethings I have seen in the Brax’Na should never be forgotten. Strength, skill, a will to survive. If nothing else, perhaps that sword can be a symbol that you don’t want your village to forget their past but to learn from it,” she said before looking away and closing her eyes.

“Anyways, the sword looks good at your side,” she said as she sat there, listening as the hum became weaker and weaker. As he apologized it took everything in her not to choke on the water she was taking a sip of. Her eyes opening widely as she took a few deep breaths. That was a dramatic turn of events, taking a breath and wiping the water away from her lips she looked over towards him. “Thank you,” she said in an appreciative voice before laughing. “Oh trust me, I would love to cut him open myself but even if I could, I would leave that honor to someone else,” she said before rising and looking around.

“Okay, storm is almost over, I need to do a few things before it is to get us out of here,” she said as she began to rummage around the room, pulling out various drilling and cutting items and tossing them over on the table as well as other supplies she thought would come in handy. “You know, if you wanted I could bring your sword up to date, combine it with the technology we have so you could wield it in actual battle,” she said as a thought crossed her mind. “Maybe finding a middle ground between the sword and the gun. Something your people could use that wouldn’t be a complete jump out of their comfort zone but a step instead,” she said as she worked, waiting for the storm to fade completely.

The Mor

Ailen made a smile that he was being tasked with moving Tristan from his confines and into the ship of Srath. He already knew what he was about to do. They wanted him alive ,and alive they would receive him. He nodded to Craig and already started to head for the elevator. "Yes sir!" He said with excitement. He had been waiting for this moment for so long. He was going to savor it and once he reached the elevator and took it down to Tristan's floor and moved to join Srath. He looked to the two guards and gestured for them to unlock the door and they did. He then moved to a button and pressed it opening the door. He then pulled up a sleeve from his metal arm and went inside. He quickly began to looked for Tristan and when he found him. He reached down and with his arm gripped his hand around Tristan's neck and lifted him up. "You do not know how long I have waited for this moment Tristan." He said and then held Tristan there and moved his cybernetic arm and looked to Srath. "Put one of those collars on him right now. Want it on him as we proceed to take him to his new home for awhile" He said staring coldly into the eyes of Tristan as he spoke. "That's right, we got approval to send you to the place you deserve."

The Caves

Karras just shrugged. "A much more advanced sword might om in handy. Maybe a lighter gun too,... like Ailen's side arm just with a bit more punch." He said and then sighed. "We will worry about that when we get out though. When I return to my people and I show them and explain things they will learn enough to know that the tribe need these. I will simply tell them the obvious, the GTC have destroyed the mine and want to claim it as theirs, by taking us out and we need to prepare." He said. He was only being optimistic though seeing as his people were much too stubborn. It would be hard for him to do so.

He sighed and even though her point about not forgeting ones past was valid in some points. It wa because of his people living in the past that they are in their current situation. If they had been far much more advanced it would have been harder to walk over him and his people. Sometimes forgeting the past was needed in order to experience ones future.

The Mor

Craig nodded towards Ailen and once he was out of the Mor started laughing uncontrollably. Gwen looked at the man like he was a raving lunatic but the rest of those working in the Mor seemed to understand at least in part why Craig was laughing but none spoke up, leaving it to Craig to do once he could control his laughter. Gwen just sat there, her face becoming more and more confused with each moment that passed. Finally she rose from her chair and walked over to him.

“Would you kindly explain just what is so funny?” she asked, demanding to know what was going on through that exoskeleton skull of his.

“I’m sorry,” he said between the laughs, coughing slightly as he tried to compose himself. “You see, Tristan has caused a lot of pain on this planet as you know. One he has caused more pain to than others is Ailen. So, Ailen just received an early… what do you Earthlings call it?”

“Christmas present?” she asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

“Yes! That, exactly. The man looked like a kid about to raid a candy store. It’s been hard for him and while it probably should be me escorting Tristan off world, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to let Ailen have a little revenge.”

“We can’t let him kill him!” she said worried.

“Oh he won’t, he is under order but the man might show up to X-52 a little more black and blue than he normally looks,” Craig added before he whistled innocently and went over to the security console and started working. Gwen rubbed her temples slightly as she watched the man, wondering if he made the wisest decision.

Tristans Quarters

The guards happily unlocked and opened the doors to Tristans Quarters for Ailen and Srath, stepping out of the way as they did but turning to watch the event unfold. They wouldn’t miss this show for all the credit in the GTC. Tristan had been standing watching the storm over the last few hours with a sadistic grin on his features, the man actually looked happy at what was unfolding before him. His joy was quickly pushed aside for wrath as he spun around, seeing the doors slide open with Ailen and someone who he thought he knew the mans name but was unsure at that point in time.

“Get out!” he demanded as he reflexively tried to send them out using his telekinetic abilities to send them flying; a look of disillusion and horror sweeping through his eyes as he realized that the drives were still running to inhibit his abilities. As Ailen grabbed him his fingers tried to pry away Ailens grip but it was all for naught. Ailens grip was too much for normal people but Tristan was a Talent who did nothing but push things around with his mind, physically he was as weak as a toddler. “Let me go,” he said between gasped breaths, still struggling to get free; his feet flailing beneath him as he was held in the air.

The Safe Room

Silvia glanced over towards Karras from time to time as she worked but it was clear that her main focus was on some odd device she seemed to building. “I would be careful who you speak to about the GTC in your village Karras. Someone kept the files from the Tower. Looks like we both has some rats to flush out before anything more goes public. If word of the resistance got out to the masses before we have had time to properly raise an army against the GTC we can all kiss our asses goodbye,” she said as she tightened a bolt down and grabbed a few more items that she needed from various crates or equipment that she had broken down to use for spare parts.

“If whoever is keeping those files from the Tower catches wind that you know it was the GTC that destroyed the mine they may pass that on to the GTC itself and attack you before your village is ready,” she said as she wiped some sweat from her brow. “If I may make a suggestion, the mine will need rebuilding. Find your most trusted to do that and we can train them here in secret. As you find more that you trust, then rotate them out. While you search for the rat that is,” she said before going back to work.

“I have told none in the Tower yet, the only ones that know is Marx and Gwen, I don’t know if I can trust anyone else there yet. I hope I can, I feel there is at least a few but I have to be cautious,” she said sighing deeply. Trust was not an easy thing to give but oddly enough she had told Karras one of her most closely guarded secrets when she opened up about the experimentations that the GTC had performed on her. Placing her tool on the table she nodded to herself as she lifted up what appeared to be some rather odd looking circular bit blade but it was obvious there was nothing in the room for it to attach to for her to actually drill with.

“I would suggest stepping towards the back of the room and find something to cover your mouth and nose with,” she said as she stepped into the middle of the room with it.

Closing the door Behind her, Ashala placed the bags on the couch and walked into her bed room to change. She put up her hair to keep it out of the way as she kicked off her sneakers under the bed. She had tried them on at the store and now for some curious reason she felt compelled to try them on once more. Each one was different from the style to the color. They were loose and free flowing allowing movement as long as it was not fast.

The first one was what the shop owner had called the "terran special". It was black and small It hung from a band that was to be placed slightly above her chest. a fine rope belt would keep it around her waist to avoid mishaps. The accompanying foot wear were called sandals. They had a pad to cover the bottom (not as well as her boots) and these things left her toes exposed. They had a double black ribbon that wrapped around the leg and had to be tied off below the knee. These were extremely fragile looking. The shop owner said they sold very well for the terrans.

The second outfit was what the shop owner called formal wear. It was a loose knee length skirt and a suit coat. The color was a dark blue with white pin stripping. Ashala didn't like the fit or feel of the "shirts". The option was for her to wear a collared half shirt. It had no sleeves and was made of similar material as her work out top. This just looked like it had buttons in the front. Ashala hated buttons, she had the manual dexterity of her people but the terran buttons were just too small. Ashala didn't like the tie option either. For the foot wear she chose something similar to her boots but they were black and shiny.

The final outfit was similar to terran casual wear. It was white and one piece which Ashala preferred. the main feature to this cut was it had no back. The dock chief was warned that terrans found this style to signal mating desires. She didn't want to fight every one and the outfit only held itself to her body by two straps that crisscrossed her shoulders. The hem of the skirt was made with a heavy material to keep it in place. When asked when the dock chief would wear this the reply was, "When you want someone's attention." Ashalas curiosity made her get it. the foot wear was two white small flat pads. They were made for Altenians. These she liked even if they were over priced for the size. She found herself buying two more pairs in red and black.

The tower was still on lock down and the docks were off. good thing she was a doc chief. She sent out a comm to let the team know her dock would be prepping tomorrow. "We don't get paid by the hour. Its time to get back to the grind. Whether or not the ships come in we have to stay on top. This is the time thieves prosper and I'm not going to lose one crate." When she ended the video call she began to hold her hands in her head as she looked down to see she was still wearing the white dress. Ashala was certain the leaning over did little to help matters. Her ears went back as she changed out of the dress, and back into her street clothes. The rough neck would be unforgiving tomorrow. She ordered in and stayed in her room for the rest of that day.

Srath winced internally for Ailen when he lifted Tristan off the ground. Sure the arm made it easier but Srath had noticed that people with cybernetics seemed to forget that they were attached to regular bone and muscle. Srath pulled the suppression collar from his belt and moved up beside Ailen, tapping him on the shoulder to lower the gaging Bast'ian.

Ailen dropped Tristan to the floor, his legs collapsing beneath him as gasped for air. Srath moved in, shooting a wink to Ailen before pulling the small Bast'ian to his feet.

"You know," He said as he snapped the heavy metal collar closed around his neck. "The transfer order were non-specific as to your condition upon arrival. And Ailen here is under the impression that means he can rough you up a little while we take you to my ship. Now I'd be more than willing to correct him if you would answer some questions for me." Srath brushed some non-existant dirt from Tristans shoulder.

"First, where are the guys you had collapse the mine. And second, when are your other little henchmen planning to spring you. Because there is just no way someone like you doesn't have a few mercenaries on hand." He wrapped a large clawed hand around the back of Tristans neck, pulling him close. "Because if they do try something I just know you're going to get shot." He looked straight into Tristans eyes. "I have that feeling."

Srath knew trying to pry information out of someone like Tristan this way was a bit of a gamble, arrogant asses like him usually just got mad when you threatened them. He just hoped that the idea of being beaten by someone he perceived as lesser than himself would rattle him enough for the threats to sink in.

Tristan's Quarters

"Srath,... I don't think he was behind the cave in, he has been in here the whole time without contact from the outside. He couldn't have orchestrated it from here. After thinking about it, I figured it out that he may have nothing to do with it. I feel that GTC was involved in it. You see GTC has two unsanctioned security officers go into the mine and rig it to explode. Maybe Tristan knew about it ,but he was not involved in it. Silvia getting caught up in it is just a coincidence." He said. "I don't think there will be any saving for Tristan today."

Once he saw the collar was on very well he went to his comm. "Okay you can turn off the shielding now. Collar has been placed.... focus all attention on the cameras on the stairs." He then smirked at Ailen. "Yeah we aint taking the elevator. I am going to savor this moment and make it last as long as I can. You see Tristan,.... the GTC don't need your legs or for you to speak in order for you to catch and launch transports at the prison planet. All they need is your brain and your arms. You could arrive in a wheel chair and only able to suck your food through a straw and they wouldn't care."

"Srath,... you want to interogate him. That's fine, but don't expect any answers."

He then looked to Srath. "Oh we got to pick you prisoner too so we will make a little detour on that floor."
"So your first set of questions have just been asked,... now answer them."

The Safe Room

Karras moved to where spare clothes where grabbing one of the shirts and using it to cover his mouth. He then took a step towards the back. He wondered what the fuck she was planning and that she knew what she was doing. He did have the desire to live long enough to make sure his people could survive against the GTC. From the way it sounded from her, he might not live that long. He just lowered his head to the ground and sat there waiting for what ever she was about to do, and the cave in that would occur while she did it.

If I day right here I swear to god I will haunt you for the rest of your life Silvia. I aint joking either. I do plan on having little Jun'Krama's in the future and I can't do that dying here. He sighed and shook his head. He continued to hold the cloth to his nose and mouth figuring there was going to be something he did not want to inhale.... dirt maybe? He wondered how quick the GTC would act too. They will likely know that the mine was destroyed and once he tells his people that it was.... the rat will send that information to them. How fast would they arrive to rip the mine from their hands. How fast would they come to wipe his people out for good.

Tristans Quarters

Tristan narrowed his eyes as a cold smile came to his lips, letting the fear leave his features as he looked at Srath and then Ailen; looking them over for a moment before chuckling. “You have no idea what is going on do you?” he asked rhetorically. “I will give you this, I had nothing to do with the mines,” he said in a cool voice as he looked over towards Srath. “That was just icing on the cake to know that little bitch was in there when it happened. I hope those mines drive her completely insane,” he said as he looked over towards Ailen for a moment. “Go ahead, do what you are going to do. I know it won’t matter what information I give you, you have already decided what you are going to do to me but know this. The worse you make it for me, the worse it will be for you soon enough, for this planet, for this tower and especially for that little wench from Earth,” he said as he locked eyes with Ailen.

“Any ways, why would I tell you anything? Bones heal, bruises fade, and revenge is eternal” he added before going silent. Tristan just turned his head and looked way from both of them. Whether he knew anything or not was not apparent but in the coldness of his voice he did at least speak one truth. He had nothing to do with the Mines but he had enjoyed the show and he planned on enjoying several more before his life ceased. GTC had orders that he was to arrive alive, that was standard procedure. “So why don’t you two do your job and transfer me.”

Up in the Mor Craig had received the word and turned off the duffers that had kept Tristan in check since his arrest before he went to the monitors and brought everything up live throughout the Tower. Thanks to Marx, another 30% of the tower was able to see what was about to happen. Craig sat down in his seat and propped his feet up as he watched. He wasn’t one for torture or interrogations, but he knew Tristan had this coming and it would hopefully show any that were watching that had any ideas of crossing a line to continue like this were going to need to rethink their position.

The Safe Room

Silvia waited for Karras to move out of the way and get something to cover his mouth and nose. Once he had she nodded towards him. “Just, no matter what happens, don’t move,” she warned as she looked over to the Black Crystal that was there and it began to hover slightly, moving over to her side. With one hand she began to spin what she had created on one finger as the other hand rested on the crystal itself, giving her direct contact with it; a gentle hum coming from her lips to cause a resonance from it as her eyes glazed over. Flicking her wrist slightly the device flipped up into the air spinning rapidly and drove itself into the ceiling above her as she her arm held up directing it. It cut through the steel that was the roof of the room, sending a sparks floating down around her before the sparks faded and were replaced by dust as the cutting implement she had created cut more and more into the rock face. The deeper it cut the more her knees began to buckle; not from the controlling the make shift drill but from the weight of the cave above them she was having to hold in place while it did.

Dust began to fill the room as she worked, sweat beginning to form on her skin as her body trembled slightly. Suddenly the section she was cutting out began to fall towards her but it was stopped a foot before it crashed into her by a dark telekinetic plate that formed between her and the falling stone piece that was a solid cylinder packed together of the cave in from above. Her hair seemed to whip in a nonexistent wind as a crimson hue began to form around her, blood dripping from her nose, ears and eyes. A deep breath was drawn and she screamed out as she thrust herself up from buckling knees to stand straight and the rock shot upward, being launched out above them and leaving a hole that was cut through to the surface several hundred feet above them. It shattering into dust once it was clear of the mine and fresh air from above rushing into the room now that the path was clear.

Slowly she sank to her knees, her hand leaving the crystal as her eyes became clear once again. She coughed up some blood and groaned deeply before rolling over and laying down on her back. “Okay, give me a moment and we can get out of here,” she said as she looked at the hole. They had no rope and the surface was smooth from where she cut. The sound of the mining implement she had created could be heard as it landed on the surface above. She would have to lift them both out of the mine but right now she needed to catch her breath and focus on stopping the bleeding.

Back at the Mor Gwen shot out of her seat as she watched the mine and saw something explode into dust over the Mine. Running over to the com she opened the channel. “Rescue, get to the mines! Storm is clear and something just exploded over the mines!” she announced to the Tower in general. “Marx, go find her,” Gwen added in private com to him where he was working on the cameras. Dropping his tools he ran off towards the dock for the Moles.

The rough necks had a free pass for a while. After the intense shipping and receiving the last few days each one unwound in their own way. who knows when a free day off would come again.

Mike was use to sleeping on the dock. Now he had extra time, sleep was the last thing on his mind. The bar by the docks did seem like a good start so that's where he went. Mike placed an order before finding a booth. The first round of drinks came to him on a tray. Giving each one a girls name he had known at some point in time, He downed shot after shot. By the time he got to Lisa he stopped and pushed her aside. His hand slow but steady found the one drink by its self and pulled her forward. "There you are. You got a lot of balls to kick me. I have a good mind to leave you on this tray and make you watch me and Lisa have a good time." Shaking his head he looked at her with double vision. "You got some, some nerve, I'll show you." Barely making it to his mouth he took her. He never made it to Lisa instead he sat in quite inebriation of the empty chief.

Kim didn't wait when the floor lights came up she turned off the loader and left. she stopped by the locker room and took off the jumpsuit and boots. She took out the casual wear of the time. Reassuring the locker was secure she left. She took a lift to her floor. Once being a dock chief she had the pull to keep her larger then normal space. She also was technically retired but no one dared to ask her to down size. She got inside locking the door behind her. Kim made some food and turned on the station comm for an off world call.
"Hello lee how is my favorite son?"

"Mom I'm your only son. I thought you were working the docks?"

"I' got some time off you know your mother still runs this place." They both laughed.

Beth left the medical facility feeling better. She knew it was a game she had to play to stay on the books but the woman Gaia was unusually careing. Beth chalked it up to being new. She went to the real part of the tower taking the lift to the sub levels where most people wouldn't go. The only reason she went was for the contacts she had there this shut down was unusual and her street experience taught her in confusion there was profit. She had the money Ashala gave her to bribe the way into the usual places. Bombshell had the skills to get people to talk who normally wouldn't. Wheeling and dealing she found some of the issues currently going on and that the new T-1 was missing. The boss would pay her for that information. She stuck around trying to get a crate back Beth had seen on the docks only yesterday.

Ann was a workaholic and with the floor lights in yellow everywhere she let out a sigh of disappointment. Her place was small on the books she was a dock hand so her rating allowed for a small room. However she knew how to play the game. Some money to bombshell and a few influential conversations to the electrical crew was all it took. Her room was small but had a dedicated comm and power unit. In addition she had a sound and display upgrade equal to the T-2 life style. The screen took up half of a wall. Her room being on the primary power grid meant that she would lose power only if the tower lost power. The comm upgrade allowed for free and secure off world signal. She used this as a second source of income. No one could see the transmission unless they looked for it, and knew how to separate the code from the normal station beacon. Most of her clients were through bombshell and the people who didn't want the security teams knowing about their illegal enterprises.

Jimmy went strait to his floor and slid the access card to enter his room. He had just got the job and living on his own was exciting. The room was small but it had all the stuff he cared about. He sent a comm to his parents and some money to help out. He changed out of his work clothes and took a shower. To be on a part of the rough necks was really cool they did things off the books and saw him for what he could be, not for what he was. Jimmy was drying off and watching his favorite anime. It had everything he loved fantasy space and two scoops of Ecchi for every volume.

They all received Ashala's wave and all thought the same thing. "WAS that a dress?"

"You know, I'm starting to understand why everyone that meets you beats the crap out of you." Srath shoved Tristan toward the door. "Let's move Fish-Boy."

Srath motioned for Ailen to lead Tristan, taking point himself while the two guards took the rear. He kept his hands resting lightly on Lola as he kept his eyes ahead, looking for anything that might hint at an ambush as they made their way to the elevator.

Once in the stairwell Srath stopped at the top of the first step. "You know, I don't really care about your involvement in with the cave. What I do care about is if people are planning on shooting at me. It's a pet peeve of mine." He gave a nod to Ailen. "So seeing as how you didn't answer...."

Outside Tristan's Quarters

Ailen wanted to punch him right now, the way he talked but he wanted to get it on camera. He wanted the whole world to see it and know what happens to assholes. Once he shoved Tristan forward leading him to the stairs he turned Tristan around and stared at him coldly. His eyes meeting his. "For five years I have been waiting for this day, for five years I have sat in my seat wanting nothing more to do to you what you have done to so many people." He said. He paused letting it set in. The black crystal shard in his arm began to glow more brighter as it was fed the emotions Ailen was giving it. Ailen then rose up his cybernetic arm and swung at Tristan's jaw. Making sure he hit him with enough force the man would fall down the first set of stairs as well. Ailen looked to his metal gauntlet seeing the odd coloring now stained on it. The blood of the man that caused so much pain. He quickly swung his fist left and right getting most of the blood off. He then stepped down the stairs and wiped what did not come off onto Tristan's clothes as he lift the man up. Not giving him a chance to recover. He use his telekinetic powers to help Tristan get up and walk him. "That was for my sister, she died that day because of your cruelty. Also your probably thinking,... they can torture me all they want they wont kill me. You think your so clever." He smirked. "Most who say that have never once known what pain is physical or mentally. You have dished out so many ,but I don't think you know what it feels like. You think you can stomach being tortured, I highly doubt it. If it was up to me you would take the whole ride down the steps until each of your ribs were broken. Sadly doc 12 isn't that far down." He said before shoving him down the next set.

Not many ever saw this side of Ailen before. They always saw the depressed man, or the joyful kind Ailen. The Ailen they saw right now was all the built up rage and hatred towards Tristan being suddenly released. What we did to him he would do worse to us.... like fucking hell. You think the GTC gives shit about you Tristan,... they don't. The only thing of value on this planet is that damn mine and its military position. They couldn't give two shits about what happened to you. Someone could rush out and put a bullet in your head and the GTC wouldn't even bat a eye. GTC has a whole academy training talents and Tier 1 talents are a dime a dozen. They could replace you in a instant. Of course all these where said within his mind. "Tristan,... Tristan..... Tristan. I am willing to bet my ridiculous salary that there is probably plenty of people in this tower right now who would love to be in my position right now." He said as he got to Tristan. He then kicked forward his foot hitting into Tristan's ribs. "I want you to remember this day, every time you eat and feel the pain in your jaw or every time you move to be reminded of what I did to you. The sad thing is, you did it all to yourself. If you were not such a tyrant we might have been friends. However, you decided to make every man's life on this planet a living hell, if it wasn't the Brax'Na it was someone else. If you had just done your job and only your job we would not be doing this. The pain you are feeling right now would not be happening."
Every word he spoke every bit of hate pouring out seemed to make his crystal glow and pulsate.

Once more he bent down and lifted Tristan off the ground. He then helped Tristan to the next set of stairs. There were only two more sets of stairs. He decided to be merciful and not throw him down those. He had other things planned. Better things. He wasn't going to be the only one enjoying this moment, nor the only one taking a swing at him. He looked to one of the camera's and nodded to it. Don't worry I wont kill him. He pulled up his comm. "Hey, Craig... what parts of the body is needed for a tier 1 to do a T&C? The brain is one of them of course but I think only one arm is needed right?" He asked as he gripped tighter on Tristan's arm. Ailen could only imagine how the people of the tower were reacting. They were all seeing this, they were all witnessing the damage being dealt. Everyone will know what happens to Tyrants today. "You should have seen it Tristan,... everyone loved Silvia. Not because she was their Tower 1 lead, because she came down and spent her day with them. She literally showed them that she was one of them. Not just some snotty asshole with a ego bigger then the black crystal he used. She was one of us,... just a low class civilian trying to get by like the rest of us. She was being,... human. You Bast'i are all the same, arrogant, greedy, and just plain rotten. GTC would be a much better corporation if it had just passed your planet by." He said.

He pulled out a datapad and took it to the recording within the docks and showed it to him. "This is how Tier 1's should act. This is how they are loved. Some say ruling in fear and hate is a good way to lead, but I would have to disagree. I believe the best Tower Leads are ones that are both loved and feared. Loved by the people who follow him or her and feared by those who hate him or her." He continued. He took it away and put it back in his pocket as he pulled Tristan along. "Srath,... we have to pick up your bounty on the way so when we get to the floor with bay 12 on it we will have to make a stop at the holding cells. The prisoner is a bast'i as well Tristan,... I wonder if there is a member of your race that is actually liked." He said.

The Mines

Karras witnessed everything before him. She sure was something to behold. Something strong and something tough. He could see it on her face and tossed her a bottle of water. "For the blood once it stops." He said as he stepped to the center and looked up. He saw the large as hole and just whistled. "Wow,... looks like someone aimed a laser at the ground and fired.... you know you unintentionally made the mine operation again as well. It's got a new hole now after all and that's all a mine needs..... right? or am I just being too optimistic?" He said as he looked to her for a second and then back into the hole taking the biggest drag of fresh air he could and letting it all out. "Boy that smells good. I bet your friends will be happy to see your safe and alive...." He said. He then sighed and thought of his people. He just wished that he didn't just escape just so he could witness the death of his people. No matter how much you looked at it, it was always spelled bad for them. Yeah they got a new hole but the mine was still destroyed. GTC would still come and claim it from them and likely kill them in the process. No matter what death was coming for them. So how shall the Brax'Na of Altenia be remembered. He felt that no matter what they would be remembered as a race of people who gave the GTC such a fight that they would not forget it.

That they would learn from it and realize that you can't just step on any one and get away with it. That people are not some toy you can play around with for so long then throw it away when you get bored. He snorted. "Who am I kidding,... they would just sweep us under the carpet like any other backwater race they had to deal with. Make some sort of coverup that would make them look like the good guys and us the bad guys....... The GTC has to be stopped Silvia, I do not think me or my people will make it through this war, we will be the next set of martyrs to have faced them and perished. Just don't let us die in vane. Give them a good fight, a fight they will never forget. There are some things that will never be changed. Perhaps your Resistance can make a difference. No matter what my people are doomed to die here when the GTC comes to take out lively hood. Whether we fight or not we will die here, just don't let anyone forget us. Let be know that a strong few stood up against a tyrant and that we gave the tyrant one hell of a fight. That even a corporation like GTC can bleed and die with enough opposition."

The Tower Of Altenia

Tristan just narrowed his eyes towards Srath and spat in his face. As Ailen connected with his jaw he groaned and yelped as he went tumbling down the stairs. Landing against the wall hard, blood coming from his lips. As Ailen picked him up he was actually grateful for the collar right then, it would keep him from being choked at that moment. “You’re dead and you don’t even know it yet,” he hissed as blood sprayed from his mouth. “You,” he said looking at Ailen. “And you” he said as he looked over towards Srath. “And that bitch you say the tower loves so dearly,” he growled. “You have no idea what hell is going to be unleashed on this planet and when it does happen what I put you through will feel like a fucking picnic.”

“Me getting transferred off this hell of a rock is the best present I could think of, in the end I will still draw breath. I just hope they all die before you so you have to watch it,” he said laughing somewhat as Ailen gripped his arm. He looked like he had gone insane, he should have been screaming in pain at this point, most would have begged for mercy but not Tristan. Each blow he took, each stair that hit him seemed to push him further and further into this cruel and maddening expression, almost like he was enjoying the entire process. “So shut the hell up and put me on the ship. I cannot wait to watch your demise.”

Craig watched the event as it unfolded like so many others in the Tower, some were cheering Ailen on, others just looked on in horror not knowing what to think of the situation. Almost all could understand Ailens wrath towards Tristan but some wondered if it what was transpiring was just lowering Ailen to Tristans level. A select few seemed angered by the events but they kept quiet or turned off their monitors. Some became fearful as they heard Tristan speak, that they were all dead. What was he talking about? Would the GTC attack the Tower because of what Tristan was going through? T1 were rare to come by and one that could run a Tower were even rarer. They were not a common find, it just could seem that way in a Tower but even in Towers there were only one T1 per tower that could do the job. Altenia was rare to have a three on the planet and even though there were three, only 2 could even pull off what was needed to run a tower and neither of those two were from Altenia itself. Where they truly as doomed as Tristan claimed? Some were beginning to wonder.

The Mines of Altenia

Silvia lay there catching her breath and caught the bottle of water, taking a long drink as she forced herself to sit up and look around. “Thanks,” she said as she began to clean herself up once the blood had stopped flowing. She was tired of the blood, it was not something that happened to other T1, a T1 to bleed from using their talents was unheard of and yet she continued to bleed. Maybe it was just because she was attempting things other T1’s would never attempt, perhaps it was something more but no matter the circumstance it wouldn’t have been something that Karras would have known about. T1’s never spoke about injury, so even those that were talents would have brushed it off. Unless you ran a Tower it wouldn’t have raised a red flag and even if you were you kept it to yourself.

“Being optimistic,” she said as she stood up and dusted herself off. “I have to close it, if the GTC were to find this room the Resistances cover would be blown, I have to trust you not to speak of this to anyone, especially to your people. You cannot mention what the GTC is up to, if you do your people will die and there will be nothing I can do to protect them. You have a rat in your village, you have to be careful, at least for not,” she said as she grabbed a rag and finished cleaning herself up.

“Karras, if I never ask you another thing, please keep this between you and me until it is safer,” she asked him as she stepped close to him and placed a gentle touch to his arm. “For your peoples sake this is a burden you have to carry alone for now.” Silvia sighed deeply at his words, he sounds like Ailen was speaking for him with all the negativity. “You stop that right fucking now Karras! Your people might be behind the times but they have survived longer than any other race out there that has no Talents. Your people are strong, look how quickly your leg….” She began and suddenly stopped as a thought crossed her mind. Looking down to where she had healed him she remembered how quickly the wound had closed, it was healing on its own at a much higher rate than any she had seen before without the aid of an empath.

“You are going to think I am nut but I need a vial of blood from you, a sample,” she said as she looked over to him quickly and stepped closer. “I don’t know what I am going on about but I have a feeling, something pulling at my gut that tells me I need some of your blood to check out a few things,” she said before looking up at the hole and sighing. “Okay, we have got to get the hell out of here and seal this up before the rescue crew gets here,” she said quickly changing the subject.

“Okay, wrap an arm around me and hold on,” she said as she looked back up to him. “I can’t send us up one at a time after all that, you’re just going to have to deal with holding onto me until we are out,” she added as she waited.

The Tower Of Earth

The mood at the Earth Tower had been rather solemn since Silvia had transferred out and Crisin had become more irritable than normal, which surprised many. The woman was an unforgiving pain as it was to work for but now she was just making many people miserable. It didn’t help that Marx had been transferred out either, even if it was only supposed to be for a short time. Thankfully though Crisin was not cruel like Tristan, she was just a hard ass and older than the rest in the Tower. The personnel figured that as timed passed she would just return to her old self and some even joked that they never thought that they would look forward to a day when Crisin just acted like Crisin.

Up in the Mor of the Earth Tower Crisin perked a brow as she felt something off, slowly leaning up in her seat as a look of mild distress fell over her features. “Security, bring up cameras 39-g and 43-F on the main screen,” she ordered quickly. “Shit,” she muttered as she watched a gas main explode in the 8th district: a district responsible for providing alternative energy and fuel for the planet when the crystal resonators broke down. It was not a kind area to live, filled with hard people that did not like the Tower poking around but this was one of those events that could not be over looked.

“Emergency Ops, we have a blown gas main in district 8. We need it contained and the injured tended to quickly. Sam and Sarah, get the crew together and head out. Grab some from engineering to cut the main so it doesn’t spread to the other districts,” Crisin ordered quickly, sending a general announcement through the Tower itself. They would need to make sure their crew was together as well as some security and engineering and make their way quickly to the 8th District that was 10 miles to the south of the tower. There the gas main would need to be cut, the fires doused and the injured taken care of before repairs could even begin.

"I don't know why you feel like you have to be so secretive. Its not like it's anything to be embarrassed about Sam." Sarah said, she was thumbing through a stack of injured personal. Making sure they all had a proper healer, and that they were getting all the proper treatment. Not far across from her in the small office they shared off the docking area where they spent a majority of their time, her sister sat at a desk using the small mountain of paperwork that had accumulated on it as a pillow."In fact you might actually find someone who has the same interests." Sarah cocked her eyebrow expectantly, maybe her sister would finally put herself out there.

Sam finally rose her head from the desk, glaring at her sister slightly. "Urrgh! I told you I don't want anyone to hear me play the gutair. And I have next to no interest in starting a band, or playing with anyone else either!"

"So you do have some interest then." Sarah said grinning victory, having caught her sister in her own words. For her part Sam slammed her head back on her desk with an exasperated groan.

Ever since they'd moved to the tower this was how their day usually went. They would attend class, have something to eat, and then come back to their small office off the docking bay to report for duty. Sarah would go through personnel files making sure everything was going right for the people in the tower. Sam would go through what felt like piles and piles of the most boring paperwork ever devised by man. Repair orders, spend reports for needed parts, the list went on. Sam's boredom would sometimes lead to apathy, but the fact that she did excellent work, and got it in on time caused those above her not to question her. Their combined efforts had even earned them this office. Sarah would sometimes go off to socialize with some of the few friends the twins had managed to make when she was off duty. She even, on rare occasion, managed to drag Sam along with her. She had never gotten her to open up to anyone, though. What was that old saying? You could lead a horse to water, but....

"Urrgh! I'm so bored!!" You couldn't make them drink. Sam had silently started leafing through the paperwork on her desk. Sarah had returned to her own paperwork, but looked to her twin at this exclamation."You would think that having gotten a rank and an official title we would actually be doing something worthwhile. Like I don't know, anything at all! No, we get the job that makes us sit around all day, waiting for someone to need us... and waiting... and waiting!

"Well, we don't have to wait around forever. Our shift's almost up. We could go do something fun." Sarah said, beginning to run down a list of options with her sister shooting all of them down.

"We could go play teleball in the gym with Willem?"

" No, I don't feel like kicking his butt again."

"Go back to the flight simulation room so you can practice?"

"...No..." Sam knew she needed practice, and she did want to become a pilot eventually. She wasn't one to get discouraged either, but after her instructor told her that she had such weak reflexes he didn't think she'd ever be a pilot, it was a bit hard not to be.

"Go study in the library with Tilly?"

Sam didn't even deem to answer that option with a response.

"Get permission to go planet side, check out our old haunts, maybe find that girl you like?" Sarah said the last part a bit teasingly.

"No, that will take too long, and the answer will probably be a no anyway." Sam said, and after a too long pause quickly added "and I do NOT like Alex!"

Sam sat half upright, and turned to her sister.."You know what I mean Sarah. I want excitement. I want adventure!" Sarah looked sympathetically at her sister, and was about to say something when the speaker on the wall of their office crackled to life and began pouring out Tower Lead Cristin's voice. Both sisters immediately stood to attention on instinct.

“Emergency Ops, we have a blown gas main in district 8. We need it contained and the injured tended to quickly. Sam and Sarah, get the crew together and head out. Grab some from engineering to cut the main so it doesn’t spread to the other districts"

"Yes 'Ma'am!" Both twins barked out crisply, not coming out of attention until the speaker went silent. "Well," Sarah said turning to her twin "looks like you get your wish."
___________________

A scant twenty minutes later the twins had hand picked their team and they were arriving at the gas mane station. Sarah had hand chosen several medics most suited for extreme condition's and hostile environments. She had also selected Empath Aloe, as she was certain there would be a general fear and panic that might get in the way of rescue attempts. As well as...heaven forbid... If they found anyone they couldn't save.... Well it was just good for Aloe to be there.

Sam had hand selected a small group of engineers, headed by Simon Finkle. Simon was a genius in his field, and his field was more of the engineering world than most knew existed. She had also picked out a handful of security guards, as she knew well that they may not only be facing danger from a blown gas mane. Simon would take several of the security as well as the rest of his engineering team and go fix the leak while Sam went with Sarah ,the medics, and the remaining security to rescue any workers trapped inside.

As they approached the station in district 8 they saw first hand how far things had degraded. A plume of smoke rose up from it, promising fire within. Fire.... in a gas station... Well this certainly would be interesting.

Sam, as she usually did, took the lead despite the mission being joint custody with her sister. Sarah was more than happy to allow her to do so too, her sister was better at leading these more dangerous missions than her. " Ok Simon, I want you and your team in the control room. Don't dally, in and out. You've got fifteen minutes, so make them count. Sarah, I want you and the rest of your medics to take point. I'll be close behind you with security, ok? Alright everyone, let's save some lives." With that everyone entered the building, and began their assignments. Inside the building was worse than Sam had even expected. It looked like the gas station from hell, fire ravaging the halls, and hulking pieces of equipment cast in flickering shadow. Simon took his team down the right side of the hallway, careful to avoid the small fires that licked at the legs of their fire proof suits. Sam had only just set foot in the building, and already her sister had picked up minds crying out for aid. " Sam, can you hear that?" It took the elder twin a moment to pick up on the anguish to which her twin was referring, Sarah's telepathy had always been stronger than her own, but when she did she was surprised she had been able to miss it.

"The survivors have gathered in the cooling room! Time to move, fourteen minutes and counting everyone." With that the group took off down the left side of the hallway at a healthy jog. Sam noted as she followed her sister with a watchful eye that the deeper they went into the compound the hotter the air became until it almost became difficult to breathe. She mentally chastised herself. She'd been foolish not to think on bringing oxygen masks for everyone. As she listened, she could practically hear the situation become more and more desperate. Booms from all around them signaled small explosions from the fire and gas, going on all around them. The only upside of this situation seemed to be that the survivors had been smart enough to gather in the one place that could offer them protection. The cooling room was not only sturdily built it was, as the name suggested, the coldest place in the station. It was the room used to store absolute zero crystalized gas that kept the core of the station's temperature in check. It would take the entire building collapsing to take the room down *BOOM!!* a sudden explosion nearly deafened her, and her group as well,,as they all had to take a moment to gather themselves. The compound going might not be entirely unbelievable.

Finally, after what felt like hours, Sam's team arrived at the large sealed door that housed what remained of the station's crew. She quickly noticed a comm on the wall adjacent the door, pressed it, and spoke.

"This is T3 emergency operative Sam Feldon speaking. We're here to perform an emergency evacuation of this site on orders from Tower Lead Crisin Revegenous. Please open the blast doors, so my team can begin preparations." After a brief pause, a voice came back over the comm. " Understood EO Feldon, opening doors." With that a light whistle came from beside her, and it slowly began to slide open. It took a moment, but once open Sarah was the first through, followed closely by her medics and Aloe, then Sam and security.

Once through she noted that Sarah had already begun bandaging up the more heavily wounded. Empath Aloe was attempting to calm the twenty near hysterical engineers and security that milled near the center of the room. Sam issued an order for her security to keep an eye out for any trouble, and took a quick stock of the room. Aside from the survivors, some of which lay bleeding on the ground, there was little other than the coolant system. She noticed with no small amount of fear that a nasty crack ran along the large glass case that housed it. It was likely from it's doubled efforts to perform that it was now so close to going critical. Systems were in place to keep it from damaging other installations, on anything beyond the building it was in, but if that thing broke all already inside would be frozen as the gas escaped.

Steeling herself, Sam barked out at the crowd

"Who is in charge here?"

A portly man wearing a white helmet stepped forward. "That would be me Ma'am. Safety Engineer Maxwell Harding."

"Safety Engineer ?! Well then Mr. Harding maybe you can tell me what in the FU!...." A brief glare from Sarah, who was kneeling next to a man that looked to have a badly broken leg, made her cease her tirade before it could really begin. Sarah was right, as she was usually was when it came to people. Berating this man for letting things degrade so severely, when it was his exact job to prevent such things, wouldn't help the situation in any way.

With a sigh she looked to the man she was about to give a verbal beat down too, who's eyes were wide as saucers looking like a deer trapped in headlights, and started over. " What happened?"

"W...we don't know ma'am. Everything was performing optimally and then the sirens started. We didn't have time for protocol. Sparks started coming from the equipment, and before we knew it there were explosions and fire everywhere. I organized as many of the personal as I could before things got real bad. I tried to evacuate everyone to the coolant room, and we were fifty strong at departure from the other side of the complex. Even picking up other survivors along the way we were at twenty two the last time I counted."

Sam took a moment to think on this, and drew several conclusions. First that this man's story should be investigated, as he either deserved a medal for bravery or to be fired. Second, there would need to be a more serious investigation into the corruptions of the facility. Sam smelled something fishy, and her nose for these things was rarely wrong. She didn't take long, however, she didn't have long.

"Sarah?" Her twin was quickly to her side. " Tell me you've got good news for me." Sam practically begged things were quickly going to hell in a hand basket.

The other girl wasn't able to do so obviously, however, as she shook her head before giving her report."Most of the survivors seem to be in steady condition, but we have several that are too heavily wounded to be moved without stretchers. Good news is we brought some, but it will take a little while to set everything up."

Sam shook her head sadly "Sarah, we're at the ten minutes mark. We're going to have to hurry back as is. I think we're going to have to lea..."

"NO!!! I am NOT leaving these people Samantha Feldon!" Sarah shouted at her sister, too loudly as all eyes were now on the pair. Sam would have likely knocked the teeth out of anyone else for talking to her like that, but this being her sister she instead reevaluated.

"Ok. Five minutes, but if we don't have everyone ready by then we WILL leave anyway." Sam said firmly. Sarah nodded an affirmative, and quickly got to work. She called to the Empath to give her a hand, and the two were quickly to work.

Sam stood around for a moment, tapping her foot fighting to keep her composure under the wave of anxiety. She began pacing, and still tried to look determined and unworried. The truth was she couldn't help thinking that any minute now something bad was going to happen. They needed to get out of here. "Two minutes Sarah, how are we looking?" Sam asked trying to keep the anxiety from her voice.

"We have the stretchers put together, but me and Aloe will need some help getting the wounded onto them, and carrying them."

With that Sam nodded to her security "Sergeant Reid, you and your security help my sister. Empath Aloe, you lead those able to walk. I'll take point, then you and the engineers, then Sarah, you'll follow with the stretchers. All right everyone if you're ready we need to..." *CRACK!* All attention suddenly went to the Coolant system, as the crack spread viciously, and finally burst. "Sarah!!" Sam roared, as she threw herself forward. She managed to catch the explosion in her telekinesis before it could truly blossom. She also held back the coolant that would eat the skin off everyone in the building. Sam roared again, as the weight of this much pressure forced some blood from her nose.

"Sarah!"Sam had to shout to be heard over the screams of fear coming from the engineers. "Take the wounded and get out of this room, it could depressurearize at any minute." Sam had to fight to keep her knees from buckling, she'd never forced her power this hard before.

"NO! I'm not leaving you. I can help!!"" Her twin shouted back, half to be heard, half in determination. Sam could hear her sister's voice quiver slightly.

"You have to get the wounded out of here! As soon as you're through you have to close the blast doors!!"

"No, I'm not leaving!!"

Sam felt her entire body shaking lightly, she wouldn't be able to keep this up for long. "Blast doors Sarah!" She forced her head to turn so she could give her sister a reassuring smile, the effect of which was questionable considering she could feel the blood slowly crawling down her face. "Don't worry, I have a plan." Hesitantly Sarah nodded, and gave the order for everyone to follow through with her sister's orders.

Before they were even through, Sam began slowly backing up. She occasionally grunted, or roared, in pain as the flames from the captured explosion licked slightly at her arms. She heard the door closing as she backed toward it. Too fast, she would need to pick up the pace. Keeping the Zero Gas from mingling with the fire was a task that required all of her finer manipulation skill. Still she pushed on, and was satisfied when she finally reached the door. It was almost closed, she'd need to make this fast.

"Here comes the tricky part." Sam whispered to herself as she threw all of her telekinetic weight at the explosion. She then threw herself out the door, and a moment later she heard it click closed. A huge boom followed, but the door held. Sam took stock of herself for a moment, aside from some burns going up her wrists, and a rapidly growing migraine she was remarkably ok.

"Sam!" Sarah cried, as she appeared from the crowd, her face stained with tears. She practically dove at her sister, and threw her into a massive hug. "I thought you were going to die!" Sarah's voice was bordering on the hysteric, the engineers were politely looking away, Empath Aloe was looking at them with sympathy and compassion but said nothing. Of course the twins saw none of this, Sam was to absorbed in trying to calm her sister down. Sarah was too absorbed in reassuring herself her twin was ok, by chocking the life out of her in a bear hug.

"I'm ok Sarah, I'm alright." She reassured returning the hug as best she could.

After her sister had managed to calm down a bit, they released the hug, and it was back to business. Sam stood, straightening her GNC uniform, and pushing her hair back from her face. Sarah also stood, and resumed her place leading the medic team, accepting a hug from Aloe.

"Come on everyone! These halls are going to freeze solid in roughly a minute. Let's hightail it." With that, the team booked it back down the hall and met up Simon's team, who had obviously had a much more uneventful trip than her group. Simon's smile on seeing Sarah and Sam's group slowly evaporated as he saw the group run in panic toward him. He, clearly confused on what could have happened in a fairly routine mission, tried to give his report. "Sam. We've clamped the valve, and..." He gave an oomph as Sam grabbed him by the shirt as she ran, pulling him with her. "Come on, no time! Zero G's loose!" At this Simon would have stopped in shock if not for a combination of good sense, and the fact that his feet were half dragging behind him. "WHAT!!! How.... What did you?!!

It wasn't long before the reassembled crew was outside. Once at a safe distance, stretchers were gently laid down, and everyone started catching their breath. After a moment Simon came over to Sam and Sarah, Sarah still unwilling to give her twin more than an inch of space after the ordeal.

"I don't need to know what happened guys. I've known you two since you got to the tower. You're both responsible enough for me to know that you did everything in your power to keep the mission under control. You might have to explain to Tower Lead Crisin why one of her installations was so thoroughly destroyed however."With that he turned to face the PCS, a personnel carrier ship that they had used to get here, and walked toward it. After a time had passed, Sam issued the order to board ship and begin departure.

The Crystal Mines

Karas watched the whole thing unfold and even had to look away as the dust came down around him. Luckily he had covered his mouth and nose with one of the spare shirts. He looked back up as the dust cleared and went to the center of the room and looked up at the hole and whistled. He dropped the shirt and used the strap of the rifle wrapping it around his body making him almost look like Rambo. He the grabbed a hold on her arm. He took a deep breath and let it out. He then looked up and kept looking up waiting for her to do her thing. He wanted to avoid any eye contact towards the ground out of a fear of heights. It wasn't so much the height that would scare him but the abrupt end at the bottom. You get me out of here and I will make sure my people look at women a different way.... as soon as this drama with the GTC ends because they will come. The mine now destroyed, it was easy pickings for them. He suddenly began to frown. He then looked towards the door and then back up to the hole. "When your people come, might want them to dig up those two security officers and get their I.D.s. They will be your proof of foreplay. As for whatever GTC has in for store..... don't worry I wont tell anyone. Not yet, there are a few in my village I can trust." He had to smirk and thought of the ones who have been wanting to fight GTC all this time. Looks like they might get their wish.

Even they however, where not entirely trustworthy. There could always be a snake in their group rousing them up with his forked tongue. Karras did not even know about the gunner runner yet or his affiliates. Perhaps if he knew he could have a chat with them and use it to his advantage. However, how he would react to such news will have to wait, right now he was clinging to the small frail body of a woman hoping she would have the strength to lift him up there with her and not drop him. Even if he did know about the gun runner, the current situation would be at the top of his list of things to worry about right now.

Sitting on her couch was a different pace for the dock chief. Her hair still unbraided and stretched herself out along the length of the couch. Hands folded behind Ashala's head. She closed her eyes and thought of the dress. It had felt so light and natural. She caught herself purring about it. It was odd for her to do that without a reason. When would she be able to actually have a reason to wear it again. Ashala shrugged. It was alright, she would at least have something to wear if she needed to. That was the whole point of getting it, wasn't it? A comm came though to her terminal.

Abhijat: New transfer, doc hand, level 5 rating. Great I already have a level 5 and Jimmy is at least useful. As Ashala looked at his picture she heard herself, "Purrr, Purrr." Shaking her head, "No." He was Altenian but, well, maybe. This guy was grade "A" trouble maker with no respect for team work or authority. His list of reprimands took up three pages, most of them were trivial. The serious ones were obviously trumped up. Ashala could see he made enemies at his last place. Rough necks would get him on track. First thing that she needed to get rid of was the level 5 rating. He had a front loader license and a heavy lifter rating of 3. This made him at least a level 3 worker. She kept his room a level 5 and only upgraded his dock level on her sheet. (Paper work errors happen all the time.) Searching the data base Ashala used her clearance to check his history in more detail. "Purr, Purr." This was why she liked working with terrans. She turned off the comm and rested again thinking of the earlier part of the day.

The clothes, Ashala never thought about what terrans wore under their clothes. She just assumed one layer was enough for them. The under layer she had seen was so small Ashala wondered why they would bother to wear them at all. Ashala thought of Kim and Ann. Did they really wear such items? She doubted it. Bomshell was another matter. That terran was well, she just liked tight clothing. The thought of her wearing those items in addition to the clothes Becky usually wore seemed plausible. Ashala shook her head and dismissed the line of thought. She stood up from the couch and walked into the bathroom to braid her hair. Ashala looking into the mirror and began to drift back to her first days training with terrans.

Terrans were similar in so many ways to a lot of other races. At the same time they had some major differences. It was a rumor that Ashala researched about terran history. She found out some interesting things such as, at one point terrans worshiped cats. Ashala thought that must be the reason some of them have what she called a fur fetish. The terrans were so different in thought and appearance. Even on the docs there were hard workers, lazy workers, and workers that could do it all like Kim. With her T-5 rating she was accelerated in the docks to her position. She learned about logistics and the form after form that followed every container, ever single shipment. Through this process she ran into fur loving terrans, and terrans that disliked her be cause she had fur. She was glad for her ancestry during these times. She was also harassed in other ways. The ball of yarn in the locker, the new guy pulling her tail after being told it was an aphrodisiac, and collars at her work station. She never quit. Ashala met them off work with the collar or yarn and wait. She would fake purr and draw them in. The next day they called in sick. A few of these sick days caused the objects and snickers to stopped. The workers became more productive and did as they were told, when they were told. The fights she fought forced the Altenian keep a constant watch on the attitudes of those around her.

Terrans came and went. When it was time to take the lead she was transferred. Dock six was hers and a lot of people left. Ashala replaced them and began to form the rough necks. Kim had stayed after her retirement and taught her all about self reliance. She found the tranfers and workers no one wanted worked out the best. They had an edge like her. Her crew worked independently of regulations and true team work. The Rough necks still got it done. Ashala learned that it was the constant supervision and over the shoulder leadership that drove these types to be counter productive. If she just stayed clear of them they would return with a question but for the most part each one knew there job and what was expected. In training the instructor told Ashala about the illusion of freedom. How giving some workers the freedom to get a job done their way was just as productive. The job required workers to accomplish a task. How that task is completed should never be dictated. This is moving crates not navigation through asteroids. The toughest part was not destroying the loaders in the process or killing someone through carelessness.

Ashala's hair was now in one long braid. The dock chief used the official comm channel to alert Abhijat to report for assignmet tomorrow. She hoped that him seeing an Altenian would encourage him to show. Not that it mattered she sent a private comm to Ann to make the alarm in his room go off an hour early and stay on. She returned to the living room, sitting on the couch, and finished her food order thinking of tomorrow.

The Mines

Silvia looked over to him as he took her arm and shook her head, removing it and placing it around her waist as her arms wrapped around his chest and she pulled herself close to him. “Relax,” she said softly as a soft hue began to surround them. It was unlike when he had been lifted into the mine itself and as they lifted it still felt as if they were on solid ground. The assent was slow and controlled as they rose into the air through the make shift opening she had created; she wanted to ensure not to push herself too hard right now since she was still weak from the process and was not using a crystal at this time. She knew she would need rest and right then she needed to reserve as much of her strength as possible to close the opening back up once they were safe.

The sun was beginning to set as they emerged, their bodies moving to the side of the opening before she set them down and the hue faded away into nothingness. Taking a breath she looked up at him and smiled softly before she released her embrace and stepped away from him. “You’re safe now,” she said as she turned back and looked down the hole, holding her hand out the crystal she had used in the mine slowly followed suit and rose out of the mine and next to her.

“Might want to take a step back,” she said as she looked over to him before a gentle hum came from her lips and the crystal began to sing as she placed her hand on it. Her eyes began to emanate a crimson hue as she held her free hand out towards the opening. Suddenly a beam of telekinetic force shot out of her hand like one of the crystal driven weapons that the GTC used on their battle ships and an explosion could be heard erupting from deep within the carved out entrance before it collapsed down and sealed away any evidence of where they had been.

Coughing slightly as her eyes faded once again she took a deep breath and sank to her knees as she ran her fingers through her hair. “I need a vacation,” she muttered to herself before looking back over towards Karras. “The rescue crew should be here soon and they can move us off the top of this rock and you can go home,” she said in a kind voice before looking away. “While we wait though you should know that there have been gun runners in your village. Srath captured a bounty last night and brought him to the tower, so please be careful. Whether they were building for a revolt against you or the GTC is unknown at this time but I will let you know more once I do.”

Atop the Mines
Karras suddenly felt himself being lifted up with her and it was much easier on him then when those one people did it. His stomach didn't churn at all. Once they set down and she sealed the hole she told him about the gun runner. He had a little bit of mixed feelings about it. He sighed and sat himself down as he waited for the clean up crew to come and retrieve them. He did not know how to feel about the gun runners. His people always barked at him to revolt against the GTC. His fears were the same as hers though. Where these guns they received to be turned on him or the GTC. He would have to find out. If it was for them to fight the GTC then he might have already found the ones he could trust. Right now he was conflicted on who he could actually. The elders seemed trustworthy but even they could easily be the snake.

He felt this whole thing was just one big shit storm waiting to happen. He also had the feeling it would all happen soon as well. He would not mention the cave in and make sure the Brax'Na who came to help at the cave didn't tell anyone either. Then again one of them could easily be the GTC spy. He did not want his people to know right away. If the GTC found out that the mine was destroyed they would be here in not time to take their mine from them. New holes could always be drilled into the mine. He looked up towards the sky, his mind full of thought.

Xoria

It was just another normal day on the planet as Bradley rode up the elevator to take his shift. He flipped on his comm. "Make sure the basics in the tower, have a good cup of coffee ready for me when I arrive commander." He said. He quickly got a reply from Rhonen.
"Yes sir." He shifted in standing spot and quickly rose a gloved hand underneath his eye patch and rubbed it. He has had it for fifteen years now it still itches from time to time. Oh well it's a small price to pay for the job he had done. Many men lost their lives on that terrorist attack, a eye was a small price compared to what others had lost. The sliding door opened and he stepped off. The sheath of his sword in his right hand. He made a right turn and into the mor. Sitting in his spot where the two love birds, Heru and Amerith.

"You two are here by relieved, go to the commissary and get something to eat and rest for awhile...." He said and they nodded rising up. "So was it eventful or did you not have that many catches to do today?" He asked. They shrugged at him.

"Nothing out of the norm, sir. Everything is going good as usual. No terrorist attacks either." They responded and he nodded as a basic came up to him with a cup of coffee and he took it from the man and nodded. He brought it up to his lips, the rim of the mug tickling his mustache as he sipped. Once the two backups left the mor he took his seat at the helm. He placed his sword so it would rest on his seat as he looked up at the screen. He then glanced over at one of the windows. It was a beautiful day today and he could see Mt. Hera was smoking as usual. It was white smoke though so it wasn't about to erupt anytime soon. They used a lot of the magma that mountain produced for their furnaces among other things. He then leaned back to relax a little and gestured to another basic to hand him his datapad. He then began to look it over and read the manifests and smiled. "Looks like I can go back to drinking my ginseng tea again, I like this coffee but the tea is much better for me." He said drawing smiles from people around the room.

He looked up at Rhonin and then to Priscilla. "Well, how was your day? You two take a break yet?" He asked and Priscilla shook her head. He then nodded and understood. They where two hard working people in his tower. He looked to a basic,... "Go with someone and get several boxes of pizza,..." He then glanced back to his to security personel. "One of you can go rest in the back on one of the spare beds until he returns." He said. Rhonin nodded and looked to Priscilla and she gestured with her head for him to go ahead and rest first. He nodded and rose up.
Rhonin proceeded to the back picking one of the soft cots to sleep in. Just as he was about to he heard the alarm ring and he was about to get up but Priscilla went to go answer it for him.
"Fire on bay 13, sending a fire team to go put it out and security to go investigate it." She spoke and Bradley brought it up on the main screen watching it. One of the containers had erupted and his remaining eye sneered at it. He then removed his eyepatch and let his cyberoptic eye scan what his other eye could not see. "If the security find anything out of place,... anything. Have them send me the details right away." He was too suspicious of any such acts. He grumbled slightly and took another sip of his coffee.

Yes, it was a completely normal day today, stuff liked this happened from time to time. It could easily be a normal fire ,but it could easily be foreplay as well. He often wondered what these Terrorists where trying to pull when they attacked like this. They did it to anger GTC, but lucky for them it never went to GTC. He kept here in the tower and dealt with it on his own. He did not think it would be necessary for them to get involved. GTC liked to step all over people including himself when they did. He had mixed feelings about them and understood why the terrorists did what they did. The planet never asked for a tower to be placed but it was. Then again he doubted that was the reason. The GTC often took children from their parents who where promising and it left some bitter feelings in the people. To have you children torn from your arms just because you kid had potential to be a talent. Half of them didn't make T2 and it was rare that one would even make it as a T1. He did not see many of them with that ability. Even his own T2's were skilled in their own way ,but none of them would cut it for a T1 position.

He understood their anger to a degree ,but it was not a anger big enough for extremists to commit the crimes they did. They could voice their problems in other ways but setting fire to supplies was not one. He looked to the manifest to see what was in the box and looked to one of the basics. "Deduct the contents of that container from the supplies that reach the people of the city if it is found that the fire was the result of terrorism." He said and the basic nodded. For each supply container destroyed he felt it necessary to take what it equalled from the people. It was a lesson to them.