Remnants of the Earth
SPACE STATIONS => TRIM => Topic started by: Zane on June 16, 2012, 11:17:24 am
-
Zane has been in TRIM for about three hours. Right from the get go, he knew he would hate it here. The scientist looked at him like he were some new toy, well this toy came with a warning label. The guards he saw had two weapons, a baton and a gun. By the looks of them, both electric. That was a stroke of luck, it had been a good 100 years since electricity last harmed him.
Then he was assigned a number, 424256442. After that he was quickly rushed to an empty cell. Alpha Wing. Testing begins soon I guess. Sitting himself in the center of the room, Zane began meditating. Preparing himself for what comes next.
After about twenty more minutes the doors to his cell opened and two guards walked in. "You going to come quietly?" One of them asked
"Don't count on it." Zane launched himself at them.
The fight was amazing, really got Zane's blood flowing. Consisted of the guards finding out that their baton is really nothing more than a blunt edge weapon and getting shot...a lot. When it ended Zane was in a rather painful set of cuffs and one of the guards a heap on the ground, probably unconscious.
"Dear God, even without your magic your a bloody animal," said the conscious guard. Zane looked up at him and grinned
Two more guards came in and helped him to his feet. Then all three of them escorted him to a sterile white room, other than the guards and Zane there was no one else here. Guess the scientist is a little late.
-
Devicia heard that she was getting a new patient today. They said he was a little devil. Go figure.
Like always, the main scientists didn't tell her anything about the patient. She kind of liked it that way. It let her have her own first impression before learning about him or her. The only problem was that everyone here was a mage of some sort. Regeneration can get messed up when magic is used. And the point of her was to have magic used on her.
Devicia walked into the white room. There was too much white in this building. Looking up at her soon-to-be attacker, Devicia saw red. She smiled. God, this place is even making me crazy, Devicia thought. The sign of a non-complacent person still gives me hope. She had been working there for years and the people she was supposed to be helping kept seeming more and more lifeless.
Turning towards the fox-tailed man in red, Devicia said, "My name is Devicia. I'm going to be your new scientist. Well, the one you'll be interacting with, at least. And your name is...?"
-
Zane looked at the young woman, eyes narrowed. "Aren't you a bit young to be working here? I mean you're what, 18, 19 years old?" Zane completely ignored the question because he was sure that she knew a lot about him already, if she truely was a scientist. If I'm going to escape I'm going to need leverage, and I'm going to need to take care of those guards. "Get these cuffs off of me first then we can talk."
-
Laughing, Devicia said, "You're quite the cunning one, aren't you? And yes, I'm nineteen. But I've been working here a good four years! And I'll be taking off those cuffs soon enough. But I just couldn't stand it if I didn't know the name of my new patient."
Devicia took a seat on one of the rooms white chairs. At least they remembered to put them in this time. She motioned for the fox boy to do the same.
-
Well she is a scientist but she wants to know my name. highly unlike what I have heard about the scientist of this place. Zane wanted to know her resolve. "I was given a new name when I came here, it's 424256442" he said as he took the chair opposite of the scientist. This is probably some form of test anyway.
-
So they don't want him to know his name, either... Devicia thought. She knew that they kept the names secret from the patients but it still bugged her. Maybe they'd let her tell him. After she had them tell her, of course.
"Fine. Well we're going to start with some talking. Care to explain your day to day life to me?"
-
"Hmm, everyday life for me?" how was Zane to explain that he was a terrorist and an assassin without seeming crazy, "maybe you recognize the name Zane Kerim?" If she recognizes the name then she will understand exactly who I am.
-
"So your name is Zane! See? Now we're getting somewhere. And... I think I recognize it. Probably saw it somewhere. Anyway, yeah, what do you do here at TRIM?" Devicia had been working here for four years and had not met a single person who simply answered her questions. At least she was used to repeating herself.
-
"Well not much seeing as I just got here, I was sold to Thanatos INC. by the Aedolis government" raising his hands bound by the cuffs, "can we do something about these? They are rather painful." Once they are off the fun begins. The guards had their hands on their guns. They think I'm going to try something. they must know who I am.
-
Observing the handcuffs, Devicia nodded. She was supposed to take them off anyway. Turning to the guards, Devicia said, "You're dismissed. Close the room behind you." Then, glaring at them, she continued, "And I mean the entire room. I want the walls closed with no way to exit unless someone from the outside opens it." Then, turning towards the corner in which she now knew the scientists placed a camera, Devicia said, "I want cameras off, too. I know perfectly well you guys can study his brain waves without looking at him. Walls closed, cameras off, oh, and microphones off." She knew they would listen to her. They had to.
Watching the guards leave, Devicia made sure they did everything right. They were pretty good guards. They kept their guns up until they left the room. The wall closed and seemed fully secured. Finally, Devicia thought. Some guards that actually know I have more power than them. I'll put in a good word for them later. The cameras and microphones were still on. She could tell. She'd deal with them soon.
Smiling, Devicia grabbed the key to Zane's handcuffs. "Let me introduce myself again now that it's more private. I'm Devicia. Your therapist. And I'm going to solve your first problem right now." She unlocked Zane's handcuffs.
-
"The camera and microphone is still on" Zane said flatly, "I can feel the electricity running through them, so if you intend to be my therapist, I'm not talking till they are off. Zane rubbed his sore wrists. Looking at his wrists than at Devicia, "thank you for that."
-
Devicia laughed again. "You're quite spirited, aren't you? I like you," she stated simply. Then, glaring at the camera, she threatened, "Turn them off. Now. Or else you won't be having your jobs for much longer." The quiet buzz stopped. "There we go. Now we're in private. Ready to talk now?"
-
Bowing slightly, "ask me anything, I shall answer truthfully, regardless of whether or not you believe me." Zane stood from the chair and walked over to the wall, tapping it in various places. It's an aluminum alloy, if I push enough electricity into it, I might be able to open it.
-
"Anything?" Devicia smiled and said, "Okay then I have two main questions. First off: you're in Wing Alpha. That means you're a mage. What kind of magic do you use?" She might as well figure out what exactly she was dealing with and how easy it would be for her to die. Devicia knew she had to stay alive until she could figure out a way to break this place down. Even though she was trying to help people while she was in it, it was still her dream to make it so TRIM didn't exist at all.
-
Seems like a logical question. "I can use fire, earth and electricity magic, I can generate fire and electricity and I can use earth magic to make my skin strong like some metals found in the earth. I can also communicate to animals, and language barriers are not a problem for me. Next question." Zane continued tapping the wall seeing if he could find any weaknesses, because if he found one he could use earth magic to break through the wall.
-
Fire? She could deal with that. Earth? No problem. Electricity? Now that could kill her. Sighing, Devicia once again wondered why she was stuck with this job. At least she didn't have to be used as target practice anymore. But therapy sometimes included angering the patient... and angry patients that don't have their magic locked could be dangerous.
"Question number two," Devicia started, staring at Zane. "Have you ever killed anyone?"
-
"Yes" Zane breathed out. He had killed over twenty five thousand people. He had been apart of several wars during the medieval ages, then even more in the 21st century. then in the last thirty years he had killed about twenty thousand people in acts of terrorism and assassinations. But he wasn't about to say the actual number. "Any other questions?"
-
Crap, thought Devicia. Well... maybe he had his own reasons. Just because he killed someone doesn't mean he's bad. TRIM has killed thousands of people and have tortured many more. And they kill for what is probably less than what he's killed for. Hopefully.
Devicia calmed her head and put her fake smile on. "Of course. The moment I run out of questions will be the moment I truly go crazy. I suppose I should have started with the basics, anyway. Your name is Zane. How old are you?"
-
She isn't going to believe that I'm 5217 years old. there is just no way she would be able to accept that fact. "I'm a little older than fifty-two" Zane paused for a second, "centuries old" he finished. Well I said it, wonder what she will say.
-
"Huh?" Devicia said. "Maybe vampires do actually exist!" Devicia laughed at her own joke. Well, with her regenerative abilities, she had no idea what age would do to her. Perhaps someday she'd be as old as him. And then she'd start sucking blood. Just for the sake of it.
Smiling at her gruesome thought, Devicia continued, "That is pretty old, though. I mean... that's really old. Mmm... question number four... Aha! What's your favorite color? Mine is red."
-
"My favorite color?" Zane grabbed his tail smoothing out the hair. "It's grey, like my tail and ears." Zane found a weak spot in the wall. The time to act is soon. Zane went back and sat across from Devicia. "Next question?"
-
"I suppose that makes sense. So onto another question that has been bugging me: why do you have a tail and ears?" Apparently he had gotten bored of tapping the wall. Or he found what he needed to. Devicia figured she'd find out soon enough.
-
Zane paused, "that's a hard question to answer" Because I don't really know the answer myself. "I've had them since I was born. I used to think, a long, long time ago, that is was because I was a nature spirit, which would explain my agelessness. But all nature is gone from the natural world, yet I live. So honestly, I don't know. Any more questions?"
-
Devicia readjusted herself on her seat so she was more comfortable. Meaning she sat with her legs crossed on the chair. "Out of ten, ten being the power of a god, how strong do you believe your powers are? Answer for each of your abilities, please." Devicia was gaging Zane and his powers to figure out how she could help him and if he had any chance of escaping this wretched place.
-
"Fire is a nine as I can reduce most things to cinders. Earth would be a six as i can harden my skin and gain unnatural strength when I use it. And electricity would be a ten as I have such control over it that electricity from any source won't effect me." Zane had no reason to lie, one way or another he wouldn't be here for long. "any other questions?"
-
"Ooooo so you're godly!" Devicia said, laughing once again. "Seems to me like you trust your power. Well, you're still alive after... fifty two hundred years was it? So I guess it's worked out so far. I would say my ability is ranked at a nine. It's pretty strong but still has a few weaknesses. I'm getting better though." Four years of people constantly attacking her gave her pretty good practice.
"You keep asking me if I have any other questions. And I have loads. But what about you? Do you have any questions for me?" Devicia questioned.
-
"What are TRIM's protocols should a subject try to escape?" Zane had been pulsing out electricity in such a way that it acted like an EMP. So this question, was between them and God.
-
Devicia quickly unfolded her legs and burst out laughing. Laughing that legs while on a chair with her legs folded surely would have made her fall off her chair. Standing up, she walked over to the last place Zane had tapped on and leaned again the wall.
"I guess it depends on where and when you try to break out. The door is pointless no matter what time it is. There are constantly hundreds of guards constantly wandering around the main halls—and not all of them use regular weapons. So that way," Devicia pointed towards the wall to her left, "is pointless. Up there," Devicia raised her head and looked up, "Is where the scientists are right now. They're studying your brain patterns. Although I have no idea what would happen if you tried breaking through the ceiling, I wouldn't recommend it. That lab gives me chills every time I go in it. Many of the scientists have special abilities and the god of this place likes to go between rooms. If anyone escaping meets him, they're dead. He cancels all of your magical abilities for an hour if you touch him. No matter how strong you are, you can't escape this place without using magic."
Devicia had once shaken hands with that god without knowing his ability. It didn't turn out to well when she was sent into a subjects room as a target for them. After the scientists above figured out what happened, they immediately removed her. But that didn't mean she didn't have to suffer through immense shoulder and thigh pain for an hour before she started regenerating again. She shuddered at the memory.
"Other than the lab and the hallway, we're surrounded by more subject rooms like this one. Depending on which way you go, they can get stronger or weaker. Some rooms cancel out certain abilities. Those are for the extremely dangerous ones. If you break into any of those, the guards will immediately come for you. The only chance of escape if that happens is to break through all rooms in your and pray you're close to the exit. Of course, exiting the building doesn't mean you're free. Yet. And don't forget that we're on the tenth floor right now. You'd have to go down quite a bit to be able to even get outside. The chances of escaping this place through brute force? .0000000000001." At least Devicia knew she hadn't been working at this place for four years for nothing. She gathered info on the rooms and made sure to keep track of all escape attempts. Some patients made it farther than others. But not a single one had escaped simply by breaking through.
-
"Mhmm" Zane was continuing with the EMP, "What If one tried to go through the floor?" Zane had to consider all of his options. and he hadn't heard about the God of TRIM. That was unsettling. "Just to let you know, we are completely alone right now. I've been pulsating electricity similar to that of an EMP, all electronics in this room are down. So if you have anything to say, say it now as the guards will probably be breaking down the door any minute now."
-
Shaking her head, Devicia said, "I overestimated you. Thought that your age would've given you plenty of time to get smarter. The first floor consists of extensive security and guards. Second and third floor are rooms to the scientists... like me. Every other floor rotates between subject rooms and scientist labs. Subject rooms mean both rooms like these and rooms like the one you stay in. You know, you just moved your chance of escaping using brute force from .0000000000001 to impossible. They aren't going to trust you anymore. At all. In fact, you're probably going to be moved down a few floors. Did I mention that lower floors are used for the more dangerous subjects and stronger rooms? The ones that are specialized towards specific people?"
Even though she knew he wouldn't be able to escape just by trying to break though, Devicia wanted to see how far he'd get. Then they'd move him to a special room below. But this little electricity stunt of his was going to get him moved before he could see how impossible it was to run. She couldn't even gage his power this way. Unless...
"If you're going to try breaking out of here, I'd try it now. Before they get here." Looking him in the eyes, Devicia made sure he knew one thing. "I'm not trying to help you. I'm just trying to show you that it's impossible for you to escape this building like that. Don't worry, I won't get fired. They need me too much for that." Moving away from the part of the wall that contained the weak spot, Devicia walked back to her seat and crossed her legs on it as she sat down. With a little smile, she waited to see what Zane would do.
-
"Three words. Shock. And. Awe." Zane strode over to the discarded set of cuffs and slipped them over his wrists, making sure the didn't lock. Then he sat in the chair, "I apologize in advance."
That was when the guards gain access to the room, accompanied by the god of TRIM himself, "listen bitch" Zane spat, "I'm not doing a damned thing you say and you can take that to the fucking bank!"
"What's going on in here?" the god demanded
"Excuse me ass-wipe, but the Mrs. and I are talking, so GET THE FUCK OUT!" Zane hissed
"It's just another spirited subject, his cuffs are still so wards are in effect, meaning we have an electricity problem. Get maintenance on it immediately. I'm going back to my office. Carry on doctor." Then the entire group of guards left resealing the room from the outside.
Zane looked up at Devicia. "Well how was that?"
-
Devicia laughed. "I like you. I really like you. You know... that may be bad for you. Or maybe it will be good. After all, I'm going to be your scientist for a few weeks. If you don't manage to escape or die, that is. Ah... no, you better stay alive. I'll kill you if you die."
Still smiling, Devicia said, "Well, it's about time to get back to business, isn't it? Let's see... I asked you a few personal questions. I asked you a few questions that should've triggered your excitement. What's left? Yes! That's it! Anger. What can I do that will make you angry? I'm afraid those scientists up there want to know how your brain waves act when you're angry."
-
"I no longer feel anger. After I got over the initial shock of all nature on earth being destroyed, I had nothing left to get angry over." emitting more of the EMP, "that's why I feel I have a chance at escaping. I have self control and I know how to think on my feet." Zane released the EMP then closed the cuffs around his wrist, feeling the wards suppress his magic. "Do you have any more questions for me doctor?"
-
"No longer feel anger, huh... I feel it's more likely you just know how to control your emotions. You obviously aren't emotionless, therefore I believe it is impossible not to harbor some sort of anger. Even if that anger is only geared towards the past."
Devicia stood up, picked up her chair, took a few steps closer, put down her chair, and sat again. Then, in a stereo-typical therapist calm voice, she said, "It's okay to let your emotions show, you know. Express yourself freely." Laughing, she continued, "I'm joking, but I suppose it is true. Anyway, you keep asking if I have any more questions. It's really bugging me. I've told you I always have more questions. I've asked you what questions you have for me. Yet you still keep saying that. So here's my next question: what are you waiting for me to ask you?"
-
"Nothing." Zane replied with nonchalance, "I'm just trying to appear boring and uninteresting so the people monitoring me get bored and uninterested. It's a psychological trap of sorts." Zane chuckled slightly.
-
"Bored?" Devicia laughed. "These people take the memory away from their subjects and make them emotionless. They don't get bored." It was harsh, but it was the truth. "Now me, on the other hand, I get bored."
Standing up, Devicia started walking around the room. "You're my patient. Interest me." Seemed logical enough to her.
-
Zane thought about it for a second. "I can talk in a language that your body will understand and obey but your mind would just hear gibberish." Zane could even command the body to start killing itself. "But I think I shell go with this" Zane managed to break the ward, but wards wear off if they suppress to much power for too long then need to be replaced. That was lost knowledge. Zane started emitting the EMP again. "Watch the cuffs are on so wards are in effect." Zane started building up magic in his gut then released it through his hands, spraying a torrent of fire from his hands. Zane released the EMP and sat back down. "Interested?"
-
"Interested?" started Devicia, "Perhaps. Confused? Definitely. What exactly did you just do?"
Walking back to her chair, Devicia started thinking of different ways to sit. Normally was boring and she had already sat with her legs crossed for a while. Climbing up onto the chair so her feet were planted on where she'd normally be seated, Devicia sat down upon the top of the back of the chair. It was a little uncomfortable, but at least it was a change.
-
"I'm afraid I can't tell you, because if I did the situation would be altered and I wouldn't be able to do it anymore." Zane had no plans to reveal the secret behind his ace in the hole, not even to someone who acted like his friend.
Zane decided to just screw with the TRIM scientist. So he started emitting the EMP again. "EMP is up say whatever you wish, or do whatever you wish. but this one is on a broader scale so other rooms are effected not just this one."
-
"Just because you don't say how you're doing it doesn't mean they can't block it. Don't forget that they're watching your brain waves. Of course, some things they simply can't figure out. I'm a prime example," Devicia said, smiling. "Of course, if this thing could kill me, I'd like to know. When you use electricity on someone, does it resonate throughout their whole body or just wherever you used it?" If it resonated throughout the whole body, it would cause damage to her heart and to her brain. That would be troublesome.
-
"It depends on how much electricity I use. If I were to use a average amount, say 100k volts it would ripple through your body causing assorted muscles to lock up, primarily in the arms and legs. But no it wouldn't kill you. Just because I control electricity it doesn't mean I don't have to abide by the laws of nature. If I were to hit you with a shock, it would continue to conduct through your body, drastically losing voltage as it spreads." Zane answered truthfully. Continuing with the EMP trying to boost the effected area. "Now it's my turn to ask a question. Why did you willingly come to TRIM, surely you knew that eventually they would throw you in a cell and test weapons or dangerous drugs on you?"
-
"My job here isn't too different than my life on the streets. I expected that when I came. The chances of them doing experiments on me was just about 100%. I knew that. But I also knew that they would use me for as long as they could, first. After all, not all abilities can be reproduced. But yeah, they could test weapons or dangerous drugs on me. And it would most likely hurt. A lot. But how can I help people if I'm afraid of pain? Or death? I came to help. It's as simple as that."
Even though the cameras and recorders were off, Devicia still knew it was a risk saying what she said. There was always a chance that they had some hidden way to know what they were doing. Or that Zane could let what she told him slip. But Devicia was pretty sure TRIM already knew her intentions. They were also pretty sure she wouldn't be able to do anything.
"Anyway," she continued, "I don't remember telling you my ability. Would you like to explain why you asked the previous question?"
-
"Well for one, the nature of the situation made me guess you had some kind of ability, you send the guards out having them seal the door from the outside, and you went so far as to remove warded cuffs from a subject you knew nothing about, showing that you were confident in your ability to survive. But all the while you were gaging me, I was gaging you. trying to find out any powers you have, but I do it in subtle ways, I can feel the electricity your brain puts off, you have beautiful brain activity by the way, unlike most everyone here. But what tipped me off to the fact you can regenerate was the fact that you have ever so faint scars covering your body, most people wouldn't notice them, but I'm not most people." Zane hadn't been inhuman in his experiment and he had learned about her in a safe manner. Why couldn't the other scientist do it like him. "I have know many people with the gift of regeneration. I know how to spot it. Your next question?"
-
Devicia laughed again. This guy just cracked her up. "You're quiet observant, aren't you?! And I guess my scars take forever to go away. I have a real ugly one on my stomach. First patient gave it to me...." Devicia smiled as she remembered. Not the pain. The patient. "I'd prefer it if you never attacked my stomach. It hurts. A lot. And you know, I've met a lot of weirdos here at TRIM, but none of them ever told me that I have 'beautiful brain activity'. So thanks?"
Getting down from the chair, Devicia decided to sit against the wall now. Motioning Zane to come sit next to her, she continued talking. "Next question. Okay. How about... how did you arrive at TRIM? Your attitude leads me to think that you didn't simply walk right up and ask for a job like I did. So did they capture you? I would expect that would be quite difficult."
-
"Rub extra virgin olive oil on the scars twice a day, once in the morning once at night. you skin you use the nutrients and the scars will become very faint then disappear." Zane stood up from the chair and went to sit next to her, what else did he have to do? Now was not the right time to attempt an escape. "Well, for a long time now I have been an 'activist' against the Aedolian government. So in an effort to silence me, they ambushed my starship The Daedalus. In an effort to preserve my ship and the AI system I built to Pilot it, I surrendered. Then they tried to put me through the pilot program, they reconsidered after I killed a royal pilot. So they sold me to TRIM and here I am. Next question?"
-
Olive oil? thought Devicia. Well, what works, works. Might as well try it out.
"Interesting enough story. Next question: how long have you been here?" With him answering so many questions so quickly, the scientists wouldn't have much to tell her after her therapy session was over.
Playing with her hair, Devicia debated whether or not she should cut it. It wasn't that much longer than shoulder length, but it sometimes got in the way when she was fighting. But she kind of liked it long. She'd decide later. For now, she'd just keep swirling it around her finger.
-
"Today is my first day here" Zane stated, "I will have been here for four hours in about ten minutes." Zane's mind was drifting, he wondered how the IA system of Daedalus was doing, wondered if the government had kept their promise to leave the ship and the AI alone. If it wasn't for AI White Dawn, as he name it, Zane would have nothing to hold onto in this world.
-
"That explains it. I was wondering how someone as rambunctious as you didn't have a specialized room yet." Devicia decided to ignore how he knew how long he had been here. Zane seemed to be zoning out, so she asked, "If you could do any one thing, what would it be?"
-
Zane almost didn't hear her question, snapping back into focus. "I would return nature to the world, And I don't mean that terraform nature, I mean the nature that was ruled by the nature spirits, the nature of the old days." Then Zane mind started drifting again thinking about his first years as a traveler. Zane snapped into focus after a few second. "Next question?"
-
Zane wants the stuff of the legends, thought Devicia. Well... he's pretty old. Maybe the legends have some truth to them.
"What do you keep thinking about?" asked Devicia. He kept zoning out and it was hard for her to do her job when he wasn't focused.
-
"I'm thinking about may past, back when the world's beauty was beyond measure. Back then, there were a few villages and cities doting the land, everywhere else was either forests or grasslands. Mountains and trail where what you had to go though to move between these cities and villages. This was back when the flint-lock rifle had first been made and a cannon, then called thunder drum, was also recently made." As Zane was talking, his voice crescendoed and grew in power without meaning for it to.
-
Since she had only heard bits and pieces of the stories of the legends, Devicia didn't really follow what Zane was saying. To hide her confusion, she merely smiled and said, "Interesting. So have you eaten yet today? I'm getting hungry... maybe they'd be willing to bring us some tea and sandwiches? I can go ask, if you'd like." Devicia had come to love her daily tea-and-sandwich sessions... even when they came in the middle of therapy.
-
"Some tea would be nice, let me drop the EMP so they can get in without trouble." Zane let the power subside from his body, "some fruit would also be nice too, if they're available." Zane didn't know why but he was beginning to like this woman. She had, in a way, helped him.
-
"Fruit it is, then."
Devicia started walking over to where the opening in the wall would appear once, well, it was opened.
"Crap," Devicia said. "Never mind. No food." She had run into the same problem she ran into day after day. And yet she still forgot to fix it.
-
"Hmm? Forget that the camera and microphone were off?" Zane had wondered why she suddenly stopped and said to forget about the food.
-
Laughing, Devicia said, "Kind of. More like I forgot that I made them lock the door in such a way that I can't open it." She paused. "If I didn't, I would've been able to open it up from the inside and get food but then you could also force me to open it unwillingly. They always open it when my session is over, anyway. So I don't usually worry about it. But I always forget about tea-time until it is tea-time. Oh well." She started searching her brain for more topics to talk about. "How about family? Do you have any family?"
-
Zane, at one time did have a family, but the immortality never passed to his child. "Once upon a time I did, but that was a long, long time ago." Zane actually was quite hungry. "Have you considered knocking on the wall? I'm sure there are guard stationed at the door"
-
"Knocking on the wall? That would probably work if the rooms weren't sound proof. Do you really think I'd be having these conversations with you if there was any chance of someone hearing? What do you take me for? A child?" Devicia decided to ignore the fact she was nineteen and he was five thousand something.
-
"Well maybe not but," Zane stood up and went over to the wall. Building up magic in his hands he felt his skin solidify. Rearing back Zane let the wall have one good resounding punch. The impact echoed across the room and back again, "they will be with up momentarily." Zane went back and sat down.
The guard was in the room in a matter of seconds, when he saw that the subject still had his cuffs on he was flabbergasted, "what happened?!?"
Zane was quick with a reply, "feel free to ask docter."
-
Glaring at Zane, Devicia turned and faced the guard. "I'm afraid I got myself locked inside and forgot about tea time. Would you be so kind as to get some nice tea... mmm... let's say mint tea... as well as a couple sandwiches and some fruit for us?"
Noticing the guard seemed a little uncomfortable, Devicia snapped, "He's not going to bite. You'd be better off leaving now before he decides to run for it through that door you left wide open." Her glare now on the guard, Devicia continued, "I don't see why TRIM hires people like you... Ah! That's right! To get me tea and food. Now go."
Watching him scamper away, Devicia couldn't help but smile.
-
"Ouch, remind me not to get on your bad side. I wish I could have seen his face when he noticed I was still in cuffs" Zane said with a chuckle. "You can be pretty harsh. Come with the job?"
-
"The job and years of living on the streets. And it's his fault for not doing his job properly. I mean, if this place was filled with people like him, prison breaks would happen all the time." Though that might not be a bad thing. "He's even taking a while with that tea. Ugh. Maybe I should have taken up that offer on getting an assistant..."
Calming down her attitude a little, she continued, "No matter. Back to talking. You don't have a family... so what about friends? Anybody waiting for you outside of TRIM?"
-
"Does a vastly intelligent and independent AI system count as a friend? If not then no." Zane didn't really connect much with humans of this era, most of them were idiots, and the ones who were smart were in some way crazy, at least in his experiences.
-
"I guess that depends if it is humane or not. If it has personality and such, then I think it should count. Where did you find this Al system?" Devicia was kind of glad to hear that he had almost no friends and no family that he was forced away from. The people that did always went crazy first. She didn't blame them since the pain must be intolerable. It was hard enough for her and she left willingly...
-
"Well I didn't find her, I built her. It took me several years. And yes she has personality, she even has feelings, and boy were those tough to program." Zane knew the AI loved him and was probably searching for him as he was talking to Devicia, I will return Dawn, just give me more time.
-
Impressed, Devicia responded, "Well, then I think she counts as a friend. What's her name?" Though Devicia was curious about his creation, she was mainly just asking questions as small talk and to pass time. The tea was taking forever.
-
"Her name is White Dawn, but she goes by Dawn. What about you? Your friends and family?" Zane was biding his time, ever more the hungrier with each passing minute. "You don't have to tell me, I was just curious."
-
"I make you answer all my questions yet I don't have to answer yours? That hardly seems fair. My family and friends are the same. I was abandoned as a child, so the other street folk that raised me became my family. Though we don't live together anymore. And Dawn is a pretty name." After a quick pause, Devicia said, "Where is the tea?"
Just as she was about to ask Zane to do that weird thing again, the wall opened. A different guard walked in with two cups of tea, two sandwiches, and a bowl of fruit. This guard, unlike the other, seemed confident and wise. "Thank you," said Devicia, standing up and helping the guard set the food down. "You'll get a raise. I promise." Then Devicia muttered, "And that other guy will get fired. I promise."
After watching the guard leave, Devicia gently picked up her tea and took a sip. "Now, where were we?"
-
Laughing Zane stood up and walked over food. "You know I want more of those other guards hired, it would make my life easier." Zane was still chuckling as he took a bite of the fruit. His face dropped as the fruit was bland and tasteless. Setting the fruit down, he picked up the sandwich. biting into it, artificial meat, artificial cheese. Setting down the sandwich, Zane picked up the tea, took a careful sip of the tea. He was literally surprised when he tasted real spearmint in the tea.
-
"Make your life easier and my life harder. I'm one of the first people that is sent out to stop escapers, you know. Figure it'll hurt me the least."
Taking another sip of her tea, Devicia didn't know what she'd do without it. At this point, it was one of the few things that stopped her from going crazy. That, and people like Zane who still have fighting spirit. Taking a bite of her sandwich, Devicia understood why Zane stopped eating it.
"They're feeding us this artificial crap?! Probably because they don't want to mess with your diet. And because real food is expensive." Laughing, Devicia continued, "But they wouldn't dare mess up my tea. They know better." Finishing her sandwich anyway, Devicia decided she would let silence take over until Zane said something.
-
It was times like these that Zane was glad he could survive on liquids alone. Sipping on his tea, "so I take it our next session will be a sparing session of some kind? So the other scientist can gage my abilities."
-
"You're quite the observant one, aren't you? Yes, we'll be fighting. Assuming the scientists don't decide you're too dangerous for me." Laughing at her own joke, Devicia explained, "The scientists won't decide you're too dangerous for me, don't worry. They never do. It would technically be my choice at this point, anyway. So how about music? What kind of music do you like?" Devicia was trying to lighten up the mood again. She didn't like tense things. Tense things led to bad things.
-
"I like orchestral music with a lot of power or emotion and a lot of percussion. (http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ-QLl5qjLg&list=PL53CDB0DAB86DDE47&index=3&feature=plpp_video) I like all kinds of music but I prefer orchestral. Next question?"
-
Well he wasn't helping with the mood. "Okay, how about your favorite hobby? What do you do in your free time... that is, before you got sent to TRIM." Devicia decided she wasn't really helping with the mood either.
-
My hobbies? "Well working on my ship for one, I also exercise a lot. I also host parties on my ship sometimes, but that is once in a blue moon." the party was an excuse to get a target aboard his ship but he had a good time maybe he could do it again.
-
"Exercise?" repeated Devicia. "Well, doesn't seem like you have much room in here for that. But no matter, we'll be doing plenty of fighting tomorrow. That brings me to my next question: how likely do you think it is that you'll kill me?" With his powers, Devicia most likely have to bring some armor of sorts. Specialized armor of sorts. Things that attacked the whole body, like electricity, didn't work very well for regenerative abilities—no matter how top-notch they were.
-
"I'm not going to kill you, that's a promise." Because I'm not going to fight you. "As to the likelihood of death, if I use my full power about ninety-eight percent with no power at all, about ten percent."
-
"Ninety-eight percent? I've been told I'm lucky." Devicia laughed. "I am pretty good at dodging, though. Lots of experience the past few years."
Since tea-time was already over, Devicia figured the session would only last a few more minutes. "So... how has your stay at TRIM been so far?"
-
Zane Laughed. "Oh it's been just marvelous. Turns out that the scientist I'm to interact with isn't some crazy nut-job" Zane leaned in closer, "in fact she appears quite sane and actually is kind of fun to be around. But I think that is part of the experiment."
-
"Ooo... I'm not a nut job! That's a good start. You're not too bad of a subject either. Over half of them have lost their mind by the time I get there... not that I can blame them." She could usually save the ones that hadn't lost their minds yet. Having someone to talk to helped them a lot. Helped her, too.
"I wouldn't be surprised if everything they did was an experiment. And I don't just mean to you. I mean this whole place. All the scientists, subjects, guards... all part of a giant game. But I'm willing to play." At least for now.
-
"A game huh?" Zane more stated then asked, "then let us make sure we win, shall we?" Zane confirmed with himself that he trusted her, which surprised him. Am I really trusting a human? It has been over one hundred years since I last trusted a human.
-
Devicia laughed at Zane's comment before the wall opened and two guards walked in.
"Seems it's time for me to leave. Well, no worries, I'll be back tomorrow. Though I have the feeling the atmosphere will be different." Laughing again, Devicia walked out of the room while the guards picked up the teacups and plates.
-
It had been Twenty hours since Zane last saw Devicia, and in those twenty hours Zane had been working on breaking the ward in his room almost non-stop. But the ward was huge and well made. Zane stopped forcing power when he heard the door to his cell open. "Well hello" Zane said as three guards walked in.
The guards immediately launched at Zane, within seconds he was in handcuffs. "Guess you guys learned your lesson last time" Zane muttered as he was lifted from the floor and moved to a different room. It was just him and the guards now. "Late again Devicia"
-
Devicia decided to take a little detour before heading back to Zane. After all, she was going to have to fight today. That meant they'd give her even more leniency that the day before. But still... to give her artificial food in the morning? She understood that they were mad she didn't do anything about Zane's little rebellion the day before, but they should know she was picky about her food. Artificial cereal just didn't cut it.
So after sneaking a read donut from her beloved cafeteria friend, Devicia figured it was probably about time to head over to Zane. She'd only be about... twenty minutes late. Sighing, Devicia turned around and went back to the cafeteria to get a second donut.
After about another five minutes, Devicia arrived at Zane's room. Scanning her hand, Devicia mentally laughed at the fact the guards didn't say a thing about the fact that she was bringing food to a subject. In was forbidden, but it seemed she left enough of an impact they day before that they no longer questioned her. That was how it seemed to be everywhere now.
The wall opened and Devicia walked, once again, into the white room.
-
"Morning doctor... uh is Devicia your first or last name? And if it is your first name what is your last name? But if it is your last name what is your first name?" Zane for some reason felt like being thorough.
-
"First name. I don't know my last name. You don't need one on the streets." Handing Zane the donut, Devicia sat down and continued, "This is for you. Apologies for being late. Again." Then a thought struck her. "What about you? What's you last name?"
-
"Kerim." Taking a bite from the donut. It was perfectly glazed and just delicious, "this is pretty good and best of all not artificial." Zane got up and started walking around the room. Eyes moving from the guards to Devicia. "So today is the day huh?"
-
"Zane Kerim... not too bad," Devicia stated.
Her eyes following Zane as he walked around, Devicia continued, "Today is the day. The first day, at least. But you can finish the food and let it settle first."
Then, turning towards the guards, Devicia said, "Same conditions as yesterday: no sound, no cameras, no way to open the door from the inside. Now leave. Unless you want to die."
-
Zane watched as the guards left. "Ooo feisty. What is it about a woman threatening death that is so, I don't know, powerful"They are still watching, might as well put on a show. Zane readied his stance, one hand out in front of him the other arching over his head, all of his weight on his back foot. "Ready when you are."
-
Pulling out a dagger that they gave for her to protect herself, Devicia replied, "I'm ready whenever. Just one thing: no electric attacks. We're avoiding those until these stupid slow scientists can create some kind of armor that will prevent me from getting shocked or electrified to the point I can't attack you anymore." Devicia readjusted her stance so that one foot was slightly in front of the other and both her hands were in front of her chest.
Satisfied with her position, she continued, "Also, and yes, I realize this is a second thing, you get to be my guinea pig. You're TRIM's guinea pig anyway, but even more so now. Due to your... extensive fighting past and the fact they know you can fight just fine, I can actually attack you on our first day of training. However, you get to start the fight."
Devicia had the feeling she would have to use a little magic—more than her regenerative abilities. Although she didn't know any strong magic, she had learned some diversion techniques that basically served the same purpose as her dagger, but for magical attacks. That is, it would change the course of the magic slightly so she wouldn't, well, die.
-
Zane charged at Devicia, started the EMP, stopped running then when and sat down. Stretching, Zane looked at the doctor, "I really had you going there, the look on your face was priceless." Zane licked his fingers to get the last of the glaze off. "Can we get some more donuts? At tea time I mean."
-
"Donuts?" Devicia repeated. "You know, you aren't even supposed to be having that." Though she technically wasn't supposed to have one today, either. "The chances of us getting a real donut at tea time is about... hmm, let's see... zero." Devicia spat out that last word. If he didn't fight, it would be bad for both of them. More him than her. But she'd still get in trouble.
Sighing, Devicia took a few deep breaths and continued. "However, if you fight, the chances may go up a little. And if you don't fight... well, let's just say that your next scientist will have different types of experiments to do on you." Like ones that actually involved wires and dissection and knocking the person out.
"If you want to fight with your electricity sooooo bad, go ahead. I don't die that easily. But you'd be the one in trouble, not me." Since she was the one who requested armor to protect herself, anyway. Sighing again, Devicia said, "You know, you got the good part of TRIM. And I would recommend keeping it that way."
-
"Alright we will fight, but you will start the fight not me." And I won't use an ounce of power. "I'll drop the EMP when the fight gets underway." First think I got to get rid of is that knife. If I'm not going to use power that could be dangerous. Zane retook his stance. "This is a passive-aggression stance, I wish you the best of luck."
-
I have to start the fight? thought Devicia. She had never actually started a fight before—not even when she lived on the streets. She had certainly provoked fights, but never made the first actual move.
Since he didn't have any weapons and wasn't going to use his powers, Devicia decided it would be unfair for her to use the knife to fight. Flicking her wrist up, she flung the knife so it embedded itself in the ceiling.
Running a few steps forwards so Zane was within her reach, Devicia took her left fist and aimed at his face while her right fist would come around the side to theoretically punch him in the stomach.
-
Zane watched as Devicia embedded the knife in the ceiling then charged at him, setting up to punch him in the face. Zane grabbed her wrist and spun her body so her back was to him. He then reached around and grabbed her other wrist and pulled it so she was hugging herself.
Zane kept his feet apart so she couldn't stomp on his feet. "Maybe I will use a small amount of power, a small dose of electricity to ripple across your body locking you muscles. How would you like that?"
-
Laughing at how easily she managed to get caught, Devicia replied, "Do what you want. They just don't want me to become unable to fight. Can't research your brain waves that way."
Grabbing his wrists in the same way he had grabbed hers, Devicia kicked the inside of his knees with one foot so his legs would buckle. Then she pulled his hands so her hands uncrossed but his were now going around her. Finishing, she ducked under his arms, let go of his wrists, and turned around.
-
"Nice." Zane was actually a bit amazed, but that would not help her. Zane aimed a roundhouse kick to Devicia's head, which she easily ducked under, Zane added another rotation this time aimed ate her feet. When it landed, it caused her to fall. Zane quickly pressed his knee to her gut and pinned her arms with his hands. "What now, Doctor." The way he said it, it sounded venomous.
-
Thank God I stuck with shorts today, thought Devicia.
With her arms trapped, there was really only one thing she could do. Since her legs were still free, Devicia wrapped them around around his stomach (like sitting cross-legged with someone in the middle) and pushed them away from her, causing his knee to fall off of her... though the momentum also caused her to get kicked in the face. So now they were both laying on the ground, on their back, with not much to do. Her legs were around his stomach but her arms were still trapped. There were various things she could try, but Devicia decided to see what he would do, first.
-
Well, well seems I'm trapped.
Zane struggled until he was resting on the balls of his heels , Devicia still had her legs around his gut, Zane still had her by the wrists. Slowly but steadily, Zane stood up, picking up Devicia in such a way that he back was facing the floor and she was facing him. "I think you know what happens next." Zane tossed his legs out from under him and the fell to the ground landing on her back.
-
First thing Devicia noticed was that Zane was heavy. True, it was probably mostly muscle, but it was definitely going to leave some bruises on her back. Not that they would stay for long. At least it was a lot less painful then a stomach wound. Devicia still shuddered in the memory she had of getting stabbed in the stomach on her second day at TRIM.
Not really sure what she could do, Devicia decided that this was enough like a street fight that she didn't have to be dignified. So she kicked him. Hard.
-
Zane went down. Hard. He made a show of how bad it hurt, which actually wasn't that bad. Sure it was painful, but it was nothing he couldn't handle. He waited until Devicia was standing over him then he attacked.
Zane planted his hands on the ground and spun his body so he shot a sweeping kick at her, again causing her to topple. He finished the rotation then kicked off the ground, causing his feet to go high above his head. "Sorry doc" and Zane brought both heels down on Devicia's stomach. Hard.
-
Another stomach wound, thought Devicia. Well, at least this one isn't nearly as bad. Though she coughed up a little blood before her internal organ repaired itself.
Deciding that it was a nice time to keep laying down, Devicia said, "You know, you're supposed to be using your magic. While electricity might have fun staying out of this fight, I know you know other magic. And I'd like to think I wasn't so weak that you don't need to use it." And it was her job to get him to use it. Plus, it wasn't anything that would kill her.
-
Zane got up and placed his hand on her stomach then started releasing very small doses of electricity and heat simultaneously, it was meant to help sooth the organs he just crushed. "Sorry doc, but you did just kick me in the crotch. Kind of seems fair to me. But as to my needing magic in a fight, I have 5000 years fighting experience. It's not that you're not a good fighter, I've just seen everything that you could do." Zane felt bad. She was a good fighter.
-
Laughing again, Devicia replied, "You're quite the honest one, aren't you? Don't worry, I knew you'd be stronger than me. Unless you spent five thousand years doing nothing, which, given your personality, I assumed would not be true."
Moving Zane's hand aside and sitting up, Devicia continued, "However, I would like to tell you that I have absolutely no idea why you were just putting electricity in me. It obviously wasn't for fighting and I'm already fully healed... Though I suppose you could keep doing it just for the scientists."
-
"Mainly it was for the lingering pain. As I am sure you felt, small doses of electricity can reduce pain. It was big in the twenty-first century for high risk surgery patients. it was called electro-therapy. It fell out of practice because pain pills were cheaper, but the therapy is non-addictive. With slightly higher doses there is a numbing effect. Anything above that and it starts getting painful" Zane knew so much about the subject because during that time he had gotten a degree in the subject, that and many, many, many others. All of them were hanging up in the captain's quarters on the Daedalus.
"Well, we have fought and I don't feel right using magic against you because you've done nothing namely wrong to me. So what now doctor?"
-
Devicia decided not to mention the fact that she hadn't felt any pain for a while before he started putting electricity in her. Her regeneration skills were better than everyone she knew about, though she doubted they were the best. And although her ability was strong when she was born, Devicia had gathered that it had gotten stronger as she got older and got hurt more. And ever since she joined TRIM and had to fight almost everyday... well, she could heal herself pretty well.
Deciding to respond to the second part, Devicia asked, "How do you know I didn't do anything wrong? My life is a sketchy one and I'm sure you know, after five thousand years, that nobody is quite who they seem."
-
"After five thousand, you tend to learn people very well. Like I know that when you got that stomach wound, it was a knife wound, higher speed then normally possible. It was probably a telekinetic thrust. The pain was like nothing you ever experienced before, very traumatic. How do I know this? Well when I applied pressure to your stomach with my knee, your abs tensed way more then a normal person's would. Before that when I took my stance, one of your hands moved in front of your stomach. All these small clues tell me about you. You didn't even have to say anything." Zane stood and went back to the chair. "Yesterday I was learning about you too. through most of the session you kept your voice light and cheery, yet strong and forceful when it needed to be. So you are either a kind person or a sociopath, but a sociopath wouldn't have let the fight end after taking a hit like the one you did."
Zane could read people better than most dragons. At one time he was a psychological profiler. he was right almost every time.
-
Well that was pretty accurate, thought Devicia. With a laugh, she got up and decided to sit against the wall. Seemed like a pretty good place.
"I didn't end the fight. I temporarily suspended it." Devicia smiled. "It isn't my job to slaughter you or to get slaughtered—it's to measure your fighting level and for the people above us to measure your brain. I put you in some situations that would've caused you to have to think a little harder and even managed to get you to use some electricity... even in that one wasn't on purpose. Though your brain waves will change depending on how much electricity you use, the scientists should be happy. After all, I've got you to do things that, chances are, they wouldn't have been able to get you to do. Therefore my job is done."
Given Zane's attitude, Devicia wasn't even sure if she'd be able to get him to use any of his magic that day. And the fact that she did was purely luck. But luck was a good percentage of her job. So she didn't really care.
-
Zane stifled a laugh, "If you want to see true brain activity, get me to do something constructive, like playing a piano. Now that is something I'm good at." Zane briefly remembered the times he preformed in orchestral halls in the 22nd century, he missed the thunderous applause that followed every song.
Zane snapped back to reality, I need to stop living in the past. Turning to Devicia, "you have yet to answer my question, What next docter?"
-
Piano? thought Devicia. Never seen a piano...
Shaking her head to clear her wandering thoughts, Devicia replied, "TRIM doesn't want to know how to create an army of piano players. That's not the top of their agenda. I want to figure out the limit of your magic. For instance, I know you can control electricity. I know you can use it without touching someone. But can you create a lightening bolt?" If he could, well, her problems just got bigger.
-
"Yeah I can control electricity without touching, I'd say we are about seven feet apart. From this distance I can shut off your brain, but I would have to touch you to get it going again." Zane set his hands close together without letting them touch. "And yes I can generate bolts of electricity" he relaxed and let the power flow, bolts shot across his hand, "the more distance" he slowly started moving his hands apart, "The more power I have to use." His hands were parallel with his shoulders. He cut off the power. "If the conditions are right I can generate a lightning strike, but I really have to build up power."
"And don't get me started on fire." building up power in his hand, he released it and a fire ignited above the palm of his hand, "As you can see I can generate fire."
-
Seeing Zane with all his magic really made Devicia feel like she should've taken the opportunity to attend advanced magic classes when TRIM offered. Maybe she'd start them now... after all, she didn't plan on dying yet. Though the fire probably wouldn't be a big deal—she had her fair share of fire mages.
"How about the rock thing you were talking about?" asked Devicia. "What exactly can you do with that?"
-
"I can make my skin iron hard and increase my muscle density making myself much much stronger." The power gravitated to his skin, finding refuge in muscle and soft tissue. As Zane felt his skin solidify he held out his hand to Devicia, "go on, feel for yourself."
-
Devicia complied and touched his hand. It wasn't as if she was expecting him to be lying. But she did want to know exactly how hard it was. Unfortunately, it was pretty hard. If she got hit when he was like that, it would hurt. Luckily, it would still heal. But the initial pain would be bad. She decided that taking those magic classes would be a perfect idea.
"I wish they'd just let me dodge..." she muttered, not looking forward to their future fight. "But no, they also have to see what will happen to my body if I get hit."
In some ways, that made sense. If he electrocuted her, they'd want to see where it went and how it flowed. In other ways, it did not. Her body would most likely react differently than a normal body. In the end, she knew it was mostly because they wanted to figure out her body as well. If they could imitate what her cells did, then they might be able to create other people with her regenerative abilities.
-
Zane looked at the doctor, his eyes had long since lost their light, their joy for life. Now they were cold, and calculating, unreadable. "It wouldn't be hard at all to kill you. With my skin and muscles reenforced like they are, all I'd have to do is grab your neck and squeeze. Breaking a neck would be a painless way to go. A quick pain, a snap, then nothing. You'd get to know darkness. Maybe even an afterlife." He turned from her, letting the magic subside. It wasn't like he cherished in killing, far from it. He was just a being that was abandoned by his own time, undying. Some say that there is solace in death, Zane wouldn't know of this.
-
Devicia was slightly shocked at his words. She heard things like this fairly often, but wasn't expecting it to come out of Zane. Well, he had said some strange things already.
Quickly recomposing herself, Devicia responded, "You could. But where would the good in that be? I would be dead, you'd get some other scientist, and, well, I think we both know that wouldn't be good for either of us." If she was gone, she couldn't help him escape.
-
What was Zane thinking? Trying to scare someone like that? It wasn't like he could afford many enemies in this place, or perhaps it were the other way around. A friend would give a visible niche in his armor. A friend can be manipulated against you; a friend can put you in harm’s way. Or likewise you can be used as bait to draw out a friend. Zane had seen it all many times before. Many times he was the hunter.
“What would be the good in it” Zane repeated, more affirming it in his own head then actually answering the question. “None” he smiled and looked to back to Devicia, “I can only assume our session is almost up, seeing as we have been in here for close to two hours, how about some good old QnA while we wait for them to in and come take me away, I don’t feel much like fighting anymore today. I’ll Start, What are some of your interests? Besides trying to help the helpless.”
-
Devicia paused as she pondered his question. She had nothing against talking—she preferred it, in fact. And the scientists couldn't get mad at her. She already gave them some valuable information.
"I don't know," she finally answered, telling the truth. "Helping people is what I've done most my life. It's all I've had time for. How about you, seeing as your life has been much longer than mine?" Devicia smiled kindly, though she was wondering if having such a long life would be good. You'd have to watch so many people die... but at least you'd have more time to help those that are living at the time.
-
A half smile crept across Zane's lips, "When you have lived as long as I, everything will be interesting at least once. At first there was my family, that was a long time ago, nearly five thousand year." his mind flashed back to that forest, the huntress, that horrible winter, hunting and killing those bandits. That was the start of his family, his would-be wife was only about fourteen then, but that was pretty normal at the time. "For three centuries I watched over my family, at first as the head of the family. But as time went on I watched from a distance, because most didn't understand the reality of a life undying. After three centuries, my bloodline died out, thanks to a war. So for the next sixty years I just wandered, as I had been doing before I came to have a family. During that time I treked the globe four times, A grand feat for the transportation limitations of the time. After that, my interests were music and art, the world went through somewhat of Renaissance, if you look hard enough, you might find records somewhere famous paintings and compositions by a Sir Zane Kerim. After that it was knowledge, I began to learn everything I could about everything. The walls of my room on my ship is just covered wall to wall in doctorate degrees. By the end of that time, I was about 2500 years old, and the world was at war with itself. Natural resources were becoming a rarity. Waterlevels world wide were dropping, oil resevoirs were drying up. Natual metals were gone. The world was dying."
He paused for a moment, stopping for the effect. "Tell my doctor, how does it make you feel that your own race is responsible for the death of the planet and the genocide of spirits. Earth used to be populated by various races of beings, and not like you humans seporate into races. I'm talking about an plethora of humanoid species that were wiped out by humans. We are judged by not our own sins but by those of our forefathers."
-
Devicia listened, intrigued, as Zane spoke. It seemed like one of the first times that she got a longer, more honest answer from him. And the answer wasn't at all what she was expecting. But why not? Surely someone who lived that long must have witnessed a lot.
"I would do anything to fix my ancestors sins, but that's not what I'm focusing on," she responded, choosing her words carefully. She wanted to speak the truth, but hadn't thought much on the topic before. "Instead, I spend my time and energy trying to fix our current sins. It isn't good to get too wrapped up in the past and ignore the present."
-
Zane just shrugged. "THose who forget the past, are condemned to repeat it, or be enslaved by those who do. What is your question devicia?"
-
"My question?" Devicia paused. "I suppose I probably should ask more..." With a sigh, she sat up and started pacing around the room. She was getting restless from sitting against the wall for so long.
Then, suddenly, she stopped walking and turned towards Zane. "Where are you from, anyway? If you've lived for five thousand years... I'm going to assume your childhood was not a normal one."
-
For some reason, when Devicia stalked around the room, it unnerved him a great deal. While he knew he had nothing to fear of the doctor, the way she moved reminded him of some great predator, stalking it's prey. He stood near the center of the room, watching her, never letting it show that her stalking bothered him. Then came the question.
"Whether you believe it or not, the way you see me now, is how I've looked my whole life. My kind, we don't age, in fact, we are not really born. We more or less just come into being. Well not really anymore. Nature itself is dead. I am the last of my kind. As for my childhood, if I could have such a thing, it would be the first two centuries of my life, spent in a forest living among animals in the wild. A perfect harmony, one without humans." There was a slight edge to his words. He often blamed the death of nature on humans, but really, he was the start of the whole process.
-
Devicia didn't miss the tone of his voice that clearly showed he hated humans. Well, she had already guessed that much based on the previous things he had said. But still, the harshness almost surprised her.
"So," she started, after a brief pause. "You want to return the worlds to harmony? Is that what you desire?" And although she wasn't going to ask it yet, she was also wondering to what extent he'd go to fix that harmony. Would he wipe out the human race? Despite his powers, she doubted he could do it alone. But she believe that if he truly wanted to, Zane would be able to raise an army. He wasn't the only one who felt the way he did.
-
"Not at all, the damages don't to earth cannot be undone. Much like the Scar on your stomach, even though the scar may fade, it will never be the same. You will always know what was there, and the way you react to anything coming near your gut will also serve as a reminder, not to mention the muscle memory of the event. I proved that earlier in the fight. My desire is to go back in time, but that is impossible. For time is the invention of man. Well, actually it was a Fae, but that is neither here nor there." Sad but true, there would be no going back.
"On my ship, I was working on a system that would allow me to relive my past, based on my own memories it would reconstruct the world of the past. But I can't seem to get it to work properly. And now I may not be able to get it to work properly, being as I am trapt here."
-
Devicia nodded at Zane's description of the damages done. He was an odd man for sure, and he phrased things weirdly, but he somehow made sense. Maybe it was because she knew he was telling the truth and therefore she didn't have to think about hidden meanings behind his words.
But when he moved on to talk about his ship, she started to get a little lost. "A new world? Do you mean... like, an actual new planet? Or would it just bring your mind back in time so you could relive those memories? I'm afraid I don't quite know what you mean..." After saying this, Devicia realized with a start that either one of these would prove quite useful to TRIM or even the galaxy in general. The ability to create new worlds would be a great power and source of wealth and the ability to see into the past would allow new scientific accomplishments. Luckily, anything Zane said would stay private. The scientists above wouldn't know the important things he was saying.