Resonance of the Stars: Bleak Horizon

Zach was still going where he was going. Not that he knew where that was. Problem was, he was hurting, and lost.

"You pathetic fool! We are lost in this damnable ship!" Zero snapped angrily. "Give me control you pathetic whelp!"

Zach grinned through the pain as he slipped down a wall.

"How about no?" He said tauntingly. His vision was blurry. Kyuba had really done a number on him. Zero growled.

"Get up you weakling! Get up or give me control. I will NOT be seen as pathetic!" Zero shouted. Zach felt consciousness fading completely from their body.

'Hey Lucas, I-i don't know if you'll hear me but i'm beat up and lost so um i need hel....' Zach couldn't even finish the mental message because he passed out. The last thing he heard was.

"Weakling damn you! Why call that weak foo...."

Zach's words rang through teamspeak. "Sounds more like a job for me, Lucas will you please go to the children?" She imagined she heard a yes as she hurried off to Zach's location.

Upon reaching Zach she saw the extent of his injuries. She winced when she saw he may have some broken ribs. "No wonder he passed out. Who would have done this to him?" she thought, before remembering where she was. "I guess the better question is, who wouldn't have done this to him?" All the medical supplies were in the suite where the rest of their possessions had been taken, he would have to be moved.

"Kyuba, I need you to come help me carry Zach to the supply room." Michiko waited for a response.

Lucas smiled as he watched Michiko take off down the hall, quickly making his way back to Michiko's room, once again, knocking on the door.

"Sophia? It's Lucas! I know I promised some play time, so I'm back!"

For the first time that Lucas could remember since he had watched the Zigrav go up in flames, Lucas was happy. Misery and morbid seriousness had seemed to follow him around for the last several weeks, having to direct his team into hiding, gathering supplies, and then rescuing a pair of children from the Faction's clutches. But now it was behind him, and he was able to sit down and have some time to relax.

Kyuba smiled to himself as he first heard Zach's mewling cry for help and then Michiko's call for aid. What has that bumbling oaf done now...fine fine I will be right there

Kyuba found Michiko and Zach and immediately fell to his knees by Zach's side. "Ooooo poor baby did you fall down some stairs? Stand back Michiko I will handle this...only the best for my good buddy Zachary..." He picked him up Zach, none to gingerly, and carried him to the supply room, where he placed him on the table.

"I trust you will take care of him...Oh I am besides myself with worry....I cannot stay here...it's far too gruesome..."

He hurried out of the supply room and got 5 corridors away before he burst out with laughter. "Oh that was rich..."

Michiko watched Kyuba manhandle Zach. "Don't do it that way!" She exclaimed. "You're not holding him right!" She tried again halfway to the supply room. "KYUBA!" She shouted to no avail. It was like he hadn't heard anything she said. "I might need some help." she muttered while digging through the bandages. She heard him going on sarcastically about Zach's condition. "Will you hand me that..." When she turned around he was gone.

Quite perturbed, she quickly, but expertly tended to Zach. "There now, something for the pain as well." She murmured to herself. Once he was taken care of she contacted Kyuba through private team speak. "Well that wasn't suspicious at all... I'm going to need more help getting him to a suite, but THIS TIME BE MORE CAREFUL. Remember, I'm the one who will be holding the knife and administering the drugs should YOU need medical attention. I can choose to be generous or miserly when the time comes."

Kyuba sighed through the teamspeak, Yes....Mother Michiko..careful...don't want to add another to your kill count...although it would burn me forever knowing I was only number 2....no wait...make that...number 3...I never knew that kind of thing counted....

He returned and carefully carried him to a suite. "Anything else....Mi...chi?" He accentuated the syllables in her name to mock her.

Michiko gave Kyuba the darkest look her face could make. She reddened with rage. "Nor did I until I came to your stupid flying hell..." His face was begging for a slap, but she'd caused enough trouble for today. "Now you can go back to whatever it is you do, blending babies, eating puppies, setting the elderly on fire, take your pick." She waved him off and turned back to Zach.

Kyuba laughed, "You got it wrong dear...it's Eating Babies, blending the elderly, and setting puppies on fire...if you;re going to mock me at least do it right please"

Kyuba skirted out the door before Michiko could react he had done enough for the day. Now it was time to wait.

Michi rolled her eyes at the comeback. Before returning to Lucas and the children, she gave Zach one more look. She checked, double checked, and triple checked her craftsmanship. To a doctor, even bandaging was an art. Everything seemed to be in order, so she left Zach to rest.

The sight she saw when she reached the children's room made her throw her hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh. Apparently Lucas had consented to playing some kind of pretend animal game, in which they were both jumping around like monkeys.

"I can come back, it seems you two are busy." she tried desperately not to giggle, but a few slipped out anyway.

Kyuba watched Michiko leave and stalked quietly back into the room. He crept across the floor over to the bed that Zach was laying in. He put his hand over Zach's mouth as he said, "Oh ZEEEEEEROOOOOOOO I know you're in there buddy....Don't you worry doctor Kyubsa is going to take care of you....you poor pathetic weak creature....unable to take care of himself." Kyuba saw a spot where blood was bleeding through the bandages. He pressed down hard on it causing Zach to cry out in muffled pain. "Does that hurt??? Poor baby...." He picked up Zach and held him close so he could whisper into his ear. "You are nothing...Zero....NOTHING....that is what your name stands for....you are so weak that even a weakling like Zach can hold you off...how pathetic....How about we play a little game." Kyuba began to unwrap some of the bandages around his arms. He tossed them over the rafters in the ceiling and pulled hard lifting Zach by his arms in the air just high enough to so couldn't touch the ground. He moved in once again to whisper into his ear. "I am a the hare and you are the pathetic WEAK little tortoise....slow and stupid...lets see if you can catch me...I will be waiting...."

Kyuba stalked out of the room laughing knwoiung the bandages would only hold so long before collapsing to the floor.

Zero's eyes shot open after Kyuba left. He growled deeply.

'That bastard' Zero thought to himself. Zach was completely unconscious. Better for Zero. He would go after that damnable priest and prove his strength. He looked up and saw how the bandages were over the rafters. He grit his teeth and began to climb. He kept wrapping his hand causing himself to rise. When he jumped off the rafter and finally came to the floor he pulled the bandages off his arms. He cracked his neck. And stormed out of the room.

"Where did you go you damnable bastard?" He shouted down the halls. He would find Kyuba and prove himself. He was NOT weak. He ignored the ache in his ribs and stormed down the hall.

Lucas looked over at Michiko in both shock and embarassment, then down at himself in to analyze what he had allowed himself to become involved in.

"Um...eh...heh heh...."

At this point he took the opportunity to save his own pride and quite possibly throw Michiko into the madness.

"Say, Sophia! Betcha I can make Michiko dance!"

Despite being embaressed beyond belief every now and again, he was loving the opportunity to unwind and spend time with his team as more than just a commander: a friend. He knew this was the only chance at shore leave any of them would be having for quite some time, so he decided to enjoy it right along with them.

"Well, crisis has been averted Kyuba. Everything has been squared away with Michiko, so it's time to enjoy ourselves for a few days. Consider yourself on shore leave."

Kyuba's watch bleeped its warning as he walked down the hall. "Already eh?...interesting" He stopped and turned around and pressed some buttons on his watch. Long ago he had learned how to tap into the ship's security system much to the dismay of the council. He saw Zero turn the corner and launch himself at Kyuba but he never reached him. A net closed around him holding him to the ground.

Laughing as he bent down Kyuba looked Zero in the eyes. "Now now...Zero...you know how weak that body is...you don;t want to push it too far...like I said before...you are leagues behind me little one." Moving to his arms Kyuba clasped them in a specialized set up handcuffs which arrested movement to Zero's entire body. "See...weak and pitiful...that is you Zero..."

Kyuba carried him to his room and threw him inside removing the net. Those cuffs will disengage after I leave...do not leave this room until I come for you...or else I will tell Lucas about this...and he will make sure he takes away any chance for you to ever kill again...Besides this place must be like a palace for you...you get food here and everything, you must be so impressed, with your meager upbringing and all...oh wait...that was Zach...you were never meant to exist...you were a mistake ZERO...nothing but a mistake...a weak...mishap..."

Kyuba closed the door and magnetically sealed it. He nodded he head as he received the Transmission from Lucas. Very well...Zach is resting in his room...he wishes not to be disturbed...As for me...I shall be preaching...if you ever wish to take up your true calling come find me.

Lucas got his revenge as he tickled Michiko to the point of tears. Sophia laughed gleefully at the display. "You guys are so FUNNY!" Sophia squealed with delight. At this the two stopped and turned on her. The little girl was happier than they'd ever seen her. It was a far cry from the day they'd first found the pair. The fun lasted a while, until suddenly they were interrupted by the sound of rustling sheets. Everyone stopped and looked in the direction of the noise.

Lucas shot up in surprise, and when he located the source of the sound, he was in absolute shock.

"Michi...."

There was a slight grumble as the young boy on the nearby bed began to sit up.

"...I think he's awake." He said in amazement.

Slowly, the young boy began to rise from his spot on the bed, rubbing his eyes ever so slowly, then stopping as he realized that one arm felt much colder than the other when it touched his skin. He opened his eyes, and was shocked, almost clearly scared, when he saw a metallic piece of material in the place where his arm once was.

Desperately, he began to look around.

"S-Sophia?" He asked, fear audible in his tone.

Zero slammed his fist against the port hole. He started to pace back and forth. In the meanwhile inside of their shared mind Zach was waking.

"Screwed up didn't you?" Zach said mockingly. Zero froze. There was no way Zach was up already. Zach forced a smile to appear on their face. While Zero caused their eyes to glare as he looked in the mirror. Zach looked back at him grinning still. Zero grabbed the sides of the mirror.

"Mock me will you? You little shit. You are weak. I am strong so what do you know?" Zero growled. Zach's grin got wider.

"Your not that strong. Even i know we're weaker then Kyuba. That's why i never challenged him in anything then killing competitions in our resonarks."
Zach did his best to sound condescending. He was so tired though and Zero's rage was making it hard to do anything. Zero growled again.

"You Know NOTHING!!!!!!!" Zero snapped viciously. Zach snorted.

"I know more then you think Mr.Mistake. Kyuba was right to say you were NEVER supposed to exist. Those bastards broke the real Zach and created the two of us." Zach snidely snapped back. Zero growled and slammed his fist into the glass breaking it. But in the shattered remains Zach's mocking smile remained.

Kyuba stared out at the congregation as his robes flowed behind him dramatically. He was dressed in silk robes of black and violet, his silver hair aflame with purple fairy fire known as Corpse Pyre. He took a deep breath and once more stared down the ever expansive temple that took up most of the heart of the ship.

Kyuba always gathered a crowed when he preached here for he had the gift, the gift to inspire the murderers and the masses the psychopaths and the killers. He let them stew as he always did, he could feel them growing restless. He stole a glance up at the booth far above the crowds. The council had even appeared, their faces emotionless death masks. He had struck fear into each of them...Good they were weak and he was strong, they would eventually bow to him and his command of the Arts of the Blessed Shiiva, or be crushed beneath his boots like so many others. He would have their obedience or he would wear their skulls. In fact today a brand new skull adorned his personage, shrunken of course but complete with the very hole his Scythe had made. He wore it as a proud reminder to all that he was powerful enough to take down even the Council.

Taking a deep breath he started to speak as the candles and lights began to dim leaving an eerie darkness about the place. "Death...do any of us truly understand it...I know I do....death is a beautiful thing. To rip the very life form your enemy by ones own hands there truly is no greater pleasure in life. How ironic but yet how true...Brothers and Sisters...I am but a humble servant of our Goddess just as any of you are...so I must ask you all this...WHY HAVE WE NOT REAPED ACROSS THE GALAXY YET?....If there is one thing I despise...it is laziness...and that is what this organization has become...led by fat pigs who forget the true reason for our existence...WE EXIST, brothers and sisters...we exist...TO BRING DEATH TO ALL IN THE NAME OF THE HOLIEST OF UNHOLY. THE BEAUTIFUL SHINING GODDESS WHO'S VERY NAME CAN STRIKE A LESSER MAN DEAD!....we exist...as the extension of Shiira's will....we are her hand that wields her mighty scythe as it cuts across the entirety of existence...but today I stand before you ashamed...angered..."

Kyuba paused for dramatic effect seeing the stunned look upon the crowd, some even looked angry as if they could tell what was coming. As he spoke again the violet flame in his hair surged and caught his entire robe illuminating him in a violet inferno. "AT ALL OF YOU!" He pointed at the audience for more dramatic effect as a roar of anger and protest arose shaking the very room to its core. Some dared to climb the pulpit to challenge him but each cried out as they fell ot the floor burning. "NONE AS WEAK AS YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO APPROACH THIS ALTAR...you have all become lazy...and fat...and stupid. An embarrassment to the likes of our Matron...." More foolish priests tried to climb the pulpit angered into a blood fury and they each one writhing in agony. Some of the unfortunate ones were trampled by the crowds as many began to push their way through to him.

One managed to reach him and grasp onto his hand through the flame. Kyuba smiled at him and raised the man's hand into the air. "Now this...this is a worthy man...he fought his way through fire and flame and has shown his resolve.." The man smiled with a look of ecstasy as the crowds cheered him. The cheers grew all the louder as the mans hand fell to the floor and his arm began to spurt blood into the audience. The injured man fell to the floor and Kyuba kicked him over the edge. Looking down upon him he spat as he said, "Do not get to cocky fool...the price for your arrogance...is that hand. If you truly are worthy learn to fight without it...become strong through your weakness...overcome it and kill in the name of the goddess.

In response the man rose and stuck his stump into the nearest pyre and cauterized it. He then grabbed the nearest priest and threw him head first into the pyre. Kyuba smiled his approval through the flames and the screams. That one will join my raiders someday...he has spirit. Kyuba looked out at the crowd and saw similar displays all over. Weaker members fell to their deaths as the strong became stronger.

After a few minutes of bloodshed the crowds began to quiet down as Kyuba began to rise in the air above them. He was wielding his jet black scythe which gleamed in the light of his flame. "Look upon me brothers and sisters...look upon me and learn what is truly is to embody the spirit of our Goddess...Look upon me and I will bathe you in the image of her unholiness."

The walls began to fade away to blackness and even Kyuba began to fade away replaced by a beautiful naked female with wings of violet and hair of pure silver. Her eyes closed, she floated about the room. Each individual forgot their neighbor existed as he stared, for some the first time, upon the visage of the goddess. The Vision floated down in front of each man and woman who fell to thier knees in worship. The Goddess began to open here eyes and screams began to fill the room once more echoing off the walls and amplifying a thousand fold. As the vision faded away Kyuba dissipated with it.

There were now two groups left within the hall. The worth, the ones who looked upon the visage of the goddess and lived to tell the tale and those who had failed, those who had looked upon the vision and found only madness in the eyes. Cries of terror and joy once again rang throughout as the worthy dispatched the writhing helpless unworthy with sheer abandon.

The council looked on with a mix of surprise and disgust, they left the booth without a sound, there was much to discuss...much to decide.

----Kyuba's Chambers----

Kyuba collapsed in a chair in his room exhausted by the energy needed to channel that much power. He had done the Goddess proud this day and he would be rewarded well for it. Suddenly a familiar voice popped into his head. Kyubaaaaa.... He shook his head to clear his mind, he was just tired and hearing things. Kyubaaa.....help me..... Kyuba sat up straight recognizing the voice. Esperanza?!?!? "No...it can't be you fool...she is dead...let it go already." Kyuba poured himself a few drinks and put the voice from his mind.

"Raul!" Sophia shouted immediately. She bounded over to her brother and threw her arms around him. Michiko smiled broadly while she fought back tears. This was one of the most gratifying things for a doctor, not just the patient recovering, but also the joy it brought his loved ones.

"Careful Sophia." Michiko pried her away gently. "I'm sure he's still very sore, we don't want to squeeze him too hard." She looked him over carefully. "Well it's very nice to meet you Raul, we've heard so much about you." Sophia nodded profusely in agreement. "Yeah! Yeah! I told em! What was it like to sleep so long Rallie? Did you dream? Did you get hungry!? Do you want some eggs!? These mean people make REALLY good eggs!" Michiko laughed loudly at Sophia's inquiries. She had some of her own, but the boy had just woken up, there would be plenty of time for her questions later.

Lucas felt a mixture of pride and joy as he watched the young boy rise. Through all of the pain and struggling that Alpha Squad had faced, at the very least they managed to bring some good back into the galaxy. They had saved these young ones.

Slowly moving a bit closer, kneeling beside the bed, Lucas smiled.

"Hey Raul, how're you doing? You feeling alright?"

The boy sniffled in fear, confusion, and even a hint of pain.

"S-Sophie...W-what's going on?" He desperately tried to move towards the other side of the bed, confused and uncertain of these new people, but began to wince in pain as he realized the stubborn cold arm did not want to obey him. Tears began to well in his eyes.

"W-what's wrong with my arm?!" He whimpered, clearly unable to control the arm as of yet, nerves not fully connected.

Raul's awakening was bittersweet. His apprehension and anxiety were to be expected, but they still put a damper on the occasion. Sohpia's expression dimmed a bit "Don't you remember Rallie? The bad man, mama, papa...?" The girl was amazed her brother could forget something like that.

"Well whatever he remembers, I wouldn't expect he'd remember us." Michiko said with a warm smile. "My name's Michiko, and as I said I'm very pleased to meet you." she didn't want to push it, so she didn't offer her hand for a shake. It might be an insensitive gesture considering his arm.

Sophia dropped the subject of their parents. "Well Michiko, Lucas, and Uncle Zach found us and are taking care of us....There's another guy too...but he's kind of scary." She noticed her brother looking at his new appendage. "You kind of had an accident, your other arm...it's gone now... but Uncle Zach found you a new one, and Michiko put it on! Things will be all better soon, you'll see!" Sophia was trying to be upbeat and strong for her brother, but it was a difficult balancing act for a little girl who, deep down, was almost as sad and scared as her brother.

Michiko stood back and listened. Some doubt crept back into her heart "If Raul is this frightened around us, and we are departing in a few days, leaving him to more total strangers...how's he ever going to be able to adjust?" Aside from that she still wasn't truly FOR the arrangement. It looked good on paper, but something nagged at her soul. It seemed heartless to leave them. "War is cruel..." She reminded herself. All she could do was hope that waving goodbye to their sad little faces wouldn't break her heart.

Raul looked up at Michiko in confusion.

"You..y-you helped us get away from the bad men...?" At this point he completely defied the odds and forced himself forward, latching onto her legs and almost sobbing.

"Oh th-thank you so *sniff* so much! It was cold and dark and scary and they were so mean and and and...." He began to ramble nervously as he clung to Michiko's leg, in all the excitement it was clear that he needed someone to look to as a guardian, and Michiko had provided that in the form of a guardian angel if Sophia was telling the truth, and she had never lied to him before.

Lucas smiled as he watched the display of affection and happiness.

"We might want to examine his arm later, it looks like the nerves might not all be connected properly." He projected out to Michiko as an idea.
He smiled still, but it began to fade ever so slightly.

"He's going to need rehabilitation in order to be able to use that thing, and a LOT of it..."

Michiko crouched down and they had a proper hug, instead of just a leg latch. She looked up at Lucas with big water logged eyes. The damn was about to break. "I'll check him, but the nerve connections are probably fine, this is quite common. Rehabilitation is all he needs now. Lucas...Are you sure we have to...?" Michi didn't finish, but the question still hung in the air.

Zero kept throwing things around. Zach's impudence had enraged him. Zach meanwhile was happy. Just a little more.

"You're weak. Get the hell over it. Getting all angry and pissed off is just more weakness you stupid psycho." Zach said commandingly. Zero spun back to the mirror and glared Zach down through the shattered glass.

"You are the one who is weak not me!" Zero shouted angrily. Zach just smirked.

"I hate the bastards who created us. Yet you hate them more don't you? You hate them even more then me. You hate their existance and the fact you were created in the first place." Zach snapped back. Zero roared and ran at the glass. At the last second Zach seemed to stretch out and grab him. Zero found himself inside their mind.

"Damn you!!!" Zero shouted angrily. Zach grinned on the outside.

"I win this time!" Zach said victoriously.

Lucas nodded and looked away, sadness clear on his face, determined not to show the children the struggle he faced.

"...I'm sorry Michiko. I promise you though, we will send for them as soon as we are done, and every day we will devote a block of time to speaking with them, no matter what."

He looked back at the children, smile once more on his face.

"Come on kids, let's get you something to eat, you must be starving!" He said with a laugh and a hearty smile.

The days pass rather quickly when you are facing the possibility of not returning. You try and enjoy every moment you have with those you love, but it never feels like enough, no matter what you do.

This situation was no different.

Lucas and Michiko had spent the better part of every day with the children, making sure they were adjusting, and understood that no matter what, they would come back to the team when they finished, and they would build a new family together.

Raul had taken quite a liking to Michiko, vying for her attention any time she was in the room. It was clear to anyone who looked on how close the kids had grown with the medical offcier and commander of the team, almost being inseparable.

However, Lucas had his own obligations to attend to.

This war would not run itself, and Lucas was in constant strategy meetings with Kyuba, trying to understand just what kind of forces would be at their disposal, or spending time in the Church's vast archives, learning about Michiko's homeworld that they might have a more effective battle plan when making contact. It was not pleasant, and Lucas often felt himself being lost to the work, Sophia and Raul having to ground him in the reality that he was still a person alongside being a leader.

Finally, the day came, and Kyuba's forces were due to arrive in less than an hour.

"Alright team, it's time. I want everyone suited up and ready to go in thirty minutes, we need to discuss our next course of action."

Lucas had grown more focused in terms of the team's mental link, and was now easily able to transition from communicating with the whole to one person among them.

"Michi, it's time to say goodbye."

Lucas had prepared for this day, and wasn't going to go to the children empty handed, having had a new pair of glasses crafted for him, he intended to leave Sophia with his original pair as a promise and reminder that he would be coming back. As for Raul, he had prepared some medications with his nurses, and had holographic pictures of all four of them together. He wanted to bring Zach into the fun, but he could tell his friend was facing some inner turmoil, which he knew he would have to take a step into at some point, but as of right now, he knew the children were the priority.

"Kyuba, the trainers are all set? I want these kids ready when we finish this next assignment."

Kyuba was busy making preparations for his troops arrival and their transfer to his flagship Hellion when Lucas asked him for the umpteenth time, "Kyuba, the trainers are all set? I want these kids ready when we finish this next assignment." Kyuba sighed as he checked his temper. "For the last time Lucas...stop worrying...everything is set up...they kids will start their training soon...I handpicked the people myself and you approved of them remember?" Kyuba shook his head, wondering how Lucas even functioned with all the worrying he did, after all it wasn't like Kyuba was busy with anything he had all the free time in the world right?

Wrong...ever since he had arrived on the ship he was hearing strange voices that sounded like Esperanza calling out to him. On top of that the council seemed to be scheming to themselves about things, much like they always did, but a lot of it seemed to be pointed at him. More than once he was challenged on his authority to commandeer the troops like he had, HIS own troops. The foolish council was just worried that they would lose their prized fighters...HIS prized fighters.

Kyuba pushed the thoughts from his mind. He had plenty of work to do. Just as he finished that thought the first ships started dropping out of warp. "Lucas...they are here..."