Family Business

Chapter 1 (Danella)

I looked across at Stella. I know Stel better than anyone, she is my sister after all, so I new that she was not prone to exaggeration.
"The Omni service is not usually wrong Dan. Their target is the insurance system...." Stella let it hang.

I had been a Doctor for quit a while so I had seen all kinds of atrocities, but to have the Insurance system brought down would mean that everyone’s DNA files would be lost.

"Frig Stel, this is serious. What’s omni doing about it? They gotta be doing something. I mean, Crap, when people die, they would be DEAD!"
"Don't you think I know that Danell" Stella's voice started to rise.
I reached across the table and held Stel's hand, trying to soothe the emotional Crat.

"Stel you gotta calm it." I said in a harsh whisper, "All we need is this to get out. Frig; half of RK would be goin vigilante. Lots, and I mean lots, of innocent people would get lynched for no good reason accept that they MIGHT be the baddies plannin this.

They were sitting at the same table they always sat at in the same crap hole bar they always met at in Boriallis. The owner preferred the 'Aged' look so nothing ever got fixed. It was small, single room, 9 tables in all, with 3 or 4 chairs around each table. The bar stood at one end with the door to the outside world at the other. It was always full and always smoky.

Amanda came by, always efficient in her duties.
"You girls need anything else?"
Stella looked at her and smiled.
"Maybe a new job.... You hirin?"
Amanda chuckled. Here brown eyes passing between Danell and Stella.
"And let you muscle in on my dream job... Not likely!"
"Then I think the bill is all we need." I interjected.
"A walk might do both of us good."
I threw some creds on the table.
Stella looked at the credits and smiled. "If you’re buyin, I definitely need a walk!"
"Ha, Ha" I scoffed.
With that they got up, both giving a hug to Amanda and saying goodbye, and walked out.

As they walked out into the bright light of he RK day Danell looked at Stella and smiled.
"Even after all this time, through all our differences, I still love her like no other" she thought.

It was 4 years ago, almost to the day, Dan realized, that it happened.
Danell and Stella where twins. They had grown up on RK as neutrals and although there was always around fighting and death they seemed to live a good existence. Their parents where Doctors, very good doctors, and they helped anyone who needed help, Clan, Omni, it didn't matter. Danell and Stella where allowed grow up together and do kid things. They where inseparable.

One day their parents where helping some injured soldiers from a battle that had taken place in Upper Stret East Bank. There has always been a general truce when in the care of a Doc, especially a neutral Doc, which was observed so the separation of the 2 factions was not necessary. But on this day, things got out of control. No one knows who started it but it ended with us being orphaned.

I held on to my father and watched the light go from his eyes because I did not have the skill at being a doctor to help him. Stella had killed a battle-crazed clanner that had shot her mother to death.
Our parents where adamant traditionalist and did not believe in the insurance terminals. "When your time is up, that’s it." they where fond of saying. "Why be a doctor if every time you are injured, you just gotta put the gun to your head and pull the trigger and BAM your good as new"

Amanda had been a friend of our parents and took us in but it was from that point on that we went our separate ways. Stella joined the Omni's, unable to fogive the Clan for the death of her mother, and was quickly rising in the ranks of the Bureaucrats while I joined the Clan doctors because I felt it was the best way to stop the bloodshed.

"So what next?"
Stel's question knocked me from my reveries.
"And why the hell are you starin at me?"
"Sorry" I stammered. "Just thinkin 'bout old times."
"Well stop it and focus on the present! Thats the problem with you clammers, no focus."
"Lay off Stel. Same old argument. I don't need it right now."
She had a way of getting to me.
"Sh*t, sorry Dan. This whole things got me spooked."
I let it drop. "I know what your sayin. Anyway I gues we try to figure out who's plannin this thing. I'll go back and see what I can dig up. You do the same."
"Guess there's nothin else for it then eh Dan." Stel looked at me, that same sad look in her eyes.

She was beautiful. As beautiful as any Nano born on RK. She drove everyone crazy. Tall, but not to tall. Long dark hair and soft features. But it was her eyes that allways got to the guys. That was the difference between her and I, the eyes. She could look at you one minute and own you the next. It always seemed so easy for her. She had it so easy whe we were younger but since she joined the Omni's she pushed it to the next degree her suit was the topper. She always wore it. Always black and always skin tight.

"Sorry Dan. I really hoped to hang with you for a few days. We never see each other any more."
She looked away, distracted.
"Sonny Lets Go!" she yelled.

Here assistant bot rambled over.
"As you wish madam. I park your Yalmaha this way."
Stel turned to me, opened her arms and smiled. I moved in to them and we hugged.
"I miss you Stel. Keep in touch"
"You too Dan"
And with that I watched her hop into her Yalm and drive away.

I walked along the road on the way to the grid, the usual traffic rumbling through town. I was destracted. Why would anyone want to take out the insurance system? I mean whats the point? Everyone and I mean everyone would hate who ever did it. It made no sense. But then nothing had to make sense when it came to some fanatical groups.

"Get the hell outta my way you bunch o' lazy doobs!"

Ah, crap. I know that voice, I muttered to myself. I quickly turned around, put my head down and started walkin faster.

"Hey Dan. Is that you. Ah f**k it's gotta be you. I don't know any other Nan that has such a pretty little a.."
"KLL!" I yelled. "Frig sakes must you yell so much? Try talkin instead of yellin, people probly listen to you more"

I looked up and there he was. The great all might Kllnall (at least he thought he was).

If you ask me he looked like the devil. He was dressed all in black. His armour, which I've never seen him take off, looked like it was falling apart. He was bout 6 feet tall, medium build and a Nano like me. But the thing that made him look like the devil was the pumpkin. He wore a friggin pumpkin on his head. It had triangle eyes and a mouth that had sharp teath in it. The eyes mouth and nose always glowed an eary orange.

"What Dan, all I was f**kin doin was showin my apreciation for such a sexy bit*h."
I sneered. "Ya, bet you say that to all the girls."

Kllnall was a special case, in every sense of the word. He lived for killin brink beasts by himself. Droppin area nukes like there is no tomorrow. And that was the problem, he like to do everything alone. He thought he was invincible.

"This aint your classic hang out Kll, what you doin here?"
"Just doin some f**kin shoppin." he leaned closer and wispered "Got my line on a f**kin fixer that had a f**kin nano for me and picked it up for a bargain!"

I was starting to get a headache.

"Listen Kll, I would love to hang out all day but I got get back to Athen..."
"ATHEN!" he yelled, "What a f**kin co-ink-e-dink. I'm headin there now. How 'bout we travel together. Be like f**kin ol times. eh"

He smiled at me

Oh crap my head was starting to hurt.

Chapter 2 (Stella)

I walked into my high rise apartment in Rome Blue and pressed the lift button. All I wanted was a nice hot bath. My eyes scanned the lobby. It was posh, everything gray and black with large windows facing the setting suns of RK. The door opened and I walked in but before the doors could close a hand pressed the doors open again.

"Stella, good to see you again."
Friggin hell, all I want is a bath and now I have to deal with this jackass.
"Whatta you want Jimmy?"
Jimmy was a Crat on the move. He was tall, dark handsome and an ass. He thought he was gods gift to woman and I was a challenge.
"Dinner, just dinner" he smiled.
"Ya right, as if all you want is dinner." I sneered.
"Stop hiding behind that suit Stella. Put on a dress, maybe something nice, tight and a little revealing and we'll party all night."
His eyes looked me up and down, pausing on my breasts.
"Jimmy, go to Omni Ent and pay for it like you always do." I shot back.

He just smiled and produced a card in his right hand, passing it to me.
"If you change your mind, you know how to reach me."
And with that he walked away
Like I said, jackass!

I inserted the key card into my apartment door and walked in. I new instantly that it was not the same as I had left it. My place was wall to wall shag, with contemporary RK paintings on all the walls. The living room had a sunken area which opened on to a large balcony overlooking Rome Blue. I lived on the 34th floor and the view was stellar.

I heard the shower running and moved quitely to the bathroom. Piled on the floor just inside the door was some Omni issue armor. A smile crossed my face as I stepped over the pile into the room.

It was steamy, and hot. I could barely make out the shape of a man in my shower. I moved closer and my breath caught in my throat.

Jesper was the perfect specimen of the human form. He was 6'2", about 190 pounds with out an ounce of fat on his body. His features were chiseled, with a square chin and ice blue eyes. Framed with his blond, he almost looked angelic.

I started to unbutton my suit jacket, the bath would have to wait. He turned and saw me, his eyes locked on mine and a warmth spread through my body. He pushed the door open and reached his hand out.
"Hey baby." he whispered
He pulled me into the shower, and pressed his lips lightly against his hand pressing the small of my Back so my hips pressed against his. Our tongues danced as water washed over our bodies. His kisses trailed down my neck and over my chin as he finished unbuttoning my suit jacked.

His right hand squeezed my right breast while his left pulled on my jacket.

"Stop" I whispered, he looked in my eyes.
"Don't be gentle, please.." I pleaded.

I needed passion, and this man glowed with it.

He pushed me against the wall with force enough to knock the wind from me. He ripped my shirt open, buttons flying everywhere as I wrapped my hands around his neck and pulled his face into mine, our lips meeting fiercely. I bit him and he reached up my back pulling my hair so my head snapped back. He kissed my neck again. The warmth in me flared to a raging fire. I wrapped my legs around him as he pressed his body against me.

He kicked the shower door open to take me to the bed, we never made it. The floor was our bed; his hands were strong and confident and the night was long.

I woke the next morning with the sheet from the bed wrapped around me and Jesper was gone. A note and a rose on the floor next to me.

<< If anyone one see's me out in the world, say hello. I would love to get a few other RK lifers in the story. Love you all. Hugs and Kisses >>

((Good stuff:) I digg that Jimmy:D))

I laughed openly at the note, not much for content and no creativity, typical roses are red stuff. I guess the soldier mantra holds true in everything; actions speak louder than words.
I picked up the flower and smelled it.
"Still the thought was nice." I muttered

I went to the cupboard and pulled out my one and only vase, put some water and the flower in it and put it on my coffee table.
"Hmm, some flowers might look nice in here from time to time" I said to the room.

It was early and I didn't need to go to the office for a few hours yet so I decided a work out was in order.

"Sonny"
The lights in my assistant bots eyes lit up.
He, I'm not sure why I insist on giving him a gender, turned his head and looked at me.

"Yes Madam?"
"Can you get my workout clothes out for me, the blue ones not the gray ones"
"Of course madam, shall I have breakfast for you when you return madam?"

Sonny shuffled off to collect my cloths well I went to the washroom

"No thanks Sonny, I'll eat later. What I do need is the AO552 briefs, I have a meeting with Vincent this morning and I need them to push for the..."
I looked at the shower and the door was still open. My body started to get hot remembering last night.

"Madam, you where saying?"
Sonny was standing in the doorway with my cloths.

"Ya the A..O525 forms" I shook my head to focus. "I need to push the Raferty project today."
"Off coarse madam."

"Thanks Sonny, I don't know what I would do without you." I leaned over and kissed the droid.
"I am yours to command madam." he stated flatly.
"If only all men said that" I chuckled again.
It was starting out to be a good day.

I worked out for an hour. It felt good to clear my mind with some good old fashioned physical exercise and there was no one else in the room this morning so I was free to think about what had happened over the last while.

The insurance thing was bothering me a lot, who would do this, and why. I mean it helped everyone; you scanned, and if something happened to you, you went to reclaim. It was great. And it was cheap enough, except for the poorest of the poor. I didn't get it.

I finished up, went back to my apartment and was met at the door by Sonny.

"Madam, an urgent call came through for you on your Com and but he said he would only talk to you . I was about to come and fetch you.."
"s'all right Sonny, is he still on?"
"No madam, but he left a message"

"Playback messages" I said as I walked to the wall Com.
The screen cam to life but it was dark. A voice, that of a man with gravelly inflections spoke a short and to the point message.
"Lindin Spears.... Omni Mining Facility... Longest Road"

"Sonny!" I snapped. Initiate clean sweep of this message. Deep clean all records and check to see if anyone could have intercepted.
"Yes madam", he immediately walked over to the terminal and jacked in.
"And Sonny, when your finished, Deep clean your own memories from 06:20 on. Erase everything. and then terminated yourself."
"Yes madam."

Damit, The Forman's. It must be friggin important if he is leaving messages on my Com unit. Friggin risky.

I didn't really know who he was, but he had been leaving me notes or messages for about a year. He had never been wrong and he was the one that tipped me off about the insurance terminal problem. I figure he is in the security section because it's not just anyone can send messages over secure Omni channels.

Guess I'll be canceling my meetings for the day.
Sonny finished at the terminal."Madam everything seems in order."
He walked out onto the balcony and commenced his own termination. Nanobots swarmed around him and he began to melt. At least it looked like he was melting. The Nano's where disassembling him at the molecular level. In a few minutes he would be a bunch of slag.

I walked into my room to get dressed. Sonny had pressed and laid out my suit. I really would be lost with out him. I'm gonna hafta upgrade his AI soon.
I got dressed and checked myself in the mirror, adjusted my hair and walked out to the balcony.

Sonny was now a blob of slag. I put my hands together and concentrated. The Nano's came to me and swarmed. They moved to the blob and started to reconstruct Sonny. If you watched, it would look like he was being built by putting thin slices one on top of the other over and over again. First his feet and up to his calves then legs and torso. His hands started to form and looked the strangest because they just floated in mid air beside his hips. They would connect into his shoulders after the arms and the main body were constructed.

The Nanos generally fed off of ambient molecules but because I didn't want to clean the mess that sonny made I directed them to use the material there. Sonny's head finally formed and the Nano's came back to me and retrieved Sonny's memories from my NCU to transfer to him, up until 06:20 this morning of coarse. It was necessary for Sonny to terminate or there would be a mysterious hole in his time stamped memories. And it was common practice among the crats to terminate their Assistant so their memories couldn't be trolled.

The Nanobots returned to me and Sonny's eyes lit up. "Good morning madam, could I get you some breakfast?"
"No thanks Sonny I think we need to take a little trip so cancel all my appointments today and make sure you apologize to Victor specifically for me, he's gonna be pissed."

The day that started out so good seemed to be going bad really fast.

"Of course madam, can I ask where we are going madam?"
"No Sonny, you can't"

<< Will Stella make it to the longest road? Will Jimmy ever leave her alone? and will Kllnall blow up everyting including Danell? >>
<< Tune in next week for the next exciting chapter with Dan and Kll >>
<<:D Same Bat Time, Same Bat Place. :D >>

Chapter 3 (Back to Danell)

Kll and I arrived in West Athens through the grid. We materialized in a rain shower, a cold and unwelcome shock after the nasty feeling I always got when I used the grid.
"I'll never guess how the fixers do this so much."
Kllnall just grunted.
West Athens looked exactly like west Athens always did. Brown stone architectures mixed with modern styles made it look like an after thought. But this was Athens none the less and, bedsides Tir, it was one of the greatest bastions of the Clans there was.

"Lets get outta this crap" I said
"The Cup good for you Kll?"
"What ever, as long as it's f**kin dry"

We walked along the boulevard to The Cup. Ah The Cup, one of my favorite hang outs. It was relaxing and interesting all at the same time, with its mix of modern tables and seating and the ever present traditional West Athens stone work. It was always smoky and always packed. A place where you could get information and a date on the same night.

I took a deep breath, and coughed.
"Like there isn't enough stuff on RK to kill a person, everyone's gotta smoke too?"
"I'm gettin a f**kin drink, you want somethin Dan?"
"Sure, just a beer, and Kllnall, take the pumpkin off eh, it's not friggin Halloween!"
Kllnall reached up and pulled the pumpkin head off. He was an ugly Nano, really ugly with dead eyes, slick black hair and a mouth that looked like it was stitched shut. He smiled at me, and I could only make out 5 or 6 teeth. I almost told him to put the pumpkin back on.
He put it under his arm and walked over to a table with a young male Soli sitting at it.
"You mind if we f**kin sit wit you?" he pretty much yelled at the lone occupant.
The guy stood up. "I was just leaving anyway, it's yours"

Kll grunted again and threw his pumpkin on the table. I'll probably never get used to him, he was so grating, so in your face and to the point but then again with Kll you always new where you stood.

I moved over to the table to sit down when I heard my name. I looked into one of the corners of The Cup and saw three people sitting around a table looking at me with grins on their faces. I immediately smiled, waved and walked over.
"Well they really let anyone in this place eh" I said sarcastically as I walked over to the table.

On the right sat Zxxy, a tough Opi agent that was quiet but deadly. He had red tattoos on his face and head with accompanying red spikes that went in a straight line from front to back. He had a visage of strength and focus. I wrapped my arms around him and gave him and affectionate hug.
"Danny how you doin?" he asked.
"Pretty damn good" I replied
Standing next to him was Kayia.
Kaiya was a startlingly beautiful Opi woman. She was dressed in a red, one piece, form fitting dress that showed her strong, feminine body. She had high stiletto heals on and, as always, wore 2 pony tails on an otherwise bald head. She had soft features, fists of steal and a tongue sharper than a Gelid.
"You gettin fat Dan?" she looked me over with mischief dancing in her eyes.
"You cut me K, you cut me real deep"
I giggled and we hugged.

"Wente, new armor?"
Wente was the third person sitting at the table. She was a tall dark skinned beauty ,a body of steel, playful eyes and consistently wore a smile on here face.
"Ya, Cas, I just got it. Wadda ya think." She was beaming.
"She hasn't taken it off since she got it" Zxxy said, shaking his head.
"Nice Wente, you can be my meat shield any day."
Everyone laughed.

"What are you guys doin in West Athen? Not like this is a big hang out for neuts." I asked as I sat between Zxxy and Kaiya.
They were part of a neutral org called "The Art Of War". I had met them in Ely, just outside Port Seven the hunting was good that day and we had become fast friends ever since.

"We just came back from a mish for our org, think were gonna have an alien raid tonight."
They all smile, anticipation in their eyes.

My heart skipped a beat. I had been invited to help them on a previous alien raid and I watched most of them die as blood frothed from my own mouth; I watched them being ripped limb from limb by the friggin aliens. Yet another dismal failure of mine at not being able to save the ones I cared about and it was a scene I did not want to relive any time soon. I ended up rezzing in Ely, alone.

Kaiya squeezed my hand and smiled.
"Don't worry 'bout us Dan, were gonna make them pay for what happened last time."
"Hell ya.." Wente almost shouted, "Ain't no better way to break in new armor then by gettin some alien brains sprayed across them."
There was an approving murmur from the crowd and even I had to smile at that one.

"Sorry to cut this short Danny, but we gotta get back to Stret" he stood up. "Aliens don't wait for us." He smiled.
"Awww, crap. Well call me at least. I'll come over and you can feed me some of the Hooch Wente makes in her apartment."

The rest of us stood and hugs were exchanged all around.
"Hey, one thing. You guys hear anything about an attempt on the Insurance system? I got some pretty reliable info that there maybe another attempt to sabotage the pattern databases."

"Sh*t, we don't need that now." Zxxy threw up his hands. "With the aliens getting worse and worse if they were successful we could have another die off like the one in 29466 cept it won't be just OT personnel that die."

"We'll keep our ears open and ask a few questions." Kaiya said.

"WHAT THE F**K DAN. I COME IN HERE AND BUY YOU A F**KIN DRINK AND YOU BLOW ME OFF FOR THESE F**KIN PEOPLE!"
Kll, crap I had all but forgotten about him.
Everyone around the table put there hands on their guns.
"What the hell is that!" Wente asked.

I turned around.
"Come on Kll, relax. Just some old friends and they were just leaving."
"WELL DON'T F**KIN RUSH, 'CAUSE I'M OUTTA HERE." He was starting to foam at the mouth. He turned and started to walk, I reached out and grabbed his arm and spun him around.

"What the hell is with you?" I hissed.
He looked around, licked his lips and then his shoulders slumped.
"Sorry Dan, been a long time away from peeps."

"Well f**kin relax!" I blurted, having trouble restraining a chuckle.
He smiled, "See you at the table."
He looked past me at Wente, Zxxy and Kaiya "Sorry..." he stammered.
An uncomfortable silence came down over everyone and Kll took it as his cue to leave.

Zxxy looked at me, "Well Danny, I have to say, you have the strangest friends."
"Present company included" went stated
"So true, so true" Kaiya added.

Everyone smiled and started to leave.
"We'll call you if we hear anything about your problem Dan" Kaiya said.

And with that they walked out the front door.

I walked over to the table Kllnall was sitting at. A beer,a cold beer with ice still on the outside, sat on the table in front of my chair. He was holding a tea.
"Tea?" I asked quizzically looking at him.
He just smiled, pointed to his head and said "Gotta keep the mind sharp!"

I shook my head, and sat. The beer felt good in my hands, the ice was cold against my skin causing goosebumps to rise on my arms.
I sighed and looked around. It was astounding how life mulled on in these turbulent times. Even when things got really bad the people of RK could continue on in their existence, finding time to spend with friends, family and loved ones. And in the next minute, march out the front door to die. It saddened me, knowing the pain they all would go through, of the loss of those same friends and family. Life seemed so fleeting.

I looked at Kll and he was staring at me intently.
"Your a strange one Danell, you know that? So quite, but so passionate about everything around you. You are so proud and supportive of friends, would do anything for them, and yet you feel you contribute nothing, that your own self worth is very small. I pity you for that, I pity your friends for your lack of confidence. You want to help them, you CAN help them but you are afraid. Afraid of failure, so afraid that you are destined to it"

His words shocked me to the very fiber of my being. Coming from Kllnall it seemed ludicrous, but that made it cut much deeper because as I said before, Kll never mixed words, you ALWAYS new where you stood.
My blood began to boil, my anger rising in volumes.
How dare he, he doesn't even know me. He knows nothing of the pain I feel. He knows nothing of how I am tortured when the ones I care about fall to a heap in front of me.He thinks I don't want to help them, he thinks I'M NOT TRYING!

I began to rise from my seat, nanobots agitated around my body began to vibrate, reacting to my anger.
'You bastard!' I hissed, my hand was still wrapped around my beer. I lifted it one inch off the table and slammed it down, beer spilling over the edges.
'You f**king bastard!' My voice rose, the glass slammed down a little harder and Beer leapt from it splashing down on the table.
'HOW DARE YOU! I DON'T WANT OR NEED YOUR PITY! YOU DON'T KNOW ME!' I screamed, my voice cracking, and my beer slammed down again, the glass shattering.
Everyone stopped talking and looked at our table as the bartender began to move towards us.

I didn't know what else to say, I was in a state of confusion. My mind was whirling; out of control and I felt light headed and faint. Who was this man, this THING in front of me? Why did he say this to me? I had done nothing to him, had only treated him with tolerance when everyone else treated him with distain and fear. Why?

"Why?" I whispered to him and slumped in the chair a tears freely running down my cheeks. He leaned toward me and I saw something in those dead eyes, something I never thought I would see.

Compassion.

"Because you are better than that, but you don't know it. Because I see a strength in you and you do not feel it. And because you deserve better, you just need to reach out and take it."

The bartender arrived at the table. "There a problem here mam?" he glanced side-long at Kllnall.
Kll looked at him and smiled his almost toothless smile.
'Course there is, dipsh*t. Can't you see she needs a f**king beer." He reached in his side pouch and produced some creds, throwing them on the table.
"If your in Pandy, look me up Danny."
He stood, put his pumpkin on his head and looked around, all the time chuckling to himself. 'doobs' he muttered under his breath, and walked out.

I stayed at that table, not looking up, just staring at the beer in front of me. I drank until the bartender kicked me out telling me he that I have had enough. I was drunk, completely and utterly drunk so I walked out into the rain feeling cold and miserable, stumbled along the path to my apartment and managed to get my key card in.

When the door closed, vomit erupted from my mouth, splashing the walls and floor. I didn't care, I walked forward, slipped in it and fell. I didn't bother getting up, I just laid there in a pool of puke and cried myself to sleep.

Blood was now flowing freely from my split lip and dripping from my chin onto my lap. The room I was in had no discernable features, gray walls, a single door and me tied to a chair in the centre with a single light over my head.Oh ya, and the ugliest Atrox I had ever seen, standing in front of me with blood on his hands, my blood.

"Who sent you, bitch! Talk or I get pipe again." The trox growled in a guttural low voice.
"I told you, I'm here to pick you up for our date. Not my fault your dickless." I said in my sweetest voice.
His arm flashed and pain exploded in my right ear as his fist slammed into the side of my head.
"You pretty funny, bitch"
He walked over and picked up a 3 foot long pipe that was leaning in the corner. I flinched involuntarily as he dragged it against the wall and then the floor, the scraping sound causing chills to run up my spine.

"I gonna run outta fingers bitch, you should talk eh."
He was right, my hands were tied to the arms of the chair and 2 fingers on my right hand where already a pulpy mess.
I spit blood at him. "F**k you dickless!" I screamed.
He calmly walked over to my left hand, which I had made into a fist, and placed his massive left hand on my wrist. He then used his right hand to pry my index finger out and placed a small square block of metal under it.
He smiled, and then swung the pipe in a wide arch over his head, slamming it on my finger. The bone shattered, and the skin split blood spraying me in the face and eyes. I screamed long and loud, the agony causing more tears to run from my eyes.
"You f**ker,you f**ker, you f**ker" I just kept mumbling as the pain overtook every fiber of my being.
"you f**ker, you will die, make no mistake troxy boy" He just laughed at me.
"Me thinkin you don't really need this finger bitch."
He produced a set of bolt cutters from his front pocket and giggled gleefully as he opened the jaws and placed them over my ruined finger.
"You sure you not talk, bitch?"
I spit on him again.
He pinched the cutters together and I watched my finger detach from my hand and fall to the floor. I went into convulsions with the pain, the chair bouncing wildly as I bucked in it, and the whole time my atrox friend just laughed and danced around me screaming in mocking copies of my agony.

I sagged in the chair and the world went dark.

I don't know how long I was out but when I began to raise myself to consciousness, I could hear voices.
I kept my eyes closed. not wanting to alert them and bring on more pain.
"She not talk, I try my best but she tough"
That was my troxy friend.
"Let me try, I'm sure I could get some where!"
A new voice, one that seethed with evil intent, I opened one of my eyes slightly to get a look. The second voice was coming from an Opi male who was standing beside ugly atrox guy. They where standing side by side with there backs to me and talking to some one in the doorway, someone who I could not see.
The third person finally spoke. "Do what you want to her then at the appointed time, kill her."
My head snapped up, and I looked straight at him.
"no, no, no, no" I whispered. I new that voice. "Please no." I whispered again.
"Seems our guest is awake" and with that Jesper walked into the light.
"NOOO" I screamed, my face contorted in anger.
"Holy, Stel. You really should calm down, you are down right ugly when your mad." he laughed at me.
He turned to the other two."Just make sure she is in a lot of pain when she dies." and started to walk out.
I slumped forward and one word escaped from my lips.
"Why?"
He stopped, and turned to look at me. "Why Stella? For his glory, that's why."
He turned and left, closing the door. I cried openly, the betrayal hurting more than any physical pain I had felt.

"Wadda ya say Priddle, what we do to her first?" The atrox, a wide grin on his face, asked the Opi.
"I know what I want, I want me some of that fine nano ass." he laughed and leaned his Caterwaul up against the wall.
"Put some rope on here wrists and get here outta that chair Brae. I wanna see what I'm getting." He smiled at me.
I willed my nano's to leap into action but the Neural disrupter band that was on my head held against my will.
Brae the atrox roughly tied ropes to each of my wrists and then threw the other ends over a pipe that ran across the ceiling. He then yanked hard on both of them, raising me into the air. The ropes tore my flesh and I screamed again.

Priddle walked over to me with a knife in his hand as I hung in the air by my wrists. He cut the rope that tied me to the chair and let the chair fell to the floor. Brae then pulled on the ropes again and tied them off. I was suspended, my arms spread out and my toes just barely on the ground. Priddle used his knife again, running it from my neck to my waist through my suit front, he was not gentle and he cut my flesh
"Brae, hold her hair."
Brae walked behind be and savagely yanked my head back with my hair. I let out a little scream.
I had decided then and there that they would not hear another word or sound come from my mouth. I would not give them the pleasure.
"You gonna love this baby." Priddle sneered grinding his body against mine, rough and callused hand pinching and squeezing me.
Brae had gotten distracted or something because he let my hair go. I took the opportunity and bit down on Priddles ear. He screamed as my teeth cut through the cartilage. He pulled away and I spit a large chunk of his ear into his face.
He put his hand to his ear and screeched "WHOORRE!"
He hit me in the face, again and again. Countless times. I new this was the end.. Or was it.
He stopped,bent over and breathing heavily from his exertion. he didn't notice that in his furor he had knocked the Neural Disruptor band from my head.
I smiled as blue nanobots surrounded Brae's head. His face went slack and he turned and looked at me.
"Remove his eyes from his head and then stuff them down his fu**king throat."

Priddle's eyes went wide as Brae moved immediately towards him. He went for his rifle but didn't make it. Brae had him and quickly flipped him onto is back slamming him on the floor. The breath went out of Priddle as Brae pinned him down and began tearing at Priddle's eyes with his bare hands. Screams of terror and pain coming from Priddle's mouth.

I ignored the scene and quickly brought an assistant droid to life.
"Mam? It seems that you require assistance."
Sonny made short work of the ropes and I slumped to the floor. He quickly helped me up and put me in the chair that I had been confined to for so long.

The screams that were coming from Priddle stopped and Brae stood up and looked at me. I looked at Priddle and could make out out no discernable features from his face, and smiled.

"I need first aid stims, Brae.Fetch them for me would you? And be quick about it." I added.

Brae left the room at a trot and returned with in 1 minute with a bag full of nano and first aid stims.

"Thank you Brae. Now go and stand by the wall and wait for my instructions"

I took the stims and began applying them. I could feel my strength coming back, the pain leaving my body and vengeance beginning to boil in my heart.

I stood on unsteady feet.
"Brae, remove the armor from Priddle's body and give it to me." I commanded, in short order it was done.

I put the armor on and moved the chair I was tortured in to the center of the room, under the light.

"Pick up the rifle Brae and sit in the chair."
He did.

"Now put the barrel in your mouth, and push it to the roof of your mouth."
He did.

"Pull the trigger"
He did.

Brains and blood erupted from the top of his head, spraying the roof and walls behind him. His body tipped the chair back with the concussion of the rifle rounds hitting him. He hit the floor dead.

"I will find you,." I said between gritted teeth. "I will find where you reclaimed and I will kill you a hundred times. You will die again and again by my hands." and then I spit on him one last time.

"Lets go Sonny."
"Yes Mam"
We opened the door I walked to freedom.