Not Cat's in Trouble.....

"Y'all think that Dragon's Egg's nice and quiet..... Its anythin' but these days. Been dealin' with fires and vandalized stuff. At first, thought it was some of the citizen's kids causin' trouble. Far from it..... After the Christmas tree fire, thought someone was makin' a statement on somethin'.... Wasn't it. Then there was stuff bein' tossed 'round, or broke. And then there was Lily.... She's gettin' worse. Not her own self of late. Maybe its the kid... Maybe it that Krakken feller.... Yeah.... Could be. But then I was catchin' a lot Lily's scent 'round... 'round th places we had toruble." The last of the acrgo was on board the ship outbound for Sanctuary and Colchester. Some fresh supplies.

 "Then there was a fuel fire.... Way too close to a ship... and a fuelin' station. Its gettin' outa hand. If that went up.... a lota folk's be dead with that fuel explosion. Only happened a week back.... Looks like Lily's goin' a mite off the deep end. Just not sure how to deal with it. She's been back to bitin' and snarlin' at me. Didn't help when she come up to me while I was talkin' to Stacy. She come with cargo for us... And up come Lily takin' a bite outa my leg. Aiya! She's gettin' bad. Stacy fetched me a first aid kit so I could try to patch my own self up." Jai said she had some cargo goin' on this haul. Just waitin' for her to show.

 

Headed to the sushi shop to get somethin' to eat til she gets here...."We were in the cargo area when we smelled somethin' burnin'. Sure 'nough.... Lily set fire to the cargo. Stacy and me we hard pressed to save the whole thing. Can't trust Lily no more. Not a lick. She's too outa control. Stacy was a mite worried her own self after Lily bit me. Can't blame her over much. But then there're a few times when Lily seems all fine and friendly. When she's got her kid. She calls him K2. As for the pa? He ain't been 'round. Seems like he don't care whats goin' on with Lily. Feller needs a good swift punch in the face.

Then last week or so, Lily shows up with papers.... Devorce papers. Wanted me to sign em. Hell, why not. I'll play 'long with it. Anythin' to keep her away from that feller. So the papers got signed. Then Lily took em back. Not sure what all happened with em til last night..... Xoxo says now that Lily sent em on to the 'liance ship.... The marrage was bindin'... Real... Lily's got her own self into a hot pot now. And she just mighta drug the rest of the 'Verse in with her." Had a few pieces of sushi and some hot tea to wash it down with. "Then Zeno came in for a visit. Showed her the new CATZ office and all. Got to talkin' with her 'bout stuff. Zeno said she knew Krakken. No doubt. She's been to Al Raqis and I know he was there. Had a place there. It's where all Lily was stayin'."


"She asked me stuff 'bout Lily and the kid. When I said who the pa was she was surprized. Aughta be interestin' where that story goes..... But then there's all this stuff that Xoxo said.... Might have to worry 'bout gettin' ready for a war. One Lily's settin' in motion... And I got a feelin' she knows too. Wasn't gonna talk to Xoxo, but then I ran into her personal asistant Kia, outside the lab yesterday when I was delivirin' the new furniture. Took to checkin' the stuff out b'fore it went in there. Didn't want to be accused of causin' her harm. 'Specially after the bomb incident. Xoxo and her assistant got to talkin' on lawyer stuff and what they got planned. And makin' sure I'm watchin' the kid while they do this precedin' stuff. Figures...."

In a Blaze of Glory

"Seems like time sorta stood still over the holidays. The weather was good and no attacks. But then you never know what all's gonna happen next..... Xoxo's been askin' for wood for her fireplace. That and groceries. Her assistant brung me the list of stuff to get and said to bring it to the door." Had to get the ship prepped. Had a cargo to ship to one of the local worlds. "Xoxo's been holed up of late. Get the feelin' she ain't all healed from getting injured."

"But then there's the fishin' tourny Ali had. Folks down at the river droppin' lines to see who could catch the biggest fish. The huntin's been good too.... Had a few good deals for venison. At least it keeps the rest of the folks workin' for AT&S paid. Some of em I sent out to do a salvage haul way out in orbit around one of the planets. The government there offered good pay to clean up a recent collision. Not bad." The ship was green for lift.

"Then there was all the stuff goin' on for Christmas and all. Gift exchange, big old meal, Visitors comin' to wish folks a good New Year...... Then somethin' happened just after the big day...... Was wanderin' the mall and saw one of the angel decorations torn up. Wings pulled off and shredded fabric. But that was only the start of it......" Called the tower for clearance and left for the cargo delivery..... Easy 'nough......"A few days later found a couple of the trees what were on the roof of the mall tossed to the ground.... Decorations and all. Seems someone was takin' down stuff without carin' how it's done....."

The flight'd take a few days. No worries there. An easy haul then back to the office....."Then I get a call from a resident sayin' they could see a fire near the mall...... When I got there, the great big tree what was set up was on fire. But not just that one.. The last of the trees that were decrated were too. Everythin' was goin' up in a blaze of glory..... Nothin' was left by the time me and some of the others got the fires out. Inside the mall it was pretty bad too. All the decorations were destroyed..... The stuff in the chapel were torn down... the alter was overturned..... Some of the homes what had decorations got vandalized too.... Who'd do somethin' like that?"


"Still tryin' to find out who all did it..... Then I get a morse code message from AuroraBlue.... Part of why all I'm out doin' this run.... Gonna take a side trip to meet up with her. Find out the details of what she needs..." Some of the ships systems weren't doin' so well.... Time to get stuff to fix it... Just shiny..... More stuff to fix to keep the ships up and running.... "Have to find the person who ruined decorations and such.... Why all can't Bram do it..... But then he's been busy with another case... And Nick ain't been 'round.... Our newest lawman.... It's like all hell broke loose..... One fire after 'nother to put out.... If it ain't a physical one.... its someone havin' their personal problems spill over..... Yep....was right 'bout stuff goin' up in a blaze of glory.... Looks pretty to watch.. but it's hell to clean up."

Who's in Charge?

"Never know whats gonna happen next...... Got a call from Lily outa the blue. She was in trouble.... again. Gave me a list of stuff to bring to a planet on the far edge of the verse. From what all Lily was tellin' me to get sounded more like a ransom. Stuff like candy and supplies, to axes and gold. Most of the stuff was easy to grab. The gold? That was somethin' else all together...... So.... took it from the BlusSun warehouse at Washtown. Hell if it got Lily outa trouble, seein' how Xoxo needs her right now..... I think Xoxo'd understand. 'Sides.... later we can take it back. The colony there was livin' in the mid ages.... No guns or cannons there." Wasn't gonna be an easy day.... Lots of Small loads of cargo goin' out for the holidays...."Flyin' in and landin' the ship was the easy part. Grounded it on an island not far from the village where Lily said she was at. Getting the stuff there was a little harder. Had to get the big pontoon out and inflated, then loaded."



"Easy 'nough to get to the village.... bein' on the water and all. Tied the pontoon out to the Pier and waited for someone to show. Waited a spell, then Lily showed up and showed me where all to put the stuff. Ended up with it in one of the cabins..... Good thing too. Some crazy woman come and attacked us. Never said a word.... Just targeted me while Lily went after her. Had no weapons on me at the time..... Til I found the bow and arrows. Then it was my turn to return the favor...." Got the last of the small boxes and such on the ship. Some of it was bound for Greenleaf, and Paquin. The other stuff was for a few locations not far from em.... That was the good part of this trip....

"It took a while to fend the woman off.. then she set fire to the cabin Lily and I holed up in..... Tryin' to flush us out.... We just put the fires out where all they started. We got out of the buildin' while the attacker was tryin' to find more arrows. Managed to find a hidden cove to wait it out in." Gettin' clearance took almost 40 minutes..... Gorram 'liance at it again.... Wantin' to have details of where all I was headed.

"We waited it out til Lily's friends come... She left and talked to em on the attacker then she came back to get me.... She told me this was a village of all women and to not speak lessin' I was spoken too.... Somethin' 'bout em bein' like amazons... They were in charge. Once we talked to em, I took the pontoon back by my own self. Lily stayed for a while the met me at the ship. Wasn't my idea of a good day....." Looked like there was some salvage... After the last reaver attack. "Lily said she'd take care of gettin' the stuff back form the 'amazons'. That's fine with me... I flew back to Dragon's Egg to deal with the other stuff What needed to be done."

"When I got back, it was business as usual.... Cobb showed up and wanted to know what all was up. Wasn't much to tell.... Least not 'bout any gold...... Lily made sure to give me a little somethin' for my troubles in the meantime...." Grabbed a cup of spiced tea.... Got used to havin' it b'fore I left on a trip... Sometimes durin' the flight. "A few other folks dropped in with cargo later that day....'bout the same time the 'liance started puttin' lockdowns on ships.... They're makin' it bad for folks here of late. Crackin' down."

"Folks don't like it much. Hell, don't like it over much when one of em comes in and goes through folks's cargo. They popped the seals and went rummagin' through it like it was their own stuff. Then the soldier started askin' questions 'bout AuroraBlue.... Ain't none of her business. Wasn't gonna say nothin' no how anyway." The ride outbound was clear.... Good. No 'liance, nor reavers to worry on. "A few days back Xoxo got back after bein' cared for, for all those burns.... She wasn't quite her own self. Had some new lady with her... Had white hair and seemed all business. The woman took her to her tower house. Xoxo still looked rough. Tended to lean heavy on her new assistant.... Least I think it was an assistant... or one of her body guards. Who knows with Xoxo."

"Can see why Xoxo has a new person to deal with stuff. They come and go... Don't know if Xoxo knows 'bout her ship bein' locked up. If she don't.. I got my own plans to help her out.... 'Liance can't take what all ain't there. A little sticky here and there and the yokes' be off. Then I can fly the ship anywhere she wants it hid. Yeah.. She's bad news.. But deep down, she just as vulnerable as the rest of us in the verse."

Spice Dreams....

     "Callin' in favors and huntin' down stuff for a ransom ain't what I was plannin'.....But then nothin' ever is...." Had to get the rest of the gold loaded into the cargo container. Mule was runnin' slower then I wanted. "Seein' as I was 'round when Lily called.....She gave me a list of what all these folks want to get her back. Gold, wine, metals, and candy.. Candy.. Sounds like Lily wants it. Not sure it's gonna help any. More like they're gonna grab the stuff and take me too. Ain't sure anymore with Lily.... She's been a mite off of late. Like she's gone loco. Maybe she has. Figures....."

     "Was gonna head back to Al Raqis. Needed to find AuroraBlue and warn her on Lily's not actin' right. Been noticin' the rift splittin' her and Lily apart.... I know AuroraBlue knows...She's been watchin' for a while. Can see her in my dreams..... Waitin'....." Speakin' of... Need to watch on how I cut that spice Jai gave me. "I can close my eyes and see.... Lots of stuff.... Like the herd migrations... Been too easy. Mind's been wanderin' a lot. Sorta like what all happened when Xoxo had that accident. Just sorta knew..... The next deer went down easy." The container rang as the pallet full of gold ingots dropped the last few centimeters to the floor.

     "Spice.... Its addictive. Was told that. Know it now. Its been doni' stuff to me.... Like makin' my eyes change.... Don't like lookin' in the mirror no more. Not sure I can change what all's happenin' to me... Like my mind.... Whispers and vivid dreams.... Sorta real... Too real...." pulled the mule out of the cargo container then jumped out and sealed the door. Made sure to lock it up b'fore doin' anything else with it. "Lily was s'posed to get me some good spice. She ain't been r'memberin' nothin'....... So asked Jai... Made a deal.... Spice for power cells. Good ones."

     "She gave me a small canister.One with the purest spice there is... Gorram expensive too. Need it.... Lily was gonna give me some way back when. Sayin' I won't grow old. Can see why. It does stuff to you. Can't rightly explain it all. The scents on the wind are sorta... Well intoxicatin'.... Like the taste of fresh meat. Hearin' the wind's like a choir... Hell... The stuff goin' on in my mind. If I could get it all out, there'd be volumes of data files....". Lowered the crane arm to hook it up so it could be loaded into the stolen ship..... Yeah, yeah... Theft to add to the stolen gold and such.... "Nick showed up while Lily was still 'round.... Said she was gonna go on some mission. To rescue Krakken. Seems he got his own self into trouble. And Lily hates the feller. She's inprinted on him..... AuroraBlue and I are imprinted.... Like gravity. And I can see the gravity... 'round the planets and suns, to the whole 'verse, and then some....." The container locked down onto the loadin' track and fed into the cargo bay. Last one in.

     "Only reason I'm goin' to save Lily is I owe her for the times she hauled my backside outa trouble. Of late she ain't been to friendly- like to me. Even started tryin' to drug me. Gorram. Don't like no one messin' with me like that." Sealed the bay doors and headed for the cockpit to start the ship up. "Once this job's done, headin' for Al Raqis to find AuroraBlue, then back to Dragon's Egg Moon to hunt for more meat. Got a quota for a buyer who likes exotic meat...."

     "Saved the hides to trade to Elix. That and the antlers. Sure they'll fetch a decent price too. Need the coin to pay the bills and the other pilots for the hauls they're doin'. Wonder what all dreams I'll have while in the black. Quiet, dark, weightless. The spice'll show me. Its been doin' it of late... Never know...."

Bad Timin'.....

      "Wasn't surprised to get a call from Xoxo. She needed pilots. Said she had a shipment outbound from Dragon's Egg to Londinium. Her BlueSun cure." Had to snort at that. 'Her' cure. Hell, I knew it was Lily's. "I owed the folks there, so took the job. Had to haul fife large cargo crates full of the stuff. Jet was there waitin' to load his cargo. Seems a couple others were there too loadin' the crates into their holds. Definitely made a gorram mess of stuff...." Hangin' out in the ATS avoidin' folks wasn't helpin' with the mood...

     "On the way had a lot of time to think of what all my breakin' the blockade at Al Raqis done.... And how many folks were payin' the price.... Lot to think on. Gonna do what needs to be done to fix it. Ad if it means to haul Xoxo's meds, then I'll do it. Better save lives. Seems I'm not good at it of late. Can't even get back to Al Raqis to try to find AuroraBlue. been havin' pretty wild dreams, speakin' of..... Ridin' 'cross the sands.... On a big worm. Could smell the spice hangin' in the air.... felt the hot air on me....AuroraBlue."

     "Londinium air control cocontacted me, tellin' me where all to land the cargo. Wasn't likin' bein' there much.... Too many troops and 'liance flags...."

     "Landed the Shadow on the docks. Gorram Dock patrol gave me a run 'round on my papers, then let me unload the crates. Kept on eyein' me. Didn't like it one bit. Headed for a quiet part of town while the ship was bein' refueled." Takin' the time to go through all the backlogged paperwork I been neglectin'. Pariah showed up and was seein' what the new uncovered town was lookin' like.

  "Not a lot of folks walkin' 'round out there. Most of em were either sick, or to afraid to come outside for fear of the pox. Most everyone was wearin' some kinda mask to keep the germs from gettin' em. Had to admit some of the masks were gorram funny lookin' on some folks. After some more harassment by the 'liance troopers, was able to dust off and get the hell off of Londinium"

   "When I got back, seems all hell broke loose. Was back at the office when I hear an explosion. Doubt most folks'd hear that. I did. headed outside to see if I could spot where all it come from. There were small fires all over. Debris from where the explosion come from. Lot of smoke billowed out the main door of BlueSun's underground lab."Decided to walk outside. Was gettin' a mite edgy again.

     "Headed inside the underground buildin', when I head a scream.Took a bit of searchin' but found someone in the upper level. Grabbed what I could to stop their clothes from burnin' more, then carried em out to the lift. Gorram thing wasn't wrokin' right. Had to put the person down to pry the doors open. Soon as it was open 'nough I lifted the person and carried em outside far 'nough away from the entry. Puttin't he woman down, saw it was Xoxo.... and burned bad."

         It was startin' to get dark. Could see the clouds changin' colors. Don't get much time to set and watch a real sunset. "She was bad burned up. her clothes were torn and burned. Half her face was like melted wax. Only thing I could do was go to the truck outside and call for a medic. Ended up callin' the 'liance for help. Had to wait some time. So covered Xoxo in a cargo blanket from the truck and wait till they showed up. Wasn't too long b'fore the medic shuttle showed up. Got pushed aside while they did what they had to. Decided to head up there to make sure she was gonna be ok."

     Walked back to the office. Not sure why... Didn't want to do the papers. "They took her into the med room. Gave me the crawlies. Not sure why... but it didn't help me sleepin' that night. old nightmares came creepin' back..... The docs worked fast to stabilize her. They were doin' all sorts of stuff to her. Cuttin' melted clothin' and wrappin' her in gauze. A trooper made me leave. Coulda punched him, but knowin' me, I'd end up in jail for it. That wasn't gonna help Xoxo in case she needed somethin'. Lily wasn't 'round to be there, so it was up to me."

     "Couldn't get over how bad burned she was. Looked like she was tryin' to protect herself and didn't quite get covered. Wonder if she was doin' somethin' and it backfired on her. Can't put it past her..... But then she made some good enemies of late too. if Lily decides to get back, maybe she can find out what all happened.... But then I overheard the troopers talkin' 'bout em sendin' someone down to investigate the explosion....Figures."

     "When I was able to hitch a ride back to the surface, one of th etroopers kept badgerin' me 'bout what I saw and did. Wasn't much to tell. But figured they'd suspect me of somethin' anyway. Not the first time....." Someone was comin' I could hear the light footfalls on the bricked road outside the office.... The scent was familiar....."For now I was not ot go nowhere 'tilthey finished their investigatin'. How the gorram hell'm I s'posed to do my work if I can't go no where." Caught the scent...... Was Lily showin' up.... But there was a smell, different.... Baby smell. She come back... and had a new baby with her.

        Ok.. not a good time for her to show up with it.... Xoxo in bad shape..... And the 'liance not lettin' me work..... And a baby?

Good News and Bad...... Part 2

     My mind was workin' overtime while I was stuck in the medical center on Al Raqis. Maybe I needed to get outa there. Needed to do somethin'..... "All's I can say is this here virus ain't your normal kind like a cold or somethin'. Doc had me a mite worried on what they could do to help... and what all they couldn't. She said she was still searchin' for Lily and AuroraBlue. Not sure where all they're holed up. For now just gotta set 'round a place that smells of cleanin' chemicals and such 'til I could find a way outa here."

     "When the doc showed up to check on me, I asked if I could go somewhere instead of bein' stuck in the medical center. She checked me out then said she could take me to a quarantine house. Hell that was better then bein' where I was." Someone was comin' 'round again. Wasn't sure who all it was. Maybe it was Lily again. "After gettin' dressed, Went to the landin' deck level in a mask. The doc had a shuttle waitin' for me. She said folks there at the house were all infected too. All that was goin' through my mind was bein' in a leper colony...."

     "We got into that shuttle and headed out into the deep desert. Was thinkin' of all the folks that were sick.... Maybe cause of me. Not sure. A lot of folks been travellin' of late and any one of em coulda got through too. Then there's Lily and AuroraBlue sneakin' back and forth from place to place. I know Lily can't get sick. But AuroraBlue? Her I ain't sure of. That's whats got me a lot worried. Just hope she ain't sick." Pariah came walkin' into the shoppin' plaza to say hi. Hadn't seen her in a while. Mostly she worked at Firefly's. Guess she was feelin' a need to come and just hang out. Was ok with me.

     "Once we got out to the 'house', the doc showed me 'round. I was free to wander 'round the compound and house, but not outside. Seems they had automated weapons and 'bots guardin' us.... So we couldn't leave. No weapons, and no freedom. Like bein' under house arrest. Only way I could leave was if somethin' happened. Which didn't take more'n a few days. First Lily shows up and bites me bad on the forearm. I figured she had a reason for it. She said she had to. Was real important to her to do it. After she left someone else showed up and tried to shoot me, then was tryin' to burn the place to the ground."



     Pariah sat by the fire pit near the mall. She was just wantin' to have a little company cause it was over quiet of late..... No wonder. It was that time of year when folks were gettin' ready for the scare day... Halloween. "After the attackers left, found a protective mask and headed across the desert and back to the center. Had to find someone to tell what all happened. The others fled from the burnin' buildin'... Not sure what all happened to em. Lily was there in town when I got there. She led me to some big old place in Wadi Emit. She said it was Krakken's house. Feller had some serious money by the look. Stayed there and sent word to the doc from the comm in the house. She came a few days later and gave me some injection. Said it was the cure. Instead of four shots..... Only needed one. I knew Lily'd cured me and my system was burnin' off the dose the doc gave me." 

     "Later that day, she took me someplace. She slipped past the cruisers and heavy ships guardin' against anyone leavin' without permissions. Took me to some small moon. She was talkin' 'bout some strange common past. About where all she lived. How we all had some common ancestry. Hell, don't much on the whole genetics stuff so I shrugged it off." Pariah was sayin' she was lookin' 'round the area and liked some of the stuff we set up for Halloween. At least this time we had a real corn maze. One that was grown from the soil of Dragon's Egg. "Doc showed me a bunch of stuff. Most of it I couldn't figure out. Was still feelin' the effects of the cure bein' burned outa myself. Didn't r'member most of it. A few things I r'member. A tree in a covered little open shed."  

     "Then there was that pyramid. Gorram thing opened up and was shinin' a bright light on me. Wasn't sure why all that happened. But then again, Ain't sure why a lot of stuff happens to me that can't be explained..... Like that time I was in the Necronom data stream.. and survived. Not sure what all this means... Then again if I asked Blue, he won't say. He knows a hell of a lot more'n he's sayin'. Same with Lily. They know stuff but make you work to figure what all they're hidin." We watched the cats chasin' a few mice near the corn maze. It was like bein' at home watchin' the barn cats goin' after the mice there. pouncin' on em and playin' with em. Some even lettin' the mice go then chasin' em down again.

     "After the tour, the doc brought me back to Al Raqis, Not Krakken's place. That's ok. I was gonna hitch a ride back to Dragon's Egg as soon as I could. Needed to. Had a bunch of stuff still needin' to be shipped.... And to tell Xoxo what all happened. She won't be too happy...  Lily finally showed up. She was not herself.... Seemed she was thinkin' on somethin'. Kept talkin' 'bout her cub. Had a feelin' it wasn't AuroraBlue. The weird thing was, any time I mentioned AuroraBlue, Lily'd say, 'she be the death of me.' Kinda set me t wonderin' why all she was sayin' that. Might need to go through some old notebooks from the old lab. Who knows, maybe I can solve a mystery b'fore it does any damage."



Got Good News and Bad News...

     "Seems the moon here's better then anyone expected.... Could smell it in the air. Folks're settlin' on the ground. Someone even built a small ranch house and started up a garden.Hell, they even got bees to do the pollinatin'." Not much else to think on at the mo.... 'cept bein' scanned.... Again. "They had some livestock shipped down. Not a bad start."

   "When I had the chance, headed to Al Raqis. Wanted to make sure AuroraBlue was ok. Xoxo's been goin' nuts tryin' to get her back. Hell, even saw Seana come all the way out to Wadi Emit to talk with the Lady Rashad there. Seana was there for the same reason... That's when AuroraBlue came downstairs to visit. She was lookin' good, but still needed a bath." Don't like the idea of bein' given tea with spice in it. All I need is to be hooked on that stuff. "Rashad said AororaBlue could stay as long as she liked. S'pose it's ok at the time.... Not sure now..."

     "Got some good news.... Took some doin' but finally got hold of that Krakken feller. The one from Lily's datapad. He showed up at the station. Brought him down to see what all he could do for Lily. One thin' I know. Can't wake her again my own self. That's somethin' someone else had to do. And since the loss of a good friend, the only choice was this feller, Krakken. So now she wakes up and imprints on him. Not sure what all to expect. She wants another cub. Don't know what all to think on that. Thought AuroraBlue was the one to bring it all together." Had to shrug. Not sure if its a good idea or not. Want Lily to be happy.... but then what?....

    "So now she's runnin' 'round with Krakken. And Xoxo's been puttin' me to work. Not haulin' stuff.... Hell no. Buildin' and movin' stuff. Been havin' to do cargo hauls for her too. it pays the costs for runnin' the ATS office and payin' pilots to keep workin'." Still don't like bein' in a clinic... But gotta stay. Can't b'leive I got shipped here in a gorram stasis box. Doc Nat had to send here.... "When I had the chance, slipped off to do a little side run. A friend wanted some of that quality hooch. Said he'd pay good money for it. Been a while since I did an illegal run. But the money was good. So took a flight to Al Raqis and snuck in through the automated shuttle Jai had. Only way to bypass highport and the gorram blockade they had. Was hopin' to see AuroraBlue too..... " Good thin' I didn't now. She'd be sick too now.

     Aiya, this ain't good. Some virus, both docs said. All for a fever and some weird rash I got. hell if I know how exact I caught it. Seems some woman comin' out of the other clinic stopped and talked to me. She mighta been the one who's spreadin' it. Least that's what the Al Raqis doc thinks.... "Hope they can find the cure quick.... "Problem is, I been to a few other places now, talked with a couple folks, and all the time bein' sick not knowin' I was. First place was the BlueSun compound on Washburne. Had to drop of that load of seats and office supplies.

    "Then had to hop on over to Paquin to drop off a couple boxes of stuff for Xoxo's office there. Stopped at CATZ to see if Jai was in. Was gonna see if she had any cargo to go back to Dragon's Egg. She wasn't in so decided to head on home." Good thing. Jai's been bein' cautious 'bout this virus stuff. Smart woman..... "Gettin' back to D.E. was easy 'nough. Did a refuel then took the shuttle down to the surface. A few came 'round while I was workin'.... Hope they're ok. Don't want anyone catchin' this virus.... or plaque, or what all they're callin' it now..... Mutated, the doc said. That I do know..... Its changed..."

     "Got told it could be cause of my eyes.... Ok.. So at one time I was blinded... The 'liance fixed em up.. regenned em, but now I see in the dark like it was daylight... And daylight blinds me... Hell, least I can see... Lessen the virus makes me go blind... Jai said somethin' to that when she commed me... Doc Nat had me do down and wait for her in the clinic.... Then her and Jai show up in suits. Yeah... I know... To keep em from gettin' what all I got. They end up knockin' me out and puttin' me a stasis box to send me to the Al Raqis medcenter. Seems a doc there's workin' on stoppin' this here virus.... or viruses.... Doc said there were a few runnin' rampant here......" 

     "Now its a waitin' game. They gotta go get Lily... and AuroraBlue to check me for this here virus too. Lily I been 'round of late.... AuroraBlue? I ain't been near her in a few weeks. So she aughta be safe.... They think cause she's been in highport she coulda come down with it too. Hope not.... She don't need to be sick with this here thin' too. Just gotta hope they're both cleared."