| Phase 49 Those of us who had spent a lot of time in the desert and were used to the sand�s reflection of the sun recovered more quickly than the others. We heard several yells from mechanics and technicians, telling someone to �be careful�. Sig turned and pointed at a child who couldn�t have been older than five or six, at the most. � There!� He took off, yelling into the headset. � Seal all exits! We have a loose prisoner! She may be armed!� We followed after him and a lot of us crammed into the elevator. I thought about cracking a lame joke about it, but decided not to. One of us got off at each floor and I returned to the top level to guard the bay, just in case she decided to come back for her Gear. *>*<* Sigurd went all the way down to the end of the hall and entered Kris� room. If the pilot was anywhere, they would probably be here. But the room was empty. So he went up the hall and inspected Bart�s room. Still nothing, though in a small box in the closet he did find a picture of Kris when she was only eleven, just before she left, curled on Bart�s bed with the prince curled around her. �Now how did he get this? I know it�s still in my room in my drawer . . .� He then figured out what must have happened. �Little monster got it copied! When did he have time to do that? I�ll have to ask later . . .� He found another, more recent picture of Kris by herself on the deck. She seemed to be staring out over the sand, probably watching the sun set as she liked to do. She didn�t appear to know that the picture was about to be taken. There were two other pictures clipped to it that were nearly identical to the first, though the second one had her looking over the ocean and the third was over the clouds. All three were profiles from her left side, because she swore that was her better side . . . Bart humored her though he obviously didn�t care. In the last two her headset was on standby, the microphone flipped up next to her head. It gave her a strong air of responsibility, as though she had done many things and was now taking a brief break though she was ready to go back to work if needed. <Always the loyal one,> sneered the half of him he�d come to detest. �Always,� he agreed for once. Still another picture was of her as a child of eight, looking exactly like Bart. That memory drove him crazy to this day. Why hadn�t he noticed? They�d changed everything but their eyes. How did he mistake brown eyes for blue? But it had also served as a grave warning that he was being too lax with his guard. If an agent of Shakhan had managed to get in with a boy who looked nearly identical to the prince, when would he have noticed the difference? It had taken him a week the first time and that was only when he saw the brown roots of Kris� hair. How long would they have played the part of each other before anyone cared to pay attention? Well there was, no chance of that happening now. Besides Shakhan being gone, it would be pretty hard to find someone who not only looked like Bart, but was equally obnoxious as him. And as for them pulling that as a prank again . . . not even a possibility. Yet another picture of Kris as a child. She was standing in the middle of the bay between Axyl�s feet and saluting sharply. Another picture with it showed her on Axyl�s repair shelf, looking up at the Gear. A third showed her sitting on the broad shoulder of Brigandier, smiling and waving down at the camera. In still another recent picture, Kris was sprawled on her own bed--the sheets and blanket ruthlessly kicked off to the floor--in nothing but a bra, a pair of shorts, and her nighttime stockings (which weren�t that much more than tall socks, considering that they didn�t quite reach her knees). But it wasn�t the way she was dressed that caused the picture to be taken. Despite being in a safe place, she appeared mildly upset, as if she didn�t want to be there. Devon, curled beside her head, was glaring at the photographer with her right eye. The last picture he looked at, though there were plenty more to pick through if he wanted to later, was of Kris snuggled into the pillows on Bart�s bed. She was laying on her left side and her left arm was stretched along the bed toward the camera. Her right was up on the pillow in front of her face, keeping it down. But her face remained unhidden and it was obviously the focus of the picture. Her features were smooth and not scrunched unhappily as they were in the previous picture. It was as though Bart�s mere presence in the things around her made her happy. In sleep even, it seemed. Sigurd put the pictures back and left the room, going down the hall one to his own. He entered and looked around, but found nothing. He was about to leave when he heard several pants of fear. Pausing, he listened. However, he didn�t hear anything more and continued to the door. More fearful pants reached his ears and this time he waited for two minutes before he caught it again and pinpointed it as the closet. But he�d already looked there . . . He snuck to the closet and listened again. Once he confirmed the noise was breathing, he opened the door and looked up just as a form tumbled down and landed on him with a surprised squeak. Overbalanced and unprepared, he fell to the floor and hit with a dull thump. The form scrambled away and he shouted, � Voice code seal!� There was a click as the door sealed itself and the form went headfirst into it in its mad dash to escape. It rolled backwards and stopped in a sitting position, shaking its head in confusion. He finally saw that it was a little girl about of about four and was immediately reminded of Kris when she first joined the Elements, though he doubted that this child was as shy and afraid as she had been. He sat up and watched her as she stood and turned to look at him. � Open the door,� she ordered coldly. � Or you�ll what?� he snapped back, pain making him cross. The child pulled out a lazer gun and pointed it at him. � Open the door,� she repeated coolly. � No.� � I�ll shoot you!� � That seal can be broken by my voice alone. Go on and shoot me because all it�ll mean is your own death. That door won�t open unless I say so and if I�m dead . . .�--he shrugged negligently--� then you are too.� She frowned. � Why are you not afraid? Lambs are always afraid.� � What do I have to be afraid of? Death?� Her finger tightened on the trigger. There was a shriek and a gray flash knocked the girl over. A shot went off and a pained yelp answered. � Levex, back!� The dragon leapt away and limped to Sigurd. He checked the creature�s right shoulder and scrutinized the burned fur and scorched scales with concern. � You are one lucky dragon, you know that?� He picked Levex up and laid him on the bed. � You wait there.� He went into the bathroom and retrieved a first-aid kit. He doctored the dragon, then looked over to the girl. Her arms were scratched and her face had a few marks. He went back to where he�d been previously and sat on the floor. � Come here.� � No.� � Do you want those cuts to get infected so they�ll make you sick?� She looked only half defeated by his logic. � . . . No.� � Then come over here and sit.� She did so and he cleaned the cuts for her. � There. Now you can whine about getting out.� She stared up at him. � Are you always like this?� � Like what?� � So . . . motherly?� He was mildly insulted. � Only with children.� She bristled. � I�m no child.� � Sure look like one.� He got up and put the kit away. When he came out she was back at the door, inspecting it closely. She turned to look back at him. � How does it open?� � Usually you press the button here.� He pointed at a button that was about chest height for someone like Kris. � But it won�t work anymore because I sealed the door.� � What happens if I press it?� He crouched and picked her up, balancing her on a raised knee. She fought for a moment, but then realized that he wasn�t going to hurt her and settled down. � Push it.� She looked at him suspiciously. � What�ll it do?� � You won�t know until you press it,� he answered cryptically. She cautiously poked at the button, jumping slightly when a disembodied voice said, � Voice code seal engaged. Proper voice code necessary to break seal.� � . . . Interesting. We don�t even have this in the homeland.� Sigurd wasn�t surprised. The military was allowed to enter any house in any level of the country as long as they had �good reason� and so such door seals were forbidden. Speaking of which . . . � Tell me . . . Are you on Drive?� � No.� � Why? I was told that your Gear was only supposed to work while the pilot was on Drive.� She hesitated. � . . . I did a little tinkering, that�s all.� He wasn�t really surprised by that either. �Why is Ana�s family so prone to �tinkering�? She does it, Hyuga does it, this kid does it . . . They act as if there�s no risk and that there�s no way the thing could explode in their face and remove their head. Oh well. At least we know she isn�t a clone . . .� He looked at her. � What are you doing down here on the surface?� � I�m supposed to keep anyone from entering or leaving Bledavik until I am ordered otherwise.� � What�s your name?� She really hesitated. � . . . Shia.� � Shia . . .?� � Shia Aiko Ricdeau.� Now Sigurd was surprised. � Who�s your father?� She shrugged. � Don�t know. Mother never told, as far as I am aware.� Unfortunately, none of her features indicated her paternal heritage. Her eyes were blue, which really wasn�t that special, and her hair was the same pitch black as her mother and uncle. Oh well, it probably wasn�t anyone he knew anyway. He didn�t even know that lieutenant Analore had unwillingly married . . . It was probably better for the guy in the long run, Sigurd couldn�t say that he liked what he�d heard about the lieutenant, though one could point out that he himself was only jealous. But he still felt rather hurt along with the curiosity. Who else had Analore been with in the time they�d been apart? Was this child the result of one of those short flings? He felt a hand on his cheek and blinked at the girl. � Hm?� � You love Mother, don�t you?� � . . . Yes.� She smiled. � Good. Because I like you.� He couldn�t help but smile back. The child wasn�t lying; the smile was too pure, too innocent. � I suppose I can open the door now as long as you promise to not run away.� She hugged his neck and pressed the side of her head against his cheek. � I promise! I want to stay with you!� � Good. Voice code seal disengage.� A light outlined the door, then went out. The door promptly opened and let them into the hall. Sigurd glanced back to find Levex asleep and decided to leave the dragon in his room. He carried Shia to the elevator and got in. � Want to meet the others?� She considered it thoroughly. � . . . Okay.� *>*<* Sig looked absolutely precious, even if he was carrying the pilot of the enemy Gear. The scene just looked so . . . right. And he was so animated . . . Usually he�s all business when he�s not in his room. Beside me, Kiree gasped. Guess she thought so too. But when I looked at her I saw that she had become even paler (is that possible?). � Kiree? Are you okay?� � I . . . I�m fine.� She tried to smile to deter me. � Just surprised, that�s all.� Hm~m . . . And their mental signatures are similar . . . Bart humphed. � He says he doesn�t like kids. But all the kids love him, so he has a lot of trouble with that.� Kiree looked concerned. � He seems okay.� � It was a bald-faced lie.� I nodded. � He was just trying to keep the kids at the hideout from pestering him. He likes his peace and quiet.� Sig approached, still chatting with the girl. He stopped a sharl or two away and wrapped up the conversation before turning to the rest of us. � Everyone, this is Shia. She�s going to stay with us.� I heard Bart�s mental groan and held back a giggle. Great. Another mouth to feed. <--Phase 48 Phase 50--> |