Justric

Found Alive

"How about 'bugger off'?" The fist came flying out of nowhere to crack Hassle across the side of the head. Uncle stood there, looking very much annoyed as he glared at the boy. He shook his hand loosely, the boy's head having been harder than he thought. "I knew one of you was going to try something," he growled. "I thought it was going to be Toni, actually, but I shouldn't be too surprised at any of you, I guess. Pony's the only one with enough sense to listen to me and understand what I mean half the time." Uncle glowered at Hassle beneath thick eyebrow, his eyes narrowed. "Get back to your nest, Hassle. Let Cassie get her rest and get settled before any of you start whispering sweet nonsense into her ear."

Uncle was old, yes, but he was fast and strong. Quarreling with him was no one's idea of a good time, and while he preferred verbal debates using logic and rhetoric, he certainly never shied away from settling things physically when he thought the situation demanded it. Thankfully, it wasn't very often he felt he had to. Today, however, had been a rather unusual day for everyone. He stood there, powerful and commanding, until Hassle finally relented. Only then did he turn to Cassie with a solemn expression on his face. "Some advice? Don't trust any of them." Then he grinned brightly. "Including me for that matter."

Whistling, he strolled away back down the hall towards the lab.

Unseen, a slight figure slipped from one shadow to another and then down the tunnel to nesting hollow further along...

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Just so you know, you can probably get one more post out of me tonight. Maybe two, but no promises on that one.

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Hm... I believe I'm reacting to Hassle the same way you reacted to Pony. At least in Pony's defense, she is the way she is because she's so simple, she automatically assumes everyone likes her. Hassle leaves me feeling slightly slimy.

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Lucien looked distinctly bothered by the idea of Cassie and Hassle together. In her current state, the overly suave man might well take advantage of her and confuse things even further. He wanted to protest right then and there that whomever Cassie stayed with, it sure as hell should't be Hassle! Actually, what he really wanted to do was punch the asshole in the mouth. Only the way Toni was grinning, Lucien knew all too well whose side he would jump in on if Lucien started a fight then and there. Even if he thought he could take them both on a good day, he was simply too beaten and exhausted today and he knew it. Besides which, he was the one who had spoken up for Cassie, allowing her to chose where she might go. He couldn't very well deny her who she might go with. All he could do was to give her a pleading look and a small shake of his head, giving a sidelong glance at Hassle so she would know exactly what he meant.

Uncle spoke up before things could get any further. "Yes, well. As generous as all the assorted offers have been so far, I would rather not our lost little lamb become too distracted all at once. Each of you have your own agenda in this, yes, even you Toni, and I would prefer to give Cassie time to grow into her recovered home. Sharing quarters with any of you will cause what I shall delicately refer to as 'dissension in the ranks.' We've had quite enough of that as it is, thank you. Cassie, you may have your own quarters back, if you want them. Your brother can procure anything you might be lacking as far as clothing and bedding. Your chaperone I will assign to you. It is someone without an ax to grind but still has a vested interest in your well being: your nephew. Jacob, should have some time alone with his aunt anyway."

He held up both hands to forestall the oncoming rush of protests from all parties, save Lucien who stood close to Cassie with his hand still warm upon her shoulder. Uncle continued in a firm voice that brooked no argument. "No one in the Colony is crazed enough to attack her in front of a child, as we all know how precious children are to us given the current population and circumstances. No one would risk the chance of him getting hurt. Jacob has also endeared himself to practically everyone in the Colony anyway, which adds to their mutual protection. Even should someone be made enough to try, Cassie has demonstrated already an instinctive urge to protect her nephew. He can help teach her again how to be fully human, help her regain what parts of her humanity she may have lost while at the same time loving her unconditionally without pressure from... outside sources. This is not a test. This is not negotiable. Cassie and Jacob will quarter together for the immediate future."

"I thought we were going to give her a choice," Lucien snarled hotly. "To let her decide on her own, whether any of us like it or not."

Uncle gave an impressing 'harumph'. "Well, I'm glad you 'thought' that, Lucien. But I said nothing of the sort. I merely said she could have her liberty within the caves on the condition of someone to watch over her and help her readjust. It was you who put forth the idea of 'choice', not me. But since you seem so insistent on the idea, let me ask her." Turning towards the Cyborg, he raised an eyebrow. "Cassie? Would you prefer to stay in the labs with Liana, free but without much privacy? Or would you prefer to return to your own nesting hollow with your nephew as your guide and your charge?"

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Uncle took in the sight of his goons laid out upon the floor, the one still tight in Cassie's armlock. The grimace on the man's face more than indicated the amount of pain he was in, and Uncle had little doubt that Cassie was holding that arm just the barest millimeter from dislocation... if not worse. He also viewed Toni's reactions, but most importantly his attentions were on Lucien. The young man had been one of the best fighters they had up until a year ago. Self destructive tendencies and idleness had weakened him far more than the young man might suspect; the old scientist firmly believed that physically Lucien was retained much of his strength. It was the boy's reflexes that had suffered the most. However, Uncle saw what he wanted to see, which was Lucien getting to his feet on his own for once. While he might have been swaying from the effects of being beaten twice in one day, he had gotten up and looked ready for more.

Cassie was not the only one undergoing testing at the moment. Lucien passed. For now.

When the girl fiercely declared her independence, Uncle looked at her curiously and then smiled broadly like a proud father. He started to laugh and clap his hands together. "Perfectly. You make yourself perfectly clear." He leaned towards her just a tad. "Did you hear yourself? Did you listen? THAT... was your voice. That was how Cassie talks, not the Android who just came to us with its flat tones and rhythmic cadences! That was you! A little formal, perhaps, a little stiff, but it was you! And reasoning! And not only defiance couple with self preservation and independence, but defiance on behalf of another! This. Is. EXCELLENT!" Head upturned and fists raised above his head, Uncle laughed in a choking mix of joy and madness in what could only have been called the classic mad scientist pose of milking a giant cow.

The laughter trailed to giggles as he lowered his arm to negligently wave off his men. "Let him go, Cassie, let him go. He was only playing his part in this and he knew what was coming. Toni, stow those chains away, would you, lad? Just in case we ever get an Android who is less cooperative in the future." He paused. "No. Not an Android. Not any more. Androids are robots in human form, without free will or self awareness. You, Cassie... You are something right out of the science fiction books of old. We've used technology to supplement injured and sick humans for years, but never on this level. You Cassie... are a Cyborg. An uglier than Android, I grant you, but as you are the first... true... Cyborg, it will be up to you to made that a label people respect and not fear."

Lucien, scowling at Uncle's duplicity, staggered over to Cassie's side and put a hand to her shoulder even as he glared at their leader. "You played me. You played us. Again."

Uncle shrugged. "Of course, I did. I told you before that just because I find certain tasks deplorable or regretful, it does not mean I will abstain from them if I believe them to be necessary and beneficial to the Colony as a whole. Cassie... the Cassie we all knew from before... understood that and even accepted it herself, albeit to a lesser degree. Although I fear my original assessment still stands. She is still far more valuable to the community than you are, Lucien. That is... not likely to change any time soon."

"The real question is what to do with you now, Cassie. As you have so adamantly declared, you are not an animal to kept locked up in the lab. But at the same time, I must insist that you have a... chaperone. Someone to help you readjust to life among us. So! Where should we put you?"

"With us," a high voice came drifting from the back. Pony edged her way into the room, her braid swinging behind her as she shyly came in. "You know there aren't any more nesting hollows available. They're all taken up. Even Toni and Jodie are crowded in with their son. But Cassie and Lucien are still engaged, aren't they?" Her innocent question hung in the air. "And Cassie's my friend, even if I annoy her now and then. She and I are both pretty small, so even there'll be plenty of room for us even with Lucien scrapping his head on the ceiling. I'm not suggesting... oh, what's your word for it?! Cohabitating, that's it! I'm not suggesting cohabitating. Just... she stays with us until we figure out what's what!"

Lucien opened his mouth to speak, but then shut it firmly closed to shake his head before answering. "That's not true, Pony. Cassie's nest is still there. With all her things. No one wanted to move them. At best, she would just need new blankets and every, because those we couldn't afford not to share. So she could always go back there... if she wants. Or if Toni and his wife are willing, she could try and squeeze in with them." He turned towards Cassie, his face drawn and bruised. When he spoke, his voice was softer than it had been since she had first been captured within the Colony. "It's your choice, Cassie." The expression on his faced conveyed his own dilemma. While he pined to be near Cassie now that he accepted who she was, he could not simply drop Pony so callously. Nor did he feel the right to pressure Cassie into joining them. She had declared herself to be a sentient being with thoughts and feelings of her own, and all Lucien could do now was to give her the right to chose her own course of action.

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Oh. My. Thank you! I gave up trying to do any sort of long posts on the mobile. Large fingers and small screens don't mix too well. I'll get one more reply up for you before I have to take off.

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Fair enough.

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Just so you know, I have to disappear around 4pm-ish and won't be back until around 10pm. Also, what are your current thoughts on Witch Trials? Did we want to continue, put aside for now or just shelve it entirely?

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All I'll say now is that Uncle is not only a devious old man but a incredibly insight and intelligent one, and that he had implied the tests would continue after she had talked with Lucien...

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And Uncle can really be a cold hearted bastard.