Lost...

Sounds.... far away.... Where...."Can't think to well.... Seems somethin's wrong. Lily.... She got riled over somethin'.... Don't r'member what all. Bram was there....... Gorram.. where's that sound comin' from.... Can't figure..... maybe some 'lectronics.... Dark here..... When she got angered at me.... Decided to fly somewhere else..... Mu Draconis... Not sure why...... Til I got there." Can feel cold.... cold and dark..... Am I in the black?

Try to move... somethin's got hold.... someone? "That's when I saw her..... AuroraBlue.... Pretty as ever..... even with the dirt..... Got to wok out how to get her to wash..... Don't want to scare her..... I love her. She's my gravity..... Holdin' me strong. We, well..... me.... talked. Even offered Monster for her to get 'round in.... Not wantin' her to get in trouble for hyjackin' someone's ship."
Somethin' pokin' at me..... Irritatin'..... Aiya, stop it..... Feelin' hard to breathe.....

Somewhere in front of me is light..... Settin' sparks off in my eyes..... Try to reach for it...."She headed for the landin' zone..... Then she was away...... Took Jai's shuttle back to Hale's. Then all hell broke loose....... Shootin'! Saw someone get hit and fall nearby then felt a slug strike my body armor..... Grabbed the woman and ducked b'hind a buildin'...... She was ok... Just grazed..... Decided to find out who was shootin'..... Didn't take long.... Was on the roof of the CNS buildin'. Made my way there but couldn't get to the roof...... Figured a couple of us could hop onto the roof and get the drop on em. Jet and one of his crew jumped into the mule....." Can feel pain somewhere in me..... Where..... Gorram.... who's messin'... Was fine..... "We jumped to the roof and everythin' went bad. The mule exploded..... gunfire and Tillery bein' held..... Said he got hit with an EMP....."

"He said it knocked out his 'lectronics that helped him walk..... Gorram body armor... Got to find a way to stop point blank shots..... I tried to cover him usin' my own self as a shield til we could get away..... Then a ship started shootin' at the bad guys.... Got Tillery safe and down to the clinic. Got my own self holed in the shootout. Gorram...... Fixed my own self as best I could then went to the Tower......" Can't breathe... Losin' atmo? whats goin' on.... can't wake up.....

"Am I dreamin' it all? No..... Not dreamin'... Can't be.... I know what all was happenin'.... 'cept today..... Dav came to check on me..... Gave me some pain meds too.... Not sure what happened after that... been out of it...... Dreamed of AuroraBlue in the black...... She was with a few folks.... I think Seana was there, but not sure...... GORRAM! whats happenin'..... " The light was startin' to move closer.... "Can feel somethin' stabbin' at me..... Makin' me a might angered...... Someone come up into the tower.... Stranger...... Tryin' to gas me.... WHO..... ? Where'd Dav go.... Was here not that long ago....." Tryin' to fight the feelin' somethin's goin' on 'round me. Cold, pain..... Light....

Can't move.... Strugglin' but can't do nothin'.... Blue? You there? "That stranger.... Grabbed me... Gassed me!...... Says he wanted Dav........ Says he's a murderer..... We all done stuff.... Aiya! Can't catch my breath... Got to fix that leak..... He done stuff...... Slammed his elbow into my side then stuck somethin' into my wound...... Couldn't fight it.... Got punched a couple times....... Not sure what happened...... Felt somethin' give...... Can't breathe..... Wait..... he done somethin'..... Waved the whole thin'...... R'member a cam in the room...... Operatin' room...... The smell..... all over clean with chemicals...... Blue... Blue seen it all..... Means Lily did..... And.... Aiya... AuroraBlue..... Don't want her to feel this..... Got to get away..... make the pain stop....."

Can see the light movin' faster.... Comin' to me? Or me to it..... Ain't sure.... "Don't know if I'm alive or dead..... somewhere in b'tween.... Dav... Needs to hole up and hide..... Someone has to come...... stop this insane feller...... Gorram tortured me..... Who else.... who's goin' to be his next victim? Wasn't goin' to give in to his games.... Not wantin' to tell him 'bout AuroraBlue.... Don't want her hurt...... Someone'll end him..... I got my bets hedged on it..... If I'm even alive...." My body's feelin' pained and on fire all over now.... "m I goin' to hell? Or is the light my salvation... Or'm I stuck b'tween...... Lost......God help me to try and hang on.....

Memories and family secrets

"She held one of her blades high. Pointin' toward the starlit sky.... then drove the tip into the ground. I know what all it meant. A sword of destruction.... Its target? Destiny." my mind was racin' With what I got own self into. Marked the small cargo box ready for transport, and stuck it with the others. "Wasn't hard to read that. From the scans I took while it was still hot, it was made, not natural. Means it hit like it was dropped, not hurled. Yeah... I picked up that someone sent it.... I had my ideas but wasn't sure anyone'd listen."

"Had to get workin' on a few other projects.... Lily was bein' kept real busy. Seems Xoxo had her workin' on a recreation overlook. I ended up with a task too... Had to set the stone worked rail along the edge." Walked to the stacked stones outside, takin' in the view..... the meteor'd been broken down while it was still warm. Now it was more like a bunch of small canyons. "The work wasn't that hard to do. Xoxo was out there watchin' the meteor for a couple days. I could see what was left of her tent. Its where I found her.... Settin' there holdin' what all was left of a semi melted piece of artificial brain. She was talkin' to her own self. Looked like she hadn't eaten in days... and she'd been cryin' by the look of her face and eyes." Moved a couple rocks into place and placed more mortar and sealant on em to hold em in place.

"I let her talk til she was ready to notice me..... She knew I was there though. She looked right at me and told me stuff that she'd never tell anyone on a good day. I s'pose she needed to tell someone her deepest darkest secrets..... Secrets I'd bury deep down so no one could read em.... Had good practice with that. She said, 'It started here, it ends here.'" Another layer of stones and more sealant and mortar. "Figured that Krenshar wasn't all artificial.... that he had some DNA. What Xoxo told me, confirmed it.... But she was his maker.... How she was in love with the man whose DNA was in Krenshar. A browncoat.... "

Lookin' 'round out over the precipice that'd be a Recreation area.... Or was it a memorial...... "How she was workin' for the 'laince, but not by choice. Mindo was involved in it all. The plan for her was to mate with Blue. How... was the question, til Mindo had to take some of Xoxo's DNA after she run off. Its how Lily come to be.....Its how Mindo made good on the experiment...... LilyBell Snoodle was in respect Xoxo for the experiment to work. Then there was Blue, the artificial Intelligence." Stoppin' for a mo, I took a long drink of water. It was warm out here. The ground was still warm from the meteor.... No radiation.... Just entry heat. Lily was below diggin' out a few places.

"Xoxo, told me a lot 'bout what happened... Her past.... what she did. Seems the 'liance brought in what all was left of the feller she loved. She did what she could to preserve what was left of him. Used what little was left and intergrated it with one of the AI 'bot brains. No one'd know what all she done. To save her Samual..... She said she killed what was left of him so the 'liance couldn't use him for more experiments. Seems they need live subjects...." Took a mo to check the levelness of the stone wall. Was lookin' good so far....

"Krenshar was in some respect Samual. The replicant and what little was left of the man. The stuff she told me was a might profound. Lily carried Xoxo's DNA, Krenshar, Samual's. They contributed to AuroraBlue's birth, includin' Seana and a couple other's.... That and a part of my soul. Without Mindo and Blue the experiment might be lost on the 'liance. Only he knew the details.... Doubt he'd shared his info with anyone. Xoxo said a lot of stuff... Somehow I figured... But it still left me shocked 'bout what all she was tellin' me.... from her past. How she killed Mindo too....." Made my head ache. She had to've done it with her mind.... Like how Kitten could contact me from far off..... "Seems she needed to tell someone everythin'. Sort of to clear her soul.... Maybe to set the whole thing strait. Maybe cause its somethin' to do with family...."

"Lily come up to me and said not to believe much of what Xoxo said. Lily don't know what all Xoxo told me. Stuff I got hid below all my own pain and stuff that happened with me. Lily asked a couple questions the other day, 'bout my trip to Paquin. She wanted to know what all AuroraBlue was doin'." Looks like a lot's goin' on... And I got to figure out the puzzle again... That and the stone wall.... With more placin' and mortarin'.

"With all the stuff goin' on... all the greivin' and folks needin' consolin'. Decided to go do my own goodbyes..... The flight to Blackburne was full of old memories and nightmares. On the ground, it was a matter of closin' my eyes and 'seein' the past sweep past me. There was a lot of ruins.... House was more burned out mess then anythin'.... But the small storage cellar there was still intact. Took a few hours to dig down to the hatch. Once in there, I pulled everythin' out. Spent some time goin' through the boxes....." Lily was movin' 'round down below. Looks like she uncovered some dead lookin' trees..... Like bones of the past....."Once I got that and the seed cryo boxes loaded on Monster, I went and welded a cross together then set it by what was left of the house."

The stone wall was lookin' good. Needed more stones to place though. "One thin' I did do was leave a clippin' of my hair in a small pouch there. Left a piece of myself with my family. The feathers strung on a strip of leather with beads were so the eagle messenger'd let God know who was here... Lived and died here.... The ride back was more'n a little quiet. Relivin' old memories. Then there was the 'liance officer.... Major Siamendes.... She come right into the AT&S office. Only reason I didn't toss her out on her head was my word to Seana, and the fact she was a good friend to Brooke. She wanted help in findin' some kids what been taken from Paquin. She thought she could get me to help by sayin' what all I was doin' was lowly. I said it was better'n been a lab rat.... She had nothin' to say on that... Figures..... I made a sort of deal with her. I help her with findin' the kids if she finds out what all happened to Kitten... And I don't get put in a facility IF i got to go to jail...."

"So now I put my own self into a tight spot..... Not what I wanted, but if it gets me somethin' on Kitten.... Just got to wait and see.... Just need to know she's not bein' used for any 'laince gorram experiments...."

Love and Money

"Not sure where all to begin.... Gorram Xoxo and her cheap skatin'. We do a job for her. Ok, so yeah, I couldn't find the gorram warehouse. No Blue Sun sign on it. Just a blue hands symbol.... I think she put it up this mornin'. Another thing to cheat us out of money." Slammin' my fist on the counter didn't help how I was feelin' 'cept maybe ease up some of my anger. "I told her to at least pay my crew. They worked hard. I didn't need her money Didn't go for the money. Instead, she up and tells me to use my own cash. I was tempted to just load it all back up and return it here to Hale's. Let her find another crew to transport her trash. Even called her a cheap skate to her face. Didn't get shot for sayin' it either."

AuroraBlue at Al Raqis. Not sure what she's searchin' for...

"Ok, so I had my own motives for headin' to Paquin's Spinwheel. She was there. Lily even said she was. Said somethin' like she was there to learn from the Companions. Aiya! I didn't want her to go join up with em. Not AuroraBlue..... As it was just seein' her had me spun 'bout. To go off and be somethin' she wasn't meant for.... " Frownin', I reached for the datapad again and thumbed through the manifest pics for the ones I really wanted to see. "She was becomin' a beautiful young woman. Lately seein' her, had me just starin'. Hehe, sort of embarrassin' to be gawkin' like that when I saw her all filled out the first time. But then she left Hale's Moon and headed for Al Raqis, Baumonde, And a couple other places. I know..... I got the pics to show of her journey."

One picture faded slowly into the next one as my hand rested on the datapad. She was grown, or near grown up now..."Not sure why she went off. Maybe to find knowledge, or her own self in all the confusion." Blue sent these pics to me. Lettin' me know she was ok. Of all the stuff goin' on Blue was there in my corner. "She hadn't had much time as a little one to understand it all. Lily couldn't give her the info she really needed. but Lily did give her the peace from outside sources when it was crucial. One thing she did say of AuroraBlue this last time she was here. Somethin' wasn't right. I noticed it too. AuroraBlue was real pale. I could see it. She was smokin'.... Just like I was at her age.. or mindset..... Maybe she was rebellin'... Who knows......"

Couldn't keep lookin' at the pictures of her... I'd end up goin' back there again for the third time on a little over a week. "Xoxo offered me a job to transport the cargo to Paquin and like a gorram fool I jumped at it. I didn't care. It gave me a legit reason for bein' there. I had to know she was all right. Didn't doubt she felt what happened here... Feeling the possible loss of Krenshar..... Some say he was there when it hurtled down from the atmo. Didn't want to leave with the rest. But then there's that small reserve for self preservation..... Yeah, Most likely he was ended, but there is the small chance he made it into the catacombs far below." It didn't help when I said as much to Tillery, Lily, and the new feller... Put my gorram big feet into it."

It struck the whole of Destiny, levelin' it in one night...

"When We got to Spinwheel and off loaded We decided to grab a drink The three of us joked over the money in the bar when Dav offered to cover." Guess the joke was on me. Xoxo needs a dose of kindness to the folks who do jobs for her. "Later Rita and I got to talkin' 'bout stuff. her on her family business.... Bank robbin'... And her wantin' to roll a bank sometime soon. With my strange luck it'd go all weird on us. When the others went off to sleep, I went for a walk along the beach near the landin' area. Needed to try and refocus. Talkin' to Rita 'bout what happened to my family reopened a few old wounds I thought I had control over. Sleep was out for now. Couldn't with AuroraBlue so close... Didn't want her to see those things in my brainpan. Her connection with me went deeper then most folks think. Memories from a past that was both old and new.... Was in AuroraBlue's brainpan.... All jumbled, and I could see it in my own head..." picking up the duffle I'd taken out of the Monster, I removed a seashell. A real special one.

Turnin' it over, I put it to my ear and listened to the quiet sounds in it.... "AuroraBlue was near. I caught her scent real strong. She come up and sat with me for a while as I talked. Told her I wasn't spyin' on her. Had a good reason for bein' there. Said it was a Blue Sun cargo transport. All legal. She sat and listened. There was a mo when I was tryin' to figure how I'd talk to her 'bout smokin'. Said it was cause Lily and Xoxo asked me to stop my smokin' and drinkin'. They knew I needed to when AuroraBlue was born. Not sure if it got through or not to her. Was hopin' it did. She don't need to be behavin' like I was." Set the seashell down gently on the counter, with my hand restin' on it instead of the datapad.

"She gave me this shell. Didn't need words to tell me what she meant with it. She touched a finger to her heart, then to the shell restin' in my hand. When she did that she put her hand on mine to say she was givin' it to me. Its not the shell itself what was important, but the meanin' behind it. She was givin' me her heart." Sighin', I rubbed my face. Hadn't slept much on the trip back.

"AuroraBlue let me know in her own way how much pain she was in over the Meteor hit too. First she stood tall like Krenshar, then she lay there in the sand all curled up, cryin' and suckin' her thumb. All I could do was scoop her up and hold her through the sobbin'. Did what I could to comfort her. Was like she was all little again and needed someone to be there for her. Can't say I wasn't effected by that. I was hurtin' too.... for her and the loss. When she got to feelin' better, I let her up so she could walk a few feet away. She needed to do one more thing. The one sound she did make was familiar..... She howled. Not sure why, and didn't care, I joined in with my own. Sort of a goodbye in a way....."

AuroraBlue preppin' for her walkabout.....

"Can't say why, but bein' there for her was maybe somethin' we both needed at that time. Both needed to share the hurt and the comfort. Not alone...." My mind was startin' to spin back to the here and now. "Then when I get back ro Hale's there's Xoxo waitin' for me. She was none to happy. Refused to pay us and treated me like a dummy. Well at least I know she don't really hate me. If she did, I think I woulda been headed for the clinic with a hole in me. So I let the crew go back to their places, paid, and I went back to Spinwheel to do damage control. Someone broke into her offices and trashed the place. Tossed boxes out into the street, and stuff everywhere inside. Spent a good couple hours cleanin' up the stuff, gettin' it moved to the warehouse, and repairin' her desk. She best be grateful to that."

All said and done. Was able to give my crew some cash to survive on a little while. Fixed my own mistake and took care of somethin' for someone who aught not deserve it. And got to see AuroraBlue again. Went to see someone I love. Didn't go for the money.

Strange Happenin's

The wind blowin' 'cross town died down some while I moved the planter pots up to the small green house. Seems the Shepard wanted to grow some plants up by the church. I could see Lily workin' inside puttin' pottin' soil into the tiered plantin' areas. "Things been sorta unreal for the last couple of weeks. Seeems we been gettin' a few folks come in to do repairs on their ships. Others comin' to find work. Then there was that merc group what come in. They were lookin' for certain folk to 'take out'. What was so unreal 'bout it was, they said Brooke'd hired em to do the work. Didn't sound like what she'd do. Detla, the feller Brooke and I talked to that one time a while ago, Was headin' the ops." I let Lily know the pots were just outside and went to get the fertilizer sacks.

"he and I talked a bit on it. But somethin' just didn't sound right. he had this list of names on it. Hell, Nack was on that list. Delta said they were all 'laince and needed to be taken down." Had to chuckle to myself at how gorram stupid it was back then. "After he and his team went back to their 'hole in the ground' I decided to warm the mayor. Felt Seana aughta know 'bout who was steppin' heavy here. She agreed with me on the strange part. She said to let Brooke know she best call of her mercs. It wasn't hard to convince her Brooke wasn't involved. Hell. I was workin' for Brooke. If anythin' I'd be in on the whole thing. The Mayor wanted to get answers and went to find Delta and his gang. While she did that, I waved Brooke." I pulled two sacks off the mule and walked em up the incline to the little round greenhouse.

Settin' em down, I asked Lily if she needed more sacks. She nodded, sayin' 'It need two more sacks.'
"Brooke got back to me pretty quick. She was pretty worked up over the whole merc thing. She never hired em. In fact they were just usin' her name to do their own dirty work. Soon as I got the news I showed Seana the response. You know? I ain't seen the Mayor get that sorta glint in her eye in a long time. She found Delta and gave him the rundown of what all and what wasn't goin' down on Hale's Moon. Wasn't long b'fore they pulled stakes and left." Noddin', I went back to the mule for two more of the fertilizer sacks. Yeah thins were sorta strange of late.... more'n a lot of folks knew.

Grabbed two more sacks and went back up the incline, "Then there was AuroraBlue. She'd come back and was down in the mines. She stayed hid. Not sure why at first til I saw the scrawled note in chalk on the wall. She made sure I'd see it with a big drawin' of a flower. The note said, 'Please- books, paper and pens, big clothes. Love AuroraBlue'. Found the chalk and wrote a simple note back. 'Will do. Love Cody.' Took me all day to find some basic books. The paper and such was easier. Plenty int he office she could have. There were colored pencils and pens at the general store I bought. The clothes, I had to ask Lily and Seana for. No sense in lettin' a lot of folks know she was here." Two more sacks. Lily came out and purred at em. She looked at me how she always does and sort of purgled.... She asked me to grab a couple of tools at move the soil round while she mixed the fertilizer.

"That'd be the first of a bunch of books and such to the mines. I'd set the box of stuff down there by the scrawled note and move back. I'd listen to the sounds from below and knew when she come up. Strange how I just knew she was right there. I knew her footsteps, her scent. She knew I was there and wrote a note on a piece of paper for me. Pretty much it read, when she was done with the books she'd put em back in the box and could I swap em out for new ones. It what I been doin' for weeks. Spent a lot of time down there. Sometimes, I'd go down and just talk to her in the dark. She always kept herself hid. Somethin' I talked to Lily on. Then last week she asked if I'd seen her. AuroraBlue'd grown. Thing is she didn't want me to see her growin. Maybe she was scared I might not be happy with it... Or maybe she wanted to surprise me when she was grown." Grabbed up the shovel and waited for Lily to dump the stuff onto the soil. She did and I moved and turned the ground.

"Somethin' else strange happened..... Crop circles.... Not like in a field or nothin'.... but some weird circle design on the landing tarmac. Radioactive and smelled of chemicals. Not sure who did it, but there were pics and the real deal layin' there for folks to see. But no one believes in little green men from the black. No one ever saw any. Not even when the original folks come out here to the verse. G was investgatin' it. Then one day it burned and left a melted negative in the rock. Still don't know how or who put it there." Stopped for a mo to wipe the sweat off my forehead. Lily looked at the shovel waitin' for me to get back to work. Soon as the shovel moved she was back to dumpin' more fertilizer.

"Another strange thing...... We had corn growin' out near the edge of town. The ground was the same.... But for corn to grow? Stranger still. You could see the green shoots. But who planted em? And how were they growin' in Hale's dry clay ground. Who knows.. maybe we'll end up with a cold spell and snow... Whoa.. Better not think that... We got enough weird go'se goin' on. Oh and the big foot sightin'. Folks playin' 'round in a fur suit." Started chucklin' to myself. Lily looked up at me wonderin' what all I was laughin' at. I told her 'bout the big foot stuff. She asked a couple of funny questions. You know when she asks em, it makes the whole sightin' sound hilarious."

We got back to work with gettin' the ground ready for whatever the Shepard was goin' to plant. "A couple day back AuroraBlue finally came out of the mine. She was a might pale from stayin' down there so long. But she was taller, filled out some.... and as pretty as could be. I think I was just standin' there gawpin' as she showed me her new knives. She made em herself. That much I could see. but she did a good job at honin' em. Then she stepped real close.... I just looked into her eyes and stood real still. Didn't want to lose the moment. It felt like an electric current b'tween us. Gravity stabilized again, then she jogged off. I wasn't goin' to chase her. Not my place to be tellin' her to stay put. She wanted to explore." Lily was starin' at me again, then she tapped the shovel with a claw to get my attention. Sort of embarrassin'.... Mind wanderin' off like that.

"Bram's been busy with a little somethin'. Been workin' on a bar. Guess he's not goin' to pilot much anymore. Seems the place is down on a lower level of Fooks basement. Not sure a bar like that'll get good visitors... More like the folks what like the shadows. Some feller showed up claimin' to be business man. Shadey sort by how he moves and acts in my own opinion. And then theres been the number of off duty soldiers comin' down now. Gorram 'laince lookin' down their noses at us. Had to hold my temper when one of em went off on their self righteous unity go'se. Just another thing to talk to Seana on. No folks aughta get that thrown at em. A good number of folk here got good schoolin' and are hard workin' people. Gorram soldiers with silver spoons givin' us go'se for it. Was all I could do to keep from sluggin' this feller... or shootin' him.

Lily and I were pretty much done with the soil. She needed to get the water feeds hooked up and the greenhouse'd be ready for use. My work was to get the rest of the little courtyard cleaned up. "Just the other day, AuroraBlue took a shuttle and reprogrammed it. She was hijackin' it.... Lily said somethin' 'bout Krenshar.... AuroraBlue was goin' back to Krenshar. Not sure what she's goin' to do there, but it must be imortant. She didn't say goodbye, didn't wave. She'd be back. When? Not sure. When she does, I'll be waitin'. it's a gravity thing. Nothin' strange 'bout that.

Keepin' Busy

"Seems things can change as fast as the wind. Been everythin' from buildin's bein' built while others been torn down for new apartments." Grabbed up a bale of hay to feed the horses and cattle at the rodeo site. Someone's gotta do it. "Lot happened after we left that rim world. Had to head back... at least to somewhere where we could get a signal." cuttin' the twine holdin' the hay bale together, I took good handfuls for the hay nets. "It was time we left back to familiar territory." The horses greeted me then went to eat after I filled their nets with fresh hay. "Made contact with a friend to pick us up and take us to AL Raqis. Not the first choice of places to head to, but no real 'liance 'round in those parts. When we got there, the captain locked us in the ship for the night. Seems AuroraBlue woke up b'fore I did and got outside somehow." Had to go fetch another bale for the other horses.

"She was out wanderin' the edge of the dunes watchin' the giant worms out on the sand when I found her. Jai happened to be there and offered us a place to stay at the Zenobian embassy. Didn't take us long to rest up after a long hot day. She was startin' to burn a little fromt he sun, so I told it might be better to stay inside durin' the day and move around by night. AuroraBlue was sleepin' a lot. Coulda been the heat or her growth spurt." Had to to get the other animals fed. It's been all I could do to keep my own self busy. "After a couple of days I had to go find us some food. Most of the stuff on AL Raqis has spice in it. I knew I couldn't eat it, and I wasn't sure it was a good idea for her to either. So I spent most of a day to find some offworld food and barther for it." Took a bale of hay to the bull pens. Cut the twine and shook it out for em.

"Then while I was out there looking for more food, I got a call from the captain friend. She told me AuroraBlue came ot her and sort of asked to be flown to see Krenshar. I was about half crazed after Krenshar threatened to kill her. Had the captain rush me back to Hale's Moon. I didn't care who saw me runnin' 'round. I needed to know she was ok. When I got there Lily met up with me. She stopped me.... She never did tell me why. Just said I couldn't go get her. Not to go near her. Whether for her safety or not I didn't know. My world was wobblin'... And my friend was tellin' me stay away." Punched the fencin', crackin' the wood with my fist. Hardly felt the pain. "What she was doin' to me by sayin' that. Like askin' me to cut my own heart out. But if it kept AuroraBlue safe, I stay away."

"Made my own self busy buildin' pens and the stands while the rodeo got ready to open. Was all I could do. Work... work hard so I could fall asleep and not dream. Did what I could durin' the event too. Didn't help overmuch to ease the pain I was in."No one'd know how much I was hurtin' inside. Ain't been sleepin'. Had to resort to meds to help me sleep. Doc don't know I been raidin' her lockers for stuff... At least for now." Grabbed two more bales for the horses in the pens. "Then there's the mercs that come to Hale's Moon. Delta and hus crew. When Bram and I talked to him, he said Brooke sent him our way. Said he was being paid to look for hard line 'liance folks. Showed us the list. Now why was Nack Barnes's name on it I have no idea. Now I know Brooke. She'd never go hire mercs. I even contacted her for a confirm. Sure enough, she was gorram upset they used her name to do anythin'. She wanted nothin' to do with Delta or his crew. So I passed hte info on to Seana so she knew what all was goin' on and that Brooke wasn't involved with em."

Picked up the bales and took em to the far end of the pens. Cutting the twine and grabbin' handfuls, I loaded the feed bins with hay. "At least you all like seein' me 'round. "Pattin' em as I went along. "When the rodeo finally got under way, we had a bunch of folk come to have fun. Tried to get involved, but somehow it just didn't make me happy. Then that night.... AororaBlue won the Princess of the rodeo contest. Krenshar didn't bring her. Figures. I was there. Then he made some insane claim on Lily. She didn't b'long to anyone." Slammed my other fist into one of the metal pen supports. Didn't care if I broke somethin' at that point. "I knew she could feel what I was feelin', even the pain. Maybe she'd know I was still alive and thinkin' of her."

"Decided to build another ship. I know Seana's tryin' to get me my ship back, but til then I need somethin' to keep me busy. I thought 'bout it when I met up with Haley. A small bundle of energy all wrapped up in a beagle's body. For a short time, I had a little fun playin' withHaley while Seana caught a shuttle on down to the surface. When she got there, we talked for a bit. She's been as close as anyone can get to a parent since Duncan. Not sure I can talk to her on my feelin's right now. I know I can't with Lily now. She's too busy with other stuff. Buildin' and all for Xoxo. Speakin' of... She showed up and got on me again. She's startin' to treat me like she does Lily. Don't know if I can think of it as a compliment or not. Gorram woman."

Drivin' the mule back to the hangaafter feedin' the animals didn't do a thing for my mood. "She likes makin' nice then chews you out. Never know when she goes ballistic. But she was focused on Davion this time. Made sure to warn him 'bout her." Headed for the mines. Been a place I could go to get some quiet. I moved down deeper into the darkness where I didn't need to wear shades. "What if I climbed down deep. Farther down then I ever been. Sort of like the black but with gravity." The florescent lichens looked like stars glowin' in the black. "Maybe I'd just slip awaydown here. Was she lonely like me? Missin' me as much as I was her? Aiya, it was hard not to after gettin' a pic of her from somewhere. Found it near my bedroll in the eagle's nest. Was a pic of her sleepin' on a fur in a little indian costume. Not sure who sent it...." Needed to climb further down. Not wantin' to slip and fall. "Dark, queit, and cool... I shut down my radio. No one on the surface needed me right now. Anyone wants me, they can climb on down and find me."

Don't care over much now. "Down here I can escape the verse and all its noise and light. Nothin' but my thoughts, memories , and feelin's to keep me company down here. The gravity that holds me in place... No one else can understand, 'cept one... Far away in the verse."

Capture, Escape, and Hide

"She was growin' again. Now she wass losin' her teeth. She keeps up and she'll have a few days of eatin' soft food." It did look a might strange, her front teeth were gone. "But I can see where she's got teeth startin' to come in where the others come out. That and she grew again. I had to work to pay for the clothes we borrowed, but she needed em bad. That's ok by me. Workin' in a garage was nothin' new to make some money. But the old combustion engines I was seein' were gorram sad. The whole planet was lost in the past as far as I could see. Tryin' to hide here was like over a year ago. Work and lay low. Same as b'fore."

"Seems things got a little out of hand well over a week ago. Was stayin' at the tower while I waited for Seana to bring Anna back. When I heard they were back, I headed for Seana's office. She said my little one was awake.... And in town." Got me worried someone might spot her out there. "I grabbed a shuttle and landed it. She was there waitin'. And all the time that gorram sensation was settin' in my head. It wasn't goin' away. She didn't say anythin'. Didn't matter to me, She was awake and smilin' at me. I took her to get somethin' to eat at Fooks.... but I don't r'member much of it. Like my head was somewhere else..... And Kitten. I could hear her... Like she was everywhere... Not sure. I know AuroraBlue heard it too. Kitten was sayin' she loved us.... and then she said goodbye.... It was like my head suddenly exploded. Like she pulled a plug." I wiped my hands on the work rag from my back pocket. Then leaned further over the engine to see why the rotor wasn't sparkin' the plugs.

"I woke up in Krenshar's lab. Figures. I bet he did somethin' to me while I was down. At least AuroraBlue stayed with me. She was the first thing I saw when I woke up. Her eyes were shinin' bright worryin' over me. But she was wantin' me up and out of there fast. My head was feelin' all empty and clouded. And I could smell blood... Had nose bleeds b'fore." But I knew this wasn't from a headache.... It was Kitten's force of her tryin' to tell me goodbye that did it. "We got to the tower where I could lay down for a few hours. Barely r'member settin' on the couch when I feel asleep. Woke up a couple hours later and she was asleep, curled up over on Lily's bed. I got up and washed my face and changed into some clothes Lily'd found and left for me, so I changed quick and went outside. I needed some air. Spent most of the rest of the day just watchin' the eagles flyin' on the thermals." Checked each of the spark plug wires. Nothin' looked loose or freyed.

"Seems I remember a day somethin' like that b'fore when Lily was takin' care of me while I was healin'. She'd opened the tower windows so I could see outside. There was an eagle flyin' up there. R'minded me of an old story my Pa used to tell. it was that the eagle was the messenger of the Great Spirit. It carried the words and prayers of the people to the the Great Spirit. Each day the eagle'd come down to listen and each night it would fly up and speak the words and prayers of the people. Yeah.. there was more to the story, but don't feel much like tellin' it." Nothin' wrong with the connectors, so I started removing the plugs to check the gaps and see if any needed to be replaced. " While AuroraBlue slept I sent my own prayer on with the eagles that day. It gave me time to grieve. No one needed to see me and I wanted a little time alone to do it."

"She was gone. No more whispers." Someone got hold of her... That much I figured out...."She was scared when she 'talked' to us. That much AuroraBlue and I could feel. Then she was gone. AuroraBlue woke up and found me settin' outside leanin' against the wall. She sat next to me then hugged me tight. Tears in her eyes too. We sat there for a while not needin' to say anythin'. She touched my face, looked at me, then pointed into the sky. I nodded to her knowin' we'd need to leave. Needin' to hide." Lily'd told me to be ready to go soon. Not sure when we'd have to though. "That next day AuroraBlue went to visit with Seana while I packed stuff. Thats when I saw a ship come in. Wasn't sure but it looked like Pod's ship. Hadn't seen him in a long while, so I went to check if it was him." Big mistake. I was a gorram idiot. "Didn't spot the pilot so I went to ask someone at Fooks. Thats when I caught a whiff of someone I vaguely remembered.... The Marshall from Evestown."

"No fightin', Xoxo said. She wanted me not to fight when they come for me. I didn't, but I didn't say I wasn't goin' to run. Moved fast and tried to keep the Marshall from gettin' too close. But he learned fast. Even yelled that I was bound by law. Wasn't goin' to give in. Not yet. I dove and ducked behind a post. I wasn't carryin' and here he was shootin' at me. Grazed my side. But thats not what stopped me cold. I didn't want AuroraBlue to feel my pain if I got shot bad. I let the gorram Marshall take me in." Yep a few plugs needed replacin'. Went to the cabinet where the plugs were and checked em against the old numbers. "He flew me back to Persephony. Wanted to know why all I shot him in the first place. Did it matter to him? I was helpin' Immy. She'd been there for me a number of times. I owed her. Ended up bein' left in the local jail there."

Took the plugs out of the boxes and gapped em b'fore puttin' em into place. "Took some time to talk to the sheriff there. She told me why she didn't much like the 'laince.... Guh se, she had a bomb chip in her brainpan. She did a little first aid on me then talked 'bout maybe turnin' her back while I walked out.... When I get a chance, I'm goin' to talk Doc Danick into goin' to help her. The doc dug the chip outa my own brainpan. Maybe she could do the same for the sheriff." Had to watch screwin' the plugs back in. Gorram old style ceramic. "Then Lily came in and drugged the sheriff then we left there in a hurry. Once we got back to Hale's she had me hide in her ship.... Where she had some explosives. I could smell the chemicals strong in there." The plug wires went on pretty easy. "Bram got there to take me and AuroraBlue off Hale's and far away from the system. Thought he was gone. he thought I was dead. We didn't have a lot of time to get AuroraBlue from the orbital. As soon as I had her strapped in with our gear, Bram headed into the black."

"We landed late. Was pretty dark and quiet outside of town. Bram set the ship down well away from anywhere local. I could handle hikin' into town. We talked for a a short time then he had to go. Wouldn't be good for folks to come lookin' for the strange flyin' object here. Seems they get a might spooked over that sort of stuff. AuroraBlue was asleep so I carried her and the pack out to the beach I r'membered from over a year ago. Was quiet there. Set up a place then tucked her into the sleeping bag. It wasn't long b'fore I had a small fire lit and and a spot where I could stretch out my own self." Made a check of the oil. Was down a half liter... Pints... Aiya, had to get that right.....I shook my head tryin' to get it strait. "When mornin' broke we broke camp and wandered into the small community of native Ams. This place was a lot like Earth that was. Even down to places like old time reservations. Old books talked 'bout em. Pretty sad how folks had to live there. We were greeted like family. The old story teller, more like shaman r'membered me and invited us to stay with him and his family."

Wiped down the lip of the oil feed then tightened the cap. "Felt a little like home. They were havin' some troubles with indigents and some of the young fellers were dealin' with it. To be safe they told us to stay close to town or the homes on the desiganted reservation land. They were pretty taken with AuroraBlue too. One of the kids gave her a small dream catcher. Said it was special. She looked at it with a big smile then showed me. Was god to see her happy. She went and played with the kids while I sorted out work and clothin' for her. Then I was out there with the kids my own self." Yeah, I'm big kid my own self. Had to chuckle at that. "Felt good to just by my own self. Not havin' to watch my back. And bein' a friend for AuroraBlue. She was losin' teeth.... Had to get her new shoes for out here cause the ground was cold and wet. That and a few pairs of clothes. Lucky for me one of the lady folk offered to help buy stuff that fit better on AuroraBlue. Her old clothes were gettin' too tight and small."

"We heard word of some hikers gettin' killed by a bear, or a pack of wolves. Seems this planet's teemin' with wildlife." Better then reavers, I was thinkin'. Most times fire and loud sound's'll scare em off. "We went into town the other day. One of the fellers was visitin' a friend. Seems she was in what they call high school where we got to meet a few Kids there. One girl come up and was taken with AuroraBlue. Was sort of both ways. Not sure what all that meant, but so long as she was safe and happy, that's what mattered to me. They shared their food with us then AuroraBlue was tryin' to let me know she had a headache. She had a nose bleed too. Got me real worried. I took her back home and let her rest up. Then she tore through another pair of pants. Was lucky I had a bigger shirt on her. Found a bigger pair of pants for her to change into." The nose bleed had me wonderin' if it had to do with her abilities.

"She showed me a few pics she had. One of Krenshar and one of Lily. I had to choose one. Not sure what all it menat. I chose Lily as someone who'd be there for her in case somethin' did happen to me. Krenshar, I warned her away from. She went to the old computer cortex that was in the room. Brought up a pic of Lily and Kitten. Then they were gone. AuroraBlue wavin' at em. Not sure what all that meant. I hope I picked right. Lily was one of the closest things to family, like Kitten, and AuroraBlue." She wasn't even talkin' to me in my own head of late. Got me worried. But in her own time, maybe she'll say somethin'. Just got to wait for her to decide when.


"My little one knows what I'm thinkin'. Seems we got a connection. More then Kitten or Lally had with me. It's like we can see into each other's mind. See what all's there. Feel it too. Lily said somethin' 'bout it to me. If I got hurt bad AuroraBlue'd know it.... maybe feel it too. Same with her. I think why I didn't feel her when she fell was cause Kitten had my brainpan all messed up..... No walls now." And there was a lot there. "I seen what all AuroraBlue had in her head. A lot of the past. She, like Lily, knew what all went on in the past. She needed to be able to make sense of it and I'd do what I could to help. At least for now we could deal with it while we're in hidin' out here. Where it was more peaceful. Where she could grow at her own pace. I had to try to explain 'bout AuroraBlue's growin' to my friends. They accepte it quietly, vowing to keep our secret." One of the other mechanics turned the enigne over. It started up right off.

"Lot happened for only a short time. But these last couple day's been helpin' me and her have fun as kids. So yeah, I'm older, bigger and a lot stronger, but it felt good to laugh again. To forget the verse for a while. I could see the time we been spendin' rompin' 'round with the kids and havin' a good time was helpin' her a lot too. You could see her more relaxed. Not like she was back on Hale's Moon. Here she could just be a kid and play with other kids. Took her fishin' yesterday too. She had fun when she caught a salmon her own self. She wanted to hold it up and show it off to everyone when we got back to the house. I couldn't of been more proud of her." The other mechanic drove the old truck outside while I went and washed the grease off my hands. "Yep, we ate good that night. Tonight'll be good. Seems the community on the reservation's havin' a night of stories and a big old cookout. Here we don't have to hide. The 'verse's vast. A lot of places out there. Some the 'laince just let go and forgot over the years. Leavin' worlds and moons to develope or revert back on their own. Hidin', but not out in the black."

Gravity

"It's been one long night....Sittin' here on the floor in the clinic. Anna got hurt... Hurt bad." My heart was still hammerin' over seein' her all broken."Somehow things over the last few days been.... well, complicated..... Not sure if thats the right words for it. I went from bein' spun 'bout to caught in a gravity I can't escape. Like a planet settlin' into it's orbit for the first time." I signed thinkin' of it... Only a few days..."Lily was all excited 'bout her new dress... Weddin' dress. Even said she had one all picked out for Anna. She went to talk to the shepard 'bout doin' the ceremony, then told me 'bout that a few days ago.... but then things started to get gorram confusin'."

"Anna was growin' again. She'd gotten taller. Looked older too. Noticed how her hair got a little darker... and her eyes... They looked different too... Not blue... almost a golden brown.... Seems Lily'd done somethin'... She shut down... no, she severed all the feeds and conections to everythin'... and everyone. She even killed the feeds for the cortex here on the moon. Said it'd keep Anna safe. She was babblin' on 'bout stuff, but not stoppin' to explain what all she was sayin' or doin'."Reachin' over I took AuroraBlue's hand. Holdin' that little hand was like a lifeline for us both.... "That got me worked up when she said it was to keep Anna safe. Thats when I hightailed it to the mines. I knew then then my little one was not on Boros for sure, but down there."

"Deeper, I went. I could catch her scent.... Soft smellin' like a meadow full of flowers on a warm summer day.... It'd come up on the slight updrafts flowin' through the dark shafts. Didn't need much light to go by to follow it. And the sounds... like the whole moon was alive. She was down there. Took me near a whole day of climbin' to get to where all she was. She jumped out from a boulder tryin' to surprize me." Had to chuckle at her excitement and big smile, "I scooped her right up, like she was a feather in my arms. My little sunshine." We talked while I climbed back up. Sometimes lettin' her piggyback on me, sometimes climbin' with me. She told me it was a secret to be down there. That her and Lily played hide and sneak down there."

Lily..... What could I say..."She come up to me the other day wantin' me to talk to Anna 'bout stayin' out of the mines... It was all dangerous... And not for cave in's.... No... Somethin' lurked down there.... Bot's.. Warbots... And the motherbot... Lily ain't one to be tellin' tales on that stuff, so I said I'd talk to her. Of late it's been hard to say no to Anna. Who can? AuroraBlue. She decided she wanted me to call her AuroraBlue. I could still call her Anna when folks were 'round. She was right. Her name was AuroraBlue. She was growin' up. Went to talk to Seana and there was Lily... She was gettin' agitated when AuroraBlue showed up. Lily was harsh speakin' to her. Got me riled to see Lily actin' like that. I took over and started to tell her when Lily up and grabbed my lower leg... And dug her claws deep. Even hissed at me." Scratchin' my healin' wounds, I still couldn't figure what all she did it for. "Anna asked me to let her. As a compromise, I offered to go with her next time she went. Lily'd have none of it. She yelled at her and made her follow to Lily's small apartment. Said for me to stay out of it. It had me fumin'."

The echo of Lily sayin' her and Gallagher were very happy with Anna, echoed again in my head...."Lily was still thinkin' of Gallagher. My friend G..... Not 'bout her and me.... she got to talkin' to AuroraBlue.... but then my world shifted out of focus.... Somethin' had hold of me... my head was buzzin' like no tomorrow. I lost track of what all happened for maybe 'bout an hour or so. Took me a while to get back to town. It'd been happenin' of late. Like someone hangin; onto me. Wasn't all sure what it was... But it's got me bothered."

"Headed back to Fook's. Maybe Anna and Lily'd be back there. Seana was talkin' to Lily...But then I'd heard somethin' 'bout poison and hair needles... Lily had a few for emergencies. Was just happy my little one wasn't harmed. Don't know what all I woulda done if somethin' did." Thoughts of a sun goin' supernova and crushin' me sounded close...."Ended up on Fook's roof. The old Osprey was settin' there where someone had parked it. Could hear Lily and Owl talkin'. My ears can hear pretty good at distance. So it wasn't hard to hear when Lily and her got to talkin' of broken hearts."

Decided to lean back against the cool concrete of the clinic as I watched her breathin' steady. In rhythm with mine. Slow and steady. "Lily wasn't really wantin' to marry me. It was to hide her own broken heart... The one for Gallagher." I squeezed her little hand in my big one. "I knew I had to talk to Lily.... B'fore we both made a bad mistake. When Lily said she'd sent AuroraBLue to me later that day, I wasn't happy. She never made it to me. I decided to head to the mines. Lily could come or not.... Her choice. Nothin' like a good dose of mad and worry to spur you to move fast. Got deep down into the mines pretty quick... And there she was. My little one... grown a little more. She was taller. Her hair seemed a little darker then a few days earlier.... she wanted to show me her new mask..."Looked a lot like Lily. "Had to chuckle at that. It was cute. Then she wanted to show me her new dress for the weddin'..."

"She went into a side tunnel and changed.... While she did, she told me somethin' that got me real riled up. Lily took her to an adoption agency. To give her away. That was somethin' she had no real right to do. She'd have had to talk with me and Seana on that first. I told AuroraBlue, no way was I givin' her up. It hurt to even think of my AuroraBlue taken away. Lily'd gone too far this time. That was 'bout when she came out of the tunnel in her dress. She was growin' into a beautiful young lady. For the first time I was taken aback... Like puzzle peices... scattered fallin' into place. I told AuroraBlue... no, promised her, I'd never leave her. My proof of what I meant was all made up into one bracelet. Silver and gold. What all I had left of my stash went into makin' it. Put my name on it too.... Wasn't sure why I made it at first... maybe to keep my own self busy while I figured what all to say to Lily. But at that moment I knew I'd made it for her.. for AuroraBlue."

"She looked at it and put it right on. When she said she was Aurora Winterwolf, there was nothin' else. What all could I say. Bein' blind and seein' the sun for the first time. Gravity shifted. My world fell into orbit. there was nothin' else. The Sun shone beyond time itself. Her eyes were not the eyes of a child." I rubbed my eyes with my free hand knowin' it all sounded too far fetched. "Now gravity was goin' to change my life forever. It wasn't Lily. She was the hydrogen, the spark that set the Sun to burnin' so powerful. In turn it created the gravity that caught me. Stopped my spinnin' 'bout."I shook my head thinkin' of how it all sounded. "Now b'fore you go to judgin' this, you best listen careful! AuroraBlue was a baby not all that far back. She grew fast. Not like a regular baby. She could talk well b'fore most youngin's can walk. She could read through a manual as fast as me. Her growin' is part of who she is.. and will be. I watched as she grew a foot in a day. Felt her pain when she screamed as her bones stretched."

"AuroraBlue'll be a teen b'fore long. Then a grown woman in as much time. She's been workin' out information as fast as she can b'fore then. She knows she'll be older soon. It's what she's meant to be. Nothin' any of us can to do stop that growth> For now I'd be her friend and guardian. Whatever she needed me to be." I looked back up at her, prayin' she'd wake up soon. Needin' for her to. "Seein' her so still....."I swiped at the tear. "I said I'd stay with her. I meant it. What got us in this spot tonight? Like I was sayin' earlier.... I needed to talk to Lily.. to stop somethin' we'd both end up regrettin' in the end. Lily showed up in her white gown... She looked nice. But it still wasn't what I was seein' at that point. I wanted some answers.. Some truth. I'd always been honest with her. Told her stuff.... Here she was, plannin' on takin' AuroraBlue away. I wanted to hear her explain. I knew Anna was up on the roof... But not on that gorram old ship... Lily was out the door to go get her. Next thing I know She's askin' me to hurry out to help her. My whole world spun out of orbit.. wobbled in its gravity... There was AuroraBLue layin' on the ground all broken and bleedin'.. She'd fallen off the ship and landed on the ground next to Fook's. Three stories up."

I could see no changes in her as she lay there. "I picked her up like she was a fractured glass egg. Lily ran to call for help while I moved slowly with my little one. B'fore long Sentry, Yanto, and Venice showed up. They worked on her best they could... When Sentry told me how bad she was hurt.... It felt like that nova was goin' to crush the life out of me... and send me spinnin' out of control. Broken bones, damaged vertebrae, ruptured organs. Yanto used somethin' to stop the bleedin' inside. Two things mixed to help... Then she started to heal. her body was respondin'.. my world started to spin back into orbit again. Sentry scanned her again while Yanto and Venice checked vitals and wrapped her injuries. All I could do was stand back and watch. Tillery showed up offerein' any help he could too.

"Later, Lily finally decided to come and check on AuroraBlue. She was quiet and distant when she saw me. She didn't ask much... just how the cub was.... then she said some stuff. Stuff 'bout how wakin' and sleepin' you saw only that one person. Like knowin' their scent. Workin' together like night and day. all the while she was pullin' off the weddin' dress and tossin' it to the ground. Like she was sheddin' her old self for somethin new." Lily had it right. "I knew AuroraBlue imprinted on me when she was a baby. It was somethin' that no one of us had control over. It happened. But I knew she was a part of me. She was whole cause a part of my soul was livin' in her. Blue knew it. When I went into that big reactor all that long ago to get Lily... I aughta have died that day. But it was Blue who protected me. Needed me to do the right thing. I was willin' to die to save Lily. That small part of me was saved to finish the puzzle that was AuroraBlue. Lily didn't know at the time. She found out later I think. Cause then she told me."

"Gravity does some strange things. Alters tides, changes seasons, keeps the atmo around the world. The sun warms it, helps it to grow and bring new life. Keeps it stable. Holds everythin' together in the verse." And that verse just got a lot brighter.

Whispers

"It's been a while since I had a chance to not have to hide myself. Yeah..... Gallagher's Idea. Ever since the gorram 'laince showed up and took my ship I been stranded. Then a couple of bounty hunters showed up.... Never heard em or saw em. I was tryin' to get a bead on where I could find a new hidin' spot." I sighed. That wasn't it.... "I had my guard down. But somethin' was botherin' me. Somethin' in the back of my head. Like.... I don't rightly know..... like whispers. Faint." Shakin' my head, I decided to move further down into the mine. I know she was there..... I could sometimes catch a faint scent on the updrafts.

"I was workin' on out runnin' em. Had to get away. Instinct? When your hunted you run or fight. Somethin'...... had me runnin' instead of squarin' off with em. So I did. One of had some sort of power armor on.... I could hear the whirrin' of the gears as it cought up to me. Then somethin' hard slammed into the back of my head..... Then nothin'...." Yeah, I got hit... but what the gorram hell was it? What had me runnin' instead of fightin'? I wasn't scared of a fight. Never was." Next thing I know, I got cuffs on and Gallagher talkin' to em. One of em threw a warrent at him and told him to back off. For once, G was at a loss. He read it and said he was sorry to me. I knew it wasn't his fault."

Yeah I was makin' a big humpin' mess of it, "I ended up in one of the cells. Wanted to get my hands on at least one. Flexxed my arms and saw the links warp. Flexxed again and they warped more. Thats when one of em decided to weld the cell door closed on me. Got me riled. Then they left, grinnin' over their catch..... But not b'fore one said somethin' 'bout the 'bot who set the bounty..... The only 'bot on Hale's Moon....... Krenshar." That got me. Krenshar and I had a mutual if grudgin' respect. Cause we both loved Lily." Lookin' 'round carefully, I headed for the mines again.... I was feelin' the need to go further into the mines.... to see if she was there or really on Boros.

"Lily Broke me out later that night. Blew the door off it's hinges while folks were at Firefly's. No one heard the explosion. She hid me in Bramm's place. He wasn't 'round.... He'd been gone a while. I didn't want Gallagher involved. He was a friend and I didn't want to ruin his connections and standin' with the 'liance. But he offered what help he could. Then G came up with a plan to hide me in plain sight...... Right... I stuck out like a sore thumb... Waitin' to be cut off while I hid at the Hemlock."

"First was the change of clothes..... I felt like all strange wearin' a suit..... Never liked em much. Then He told me to let my hair grow out....That and grow a goatee. He handed me glasses and a watch to add to the whole mess. I spent a few more days while workin' on tryin' to sound..... more like I was from the core. G gave me some wave feeds to practice with. Yeah.... me passin' off as a businessman... workin' for Dharma.... And sellin' ship parts. One good thing.... The 'laince didn't go into the Applecado containers that had the stuff I salvaged a while ago... Had some good stuff in em ready for sale or use for my cover. G introed me a few days back. I wasn't likin' bein' so exposed and no weapons." That was goin' to change.... I needed to get a gun or somethin'... A knife even..."Later, met up with Lily... she knew who all I was.... Even with the cologne G had me put on. I couldn't stand the stink."

"Her and I danced for a bit. Was good to be with her again. Just the two of us. Dancin'. Didn't take long b'fore someone showed up and Lily in her way tried to hide who I was. Lily had to go work that night. Finishin' the Companion house. I ended up in Firefly's bar. And there was Xoxo...." She was the one person I didn't want to see. "I kept goin' over work lists in my head when she started talkin' to me. She didn't look as well as she used to. She was lookin' tired... Worn.... We sat for a short time and talked... Shop. What else could I do.. I had to keep the work lists in my head. I knew her.. knew her abilities."

"She went for my hand, so I thought of those lists. Looked like it sort of frustrated her. She gave me her card sayin' she'd like to see me again.... Not likely to happen... Don't want to be alone with her... She'd blow my cover in a heartbeat. Too much goin' on..... I left, tuckin' her card into the borrowed jacket. I had to leave... But where's there to run, when the 'liance is in orbit and no ship to esacpe with.... Then theres Anna. I know she was in those mines. Hid way down on the lower levels...." Yeah, I was missin' my little one. She was my bright spot in all the chaos.

"Thinkin' 'bout her playin' with me and dogs down in Hemlock helped some. Then suddenly she had a growin' spurt. A bad one. Lily suggested the river up at the companion's Hotel. I climbed into the stream and held onto her so she'd be safe. It 'bout killed me to see her hurtin' so bad. It was sort of strange how when I went to touch her little face Lily was thinkin' the same thing.... Was doin' the same thing. But then Lily had to leave. Lily said there was clothes up in the office Anna could wear. Then things really changed... She had a huge growth spurt.... She grew again... Sudden like. I knew it'd happen, but not so gorram fast. Now she was bigger and screamin' at me not to look at her... I think I was more embarrassed then she was. I grabbed a towel and handed it to her behind my back. My little one wasn't so little now....."

"We made a visit to Krenshar at her request. I wasn't sure it was a good idea, but took her. The meetin' wasn't so good." rubbing my neck didn't help to ease the tension, "He wanted some of her DNA. Didn't care 'bout her. Here was the truth of it. She was whole. Fixed, by his terms. But he didn't see it. Didn't see AuroraBlue. He saw nothin' but a DNA supply....", I growled rememberin' the whole scene as it replayed in my head. "Jai was there, so was G. Krenshar didn't realize that AuroraBlue was whole. Real. Perfect. She was complete. His intent was to make a new Aurora.... But I knew he'd be makin' a big mistake.... Without a soul, AuroraBlue couldn't exist.... She'd die. Just like b'fore.... Relivin' the whole ugly mess. When Xoxo told me to find Lily that one day.... in the big reactor. And Blue saying he would never hurt me....Its when I realized my part in it..... A small part of me for a part of AuroraBlue. The last piece in the puzzle to fix her. Somethin' I don't regret. Maybe why she imprinted on me. Cause she had part of me in her."

Sighin' and movin' down further, I stopped to grab a breather. Didn't need much in the way of light, just a small set of chem sticks. "Then there's been the nightmares all over again...... Somethin'.... Not sure what all it was.... But the whispers.... Thats the only word I could put to em... Not sure why... I ain't a reader. But somethin'd been botherin' me of late.... Like somethin' bad's goin' to happen...," Deeper... Had to go deeper. "There it was again... I could hear it... All in my head. One of my nightmares.... Kitten, settin' in a chair. Her eyes wide open... screamin' but nothin' comin' out.... " I'd remember her sayin' it was bad where she was bein' trained. They hurt her.. Put needles into her arms andinto her head...." I felt myself gettin' mad. Real mad. So I started movin' faster down into the dark. Not makin' a sound.

"Anna had run off after huggin' me and sayin' thank you and that she loved me. Tore me up bad. Blue said I'd have to let go at some point. I just didn't know who.... or when. Then she was in the main Mine shaft... the main truck that led to the other parts. She asked me for the ring. The one ring Lily gave me. I couldn't say no. That ring'd been a part of me since Lily gave it to me. My lifeline to her. Anna took it sayin' she knew it was. Then she was gone... Deep into the tunnels. G and I just stood there. I couldn't move... I was numb.... Hurt... She was gone. Lily was on spice... Kitten gone." My chest was hurtin'.... not from the workout I was gettin' form bein' down here searchin'....It was somethin' else. "That whisper again..." Frownin' I stopped, tryin' to listen to it....." Lily was talkin' to me today... 'bout her shuttin' down the communications..... Everywhere in the area 'round Hale's.... Said she was cuttin' off Ardra's growth. Then Lily thought she saw Anna.... I chased her tryin' to get an answer.... She was confusin' me with what all she was sayin'. That and the gorram whisper... It wasn't lettin' up.... I told Lily I had to find AuroraBlue.... I needed to make sure she was ok. I didn't want to lose her to Ardra like I amost did with Lily."

"I was Anna's Protector. I'd die for her. And here I was all muddled with stange sounds in my head... And her down in the tunnels. Hidin' or scared... Not sure which one." I was pretty deep now. The whispers were even here. Dark and silent, 'cept for the slow drip of water from small condensed rock. "She was my Little one. Needed to know she was safe. Got to find her." The whispers still in my head, the climbin' helped me stay focused. "Nothin' else matters but findin' her.... Maybe she was the whisper. Maybe my conscience for lettin' her run off down here."Either way I needed to bring her back safe."

New Revelations

"Sounds tend to carry, even down in the Hemlock. I was hearin' somethin' up by the Shadow. Couldn't see up there, but I sure could hear when the aft hatch opened. Gorram, someone was in my ship. I contacted Brooke over the wave to see if she could check into it." Walkin' outside in the dark when most folks were inside was the only time I could get outside now.... gorram martial law here. "Seems a few days later some trooper was in the bar tellin' folks they took my ship and was lookin' for me. Miya contacted me. Was her who told me what all happened. Got to watch out now.

Climbing up to the cliffs was gettin' easier. And a quicker way to skirt town without bein' seen. "Anna's been wantin' to do more of late. So I been takin' her for midnight walks along the hills just outside of town. Showed her some survival stuff while we were there. She might be small, but I know how smart she is. She picks up on everythin'. She started growin' a little too. Had to find some new clothes for her to wear. Wasn't easy seein' as how the department store was hit by an asteroid. Had to take a few pairs of clothes folks hung out to dry for their little ones. Not wantin' to just steal, I left em with some money. Hung it from the line for em."

"Then there's Lily..... She's addicted to spice.... She says to keep her small. Keep her from doin' Mindo's work. Thing is, what was his work exactly? Hell, I knew he'd had his hands in a lot of projects. Even one that he tried to get his sister to do.... One she refused. It's why Lily came to be. But Lily had more orders in her stored memory. he set her on tasks and recorded it all. Sort of like Kitten when she was chipped." I couldn't shake that somethin' was wrong.... Kitten was out there somewhere in the verse. And she wasn't communicatin'....or not able to....

My thoughts rattled back and forth over Kitten, Anna, and Lily. Family. "Anna, I knew what was goin' on with her. I was watchin' her learn and grow. Lily, not as much. She was tryin' to stay small with synthisized spice. And Kitten..... " I shook my head to try and clear it. "Now add Mister Krenshar into the mix. I think he's gone a might touched. He's been tryin' to run for sherriff. He says he's in pretty tight with the 'liance.... And that spells a lot of trouble for a lot of folk here. Somethin' else was botherin' me 'bout him.... somethin' I think Gallagher mentioned. Krenshar might be dosin' on spice too. If he is, then it's scrambled his artificial brain. Gallagher don't like it either. He's thinkin' its dangerous. We been tryin' to tell Lily that. She hears us, but she ain't listenin'....."

"Seems When somethin' happens, Krenshar has the means to fix whatever it is.... Like he planned it that way. I doubt anyone's goin' to listen though. They just want everythin' fixed. Seana is offworld. Not sure what all she had to leave for. Ain't goin' to ask either. Too many 'liance troopers movin' 'round. Looks like they even took over the mayor's office." Anna was runnin' 'round chasin' the dogs. She was movin' faster and gettin' more agile. I was proud of her. My little one was growin' up. Someday she'd be there to protect folks. "I knew more 'bout Anna, then anyone, save a few. Xoxo, Lily, Seana and a few others knew her and her origins. How she came 'bout."

"Lily told me some stuff of late. It set me back a might. Anna had a soul. A true connection with bein' human. it was the last part that was needed to "repair" her. It made her whole, and perfect. My little one. She was more a part of me then anyone will ever know. Lily even said as much.... well not in those words. But I understood for the first time what my part in Anna's life was. But Lily said somethin' else that turned my blood cold..... Krenshar was tryin' to build a new Aurora. One with no soul. He thinks she was better that way. He's insane. Maybe some cynapses failed in his brainpan. What he creates will be his own undoin', I think. No soul means no compassion or mercy. Not even for him if he gets in her way. I saw how Aurora treated him when she was alive. It wasn't good. She showed no respect. No carin' for anyone save herself."

Rubbin' my face, I could feel the tiredness creepin' in again. "Needed to stay awake and listenin' for trouble was more important of late. Sometimes Anna'd wake me up after I'd fall asleep." Seems she's started to listen while I was sleepin'. "Was her that told me of the asteroid hit. I was so gorram exhausted I didn't realize what all it was." I checked the time on the wall. Was gettin' late again. A little more time and I could take Anna back outside for a night walk and more survival trainin'."

"Lily contacted me to help with the space dome what was bein' built for the companion house. Went up there to do some weld work on the dome seals and the main platform. Took some days to do. She made sure I had a small shuttle to work from. Gorram short range shuttles. Ain't good for much but it got me back up into the black. Felt good to be back up there. Maybe when the 'liance leaves... or I get my ship back, I can get some salvage done again. Brooke ain't sent any waves. Startin' to think I'm bein' avoided. Can't blame anyone though. Anyone caught harbourin' a fugitive....." Sighin', I walked to the console to check on the radar high above Hale's. At least I could watch the air traffic from here. "While I was workin' Mister Glaze showed up. Lily went all strange when he showed. Not wantin' to get in the way of their reunion I went back to work on the welds. Made double sure everything was solid b'fore I moved to the next welding spot. When I was done, Lily asked me to follow her to one of the rooms. She said it was to check out the beds to make sure two people could lay in one."

My mind went back to the long convo we had when we lay there, "She told me a lot of stuff. Even accused me of killin' Mindo.....". My mind rewound and played the scene over again as he pulled the trigger and blew his own brains out. "I told her he did it to his own self. Told her 'bout his outfit and the strange way he was actin'. How I tried to hide the whole scene from Anna's eyes. Lily bit me cause she was so riled over it. I was a might riled myself for her not b'lievin' me. Afterward, she started to calm down and we talked. She told me 'bout Krenshar's plans for his own Aurora.... And 'bout what all he wanted. Somethin' I had hid away that he'd never find. She told me she knew everythin'..... I mean to say, everythin' from the past. Even with the reboots. She said she was still wantin' to marry me. Said she even bought a dress too. I want to marry her, but I don't know what all'll happen with her on spice. That and Ardra still bein' 'round. She even said somethin' 'bout Krenshar wanted her on spice too.... to control her? For what? Its got me bothered too. I'm goin' to have to tell Gallagher 'bout that. See if he can find anythin' out. We talked 'botu a feww more things b'fore Gallagehr found us layin' there in bed. We wasn't doin' nothin' but talkin'."

Then a few nights ago she was in the mines with me. She and I got to talkin'. I told her I might need to come down there to hide. I didn't tell her I might need to have Anna with me. I know for sure Anna'd be with me. No way could I just leave her with anyone now. Not with what was goin' on. Lily told me a lot of stuff was hid down deep... Burtied and hid well. In places most folk couldn't go. She got close to me again. I missed her bad. Lily was so ingrained in my senses. She purred as we hugged. Somethin' I missed too. Then she bit me in the neck. Two bites in near as many days..... I had to sneak into the clinic and grab some stuff to treat the bites. Seein'as I was down inthe mines more, didn't want to have em get infected. Just hope the doc don't notice I took a few things. I don't know when Lily and I'll be gettin' hitched for sure. Might have to be a quick and quiet one... Seein' as how I'm bein' looked for. Best get goin'.... Don't want to miss my walk with my daughter tonight."