PSDF Transmission ----------------- Time: Era Of War, Age of Initialization. Name: Double Misfortune Author: Senie ----------------- She sat on her bed in the newly renovated room doing her homework, as usual. She sighed and closed her books, tired of translations for the time being. "Why can't everyone just speak English," she wondered aloud to the walls. She stood and crossed to the windowsill to enjoy the last of the gorgeous sunset. Well, at least it's Friday, she mused grumpily. She turned around and glared at the phone for a full minute, willing it to ring. When nothing happened, she huffed and sank back against the window. She really missed her family and friends in America! Italy was absolutely wonderful, much better than she could have ever hoped. But, the separation from the people she loved most in the world was almost unbearable at times. That's the one downside to studying abroad, she sighed to herself. You have to leave everything you know. She sat with that thought for awhile, then gave herself a mental shake to focus. It's not like I don't have friends here, she reasoned, refusing to let herself mope anymore. It was true, even in a foreign country she still had the ability to attract the stranger side of humanity. She laughed softly, thinking of the good times she'd had with the rest of her class. Then she stood and began to pack her books away for the night, deciding that a walk around the campus would make her feel better. She strode out of the room, grabbing her hip-tote and her trusty Italian-English dictionary as she went, and feeling a lot better. She ran into Maria on the way down the stairs. "Dove vai, Senie?" Quickly interpreting the question as 'Where are you going', she formed a crude response for the girl. "Vado per un passegiato circa il campus. Vuoi venire?" (I am going for a walk around the campus. You wanna come?) "Vado per _una passegiata_," Maria corrected automatically. "Si," she added, falling into step with the rushing girl. "Sembra turbata, oggi. Che cos'hai?" (Yes...you seem upset today. What's wrong?) "Niente," Senie answered quickly as she rushed down another flight of stairs. She looked up from the steps a moment later and, catching Maria's disapproving look, decided to tell the truth. "Sveglio questa mattina mancando casa mia." (Nothing... I woke up this morning missing home.) "Oh," Maria breathed, giving Senie a quick hug as they continued towards the front doors. "Mi dispiace. Non intendo cacciare il naso negli affari di te." (I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry.) Senie smiled at her friend's distress. "Non ti preoccupi, Maria. Sto bene adesso." (Don't worry about it, Maria. I'm fine now.) They continued in the comfortable silence. Senie reached the front door first and opened it for her friend. Then squealed as she saw who was on the other side. "Oh my gosh, STARR," she exclaimed as she tackled her friend with a bear hug. A shocked Starr stared at her friend, dumbstruck by her enthusiasm. "Senie..." "Yeah," Senie grinned, hugging the now struggling girl tighter. "Oxygen... Becoming... Issue..." Senie released her and waited for her to catch her breath, watching her expectantly. Starr sank to the steps, breathing in precious oxygen. "Glad to see you too, Senie," Starr grinned. "And to answer your question, my flight to New Zealand is being blocked by a hurricane. So, they gave us a twelve hour layover," she shrugged. "Lyndi and Puffin told me you were kinda down, so I thought I'd look you up!" "You came all the way to Italy just to see me," Senie gasped. "Well... Not exactly," Starr smiled slyly, displaying her left hand suddenly. "OH MY GOSH!! The Kiwi proposed!!!" "Yep!!" "COOLNESS," the already overly excited girl yelled. "You know, you're gonna hurt your face if you keep grinning like that." Senie's grin widened, despite her attempts to calm down. Then she noticed Maria's bewildered grin. "Quest'e` la mia 'mica, Starr," she said, slinging her arm around Starr's shoulders. (This is my friend, Starr.) "Va bene. Ti vedro` dopo, Senie. Lieto di conoscerla, Starr." (Okay. I'll se you later, Senie. Nice to meet you Starr.) "What the heck did she just say to me," Starr asked. Senie just laughed as she dragged her confused friend down the street. "Senie, where are we going," Starr inquired nervously as he streets began to lose their familiarity. "Stop worrying," Senie said, glancing at the other girl. "I know exactly where we're going." "Are you sure," Starr said, her voice full of skepticism. "'Cause I remember the last time you said that." "Hey! How was I supposed to know that City Hall wasn't on the way to New York?!" "You LIVE in Philly, Senie! How could you not know?!" "Oh shut up..." "AND," Starr shouted over her. "Did you have to wait two hours before admitting you were lost?!?" Starr shook Senie off, refusing to go any further away from campus. She trusted Senie, but not enough to go traipsing through the streets of a foreign country without a guide. Senie rolled her eyes and groaned in frustration. "Well you can stay here, or you can come with me to this really cool dance club I know about." Senie stomped off without waiting for a response, then stopped half a block away and turned to see if Starr was following or not. She wasn't. Senie was annoyed now. "Starr, get your BUTT over here! COME ON!! I know Italian remember!? So, I can always ask for directions if we get lost. I'VE got a better chance of getting us home than you do, Miss 'I just HAVE to take German'!" "Yeah," Starr yelled at the mention of German, making several passers by jump and give her dirty looks. "Sorry," Starr shouted to no one in particular as she ran to catch up with the only person she knew in the country. They reached the club a few minutes later. "So... What about this club," she asked innocently. "Don't give me that look, Starr. It's a local joint and I'll have to face these people come Monday morning. So, no scaring the 'normals' tonight." "Whoooo? Meeee?" She smiled sweetly and ducked under the arm of the man holding the door, passing into the club before Senie could respond. "STARR," Senie bellowed, grabbing the closing door and running in after her overly excited friend. THREE HOURS LATER... "Are you SURE you didn't have anything to drink tonight, Starr? You were even wilder than usual in there." "There's just somethin' about not knowing what anyone is saying that just frees your mind," Starr laughed. Senie nodded in agreement. "You know, you could have let Guiseppe win at least ONE round of arm wrestling! I thought the poor guy was going to cry after the tenth match." Starr rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on! He wasn't gonna cry! You know he was pretty tough for a one armed man." The two continued through the streets, laughing and joking. It was still pretty early, about one in the morning. But Starr's jet lag was finally catching up to her. There was a lapse in the conversation and that's when Senie first heard the footsteps trailing behind them. She turned quickly, but no one was there. Stop being so paranoid she scolded herself. When the footsteps started again, she began to wonder if it was really just in her head. Her suspicions were confirmed a minute later when Starr heard it too. "Senie... What the heck is that?" Senie was about to answer when she heard drunken laughter from behind them. "Ooohhh! E` quei ragazzi stupidi..." "Whoa, whoa! Senie! English please." "Sorry 'bout that. It's just some idiots from school. Come on kiddo. Time to get back to the dorm. You've got a plane to catch in the morning, remember?" They relaxed and continued on their way. A few minutes later the boys were gone and the sound was still there. It sped up when they did, but whenever they stopped to see who was there, the streets were empty once again. They began to jog, their nerves getting the better of them. Suddenly, a vase exploded just above Senie's head as they passed under a window. Both women whipped around in time to see a huge, lanky man standing in the middle of the sidewalk. He was holding what look like a... "_GUN_," they screamed together, realization sinking in and pouring adrenaline through their senses. The two sprinted through the streets of Naples as more objects exploded around them. As they rounded a corner, Senie glimpsed an older man fall to the ground, a giant crater where his chest used to be. He didn't feel a thing, the detached part of her brain observed. He was dead before he touched the ground, it continued. Oh my God!!! This can't be happening, the rest of her mind shouted. They pounded through the streets without a single thought about direction. Neither one dare to speak. They rounded yet another corner... and realized at once that they were trapped. "Dead... End," Starr panted in a fear- choked voice. "You have _no_ idea how right you are." Both turned to see the man advancing into the blocked alleyway. "Why are you doing this," Senie asked weakly, leaning against the wall. I wonder if it'll hurt, she asked herself, staring directly into the barrel of the gun. "You know what, you better shoot that thing while you have the chance, JACKASS," Starr growled at the man. There has to be something I can use around here, she thought, her eyes searchng the empty street. This is FUCKING Italy, for God's sake!! I ain't gonna die in some stupid foreign country like this! She eyed the man again, waiting for the opening that she knew would come. "Die, you filthy traitors," the man shouted, aiming the silent weapon at Senie's head. This is it, she thought shakily. She boosted herself off of the wall suddenly, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of her fear. She did not even think to cringe. A considerably large hole appeared in the man's forehead suddenly. Slowly his face crumpled and he slumped to the ground. Both Starr and Senie blinked as a man stepped over the carcass and into the light. Wow, he's even taller than Lyndi, Starr observed as shock set in. The man was well over six feet tall, wearing black jeans and a leather jacket. Black shades covered his eyes, a fact that would have made him look dangerous, if not for the incessant smile on his face. He tucked the gun into the back of his jeans and looked at the two women trapped in the alley. One looked like she was going to throw up and the other was grinning like a lunatic. "Looks like you two started the party without me," he grinned. The two women looked at each other and then back to the strange man who was staring at them expectantly. "Aren't you at least going to say 'thank you'," he asked, making a noble attempt at annoyance but failing miserably. Starr was the first to recover her voice. "Who are you... And where did you get that gun," she asked, a greedy smile spreading across her face. It was the man's turn to blink. "Um... it's standard issue. Where were you people? I thought you arranged with Toze to meet somewhere closer to the bay so I wouldn't be so easy to spot." A perplexed look came over Starr's face. "Who the HELL are you," she yelled suddenly. Senie finally recovered her speech and motor skills. She forced her mouth to close as she surveyed the scene. "Y... Y... Y... You... You just ki.. killed that man," she whispered through chattering teeth, tears standing out in her eyes as her mind tried to wrap itself around the concept. Both Starr and the man looked at the woman blankly for a minute... then the man grinned, deciding that the woman was still in shock from her near death ecounter. He pulled out the gun again and turned to the mangled corpse behind him. After regarding the remains of the women's would-be executioner for a moment, he fired a shot into the corpse's groin. Then he grinned in satisfaction and turned back around. "There. Now he's REALLY dead." "Where can I get shades like those," Starr asked, her eyes riveted to the man's lowered weapon. "You'll probably get your own when we get to the base," the man replied nonchalantly, checking the site on his weapon while Starr drooled and tried to get closer. "You... killed that man," Senie repeated, her voice regaining some of its strength. "Yeah... I did. Don't worry, he's definitely not coming back," he said, obviously bored with the topic. He finished his weapon's check and holstered the weapon in his jacket. "Uh.... We'd better get moving, ladies. I'm sure there are plenty more where he came from," he announced, pointing to the corpse. "We-" "You BASTARD!!!!!! YOU KILLED HIM," Senie screamed, all trace of calm gone. "You just... Oh God... You... Oh Jesus... KILLED him in cold blood... You.... You... MURDERER!!!!!!!!!!!!! " She stopped bellowing, her body wracked with sobs as she sank to the ground. "Senie. Calm. Down. That could have been us, luv. This guy just SAVED OUR LIVES!" Starr turned to their new friend, who looked visibly shaken by the other woman's outburst. "Sorry about that," she apologized for her friend, who was fighting for composure. "Neither of us is used to this kind of excitement..." "Uh... Yeah." He shook his head to clear it. "That wasn't a man actually. You do know that, don't you," he mentioned to the collapsed girl. Senie was too exhausted to answer. "He sure looked like a man to me," Starr answered. She examined the body from a safe distance. "Yeah. two arms, two legs, one head, complete with bullet hole... I'd say he was human, alright." "Did you notice all the fur," the man asked doggedly. This is strange, he thought. "No! I'm SOOO sorry, I was just a little too busy preparing to DIE to check on his hygiene," Senie snapped angrily. The man grinned, annoying Senie even more. "I meant the hair covering his body. If you come over here a sec, I'll show you." The frightened girl's eyes narrowed. "No thanks," she growled in a deathly calm voice. He shook his head and sighed. "Anyway, I wasn't really expecting a scene like this when I agreed to pick you people up. What? Were you followed or someth... LOOK OUT," he shouted, pulling Starr to the ground with him as he fell. A large hole appeared in the area where Starr's head would have been. Senie looked towards the sudden noise. Then jumped up when she saw three people running towards them, two sporting the exact same kind of gun as the recently deceased man had, and the third holding a newly fired missile launcher. "Damn. I HATE when they use those," the man scowled, pulling Starr to her feet and then turning to the wall behind then. "Come on! I don't have any real ammo with me right now. We'll have to make a break for it." "Real ammo," Starr's eyes glittered. She boosted herself onto the wall using the man's hands as a stand and sat on the ledge, waiting for her friend. "This is all some kind of misunderstanding," Senie piped up suddenly. "We are NOT the people you're looking for, sir. Maybe we could just explain..." "You can't explain anything when you're dead, Senie," Starr shouted over the noise. "We've gotta get out of here!" She suddenly fell over the other side of the wall to dodge a bullet that was on a direct course into her face. The trembling woman ran to the wall and banged against it. "STARR!!!" "HURRY UP, SENIE!! THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LISTEN TO YOU ANYWAY!!!" "NO!!! I'M NOT GOING TO BE AN ACCESSORY TO _MURDER_," she shouted back, giving the man a stare that would have made a glacier shiver. He returned her look, then glanced nervously over his shoulder at the three monkeyboys advancing on their position. Oh great! Of course Toze would send me after the psychos, he thought ruefully. "Basically, you've got two options. You can stay here with you pals; try to sort things out in the two seconds before they kill you. Or, you can come with me, as planned." "But... AAAAAUUUUGGGGHHHHHH," she screamed as a bullet skirted by her head. That decided her. She crouched as low as she could, then sprang up, just grasping the top of the wall. Using her momentum as best she could, she scrambled up the rest of the way, perching herself on the wall and reaching back over for the man. He just stared up at her. "What," she asked, smiling faintly. "Just because I'm fat doesn't mean I can't 'move it' when I need to." He shrugged and grinned, reaching to grab the wall. He doesn't even have to jump, she mused, watching him scale the wall expertly. The man with the bazooka suddenly grabbed his ankle, having reached the wall before the others. Their newfound friend shook himself to get free, nearly toppling back down into the alleyway in the process. He kicked the man away, but dropped his glasses in the process. Senie began to worry when he started to look like he was going back for them. She clamped her hands on both his arms and started to drag him up the wall. "Come on," she said, slipping her body carefully over the other side so Starr could grab her legs and hoist them both over. "But..." "No," she shouted at the back of his head. "I said let's MOVE IT!" The man turned to face her... and Senie nearly dropped him. She found herself looking into the most intense pair of silver blue eyes she'd ever seen... Eyes that displayed a rage rivalling her own at being dragged into this nightmare. "First my sword and now my SHADES!!! Aaawww man, that's it!!" He boisted himself the rest of the way up the wall, knocking Senie off the ledge. She fell in a heap on top of Starr, who'd been slowly pulling her down so she wouldn't fall. The man dropped down to the other side, absorbing the impact with a roll and managing to be on his feet when he was done. The two women stared up at him from the ground. He nodded and grinned sheepishly. "Uh... Sorry about that." He reached down and grabbed Senie's arm, essentially yanking her to her feet. "I just really hate losing equipment." Starr scrambled to her feet and then stopped short as she saw what he was talking about. "OH YEAH BABY!! You'll get no complaints from me," she grinned. The man turned beet-red as Senie groaned and rubbed her temples. "Starr, please. FOCUS!!!" "What," she turned, giving Senie a confused look. "Down girl. We've gotta go." She grabbed her puzzled friend by the arm and started dragging her down the street. The man ran to catch up with them. "Where are we going," he asked, clearly interested. Senie stopped suddenly and whirled around to face him. "Look. I don't know where YOU'RE going, but as for me and Starr, WE'RE headed back to campus. Thank you very much for helping us out and everything, sir. But whatever game you and your friends back there are playing, we want no part in it!" "Hey! Speak for yourself, Senie. I DEFINITELY want a part in this," Starr struggled to free herself from Senie's vise-like grip. "Sir?!" The man began to laugh hysterically. "YOU have a plane to catch, remember?! I don't think Shainesh will appreciatAAAHHHH!!!!" The sound of a wall less than ten meters behind them exploding ended all attempts at conversation. Senie released Starr and the three sprinted through the streets once again. "I'm... Strike... Fiss..." the man puffed out as they pounded on. "What," the two nearly stopped in shock. He grinned at them as they rounded a corner. "I always like to know who my running partners are." "Good... Grief! We're about to die... And this clown... Wants to swap... STATS," Senie panted, scrambling to keep up with the others. "Hi... I'm Starr..." the other girl gasped. "And... I... GOTTA get... In shape some... Day." Strike Fiss laughed aloud at that and continued to lead them through the streets of Naples. Senie only noticed that they were headed for the bay area after they lost their pursuers. "Nice... To meet... You..." he sputtered. "Almost... There..." "Where..." Senie gasped. "Here." Both Starr and Senie stopped dead in their tracks when they saw what he was pointing at. In the corner of an old hangar sat a sleek fighter plane. Even without knowing a thing about aircraft, Senie could tell that this was the genuine article. Starr was grinning like a maniac, dying for a chance to touch the plane. Fiss smiled, more than pleased with their reactions. "Hop in and we can be on our way," he called out while headed for the fighter. "What?? ME!! FLY!?!?!?!?" Starr was too busy circling the plane to even notice her friend's distress. "Hey! Where's the door?" "Up here," Fiss called from the other side of the plane. Starr ran around the back and reached the ladder that led to the cockpit just as he lifted the latch. "Ladies first," he grinned, standing aside for Starr. "'Welcome to my parlor' said the spider to the fly," Senie commented, shivering suddenly. Starr rolled her eyes and stepped into the plane. She gasped a few seconds later. Senie ran to see what was happening, glaring at Fiss as she sprinted to the plane. "STARR!!!" "You've GOT to check this thing out, Senie," she yelled excitedly. Senie stopped in her tracks, fighting the sudden urge to murder her friend. Starr finished her tour of the small craft and hopped out. "Senie, you've gotta see this!! They've got, like, a MILLION buttons in this thing," she reported, her eyes sparkling. Senie snorted and looked away. "I thought..." She exhaled and walked toward the strange craft. "Never mind." "What's the matter with your friend," Fiss inquired while opening the hanger doors. "Too much excitement for one day, I guess," she shrugged. "Where are we going anyway?" Fiss stopped and stared at the woman suddenly. "Where do you think? To the base." "Base," Senie asked from behind the plane. "What kinda plane is this anyway? I've never seen one like this in the movies." Fiss looked thoroughly confused as he jogged over to the ship. "Huh?" His smile was finally beginning to fade slightly, a fact that pleased Senie to no end. She heaved a sigh and tried again. "I SAID..." "Yeah, yeah," he waved her off, jumping into the plane to do a systems check. "It's an Odin-" "HEH! Perche` siete fando li," an older heavyset man yelled from the hangar door. The three people jumped at the sound. "Quest'e` un` zona con limitazione di velocita`." His gun was trained on Senie head. (Hey! What are you kids doing in here? This is a 'restricted' area.) "Mi dispiace, signor," Senie piped up guiltily. "Siamo prendono e-" (I'm sorry, sir. We're lost and-) "Siete la gente che i polizia perquisono, vero," he asked, his face cracking into a slow grin, revealing his rows of rotten teeth. (You're the people the police are looking for, aren't you?) "NO," Senie squeaked, trying not to notice the man's excitement. She blanched suddenly. This has got to be a bad dream, she insisted to herself. She started shaking nonetheless. "Non ti preoccupi," the watchman drooled. "Non ti arresto... Se- HEH," he called out as his pistol was shot out of his hand. (Don't worry, I won't turn you in... If- Hey!) Fiss lowered his weapon and stared at the guard, challenging him with his eyes. The man eyed his attacker, rubbing his hand. "Sarai dispiace, stronza," he promised, his eyes still fixed on Strike Fiss. He spat at Senie and ran out the door. (You'll be sorry, bitch.) Fiss ignored him and walked over to Senie, who was trembling. When he tapped her shoulder, she jumped and turned. "I may not know the language, but I'm assuming that guy just threatened you. Am I right," he asked, concerned. She nodded, trying to regain her composure. "...yeah. He said, um..." "Come on, Senie," Starr's arm was suddenly around her. She squeezed the unnerved girl's shoulders and led her to the plane. Fiss trailed after them, deep in thought. What the hell is going on here, he pondered. These two aren't acting like monkeyboys. He climbed aboard and laughed when he saw the two arguing over the one available seat in he plane. "Why can't you sit on MY lap," Starr demanded. "Because I've got seniority, and I say you're sitting on MINE!" "Ladies! Ladies! Hate to break this up, but our friend outside has probably radioed for backup by now. We've gotta go." He sized both women up quickly. "Starr, you sit and-" Starr presently began barking at him. He laughed and shook his head. "Sorry, Senie's gonna sit on your lap-" "NO FAIR!! I CALLED IT FIRST," Senie protested. Fiss gave her a withering look. "You understand those people who were after us before are probably on their way, right?" Senie pouted and sat on the other girl's lap, folding her arms over her chest. "Here," Starr grinned triumphantly as she handed Senie the seatbelt. Senie refuse to take it. "Senie! Stop being such a baby," she tried again. Senie snatched the belt and buckled it grumpily. No sense dying to prove a point, she reasoned silently. Fiss watched this with growing sense of uneasiness. They couldn't be the ones he was sent to Italy to find... But why else were they being chased? He shook his head and powered up the engines. "Hold on," he commented as he taxied the small craft out of the hangar. "Like this," Starr asked cheekily, wrapping her arms around Senie, who groaned and pushed her off. "Yo, CHILL," she said, still annoyed. Starr grinned evilly. As the plane began to pick up speed, Senie began to get nervous. "There are, like, emergency exits and stuff, right," she asked anxiously. "No," he replied. Senie blinked, tottering on the edge of alarm. Fiss laughed suddenly. "Just kidding. Don't worry, I know how to fly this rig." "How fast are we gonna go," Starr asked, her eyes glittering. "About... THIS FAST," he yelled as the plane suddenly accelerated from the ground. Both women were propelled back into the seat. Starr thanked her lucky stars that she'd been looking out the window when Senie's head crashed into the cushioned headrest. Starr laughed hysterically as the fighter fought for altitude. Fiss roared with laughter. When they levelled off at 250 fifty feet, Senie's body jerked forward, shutting her mouth and cutting off the sound of her screaming. "What do ya think," Fiss grinned and called back to the two shocked women. "DON'T. DO. THAT," Senie yelled, feeling her stomach lurch uncomfortably. "WHOO HOO!!! Let's do that again!!" Senie turned to glare at Starr just in time to see a streak of light pass by the window. "What the heck..." She trailed off, leaning over to look out the window. Another streak passed by, this time heading straight up into the air. It wasn't until a third one rocketed by that she realized what they were. "They're shooting at us," she whispered. She whirled to the pilot. "THEY'RE SHOOTING AT US," she screamed practically in his ear. "I know," he hollered back. "You two are more popular than I thought," he smiled and turned the vessel around. "What are you doing," she cried in alarm. "Let's have some fun with your buddies back there," Fiss grinned. Something about the crazed 'I wanna play' look in his eyes made her want to take the controls suddenly. "AAAALRIIIIIGHT!!! Now THAT'S what I've been waiting to hear," Starr laughed, turning in her seat to watch the two fighters approaching. "How did they get air-borne so fast?" "Probably just some pilots out on a routine patrol and got the call," Fiss' eyes sparkled as he moved in closer. The pilots continued to fire. Fiss dodged the bullets easily. "Oh gosh, NO!! Let's just get out of here," Senie pleaded, noticing a flashing light on the control panel a split second before Starr reached over and pushed it. The cockpit was suddenly filled with the jumbled words of the other pilots. She leaned over the seat to tell Fiss what was being said, but he didn't seem interested in the least. "NO," she screamed, feeling the sudden jolt as the plane turned towards the first fighter. "Alright," Starr purred, rubbing her hands together in anticipation. "Siete in arresto per-" the signal was cut short as the plane exploded. (You are under arrest for-) Senie whipped her head back in time to see the charred wreckage falling into the ocean. "Jeez, that was fast," she muttered, then groaned as Fiss adjusted his fighter once more. Her eyes widened when she saw their new course. "Heading for the plane. Heading for the plane. HEADING FOR THE PLANE," she chanted, her voice getting more frantic each time. Starr howled with laughter as the two aircraft sped towards each other. "I'm bettin' he's gonna swerve first," she decided. In the front seat, Fiss grinned at the vote of confidence and continued to close the distance. Senie's nerve broke suddenly. "LEFT!! GO LEFT," she bellowed, shaking the man and grinding her foot into the bottom of the plane as if the brake was there. Fiss only laughed and sped up. At the last second, he fired and peeled off to the right as the second plane was destroyed. Starr laughed triumphantly. "Whoo hoo! I can't BELIEVE we just DID THAT!!" Senie kicked the back of the seat in front of her angrily, wanting to strangle the man who'd almost killed them. "You IDIOT!! Do you have ANY idea how many _international_ aviation laws you just violated?" "Twenty-three," he replied with a grin. "No wait." Fiss stomped on the brakes suddenly, causing the plane to stop in midair. Senie shrieked as they fell towards the water below. After about ten seconds, he stepped on the gas. The fighter shot forward, having lost 50 feet of altitude. "Twenty- five," he announced. Senie turned to Starr, who was turning red from laughing so hard. "Oh my gosh, he's a psycho," she squeaked, causing the others to laugh hysterically. "Yes, I am," Fiss replied proudly. The fighter accelerated forward and began a series of loops, twists, and turns. "STOP," Senie begged. "This is better than a roller coaster," Starr bellowed, squealing with delight. "I HATE roller coasters," she shouted, feeling her stomach turn. Fiss chuckled and levelled the Odin out at the correct height. "That's it! I want OUT of this plane NOW!" "No, you don't," Starr snickered, pointing out of the cockpit. Senie looked over the side and noticed just how far from the shoreline they'd traveled. She sat back suddenly, feeling slightly hydrophobic for the first time in her life. "Okay. I don't want out of the plane. But you are gonna STOP doing that unless you wanna see what I had for lunch this time LAST WEEK!!" The pilot laughed. "You two are gonna fit in just fine in Antarctica." "_ANTARCTICA_," they both exclaimed. Fiss blinked. "Of course. We're going to the base. Toze is expecting you." "Who," Senie asked. She glared at Starr suddenly. "Do you know what he's talking about?" "Yeah, Senie, of course I know. I've known all along," Starr countered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Senie was preparing an appropriate response to that when she glanced over Fiss' shoulder. "Um... Admittedly I am the last person on this planet anyone would ask about flying an airplane. But, um... isn't there a certain height that you're supposed to maintain?!?" "Yes... But I think we'll be a little less noticeable underwater," Fiss replied. "Oh yeah, NO ONE will notice the mangled wreckage of our plane," she gasped. "You know, you're absolutely right," he grinned, aiming the fighter straight down. Starr cheered the man on, urging him to go faster. She was having the time of her life. Senie swatted at the jovial woman. "Thanks a lot, STARR!!" "_Me?!_ What did I do," Starr asked in confusion. "I could have just taken the bullet back there. I probably wouldn't have felt a thing either. But no, no, _no_, I had to listen to my IDIOT roommate and get in a plane with a suicidal maniac who's about to KILL US ALL!!" "You're the adult here," Starr retorted. "If you didn't want to come, you didn't have to! And since when do you listen to ME?!" "Good point," she glared, exasperated. "Jeez!! I needed tonight like I needed a BULLET IN THE HEAD!!!" "THAT COULD'VE BEEN ARRANGED," Starr shouted back. Senie's arm slammed backwards into Starr as the Odin encountered some turbulence and Fiss was forced to pull up. Senie looked her unconscious friend over guiltily. "Oops. Sorry, Starr." The fighter looped and rocketed downward once more. Senie leaned forward as much as the seatbelt would allow (which wasn't much) and tapped the pilot on the shoulder. "You know, you are awfully calm for someone who's about to kill himself." Fiss grinned ruefully at that. "Good night," he replied sweetly. "Huh?" She looked up just as the plane hit the water. The sheer velocity forced her back into the seat and knocked her out. 2 HOURS LATER... Starr cracked her eyelids open slightly, not wanting to alert anyone that she was wake. Finding that no one was around, she opened her eyes and surveyed the area. Her stomach hurt and her neck was tender from leaning it to one side. I must have been out for awhile, she decided. She tried to stand and discovered the source of her stomach pain. Senie was tossing and turning in her lap. She sighed and tried to reach the seatbelt, but a hand beat her to it. "Good Morning, Sleepy Head." She instantly recognized Fiss' laughing voice and groaned. "Get me out of this," she grumbled. Fiss leaned over his seat and unhooked the belt, trying to dodge Senie's thrashing in the process. "Does she always sleep like that? She spent the whole trip beating the shit out of my back." "Yeah, she IS a pretty wild sleeper," she massaged her bruised jaw. "SENIE," she yelled in the girl's ear, making Fiss jump. Senie sighed and turned over in her sleep. "What are you doing," Fiss whispered. "I wanna get up now," Starr replied matter-of-factly while shaking Senie violently. "HEY SENIE, WAKE UP!!" The slumbering girl turned again and groaned. Fiss sat back and watched disbelievingly. "SENIE! GET UP!!" Senie mumbled tearfully and forced her eyes open. "Time to get up," Starr said brightly. Senie looked at her friend briefly, then started to close her eyes again. "_SENIE_," Starr shouted, beginning to shake her again. "WHAAAAT," Senie groaned. She leaned forward to try and get away from Starr and bumped her head on the seat in front of her. "OOOWWWWW," she yelled, starting to cry. "Senie, MOVE," Starr insisted. The confused woman stood and moved away from the seat as best she could in the tight quarters, still holding her forehead for emphasis. Starr stood and turned to the ladder that they'd used to climb aboard. Fiss, who had been snickering in the background at the festivities, made a quick decision and stood. "I think we should bring Toze in on this," he said. Then he blinked in astonishment as Senie curled up in the seat once more. They're not the right ones, he stared in horror. What the hell is going on here, he puzzled. He turned to exit the plane, Starr right on his heels. "No, you two stay here," he said firmly. Maybe we can salvage some of this, he hoped. Starr was not in the mood to play around. "No. I wanna know what is going on here and I wanna know NOW," she responded. Fiss sighed. "I'm gonna get the boss man around here. He should know." He shrugged and got out of the plane. Starr sat in the pilot's chair, pouting. What the hell, she fumed. This guy pops out of nowhere, flies us halfway around the world, and LEAVES US IN THE PLANE!! She turned to Senie and heard her soft snoring. "Yeah, that oughta impress the big boys," she grumbled to herself. She stood and jumped out of the plane suddenly, not wanting to stay put any longer. She landed easily, straightening her plaid skirt and smoothing over her tasteful white sweater. When she finally looked around, she gasped. There were penguins everywhere! One walked up to her curiously. "Wuuaagh," he asked. "Huh," she responded, confused. "Wuuaagh," the penguin repeated in the same tone. Starr stared at the penguin in confusion. What the heck is this, she pondered. Is this penguin trying to TALK or something? She shook her head at the ridiculousness of the idea and turned away. She took a couple of steps, then felt someone grabbed her hand. She spun around but no one was there. "Wuuaagh," came the inquisitive voice again. She looked down and saw the same penguin (is this the same penguin, she asked herself) again. "I... DON'T... KNOW... WHAT... YOU'RE... TRYING... TO... SAY..." she shouted slowly so that the penguin would understand. He didn't seem to like that. He turned with a huffy "Wuagh" and left the bay. "What was that all about," she wondered aloud, watching the penguin storm off in confusion. "You insulted him," a gruff voice stated from directly behind her. She whirled towards the voice, punching at the sound. A hand caught her fist easily and she found herself face to face with an extremely angry looking man. He was a colossal figure, sporting some kind of strange armor and mirror shades. It was obvious that he did not smile often. He was currently frowning at the young woman in front of him. Starr pulled her fist back and stared up at him. "Who are you," she asked quietly. "I'm Tozetre. We spoke before... Agent Halloway or Decker," he responded by way introduction. "Agent who," Starr asked, sizing the giant up. I can take him, she decided. Tozetre paused for the first time. He'd shrugged off Fiss' comments on the two new recruits earlier. Given the situation the High Armoured Claw of the Guardian Mothra Wings had found them in, he'd decided that the two women were simply in shock. Now he was starting to wonder. "Who are you," he glared from behind his glasses. Starr took a step back, deciding that maybe she couldn't take him after all. His manner was a startling change from Strike Fiss'. She suddenly wished she was talking to the more pleasant man again. She searched the area behind Tozetre with her eyes. "Where's that Fiss guy," she asked. "Never mind him," the man snapped. Starr lost her temper at that. "I'm not talking to YOU or ANYBODY ELSE until SOMEBODY tells me just what the hell is going on here!" She glared at the man expectantly. Tozetre blinked at the outburst. "Aren't you..." He thought for a moment, then shook his head slightly to clear it. "Are you Field Agent Amy Halloway or Felicity Decker," he asked. "Neither," Starr spat back, annoyed. "I'm Starr Sheilds, soon to be Starr Patel." She touched her engagement ring and smiled at that, then sobered quickly and continued. "And I'm not a 'Field' anything." "You're not one of the field agents that asked for our help," Tozetre demanded. "Nooo..." She tried again. "I'm a sophomore in college," she offered helpfully. The man waved the statement off, deep in thought. "Where is the other girl," he inquired. Senie forced her eyes open drowsily a few minutes after Starr left. She stretched and shivered at the slight chill in the air. I gotta close that window, she thought as she leaned forward. "Starr," she muttered, leaning over the seat. "Wuuaagh?" "Where are we," Senie droned on, still trying to wake up. That was some dream, she thought idly while she rubbed sleep sand out of her eyes tiredly. She tapped the person in the pilot seat on the shoulder. The penguin stood on the seat and turned around. "Wuuaagh," the penguin asked again. Senie screamed and pressed herself back into the seat. Greta watched the frantic human in wonder. She couldn't understand what the problem was. She reached forward to try and calm the frightened girl. Senie screamed louder and curled into a tight ball, watching the penguin and realizing that this was no dream. "What's going on in there," an irritated voice called up from the ground. "Wuagh," Greta responded calmly, glancing at Senie for a moment. "Well, then, just leave her there," the voice called up in annoyance. The penguin seemed to shrug and climbed out of the cockpit. Senie watched in amazement. Did he just answer that penguin, she wondered. "Come on down here," the voice yelled gruffly. "I need to have a talk with you and your friend here." Senie gasped and jumped from her seat, ready to kill something if Starr was hurt. She leaned over the side of the plane and found herself staring at the Incredible Hulk. The man standing below her, while not green or sporting a torn shirt and ripped jeans, could easily have passed for the fictional character with the right stage makeup. He was a gargantuan figure to say the very least. She gathered her courage and carefully climbed down the ladder, then walked over to him meekly. Tozetre looked both women over briefly. The pudgy one in the plaid outfit seemed ready to take on everyone. Her long, curly brown hair framed her face easily and her soulful blue eyes glittered with excitement. The other one was sporting a pair of faded jeans and a 'What Would Jesus Do' top. She looked around nervously, taking in the massive quantities of penguins in the hangar, most of whom were staring at the newcomers. That one's in shock. I'll have more luck with 'plaid girl' here, Tozetre decided. "Why don't we talk in my office," he said, turning to leave the hangar. The two women trotted after him, Starr telling him about their misadventures that night. As they walked Senie noticed that the walls around them were changing. She kept her head lowered and walked on, trying not to panic. Starr quieted down as they passed into Tozetre's office after not more than ten paces and stood still as the man crossed to his desk and sat, waving to the chairs in front of the desk. Starr crossed to a chair and started to talk again until Tozetre stopped her. "Why don't you explain-" "You have five minutes to explain yourself, sir," Senie spat from the door, where she'd remained despite the man's invitation to sit. She raised her head and he saw that he may have underestimated her. Her eyes flashed with animosity. "We are American citizens and WE know our rights! I don't appreciate being kidnapped and DRAGGED" "Kidnapped?" Tozetre sputtered, "I was told-" "You were told _wrong_," Senie said a deathly calm voice. "You'd better start explaining, and I mean now. I DEMAND to know who you people are, where we are, and why we were brought here. AND while you're explaining yourself, you can start making arrangements for us to go back." "Arrangements," he said, clearly amused by the women's outburst. "What? Is there an echo in here?! Yes, arrangements! Starr has no doubt MISSED her flight and I need to get back to the Universita` di Napoli. So, you can get on the phone, the horn, the intercom, the rusty tin cans, or WHATEVER it is you people use around here, 'cause I'm ready to return to reality now." She sat down across from Starr and folded her arms over her chest, carefully holding onto her temper with both hands. "I suggest that you start from the beginning. And don't lie. I've had a VERY long night." Starr blinked and gawked at Senie, never having seen her former roommate so angry. Tozetre nodded to himself as if coming to some decision and leaned back in his chair. "Fine. My name is Tozetre and you are currently in Ross Bay, Antarctica." "So I gathered," Senie said darkly, waiting for him to continue. "This is the base of operations for the Penguin Self Defence Force." Starr laughed and began to waddle and squawk like a penguin at that. But something about that name tugged at Senie's memory. She sat back, trying to recall where she'd heard that title before... Then it hit her and she looked up, her eyes wild with fear. Tozetre just nodded. "So, you've heard of us." "My God," she whispered, knowing that she must be right. "Look... We're not looking for any trouble. I just want to know why you people decided to bring your war to my front door." "Because you asked us to," he replied. "I asked..." She turned and glared at Starr. "Do you mind?!" Starr piped down and listened, not having a clue as to what was going on. Senie turned back to Tozetre. "Explain." He punched up something on what looked like a mini laptop and frowned. "Two weeks ago we received a communication from... someone, asking to join the PSDF. They - the two women claimed that they'd been freed from the MonkeyTaint and wanted to fight for the freedom of Earth." "Monkey taint," Starr interrupted suddenly, making monkey sounds. "How did monkeys get into this discussion," Senie asked in frustration over Starr's noise. "We... Oh, here it is." He turned the monitor towards Senie who gasped in shock. "Who the heck... Starr!! " Starr turned around, interested. "Since when is your name Amy Halloway?!" Starr sat and stared at the screen. "I don't know, Ms. Felicity _Decker_." She studied her picture more closely. "Hey, wait a minute! This is my college I.D." "No shit, Sherlock," Senie retorted. "Wait... Hold up a sec! If you have this picture in YOUR... Then... THAT'S why they were shooting at us?!" The man nodded. "But that means that..." She let the thought hang in the air between them. "What are you planning to do with us," she asked in a small voice, trying to get a handle on the situation. "I don't know," he replied tiredly. Listening to his tone of voice, she realized that there absolutely no limitations on the statement. Her eyes bulged. "You can't just... Keep us here," she strained out, unable to voice what she knew he really meant. "I mean... We're not involved in ANY of this... There has to be..." She took a deep breath and started again angrily. "Now, you listen up! I don't care WHO you are, you cannot just... Every single one of my teachers know me by name AND face, I've made sure of that! Not to mention my family, who I call at LEAST once a week!! And as or Starr over there, her fiance` is expecting her in New Zealand in..." She checked her watch and laughed. "Actually, fifteen minutes ago. And her parents WILL be checking in on her, too. It's not like you can just make us DISAPPEAR! Too many people know about us! They're gonna come looking for us," she said as tears began to roll down her cheeks. Starr leaned over and shook Senie's shoulders. "Senie, CALM DOWN!! What's the matter?!?" Senie just continued to cry. "What is the matter with you people?! Look, you heard what she said. My fianc‚e is expecting me in New Zealand and I'm already late!! Why don't we just get on the phone with these, whoever they are, and explain that somebody made a mistake?!" "Because they want us dead," Senie choked out. "Because they want you dead," Tozetre exclaimed at the same time, annoyed. He stood up and pressed a button. "I think you two should stay here tonight, just until we can figure this thing out," he added, watching the sobbing woman cautiously. Senie looked up at him and nodded dully, unable to think of anything to say that might change his mind about them. A penguin opened the door and stepped into the room, causing Senie to yell and hide behind Starr. "Take our two... guests..." "I have a name, you know," Starr declared huffily. "It's Starr Sheilds, like I said before." "Mine is Asenia McAllister, but everyone just calls me Senie." "Fine," Tozetre nodded. "Show Starr and Senie to the guest wing." The door closed softly behind them as the penguin escort left then for the night. Starr looked around the room, taking in its emptiness. "So, where exactly are we supposed to sleep," Starr demanded to no one in particular. "Who cares," Senie replied dully. "You like the pilot, don't you," Starr grinned evilly as she made the observation. "STARR! I just saw a man get mowed down like a DOG IN THE STREET. We just got out of an airplane the size of a freakin' matchbox car that out ran; not to mention destroyed two of Italy's best aircraft. We're in the middle of Antarctica, seven TRILLION light years from any semblance of normalcy and you wanna talk about the PILOT," she screamed, panted slightly. "Well, actually, he wasn't really mowed down..." "Oh, SHUT UP, Starr," Senie exclaimed, wanting to throttle girl right then. She turned back to the door suddenly and pounded on it. "_LET US OUT_," she bellowed. "Okay. Senie, you're gonna have to calm down," Starr said idly. Senie kicked the door once more, then stormed over to Starr. She sank down across from her 'cell mate' onto the plush carpet on the floor; the only furniture in the entire room. Her head was pounding from crying so much before. "This is just a dream. This is just a dream. I'm going to wake up tomorrow and have the biggest laugh... Would you mind not doing that," she called out, massaging her temples. "Doing what," Starr replied innocently, pressing a few more of the buttons on the wall. She grinned slyly and turned to her friend. "Come on, Senie! You've gotta try this!! I think I've figured out what some of these buttons do." Senie groaned and shook her head carefully. "Fine. But when you press the wrong button and the room implodes, don't come crying to me," she griped. "Hey! Cool it with the big words," Starr exclaimed. When there came no reply she just shrugged and went back to her task. A few minutes later she turned back to her friend. Jeez, Senie really wasn't built to handle this much stress all at once, Starr thought to herself. You'd think she'd be used to pressure by now. She walked over to Senie and sat down, placing a hand warmly on her shoulder. "Relax, luv, it might be all in your head. I mean, you DID go kinda overboard with the Coke tonight." "Oh, yeah right! Twelve ounces of Cherry Coke is NOT enough to do this to me. And besides, if this is MY caffeine high, what are YOU doing here?!" "Because you love me SOOO much," Starr winked. "Look. If this is for real, we'll just hafta figure out a way to bust ourselves out of here. And will you smile for God's sakes, you're starting to scare me." Senie smiled faintly and leaned on the other girl's shoulder briefly. Then she sobered. "You do realize that they are probably going to kill us both come dawn, right?" Starr blinked at the statement. "Why would they do that," she asked. Senie rolled her eyes. "Starr! If this is that same organization that levelled Washington, D.C. a few years ago, and I have a sinking feeling that they are, we know too much..." "So?" Senie stared at her friend dryly. Starr was never one for subtlety, she mused ruefully. She groaned and tried again. "You remember that movie 'Silence of the Lambs'?" "Yeah," Starr admitted. "Baaaa." Starr jumped up from her place on the floor, finally catching the meaning of Senie's words. "Hey! They can't DO that!" "Oh, sure they can," Senie interrupted brightly. "I'm sure they could just press a button and this whole room would blow up or something 'cool' like that. Did you notice that we are the only people in this wing of the building? At least, as far as I could tell. Or, if they're going for the more personal touch, it would be a simple matter for one of them to come and put a bullet in both our heads while we're sleeping. Especially that one guy. You know, the one in charge? I bet HE'D pop some popcorn and make up a banner just to watch. They don't seem to have any hang-ups about killing around here." Starr was pacing the length of the room now, all her calm gone. "Senie, we gotta DO something! We can sleep in shifts or something!! Yeah, yeah, that's it! I'm not gonna just let somebody waltz in here and put a bullet in MY brain." "Did you check out that gun the pilot, what's his face, was packing?" "Yeah," Starr drooled, reminding herself to ask Strike Fiss about the weapon the next time she saw him. "Did you also notice that they make no sound whatsoever? And that other guy's gun worked the same way too. I have a feeling that we are just a tad out of our league here." "_THIS SUCKS_!!!" "Okay, dear. There are roughly three full-fledged sets of drums banging away in my head right now. Would you mind lowering the decibels?" "Sorry," Starr whispered glumly. "Oh, look on the bright side," Senie grinned. "At least if we're dreaming, tomorrow we'll have plenty to talk about on the way to the airport." "What? Oh, yeah, sure. I kinda like it around here actually. What's up with all the penguins, anyway? The way they go on all the time, you'd swear they were trying to speak or something." "YOU'RE asking ME? I suggest you ask your newfound buddies about that one; my circuits are all kinds of fired right now." Senie yawned, curling up on the comfortable rug. "Yeah, but that won't stop you for dreaming about Strike Fiss tonight." Senie glared at Starr in annoyance. "Will you quit it! Go to sleep, SHAINESH!!" Starr promptly started giggling like a hyena at the mention of her fiance`. "What the heck kind of a name is 'Strike Fiss' anyway?! I mean... let me guess, his parents were just DYING for their kid to be an original, right? And To... Toz... Man, I can't even pronounce it!! Jeez Louis, and I thought MY name was weird," she grumbled as she lost consciousness for the night. Starr watched the sleeping figure for a few seconds. "Senie," she whispered. She chuckled when no answer came. "That kid's gotta learn to hold her caffeine," she said aloud, tasting the waters again. Nothing. "Cool," she exclaimed, jumping up and beginning to push buttons again. "Ouch! Sheeeit," she groaned as a bed slid out of the wall and directly into her kneecaps. She grimaced and massaged her knees for a moment, then climbed on the bed to get at the controls again. She accidentally leaned on the intercom in the process, causing it to burst into sound. Starr whipped her head around to see if Senie would wake up or not. The exhausted women did not even twitch. Starr grinned and rubbed her hands together with glee. "Alright," she chuckled, starting to press buttons on the intercom. She heard either penguins or complete silence on every channel (the intercom was connected to the docking bays and hangars on the base). After two minutes of listening to the noise, Starr began to get bored. "Aaawww maaannnn!! Where's the action," she cried. One of the voices suddenly sounded closer to the intercom than the others. "Wuuaagh wuuaagh." "Wuuaagh wuuaagh," Starr repeated in the exact same tone. She switched channels and said the same thing again, causing a commotion in the bay. Starr smiled a large, toothy smile. Now THIS is my idea of a good time, she thought as she switched channels once more. In another office, the intercom snapped off mid 'wuuaagh'. Tozetre rubbed his eyes tiredly. He had heard enough for one night. "So, what do you think," he asked his commanders. He had gathered them all in his office to listen in on the two women. "I think the one girl is completely insane and the other needs to take a pill," Joy replied, brushing her short, brown hair out of her face. "I got dibs on Starr if we end up recruiting them," Gottermandung called out his answer from the floor. "You would," Joy responded. "I think we should sign them both up on the spot," Ealf piped up from his spot on the wall. Then he added, "but I think the one girl is afraid of penguins." "Yeah," Tozetre nodded. "Well, in any case, I'm pretty sure these aren't the ones we were looking for." "Then why the hell were those filthy monkeys after them," the head of ENSS asked. "Their pictures are all over the Internet and in the papers, but the names don't match. My guess is, the two that contacted us decided to underground and dug up these two faces to throw people off their trail," Cain offered. "So, what are we going to do with them? We can't just have them running around the base! Starr is going to get herself hurt if she keeps trying to talk to the penguins, and Senie... I don't know WHAT she's capable of," Ealf asked, trying to change the subject. He could tell that this whole set-up was hitting a little too close to home for Tozetre. "I don't know. She seems like a wuss to me," Cain replied matter-of- factly. The CiC considered this for a moment. "No. She may come off that way, but when I pushed her, she pushed back." "Yeah, Cain. Once we haul the log out of her ass, she should be just fine," Gottermandung chimed in. "Well maybe... Hey, Fiss, are you sleep or something? You've been awful quiet tonight." Fiss jumped at the sound of his name, snapping his attention back to the conversation. "What? No, just thinking... Do you really think they can be trusted? It seems kinda strange to me that the monkeys would allow a mistake like that to go through the ranks." Well, the two girls who contacted me were pretty low in the ranks from what I could tell. Those stinking monkeys probably didn't even think to look at their profiles when they ordered the hit," Coyote's voice reasoned via the video transceiver on Tozetre's desk. "Anyway, these two seem harmless enough, and we're about the only thing they've got going for them at this point." "Alright, they're in. They can't go back to their old lives anyway, and we could use the extra help around here," Tozetre decided, officially closing the subject to debate. "So, who's gonna break the news?" Ealf's question hung uncomfortably in the air as the commanders shifted in their respective positions. "I don't think they should be told together. Ealf, why don't you handle Senie. Fiss, you break the news to Starr. We'll have to think of a way to separate them, but that's for tomorrow. Any questions?" "No," came the murmured replies. "Good. Dismissed." The commanders ambled out of the office after that, sketching brief salutes as they went. Tozetre did not notice. His full attention was on the two new 'recruits'. He did not notice that Coyote was still online until he heard a question seemingly from nowhere. "How bad is it," Coyote asked, genuinely concerned for his commanding officer. "Nothing we can't fix on this end, Coyote. We lost the chance to gain some inside information, but we just gained two new people." "Are you sure you're okay with this whole thing, boss? You're not your usual self." "Yeah," Tozetre replied. "Everything is fine. It isn't going to be a pretty scene tomorrow, though. How are things on that end?" The two men compared status for the next few minutes, then Coyote signed off, reassured that everything was fine. But is was not. Something about the situation had forced Tozetre to think of his own family. Their memories were haunting him tonight for some reason he could not quite bring himself to acknowledge. Instead, he sat thinking about his newest charges in the darkness. These two women were not dragged into the fight for humanity like the others. They were not groomed for a life of service like Joy or tricked into joining the wrong side, like Ealf or Fiss. Here were two typical human beings, going about their daily lives, merrily unaware of the dangers around them. Both had a hardness to them - the fact that Starr's was more pronounced did not make Senie's any less real. But neither was going to take the news that they were never going to see their friends and family again very well. Gottermandung's right, though, he decided as he settled down in his chair to sleep. Starr would make an excellent biker. And they would have to work on Senie's attitude. He snickered at the memory of that first encounter. 'Sir,' he laughed aloud in the empty room. But she has lots of potential... "I'll throw her in with the GMW for now and see how she holds up," he resolved to the empty room. He closed his eyes to dream... then remembered what it was about them that called to mind his long-lost family. Senie: '...not to mention my family... It's not like you can just make us DISAPPEAR!' Starr: '...my fianc‚e is expecting me in New Zealand...' They had so much to go back to, Tozetre thought idly as he dozed. Now, there's nothing left for them but us. His sleep was fitful that night, filled with the images of all that he himself had left behind and the imaginings of the women's pain when they realized that they could never go back again... THE NEXT MORNING... Starr awoke feeling slightly groggy, buy otherwise fully aware and awake. She sat up in the bed she'd discovered the night before and glanced over at Senie. She didn't even move, she observed, walking over for closer look. Her friend's breathing was slightly ragged, but otherwise she seemed fine. She stood and stared longingly at the door. She wanted out now; in Starr's opinion beds were only good for two things. She touched a small red button on the control panel and the door opened. Hmmm... I wonder why that button didn't work last night, she wondered idly, walking out of the room. The halls were empty as she crept around the base. This place goes on forever, she marvelled as she strode through the structure, trying every door she came across. She finally came to a door that was slightly agar and pushed it open without thinking; buttons and unlocked doors were her weaknesses. She flicked on the lights and gasped. Rows and rows of weaponry filled the room. Her eyes began to water when she beheld the rack of what looked like souped up rifles lying with army-like precision on the rack nearest her. She let the door close behind her as she breathed in the sweet smell of gun oil. "I've died and gone to Heaven," she sighed with contentment. Then she ran and hugged the nearest missile. Senie woke with a start, a strong cloud of foreboding hanging over her. "Jet lag's a killer," she groaned, trying to shake the nightmare she'd just had. She shivered and stood, feeling the need to walk off the horrible dream. It wasn't until she turned around that she noticed the penguin standing in the doorway, watching her with interest. Her ear-piercing shriek rang out in the room. Ealf was suddenly standing behind the penguin. Even leaning over his subordinate accusingly like he was, he still towered over him. "Will you leave her alone, Murray," he demanded. "Wuaagh. Wuuagh, wuagh," Murray said, looking up at his commanding officer innocently. "I don't care what Greta told you, leave her alone," he roared. Murray shrugged. "Wuaagh," he replied, skirting past the man and walking down the hall. "Be back in five," Ealf called after him. This shouldn't take more than five minutes, he reasoned to himself. He looked down at the brown-skinned girl huddled in the corner, her eyes glued to the door. "Where's Starr," she whispered fearfully. "She went for a walk... He gone, you know," he said gruffly. "Yeah, but he'll be back," she whispered, pushing herself further back into the wall. "You'd better get used to them - Senie, was it? - 'cause they're all over this base. We work with them, we live with them, and we fight along side them. And if you and your friend are going to stay here, you're both going to have to learn how to act around them." "Listen, sir," she retorted angrily. "You can say what you want in their defence, but I saw what your pals did to - what do you mean 'if you and your friend are gonna stay here'," she asked, catching the tail end of his statement. She blanched suddenly. "Oh God... That's what you were sent to tell me," she said, her eyes wide with shock as she stood up slowly. "Uh... Yeah," he stammered, cursing himself for his lack of subtlety. "Tozetre decided that it would be best if you girls stayed here for awhile, seeing as you're both wanted and all. I think he has an assignment lined up for each of you. He wants you in his office in about... ten minutes for a briefing and-" "Let me get this straight. Starr and I just lost everything we ever loved and everything we ever cared about in one fell swoop... But that's okay and everything because we've got jobs now." She wanted to throttle the man in front of her. She wanted to scream with rage. She wanted to curl up in a corner and cry her eyes out at the injustice of it all. But most of all, she desperately wanted to wake up safe and sound in her own bed, surrounded by the people who loved her most in the world. Meanwhile, Ealf was furious with her childishness. "Hey, you oughta be grateful, you little twerp! It's not like we don't have enough to do around here without babysitting a couple of 'celebrities' such as yourselves! Toze is offering you a place to live AND the full protection of the PSDF, which is more than I can say for those monkey who were chasing you!! I suggest you and your 'homie' show a little gratitude when you see him today." Oh SHUT UP, you social reject, she thought miserably. I didn't ASK for this - ANY of it! This is your war, not mine: and I want NO PART OF IT!! You want gratitude?! As far as I'M concerned, you can all eat shit and die!!! She took a deep breath, determined not to cry in front of the man who'd just reamed her out. Aloud, she said, "is it always this cold on the base?" "Yeah," he said cautiously. "Then I'll need some heavier clothes," she replied humbly. "Starr and I are to room here then?" He sighed heavily, deciding that she was finally getting with the program. "You can stay here if you want, okay? I don't think Toze will object. We'll find Starr some other quarters later." He turned to go, noticing that Murray was back. "Toze wants to see her," he mentioned on his way out the door. "I'm Ealf, by the way, Commander of the Psycho Dragons from Purgatory." "I'm Senie," the girl stated, her voice barely audible. "Look. I'm sorry as hell about your family. I can tell they meant a lot to you," he said without turning back as he left the room. For Senie, the world had stopped the moment he'd told her that she couldn't go home. It was as if someone had just told her she could never breath again. There were no tears... or maybe there were too many, she couldn't tell anymore. The idea that a girl with no criminal record... Someone who'd never so much as cheated on a test... who'd always been an obedient child to her parents, a dedicated sister to her brothers, and a hard-working student... who'd just graduated from college with honors and scholarships to pretty much wherever she wanted to go in life... "...could become a fugitive because of a computer glitch. It's funny in a way." She laughed, but the sound was too bitter, even for her and she stopped as abruptly as she'd started. You're wrong, Tozetre, she swore silently. I will get my life back. If I have to kill every fucking ape on this planet, I WILL get back to where I belong, she vowed. "Wuuaagh?" She looked down and noticed the blood running from her hands where her fingernails had dug into flesh. She held her hand up, watching her blood course down her arm like teardrops. Without thinking, she rammed her hand into the wall, biting her lip to keep from crying out at the pain. When she pulled her hand back, her bloody handprint was left behind. "It begins," she grunted. She strode out of the room at that, dry-eyed, leaving her penguin escort behind. Murray could only stare after her with a worried look on his face. Starr strode down one of the aisles, glowing with pleasure. She felt like a kid in a candy store. "I could definitely get used to this," she commented, straightening a rifle lovingly. "I see you found the arsenal," a familiar voice observed. "FISS," she screamed, running over and nearly bowling him over in hug. "Do you think Tozzy will let me keep one of these as a souvenir?" Fiss blinked. "Did you just say 'Tozzy'?" "Yeah," she shrugged. Fiss snickered at the idea of anybody daring to call the Commander in Chief by such a name. "Just don't let him catch you calling him that." "Fair enough," she nodded. "So what do ya think? Maybe one of the small ones," she inquired, seeing the troubled look on his face. "I mean, come on! If this penguin squadron or whatever of your is as powerful as Senie says, you guys won't even miss it. I won't even ask for bullets," she bargained, hiding the clip she'd taken earlier. "Okay, that one's already loaded," Fiss replied, taking the clip from the girl. "And this goes to the Nutcrackers in the back." "Oh," she shrugged. "So, when are we leaving?" "Leaving," he asked innocently, dreading the answer he knew he'd have to give. "Yeah, I figured Tozzy would probably have you drop us off and stuff. We really do need to get this mess straightened out so I can get back to my Kiwi," smiled, thinking of Shainesh's face when she told him about her adventures. "And I'm sure Senie's gonna have kittens if she doesn't get back to 'Blessed Italy' soon." "We need to talk," he said with unusual seriousness. "About what," she asked absently, trying to figure out where to hide her new toy so it wouldn't set off the metal detectors when she got to New Zealand. Fiss shook his head in wonder. She has no idea what's coming, his mind boggled, and that'll make this all the worst for her. He couldn't help but feel a certain responsibility for the two. They're like children, he observed, watching Starr pretend to fire the GUN-1 at several invisible enemies. He couldn't think of a way to tell her that she wasn't going anywhere. He checked his watch. Fifteen minutes till her meeting with Toze, he sighed. I'd better get started. "I need you to sit down for a minute," he said, taking her weapon from her just in case. "I'll give it back in a minute," he promised when she started to protest. He looked her over, still at a loss for how to begin. Starr began to fidget under his gaze. "You're not gonna... kill me, are you?" "Huh?" "Well, it would just be kinda funny if you saved my life one day and killed me the next," she commented, eyeing the gun and wondering if she'd just given him the murder weapon he'd needed. "Nobody's going to hurt you OR Senie. We don't kill recruits around here." The woman visibly relaxed, then looked at him curiously. "'Recruits'? What's going on here, Fiss?" He looked into those innocent blue eyes of hers and felt the sudden desire to destroy everyone of those filthy, stinking Monkeys. "Starr, those...people that were after us the other night, they chased us because they thought you were someone else," he fumbled for a beginning. "Well, yeah. But" "And they still do. Computer glitch or not, they believe you are Amy Halloway and they have orders to kill you." "But if we just explain." "You don't understand what you're up against, Starr. The monkeys aren't like us. They don't care that the names and faces don't match up. They don't care that somebody made a mistake. They don't care about anything - they just want blood," he explained, his hatred of the enemy flaring. "This shouldn't have happened, kiddo. You should be in New Zealand with your man and Senie should be enjoying herself in Italy right now. But... For the time being it seems you're both stuck here with us." "What!?" She jumped up angrily. "I'm not stayin'-" "If you go to New Zealand, they will kill you. If you go home they will kill you. If you go to Tatooine, they will find you and kill you. The same goes for your friend. Try to understand Starr, you're as good as dead anywhere but here." "But there has to be a way," she pleaded desperately, pulling a hunting knife out of her boot suddenly. "I'm sure you can make some arrangements." Fiss sighed. She's gonna fit right in with the bikers, he thought as he disarmed her easily. "Here," he said, handing the knife back to her. She shook her head, tears spilling over silently. Suddenly she hated this place and she hated the people who'd condemned her to be here. "I'm sorry, but Toze is only trying to help. we're fighting for humanity, Starr. Sometimes 'civvies' get caught in the crossfire." "What about the real Amy and Felicity?! If we could find them couldn't we." "They're long gone, Starr. And even if we found them, it's your pictures on the posters, not theirs," he said, feeling the need to punch something as the light of hope faded from her eyes. He checked his watch again. "Look, Toze wants to see you soon. Why don't I come back for you in a few minutes and we'll go together," he offered. Starr sank to the floor. She felt as if everything inside of her was tied up in knots. If she could have sobbed, she would have. But the pain was too fresh to allow it. Someone telling her that she couldn't be near Shainesh was like someone telling her that she couldn't have air anymore. It simply couldn't be. And that someone would even dare to suggest it hurt like nothing she'd ever experienced. "Starr, are you going to be alright," a voice asked through the fog of her thoughts. She was shaking all over as the pressure inside of her built to a fever pitch. She shut her eyes, trying to shut out Fiss' words. '...stuck here...caught in the crossfire...as good as dead...' But I am dead, she reasoned. I can't live without... A large sob tore itself from her throat, opening the flood gates of her grief. Fiss hugged her, unable to think of any words to soothe her. "You... You can't take him away from me!! Please, there has to be something you can do!! Please, please Fiss, I... I need him..." Fiss held her tighter, fighting the urge to cry himself. "I'm sorry Starr. I'm so sorry that it has to be this way," he chocked out, vowing vengeance for every tear this girl cried and every tear she would cry in the weeks to come. So that's it, she wondered miserably. Less than seventy-two hours ago she'd set out to cheer up a friend on her way to the arms of her one true love. And now she was in an arsenal in the South Pole, being comforted by the man who'd brought her here and preparing to meet the man who decreed that she stay. She wanted to hate them both, but she knew in her heart that they were right. 'Shainesh can't be more than a hop, skip and a jump from here, she thought. But he might as well be a million miles away for all she could go to him. There were so many things she wanted to tell him! But she knew she couldn't speak to him without putting his life in danger. She longed to tell him all the things she knew he already knew one last time. How much she loved him... How much she'd cherished his friendship and love over the years... How she loved it when they were together and missed him when they were apart... The letters, the phone conversations, and finally their first meeting after years of being apart... As the memories washed her, the sound of her heart breaking was the only sound in the room. "I can't live without him... There's no me without him..." Most of all she longed for one last chance to tell him the one thing she knew she should, the one thing he deserved to hear from the one he loved: goodbye. ************************************************************************ AUTHOR'S NOTES *laughs triumphantly* FINALLY!!! I'VE FINISHED MY FIRST FIC!!!! *still grinning broadly* Okay, 'thank you' time. First, I'd like to thank God for the ideas, the ability to write, and His patience with me (don't ask). The second 'shout out' goes out to our beloved CiC, Tozetre, for allowing Starr and I me to join up (*grins triumphantly* I was first, though); for letting Starr and I write this INSANE intro fic; for his EXTREME patience (he's been waiting for this fic for a couple of MONTHS now.); and for encouraging me to keep writing even when I couldn't think of a thing to say (sigh). I hope this was worth the wait! This one's for you, SIR! *Starr and Senie burst into song* WE LOVE YOU, TOZZY! OH, YES, WE DO!! WE LOVE YOU, TOZZY! AND WE'LL BE TRUE!!! WHEN YOU'RE NOT WITH US, WE'RE BLUE!!! OH, TOZZY, WE LOVE YOU!!!!! *clears throat and tries to stop laughing* Alright, now that THAT'S taken care of, another special 'thank you' is due to Strike Fiss, my commanding office and 'cheering section'! Thanks for being such a good sport, for putting up with me cluttering up your e-mail with my psychotic ideas, and for being there to whine to when I just couldn't get it right! Again, I hope it was worth it!! Enjoy, everyone! For what it's worth, I think it's cool *Starr nods head in agreement*. But, of course, we're biased!!! Starr: *puts her hands on her hips* We're not 'biased', we're Americans!! Senie: *gasps and covers Starr's mouth* SHH!! They're not supposed to know about that!! Starr: *laughs* I DRINK CANADIAN SPRING WATER!!!!! *takes a sip of 'Aberfoyle Springs' spring water and smiles winningly at the audience* mmmmmm... taaaaasty... Senie: *groans* Good grief.... Starr: *still laughing like a maniac* You really thought you could come up with a 'normal' thank you section with me around?! You're even crazier than I thought!! Senie: *takes another sip of Wild Cherry Pepsi and giggles* Yeah... Crazy like a FOX!!! *falls off the chair from laughing so hard* Starr: Ooookay... Now that Senie's dead, I would like to thank all the shiny, happy people that Senie already did *glares at Senie* STAY OUT OF MY HEAD, SENIE!!! Senie: *still rolling on the floor with laughter* YOU STAY OUT OF MINE!!! AND STAY OUT OF MY SOCK DRAWER WHILE WE'RE ON THE SUBJECT!!!! Starr: WAIT! I've got one... Thank you, Senie, for putting up with me while you were writing, my terrible typing skills (try to say that one three times fast), and for letting me room with you!! Senie: *turns beet red* um... uh... You're welcome... *shakes head* WHAT ARE YOU PEOPLE STARING AT!! THERE'S NOTHING MORE TO SEE HERE!! Starr: *evil grin* You sure... *starts to hum stripper music while holding a stuffed Pikachu* Senie: *trying not to laugh* NOW YOU CUT THAT OUT, STARR!!!! I MEAN IT!!! Starr: *BFEG* Senie: *groans again* I think we'd better go now... God Bless. Starr: *waves to everyone* C'YA!!!