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The young Serco sat quietly, replaying his plans over and over in his head. His eyes, hidden by a sleek black visor, crinkled in a smile, as the only possible conclusion became evident once again: success.
"Next!" shouted a dockworker. The young Serco quickly shuffled to the window, presenting his papers to the worker.
"I see, a request for your very first ship. Have fun with it, Mr-" The worker froze as he saw the name of the young Serco. "Oernon Karun!?" he wheezed. "The name of the Oath-Breaker as well as the Fallen Champion? Surely this is blasphemy!"
Karun had taken this all through his life. Those in the labs could never stop cracking jokes. Those in the streets could never stop the heckling. Enough was enough. Karun smashed through the plate of glass, grabbed the worker by the throat, and hoisted him off the ground. The worker surely had strength implants, but he stood no chance at breaking Karun's grip. "My name is not who I am," spat Karun. "Now I need a ship. Finish what you are supposed to be doing."
"S-sure..." coughed the worker, and Karun dropped him heavily. Minutes passed without a word, then: "These appear to be in order. Now I just need a retina scan..."
Karun took the little probe handed to him, turned away from the worker, and lifted his visor just enough for the scan. He handed back the probe and waited for the inevetable-
"Woah!" cried the worker. "You're 18!? This thing shows you at half that. Here, lemme try..."
Karun smiled and grabbed the worker's wrist as he tried to reach for the visor. "You won't like what you see," growled Karun. "And I assure you, the mistake is yours, not mine." Karun twitched a finger, denting a metal plate in the worker's wrist. The worker yelped with pain, recoiled, and handed Karun an ID chip with his good (though shaking) hand.
"T-take any bus you want!" stuttered the worker, who had held up remarkebly in the face of many previous attempts of intimidation.
"Thank you," laughed Karun, striding towards the nearest EC-88, and opening the hatch. The young Serco stepped inside, flipped on the ship, and flew out of the dock perfectly.
As soon as he had gone, a security guard ran up to the dockworker Karun had just finished with.
"Do you know who you just gave a Serco ID chip to!?" shouted the guard.
"Oernon Karun?" asked the worker hopefully.
"No you fool! Haven't you seen his picture around reccntly? It was the Itani, S-"
"Do not speak his name in my presense," came a third voice, much cooler and more relaxed than the others'. "And no, you are incorrect. But for reasons you could not possibly know of."
"Sir!" cried the guard and worker in unison, bowing as the head of Reasearch and Development in Pyronis stepped out of the shadows.
"Your vigilance, Sarren, is appreciated. And for the complexity of the situation, Karnath, I am glad for your ignorance. But know, gentelmen, that the Triumvirate vouches for this pilot."
"Next!" shouted a dockworker. The young Serco quickly shuffled to the window, presenting his papers to the worker.
"I see, a request for your very first ship. Have fun with it, Mr-" The worker froze as he saw the name of the young Serco. "Oernon Karun!?" he wheezed. "The name of the Oath-Breaker as well as the Fallen Champion? Surely this is blasphemy!"
Karun had taken this all through his life. Those in the labs could never stop cracking jokes. Those in the streets could never stop the heckling. Enough was enough. Karun smashed through the plate of glass, grabbed the worker by the throat, and hoisted him off the ground. The worker surely had strength implants, but he stood no chance at breaking Karun's grip. "My name is not who I am," spat Karun. "Now I need a ship. Finish what you are supposed to be doing."
"S-sure..." coughed the worker, and Karun dropped him heavily. Minutes passed without a word, then: "These appear to be in order. Now I just need a retina scan..."
Karun took the little probe handed to him, turned away from the worker, and lifted his visor just enough for the scan. He handed back the probe and waited for the inevetable-
"Woah!" cried the worker. "You're 18!? This thing shows you at half that. Here, lemme try..."
Karun smiled and grabbed the worker's wrist as he tried to reach for the visor. "You won't like what you see," growled Karun. "And I assure you, the mistake is yours, not mine." Karun twitched a finger, denting a metal plate in the worker's wrist. The worker yelped with pain, recoiled, and handed Karun an ID chip with his good (though shaking) hand.
"T-take any bus you want!" stuttered the worker, who had held up remarkebly in the face of many previous attempts of intimidation.
"Thank you," laughed Karun, striding towards the nearest EC-88, and opening the hatch. The young Serco stepped inside, flipped on the ship, and flew out of the dock perfectly.
As soon as he had gone, a security guard ran up to the dockworker Karun had just finished with.
"Do you know who you just gave a Serco ID chip to!?" shouted the guard.
"Oernon Karun?" asked the worker hopefully.
"No you fool! Haven't you seen his picture around reccntly? It was the Itani, S-"
"Do not speak his name in my presense," came a third voice, much cooler and more relaxed than the others'. "And no, you are incorrect. But for reasons you could not possibly know of."
"Sir!" cried the guard and worker in unison, bowing as the head of Reasearch and Development in Pyronis stepped out of the shadows.
"Your vigilance, Sarren, is appreciated. And for the complexity of the situation, Karnath, I am glad for your ignorance. But know, gentelmen, that the Triumvirate vouches for this pilot."
Oernon Karun.
Hehe well let me think of a good place to start. I guess it all goes back almost a year or so ago, maybe a little more. You see back then I was a Mercenary/Pirate, rather new to the whole piloting thing, if I remember right I was still getting implants either stuck in me or reversed so I could pilot better. You know maybe they messed things up all that time ago and that's why I can't pilot like the big boys...
Ah but I'm getting ahead of my self. Back to my story, I was a young... Well no I guess that's not right I was 32 at the time, 32... Seems like it was a life time ago, the memories are so far away. So many memories...
Ahem, I mean I was a new pilot still trying to prove my self, back then I was running around with the infamous Black Lance Assassins of Kraz or BLAK as we liked to be called. I had just gotten done spending a good lot of time as an Itani, got the papers a full body make over and a valk. It was different and earned me some hate and love at the same time in addition to notice from BLAK.
I had started out hanging in grey to avoid the ostrisization I received from both nations, while down there I started hanging around a guy named Holden who showed me the Itani way of flying light ships. I must say under him my flying skills improved greatly. At that time I was a plank owner in this new group known as IA or the Itani Alliance.
Fast forwards a few weeks, I got an invite to BLAK and jumped on it knowing it would change my life forever, and also being drawn to the nice people of the guild even though pirates there was some thing different about them, some thing I wanted as well.
I guess about a month or so later IA decided it would be cool to ally them self's with the Viper guild or VPR. Viper is some thing of a police group working out of UiT space, due to some of the illegal activities BLAK partook in VPR actively attempted to hunt us down.
I say attempted because though they out numbered us most of the time 2 to 1 we where all used to combat and could handle most any thing they could send our way. All that changed when they allied with the IA guild.
At the time IA was very active, it seemed with the Blue teenagers the cool thing to do was join IA outta high school, and that's what happened. IA was full of unseasoned pilots and lots of them. Again we had better skill then any IA member or two for that matter. But now our average fights where 4 vs 1. Needless to say the Commander of BLAK, Sputnik if I remember right got fed up real fast of BLAK members coming into Odia M14 with blood running down their faces telling of all the ships they had lost in the past hours due to numerous attacks by both VPR and IA members en-mass.
Some thing had to be done to split the two guilds up and return things to our favor.
Our plan was to assassinate prominent family members of the IA commanders and Lts in-order to intimidate them into splitting up the alliance. Though in the end it was subterfuge and idiocy on the part of the IA commander that ended the alliance it was acts like these that brought BLAK out from the ghettos of Odia and to galactic infamy.
I tell you all this so you can understand why we where on Itan that night. You see, oop, wait a sec... Yeah, wait no, right... No that's not what he friggin told me! Oh I see, is that what he thinks? Yeah, um just a sec, right, no hold on.
Sorry my internal comm you see, I'll be right back I have to talk to a few people real fast. Bills, you know how that goes eh.
Hehe well let me think of a good place to start. I guess it all goes back almost a year or so ago, maybe a little more. You see back then I was a Mercenary/Pirate, rather new to the whole piloting thing, if I remember right I was still getting implants either stuck in me or reversed so I could pilot better. You know maybe they messed things up all that time ago and that's why I can't pilot like the big boys...
Ah but I'm getting ahead of my self. Back to my story, I was a young... Well no I guess that's not right I was 32 at the time, 32... Seems like it was a life time ago, the memories are so far away. So many memories...
Ahem, I mean I was a new pilot still trying to prove my self, back then I was running around with the infamous Black Lance Assassins of Kraz or BLAK as we liked to be called. I had just gotten done spending a good lot of time as an Itani, got the papers a full body make over and a valk. It was different and earned me some hate and love at the same time in addition to notice from BLAK.
I had started out hanging in grey to avoid the ostrisization I received from both nations, while down there I started hanging around a guy named Holden who showed me the Itani way of flying light ships. I must say under him my flying skills improved greatly. At that time I was a plank owner in this new group known as IA or the Itani Alliance.
Fast forwards a few weeks, I got an invite to BLAK and jumped on it knowing it would change my life forever, and also being drawn to the nice people of the guild even though pirates there was some thing different about them, some thing I wanted as well.
I guess about a month or so later IA decided it would be cool to ally them self's with the Viper guild or VPR. Viper is some thing of a police group working out of UiT space, due to some of the illegal activities BLAK partook in VPR actively attempted to hunt us down.
I say attempted because though they out numbered us most of the time 2 to 1 we where all used to combat and could handle most any thing they could send our way. All that changed when they allied with the IA guild.
At the time IA was very active, it seemed with the Blue teenagers the cool thing to do was join IA outta high school, and that's what happened. IA was full of unseasoned pilots and lots of them. Again we had better skill then any IA member or two for that matter. But now our average fights where 4 vs 1. Needless to say the Commander of BLAK, Sputnik if I remember right got fed up real fast of BLAK members coming into Odia M14 with blood running down their faces telling of all the ships they had lost in the past hours due to numerous attacks by both VPR and IA members en-mass.
Some thing had to be done to split the two guilds up and return things to our favor.
Our plan was to assassinate prominent family members of the IA commanders and Lts in-order to intimidate them into splitting up the alliance. Though in the end it was subterfuge and idiocy on the part of the IA commander that ended the alliance it was acts like these that brought BLAK out from the ghettos of Odia and to galactic infamy.
I tell you all this so you can understand why we where on Itan that night. You see, oop, wait a sec... Yeah, wait no, right... No that's not what he friggin told me! Oh I see, is that what he thinks? Yeah, um just a sec, right, no hold on.
Sorry my internal comm you see, I'll be right back I have to talk to a few people real fast. Bills, you know how that goes eh.
LeberMac sipped tequila as he read the feed from Borb's logs, bathed in the cool blue glow of the Coalition of Itan's supercomputer, Deep Blue.
Ah yes... good times, shooting up those pirates in B8. Hell, he still had multiple scars from those incidents, and not a few from Borb himself. He wondered who this Oernon Karun was, and what kind of past he had led to be so favored by the Serco's Triumvirate.
Hrm. It would be a good idea to get some of these new Itani pilots trained up, then, LeberMac knew that whevever Borb started making open commnet posts, that interesting things were about to happen.
Ah yes... good times, shooting up those pirates in B8. Hell, he still had multiple scars from those incidents, and not a few from Borb himself. He wondered who this Oernon Karun was, and what kind of past he had led to be so favored by the Serco's Triumvirate.
Hrm. It would be a good idea to get some of these new Itani pilots trained up, then, LeberMac knew that whevever Borb started making open commnet posts, that interesting things were about to happen.
Smittens woke up as his alarm clock (that doesn't actually have batteries anymore) went off. He jumped excitedly out of his small bed in Latos, and ran down to his Itani-Blue IDF Valkyrie (though Smittens still called it an ISP Valk). He started it up, checked the super-secret-ranked-only spots on the Itan Communications Network (ICN), made up a few more executive orders ("Number Nine: LeberMac may no longer be in posession of alcohol"), and was about to call "Helloooooo!" out into the wide world of SpaceComm, when he saw the dash board on his ship light up.
"Six o'clock!" he moaned, shutting down his ship and shuffling out.
Back in his small little bed, he tried to sleep, but was unable. Luckily, Smittens knew the secret remedy for this problem, which had been passed down from Itani-Guild-Commander to Itani-Guild-Commander (so basically he made it up and considered it a legacy because as the once-again commander he still knew it): Smittens Brand Tequila. He rushed down to the bar, and ordered a few bottles. As the bartender strode away to get the order, Smittens hummed placidly.
"Oh shut up," came a cool voice from behind him. Normally, the Ex-Commander, Ex-Councilmember, Councilmember, Commander would have ignored this sort of comment, as he had recieved it one or two times during his lifetime. However, the voice that spoke it came the same arrogance that Smittens himself often injected into his speech.
"How dare you speak to me like that!" cried Smittens, spinning around on his barstool (also, he did love spinning the little things).
"Right then, I better shut up before the unbeatable Commander whipes the rust off his ass and starts whooping mine. Oh wait..."
The bartender returned, and Smittens grabbed a bottle of SBT. He smashed it on the bar, and yelped as the bottle exploded, cutting his hands. "Dammit! Nothing like the movies! Hold on a sec, bud, I've got to clean this u-"
The jeering man lunged forward and grabbed Smittens by the neck with one hand, and pinned him to the bar effortlessly.
"You condemned me to my fate..." hissed the attacker, who's strength belied Serco implants.
"What're you talking about?" asked Smittens, eyes slightly squinted due to the light just over the Serco's head.
"Do you know what it feels like to have your jaw ripped out?" The Serco, with his free hand, started pulling on Smittens' chin, as though trying to demonstrate. "To have boiling metal attached to your bones?"
"Wolverine does..." gasped Smittens through the pain.
"SHUT UP!" cried the Serco, losing his calm fury and smashing Smittens against the bar. "Serco never developed painkillers for implant operations. Did you know that? As implants are given so early in a developing newborn's life, there is little need!"
"What are you talking about!?" yelled Smittens, forcing his eyes open to see the Serco. "What the..."
Smittens lost his voice as he registered one thing about the Serco. It looked just like him, except with a sleek black visor covering his eyes. "WHO ARE YOU!?" he cried, trying futily to break the Serco's grip.
In response, the Serco ground his teeth, and hoisted Smittens off the ground as he had done to a Serco dockworker not long ago. "Be greatful for your sins. I would kill you now if you did not deserve to suffer more." Oernon Karun threw Smittens to the ground, and turned to leave.
"No one talks to... (Smittens coughed up a bit of blood) to Itan's Commander that way!" He rushed at the Serco, and punched him right in the face, trying to knock off that stupid visor. He succeeded, but soon regretted it.
"What is going o-" Smittens gulped before the Serco, gazing at him with completely blank eyes, snapped Smittens' index finger and threw him to the ground again.
"If you follow me, I will kill you. But as I said, straight death will not placate me, so do not expect it to be quick."
Smittens' vision faded, as the Serco continued.
"I suggest you remain there on the ground, and let me ruin everything you hold dear..."
Smittens feignted, muttering something of "...who..."
"Six o'clock!" he moaned, shutting down his ship and shuffling out.
Back in his small little bed, he tried to sleep, but was unable. Luckily, Smittens knew the secret remedy for this problem, which had been passed down from Itani-Guild-Commander to Itani-Guild-Commander (so basically he made it up and considered it a legacy because as the once-again commander he still knew it): Smittens Brand Tequila. He rushed down to the bar, and ordered a few bottles. As the bartender strode away to get the order, Smittens hummed placidly.
"Oh shut up," came a cool voice from behind him. Normally, the Ex-Commander, Ex-Councilmember, Councilmember, Commander would have ignored this sort of comment, as he had recieved it one or two times during his lifetime. However, the voice that spoke it came the same arrogance that Smittens himself often injected into his speech.
"How dare you speak to me like that!" cried Smittens, spinning around on his barstool (also, he did love spinning the little things).
"Right then, I better shut up before the unbeatable Commander whipes the rust off his ass and starts whooping mine. Oh wait..."
The bartender returned, and Smittens grabbed a bottle of SBT. He smashed it on the bar, and yelped as the bottle exploded, cutting his hands. "Dammit! Nothing like the movies! Hold on a sec, bud, I've got to clean this u-"
The jeering man lunged forward and grabbed Smittens by the neck with one hand, and pinned him to the bar effortlessly.
"You condemned me to my fate..." hissed the attacker, who's strength belied Serco implants.
"What're you talking about?" asked Smittens, eyes slightly squinted due to the light just over the Serco's head.
"Do you know what it feels like to have your jaw ripped out?" The Serco, with his free hand, started pulling on Smittens' chin, as though trying to demonstrate. "To have boiling metal attached to your bones?"
"Wolverine does..." gasped Smittens through the pain.
"SHUT UP!" cried the Serco, losing his calm fury and smashing Smittens against the bar. "Serco never developed painkillers for implant operations. Did you know that? As implants are given so early in a developing newborn's life, there is little need!"
"What are you talking about!?" yelled Smittens, forcing his eyes open to see the Serco. "What the..."
Smittens lost his voice as he registered one thing about the Serco. It looked just like him, except with a sleek black visor covering his eyes. "WHO ARE YOU!?" he cried, trying futily to break the Serco's grip.
In response, the Serco ground his teeth, and hoisted Smittens off the ground as he had done to a Serco dockworker not long ago. "Be greatful for your sins. I would kill you now if you did not deserve to suffer more." Oernon Karun threw Smittens to the ground, and turned to leave.
"No one talks to... (Smittens coughed up a bit of blood) to Itan's Commander that way!" He rushed at the Serco, and punched him right in the face, trying to knock off that stupid visor. He succeeded, but soon regretted it.
"What is going o-" Smittens gulped before the Serco, gazing at him with completely blank eyes, snapped Smittens' index finger and threw him to the ground again.
"If you follow me, I will kill you. But as I said, straight death will not placate me, so do not expect it to be quick."
Smittens' vision faded, as the Serco continued.
"I suggest you remain there on the ground, and let me ruin everything you hold dear..."
Smittens feignted, muttering something of "...who..."
Hmmm, interesting.
According to backstory Oernon was Abbot of Itan who bested Karun - member of Serco Triumvirate in a duel and was after that slain by angry Sercos.
Oernon Karun? Another Serco cyborg experiment gone horribly wrong?
According to backstory Oernon was Abbot of Itan who bested Karun - member of Serco Triumvirate in a duel and was after that slain by angry Sercos.
Oernon Karun? Another Serco cyborg experiment gone horribly wrong?
Ehm, sorry about that... Every one want's some help but some people think it should be free, you know how that goes.
Eheh, well um let's see where was I. Oh yeah you owed me another drink and I was talking about the good ol days.
So IA allies it's self with VPR and BLAK well BL at the time decides we need to sent them a mess... Oh I've told you this already? Ok well then, let's move on some.
I guess it was around 0200 Itani Standard Time that we landed. It was night on Itan and planed to be in-place by 0300 and done by 0315 and flying away. The mission was easy though it paid nothing it was a guild thing. We simply had found the locations of every high ranking member of IA's families.
Some thing about people you see they are some how very attached to their families even if they have never met before in their lives. I guess you could say it's human nature. Deciding we would exploit this fact we kill their families. Well not all of them some of the guys had moral qualms and the others just could not make it. Strike Forces, and an issue with forged papers you see.
Two of us made it in, Shape and my self, due largely to the fact that we had real Itani papers and real guns. We decided to hit Lt Keplers and Commander Smittens Families, we knew they where both very close and it would amplify the damage done if they both got hit.
Kepler had a sister living in a monastery, and Smittens had two parents and a little brother, I killed the sister and Shape the parents. Wither our actions that night where right or wrong I still don't know. I'll tell you I still lose sleep over it, but the fact of the matter is we did it and in the end the IA VPR alliance was broken.
Shape liking to think ahead how ever neglected to kill Smittens younger bother, but he instead incapacitated him then drug both of the corpses out side and proceeded to burn the house down. He always had flair ol Shape...
Any way the boy was cryogenically frozen for safe keeping and promptly forgotten about.
That is until BLAK disbanded, I was pouring through my assets one day as I began plotting to blow my self up and stumbled on the bills we had been getting from a Tung lab for a body we'd been storing. Remembering what we had done I decided I could at least do one last good thing before well you know.
So off I fly to north Odia to retrieve the boy and give the Tung guys a nice tip. (Not like I was gonna need the money any way right?) Now I'll be the first to admit I was kinda at a loss as with what to do with him, I mean his family other then Smittens was dead, and well you see I've never really liked the guy, and then well him as a father in this kids life? Smittens? Raising a kid? Bahahahaha!
Ehmf, any way I decided not to return him to Smittens, and well you know how those smurfs are, they would have kinda screwed the kid up and made him a wimpy little runner backroller spammer guy like all Itanis are. Soo while cracking dumb jokes to his thawing body (Sorry about giving you the cold shoulder for almost a year, I think the tung guys stiffed me...) I plotted a course to Sol II for what I had thought would have been the last time.
On the way there he unfroze some and started rambling. I think he's a little screwed up in the head, though I guess I would be too after having been frozen for so long. Any way I took him to the Serco hospital so they could fix him up and requested that he be adopted by a nice Serco family.
Then I met with a guy who was suppose to supply me with explosives not explosives that really had teleporters in them that would keep my from dyeing and get my memory erased by crazy Serco doctors, and my sexy body all messed up when all I wanted was a way to kill my self and a few others! But why be bitter.
So a few months down the road I'm a very pissed off walking hunk of metal with a brain, who just found out I'm not really Corban Armond, but some guy named Borb Sarken. Kinda ruined my day because I really thought that name was sexy.
So weeks later I'm doing ok at this guild commander thing and making my way to being a good productive citizen when I get board and decide to look that kid up from way back when. You know just to see who he ended up being with, maybe I would send him a birthday card or some thing right? Wrong.
I run into nothing but Top Secret spy reports, lab reports, movement reports, and military records. I'm a little pissed, because I said find the kid a good home not another lab. So I get some pass-codes and find out what happened.
It would seem as I was under surveillance at the time, they found out who the kid really was and decided they could use him for military uses, they speeded up his growth, gave him almost a new body, and the best training they could. Then Smittens like a rat comes out of the wood work and is set up to become commander of Itan again.
I guess they figure if they kill the second bad Itan commander in a row the guild will fall because they set that kid loose with a mission to take out his older brother, funny thing is the kid seems more happy about it then one would think he should be. Maybe he got some frost bite on the brain or some thing...
Eheh, well um let's see where was I. Oh yeah you owed me another drink and I was talking about the good ol days.
So IA allies it's self with VPR and BLAK well BL at the time decides we need to sent them a mess... Oh I've told you this already? Ok well then, let's move on some.
I guess it was around 0200 Itani Standard Time that we landed. It was night on Itan and planed to be in-place by 0300 and done by 0315 and flying away. The mission was easy though it paid nothing it was a guild thing. We simply had found the locations of every high ranking member of IA's families.
Some thing about people you see they are some how very attached to their families even if they have never met before in their lives. I guess you could say it's human nature. Deciding we would exploit this fact we kill their families. Well not all of them some of the guys had moral qualms and the others just could not make it. Strike Forces, and an issue with forged papers you see.
Two of us made it in, Shape and my self, due largely to the fact that we had real Itani papers and real guns. We decided to hit Lt Keplers and Commander Smittens Families, we knew they where both very close and it would amplify the damage done if they both got hit.
Kepler had a sister living in a monastery, and Smittens had two parents and a little brother, I killed the sister and Shape the parents. Wither our actions that night where right or wrong I still don't know. I'll tell you I still lose sleep over it, but the fact of the matter is we did it and in the end the IA VPR alliance was broken.
Shape liking to think ahead how ever neglected to kill Smittens younger bother, but he instead incapacitated him then drug both of the corpses out side and proceeded to burn the house down. He always had flair ol Shape...
Any way the boy was cryogenically frozen for safe keeping and promptly forgotten about.
That is until BLAK disbanded, I was pouring through my assets one day as I began plotting to blow my self up and stumbled on the bills we had been getting from a Tung lab for a body we'd been storing. Remembering what we had done I decided I could at least do one last good thing before well you know.
So off I fly to north Odia to retrieve the boy and give the Tung guys a nice tip. (Not like I was gonna need the money any way right?) Now I'll be the first to admit I was kinda at a loss as with what to do with him, I mean his family other then Smittens was dead, and well you see I've never really liked the guy, and then well him as a father in this kids life? Smittens? Raising a kid? Bahahahaha!
Ehmf, any way I decided not to return him to Smittens, and well you know how those smurfs are, they would have kinda screwed the kid up and made him a wimpy little runner backroller spammer guy like all Itanis are. Soo while cracking dumb jokes to his thawing body (Sorry about giving you the cold shoulder for almost a year, I think the tung guys stiffed me...) I plotted a course to Sol II for what I had thought would have been the last time.
On the way there he unfroze some and started rambling. I think he's a little screwed up in the head, though I guess I would be too after having been frozen for so long. Any way I took him to the Serco hospital so they could fix him up and requested that he be adopted by a nice Serco family.
Then I met with a guy who was suppose to supply me with explosives not explosives that really had teleporters in them that would keep my from dyeing and get my memory erased by crazy Serco doctors, and my sexy body all messed up when all I wanted was a way to kill my self and a few others! But why be bitter.
So a few months down the road I'm a very pissed off walking hunk of metal with a brain, who just found out I'm not really Corban Armond, but some guy named Borb Sarken. Kinda ruined my day because I really thought that name was sexy.
So weeks later I'm doing ok at this guild commander thing and making my way to being a good productive citizen when I get board and decide to look that kid up from way back when. You know just to see who he ended up being with, maybe I would send him a birthday card or some thing right? Wrong.
I run into nothing but Top Secret spy reports, lab reports, movement reports, and military records. I'm a little pissed, because I said find the kid a good home not another lab. So I get some pass-codes and find out what happened.
It would seem as I was under surveillance at the time, they found out who the kid really was and decided they could use him for military uses, they speeded up his growth, gave him almost a new body, and the best training they could. Then Smittens like a rat comes out of the wood work and is set up to become commander of Itan again.
I guess they figure if they kill the second bad Itan commander in a row the guild will fall because they set that kid loose with a mission to take out his older brother, funny thing is the kid seems more happy about it then one would think he should be. Maybe he got some frost bite on the brain or some thing...
That noise again. Or rather, that explosion in Mogul's head. Every time the hail signal sounded, it felt like the entire universe started to move again.
Pulled from what felt like suspended animation, Mogul woke up and rushed to the pilot chair. This time around, waking up was easy. The heavy alcohol and medications diet Mogul had been on for the past couple of weeks were wearing off and the bottles of fresh fruit juice were starting to have positive effects. Vitamins. Precious vitamins. Mogul needed them more than anything.
After having spent a good part of the night cleaning up his vessel in order to regain a bit of dignity, Mogul was now pulled out of his improvised bed by that same black Centaur Mark 2 he has seen earlier.
It was the noob. Or ex noob actually, as his licenses demonstrated. Mogul though maybe it was time for him to adress him by his real name.
"Hey upper case. Are you not happy with my previous payment?" he asked, brushing his hair with his fingers.
"my visit has nothing to do with our previous dealings" said the noob.
-Oh?
-i was down in latos for some refreshment when i stumbled onto your old friend who's now commander of those who banished you"
Mogul mumbled something, but upper case didn't pick up on that and simply continued "and i mean that literally he was lying on the floor with the stink of booze i though you would be interested"
Mogul didn't remember seeing Smittens drunk. LeberMac, everyone had seen drunk. In fact, no one remembers LeberMac sober. But Smittens? Interesting. What had gone through him? And of all places, Latos wasn't the best choice to be passed out.
"When was that? And why did you come to me about that?" Mogul asked.
"well he was still vomiting on the floor minutes ago and the bar tender kept kicking him in the groins for him to wake up yelling something about calling up the serco squads if he didn't leave" replied upper case.
From Mogul's silence, upper case felt like he had to go further into the details. He hated that. "smittens seemed delirious and called out your name amidst a few curses".
Now that was expected. But perhaps Smittens had something to say to Mogul. Still banished from Itani space, Mogul and Smittens were both in open space so the rules were different here.
Mogul wired upper case a 5000 credits tip and said "Thank you" as he pitched his Raptor in a clear path. "thank y..." started to reply upper case just as Mogul warped out. His sentence interrupted by the sudden flash, upper case rephrased "thank you you cheap bastard".
Space was ratter cramped for two in a Raptor. It's not a ship that was meant for passengers and Mogul had three of them.
Mogul starred at the drunkard on the cockpit floor. All coiled up around the chair's central pedestal. What a pitiful commander he makes, Mogul thought to himself. Then he realized how much of a pitiful ex-commander he made himself. Damn. Mogul hated these moments of self-criticism.
There was only one thing left to do. Wait until he wakes up. And hope he doesn't kill him on the spot. Or think he had been kidnapped.
Mogul opened up a bottle of fresh fruit juice and offered a sip to Eo and Akan who both refused. They looked at the new passenger taking up much of their space. They barely had any more room to put down their vaporous feet and resorted in floating up in mid air.
Mogul thought their position was peculiar but couldn't really pinpoint what is was.
Pulled from what felt like suspended animation, Mogul woke up and rushed to the pilot chair. This time around, waking up was easy. The heavy alcohol and medications diet Mogul had been on for the past couple of weeks were wearing off and the bottles of fresh fruit juice were starting to have positive effects. Vitamins. Precious vitamins. Mogul needed them more than anything.
After having spent a good part of the night cleaning up his vessel in order to regain a bit of dignity, Mogul was now pulled out of his improvised bed by that same black Centaur Mark 2 he has seen earlier.
It was the noob. Or ex noob actually, as his licenses demonstrated. Mogul though maybe it was time for him to adress him by his real name.
"Hey upper case. Are you not happy with my previous payment?" he asked, brushing his hair with his fingers.
"my visit has nothing to do with our previous dealings" said the noob.
-Oh?
-i was down in latos for some refreshment when i stumbled onto your old friend who's now commander of those who banished you"
Mogul mumbled something, but upper case didn't pick up on that and simply continued "and i mean that literally he was lying on the floor with the stink of booze i though you would be interested"
Mogul didn't remember seeing Smittens drunk. LeberMac, everyone had seen drunk. In fact, no one remembers LeberMac sober. But Smittens? Interesting. What had gone through him? And of all places, Latos wasn't the best choice to be passed out.
"When was that? And why did you come to me about that?" Mogul asked.
"well he was still vomiting on the floor minutes ago and the bar tender kept kicking him in the groins for him to wake up yelling something about calling up the serco squads if he didn't leave" replied upper case.
From Mogul's silence, upper case felt like he had to go further into the details. He hated that. "smittens seemed delirious and called out your name amidst a few curses".
Now that was expected. But perhaps Smittens had something to say to Mogul. Still banished from Itani space, Mogul and Smittens were both in open space so the rules were different here.
Mogul wired upper case a 5000 credits tip and said "Thank you" as he pitched his Raptor in a clear path. "thank y..." started to reply upper case just as Mogul warped out. His sentence interrupted by the sudden flash, upper case rephrased "thank you you cheap bastard".
Space was ratter cramped for two in a Raptor. It's not a ship that was meant for passengers and Mogul had three of them.
Mogul starred at the drunkard on the cockpit floor. All coiled up around the chair's central pedestal. What a pitiful commander he makes, Mogul thought to himself. Then he realized how much of a pitiful ex-commander he made himself. Damn. Mogul hated these moments of self-criticism.
There was only one thing left to do. Wait until he wakes up. And hope he doesn't kill him on the spot. Or think he had been kidnapped.
Mogul opened up a bottle of fresh fruit juice and offered a sip to Eo and Akan who both refused. They looked at the new passenger taking up much of their space. They barely had any more room to put down their vaporous feet and resorted in floating up in mid air.
Mogul thought their position was peculiar but couldn't really pinpoint what is was.
Smittens opened his eyes groggily, trying not to move his head from the pain. He heard a voice talking to itself, and realized it was Mogul.
"Mgglll?" slurred Smittens. His mouth didn't seem to work quite right.
"Eo wants to know why you were drunk. It's a horrible image you know. Itan's commander thrown out of a bar!"
"Yur one t'talk...not drunk...mogl...did you see who it was?"
"I just came and picked you up before you lost your two boys. I don't know why you got into this."
"Not...drunk," gasped Smittens with as much conviction as he could get in.
"Then why were you puking? And delirious and all?"
"Pain...paaaaain..." moaned Smittens. His head slumped to the floor as he lost consciousness again.
"I know what you mean. Hangover's are nasty..." said Mogul, wisely, not noticing Smittens exit from the discussion.
"Mgglll?" slurred Smittens. His mouth didn't seem to work quite right.
"Eo wants to know why you were drunk. It's a horrible image you know. Itan's commander thrown out of a bar!"
"Yur one t'talk...not drunk...mogl...did you see who it was?"
"I just came and picked you up before you lost your two boys. I don't know why you got into this."
"Not...drunk," gasped Smittens with as much conviction as he could get in.
"Then why were you puking? And delirious and all?"
"Pain...paaaaain..." moaned Smittens. His head slumped to the floor as he lost consciousness again.
"I know what you mean. Hangover's are nasty..." said Mogul, wisely, not noticing Smittens exit from the discussion.
Arna Orbital. Now THAT was a filthy station. Mogul's RV-converted Raptor was top shape next to that. But you can't ask the miners of the TPG Mining corp to keep their station tidy.
That hell hole in Azek was the perfect place to drop off Smittens. Drunk or not, he'd be safer in in UIT space than in open space.
As a cover up for the clandestine passenger, so to make his stay somewhat discrete, Mogul had rented a cargo bay to drop off a couple of things. Ten bottles of fresh fruit juice. A basket full of medical supplies like bandages, analgesics and disinfectants, all salvaged from the Corvus wormhole camping operations. A small note hand-written on ITAN letterhead. A bruised up buddy.
As Mogul was making his third jump away from the commander of the guild wich he himself directed for a while, he wondered if he should have waited to talk some more with him when he would come about.
But Mogul felt it was too soon. Not yet. Eleven more days, he thought.
"Do you really think they'll let you in again in Itani space you old idealist?" said the ghostly, hallucinatory apparition of Eo.
"Shut up you pansy pacifist" replied the nemesis of the first, Akan.
Mogul ignored them both. They tended to go away when he gave them the silent treatment. Mogul brushed the side of his pencil on the ITAN letterhead note pad and revealed a ghostly shadow of the pencil marks that had written the note to Smittens.
The ghostly-like white-on-black text said simply... help me...
That hell hole in Azek was the perfect place to drop off Smittens. Drunk or not, he'd be safer in in UIT space than in open space.
As a cover up for the clandestine passenger, so to make his stay somewhat discrete, Mogul had rented a cargo bay to drop off a couple of things. Ten bottles of fresh fruit juice. A basket full of medical supplies like bandages, analgesics and disinfectants, all salvaged from the Corvus wormhole camping operations. A small note hand-written on ITAN letterhead. A bruised up buddy.
As Mogul was making his third jump away from the commander of the guild wich he himself directed for a while, he wondered if he should have waited to talk some more with him when he would come about.
But Mogul felt it was too soon. Not yet. Eleven more days, he thought.
"Do you really think they'll let you in again in Itani space you old idealist?" said the ghostly, hallucinatory apparition of Eo.
"Shut up you pansy pacifist" replied the nemesis of the first, Akan.
Mogul ignored them both. They tended to go away when he gave them the silent treatment. Mogul brushed the side of his pencil on the ITAN letterhead note pad and revealed a ghostly shadow of the pencil marks that had written the note to Smittens.
The ghostly-like white-on-black text said simply... help me...
LeberMac was busy.
He hated being busy. Of all the things in his life he hated, he hated being busy the most. No time for a nip 'o tequila and a nice relaxing sit by the fire. No free time to let the day's events carry him where they may. As he prepared new [ITAN] membership dossiers and planned tactical strikes on Serco infiltrators in Deneb, he cursed the person who was responsible for his current level of "busy-ness."
Smittens.
Smittens was supposed to be doing all of this paperwork stuff. He hadn't heard from Smittens since his Commander had had so much trouble making it through Serco territory before his little raid. After that, the raiding party had returned, but Smittens had not. Hrm. Perhaps he should send out a search party, but then again 'ol Smitt did tend to go off on his own missions that sometimes lasted for weeks. That was his nature.
LeberMac shrugged and went back to his stack of paperwork. Smittens had to turn up sometime. He hoped it was sooner rather than later.
He hated being busy. Of all the things in his life he hated, he hated being busy the most. No time for a nip 'o tequila and a nice relaxing sit by the fire. No free time to let the day's events carry him where they may. As he prepared new [ITAN] membership dossiers and planned tactical strikes on Serco infiltrators in Deneb, he cursed the person who was responsible for his current level of "busy-ness."
Smittens.
Smittens was supposed to be doing all of this paperwork stuff. He hadn't heard from Smittens since his Commander had had so much trouble making it through Serco territory before his little raid. After that, the raiding party had returned, but Smittens had not. Hrm. Perhaps he should send out a search party, but then again 'ol Smitt did tend to go off on his own missions that sometimes lasted for weeks. That was his nature.
LeberMac shrugged and went back to his stack of paperwork. Smittens had to turn up sometime. He hoped it was sooner rather than later.
Smittens awoke hours later in an even smaller bed. His first thought was "Damn my head hurts!"
His second thought was "Holy crap! I just got beat up by me!"
His third thought was...well, it's actually kinda personal, so we'll leave it out.
Groaning, Smittens rolled off the bed, jumped to his feet, and hit his head on the extremely low ceiling. It didn't help.
Sitting down carefully, he replayed the scene in his mind. His attacker sure looked like him...except for the eyes. The creepy eyes. "Must be a clone," thought Smittens, scowling. He quickly checked the ICN, and pretended to spit out coffee as he saw LeberMac's complaints. "How long have I been out?" he wondered aloud.
"Whoever this clone guy is, it'll have to wait," he decided, limping down to his ISP Valk.
He was about to get in when a UIT ran up, yelling. "STOP! Thief! He's stealing my hot-pink Centurion!"
Smittens blinked a few times, stepping back, and saw that he had in fact halucinated the presense of an ISP Valk. So he was banged up worse than he thought. Still, he had to get to LeberMac right away to explain the events. Smittens shuffled to a dockworker and quickly purchased an Itani-Blue Vulture Mk IV. It would have to do.
As Smittens checked his coordinates, and planned a route out of Azek (how the hell did he get there!?), a flashing advertisement outside the station grabbed his eye.
"When Will Itan Get A Competent Commander?" Smittens took a sip of coffee this time so as not to look quite as pathetic when he spat it out. The message changed to: "Itan CO Smittens: Kicked From Latos Bar In Drunken Rage! Find out more inside!"
"You want to see me angry..." growled Smittens. It was one thing for a Serco to beat the crap out of him. It was a completely other thing for the crazy journalists to blow up the story and target Itan. "Now who's been close enough to me to get a DNA sample...and who would have the motive?" Smittens asked himself.
The answer struck Smittens, and his fury doubled.
His second thought was "Holy crap! I just got beat up by me!"
His third thought was...well, it's actually kinda personal, so we'll leave it out.
Groaning, Smittens rolled off the bed, jumped to his feet, and hit his head on the extremely low ceiling. It didn't help.
Sitting down carefully, he replayed the scene in his mind. His attacker sure looked like him...except for the eyes. The creepy eyes. "Must be a clone," thought Smittens, scowling. He quickly checked the ICN, and pretended to spit out coffee as he saw LeberMac's complaints. "How long have I been out?" he wondered aloud.
"Whoever this clone guy is, it'll have to wait," he decided, limping down to his ISP Valk.
He was about to get in when a UIT ran up, yelling. "STOP! Thief! He's stealing my hot-pink Centurion!"
Smittens blinked a few times, stepping back, and saw that he had in fact halucinated the presense of an ISP Valk. So he was banged up worse than he thought. Still, he had to get to LeberMac right away to explain the events. Smittens shuffled to a dockworker and quickly purchased an Itani-Blue Vulture Mk IV. It would have to do.
As Smittens checked his coordinates, and planned a route out of Azek (how the hell did he get there!?), a flashing advertisement outside the station grabbed his eye.
"When Will Itan Get A Competent Commander?" Smittens took a sip of coffee this time so as not to look quite as pathetic when he spat it out. The message changed to: "Itan CO Smittens: Kicked From Latos Bar In Drunken Rage! Find out more inside!"
"You want to see me angry..." growled Smittens. It was one thing for a Serco to beat the crap out of him. It was a completely other thing for the crazy journalists to blow up the story and target Itan. "Now who's been close enough to me to get a DNA sample...and who would have the motive?" Smittens asked himself.
The answer struck Smittens, and his fury doubled.
Karun checked the flashing advertisements outside the Latos station he was residing in. "Come see the spot where Commander Smittens of Itan puked!"
It was a rare gesture on his part, but Karun figured the occasion allowed for a smile.
A call came in on his private PortaComm. The only ones who knew the number were the Triumvirate, a few high ranking members of Pyronis RnD, and of course the contacts he had sent on a mission about a month ago.
"Karun here," he said gruffly after picking up.
"It's Larius. I'm in, though the others are doing life in an awful Itani cell. I'm going to do what I can to get them out once I'm done with my job."
"Good. I would expect no less from you. Still, what of the mission? You know not to call with meaningless updates."
"This is far from meaningless, Oernon. I, and about 100 other Itani, just recieved a report from a high ranking Itani official. There is now a working prototype of the Neutron Four."
Larius paused for a minute to allow the effect of these words settle in. Karun was not affected. "Very well. And things are still playing out as planned?"
"Perfectly. They're calling in Smittens for some conferance. Reason is classified, but I'm sure you know as well as I do what it is."
"Of course I do. And Smittens will incapacitated or distracted for at least a week. The timing was perfect. You have done your job well."
"It was not difficult. For all their acclaimed technological advancements, the stupid Monks couldn't even detect three concurant bugs in the system. It set the work back a few days, as you had instructed me to do. Has the call been made?"
"Lecter will not betray us. Whatever friendship he and Smittens had, or have, he realizes the importance of the mission. So is that all?"
"Yes sir. We both know the outcome Smittens will choose, so I will stay hidden for as long as needed, then make my presense known as I free the others. Soon the prototype will be ours. Soon the war shall be over. And soon, we shall be the most recognized and known Serco throughout the galaxy."
"You shall be. You know my part in this."
"It was the other reason I was calling. Surely the plan would still hold together without your last...decision?"
"It probably would. But remember, the Neutron Four is the secondary objective to me. I will hurt Smittens as I can. And that means following the plan I laid down to the letter."
"Of course sir. I hope we may speak again before that time comes."
For the first time in a long time, Karun's voice softened. "As do I, friend. I must go. Good luck, and do not lose sight of our goal."
"May your honor remain whole."
"And yours."
Karun closed the Comm, and afforded himself another smile. For the months of planning, the exact calculations of the Itani ways, the plan was proceding perfectly. The Neutron Four would soon belong to the Serco, and Smittens would pay for his misdeeds. Karun's smile grew. A-Dawg would be furious when he found out that the Triumvirate had stepped around him in dealing with the N4. A-Dawg had first discovered the info on it, from LeberMac and Smittens, but Karun's entire life had been forged for just such an event. Perhaps the Serco would gain some credit, once the Itani were nothing more than piles of corpses, but he had still had his mission taken from him.
But enough thinking. The plan was going well so far, but there was no assurance it would continue that way. Karun got into his Serco Vulture Guardian, and took off from the station.
It was a rare gesture on his part, but Karun figured the occasion allowed for a smile.
A call came in on his private PortaComm. The only ones who knew the number were the Triumvirate, a few high ranking members of Pyronis RnD, and of course the contacts he had sent on a mission about a month ago.
"Karun here," he said gruffly after picking up.
"It's Larius. I'm in, though the others are doing life in an awful Itani cell. I'm going to do what I can to get them out once I'm done with my job."
"Good. I would expect no less from you. Still, what of the mission? You know not to call with meaningless updates."
"This is far from meaningless, Oernon. I, and about 100 other Itani, just recieved a report from a high ranking Itani official. There is now a working prototype of the Neutron Four."
Larius paused for a minute to allow the effect of these words settle in. Karun was not affected. "Very well. And things are still playing out as planned?"
"Perfectly. They're calling in Smittens for some conferance. Reason is classified, but I'm sure you know as well as I do what it is."
"Of course I do. And Smittens will incapacitated or distracted for at least a week. The timing was perfect. You have done your job well."
"It was not difficult. For all their acclaimed technological advancements, the stupid Monks couldn't even detect three concurant bugs in the system. It set the work back a few days, as you had instructed me to do. Has the call been made?"
"Lecter will not betray us. Whatever friendship he and Smittens had, or have, he realizes the importance of the mission. So is that all?"
"Yes sir. We both know the outcome Smittens will choose, so I will stay hidden for as long as needed, then make my presense known as I free the others. Soon the prototype will be ours. Soon the war shall be over. And soon, we shall be the most recognized and known Serco throughout the galaxy."
"You shall be. You know my part in this."
"It was the other reason I was calling. Surely the plan would still hold together without your last...decision?"
"It probably would. But remember, the Neutron Four is the secondary objective to me. I will hurt Smittens as I can. And that means following the plan I laid down to the letter."
"Of course sir. I hope we may speak again before that time comes."
For the first time in a long time, Karun's voice softened. "As do I, friend. I must go. Good luck, and do not lose sight of our goal."
"May your honor remain whole."
"And yours."
Karun closed the Comm, and afforded himself another smile. For the months of planning, the exact calculations of the Itani ways, the plan was proceding perfectly. The Neutron Four would soon belong to the Serco, and Smittens would pay for his misdeeds. Karun's smile grew. A-Dawg would be furious when he found out that the Triumvirate had stepped around him in dealing with the N4. A-Dawg had first discovered the info on it, from LeberMac and Smittens, but Karun's entire life had been forged for just such an event. Perhaps the Serco would gain some credit, once the Itani were nothing more than piles of corpses, but he had still had his mission taken from him.
But enough thinking. The plan was going well so far, but there was no assurance it would continue that way. Karun got into his Serco Vulture Guardian, and took off from the station.
Smittens strode past the Serco guards in Sol II with a scowl on his face. It had taken him four days to get the mess straightened out with his alter-ego, Starbucks Ninja's, papers. Apparently someone had stolen a copy of them, and had been parading around as the long-retired pirate recently.
As Smittens approached the mansion, he ran over the thought process in his mind. Someone had to have cloned him. That person needed a DNA sample. They also needed a motive. Only a few people had access to all those things in a recent time frame.
Busting out a few of his favorite pirating tools, Smittens hacked into the mansion's security network and opened the front door. He quickly stepped inside, and took a few steps towards a staircase.
"You can stop right there," came the cool, mocking voice of Dr. Lecter through a speaker.
"I need to know what you did to me..." growled the Itani.
"Absolutely nothing, but if you'd rather discuss it in a more...formal manner, I'm in the room to your right."
Smittens ran in, losing his attempted-relaxed demenor, and spotted the doctor sitting in a comfortable looking chair by a fire place.
"Now, what is it you expect me to have done?" Lecter's calmness infuriated Smittens, and he rushed forward and grabbed Lecter around the throat, shoving his chair back into a wall.
"You know, if you were anyone else..." sighed Lecter.
Despite their..."friendship"...Smittens was surprised at Lecter's acceptance of this harrassment. "Why aren't you struggling?" he asked, again angered by the Doctor's tranquility.
"There could be many reasons. Maybe I just like watching you get more and more pissed off at my not caring. Maybe I'm luring you into a false sense of security. Or maybe," Lecter broke Smittens' grip and pushed him back, "you look like hell, and me giving you a bit of an ego boost was the least I could do."
Again, Smittens was surprised at Lecter's attitude. It was almost as though someone where instructing Lecter from a leather chair, using keystrokes, and that person didn't want to spend the effort to mix Lecter's evil character and the purpose he was to have in this adventure.
"Why did you do it?"
"I did nothing to you, as of late. Speaking of which, how is the samo-business?"
"You know it's dead. Stop changing the subject. You cloned me. You owe me an explanation!"
"Again, you are incorrect. And no, I would not owe you anything even if I had. So stop acting all betrayed and everything, for whatever business dealings we have had, you are still Itani, and I Serco."
"No one else could have done it!"
"Well what makes you think it a clone?"
"It looks just like me. What else would it be?"
Lecter smiled. "A good question. I suggest you seek the answer before asaulting me again. I will not be quite as tolerant next time." He hit a button on his desk, and a Miharu Clone appeared at the doorway. "Make sure Smittens finds his way out."
"I can do it..." muttered Smittens, jumping back from the outstretched hand of the clone. At the doorway, he turned. "Lecter, you can act as high-and-mighty as you want, but if this is a false lead, and you ARE responsible for the other...don't forget. My vote helped keep you alive."
Dodging another grab by the clone, Smittens hurried out of the mansion, leaving Lecter with his drink, smiling.
----
OOC Note:
Sorry for this being not very good, and the abuse of Lecter's char, but I'm incredibly sick and bogged down with a bunch of work. I wouldn't have posted anything but I wanted you all to know that it wasn't dead, so...
As Smittens approached the mansion, he ran over the thought process in his mind. Someone had to have cloned him. That person needed a DNA sample. They also needed a motive. Only a few people had access to all those things in a recent time frame.
Busting out a few of his favorite pirating tools, Smittens hacked into the mansion's security network and opened the front door. He quickly stepped inside, and took a few steps towards a staircase.
"You can stop right there," came the cool, mocking voice of Dr. Lecter through a speaker.
"I need to know what you did to me..." growled the Itani.
"Absolutely nothing, but if you'd rather discuss it in a more...formal manner, I'm in the room to your right."
Smittens ran in, losing his attempted-relaxed demenor, and spotted the doctor sitting in a comfortable looking chair by a fire place.
"Now, what is it you expect me to have done?" Lecter's calmness infuriated Smittens, and he rushed forward and grabbed Lecter around the throat, shoving his chair back into a wall.
"You know, if you were anyone else..." sighed Lecter.
Despite their..."friendship"...Smittens was surprised at Lecter's acceptance of this harrassment. "Why aren't you struggling?" he asked, again angered by the Doctor's tranquility.
"There could be many reasons. Maybe I just like watching you get more and more pissed off at my not caring. Maybe I'm luring you into a false sense of security. Or maybe," Lecter broke Smittens' grip and pushed him back, "you look like hell, and me giving you a bit of an ego boost was the least I could do."
Again, Smittens was surprised at Lecter's attitude. It was almost as though someone where instructing Lecter from a leather chair, using keystrokes, and that person didn't want to spend the effort to mix Lecter's evil character and the purpose he was to have in this adventure.
"Why did you do it?"
"I did nothing to you, as of late. Speaking of which, how is the samo-business?"
"You know it's dead. Stop changing the subject. You cloned me. You owe me an explanation!"
"Again, you are incorrect. And no, I would not owe you anything even if I had. So stop acting all betrayed and everything, for whatever business dealings we have had, you are still Itani, and I Serco."
"No one else could have done it!"
"Well what makes you think it a clone?"
"It looks just like me. What else would it be?"
Lecter smiled. "A good question. I suggest you seek the answer before asaulting me again. I will not be quite as tolerant next time." He hit a button on his desk, and a Miharu Clone appeared at the doorway. "Make sure Smittens finds his way out."
"I can do it..." muttered Smittens, jumping back from the outstretched hand of the clone. At the doorway, he turned. "Lecter, you can act as high-and-mighty as you want, but if this is a false lead, and you ARE responsible for the other...don't forget. My vote helped keep you alive."
Dodging another grab by the clone, Smittens hurried out of the mansion, leaving Lecter with his drink, smiling.
----
OOC Note:
Sorry for this being not very good, and the abuse of Lecter's char, but I'm incredibly sick and bogged down with a bunch of work. I wouldn't have posted anything but I wanted you all to know that it wasn't dead, so...
Sol II, Pacifica province
Lecter estate, 0330 hours.
Dr. Lecter called in the Joyce clone and had her straighten up his chair and clean up the crystal shards from his dropped tumbler, while he went to liquor cabinet for a refill.
"Good to see that he's up and about, if a little preoccupied," Lecter chuckled, thinking out loud. "Shame I'm going to need to work with him soon; I'd have enjoyed snapping his clavicles for that little stunt. Oh well... priorities, priorities."
Calling over the current incarnation of the Miharu clone, he made sure all the domestic preparations for his impending departure from the Dominion were nearing completion. Satisfied with the logistics, Lecter returned the fireside to enjoy his scotch in the itani-hide chair, for just a little longer.
Lecter estate, 0330 hours.
Dr. Lecter called in the Joyce clone and had her straighten up his chair and clean up the crystal shards from his dropped tumbler, while he went to liquor cabinet for a refill.
"Good to see that he's up and about, if a little preoccupied," Lecter chuckled, thinking out loud. "Shame I'm going to need to work with him soon; I'd have enjoyed snapping his clavicles for that little stunt. Oh well... priorities, priorities."
Calling over the current incarnation of the Miharu clone, he made sure all the domestic preparations for his impending departure from the Dominion were nearing completion. Satisfied with the logistics, Lecter returned the fireside to enjoy his scotch in the itani-hide chair, for just a little longer.
As the black Vulture left the asteroid base, another computer beeped softly. Though the figure piloting the ship could not hear it, the computer, which was currently stealing information from the most classified Serco Networks, pulled up three files. One of a soldier named Oernon Karun (taken from the Serco records), one of current leader of the Coalition of Itan, Smittens (taken from the man's files), and the file of the departed figure himself (also from his own records). Automatically, DNA software opened up and compared the three. The results set off another alarm, which would be unheard by the pilot for a long time.
Smittens' Valk raced back through Gray Space, on the way to Divinia. Left alone with his thoughts, Smittens had analyzed everything Lecter had said over and over. There was no reason for him to be lying. So this Serco...what was he? Or...who was he?
Setting the ship to auto-pilot, Smittens decided it was about time he got some sleep, as he hadn't in a long time (unless one counted being unconsious, which Smittens didn't). He shuffled to the back of the ship, and opened the door to the small room that came standard in most ships, that Smittens had stuffed a bed and some other items into. He collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep without removing his medals.
His dreams were filled with flashing red lights and slashing claws. When he woke up a few hours later, he found himself staring straight at the pulsing light on his TeleComm. So that explained that. The claws part was wierd though...until Smittens glanced down and saw his uniform and chest shredded by the medals.
Grumpily, Smittens blotted the thin streaks of blood with his pillow and mashed the "Play All" button.
"You have forty-seven messages" chirped the calm robotic voice over Smittens' swearing.
"Message One- Sender: LeberMac Playing Message: 'Smitt, where the **** are you!'"
"Message Two- Sender: LeberMac Playing Message: 'I'm serious Smitty, get your ass back to work!'"
It continued just like this until message forty six.
"Message Forty Six- Sender: Orlano Borano Playing Message: 'Commander Smittens, this is Chief Scientist Borano....you may or may not have heard of me, I took lead of the NTK-11 project after your contact brought it to me. We've uh...made some significant progress on the thing, but would like to consult with you before making prototypes and actual N4's en masse. Please reply ASAP. Thanks'"
"Message Forty Seven- Sender: LeberMac Playing Message: 'Smitty, if you don't pick up in the next ten seconds I'm gonna blow up your entire stock of Samo! Some Itani Officials are giving me MORE **** to do, unless you get back here soon!"
With a mix of intrigue, humor, annoyance, and skepticism, Smittens pushed "Return Call"
After a few seconds..."Hello?" asked LeberMac wearily. Sounded as though he hadn't had enough Smittens Brand Synth Tequila (the only brand in existance since Smittens bought the producers of Synth Tequila after a large Samo-Sale) last night.
"Yeah, hey Leber, do you know if I left my toothbrush in Deneb? I can't find it in my valk, and I'm starting to get some majorly bad breath."
There was silence for a few moments as Smittens, despite his burning desire to find out more about the Serco, started laughing.
"SMITTENS! You have ANY idea how much work I've had to do with you parading around the universe, skirting your duties once again!?"
"Well get used to it. I'm on a personal trip and might not be back for a while longer." Smittens paused again to let Leber curse for a few minutes. "Listen, if you want me to get back any faster, I need you to do two things. Can you handle that?"
"Fine fine. What is it?"
"First tell that Borano guy that I'll be back soon, and not to do anything rash. Second, I need you to figure out who besides Lecter would have the motivation and ability to clone me."
"One: done. Two: why?"
"Some nasty Serco beat me up in the bar..." admitted Smittens with a bit of embarassment.
"I thought you were drunk? By the way, thanks for getting Itan on the headlines AGAIN!"
"No no, some guy just waltzed in and started talking like he knew me, like I did something to him...crazy thing was he looked just like me."
"What, like a brother?"
"Yeah, if I still had any..." muttered Smittens. Despite his cool egocentric exterior, his brother's, though from long ago, still haunted him.
"Well, you might want to talk to Borb then...he's been making some pretty crazy public statements..."
"So you know what I'm talking about?"
"I think so...you're looking for Oernon Karun, and yes, I and everyone else who's read about him has picked up on the oddity of the name. Anyway, talk to Borb, who should be sleeping in Sedina D14 as we speak," Leber's tone softened, puzzling Smittens.
"Right then, talk again shortly. Smitty signing off."
Setting the ship to auto-pilot, Smittens decided it was about time he got some sleep, as he hadn't in a long time (unless one counted being unconsious, which Smittens didn't). He shuffled to the back of the ship, and opened the door to the small room that came standard in most ships, that Smittens had stuffed a bed and some other items into. He collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep without removing his medals.
His dreams were filled with flashing red lights and slashing claws. When he woke up a few hours later, he found himself staring straight at the pulsing light on his TeleComm. So that explained that. The claws part was wierd though...until Smittens glanced down and saw his uniform and chest shredded by the medals.
Grumpily, Smittens blotted the thin streaks of blood with his pillow and mashed the "Play All" button.
"You have forty-seven messages" chirped the calm robotic voice over Smittens' swearing.
"Message One- Sender: LeberMac Playing Message: 'Smitt, where the **** are you!'"
"Message Two- Sender: LeberMac Playing Message: 'I'm serious Smitty, get your ass back to work!'"
It continued just like this until message forty six.
"Message Forty Six- Sender: Orlano Borano Playing Message: 'Commander Smittens, this is Chief Scientist Borano....you may or may not have heard of me, I took lead of the NTK-11 project after your contact brought it to me. We've uh...made some significant progress on the thing, but would like to consult with you before making prototypes and actual N4's en masse. Please reply ASAP. Thanks'"
"Message Forty Seven- Sender: LeberMac Playing Message: 'Smitty, if you don't pick up in the next ten seconds I'm gonna blow up your entire stock of Samo! Some Itani Officials are giving me MORE **** to do, unless you get back here soon!"
With a mix of intrigue, humor, annoyance, and skepticism, Smittens pushed "Return Call"
After a few seconds..."Hello?" asked LeberMac wearily. Sounded as though he hadn't had enough Smittens Brand Synth Tequila (the only brand in existance since Smittens bought the producers of Synth Tequila after a large Samo-Sale) last night.
"Yeah, hey Leber, do you know if I left my toothbrush in Deneb? I can't find it in my valk, and I'm starting to get some majorly bad breath."
There was silence for a few moments as Smittens, despite his burning desire to find out more about the Serco, started laughing.
"SMITTENS! You have ANY idea how much work I've had to do with you parading around the universe, skirting your duties once again!?"
"Well get used to it. I'm on a personal trip and might not be back for a while longer." Smittens paused again to let Leber curse for a few minutes. "Listen, if you want me to get back any faster, I need you to do two things. Can you handle that?"
"Fine fine. What is it?"
"First tell that Borano guy that I'll be back soon, and not to do anything rash. Second, I need you to figure out who besides Lecter would have the motivation and ability to clone me."
"One: done. Two: why?"
"Some nasty Serco beat me up in the bar..." admitted Smittens with a bit of embarassment.
"I thought you were drunk? By the way, thanks for getting Itan on the headlines AGAIN!"
"No no, some guy just waltzed in and started talking like he knew me, like I did something to him...crazy thing was he looked just like me."
"What, like a brother?"
"Yeah, if I still had any..." muttered Smittens. Despite his cool egocentric exterior, his brother's, though from long ago, still haunted him.
"Well, you might want to talk to Borb then...he's been making some pretty crazy public statements..."
"So you know what I'm talking about?"
"I think so...you're looking for Oernon Karun, and yes, I and everyone else who's read about him has picked up on the oddity of the name. Anyway, talk to Borb, who should be sleeping in Sedina D14 as we speak," Leber's tone softened, puzzling Smittens.
"Right then, talk again shortly. Smitty signing off."
Borb sat in "The Den" as he called it, it was the most heavily armored place in his mansion, sporting two fully stocked over sized gun cabinets, body armor, a self contained life support system that could keep him alive for weeks on a roid in the middle of Odia, and best of all more computers then he had ever used during his whole career in BLAK. As he sat enjoy the peace in his favorite place he was interrupted from his thoughts by a loud "Thump" on what sounded to be his front door.
Puzzled he turned on the security feeds to the front of the house to find a lone figure in a large over coat cussing and holding his right foot. Borb chuckled as he realized only one person would be dramatic enough to attempt kicking in a xith reinforced sliding synth wood door in a trench coat, making a mental note to get better security installed he opened up the door.
"Well, you seem to have forgotten your yellow hat Mr. Tracy... "
"Borb!" The figure was awkwardly leaning against the door frame after
having jumped to his feet when he heard the door sliding open.
"Smittens?" Borb let the words slowly roll out of his mouth as he cocked an eye brow. The truth was he enjoyed Smittens greatly, if only for the fact that Smittens seemed to believe much of the stuff he spouted, and for the fact that Borb knew Smittens was a good way to make fast money when he was not dirt poor.
"You need to buy a damn door bell redneck."
"Your just upset I got fancy digs and your still living out of your valk like some high school drop out."
"Well, A, I work for a living, cause I didn't have a rich daddy. B, I've made a shit load of cash from the Samo Business and lot of it from you!. Ever been to my place on Artana Aquilus? And by 'my place' I mean the station in N3, the station I BOUGHT!"
"I thought you loved Divina, F7 or something..."
"I grew up in F6, if that's what you mean. But I grew out of double-A. Anyway, not the point. What the hell is going on?"
"Going on huh? Well Lecter got free from your guild, my guild is killing your guild every single day on the border, oh and did you hear Itan is dying? Yeah the Commander has a drinking problem and they say the Lt. is brain dead." Borb couldn't hide his smile of satisfaction as
Smittens clenched and unclenched his jaw; other then cheating Smittens
Borb enjoyed nothing more then pushing his buttons.
"Oernon Karun. Name mean anything to you?"
"Nope but you have your history mixed up some."
"Don't bullshit with me!" Borb smiled again, but he also knew Smittens had a limit, and if he went over that limit he could lose out on some ill gained money so he decided to play nice.
"Heh, well I'm trying to think here. I see so many people, women mostly that all the names all run together." Borb waited for Smittens to make a come back but none came so he continued. "n00b with a nice ships from what I remember, had some funny looking eyes from the TV feeds when he jacked a Serc up..." Borb trailed off waiting for some thing.
"Yeah funny eyes- wait he is a Serco? And who cloned me!?"
"No no see it's a funny story, he just got his pilots license not that long ago, any way so he goes to get his ship right and the dock guy is like giving him some crap or some thing the feeds don't have any sound, budgeting reasons I think, anyway he like messes the guy up some because the guy goes to the hospital after that I know because I have the records, well like then he does a retinal scan and turns away, but as he does he's like sorta looking right at the camera and you can see he has funny eyes, kids these days I say. But that's not the kicker, the kicker is that funny eyes jumps in a ship and flys off, then some suit comes and talks to the dock worker. Next day guess who has a promotion, yeah that's right the dock worker. Now I'm not going to say this smells like a cover up, but I will say it smells like a cover up."
"They teach you logic like that in Serco schools?"
"Sure. Well any way sorry to cut this off but I've got some stuff to do, it was nice seeing you again you should stop by more I do enjoy our little chats." Borb started to back away from the door again grinning the whole way.
"Wait!" Borb paused, eyeballing Smittens.
"So who is he, who cloned me?"
"No one cloned you and I just told you who you needed to look at for who he is."
"He looks just like me!"
"Yeah he is ugly. Night." And with that the door slid silently shut and Borb head back to The Den to arm the auto cannons around the house and then get some sleep leaving Smittens at the door with more questions then answers.
Puzzled he turned on the security feeds to the front of the house to find a lone figure in a large over coat cussing and holding his right foot. Borb chuckled as he realized only one person would be dramatic enough to attempt kicking in a xith reinforced sliding synth wood door in a trench coat, making a mental note to get better security installed he opened up the door.
"Well, you seem to have forgotten your yellow hat Mr. Tracy... "
"Borb!" The figure was awkwardly leaning against the door frame after
having jumped to his feet when he heard the door sliding open.
"Smittens?" Borb let the words slowly roll out of his mouth as he cocked an eye brow. The truth was he enjoyed Smittens greatly, if only for the fact that Smittens seemed to believe much of the stuff he spouted, and for the fact that Borb knew Smittens was a good way to make fast money when he was not dirt poor.
"You need to buy a damn door bell redneck."
"Your just upset I got fancy digs and your still living out of your valk like some high school drop out."
"Well, A, I work for a living, cause I didn't have a rich daddy. B, I've made a shit load of cash from the Samo Business and lot of it from you!. Ever been to my place on Artana Aquilus? And by 'my place' I mean the station in N3, the station I BOUGHT!"
"I thought you loved Divina, F7 or something..."
"I grew up in F6, if that's what you mean. But I grew out of double-A. Anyway, not the point. What the hell is going on?"
"Going on huh? Well Lecter got free from your guild, my guild is killing your guild every single day on the border, oh and did you hear Itan is dying? Yeah the Commander has a drinking problem and they say the Lt. is brain dead." Borb couldn't hide his smile of satisfaction as
Smittens clenched and unclenched his jaw; other then cheating Smittens
Borb enjoyed nothing more then pushing his buttons.
"Oernon Karun. Name mean anything to you?"
"Nope but you have your history mixed up some."
"Don't bullshit with me!" Borb smiled again, but he also knew Smittens had a limit, and if he went over that limit he could lose out on some ill gained money so he decided to play nice.
"Heh, well I'm trying to think here. I see so many people, women mostly that all the names all run together." Borb waited for Smittens to make a come back but none came so he continued. "n00b with a nice ships from what I remember, had some funny looking eyes from the TV feeds when he jacked a Serc up..." Borb trailed off waiting for some thing.
"Yeah funny eyes- wait he is a Serco? And who cloned me!?"
"No no see it's a funny story, he just got his pilots license not that long ago, any way so he goes to get his ship right and the dock guy is like giving him some crap or some thing the feeds don't have any sound, budgeting reasons I think, anyway he like messes the guy up some because the guy goes to the hospital after that I know because I have the records, well like then he does a retinal scan and turns away, but as he does he's like sorta looking right at the camera and you can see he has funny eyes, kids these days I say. But that's not the kicker, the kicker is that funny eyes jumps in a ship and flys off, then some suit comes and talks to the dock worker. Next day guess who has a promotion, yeah that's right the dock worker. Now I'm not going to say this smells like a cover up, but I will say it smells like a cover up."
"They teach you logic like that in Serco schools?"
"Sure. Well any way sorry to cut this off but I've got some stuff to do, it was nice seeing you again you should stop by more I do enjoy our little chats." Borb started to back away from the door again grinning the whole way.
"Wait!" Borb paused, eyeballing Smittens.
"So who is he, who cloned me?"
"No one cloned you and I just told you who you needed to look at for who he is."
"He looks just like me!"
"Yeah he is ugly. Night." And with that the door slid silently shut and Borb head back to The Den to arm the auto cannons around the house and then get some sleep leaving Smittens at the door with more questions then answers.
[placeholder]
Smittens stood for several minutes outside the shut door. Half of him wanted to again try to bust down the door and yell at Borb until he got some answers, and the other half just wanted to figure out what was happening. A guise approached Smittens, and started trying to force him back. Smittens threw out his leg, and as the guise, as it was programmed, bent to defend the kick, Smittens whipped out a large knife and with an agility few would expect, slashed a vital wire running through the guise's head. As the robot hit the ground with a thump, several alarms started rining. Storing the knife, Smittens ran off back towards his Valkyrie.
Taking off quickly, he dialed up LeberMac.
"You sunnuva..."
"Leebs, not now. What did Borb say, about Oernon Karun?"
"Now why the **** should I tell you!?"
"Cause it'll help me get back faster. Just start talkin'"
"**** you...anyway, apparently BLAK...remember the hit on you and Kep's families? Anyway, apparently they didn't kill all your relatives...Shape kidnapped your younger bro, and--"
"What do you mean younger bro?"
"I mean your brother who's not quite as old as you?"
"I don't HAVE a younger brother. It was me and Samson, and he's DEAD now!"
"Well this is just what Borb said! Maybe it's false info just to rile you up or something? Anyway, apparently this brother or whatever was transformed into a Serco test dummy, and from there no one knows exactly what happened to him, though if you ask me naming a kid 'Oernon Karun' sounds exactly like something Borb would do."
"But, but, I don't have a brother. This doesn't make sense..."
"This is just what I heard! Maybe you're forgetting or something like that! Anyway, that's who Borb thinks OK is, though I guess there's no assurances about any of his story."
"No that must be it! He must be my brother! Leber, I--"
The comm went dead as Smittens' Valk was hit by something from behind. Fires exploded and instantly went out along his wings. A few more shots racked his ship, and the engines died.
The lights flickered as the emergency power activated. A large thump echoed through the cockpit. There was a rush of air. A ship had docked.
Smittens fumbled around and grabbed a small SMG from under the controls, pointing it shakely at the entrance to the docking hatch. The door slid open, and Oernon Karun stepped in, with a small pistol held loosely in his fingers.
Taking off quickly, he dialed up LeberMac.
"You sunnuva..."
"Leebs, not now. What did Borb say, about Oernon Karun?"
"Now why the **** should I tell you!?"
"Cause it'll help me get back faster. Just start talkin'"
"**** you...anyway, apparently BLAK...remember the hit on you and Kep's families? Anyway, apparently they didn't kill all your relatives...Shape kidnapped your younger bro, and--"
"What do you mean younger bro?"
"I mean your brother who's not quite as old as you?"
"I don't HAVE a younger brother. It was me and Samson, and he's DEAD now!"
"Well this is just what Borb said! Maybe it's false info just to rile you up or something? Anyway, apparently this brother or whatever was transformed into a Serco test dummy, and from there no one knows exactly what happened to him, though if you ask me naming a kid 'Oernon Karun' sounds exactly like something Borb would do."
"But, but, I don't have a brother. This doesn't make sense..."
"This is just what I heard! Maybe you're forgetting or something like that! Anyway, that's who Borb thinks OK is, though I guess there's no assurances about any of his story."
"No that must be it! He must be my brother! Leber, I--"
The comm went dead as Smittens' Valk was hit by something from behind. Fires exploded and instantly went out along his wings. A few more shots racked his ship, and the engines died.
The lights flickered as the emergency power activated. A large thump echoed through the cockpit. There was a rush of air. A ship had docked.
Smittens fumbled around and grabbed a small SMG from under the controls, pointing it shakely at the entrance to the docking hatch. The door slid open, and Oernon Karun stepped in, with a small pistol held loosely in his fingers.
Oernon enterred the cockpit of the ship, to see Smittens weilding a small SMG in shaking hands. Karun saw the gun in the other's hands, and smiled. The quivers racking Smittens' body let Karun know the only uncertainty in his plan; Smittens had found Borb's info, and believed it.
"Are you going to shoot me?" jeered Karun.
"Drop the pistol and I won't. We need to talk."
Karun laughed, dropped the pistol, and charged. Though his speed was well above that of even the fastest Serco, Smittens had dedected these abnormal abilities. As soon as Karun's fingers opened to let the pistol go, Smittens raised his gun arm, closed his eyes, and opened fire, while hitting an Itan distress key with his other hand. The shots ripped through Karun's skin, ringing against the metal, and screaching as it twisted. The Serco took the bullets, still laughing, and twisted the gun out of Smittens' wrist.
Yet, again Smittens caught him off guard, sliding a knife out of his sleeve and driving it into Karun's stomach. The Serco grunted and fell back, taking the knife with him. Karun collapsed against a wall, spitting blood.
"No...no...don't die..." gasped Smittens, seeing what he had done. "We just need to talk..."
Karun knew his upgraded nanites could repair the damage in moments, but Smittens did not. "It's too late. I die at your hand...brother..."
"So we are brothers!"
"In one manner or another. No matter what, you STILL fail..."
"No, please, I didn't know! I didn't know!" wheezed Smittens. "I'm sorry Oernon, please, don't, please!"
"Know this...[XXXXXX]..." whispered Karun, using Smittens' real name which few knew, and catching the Commander of Itan off guard. "My blood is, and forever will be on your hands."
"No! Please Oernon! I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry. Give me a chance, let us start over, please..."
Still laughing, Karun picked up the nearby pistol, and aimed at Smittens. "It would be easy...but that is not what I want"
"Yes! We are brothers? We can still be! Just--"
Oernon Karun swiftly brought the pistol behind his own head, and pulled the trigger, a smile on his face.
"Are you going to shoot me?" jeered Karun.
"Drop the pistol and I won't. We need to talk."
Karun laughed, dropped the pistol, and charged. Though his speed was well above that of even the fastest Serco, Smittens had dedected these abnormal abilities. As soon as Karun's fingers opened to let the pistol go, Smittens raised his gun arm, closed his eyes, and opened fire, while hitting an Itan distress key with his other hand. The shots ripped through Karun's skin, ringing against the metal, and screaching as it twisted. The Serco took the bullets, still laughing, and twisted the gun out of Smittens' wrist.
Yet, again Smittens caught him off guard, sliding a knife out of his sleeve and driving it into Karun's stomach. The Serco grunted and fell back, taking the knife with him. Karun collapsed against a wall, spitting blood.
"No...no...don't die..." gasped Smittens, seeing what he had done. "We just need to talk..."
Karun knew his upgraded nanites could repair the damage in moments, but Smittens did not. "It's too late. I die at your hand...brother..."
"So we are brothers!"
"In one manner or another. No matter what, you STILL fail..."
"No, please, I didn't know! I didn't know!" wheezed Smittens. "I'm sorry Oernon, please, don't, please!"
"Know this...[XXXXXX]..." whispered Karun, using Smittens' real name which few knew, and catching the Commander of Itan off guard. "My blood is, and forever will be on your hands."
"No! Please Oernon! I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry. Give me a chance, let us start over, please..."
Still laughing, Karun picked up the nearby pistol, and aimed at Smittens. "It would be easy...but that is not what I want"
"Yes! We are brothers? We can still be! Just--"
Oernon Karun swiftly brought the pistol behind his own head, and pulled the trigger, a smile on his face.