| Phase 42 Achtzehn was not impressed. � An antiquated Gear and its all but fossilized machinery is no match for my power.� � Is that right?� I asked sarcastically. � Well, you�ll see how �antiquated� this Gear is soon enough!� [He did not just call me antiquated.] � I can�t believe I�m going to waste my time with you.� � Why?� I prodded. � Afraid we�ll beat you?� � Ha! Never!� � Then why aren�t you ignoring us? Are you afraid that the unity of two separate beings will overpower your �super� self? Your �perfect form�? That a Gear and a telepath can take you out with even trying? Because that�s what we�re going to do right now.� Maria�s voice came from somewhere. � Kris! Don�t hurt him!� I turned sideways to cautiously look down at where Maria stood watching us from the private balcony of Zephyr�s. � That�s not your father, Maria. It may sound like him, but your father would never have let himself become something like this.� Achtzehn�s head tilted a little. � Kris? Krista-Lyn? Element Wind?� I faced Achtzehn. � What of it?� � I remember you.� � . . . Am I supposed to be flattered?� � They were talking about putting you in the next hybrid.� � Whoopee.� � I see you ran off to the surface.� � I didn�t run!� I shouted defensively, and Axyl�s wings flared in response to my anger. � They sent me here! And I�m going to find out why!� � I can tell you that, if you like.� If the Gear could have, I would almost bet that Achtzehn was grinning. When I didn�t answer, the mecha went ahead and told me. � They wanted to be sure that they would not be opposed when Aveh was captured. So they put a CC in you and sent you to the surface to find and kill Prince Bartholomew Fatima . . . just to ensure that a rebellion wouldn�t occur. They sent you because they figured that an innocent-looking girl wouldn�t seem like a threat to anyone. Unfortunately, your will and loyalty proved to be a hindering factor and they have never been able to control you enough for you to do your job.� � Then why did they try to kill me?!� � To get rid of you. You�re just in the way now.� � Who�s �they�?!� � Why, the Gazel Ministry, of course.� So I was sent to kill Bart? . . . Then everything up until now has been a lie. It has to have been. A CC is a Control Chip. They were probably controlling everything I did from wherever they were hiding. Using me and his need for a companion to ensure that I would be able to do what they wanted. I converted my inner pain into anger. Go. Axyl surged forward and attacked, surprising Achtzehn. They fought viciously, Axyl slapping at Achtzehn with her wings to get in extra damage. And while Achtzehn had mass and power, it was no good compared to Axyl�s speed and ferocity. Her close proximity didn�t help it any either; she was constantly in the other Gear�s face, negating the use of weapons. Once Achtzehn began to recover from the sudden attack, I knew it would be useless to keep Axyl fighting. Back. Her wings flapped once, denting Achtzehn a little and bringing her right back to my side. [Yes?] We�ll let him recover. He won�t fall for that anymore. [Then what?] Don�t worry. I have an idea. With that, I clapped my hands and pulled them apart slowly. Live electricity crackled warningly and I watched as Achtzehn powered up some kind of energy cannon. I knew he would go for me. It�s an old strategy; kill the the brains and the brawn will fall. I don�t plan on getting hit, Axyl, but if it happens . . . [Compliance.] I waited until it was obvious that Achtzehn was going to fire, then brought my arms down and spread my fingers wide as I angled my hands out. � Dynatron!� A small electric net went for Achtzehn. Axyl, who had mimicked my movements exactly, released a much larger net of electricity. She then placed her hands above her head (again, mimicking me) just a little bit apart. Her hands swung down by her sides and up behind her, paused, and then swung forward again. Water crashed down in front of her and rushed after the net of electricity. It hit Achtzehn about the same time and thoroughly electrocuted the other Gear. Go. Axyl shot forward and began to beat Achtzehn with her wings. � That�s enough!� I didn�t call Axyl off yet. I turned to Maria. � Maria, please. You�re not helping any.� � Don�t hurt him!� � Maria, someone has to protect Shevat. If you won�t, I will. And you can�t make me stop.� � I�ll tell Siebzehn to stop you!� � Go ahead. But she�ll have to wait her turn. I�m going to finish Achtzehn first before I do anything else.� [Kris!] I spun and the wings flapped, taking me just above Achtzehn. The boosters on the Gear scorched my skin, hair, and clothes. I took off and Achtzehn immediately gave chase. � Yes! Run, you little ant!� I made a large circle and returned to Axyl. She let me fly by her, then slammed her clasped fists on Achtzehn�s head, knocking the Gear out of its flight path. I banked around behind Axyl and stopped beside her head. Thanks. [That�s my job.] Achtzehn recovered and rose a few sharls away. [And now we . . .?] � Kris!� I turned. Maria stood on Siebzehn�s head and the Gear�s focus was totally on Achtzehn. � Yes?� � . . . Let me take over from here.� I returned my attention to Axyl. � Back off. Let Maria and Sieb have a shot.� [I could beat that . . . freak!] Axyl snapped indignantly. � I know. Just back off for now and I�ll explain later.� So Axyl did as I said and allowed Maria and Siebzehn to pick up where we left off. [So explain.] � Sieb doesn�t seem to like Achtzehn very much. If she destroys that Gear, at least Maria will know that her father didn�t suffer.� [You said that wasn�t her father.] � He is, but he�s not the one she knew. She�d always described him as caring; this isn�t the father she told me about, though Solaris probably warped his mind to make him like this. I�m not cruel enough to deny her the chance to change him if she can. If she can�t and then can�t fight him . . . we�ll do it for her, whether she likes it or not. It�s either him or Shevat. The choice is clear.� [. . . Fine.] I usually watched the fight, but a lot of the time my attention drifted to the palace, where I knew the others were watching the battle. Bart . . . Was this why he acted like he did? Had he figured out that everything had been a deception? Was I the only one who didn�t know? Was I the only one who hadn�t found out? Again? ~He felt something snuggling against him, but couldn�t tell what it was in the pitch dark of the room. He reached over and flicked on his bedside light to find her nestled against him, her head resting on his chest, her hand on his stomach, and the rest of her fitting perfectly along his side. He was somewhat amazed. Ever since the . . . incident a few weeks ago, she had withdrawn from everyone and rejected all physical contact with other human beings. Even Sophia was ordered to just leave her alone. � Lyn?� She stirred and opened her eyes. � Hm?� � Are you feeling all right?� Lyn was notorious for being snuggly when she was sick. � �M okay.� Unsure of her reaction, he slowly and carefully brought his right hand up and touched her face. When she didn�t shy away, he placed the back of his hand against her forehead and cheeks. � You�re burning up.� � �M okay,� was the repeated mumble. He sighed and made sure she was comfortable. It was unlikely that he�d be able to make her sit still long enough to take her temperature and it would be nearly impossible to make her stay in bed and rest. Oh well. He could always tie her to the bed, if nothing else. It would probably scare her, but it couldn�t be helped. Briefly lifting his head to kiss hers, he ran his left hand across her bare back and up to her side, where he stroked her from waist to arm, alternating between the backs and pads of his fingers. She shivered in delight under his touch. He fell asleep like that and woke to whispers. � Look at that.� � I thought she was afraid of men.� � She is. Something must have happened. Either he got through to her or she�s sick.� � Sick?� � Lyn cuddles when she�s really sick.� The voice dropped to a hiss. � Hey, Roni!� He opened his eyes. � What?� � What�s wrong with Lyn?� � She has a fever.� Lacan nodded. � Thought so.� Lyn made a contented noise and stretched until her lips came into contact with the side of Roni�s neck. He stroked her as he had the night before and Lacan was quick to notice. � Boy, Roni. You�re being awfully familiar with Lyn.� He knew there was no way out of being caught and sighed. � She and I sleep together a lot.� Sophia gasped and put her hand over her mouth. � I didn�t mean it like that!� Roni snapped. � What do you think I am?� � A moron.� He rolled his eyes. � Good morning, Lyn. Ready to lie in bed all day?� � No.� She tried to roll off the bed, but he was quick to catch her and pin her down. � Come on, Lyn. If you don�t rest you won�t be able to fight.� She scowled. � . . . I hate you.� Ah, good. He�d won. � Yeah, well, get in line.� Her face relaxed and she closed her eyes in resignation. He wanted so much to just tear off the little clothing she was wearing now and ravish her thoroughly. But Lacan would kill him if she didn�t first. � Lyn,� Sophia said, � I�m ordering you to take today off to recover. Roni, you can stay with her if you like.� Roni nodded and Sophia and Lacan left, though not without giving a final command to his sister. � You stay in bed. If I hear of you being difficult . . .� They left and Roni bent down toward Lyn. She turned her head away. � I�m sick, Roni. Don�t. Or you�ll catch it too.� � I don�t care.� He twisted to kiss her again and received, to his surprise, total submission from her. She relaxed completely, allowing him to get into a more comfortable position and to press himself against her. She gasped and arched into him and he nearly lost control right there. Why? He�d never felt like this before. She was so tempting. Her history prompted him to show her what love really was, but the fact that they weren�t married and that he might eventually have an illegitimate child on his hands kept him back. Oh, how he hated it. But he could still . . . He drew away and waited until she was looking at him. � Lyn . . . be my queen.� She jerked in surprise. � H-Huh?!� � Be my queen,� he repeated. � Please, Lyn. I . . . I love you.� Amazed, she reached up and drew him toward her. Their noses were just barely touching when she smiled and whispered, � I love you too and I will be anything you want me to be.� He smiled in reply and kissed her gently, conveying his passion. She kissed back with the same passion and stroked his spine softly. There was no need for words; they understood each other too perfectly for that.~ <--Phase 41 Phase 43--> |