Alex – Heart Of The Vanguard

__________*_Sarah_*__________

Private Airstrip of Jarvie Industries, Wheeler Ridge, CA, Mon 14th Feb 22 09:17

Sarah: "Ok...ready, Three, two, one, go!" The stopwatch on my HUD started counting as Jinx started firing rounds of plasma at the targets that I had randomly set up around the hangar around the makeshift range that I had built. She tactically and somewhat gracefully moved between the targets in her new armour that I had built for her, along with one for 42 and one for myself. Although they were all pretty much the same, based off of Alex's original Mk3, we each had our own design input to them. Jinx's was the 'loudest' in terms of colour scheme... Primarily gloss black, it had rather thick accented lines of pink and light blue with light blue light emitted from the sensors of the eye slits. Apparently a colour scheme associated with the 'Jinx' character she took her name from... I wasn't going to ask anymore than that.

42 was the complete opposite and had gone for a much more tactical looking style. Satin black with some very dark silver accented lines, so dark in fact that they were almost barely visible alongside the black. The eye slits?, he requested that they didn't glow, but the problem was that to work they did have to glow, even if faintly. So we managed to get them tinted black so it gave an almost minimal black/grey tinted glow.

My own design was between the two of theirs. Gloss black, with a matching pattern of accented lines to what Alex had, but they were a deep purple colour, same as the eye slit sensors... Kinda wanted something as a little reminder to my emo days.

Anyway, back to Jinx... I was hoping she was going to stick to the one rule I had given her... One shot, on the lowest possible charge, per target and don't - fucking - miss! So what did she do when it came to one target during the course? She missed... The round sailed past the target board and sailed without resistance through the hangar wall, melting a glowing red and perfectly circular hole in the wall

Sarah: "God damn it..." I muttered to myself, "...YOUR TARGETING RETICLES ARE LINKED TO WHERE YOU TRAIN YOUR ARMS! NOT TO WHERE YOU'RE LOOKING!"

Jinx: "I know I know, I'm sorry!" she shouted back as she continued to complete the course. The course was merely a set of empty wooden crates that myself and Wrex had positioned in a basic layout that could provide cover to the 'enemies', which were just poles with metal sheets attached to the tops with red 'X's badly spray painted in the center. She clipped the final one and I mentally stopped the timer on my HUD.

Sarah: "23.6 seconds. 5 second penalty for blowing a hole in my wall so that's 28.6 seconds which puts you just behind '42 with 27.1 seconds."

Her helmeted head snapped to the aforementioned hole in the exterior wall, then back to me, faceplates snapping open as she did.

Jinx: "That puts me at the bottom!"

Sarah: "That's correct."

Jinx: "You never said anything about penalties!"

Sarah: "Well no, but I did say 'don't miss', I didn't think any of you actually would."

Jinx: "Come on! This isn't fair! No one else got penalties!"

Sarah: "That's because no one else missed!"

Jinx: "Ok, so what if I missed?! You have money to repair it don't you?!"

Sarah: "That's besides the point... Jinx, I don't know how much longer I have access to my funds, I'm 'missing'! If the authorities see my accounts dropping they'll start looking into it. The other thing is shooting a plasma round through the wall like that is like sending off a flare! This area is not completely uninhabited!"

Jinx: "Oh come on! No one will notice that!-"

Wrex: "Sarah does have a point, we are supposed to be hanging low, we don't want to be drawing att-"

Jinx: "Oh you know what?! Fuck this!" she turned, dropped to all fours and bounded off towards the hangar door.

Wrex: "Jinx..." He beckoned after her.

Jinx: "No fuck you, the lot of you!" She shouted back without stopping or even turning her head.

42: "It's ok, I'll go talk to her." And indeed he leapt off after her.

Sarah: "Typical fucking British."

Wrex: "How do you mean?"

Sarah: "Don't like being told what to do."

__________*_42_*__________

42: "Jinx!, hold on a mo!"

She ignored me though as she raced over the hot tarmac runway and in through the doorway of Hangar 2, leaving me behind with her greater speed. I chased her as best as I could though inside. Once inside the hangar, I wasn't sure where she had gotten to, but I made a guess and headed for the private jet that Sarah had allowed us to use as a makeshift bedroom. I made my over to the plane, then while rounding the nose, I knew my guess was correct... An armoured glove bounced off the door frame and down the fold out steps. I sighed to myself and cautiously made my way up the stairs and peered into the doorway, her chest plate narrowly missing me as it too was hurled down the plane.

Jinx: "Oh! Get the fuck off me!" I peered around the door frame again and down the plane to see Jinx, sat on the double mattress - our makeshift bed with minimal bedding, laid on the floor on one side of the plane, right where two of the comfy recliners use to be positioned. She was yanking at one of the elasticated material wing armours, seemingly having trouble removing it. I full well knew that they were not easy to take on or off without help, yet she seemed very determined. She still had her armour on from her waist down otherwise, the removed pieces laid scattered around the floor.

42: "Heeyy... What's wrong?"

Jinx: "Stupid Sarah! Fucking rich bitch! Stupid fucking SkyTech! I hate my life! I hate what they did to me! I hate that I'm now living out of a fucking plane, in a fucking hangar, in the middle of a fucking desert!" She screamed in rage at me, picking up one of her gauntlets and hurled it at me at her last words. I caught it with a speedy reaction as it came close to hitting my face, giving a bit of a sighing grunt of relief as I relaxed, then placed it on the floor next to me.

42: "And you want to take it out on me?" I replied in as calm of a voice as possible.

Jinx: "I-!....." I could see she was about to snap, but thought about it, then seemingly relaxed slightly, "...I'm sorry... I didn't mean to..." I could see her eyes starting to well up as she looked to the floor. I sighed and walked over to her and laid down on the makeshift bed next to her and pulled her down to me just as she started sniffing and breaking down into tears. "...I miss my brother... I miss mum... I miss home... I just miss having a normal life where I don't have to pretend that I don't exist." She whimpered and snuggled into my armoured chest.

42: "You'll see them again, I'm sure of it."

Jinx: "I sincerely doubt it, I'm a monster, they'll just be scared and run away from me."

42: "I'm sure as long as we explain the situation they'll be fine."

Jinx: "If you say so... I just wish I was Human again."

I contemplated her words, trying to carefully word my answer - she was home sick, pure and simple. But I had to go careful how I replied... This situation wasn't a bother to me at all, in fact, I was completely use to living out of confined spaces with minimal possessions. But unlike me, Jinx had a family and a past that she clearly missed, she belonged somewhere, I didn't...

42: "I'm not trying to sound selfish, not at all... But what about us?" She pulled her head up and gazed up at me.

Jinx: "What do you mean?"

42: "Well, I know they said we're stuck like this, but if you could turn back Human again, would you? And if so, what about us? Me and you?"

Jinx: "I... Haven't really thought about it..." I felt my heart sink a little "...but I'm not leaving you, don't worry. Since day one of this craziness you've been there for me. Well as much as you can be anyway. I know we're stuck like this, but if I was going to be stuck with anyone, I'm happy that it's you, I love you." My heart raised back up again and a smile crossed my face.

42: "I love you too." She briefly smiled before burying her head back into my chest plate, a small, happy, grumbly purr escaped her throat.

Jinx: "I have no idea what that was, please don't ask..." I chuckled at her response "...42... Hypothetically speaking... What if we ran away?, fended for ourselves? Would you be up for that?"

42: "Where would we go?"

Jinx: "Anywhere. Just me and you. We fly somewhere, maybe even back to England, we dump the armours then enjoy our lives together, maybe my mum my even take us in and hide us?"

42: "Not that I don't like the sound of that, but what about your mum's safety? If we get found out, she could get in trouble. Also, what about Alex? We agreed to help her?"

Jinx: "You heard Wrex, Sora and Sarah, they can't find her. What if she's gone?"

42: "Is it fair just to give up on her?"

Jinx: "I don't know... I guess not... But what if she never gets found? Then what? No offence, I don't intend to spend the rest of my life around Sarah."

42: "I don't think she's as bad as you think of her."

Jinx: "Oh please..."

42: "Seriously, do you reckon she would have gone through all this trouble for us so far if she didn't think we were worth it?"

Jinx: "So what are you saying? That I should play nice?"

42: "Just give her a chance is all I'm saying."

Jinx: "Alright fine... But I can't promise I won't punch her if she pisses me off again."

I chuckled at her feisty response,

42: "That's fair enough..." Then decided to send Wrex a message, just to let him know I had spoken to Jinx. I mentally dictated out a message in my mind, and it formed a text message on my HUD in my vision...

-'Spoken to Jinx - She's severely home sick - feels as though Sarah is picking on her - Managed to calm her down for now.'- then sent the message... It was only a couple of minutes before he responded, by which point Jinx had actually fallen asleep in my arms...

-'Understood - will talk with Sarah about it - can't promise anything will change, Jinx may just have to Just get over it, but I will see what I can do. Aiming for lunch around 1300 if you want to join us.'-

'I suppose answers go, that wasn't the worst...'

__________*_Jinx_*__________

I awoke some time later to 42 getting up from in front of me.

Jinx: "Oops..." I grunted while stretching out.

42: "What?"

Jinx: "I wasn't planning on falling asleep."

42: "Yeah I guess you got comfy, you fell asleep pretty quick. Wrex wants to talk to us anyway."

Jinx: "Oh joy... I'm in trouble..."

42: "He hasn't said what about yet... Plus it is nearly lunch time so we had better get down to him anyway."

Jinx: "Good, I'm famished."

42: "Why are you always hungry?"

Jinx: "Well when I was Human, I had an overactive thyroid, so maybe that's carried over?"

42: "Oh, maybe then. Come on we better get down there."

So I begrudgingly got up,

Jinx: "42?... Mind giving me a hand taking the rest of this armour off?" 42 turned back to me, nodded and indeed, helped me remove the last few bits, especially the wings, which were just plain awkward. After that was done we made our way out of the plane, kicking bits of my armour and made our way over to the side of the hanger, into the small office and down the hidden stairway.

42: "You wanted to see us Wrex?" He asked as soon as he rounded the corner at the bottom of the stairs and I followed him in.

Wrex: "Yes, perfect. Hold on..." Wrex turned away from the cooker and the pans he was just positioning and walked over to the gym door, the room I knew Sarah had claimed, knocked twice, opened it and spoke in through the small gap. "...Sarah, out please..." He promptly walked away and to the half of the room with the sofa was and one of the removed recliners from the private jet that was our bedroom and stood in front of the TV. Sarah emerged from her room, armoured in all but her helmet and neck piece, "...Sit..." Wrex directed Sarah to the recliner, "...you two there." He directed 42 and myself to the sofa, 42 instantly made his way and sat on the side closest to Sarah, and I begrudgingly moved after a couple of seconds and sat next to 42.

Wrex: "Right. Consider this a 'family meeting' if you want. Some of us in the group are having issues it seems. So... Anyone want to volunteer to get anything of their chest first?..." There was long pause of awkward silence, with each of us making subtle glances at each other, "...No one?... Alright then... Sarah, I volunteer you first." Sarah slumped, looking fed up,

Sarah: "Come on Wrex!... What are we to you? A bunch of five year olds?! I'm not standing up in the class and telling everyone how I 'FEEL'." She put as much emphasis into that last word to make it sound as pathetic as possible before crossing her arms

Wrex: "You're fucking acting like one! Come on, get up!, tell us all exactly as you told me earlier. We need to clear the air of tension."

Sarah: "What was said was private." She replied sternly.

Wrex: "You may think so, but everyone here is involved in some form. Please, Sarah." She huffed before replying,

Sarah: "What exactly do you want me to say?" 

Wrex: "Exactly what you told me, how you feel, what all this means to you, why you're doing this, why you are the way you are, yeah?"

While rolling her slitted eyes, Sarah got to her feet and looked to the floor...

Sarah: "Fine... Look, I've never been one for speeches or sharing things, ok, and usually when I let people get close to me they just stab me in the back. So as a result I don't usually trust people easily and at times, that might show in the way I act towards you all. Look, this whole situation that we're all in, especially you, 42 and Jinx, is partly due to my parents. So I feel this is on me and my problem to sort. So when I brought Alex in, I never dreamed that things would have become as complicated as they have. Alex trusts all of you, so I should as well, I suppose... And I'm sorry if I come across as a bit... Er... 'Insensitive', maybe, at times. It's just who I am I guess but I don't necessarily mean to be." Sarah looked to Wrex for his approval, to which he gave a slight smile of approval and gestured her to sit down.

Wrex: "Thank you, Sarah. Jinx, how about you next?" I hesitated momentarily before very slowly standing, delaying the inevitable...

Jinx: "I guess... I don't know, I don't even know what I want to say or how to put anything into words..."

Wrex: "Start with something simple. Why are you here?"

Jinx: "Because I don't really have a choice?, I guess?"

Wrex: "Not quite what I mean... Why are you still here, with us? You and 42 could have left a week ago if you wanted."

Jinx: "Don't we all already know this?"

Wrex: "Tell us again."

Jinx: "God... Ok, well Alex set me free, befriended me when she didn't have to, even though I was a bitch to her at times. I guess if she can ignore my flaws then I can the same to others too... No offence." I finished gesturing to Sarah.

Sarah: "Meh, I've had worse."

Wrex: "Ok, good start. But what's bothering you then?..."

I remained quiet for a few seconds, looking to the floor, trying to hold back the tears that were my memories of home... "...Jinx?"

Jinx: "I miss home..." I replied bringing my head back up partially with a sniff, "...I want nothing more than to give my little brother a hug, and to tell him how much I've missed him *sniff*..." 42 reached up and stroked my arm in comfort, gliding down to the back of my hand. As soon as he was close enough, and like he instinctively knew as well, we flipped hands simultaneously and grabbed each other's hand, with me glancing down at him as I spoke again, "...but I know that I won't be able to see him again until this is done at least. So if I can help Alex finish the SkyTech, then I will do everything I can to make that happen."

Wrex: "Good, excellent. Thank you Jinx. 42, want to chip anything in?"

Jinx: "Hey wait, why does he get a choice??"

Wrex: "Because he doesn't have any issues. Probably the most balanced mind of all of us. You give him a bed, he'll sleep in it, you give him a job, he'll see it through, tell him to jump, he'll ask how high. Apart from you Jinx, he has no attachments, that makes him efficient, wouldn't you agree?, 42?"

42: "That would be a correct assumption. If it's not too bold to say, we are all here because of Alex. In some form or another she has saved us. I think it would prove advantageous if we work together to repay that debt."

Wrex: "I couldn't have put it any better myself 42, thank you."

__________*_Reikon_*___________

Secret location, Wed 16th Feb 22 13:20 GMT

The Humans needed to learn one thing, now that I was here... I am a force to be feared, plain and simple. So... When I ordered one week ago to increase production of the 'indoctrinated', only then for Skylen to report to me, just now, that that didn't happen... To say that I was displeased was an understatement.

Reikon: "What. Did. You. Say?" I tried my best to hold my anger in check. Skylen looked somewhat sheepish and bowed before repeating himself.

Skylen: "They're claiming... That the Grave Digger site in Barstow, was their primary cold DNA storage. The loss of that has meant that there is now a lack of catalyst DNA to increase pro-"

He fell silent and bowed his head as I rose from the chair in our claimed VIP quarters of this facility.

Reikon: "Who is in charge of the program at this facility again?" I said as calmly as possible.

Skylen: "Doctor Riley Skiff, my queen."

Reikon: "Dr Skiff... The name sounds... familiar..."

Skylen: "This... Was the facility that Alex's indoctrination was carried out at, it's quite possible you may have gotten that name from her."

I scanned through what memories of Alex's I could, some were somehow hidden... as if they were in a locked box, I knew they were there, I just couldn't access them, which was odd, I didn't think she had the strength or control still. I could only access some of the memories that had any real significance to this facility-

'Oh...' I shuddered, witnessing the memory of what this Dr Skiff put Alex through... Not that I had any sympathy for Alex, none what so ever, but, I think a spot of revenge was in order... just because I could and because she has pissed me off now. Some would consider what I had in mind as overkill...

Rreikon: "You... Are correct... my love, will you do whatever I ask of you?"

Skylen: "Of course, my Queen." He replied, lifting his head slightly.

Reikon: "Good... Bring her here."

Skylen: "But... To our ro-?"

Reikon: "NOW!" I snapped, interrupting his trail of doubt.

Skylen: "Yes, my love." He quickly replied bowing his head again, then rose to leave the room.

_________

13:31

Thankfully, I was not kept waiting long, the door chimed,

Reikon: "Enter."

The door opened, a woman wearing a lab coat, with glasses and brown hair was given a gentle shove by Skylen and she stumbled forward slightly as he followed her in, closing the door behind him 

Skiff: "What is the meaning of this?!"

Reikon: "Dr Skiff, pleasure to meet you."

Skiff: "I'm sorry, I don't think we've been introduced, and you would be... who?"

Reikon: "Queen Reikon." I replied almost majestically.

Skiff: "Well, it's an honour to meet you... I have to apologise, I'm not sure on your cultures formalities, especially with regards to royalty. But gather that you are an associate of Mr Skylen's and as anything to do with Mr Skylen is above my pay grade then I will not be concerned about your presence here. But may I ask as to why I have been dragged here when I have work that requires my attention?"

Reikon: "Because it's your lack of work that requires MY attention... I understand that you have held back further indoctrination batches, despite my requests of the exact opposite. Is this true? And if so, then why?"

Skiff: "So that order came from you... As I have already explained to Mr Skylen, please, understand, that without catalysts, the procedures can't be started, even with Mr Skylen's input from his magical properties, there's just not enough supplies to meet demand."

Reikon: "There are other facilities like Grave Digger around the world, correct?"

Skiff: "How did-..." She stopped herself from asking, realising that it would probably be unwise, "...That is correct... However, they feed supplies to their own local facilities that have only recently themselves started production. But most of these other facilities are not as large as Grave Digger so they cannot afford to share reso-"

Reikon: "What about donors here on site then?"

Skiff: "Donors? On site? We have no donors at this facility."

Reikon: "The breeders? Their offspring?"

Skiff: "I... We can't do that! If your goal is to increase numbers then that will not help-"

Reikon: "Yes my goal is to increase numbers, but I need those numbers now, weeks, days, hours... I do not have time to wait for the young to grow for years."

Skiff: "This..." She paused, seemingly pondering my words in her head, "...'you need'? I can understand Mr Skylen here selecting two or three per batch to do with whatever and however he wishes, that is the agreement. But you are talking about taking them in the hundreds... Thousands even... Why? What is your stake in this? These subjects are company property, we can afford to lose two or three to unknown causes but what you seek will ruin us and make our goals unattainable!"

I stood up and casually stepped past the doctor towards Skylen, stroking my armoured hand back and down his jaw line, cheek and down his neck.

Reikon: "When was the last time you mated, my love?"

He pulled a confused look at me, glancing to Dr Skiff, as if embarrassed by answering such a question in her presence.

Skylen: "Erm... My Queen... Is this really relevant?"

Reikon: "Just answer the question, my dear." I replied, my patience running short now.

Skylen: "I erm... Well, when we last did, my love... Why do you ask?"

Reikon: "You mean to say, that you have been one hundred percent faithful in my absence over the past millennia? Even when you believed I was dead?"

Skylen: "There is no one for me, but you, my love."

Reikon: "Very impressive... I think that kind of loyalty deserves a reward, wouldn't you?, Doctor?..." She remained quiet and dead still, looking at me, trying to interpret what I was saying, "...Well, I think so anyway..." I turned back to Skylen, "...have your way with her."

Skylen: "What?!"

Skiff: "Excuse me?!!"

Reikon: "I asked you earlier, 'will you do whatever I ask of you?', you replied with, 'of course'. So... Have your way with her." I said while gesturing at the doctor.

Skiff: "I am happily married for Christ's sake! I have two children as well!" She stated as she backed away to the door, her voice breaking through her disgust.

Skylen: "My body! My heart! Belongs to you my Queen, she is of no interest to me!"

Reikon: "You are correct, you belong to me... therefore I am ordering you to do it. But if you don't do this, the lesson will not be learnt, the Humans have to know their place. Also, if you do not do this, YOU will no longer belong to ME... Am I making myself clear?"

Skylen looked over to the doctor, who was now trembling as she walked backwards towards the door.

Skiff: "You can't do this... I am an employee of this company! I have rights!"

Reikon: " 'Rights' HA! So do the people you kidnap and enslave for my benefit yet you are more than willing to sacrifice their rights."

She spun, bumping into the door and fumbled to hit the button to open it.

Reikon: "Make your choice my love... Do as I ask... Or your place by my side will be in question."

Skylen immediately darted for the doctor, grabbing her as the door opened, placing a hand over her mouth a pulling her back inside the room, muffled screams ensued as he hit the button, closing and sealing the door again. She continued to scream into his hand as he man-handled her to the bed and forcibly started ripping her clothes, shredding them with ease with his claws from her body as he growled away, seeming almost excited now by her attempts to flee.

I mentally ordered my armour to retreat, revealing Alex's half Human, half Draconian body and slouched into the chair, watching the scene unfold in front of me. One thing I hated to admit about the Human body, it was addictively sensitive, the nipples and the 'clitoris', as the Humans called it especially. I spread my legs and placed one finger between my slit, finding the sensitive bud between my lips, started rubbing, and using my spare hand to start tweaking my left nipple, I started feeling the buzz of watching my mate thrust into this woman, screaming and crying into the bed as she was pinned down by his brute force strength and size.

__________*_Alex_*__________

My eyes opened slowly, once again my rest being disturbed by faint voices. It sounded like my own, or rather, Reikon's, and quite possibly Skylen. I couldn't understand what they were saying though. I sighed and sat up off of the floor and looked around... The blackness of the sky that was draining down into the floor was still creeping ever closer towards me, now only a few dozen feet away.

'I suppose if I want out of here, I need to time it right, for when I'm back on Draconia... To do that I need to see what's going on and what they're saying. So... think about it Alex... I found the Shard, because I wanted it, so maybe, I could access other parts of my body the same way using other abilities?...'

I focused on hearing first, as I was already getting hints of that anyway, it might be easy to focus in on that to enhance the quality. I concentrated hard on the voices, trying to bring them into clarity... After a few seconds, it seemed to be working, they were getting louder and clearer...

Reikon: "The main thing I'm curious about is... Did you enjoy yourself?"

Skylen: "I... Somewhat did, yes."

'Brilliant, now I just needed to bring my vision in...' I tried to focus in on my eyes... 'Hmm... not so easy... Maybe I could use the Shard and make something up that I could use...' I had something in mind, I just needed to make it into reality... Well, so to speak anyway. I closed my eyes, concentrated on what I wanted, before making a loud metallic clap by bringing my hands together and throwing them wide, essentially drawing out a screen that floated in the air in front of me, showing me exactly what I, or rather, Reikon, was looking at.

Me: "Yess!..." Combining that with the sound output and I knew exactly what was going on now so I smiled triumphantly to myself... until I realised what Reikon was looking at... "...Oh my god..." I exclaimed, turning my head away from the floating screen I had made, after seeing Skylen's junk, hanging partially limp and slowly receding away as he stepped towards me... or rather, Reikon, "...really did not want to see that... Oh god! Please don't say you used that on me!..."

Skylen: "But I would much rather have done it with you-"

Me: "Phew, good, so he hasn't yet... But please, don't say yes Reikon!" I shouted, looking back at the screen, full knowing my disapproval would be falling on death ears.

Reikon: "I'm not going to ruin this for us my love. I'm not doing it in a body that's not my own, this form is disgusting. When the time comes, and that will be soon, I promise, then we can be together again properly."

Me: "Phew..." I relaxed slightly in relief as Skylen stepped aside, and looked back to the bed, and I squinted trying to make out the facial features of a half stripped woman on the bed, and my jaw dropped, especially upon seeing her face and realisation as to who it was, and putting two and two together and working out what had occurred moments before. "...Oh my god!" I stated in disbelief seeing Dr Skiff lying, either unconscious or dead on the bed! Putting two and two together, Skylen had clearly just had sex with her!

Skylen: "What now, my lady?"

Reikon: "Well annoyingly this means we won't have any further forces to add to our own for another three weeks to a month... I'm not sure we can wait that long... You say you have spoken to some of our old allies back home?"

Skylen: "Indeed, they are ready to carry out your will as you see fit."

Reikon: "Good... Send word, we will begin our attack in one Draconian week. Rather than overthrowing the Vanguard with sheer numbers and brute force, we will have to start from the inside out. Inform them that when it is time, you will bring their numbers into the palace, Jumps, the secret passages we use to use, what ever way possible. It's well fortified for stopping attackers from the outside, but not from the inside so we'll use that to our advantage and halt the Vanguard reinforcements entering."

Skylen: "And what is the plan for yourself my love?"

Reikon: "Craven... Craven will use her status as an Executioner to bring me in... and I will do so without protest." She ended with a chuckle.

Me: "Shit... Axis Mundis... is about to get hit HARD... But with Reikon rushing her attack she surely isn't going to have the numbers to back her up. Even then, I still need to warn someone..." I thought about what the Stranger said, about reaching out to a conscious mind and that Reikon might pick up on it... but I had no choice... I had to get a warning to the palace... I had to warn someone I knew would do something about it. I mentally reached out, fighting my way through the barriers and found Wrex's consciousness…

Me: "Wrex? can you hear me?"

Reikon's vision snapped on the screen in front of me, staring into space.

Skylen: "Is something wrong?"

Reikon: "Something..."

Me: "Shit... she's catching on... Wrex!"

Reikon: "It's Alex! She's trying to reach out to someone, I can feel it... *gasp* She knows our plans! I'll be right back my love!"

The vision in front of me on the screen started dropping before fading to black and out of the darkness near me Reikon, in full Draconian form, appeared, pointing a clawed digit at me.

Reikon: "You! You bitch! How did you start gaining the powers back?! I partitioned you off!"

Me: "Err... a little birdie told me how?" I mocked. She growled before running at me, I closed my faceplates and braced for an attack but she disappeared, right before my eyes. She then reappeared on my right flank, barging hard into my side, sending me flying and crashing to the floor. I rolled to my back raised my arm and fired a round of plasma but it flew off into the darkness, she was already gone! I scrambled to my feet and looked around, arm raised and and spinning around on the spot... No sign of her, but then there was a whoosh from above and I looked up, only to be kicked in the face to the floor again as she landed beside me, plunging he tail blades in the floor next to me as I rolled away and back to my feet.

I punched her in the face, causing her to stumble back.

Me: "Ha, weren't quick enough that time!"

She roared in response and I charged a shot of plasma for a couple of seconds then released it at her as she was about to lunge for me again. As before when I hit her, her body exploded, obliterated, showering the floor behind her with bloody and chunks of body parts for quite some distance. But also as before she started pulling herself back together in mists of red and purple, bones, blood and flesh stitching itself back together, like a scene from a horror film.

Reikon: "When will you learn?!" she screeched as soon as enough of her body reformed to be able to talk and started heading towards me again and I started backing up.

Me: "Oh I don't need to..." I fired again, once again obliterating her, once again within seconds she started rebuilding herself. "...Wrex! Please! Hear me! Wrex!..."

__________*_Wrex_*__________

Private Airstrip of Jarvie Industries, Wheeler Ridge, CA, Wed 16th Feb 22 07:20

Alex: "Wrex!"

I awoke with a start, pulling my head off the pillow and looked around the room, to see no one... had I dreamt or imagined Alex calling my name? Knowing the abilities Alex had obtained, it wasn't entirely impossible to rule the possibility that she had actually called out to me. But nevertheless, there was no further calling of my name, no further contact as I waited... I looked over at the alarm clock and seeing the time, I momentarily dropped my head back to pillow before groaning slightly and getting up. I made my way out of the bedroom and instinctively made my way towards the gym, knocking on the door before entering.

Sarah: "Yeah?"

I opened the door surveying the room... We had moved nearly all the gym equipment to one side of the room and we had made a makeshift set up of a small workstation of computers and scanning gear and had pulled one of the recliners from the private jet from upstairs which, very occasionally, Sarah used to sleep on. We had moved here from the mansion to here to actually give us somewhere to sleep... a burnt down house or a flooded basement just wasn't going to cut it. Plus, Sarah said that she knew some people were moving in to clear the wreckage. So Sarah kept taking night time trips when workers weren't there, to grab kit, check on her manufacturing side that she left operating behind closed secure areas, parts like her new arm. She sat at her makeshift desk, tinkering away at it as it lay motionless on the desk.

Wrex: "Have you slept at all?"

Sarah: "Hmm... A couple of hours."

Wrex: "Sarah..." I said disapprovingly.

Sarah: "Ok, about an hour."

Wrex: "Sarah!..."

Sarah: "What?! I just don't like to sleep... I can't." She otherwise sat there silently, tinkering away, without looking at me at all.

Wrex: "*Sigh*... Problems with it?" I asked, gesturing towards her arm. It lay on the desk, the design of it matching my armour almost exactly, just slimmer and more matching to Sarah's feminine structure. It bore a plasma jet and armour the same as mine, but the colouring was different, that being gloss black and deep purple.

Sarah: "Just making some adjustments." She put the tool she was using down, closed the armour plate shut on the upper arm, picked the arm up and attached it to the mounting plate that she had installed, by herself, on her shoulder. The arm instantly and naturally came to life, responding to Sarah's thoughts seamlessly. She stood up and mirrored her movements with her real left arm, outstretching them both, hand out flat, balled into fist, drew the arms back, rolled the shoulders, made a few punches at the air with just her right hand then went through the motions of her wrist and fingers.

Sarah: "The servos would occasionally slow down after using them harshly for a bit. The trouble with this system is that I designed it to react to user inputs... The problem I have is that I have no original arm to give inputs, so it's taking messages and signals directly from my brain... You'd think that would simplify it, cut out the middle man, so to speak, but apparently not..." She replied, finally looking back at me.

Wrex: "I see... How about our other issue?"

She looked down at her screens in front of her on the desk.

Sarah: "Well, thanks to Sora's data and search parameters, I'm picking up the right energy readings from the Shard... But... Just not strong enough to warrant our attention, they're all still too faint, we had another in China last night near Wuhan. But simultaneously we had a couple of spikes of readings in Japan, mostly Tokyo..." She just finished by shaking her head. I knew she was getting frustrated at trying to track Reikon, and therefore Alex and the Shard down... Usually by the time we get to any of these 'weak pings' to investigate there was just nothing there, no signs of either Reikon or Skylen ever being there. We needed something more definite before we could act on. But having simultaneous pings was odd indeed.

Alex: "...Wrex! Please! Hear me!..." I heard Alex's ghostly echoing voice call out.

Wrex: "Alex?!"

Sarah: "You hear her too?"

Wrex: "Yeah... Alex! Where are you?"

A ghostly image started forming a few feet in front of us, blurry, no detail could be made out, but the voice, and the overall shape with black and red blotches, it was obvious it was Alex, her image backed up a step, fired a round of plasma from her arm at seemingly nothing.

Alex: "Wrex?! I can't see you. But can you hear me?" her voice emitted from the static filled ghostly image.

Wrex: "Alex, we're right next to you, we can sort of see you and we can hear you fine. Where are you? Are you ok?"

Alex: "For the moment, I'm ok, but I-..." She fired another round of plasma, "... but I don't know how long for. Listen, Wrex, Axis Mundis is in trouble, Reikon is launching a surprise attack in a Draconian week, using Craven somehow, she's... hold on..." she backed up more and another larger round of plasma was shot from her arm, again, seemingly at nothing, the round fading out of existence not long after it had been fired, "...she's rounding up a load of SkyTech and who ever else is willing to follow her and- ARRGGHHH!!-" Her image flew backwards, and like that she was gone, the ghostly image quickly faded from our view before she even hit the floor.

Wrex: "Alex?... Alex?! You there?!… ALEX?! Can you hear me?!" but there was no answer.

Sarah: "What are we going to do?"

Wrex: "Was there any pings just then??"

Sarah looked back at her screens, analysing them for a couple of seconds before slowly shaking her head.

Sarah: "Nothing... Sorry Wrex."

Wrex: "Then we need to go to Axis Mundis... all of us, they have to be warned, hopefully they heed it."

Sora: "And if they don't? Because I'm sure they just going to LOVE me turning up with a deserter, one converted Human and two Ex-SkyTech."

I didn't even see her standing in the doorway, she had been coming and going since we had arrived back here, checking in on us, bringing supplies, helping Sarah grab components and equipment from the mansion and bringing them back here.

Wrex: "And what?! You suggest we do nothing?! That's your home Sora!"

Sora: "I never said I won't take you... just pointing out that they won't be at all happy when we turn up on their doorstep."

Wrex: "Well, fuck 'em… we're going to help, whether they realise it or not."

Sarah: "It's time then?"

Wrex: "Yes... at least we know where they're going to be now. Rouse the others, suit up." I ordered as I went to leave the room to grab my own armour.

__________*_Reikon_*___________

Secret location, Wed 16th Feb 22 14:26 GMT

I pulled myself back to reality, from dealing with Alex in my head, waking with a gasp and looked in front of me to see Skylen knelt in front of me, holding my hand and supporting my head.

Skylen: "My love! Are you alright?"

I gripped my head, comforting a slowly fafing head ache and groaned as I sat up more in the chair that Skylen had obviously placed me in.

Reikon: "I'm fine... But Alex managed to regain some abilities, without my knowledge as well!"

Skylen: "How is that possible?"

Reikon: "I don't know, but that's not important. What is important is that I couldn't get to her in time before she announced to Wrex and her allies of our plans!"

Skylen: "Noo!... We'll have to abort!"

Reikon: "No! We change the timeline! I'm sending you to Draconia now! We attack as soon as possible! I don't want them knowing of our impending arrival. My sister has occupied my throne for too long now! I am not losing this opportunity! Get yourself ready, I'm sending you to Mu. There you must get the word out, prepare our comrades, get them mobile and on route to Axis Mundis."

Skylen: "Yes, my Queen." We both stood properly and left the room. He bowed his head to me before heading off in the opposite direction to me down the hall. I meanwhile headed in the direction towards the catwalks that stretched over the chasm of thousands of the white pod like cells below.

Reikon: "Craven, meet me at my position."

I arrived in the center of the catwalks, mere moments passed before I felt another presence near me, detecting an energy of a life form approaching me. A few seconds later Craven appeared from nowhere, her cloak fizzling away and the visor of her helmet slid up. She bowed as she arrived at my side.

Craven: "You summoned for me, my queen?"

Reikon: "It's time we put our little plan into action my dear, sooner than I had originally planned, we are suddenly out of time."

Craven: "But... My queen, is this not too soon? We surely do not have the numbers to-..." I shot her an rather angry disapproving look, to which she made the smallest of gasps, adverted her gaze, "...I'm sorry, my queen. I will never doubt your will again." Satisfied with that she had conceded, I raised my hands up off the guard rail into the air as I gazed out below, my hands glowing in a red and purple aura and quickly the chasm below filled with hundreds of roars and screeches of the SkyTech Dragons, the guards dotted around the facility rightfully looking around nervously at the racket.

__________*_Arisu_*__________

Queen's private study, Royal palace, Axis Mundis, Draconia

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my desk, screwing my eyes shut and massaging my temples, I had such a headache coming on. I'm sure it was being caused by the Heart down the corridor from me. Rarely did this occur, but today it seemed to be almost screeching at me, in my head, like it was upset. But like a newborn hatchling, it's complaints were not so easily diagnosed, the meaning behind them unknown. Maybe it knew I was upset and irritated by my daughter running off, yet again... Had her father still been alive today I sincerely doubt she would be so defiant with me all the time. My headache was intensified by an Honour Guard bursting  in through the doors in the lower half of my study

Honour Guard: "Your majesty!"

Arisu: "I do sincerely hope that you have rudely interrupted me at an inconvenient time for a VERY good reason."

Guard: "My apologies, but yes... My lady, Executioner Craven has returned, reporting her team being killed in action. However she does not return empty handed..."

Arisu: "Oh...?"

Guard: "She brings a prisoner, the one known as Alex... She is currently being escorted to the prison ward... Unless you say otherwise?"

Arisu: "No, please redirect them both here, Alex still possess the Shard, I would presume... I must remove it to stop her from being able to use it."

The guard gave me a salute while bowing his head then turned to leave the study, closing the doors behind him.

'Finally some good news.'

__________*_Wrex_*__________

Sora lead us to the end of the Jump after batting the Whisper away. I looked back to this little 'team' of misfits that I had managed to cobble together. Sarah had pulled out all the stops in her down time, manufacturing them each a suit of armour matching to my own. Sarah's gloss black and deep purple theme from her prosthetic arm continued over the rest of her armour.

You now couldn't tell she had a false arm at all actually as the prosthetic was an exact mirror to her armoured left arm. Jinx, had her black with randomised sections of pink or light blue, while 42 had gone for a subtle approach with his armour's colour scheme... Satin black, just like mine, but with dark silver accents.

Sora: "I hope you guys know what you're doing or going to say, because I don't know what's going to happen when we land." She announced, being the only odd one out by not having any armour at all.

Jinx: "What do you mean?"

Wrex: "Sora is royalty, this is her home, she'll be fine, probably. But us four, we're all outsiders, even me. Our welcome will not be as pleasant."

42: "What do we do then?"

Wrex: "Be ready for anything, follow my lead and keep quiet." I closed my face plates and the others followed suit.

We landed on our feet, emerging through the red and purple mist arriving in the main entrance hall to the royal palace, not the first time I've landed here and I didn't get a warm welcome then either... And I was right, this time was no different... As all four of us emerged into the hall we were instantly spotted...

Honour Guard: "INTRUDERS! INTRUDERS IN THE PALACE ENTRANCE!" And four of the guards in the hall ran towards us, staff weapons aimed at us.

Wrex: "Stand your ground guys." I told the others on our private channel.

Sora: "STAND DOWN!" She yelled to them standing forward from the rest of us a few paces. They immediately slowed their charge,

Honour Guard 2: "Your Highness! What is the meaning of this?!"

Sora: "This is an emergency! The Queen and this city are all in danger. I need to speak with my mother right away."

Honour Guard 1: "Princess Sora, you know you can't jus-"

Sora: "NOW!!"

The guards looked unsurely to each other and I decided to step forward along side Sora, opening my face plates.

Wrex: "This is a matter of urgency, my friends, please, let us through."

Honour Guard 4: "WREX?!"

My head spun to the familiar female voice,

Wrex: "Star Light??"

Star Light: "You... You've come back?" She exclaimed, dropping her staff and approaching Wrex slowly.

Wrex: "I err... Yes... You err... You look... Good. 'Honour Guard', wow-" *Smack*

She punched him around the head knocking him to the floor.

Star Light: "YOU FUCKING BASTARD! HOW DARE YOU SHOW YOUR FACE TO ME?!" She screeched painfully. Wrex groaned as he pulled himself off the floor,

Wrex: " *Goan* Ohh... Yep... Glad to see you... *Groan* too..." She pulled her fist back again to him, "... AH AH AH, WAIT WAIT! PLEASE!... I'M SORRY! Ok?... I'm REALLY sorry I left... I know I shouldn't have done, but... I had to... Skylen had to be stopped." She lowered her fist slightly,

Star Light: "Over a thousand years! Not a fucking word from you! NOTHING!?"

Wrex: "I know I know... But I had to."

Star Light took a very deep breath then exhaled it, seeming much quieter and calmer now when she spoke, even if it was with a hint of a growl, she dropped her fist.

Star Light: "Did you at least succeed?"

Wrex: "Well... No... That's why I'm back... Star Light... Things have gotten a way out of control... Reikon... She's back and more hell bent than before."

Star Light: "How can she be back you idiot?! She was dead! We both saw her! In the village on that cliff in Iceland! We brought her body back and had it cremated!"

Wrex: "The Shard! I don't know how, but her mind was in the Shard! She's now possessing my... friend, Alex."

Sora: "It's true, Star Light. Reikon is back... She intends to kill my mother, in one week, using Alex's body."

The guards all exchanged looks to each.

Star Light: "Send word! Keep her away from the Queen!"

Guard 3: "We must hurry!"

Star Light: "We've got to go, quickly!" She demanded before the Guards all started sprinting away and we all had to keep up.

Wrex: "What is it? What's wrong?"

Guard 1: "Your 'friend' that you speak of, she already here!, captured by the Executioner Craven, her majesty requested that they be redirected to her private study!"

Sarah: "Alex mentioned that name Craven in her message!"

Sora: "It's a trap! Craven has turned traitor!"

__________*_Arisu_*__________

My study door chimed, followed with a Guard's voice,

Guard: "Your majesty, Craven and the prisoner have arrived."

Arisu: "Very well, bring them in."

The double doors opened and in flowed a sea of red and purple armoured Honour Guards, which filed around the room revealing in the center, two black armoured figures. One was Craven, her face shield pulled back into the top of helmet, but the other... didn't have a helmet on at all displaying what looked like a mostly Human head with short blonde hair, in fact, beside her extremities her whole body looked mostly Human. Under her armour. Despite her forearms being binded together in restraints she had a smile on her face as she looked at me, which was almost too menacing.

Craven: "My lady..." She started with a bow as she came to a halt at the bottom step, "...as ordered, I bring you Alex and the Shard."

Arisu: "Very well done indeed, I will see to it that you are well rewarded..." I turned my attention to 'Alex', "...I must say Alex, you've had a slight change of appearance since I last saw you."

Reikon: "Well... The Shard has had some interesting effects on me... SISTER!"

My eyes widened as I heard the voice of my long past gone sister. Craven smiled just before her visor closed and she promptly vanished from sight.

(-Sick Puppies)