10/20/09

The fires of war burned across the outer rim worlds more and more governments fell to the forces of the Confederacy. Worlds that less than a decade earlier had been major battlegrounds were once again embroiled in interplanetary war.

The Confederate Worlds, formed out of the desire for unity in the face of treachery from Londinium, fell one by one under the sway of Jonah Stark. Planetary governors in turn swore fealty to Stark as temporary military dictator, pledging him ships and troops. Manufacturing facilities across dozens of worlds fed the hungry maw of the Confederate war machine. Worlds that keenly remembered the ravages they endured at the hands of Federal troops during the Unification War were only too ready to accept the protection the Confederacy offered.

Within days of being named dictator, Stark ordered formerly secret genetic modification labs to operate unrestrained. Citizens were subjected to mandatory genetic testing and soldiers that Stark had for years been training and experimenting on were now ready to be unleashed.

Moons that refused Confederate protection were targeted for extermination. First Whitefall, then Salisbury and then finally Jaingyn.

Not all was lost, however. The loss of Confederate control on Persephone proved to be a brutal blow to Admiral Stark's plans of a quick and decisive strike on the Core. Without control of Persephone as a staging point, Stark's fleet had not the range nor the supply lines to undertake a strike at the heart of the Alliance.

During the next six standard months the war drug on into a brutal stalemate as reinforcements from the Core in the form of the Federal Third, Sixth and Twelve fleets arrived to reinforce Persephone. Governor Tarsis took direct control of the Planetary Defense Forces, hunting down and destroying remnants of those forces loyal to the Confederacy.

Afrika Chamberlain and Dema Sabian's love continued to grow.

For six months there was still no sign of Sybil, the Seven's Virtual Intelligence and, as Cain had come to admit to himself, his friend.

Unable to leave Persephone, Cain stayed on to help rebuild the shattered planet, unwillingly lending his support to Tarsis. Governor Tarsis had issued Federal bounties on all remaining military leaders loyal to the Confederacy. Cain found a ripe source of steady income as a bounty hunter/mercenary hunting down Confederate loyalists. Despite his desire to stay out of the shooting war, it appeared fate had led him to it.

***

The Federal port of Eavesdown was nearly repaired of its damage during the Three Day War, however the continued naval blockade continued to stifle the local economy. Bandits and smugglers were only too happy to provide goods, at inflated prices of course, for citizens finding themselves suffering food and medicine shortages.

The Lucky Seven was moored at the local docks and Cain was nursing a bottle of spice rum across the market square.
"Ruttin' thieves," he muttered under his breath as he observed the scum and villainy in the establishment. "Yes, I realize the irony of a thief looking down at thieves, but there is a certain sense of honor in my profession that is lacking in this scum. I have a sense of purpose, erratic as it may be. These men...they're ruttin' vultures."

He realized he was talking to himself, but he didn't care. The last job to eliminate a Colonel who was loyal to the Confederate Worlds had been nearly snatched from under him by some Johnny-Come-Lately hunter come in from a local Syndicate. More of them were coming out of the woodwork. It was getting to the point that the days were numbered for bad men like Jacob Cain.

10/20/09

Lily went back to whoring for about six weeks after the Lucky Seven was grounded, but had some really bad experiences with hard core war weary and agressive customers, one of which landed her in the hospital for a week. Beaten that bad, she decided to get out of the life and went to the only place she knew she could: The Lucky Seven.

She was welcomed back and she slept in Mag's old bunk for a couple of weeks before moving back into Cain's. She started helping him with his bounty hunting business. Setting up meetings and collecting his payments. In other words, an executive secretary with benefits.

When Cain got back from a successful hunt, she was always waiting for him, ready for a private celebration.

Things were good, but things were about to get really complicated. I mean really complicated.

She found him at the market place, drinking that spiced rum he liked. She ordered herself a drink, usually tequila, but this time she ordered a soda with a twist of lime. She seemed nervous. Really nervous.

No time like the present, she thought. She took a deep breath and just blurted it out.

"Cain," she said. "I'm pregnant. We're gonna have a baby."

10/20/09

Dema wandered without any real aim in mind. He unconsciously kept the sun at his back or side so as not to impede his sight; but it was wasted effort. He was too busy wrapped in his thoughts to see much of anything. Six months. In the one place. With the one woman.

The thoughts were what had led him to roam the docks in the first place, but as they came to him again, they were almost enough to stop him in his tracks. It was all very confusing. And yet simple. Which, he mused, was probably where the real confusion came into it for him.

He took a right down a little street that hadn't quite finished repairs yet and was briefly distracted by the need to dodge falling masonry. Glowering at the workmen took another moment of concentration, but by the end of the street he was once again immersed in his own musings. The workmen for their part merely returned his glower, albeit at his retreating back.

It was because his life had rarely ever been simple. And certainly not this pleasant sort of pedestrian he and Rikka seemed to have developed. Even during his years at the companion house, where he remembered being happiest, things had never really been simple. There was a great deal of rushing around from one class to the next, and learning how to correctly address everyone and what sort of behaviour was expected where. Even amongst fellow students, and certainly when around the teachers, each action and mode of address had to be thought out carefully. Companion training was rarely harsh, but there were some very inventive punishments that could leave a young boy interminably bored and regretting his decision to comment on a lady's larger than average nose. Dinner was chatter and play and confusion, not sitting pleasantly. commenting quietly on this or that. Night was a rare time with little to no supervision where you could sneak out and see exactly what effect a smuggled in fire cracker might have when placed outside a fellow trainee's window. It wasn't a time to sit and talk more, your arms wrapped comfortably around a sleepy someone else. Or a time to have a fair bit more of yourself wrapped around a not so sleepy someone else.

He grinned and took the next left. Dema didn't notice the street had widened until he was yelled at to move aside for a mule. Having been forced to look around and realising the path he was on would take him almost directly back to the Seven, he verred to the left again, down a dank little excuse for a side street. Another left, then a right and he was suitably lost in his thoughts once more.

Perhaps he'd known such a life - one of peaceful routine - when his family had still been a family. If there'd been a time when his mother had been a mother and his father a father and they'd all lived happily he must have been too young to remember it. He knew he'd missed his father greatly when the man had dissapeared, and had been mortified in later years upon learning what his mother had accused his father of doing to him. He also remembered being very sure no such thing had ever happened.

There were snippets in there, of a father who would show him how to make and launch model aircraft from the edge of their floating home. A father than came when a young Dema cried out in the night, terrified of monsters, tigers and the dark in general. Dema smiled as he walked. He wondered how many other highly trained assassins had started out with such childish fears? Indeed, the dark had become his friend over time. He still wasn't quite sure about the Tigers.

It was half a block later before he realised he was trying to figure out a way to recount the memory to Rikka, knowing she'd be as amused by such a silly fear as he was. Not that there was anything wrong with amusing Rikka, but it was... unerving? To find himself trying to do it more and more lately; it just wasn't something he was used to. Nor was the everyday effect he was begining to realise she had on him. Always in the back of his thoughts, and more and more a part of his decision making. Would she like this or that for dinner? Would they be helping with repairs or the hospital today? Would she approve if he just killed this or that arrogant shmuk outright? Funnily enough, the answer to last question was pretty standard, yet he still found he had to refer to it from time to time.

He'd long ago given up trying to convince Rikka he wasn't the type of man she should be in love with. He'd realised that she at least had an idea of what he was and knew what he'd done in the service of the Seven, if not what he was fully capable of. And it seemed enough. And really, when he thought about it at quiet times like this, he didn't really need to be anything more than he was at the moment. There wasn't much call for elite assassins in a cordined off once was war zone, and he had absolutely no reason to play the companion for anyone other than Rikka. If what he was with Rikka was all he was for the moment, he was actually a half decent kind of a guy. His smile turned rueful as he couldn't help but wondered how long being a good boy would last.

And that was where the simple became complicated. Being with Rikka was simple. Who he was when he was with Rikka was simple. If a fair amount of hardwork, what with running around after sometimes wholely ungrateful sick people. Their little enforced stay on Persephone was ensuring these things stayed simple for much longer than Dema could ever have normally anticipated. Or hoped. But it couldn't last. He was all too aware that once the ban on travel was lifted a lot of things that had been pushed to the side would come thundering back. Rikka's little announcement of going to find Gwen for example.

They hadn't spoken on it the whole time they'd been here. They'd gotten close a couple of times; some tense moments, some almost spoken words. But Dema just didn't know how to ask her when exactly she'd lost her mind. Or tell her, in this at least, that she was being an idiot. And he knew, once they started on this particular subject, that those were likely to be the first two questions, come statements, out of his mouth.

He sighed, stopped, and looked around. He was right back on track for the Seven. Only a few minutes away in fact. Dema shook his head and smiled. Apparently, whatever was coming, however confusing and complicated and dificult it might make things, his subconscious had only one worry for right now. He followed its lead, moving directly for the ship while idly wondering where he'd find her this time.

10/20/09

Except for a bird chirping madly about its private concerns and the wind tickling limbs against each other in the nearby trees; it was quiet. A luxury they had due to some status they had gained. They were in favor.

It wasn't something that Africa Chamberlain noticed so much, but she could feel its impression on the others, especially Cain and Dema. They were used to being in some guarded state of near paranoia. A year ago she would have dismissed such notions as the subconscious ruminations of guilt or repressed desires. But she had them, from different sources, for different reasons.

There was no logic in the notion that they would be a part of some final confrontation. It was obvious that it was just her own subconscious plying dissociations and associations to her waking thoughts. She did not have to confront Gwen. There was not a destiny. There could be peace. She had talked to a Shepherd about it, he was quite good. He explained about doubt, faith, and the fear that happiness could not last and could in a flash, be taken away. Gwen was that darkness, that gremlin that waited to take away what mattered most. Africa remembered to live for the day, to love the day.

She could be at peace, which was easy enough. But Dema, did he belive it? That he could, and remain so? Or was that truly possible? In this real verse? Dema was a sceptic and remained suspicious. And yet truly, so was she, the dark destiny remained.

All of which took nothing away from the last half year, in fact the opposite. Despite that lurking dark place where Gwen remained, everything had been idyllic. They'd shared everything, or as much as she could in six months. The future though, they needed to think about that. This reprieve was coming to an end. Events in the 'verse would not end in balance. The conflict would not slip quietly into a unsettling but agreeable stalemate.
Africa sat in the small grove near the ship, sitting on the grass under a tree, legs out in front of her like a little girl. Her hands rested on her thighs, palms up. She'd been meditating. Two short Japanese swords lay next to her. In the months she and Dema has spent much time practicing the martial arts. Their styles were different, training backgrounds varied, desires and goals from the practice even more so.

Yet it was a commonality that they had. One of them.

The two swords technique had been of a fascination for her. She had studied Musashi's original Japanese script, even the calligraphy and the style of his own hand. For her there was something mystical in nearly everything. "This is what from one thing, learn a thousand things means?" She had asked, after finding something subtle in a pen stroke of a character on a page about Ichi Ryo Ni Tu*.

Her own practice had brought her to smaller than usual swords that allowed a free movement of the swords under her arms. Her forms seemed like a slow dance, but one with near flawless flowing arcs and circles.

She had changed from the looser robes of her forms. Her dress would be inappropriate for any place she had ever lived before. She liked that. She was pretty sure Dema enjoyed her fascination with experiementing with fashion. The sense she had of it was definately horrible. She didn't care much.

Africa's head rose. Dema was returning. She smiled even before he found her. Happiness flourished through her. Anticipation of them making love on the grass under the tree, the sun half harsh against their skin as it found its way through sparse limbs and leaves.

Then they would talk. Maybe it was time to talk about that dark or the endless peace. Maybe not. It's time would come when it was time for it. They could find a place, be forever free and easy and at peace. Or they could go and face the devil. One had a natural tendency for one, and one for the other. Yet it seemed they each looked in the direction that was opposite to their apparent nature.

A thought occurred to her, of the duality of the Tao. Of them.

10/20/09

Cain sipped his drink casually as Lily sauntered to the table. She had left shortly after they departed the city of X'ian and returned to her business at the Eavesdown Docks. However, one day she returned to Cain badly beaten and near death. After that, Cain promised to have a few words with her client, a prominent conservative-party politician who campaigned on a family values and religion platform. The politician soon after disappeared and was not heard from since.

"Nice to see you," he said, pouring her a glass of rum and passing it her way. "It's been a while. Here, the last bottle of real Greenleaf spiced rum on Persephone. Synthesizers can try to replicate it, but it won't be the same."

He noticed that she seemed in an odd way. Whether it was nerves or something else, she definitely had something on her mind. She had none of her casual demeanor that sometimes bordered on the brazen.

"And here I thought I was being charming. Well, here's to us!"

Cain coughed roughly as his drink went down. His eyes grew three times wider as he dropped the glass which shattered on the floor.

He turned very pale, then smiled and laughed. "That's a good one Lily. You actually had me there for a second."

His smiled faded.

"Um, you *are* joking right?"

10/20/09

"Um, you *are* joking right?"

She sat down next to him as her soda water arrived. She fished a piece of paper out of her pocket and flipped it at Cain.

"I'm dead rutting serious," she said flatly. "That's the copy of the test results from the clinic. Dead give-away was the big red text at the bottom that says PREGNANT."

She looked into her drink as she contemplated the results. She never even considered it before as a possibility. She just figured she'd work the District until she wasn't able to anymore, then moved on to something else. But a baby?

Plus, she didn't want look at Cain as he read the paper. If someone had told her that she was going to be a mother some day, she would have laughed at them. But if someone told her that Cain was going to be a father, she would have laughed hysterically, then called the sanitarium to have whoever uttered such nonsense forcibly committed.

She was about to take a glance at him when someone passed by her with a tray filled with someone's lunch. Fish, more specifically. The smell of it, while mild to others, made Lily turn a putrid shade of green.

"Excuse me," she whispered as she dashed away, her hand covering her mouth.

She only made it to the doorway before what little she had eaten that day gave gushing right back up.

10/20/09

The last six months had been somewhat of a renewal for Ian. He had been many things in his short life. A smuggler, rogue, ship's captain, prisoner, miner, hacker, addict and spec ops soldier. Even now, after all this time, he had fallen back into the role he had left years before. First on Persephone, helping to bring some kind of ...peace to the planet.

He approched the Governor once to ask if he could help on the front lines. Tarkis readily accepted and gave Ian two things. The first was a full pardon for his crime of manslaughter during the Unification War. The second thing was a promotion. Ian was appointed as 1st LT of the Flag ship.

LT Dugan followed the Governor on his short quest to root out the evil that was Jonah Stark. It can not be said that Ian single-handedly saved the Govenor from the clutches of evil, but he did help. He went on a number of raids into enemy territory to gather information and always brought his men back. Not all of them were alive, but no one was ever left behind.

After the stalemate was established, Ian knew that this war would not be won by conventional means. He felt very strongly that the Seven would have to be involved.

Thinking of the Seven brought with it many memories. Lear, still held captive, somewhere. Rain, dying in front of him. Rikka covered in his coat in the escape pod where she lay naked and asleep.

Each woman was a like a force of nature. Mostly of Earth, some with a mix of water or fire.

He thought of Hitomi and Choleand finally Lily. She was new to the crew and saved their pi-gu's.

The though of the men on the seven, Mag, Dema, and Cain. Always Cain. The young man had proven himself capable in Ian's book. He was willing to follow the man into Hell, any one of them, if he asked.

Finally he though again of Sybil. During his off hours, what little there were, he searched the Cortex for any trace of her. He still had a copy of her program and used it to try and trace the VI. To no avail. It was like Sybil was in hidding.

Finally, they reached Persehone and Ian was sent on his way. He was not given any set of orders, he was not being told what to do, he just wanted to spend some time at home. For him, now, the Seven was as close to hime as he would ever get.

Having found the location of his former Captain, Ian went to see if he could get his old job back. What changes could have happened in six months? He was about to find out as he turned in to the open doorway to the market place where Cain sat with his drink.

Lily was there and she didn't look to well.

Dressed in his uniform and polished shoes, he looked down at the mess that covered them and smiled. He offered Lily a cloth for her mouth and face.

"Couldn't stand his company any longer, ehh?" He paused and offered her a hand for support. "Are you alright?"

Ian had not heard the conversation they had before he arrived, the music from the tables he had passed on the way had been just loud enough to cover it.

He looked from Lily to Cain.

"Hey Capt'n. My room on the Seven still available?"

10/21/10

Cain looked white as a sheet and his eyes were glazed over as he unsteadily rose from his chair and walked robotically to Ian and Lily's position.

"The Seven? Of course. I, err, um...you're a ruttin' lieutenant now?" said Cain stooping to help Lily up. He knew that Ian had volunteered for the military and there were such things as brevet promotions during wartime, but he had no idea Ian had made it so far in such a short time.

"Hey!" shouted the barkeep to one of the barmaids. "Get a mop over there! Some lady's had too much to drink!"

"She has NOT had too much to drink! She hasn't even had a drop! She's just, um...she had some bad shellfish." Cain gently helped Lily to the nearest seat and set her down in it.

"Ian," Cain laughed nervously, "Um, pull up a seat. Round of drinks on me. Well, just bring my lady friend here some water, ok?" Cain said to a passing barmaid.

Cain looked pale as a ghost and was visibly shaking. For a man who'd seen his share of the horrors of the Black, he never had looked truly scared until now.

Suddenly, there was a familiar shout from the bar entrance.

"Well, if it isn't the charming couple with the girl covered in puke. How sweet!" Hitomi entered the establishment and pulled herself a chair and invited herself to the table, turning the chair backward and straddling it. "Pleasant surprise to see you Ian. When you mentioned joining this crazy war I never thought you were serious."

"Whiskey!" she shouted while lighting a cigarette. "So, heard any good jokes lately?"

10/21/09

"Whiskey!" she shouted while lighting a cigarette. "So, heard any good jokes lately?"

It was nice to see Ian, but Lily so didn't want to have to deal with Hitomi right now. The woman was downright caustic. And demeaning banter about being stupid enough to get knocked up by Cain would surely follow. Lily glanced over at Cain, trying to get a read on him. He didn't look much better than she did. She didn't think she'd ever seen a man so pale in her life. At least she figured he believed her.

When her water arrived, she took a small drink and wanted to retch, but fought off the urge. Instead she poured some of the cold liquid onto the cloth that Ian had given her and held it to her forehead, her hands shaking a bit. When the other drinks got passed around the table, Lily got the distinct whiff of Whiskey and started to turn green again, then Hitomi's cigarette smoke wafted over at her too.

"Put that gorram thing out or I will be more than happy to puke whatever I might have left straight in your lap," Lily hissed at Hitomi, who was sitting next to her.

Then the barmaid returned, acting a little more compassionate. She placed the folded up clinic report on the table next to Lily.

"He left that over there," she whispered sweetly. She also put down a small plate of saltines. "I figured you might need these. And don't you worry none, this will pass soon enough. Believe me, I have gone through it three times."

Lily thanked her, but was now waiting for anyone else at the table to start putting two and two together. She didn't want to talk about it with anyone right now. She hadn't even had a chance to talk to Cain... the baby's father.

She groaned and laid her head down on the table.

10/22/09

Hitomi's eyes flared at this sudden burst of assertion from Lily.

"Who the fuck do you think you..."

"Put it OUT," Cain hissed. "Now, you BUN tyen-shung duh ee-DWAY-RO."

"Gwon nee tze-jee duh shr..."

"I said put it out, cunt."

Hitomi, unaccustomed to being given direct orders, glared at Cain menacingly but finally relented and put out her smoke.

"It doesn't matter," she said happily. "Why is it that I hate people but I'm somehow drawn to gatherings? It's part of my complexity I suppose. Oooh, Ian! You look positively dashing in that uniform!"

"And you look like a streetwalker in that outfit," replied Cain, noticing Hitomi's skin-tight leather pants, bondage boots and her tiny red top. "No offense, Lily."

"I just cashed in on a bounty and I thought I'd pamper myself a bit with some new clothes. It's a lot more fun that putting it in the bank, after all. I think I got my money's worth. I'd do me. Would you do me, Ian?" Hitomi batted her eyes girlishly.

"Ooooh, what's that?" asked Hitomi pointing at the papers in front of Lily.

10/22/09

"Put it OUT. Now, you BUN tyen-shung duh ee-DWAY-RO."

Lily was impressed at Cain's order to Hitomi. He had done it to help make her feel better. She was even more impressed when Hitomi actually complied.

"And you look like a streetwalker in that outfit. No offense, Lily."

"Some offense taken, I've seen Dockies that dress better," she said as she looked up at Hitomi. "Good thing that life is behind me, you'd give streetwalkers a bad name."

"Ooooh, what's that?"

Lily made a grab at the paper just as Hitomi did. Luckily, Lily's hand closed around it first.

10/22/09

Unlike the others, Chloe didn't find six months stuck on a war-torn planet to be a time for personal growth or new adventures. Instead, the Seven's resident sneak-thief got herself thoroughly bored.

Really, why wouldn't she? With resources devoted to war, there wasn't much in the way of creature comforts available, and though Chloe indulged as much as she could, it made her feel almost guilty to do so while the war went on in the rest of the system. Likewise, there was little in the way of adventure to be had, as Chloe wasn't about to cause trouble for the shell-shocked planet... especially since the closure of the spaceport prevented her from leaving the planet if it got too hot. She came up with hare-brained plans to rob the vulture-like smugglers of the planet and re-sell their goods, at lowered prices. Most of them she dropped, because she wouldn't have been to move cratefuls of food by herself. But there was this one time where she came up with that fantastic plan to steal some medicine off of one of the planet's most notorious smugglers, breaking into his warehouse, sneaking around his guards, and picking up three crates of vital vaccines. Escaping unscathed and unseen, she sold it on the cheap to an hospital far enough away not to arouse suspiscion. That was pretty much the highlight of her stay.

Otherwise, she tried to busy herself as she could. She hung out with the others, especially her friend Hitomi, went out in bars, but the planet's mood was subdued, the losses too fresh, the peril of more too present. She stolled in the market for pretty clothes and fun things to buy, but she did so sparingly, fearing that her stash of money might soon come to its end. In the end she started collecting bounties, helping Hitomi out or on her own, filling her need both for ready cash and for action. It wasn't playing to her best strengths, but it was work, and it kept her busy and with money.

"I'm just about ready to punch this mudball", she muttered, as she walked through the market. She was looking for something nice, a dress perhaps, but luxury items had become rarer and rarer in the blockaded cities, as cloth and other supplies were used more and more for basic necessities. Soon they'd have to start rationing. "We've got a gorram ship, why aren't we doing any smuggling? Not like the government would object."

10/22/09

Ian felt that he was an astute person. But with Cain being pale as death, and Lily bringing her lunch back up, it should have been obvious. It was not until the file was laid in front of Lily that Ian knew for sure. And by the expressions of the parents, not really happy about it.

Right after Hitomi made a grab for the folder, Ian moved around the table to stand next to her.

"Whats a Sailor gotta do to buy a pretty woman a drink around here."

He clapped Cain on the shoulder.

"Hitomi, may I buy you a drink? 'Sides, I really like your taste in clothes. Brings out your eyes."

He winked back a Lily. He wanted to get Hitomi away from these two so they could figure this out in as much peace as an open market place could afford. And, he found that he missed Hitomi's brash company. In the time they had worked together, Hitomi had always told her mind. She never seemed to hold things back. Ian had always admired that about her

10/23/09

He found her in the spackled sunlight, reposed, with swords by her side and that certain smile that he'd come to recognise. For a woman who'd lived so long away from such sins, she'd acquired a taste for their pleasures rather quickly. And adamantly. Dema's rich laugh rippled out over the grass as she pulled him in and down, and he needed no further encouragement.

After, as they relaxed, some of his earlier thoughts drifted back to him. They grew stronger as he felt that Rikka wanted to talk. But he didn't know quite what to say. There were only two things coming to mind. His thoughts of earlier and the highly mundane 'how was your day dear.' He might try saying the latter purely to see if he could do so without laughing. But what was the alternative? Heavy thoughts of dark possibilities. Maybe not. They were relaxed. He was even happy. Perhaps it could be something they could leave until the last moment. Until their happiness was likely to be over anyway.

He scowled lightly at that thought. He would have to make himself think of it, not as 'over' but... on hold. Their happiness could be on hold until... after.

It wasn't perfect, but it was about the best he could convince his cynical mind of.

They lay in as much silence as could be had in the glade near the turbulence of the docks.

A long, stretching silence.

Tense started to mingle with relaxed.

"So... how was your day?" He was glad she wasn't looking directly at him as he spoke.

10/23/09

Hitomi smiled and downed her whiskey in one gulp. "He only needs to ask, of course!"

"You should take lessons from Ian here. Maybe you wouldn't have to pay for sex." Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Wait, you're trying to distract me. What's on the paper?"

"Nothing," Cain seethed, glaring at her menacingly.

"Pish-posh, I want to know what it is!" said Hitomi with a mock pout. "Come on, I thought we were supposed to be a team!"

"Ha!" said Cain. "You don't care about anyone but yourself, Hitomi. Why should we let you in on any secrets?"

Cain nearly facepalmed right there.

"OOOOH!!!! A secret!" Hitomi squealed, bouncing in her seat. "I want to know, I MUST know! I won't tell a soul, I promise!"

10/23/09

Meanwhile, deep in the Stark's inner sanctum on the Eclipse...

"Our fleet has engaged the Federals over Beylix," said Gwen. "Here and here our strike groups have cut off enemy supply lines. The governor of Beylix has pledged loyalty to us. Four more worlds have done the same in turn."

"Fear is quite a motivator," said Stark. "The psychological impact alone of this battle station will serve us well my friend. The Federal fleet scatters itself across the Rim, trying in vain to liberate worlds loyal to us. I think it is time to take this conflict to its next logical stage."

"They seek to divide us, hoping we will split off our forces in defense of our Rim holdings."

"It matters not. This is a diversion designed to distract us from our true goal of bringing the Core worlds under our power and eradicating the Alliance forever. We will mobilize our main battle fleet and strike at Persephone."

"Shall I order this battle station to reduce Persephone to ash, my lord?"

"No, we need its industrial capacity intact and a willing, subjugated populace to support us. It will be our staging base and, like Caesar did millennia ago, we will cross the Rubicon and march into Rome herself."

"The Annals of Julius Caesar," said Gwen. "I know the stories well. Welcomed as a hero, yet killed by his supposed friends."

"Caesar desired to be loved more than feared. Once we have secured our power, all will fear us. I want you to move ahead of the fleet. Our thirteenth gene lab is buried deep within the Thar desert on Persephone. Two hundred thousand of our best troops are waiting in stasis for activation. You will slip through the planetary blockade using a captured shuttle. There, you will locate the facility and activate it. You will assemble a team of our best infiltration specialists to assist you in your mission. Once activated, your troops will strike at the planetary defense systems and bring them under our control."

"With pleasure, my lord. However, there is one other matter," said Gwen. "It is what we discussed...."

"Ah yes, the girl from the Lucky Seven. The engineer, Afrika Chamberlain. Does it still disturb you so that she still lives?"

"She has been positively identified as being on Persephone. I cannot truly be absolved of my failure on the Phoenix while she and her comrades still live. I implore you, allow me this boon. I promise, it will not interfere with my mission."

"They have fled to Persephone and are no longer a threat. They will likely be killed in the invasion. You have already defeated her, you need not defeat her again."

"She tasks me," said Gwen, fire burning in her eyes. "She tasks me, my lord and I must heed the call lest I betray my honor. I would follow her to the ends of the universe and beyond. If my last moment is spent seeing her die painfully, I will have considered my life well-lived."

"Your hate serves you well, but I cannot allow anything to distract you from your mission. If your paths cross again it will not be on this mission, am I understood?"

"Yes, my lord." Gwen barely hesitated as she said this, but fire burned inside of her. Her hatred reached a crescendo and she fought the urge to grab Stark and spit out that no force in the universe would sway her from her personal goal. She had sacrificed much for him and time and time again proven her worth, but failure was unacceptable and even one failure burned like a bright star in the light of a thousand successes.

Even as Gwen bowed, she smiled and thought to herself...

*No, my lord, I regret that I must disobey you this one time. I will complete my mission on Persephone, but I will have my revenge as well. Afrika Chamberlain and I are destined to meet one last time, and I swear on my life that her last sight will be of me cutting her heart out!*

10/23/09

"Ha! You don't care about anyone but yourself, Hitomi. Why should we let you in on any secrets?"

Lily turned and glared at Cain. Now Hitomi was never gonna let this go until she knows.

"OOOOH!!!! A secret! I want to know, I MUST know! I won't tell a soul, I promise!"

"Hitomi," Lily said as she picked her head back up. "This isn't any of your business. Why don't you go have a drink with Ian and let us talk. OK?"

Hitomi, of course, was gonna keep after this like a dog with a bone. So she just kept sitting there with a silly grin on her face.

"Hitomi," Lily growled. "Go. The. Fuck. Away."

Hitomi made a grab at the paper in Lily's hand and successfully snatched it from her. Lily stood up fuming.

"Fine," Lily snarled as Hitomi opened the paper. "But you ain't ever gonna babysit."

She left the table and Cain to deal with Hitomi. She wanted to run out of the bar, but really wanted to talk to Cain, so she went and sat down at the bar next to Ian.

"I suppose you want to know what's on the paper too?" Lily groused. "We should just take out an ad on the Cortex!"

10/23/09

I suppose you want to know what's on the paper too?" Lily groused. "We should just take out an ad on the Cortex!"

"Nah" said Ian. "Its none of my business unless you want it to be." He picked uo his glass and offered to By Lily a drink. "Its Ginger Ale. Good for the Stomach."

He indicated to the barkeep for the drink to be poured. If Lily didn't drink it, he always could.

After a moment or two of silence he asked...

"How far along are you?"

10/23/09

"Its Ginger Ale. Good for the Stomach."

Lily took the drink graciously and sipped it.

"Thanks," she said tiredly. At least she was starting to lose the green tinge to her skin.

"How far along are you?"

Lily groaned. Ian knew. She guessed it didn't matter who knew anymore. But she just felt like talking to someone, so poor Ian just happened to be the one sitting next to her.

"About 8 weeks. Apparently, some of the birth control shots being supplied here were nothing more than water," she explained. "When I missed last month, I just thought it was stress, but then this month...? Well, I kinda got the hunch after I started to spend all morning in the bathroom puking my guts up."

She laughed a bit under her breath. It wasn't a funny laugh, but a slightly scared, disappointed laugh.

"Thing is, I don't think Cain even noticed," she said sadly, but quickly corrected herself so Ian wouldn't get the wrong idea. "Not that I would expect him to really. It's not like we are in a relationship or anything. We're just roommates with... benefits."

She shrugged and got quiet again while she took some more sips of the ginger ale.

"How did you know though? You didn't see the paper. You just kinda knew already," she asked softly as she looked down at her hands in her lap, a couple of tears starting to slip down her face. "Well, I guess it... it doesn't really matter how you know. Hitomi knows and she'll be nice enough to blab to everyone.

"It's not fair. I haven't even got to talk to Cain alone about it yet and I am going to have 'Miss Sunshine' over there telling everyone on the ship and being nice enough to interject some pointed and not entirely nice barbs whenever she can."

She sighed and wiped the tears away.

Hormones, she thought. Great.

"Do you have any children, Ian?"

10/24/09

"Babysit?" said Hitomi, legitimately confused. "Why the fuck would I want to baby..."

She let this question linger half-completed in the air as her mind comprehended the implications. Lily and Ian left as Cain sat gazing sourly at Hitomi. She glanced at the paper and her eyes went wide.

"God, you're so fucking dense sometimes Hitomi."

"You fucking knocked her up???" said Hitomi, nearly spitting her drink out. "You knocked her up???"

"A little louder please, I don't think people on the next moon heard you," Cain hissed.

"Jesus fucking Christ Cain, you didn't wear a fucking condom?"

"Of course I did," Cain retorted. "Well, most of the time..."

"What do you mean most of the time? Either you did or you didn't!!!!"

"Ok, maybe I didn't every single time, but fuck Lily gets the birth control injections. Those things are bloody foolproof, ok? Aren't they?"

"Well apparently they're not," said Hitomi, using Lily's departure as permission to light a cigarette. "Well what the fuck are you going to now Cain? You have the money to pay for an abortion. That's an option."

"Fuck you Hitomi, it's our decision. And I do. It's legal on Persephone last I heard. Fuck me, what kind of father would I be? Would the kid even know if I'd come home alive?"

"What are you talking to me for? Lily's the one you should be talking to. She's sitting right over there."

Cain took a deep breath and downed his drink in one gulp. He leaned over to Hitomi and hissed, "If you say one word about this to the others, I promise I will beat the living shit out of you. I don't care if you *are* a woman..."

"My lips are sealed."

"No they're not. I know you too well Hitomi." He breathed deeply and rose. "Ok, I'll talk to Lily. Keep your fucking mouth shut, ok?"

"I wouldn't dream otherwise."

Cain nodded and walked over to Lily. "Lily, we need to talk..."

10/25/09

Ian smiled and let Lily talk. She had asked a question that deserved an answer. Ian let her run out of steam before he answered.

"To tell the truth, Lily ... " He reached out a hand and placed it on her shoulder, a show of friendship and support. "... I didn't really know until you just told me. I guessed when the papers were brought over, but didn't really know."

He paused for a moment.

"Sorry, its an old Spec Ops trick and I've been back in the business of late."

He plowed on to answer her other question, just in case she decided to slap him for pulling such a trick.

"And, yes. I have a son. His name is Ian, after me. If you remember back a bit, the star athlete, Sonya Gulliver, she won several awards. Anyway. She is Ian's mother. She ans I were ... together ... once. Long ago. I dont see him as often as I should, or as I'd like, but things are ... complicated.

It was then that Cain finally walked up.

Ian stood. "Cain, take my seat. I'll keep Hitomi occupied. Lily, if you ever need to talk ...." He let the offer rest where it was.

On his way back to the table where Hitomi was Ian stopped the waitress and asked for a bottle of her best wine. Ian had six months of wages that needed to be spent, and he figured that if he could keep Hitomi occupied, it would be a good cause.

He sat down by her and the waitress placed the bottle on the table with two glasses.

He poured three fingers in each glass and passes on to Hitomi.

"What have you been you too, Hitomi? And I meant what I said, your outfit does bring out your eyes."

10/25/09

She turned and sat next to him crossed legs in front of her, half on him. "I've been thinking." A smiled with a slightly bit lip. They'd joke about that at some point, 'when women say - let's talk/been thinking - '. But she wasn't self conscious about it. Somehow, with a complete ease she was tossing every barrier away. Holding nothing back from him.

"I've been trying to decide something." She stopped and tilted her head. Not too far off, but far enough to be on the other side of hedges with security fencing, a couple chatted and walked. But head listed to listen to the leaves bristling. Rikka looked up. A squirrel sat on a limb above and off to the side of the tree they were under.

Her hand moved quickly between Dema Sabian's legs, cupped him gently. "Mine." And she laughed, blushed ever so slightly and smiled at him even more. She was at a completely open place with him.

Africa's face turned back to him. "Since we haven't run off. Somewhere safe, hidden and tucked away. It would be easy yes?" She knew it would. Dema would know where and how to hide. They'd talked about it, half serious; but nothing that constituted a plan. That was her point really, that somehow they'd not really taken that option seriously. Not really.

"I'd wouldn't mind that." Her voice and face took a dark shadow. Posture closed in as her hands took form a cup at the lower center of her belly. "Run off with you."

"She's had a hold of me. I've read some more, about prisoners, kidnappers."
A breath then,
"Torturers."

This too he knew. Though she couldn't explain it. She'd tried, he had told her she didn't have to. It wasn't something that would go into words. Gwen Andrews opened her up, reached inside and left a part of herself in there, or took something out, or nothing like that at all. But she'd been there,.

Gwen.

and she waited a moment, her eyes still on his. he waited, she talked this way to him; freely associating letting true thoughts and feelings come out without some preconceived destination.

A horrible dark intimate contact that Africa Chamberlain couldn't escape. "I don't understand if I wanted revenge, or just to take a look a last look into the abyss and then walk away." Her hands returned to Dema's chest, she moved to straddled him along his upper thighs. She ran there for comfort, his arms and his sex.

"Realistically it isn't likely to happen, meeting up with her. Events in the verse are larger than that. And it's selfish to want things, poetic closure even."
He fingernails lightly dragged along his chest as she lowered her body against him, covered his mouth with hers.
Then it was close to his ear. What followed was more a question, a hope, different that some driven desire to be part of some destiny, holy or otherwise. Break the link between them and the grand dark overlord in the verse, "But I want you more. More than anything else that needs to be filled or emptied." Soft lips against his ear, "We could go away Dema, go somewhere, anywhere and be happy."

10/26/09

Ian had always been nice to her. She liked him a lot. She found comfort in talking with him at that time, even with the whole emotional weeping and all. She felt foolish for that, but he didn't ridicule or make fun of her. Not at all.

Inappropriately for the circumstance, she found herself thinking that he would have made a good customer.

"And, yes. I have a son. His name is Ian, after me. If you remember back a bit, the star athlete, Sonya Gulliver, she won several awards. Anyway. She is Ian's mother. She ans I were ... together ... once. Long ago. I dont see him as often as I should, or as I'd like, but things are ... complicated."

Lily knew complicated. Hell, Lily was living complicated right now and she knew it was only going to get worse. She closed her eyes and wondered what she was going to do. She was about to ask Ian to see a picture or capture of his son, she didn't know exactly why, but she did know she hadn't been around children for quite some time. Not since her sisters were young. She had no clue how to take care of one. She guessed she would just have to learn as she went. Isn't that what parents did anyway?

Parents.

What kind of parents will this child have. She was a whore. Cain was always getting in trouble, often times with guns being involved. Then there was this war... Was she insane?

She was so caught up in thought, she didn't even hear Cain come up behind her.

"Lily, we need to talk..."

She turned towards him, eyes still wet with tears. Immensely glad that he was there, while at the same time, dreading the upcoming conversation.

"Cain, take my seat. I'll keep Hitomi occupied. Lily, if you ever need to talk...."

She found herself nodding absently at Ian's offer. She appreciated it more than he would probably know.

Hitomi.

The thought of that woman sobered her a bit and brought new, yet unshed tears to her eyes.

"Is she planning a press conference to make the announcement for us?" Lily asked Cain as he sat down. "Or is she just going to walk through the streets using a bullhorn?"

10/26/09

"Thanks Ian, you're a good man."

"Forget her. Lily, how can you be pregnant? You *can't* be pregnant! The test is wrong, isn't it? Maybe they mixed your results up with someone else?"

"Look," he said, instinctively bring out a cigarette and then putting it away when he realized it would not be appropriate. "I can honestly and truly say this is the first time in my life I've ever been at a loss for words. You know that on Persephone a child is your own choice. I'm not trying to tell you what to do with your own body, but are you really ready to bring one into the world?"

**

"Bloody hell, you mean you haven't heard? Cain was just talking about...err, I mean the usual, runnin' bounties mostly. Normally I'd be in competition with Cain, but with the dissolution of a third of Persephone's army there's no shortage of officers who've been declared enemy combatants. Tarsis has enough bounties out there to keep me inebriated on the 'Verse's finest wine for the next century. Who would've thought, the entire 'Verse goes to go se and I'm making out like a bandit. One of life's little ironies."

"So, I suppose that offends your sense of honor and duty. Once the shooting starts you don't hesitate to put on a uniform and enlist. You idealists are so utterly cute sometimes."

10/26/09

"Lily, how can you be pregnant? You *can't* be pregnant! The test is wrong, isn't it? Maybe they mixed your results up with someone else?"

Lily shook her head.

"No, it's right," she told him. "Some hundans from the planetary drug dispensary switched most of the birth control shots with fake ones made from nothing more than water. I guess they decided they could sell the real ones at a better price somewhere else."

She shrugged.

"So I guess there is gonna be a relative baby boom out there," she continued. "Folks like us just got caught up in it all."

"I can honestly and truly say this is the first time in my life I've ever been at a loss for words."

Lily smiled when she heard Cain report that he was at a loss for words, but it quickly fell as he seemed to find some wrong ones rather quickly.

"You know that on Persephone a child is your own choice. I'm not trying to tell you what to do with your own body, but are you really ready to bring one into the world?"

Her eyes narrowed at him.

"I'm not getting an abortion, Cain," she said flatly. There was a slight pause before she digested his last sentence and her temper flared. "And what do you mean by that last comment? Am I ready to bring one into the world?"

She stood up, fuming mad.

"I may not be ready, but I am quite willing. No one said you had to be either one," she angrily told him.

10/26/09

Cain blinked in disbelief. "Counterfeit birth-control injections? Are you quite serious? I don't think I've ever heard of a birth-control serum racket and I've spent my entire life around criminals."

He sighed and slumped, "Sorry, I don't mean to trivialize the situation here. To be truthful I wasn't quite sure I was able to sire children at all. Back during the war, well the last one, my ship's hull was breached by a proximity mine that ruptured three decks and cracked the containment field in the ion core. It killed a hundred crewmen and flooded the hangar deck with radiation. I got out of it with some scarring, but I always assumed that it affected me in other ways."

"I never said you had to get one," said Cain. He suddenly realized he had no idea if Lilly was religious or not. Personally, he had no problem with it and considered abortion a personal choice. If anything, it meant less kids out there to annoy him.

"I'm just saying that this is all so sudden and neither of us was planning on bringing a kid into the world. Just...just allow be to be surprised, that's all. I'm not sure what to think. I've never had a kid that I know of."

"If you're willing then it will happen. But, I'm not exactly father material. I kill people for a living. I lie, rob, steal and cheat and sleep very soundly at night most of the time. What kind of father would I be?"

10/26/09

Chloe followed a trail of directions given to her by this urchin, that old man on a corner, this street vendor and that shopkeep to find where the rest of her crew had gone to. After so much time planetside, they were starting to get known around here, which was starting to make Chloe feel a little bit nervous. It complicated matters; it was better to be known by reputation by the people that mattered, and pass for a face in the crowd to the rest of the world. Even if it was her pretty face.

She walked into the bar to find Lily and Cain in the middle of some sort of argument. The crafty rogue stayed quietly in the background, unseen, as the final bits of the argument played out. At the word 'abortion', her eyes widened in shock, wondering how the hell that could have happened. Chloe had given the matter of progeny enough thought to realize the perils of bringing a baby into this life, but Lily... she was different, wasn't she? She didn't *have* to fly off with the Seven when it put out. She had a job that would let her settle down, even if it might not seem like the best to raise a kid with. Of course, that meant an absentee father. No way Cain was getting tied down.

Well, none of her business, really. Chloe strolled off from the front door, making her way across to the group, headed straight for Lily. "Well. I guess congratulations are in order", she said with a sincere grin. Lily seemed like she wanted to keep the kid, so she figured she was pleased enough.

10/27/09

"If you're willing then it will happen. But, I'm not exactly father material. I kill people for a living. I lie, rob, steal and cheat and sleep very soundly at night most of the time. What kind of father would I be?"

Lily lost the anger at Cain's 'confession.' He was trying to figure out how he would fit in. Leaving himself an out by describing the type of work he did, but questioning how he might do as a father. Almost like he was entertaining the idea.

She sat back down, reached for him and embraced him.

"Don't sell yourself short, Cain," Lily whispered in his ear. "I've heard tell of how you have gone to the wall for the folks on your crew. You might surprise yourself."

She kissed him briefly and looked into his face.

"I'm not asking for anything from you either," she told him. "So don't feel obligated. I'd understand."

"Well. I guess congratulations are in order."

Lily quickly backed away from Cain. She shot a look over to Hitomi, but she seemed engrossed in a conversation with Ian.

"Who told you?" Lily asked, emotions flaring again. "Why can't people just give us a little bit of time to talk?"

Overwhelmed all of a sudden and not wanting to give anyone else the satisfaction of seeing her cry, she rose quickly from her chair and started to retreat into the market. She got as far as the doorway before stumbling a bit. She slowed to a near stop, her hand floating to her head. She started to sway.

The lack of nutrition and dehydration from vomiting, as well as the low blood pressure that often accompanies pregnancy took their toll and she fainted, smacking her forehead on the doorframe as she fell.

10/27/09

"I guess I have to learn to keep my voice down," Cain said morosely as Chloe offered her congratulations.

"Lily, she really didn't mean to upset you," he said as Lily got up to leave. He tailed after her and caught her as she fainted.

An indeterminate amount of time later, Lily was propped up in a chair with a cool towel on her forehead and Cain fanning her face. They were at the table with Hitomi, Ian and Chloe.

"You were only out for a minute," said Cain. "I guess you'll have to watch what you eat from here on out. I hear it gets better once your body gets used to it, though."

Hitomi chimed in a bit louder than usual, "I'll have it known for the record that I did NOT tell anyone you were pregnant!"

The barkeep looked over and said, "She's pregnant?"

The word spread like wildfire throughout the pub.

"She's pregnant?"

"She's pregnant!"

"She's pregnant?"

"It was Jacob Cain? Are you sure?"

"As true as the day is long!"

"No way!"

"Yes way!"

"He knocked her up?"

"The kid will probably have..."

Cain rose and pulled out his Jericho and aimed it at this last person, a gun runner operating out of Silver City a few hundred clicks to the north.

"I'd seriously reconsider finishing that sentence friend."

Caught flat-footed, the man turned red and sheepishly raised his glass to Cain. "I meant, um congratulations."

"Put the gun down Cain," Hitomi snapped. "You're upsetting your wife here."

"She's NOT my wife! No offense, Lily."

"Whatever, I hope you two are very happy and have lots of fat children. Me, I hate kids. And pets. And pretty much all forms of human life. But really, for true, I am actually touched at this moment. Anyway, surprising as it may seem I didn't come here to convey my happiness that you're not sterile Cain. I came here with a business proposition. Actually, I'll cut all of you in if you're interested. Care to hear me out?"

10/27/09

"Hitomi , it wasn't about joinin cause the shootin started, there was plenty enough a that afore I left. It was about doin what was right. There is a war on ..."

She had already changed subjests and interests.

"... you'll need ta be chooin sides..." he finished quietly, figuring that no one heard.

As soon as Cain had drawn his weapon, Ian pulled his own to back up his former and future captain, and his friend. He did not point it at anyone, but she was there, none the less. This weapon was his standard issue. Not as good as his older ones, but worth her weight. He called her Wraith, after what his Alliance comrades called Lear West, all those years ago.

He really wanted to get his old guns back around his waist.

10/27/09

"Hitomi , it wasn't about joinin cause the shootin started, there was plenty enough a that afore I left. It was about doin what was right. There is a war on ..."

She had already changed subjests and interests.

"... you'll need ta be chooin sides..." he finished quietly, figuring that no one heard.

As soon as Cain had drawn his weapon, Ian pulled his own to back up his former and future captain, and his friend. He did not point it at anyone, but she was there, none the less. This weapon was his standard issue. Not as good as his older ones, but worth her weight. He called her Wraith, after what his Alliance comrades called Lear West, all those years ago.

He really wanted to get his old guns back around his waist.

10/28/09

"She didn't tell me... I just overheard." Chloe said quietly. "This might not be the best place to have a private conversation on the subject of starting a family, or not. Walls have ears here."

She glanced at Hitomi, smiled wryly. "Probably goes for business proposals too, especially now that we've perked up everyone's interest. I'm all ears for your proposal... but maybe we ought to go someplace else to discuss it."

10/28/09

"I came here with a business proposition. Actually, I'll cut all of you in if you're interested. Care to hear me out?"

"Probably goes for business proposals too, especially now that we've perked up everyone's interest. I'm all ears for your proposal... but maybe we ought to go someplace else to discuss it."

Lily was just happy that something could be discussed that was not about her and Cain's surprise news.

"Yes, let's hear about it. I'm interested," Lily said quickly, not really meaning it. "But I agree with Chloe. Let's go someplace more private. We all have seen what can happen here."

10/29/09

OOC: Assume the entire crew is assembled in the Seven's lounge area.

IC:

The messages to Dema and Rikka were terse and to the point.

Dema, when you're done with my engineer if you could get your skinny arse back to the Seven post haste that'll make me forget that "rent" discussion with you for a while.

Rikka, if you could just go ahead and get back to the Seven asap that'd be great, m'kay?

***

Hitomi held a glass of Cain's best wine in her hand and a cigarette in the other. She sat in a chair in the lounge with her legs spread wide open.

"Fuck me Cain, when was the last time you aired this place out? I swear to ruttin' god and all that's holy that this is no place for a lady of quality to stay. I'm surprised females let themselves within a hundred yards of the Seven."

"Well your cabin's still open and those stockings hanging from the shower curtain, they're yours sweetie," replied Cain unamused.

"You have a LOT to learn about women, Cain. A girl is a delicate flower and must be pampered and treated right like the princess she is." Hitomi paused to let out a loud belch. "Wow! Damn good wine!"

"Of course it's good wine," snapped Cain. "It's in my ruttin' cooler, ok? I buy it. Now, you said something about a business deal, or was that just an excuse to got to my best vintage?"

"Nothing so mundane," said Hitomi with a smile. "How does two hundred thousand credits sound to you? A new bounty went up and as it turns out I snagged it before it went out onto the general ads. There's this Alliance colonel who allied himself with the military coup that tried to depose Tarsis six months ago. Turns out this guy had quite a history from back during the war. Back then he was in charge of a big Federal program to root out suspected Independent sympathizers. He was a little overzealous in the prosecution of his duties and ended up torturing a lot of people to death in his prisons. The brother of one of those people happens to be a very well-heeled syndicate boss who wants revenge. I have certain connections and promised him I could get this guy's head on a platter for him. My sources have tracked this colonel to a hideout in the Thar desert. All I need is a ship and a crew to go out there and the money's as good as ours."

"What do you say? Fifty percent finders fee for me, the rest you split up amongst yourselves. It's easy money!"

10/29/09

As Hitomi sat there with a cigarette in her mouth, Lily was feeling less and less happy and getting more towards the green side of things.

Hitomi ranted about how the Seven wasn't fit for female habitation. She didn't know if she should be offended or not, but didn't bother dwelling on it. Her main concern was trying to keep down the meager lunch Cain made her eat.

She looked around the room and noted that Rikka and Dema were probably the only ones yet to not know that Cain put her in the family way. She guessed sooner or later, they'd have to be informed. What was the use to try to keep it a secret? Everyone else knew.

"How does two hundred thousand credits sound to you? A new bounty went up and as it turns out I snagged it before it went out onto the general ads. There's this Alliance colonel who allied himself with the military coup that tried to depose Tarsis six months ago. Turns out this guy had quite a history from back during the war. Back then he was in charge of a big Federal program to root out suspected Independent sympathizers. He was a little overzealous in the prosecution of his duties and ended up torturing a lot of people to death in his prisons. The brother of one of those people happens to be a very well-heeled syndicate boss who wants revenge. I have certain connections and promised him I could get this guy's head on a platter for him. My sources have tracked this colonel to a hideout in the Thar desert. All I need is a ship and a crew to go out there and the money's as good as ours."

"What do you say? Fifty percent finders fee for me, the rest you split up amongst yourselves. It's easy money!"

"I'm in," Lily said as she leaned forward, hand over her mouth. She didn't know why she was signing on, unless it was just the money that enticed her. She didn't know for sure what she and Cain would be deciding in regards to their new predicament. She was planning a contingency plan, just in case. "But if you don't put out that cigarette, I swear that I will make things more than unsanitary for you."

Lily's face was a pale shade of green now.

10/29/09

Dema, when you're done with my engineer if you could get your skinny arse back to the Seven post haste that'll make me forget that "rent" discussion with you for a while.

Rikka, if you could just go ahead and get back to the Seven asap that'd be great, m'kay?

"You two. Just can't admit you're best friends can you?" Rikka teased him. The 'coded' messages, that they somehow ended up in the same place, doing nearly the same thing. They didn't hurry. They liked being naked, on the grass, secluded in a little private world of their own.

==========
Africa sat next to Dema, legs pulled up, arms wrapped around them. Then Hitomi talked about her job. Lily didn't look at all well.
She rose and moved to get something from the wetbar. She dropped the tab BlueWaterBicarb into plastic glass of water. An old cure, mostly like baking soda, but sold as the latest from the Core Research laboratories.

Hitomi's plan sounded very much like an execution, a bounty hunt. Lily agreed quickly. Africa wondered if she'd understood exactly what Hitomi had said the job was. She sat the glass near her, with the small tablet wrapper next to it so she'd know just what it was. Africa figured it was probably some local cuisine from a dirt dive that Cain had taken her, probably served still moving, and with more health code violations than,.. well than the Lucky Seven.

With a smile Rikka slightly scolded herself as her mind wandered through her own entertaining stereotypical imaginings of Jacob Cain and where he'd take a girl. And the reality of Hitomi's job 'did I understand it?' She looked at Dema for an explanation, she looked at Cain as well, to get a confirmation of her own obvious concerns, which her expression openly displayed. She didn't say a word, just mulled over the actuality of it. As if that really mattered. Was this just a syndicate 'hit'? or was this some sort of overdue cowboy justice? would they rationalize it for the money, for the purpose, or for the danger and excitement? And weren't there bigger things...

What about the war, and Stark.

And gwen . .

Her eyes came to rest on Dema. Africa smiled it told him it was ok. She'd told him how she understood destiny and fate, and a place in the verse. If this was there's or it was to be some other thing, they would and could go along. It wouldn't be dragged. It wouldn't be unwilling. If this is where they belonged. It was ok, they'd go together. That was more than she'd ever thought her adventure would bring her.

10/29/09

Once back aboard the Seven, while Hitomi was raiding Cain's wine cooler, Ian had gone into his old room and taken off his Blue and Purple Uniform with the Black piping that denoted his Spec Op status. He hung it in his closet and pulled out a set of his old clothes. Black cotton jeans and dark shirt were pulled out instead of leathers. He'd wear them later, right now, comfort was more important.

He next pulled out his old duster coat and slipped into it. Finally, he reached back into the closet and pulled out his old gun belt. He put it around his waist and tied the strings around his thighs. He pulled out each gun and inspected it, testing the action before loading and placing each weapon back into their holster. Wraith, he slipped into a shoulder holster that he had put on before he slipped into his coat.

He stepped out of his room and surveyed the lounge.

Hitomi had just started her bit on the bounty.

"This Colonel have a name?" he said as he moved into the room proper.

10/30/09

Hitomi perked up at the apparent interest shown by the crew. She smiled knowing she had their full attention.

"Elias Kantor is his name. I did some digging into this guy's background. If the war had gone the other way he'd have been shipped off to a war crimes tribunal faster than Cain can offend a woman. This is a man who kills for pleasure. Trust me, you can kill this colonel and keep your conscience intact."

Cain considered Hitomi's words. "Hitomi, you've already drunk three bottles of wine and I know you get really excited about really bad ideas when you drink. If this colonel is such an easy catch, why isn't every gunman on Persephone out for his hide?"

"I told you I have connections. I got hold of this contract before it went out on the general Cortex channels. Come on, it's money in the bank! Have I ever let you down?"

"Do you want me to answer that truthfully? And Hitomi, put that cigarette out." Cain glanced over to Lily who was turning a pale shade of green. "If you want to smoke, do it outside. As of today the Seven's a no smoking zone."

Hitomi blinked, then laughed. "Gorram it I'd expect to hear that from Rikka here but you? I've never seen you without a cigarette in your hand. What are you going to do go outside every time the craving hits you? What are you going to do when you're in the Black?"

"Yes," replied Cain resolutely. "And I'll figure that out when we can get off world again."

"Oh please Cain, is this because your girlfriend here is pregnant? Oooops!"

10/29/09

Meanwhile...

A Taylander Shuttle on official Federal business transmitted its security codes to the fleet orbiting Persephone. Its cargo was machine parts for the planetary defenses. A tense moment passed as the security code was verified. Finally, the shuttle was authorized to land on the planet.

"Like clockwork," mused Gwen as she saw the transmitted code approved. "Continue on our present course. All men check your weapons. We will resndesvous with our contacts on the surface and then proceed to the next phase of the operation."

*"Don't worry, dear little sister," Gwen thought, allowing herself a barely perceptible grin as she gazed at the glint of steel on her combat knife. "I have plans for you. We have unfinished business...."*

10/30/09

"Why do I get the distinct impression that 'money into the bank' will turn into a crazy, skin-of-our-teeth bit of survival before we can cash in the check?" asked Chloe with an amused grin. "Nevermind that, I'm in anyway. Surviving a gorram war has made me completely overconfident." She sat back in the chair she was sprawled into, tilting her wine glass to watch the light play over its color. "So is he really the Bastard From Hell or is that what your contacts told you to make you feel better about it?"