[sylvanSpider]

Marco's fighting back did little to nothing, if it wasn't making matters worse. He kicked his legs, but he could see nothing, the visions were all blurring together and he was getting dizzy. Finally, he gave up, his body going limp, letting the thing take him to wherever he was going to take him. He could decide what to do once he was in confinement, that is, if he wasn't killed first. He'd need to recuperate, see what it was lizard man and his lizard had planned for him. Eyes squeeze shut to stop the venom and the blurring and the tears. He couldn't stop that though; the tears ran freely down his cheeks.

The twins each stared dumbly at the two corpses before them. For once in their lives, they weren't responsible for either of them. The thing that was responsible for one of them in front of them picking remnants from Tennan's neck from its teeth. “I ah...think et's about that time to get back – cap'll get annoyed if we're late, ye know how it is...Ri-right, Damon?” Roek stammered, putting a hand on his brother's chest and coaxing him back.

Damon nodded eagerly, “Yeah, she wan't even part of our crew anyway. Lizard man, I read about yer kind, I did. Ye assume the role of a person's pet t'make it look like you don't know things, but ye do. Yer sentient. So what do ye want with Marco, eh? That's all Roek an' I wanted t'know.”

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

The sun's rays washed over the thatch huts bathing the village in gold. The village was an elevated one, perched precariously on stilts over still damp ground. The merchants were setting up their wares, the carts' undersides still the dark brown of having been floating mere hours before. The smell of steamed buns...baozi began to rise with the water vapors as the ground began to dry only to be flooded mere hours later. Qi could hear the bustling of the waking village behind her as she and her companion strode out of the town, their bare feet making a thwap, twap, thmph, twap against the slick sheen of the mud, as it curled between their toes.

The river banks were the closest thing to a road the young Guang Dans had and it was this that the pair followed, occasionally stooping low to scoop some water into their mouths for refreshment. The trees even gave way by the river and it was for this reason both women wrapped a cloth around their shoulders. Their goal, as it always was, was to find food for the village, so they also stopped to gather the fruit of some plant, gathering its contents into bags they wore on their hips. There was a spot they were heading to, a sacred spot. One where they could be together, however brief their rest, and be themselves.

There was a hut secluded from the rest, perched high in a tree. They would rest and eat and make love there before their way back on the water, when the river disappeared and all that was left was a sea interrupted only by the tops of trees, their leaves extending up and over the water. The water would become alive then. Creatures of the sea would venture inward, fishing alongside their human counterparts. The moon would be out then, showing its pale face twice in simultaneity, once in the water world and once in the sky world. Then would be the sign that they would need to return, though the magic would not be lost just yet. Where do you find pleasure in life?

Right here...Qi thought, turning her gaze upward to the sky moon,[/i] Right here on the water, with the chill of night, nothing but the raft separating me from the sea. It's...sacred...[/i] Sacred it was, interlaced fingers and the gentle tug of the fishing line. Holy it was, foot to knee kicking lazily in the cold water refreshing after a day of walking and gathering. Hallowed, the sounds of liquid moving all around them, animals of the sea softly breathing as they surface, birds of the night waking up.

Remember that moment...Do you...?

At once, the sea faded, the stars vanished, the moon hid Her face. Shi de, wo jide...” Qi murmured, closing her eyes, “Wo jide...”

Qi was on the ground, low tide, one hand up and shielding her eyes as she squinted against the sun. Again, the smell of bao zi filled the air, more now that it was later in the day. A niao was coming for her, bearing a much anticipated message from the city. Her love was to write her today. Finally, the winged silhouette made itself visible against the blue sky. It landed before her, and Qi almost tackled it trying to get at the letter tied to its leg. She was gentle with the bird and gave it some crumbs from her hand before opening the letter with trembling hands.

Qi,

I don't love you anymore. I have chosen to leave you and the rural life behind me. I see now that the village and you, Qi'an, were doing nothing but holding me back from my potential. I'm sorry that this is how it had to end. I have found a new person for a new life. Best of luck in yours.

-Lei

Qi broke then, turning harder to work and less to looking for love. If there was someone out there for her, they would find her. She would never share her sacred spot again.

[Worm]

With Quash's best friend beaten to a pulp beside him, he felt nothing. When the brothers asked about Marco, he struggled to respond. After all, he was capturing Marco for Ino... And now... He couldn't even pilot their craft... He was trapped. As he spiraled into the darkest part of his reptilian mind, bubbling, hissing sounds expanded from Tennan's head. It rolled around, blood and black oozing from the stump of a neck. What looked like long, worm-like tentacles roped their way out in an unbelievable manner. In less than a minute, the mass of knotted, fleshy strings made up the skeleton of a woman. And shortly after that, skin grew. Quash had never seen something like this before. He cringed, scuttling a safe distance away as he watched Tennan reform her body.

The pulsating mass became more and more humanlike. Before long, the creature flung itself to its feet. Tennan released an agonizing scream. "I fucking hate this." This was probably the most painful way for her to regenerate. She had to look at her old body in disgust from her distance. It betrayed her, it let her down. She stomped over to it, her new body fully nude and glistening with afterbirth. The old body was drenched in blood on the top half. She slung her old body over her shoulder. Her metal mask was only slightly dented, which was an annoyance by itself. Now she was exposed to these fools, and now she had to train this body to its original potential.

She threw her body into the body of water outside of their ship. It floated at the surface for a moment. Tennan crossed her arms, watching it ruefully. "I hate when fuckers do this..." She steamed, her new body almost childlike in its muscle tone. Her old one had danced for ten years and it was toned like a gymnast. She didn't even want to look that lizard in the face.

"Yeah. And I'll do it again, slither." Quash spat out, his British accent focusing on slither.

"WE are taking Marco." Tennan pointed to her chest, staring down at the reptile. Quash didn't speak, he geared up his venom once again aiming at his target. Now with no master to guide him, he had no self preservation, no care in the world. Revenge never seemed sweeter than getting to kill your prey twice. He licked his choppers in threat.

"You boys can have Marco. I'll take her." His tongue flitted, hissing.

Tennan growled, her rage heightened once again, but little energy to back it up. Plus, she was standing naked in front of three men, which just made her feel even more vulnerable.

---

Ilan could taste the fruit of Qi's land. He could see the fabrics of the marketplace, he could smell the ripeness of culture. The purity of her heart, the sweetness of her love. "How time changes all." Was all he could say when he felt the breaking of her heart. His arms were now draped over her shoulders, dangerously hovering above her breasts. His forehead nudged into the back of her head as he fed on her memories. "You loved a woman." He thought to himself, wondering if her family judged her for this, or if there were some evolutionary aspect to being gay in Guangda.

"I can show you love." Ilan whispered into Qi's shoulder blades, his breath hot on her nape. He wasn't lying. He'd felt it many times in his past and being an empath tended to have its benefits. Though no benefit was without struggle. He had a tear in his eye, and a gaping hole where his heart was, where Qi's pain resided.

[sylvanSpider]

Marco was, for all intents and purposes, blind. He sat back on his haunches, legs spread and bent at the knee, torso hunched over the empty space, both palms pressed to his eye sockets to try to help them water. Completely oblivious to all that was happening around him, including the decapitation and subsequent regeneration of his fellow recruit, he leaned his head back, keeping his hands where they were, fingers slightly curled with tears running down his cheeks. He'd cast his eyepatch aside, left eye seeing sunlight for the first time in months but his vision – and visions, for that matter – were a blurred mess of headache and dizziness.

The twins were as oblivious to Marco as he was to them, both their sights trained on the lizard. Roek cracked his neck, smirking, “Ah, I see. Ye think we're just gon'ta let ye walk all over us like that? Look around, lizard. Yer outnumbered, an' two of us are on the galaxy's most wanted list. Wanna know why we're on that list, lizard?”

Damon cracked the knuckles of his right hand on his left palm, and again his left on his right, also taking a step toward the lizard, extending his hands, balls of flame emerging in both palms, “Et's because we're dangerous. Very dangerous.”

“We're takin' Marco. Yer right about that. But we're also takin' the lass. We've reason t'want 'er aboard, innat right, Damon?” Roek said this without looking to his twin, his eyes keeping contact with the reptile's own.

“That's right. We'll give ye t' the count o' three t'run. After that? Well, Cook might be pleased t'see a new type of meat introduced. Pre-cooked.”

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

“It took everything,” Qi'an murmured, “In an instant. And then it took again...” Her voice was soft, trance-like, but it didn't stop her back from straightening, the hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end at the touch of Ilan's hot breath. The shiver running down her spine was not one of discomfort, or fear. Rather, it was one of anticipation and she found herself leaning back into the man now draped over her, her hands deftly reaching up to take his, her fingers lacing with his.

I can show you love...he said.

The pair remained statuelike, in an embrace fit for art, motionless save for the rising of their chests. Both could feel the electricity, the static at the tips of their hair follicles, on their fingertips, in every beat of their warm-blooded hearts. A tear, too, emerged from Qi's eye as she could feel Ilan's on her shoulder, through her shirt. “But will you?” Qi asked, her heart catching in her throat, “For how long before you leave?”

[Worm]

Her voice was sweet like nectar, but her words cut, sliced through the air and pitted deep in his stomach. "Love is eternal." He mentioned softly. "Our time together will be brief. But the love we feel will never leave." He gripped her fingers, cool and soft. "I want to take you fishing." Ilan reminisced in her memories of the ocean. "I can take you now - if you'd like." He spun around Qi in her chair and crouched down beside her. He looked up at her with dark eyes - contrasting his bubblegum pink hair that grew like thick hedges on his head and chin.

"I can take you anywhere you want to go." The best drug of all wasn't something ingested. But rather, something you plug in.

---

Quash was stumped. He had more rage and sorrow than he knew what to do with. But he wouldn't achieve his revenge if he died via these two trigger happy loons. Then again, would it be honorable for him to die for his master's redemption? No... Not like this. He hissed, his dark hood raising around his head as he did so.

"I will be back, Pirates..." And with no struggle, he weaved off and away from the Hangman's Cry. Tennan was tempted to run after and stab him just like she did his vile owner. Instead, she rubbed her disturbingly smooth arm and grimaced.

"Yeah, you better run!" She hollered behind his dragged tail as the lizard disappeared into the distance.

"Fuck. I really wanted to eat that bastard." She complained towards the twins, still not giving any concern to the poisoned Marco. Though her head plate was beaten up and dented, her body was slimy and fresh, it was an interesting juxtaposition that she wanted to address sooner rather than later. She noticed now that her clothes were on her old body, which now sunk to the sea shore, most likely surfacing on the beach.

"Could I get some clothes?" She groaned. "Or do I have to wait for the branding first?" Tennan crossed her arms, nudging Marco lightly with her bare foot to make sure he was still alive.

[sylvanSpider]

Love is eternal...

The words rang through her ears providing her with conflicting and conflating thoughts, crashing against each other like the horns of deer. Love is eternal. That's why her heart was still broken and that's why it hurt knowing that the pair would be separated. Willingly, no less. That is, if he was planning on leaving her on some gods forsaken planet that wasn't, nor could ever be, her home. “I...I want to fish,” Qi said finally, hushed, like speaking too loud would ruin the moment. It was a moment that shouldn't be spoiled no matter what, even if Qi couldn't decide if it was a bad one or a good one, “But what after? Will you leave me then, like Lei?” She knew he knew of whom she spoke. She could feel him in her mind, wrapping his delicate fingers around her soul, around her heart.

But she didn't want to stop it.

Not yet, not ever. “I want to know what happens after.”

=-=-=-=

Damon looked at Tennan, blinking, then Roek looked at Tennan, blushing. In the commotion, neither of them seemed to remember that there was a naked woman in their presence though they both had witnessed the debacle that put her that way, Roek quickly unbuttoning his overcoat and thrusting it in Tennan's direction with an outstretched arm shielding his eyes. Damon, too, shielded his eyes (however little he wanted to) and began undoing his pants, thankful that today was not a day he felt like freeballing it. Instead, he had on a pair of undershorts that were fairly modest in their appearance, and he was grateful that he happened to glance at the poisoned Marco in time to prevent a tent from pitching.

Allowing Tennan to dress, the twins finally turned to Marco, who was still in the place he'd been put, trying to wipe away tears and screaming with pain. They knelt down on either side of him, wrapped his arms about their shoulders and lifted him up. “We've got t'flush this out right away,” Damon murmured, seeing the full extent of the damage. Most of the venom looked to have washed away, but some got into at least one of Marco's eyes.

“Medic'll fix you up right proper,” Roek added grinning. “Tennan, we can get ye proper clothes on the ship, but we've got t'take care of one that can't regenerate.”

[Worm]

Ilan knew that time was an irrelevant measure of existence. He knew that even the few hours he’d spent with Qi would remain in space and time somewhere. It didn’t matter if he left or not. So he looked down at Qi from behind with a sort of pity. He felt bad for her. So he turned and began digging for the cord. Attached to a small back cube was the answer to all of Ilan’s problems. The hyperverse.

The dim glow of the cube pinned its location and Ilan pulled it out from under a pile of empty food rations. It was still on and ready to sync. It had been about four Earth months since he’d last used it. It was on his way through Qi’s native planetary system that he finally unplugged after nearly two years of being connected. He blew off the top of the baby sized cube, even though he knew it wasn’t likely to have dust on it. He sat it behind Qi as she confirmed her fears. ”Will you leave me then…?”

He smiled with a hollow energy. He held the thick, coiled cord in his hand and leaned over Qi’s shoulders. ”I can never leave you now.” Was all he said before he opened the six legged prong at the end of the cable. It would seize into Qi’s neck and inject serum into her spinal column. With the six legs pinching and keeping it still, it would feed the electric properties through her and she would become the conduit as the hyperverse altered her reality.

Ilan had a small, growing scar at the back of his neck which showed how frequently he used the machine. The first few times would heal, leaving no scar, depending on how long you left the cable attached. So, with the cable now braced against her neck, he would watch her slip into the hyperverse. Then, he would take a second cable, attached at the cube, with little use since Ilan was normally travelling alone, and he would sit next to Qi as he injected himself. It was natural for him, the cable sat perfectly at his scar and slink!

Welcome….
There are 2 players in your party
Where would you like to begin?

Ilan turned his digital head to see Qi waiting patiently.

”Xitchal, at sea.” His voice was clear and seemed to produce subtitles for the party when he spoke to reduce miscommunication.

The box asked Qi and Ilan to confirm.

Xitchal, at sea?

Yes 1/2
No

Both parties had to select yes for the hyperverse to activate. And when it did, Ilan and Qi were transported to the beautiful, digital world of Xitchal. It was not like Qi’s home planet. It was a rainforest with the sounds of birds and frogs and insects. It smelled like moss and sea water. The starting ground was next to the ocean. It lapped in and out on a red sand beach. The first sun was rising. It was the smaller of two, and a warm red. The greens and blues of the rainforest lined the beach, causing a perfect separation of warm and cool colors.

Ilan scrolled through an inventory of his that was full to the brim from hyperverse exploration. He pulled out two Excellent Rods and handed one to Qi. It was made with a light weighted, natural wood and the line was strong and sturdy. Qi would now have the option to change hers as she pleased. ”This one’s for you, Qi.” He smiled, standing a foot taller than the lost woman next to him. ”You can keep it.” He patted her shoulder and looked out to the sea. A small sailboat appeared at the beach when both were equipped with rods. ”Are you ready to catch some fish?” He turned happily to run towards the sailboat, hardly giving Qi an option.

---

Tennan couldn’t help but agree. If she wanted even a cut of the bounty, Marco had to be alive. She was frustrated that the slimy lizard was able to escape. Little did she know that Quash too, had a plan. You see, Quash was no ordinary familiar. He was a brilliant scientist. In fact, his keeper, Ino, was built by him. He would make sure that next time he met the clan of the Hangman’s Cry, he would be better prepared and his keeper would be more sturdy. He loved Ino, as every parent would love their child, or artist would love their creation. Next time, he could only do better.

The bladed woman put down her defenses to slip into the slightly too small boy’s clothes. Normally she would be too muscular to fit into the legs of these pants, but because of her new body, she was thin and atrophied. She slid right in and they were almost baggy on her. She felt much more comfortable with her most dangerous weapon concealed. Her last body would have been able to sling a man Marco’s size over her shoulder, but now, she could only watch as the boys managed to carry him. ”Would your doctor happen to be a bioengineer as well?” She tapped her dented headpiece to remind the boys that she also needed a little work. The headpiece was still functioning, and she was able to still hone in on her surroundings. But a dent meant that she had a weak point. Without her headpiece, she was little more than a blind and deaf creature, surviving purely on touch. One of her biggest fears was losing her senses through cybernetic failure.

[sylvanSpider]

Qi watched Ilan setting up some sort of a machine in a druggish haze. She knew he was working on something, maybe even something important, but she was too high to care. She could almost smile at the man as he promised her love and happiness. Could he give those things though? Would he be able to break through the protective barriers she'd put up in self defense? Could she let him?

In her flying stupor, she didn't notice Ilan getting closer with the machine's six-legged appendage and gasped when it made contact with her. First, it was cold, then warm as the machine tuned up and Qi turned down, falling backward in her seat, irises white and blank as the space that she now found herself in.

The room was white, her footfalls made no sound and she felt that if she opened her mouth to scream no sound would come. Her heart caught in her chest. If ever there was such a thing as nothing. This was it. When Ilan appeared, she could feel her heart stop pounding in her ears and waves of relief washed over her. This wasn't some sick joke after all. He was joining her in whatever adventure he had up his sleeve next. Then the words appeared. This was some sort of virtual reality thing that she'd heard about but had never seen. She watched as Ilan's own words manifested visibly and when he accepted, she followed suit.

The world they entered was one unlike any Qi had ever seen before. Technically, this was her first time off the planet, and in a non-technical sense, her first time on another planet. The scenery was beautiful, and that familiar feeling of humidity washed over her. Though silent, she was obviously in bliss, simply taking in all of the new sights, the new sounds. The frogs croaking and the birds singing were all around them, and they were completely enveloped in nature. She took the rod in her hand and examined it. It was, to put it lightly, much better than any of those she'd known on her home planet. “Really? I can keep this?” Qi asked, breaking her silence that she didn't realize she'd been carrying on, “It's...it's nice. Is it only here in this world?” She tilted her head, and she knew now with certainty that everything she thought she imagined sharing with him she actually had. Those few words she'd uttered were unneeded. He'd seen everything.

=-=

Marco was thankful that now, at least, someone was planning on tending to his wounds. The pain was searing, but he calmed his body down to allow him to be guided wherever it was the twins were taking him – likely right back to the ship he'd been hoping to escape at some point. But they would fix him, and the circumstances showed that he had a good reason to run, so as far as he was concerned, pirate life was in his future. He just didn't know if he was cut out for it.

Damon shook his head and Roek answered, “Nah miss, but we do 'ave an excellent mechanic that may be able t'get ye set up nice an' proper.” As they answered, however, they didn't stop to turn to face her. She had regeneration, there was no way in hell anything could ever could her. At least, anything on this planet. They kept with the process of getting him to the ship until finally they reached the gangplank and walked Marco overboard.

“OI.” Damon shouted, “Get the medic out 'ere! Newest recruit's been poisoned!” As if in answer, Marco let out an involuntary groan and the medic popped his head out and rolled his eyes.

“He's not part of the crew yet is he? Not my problem,” he said, now coming through the doorway with his arms folded. He was a tall man, lean, like one who didn't get out and see the sun often, and his eyes were locked on the wounded. “But, because you two are the two on the ship I least want to make enemies with, I suppose I will have a look at him. On the eyes is it? Get me water. Cold. Now. And a rag, a clean one if you will.”

The twins made themselves scarce there, pretty much running to fulfill the man's request.

[Worm]

Ilan couldn't help but smile as he looked over at Qi's childlike naivety. "Of course, its yours." He too smiled, like an older brother proudly looking over his sibling. "You can only use it in the hyperverse, but you will have access to this place at the Gunslinger too." He chuckled softly, rubbing her head. He extended a hand, hoping to guide her onto the tempered waters so they could begin a new, virtual life together.

"And if you ever want to see your home planet... Just ask the wind." He looked up, sniffing the salty breeze. "Just like I did to get here, Xitchal. Such a beautiful planet..." He returned to his thoughts, looking into the distance and remembering a faint piece of his past. "But lets take our time and enjoy our flight. I'll show you how to get used to this place." He helped her onto the boat and took seat. An overhead menu appeared once both were seated. It displayed their route options, Ilan chose the manual setting. Which allowed him to row his own boat. Something that he rather enjoyed.

"Then, you could show me around your home planet... What it used to be." And he began paddling them out to the center of the ruby lake.

---

Tennan watched as the boys took care of each other. While she didn't mind standing back and letting them panic, she was a little bored. She tapped her foot, eyes wandering the crevasses of every wooden corner, hoping for a new task to better her new body. Sure, she could help a little. But why? If Marco was going to live... Then she needn't worry.

[sylvanSpider]

Qi'an held the rod in her hands, feeling the smooth surface, the strength of the string, and the small barbed hook at the end. “There won't be any fish left if we use these to fish,” she said with a small smile. That smile was the first she'd given since her planet was decimated, and though small it was genuine. “What is...Gunslinger?” She'd heard the word before and understood it to mean a person who wields a gun – one of those weapons that could kill a person if they use it right.

“This is...amazing,” she uttered at some length, “Though it's gone...we can still go there, through this? Are there other people here?” Even if they were only ghosts of those that she loved, her parents, her brothers, she wanted to see them, to see that they could still be happy in some sort of universe. She boarded the small boat and took her seat with grace. Already used to the surface of the water, it took little adapting. The paddles, however, were as foreign objects to her. In Guangda, they did not have paddles, instead opting for enormously long sticks, long enough to reach down under the floods to propel the user forward. This, she assumed, was too deep for anything of that nature.

“I would love to. You have...never been? You found me there, so it is sad that is what you got to see. Guang Da was...it was...beautiful.”

/////

The twins returned with the medic's request, and the medic wasted no time in working on flushing Marco's eyes out. The medic's cool, collected face furrowed to one of worry when he saw the extent of the damage. Lucky for him, Marco wasn't fighting back. His chest rose up and down, up and down in steady but shaking breaths and occasionally he'd let out a gasp. “Boys, get me some gauze and medical tape. Now.”

They disappeared for a while, eventually coming up with the requested material. Once Marco's eyes were sufficiently flushed medic set to work setting up an alternative medical grade eyepatch. The eye that was formerly under the eyepatch was now exposed to the light, blinking and vulnerable. The formerly seen from lay shrouded in darkness, useless. The medic's rude face didn't return and the look of worry switched to one of pity as Marco now sat up and swallowed, dreading the news.

The medic cleared his throat, “Marco, right? You're an Ipho?” Marco nodded. “I'm...I'm sorry to tell you this, but your right eye...You won't be seeing from it again.” Marco deflated, burying his head in his hands. The medic put a hand on Marco's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze, “I know this will be hard. Your right eye's abilities will no longer function, as I'm sure you gathered, but your left eye is likely to kick into overdrive; its abilities will heighten. You will need to learn to control it or you will be seeing many things you wished you never did. A glass eye won't be necessary. The venom only destroyed surface matter, so the integrity of your eye's solidity is still there, but likely, it will turn milky. To protect it, keep it covered at all times for a week, then only keep it covered in the daylight and at night let it breathe. Keep this up until the pain stops. I'm sorry, Marco. I did what I could.”

The twins stood motionless as they listened to the medic break the news to Marco. So he was an Ipho; that was how he managed to shoot so well. It was real, but he used his species abilities in ways that others hadn't thought of. But now, that was gone. They would still welcome him in, but he'd need to relearn how to shoot. Further, all secrets would now be exposed to him. There would be no lying to him, likely.

[Worm]

Her smile was precious. He almost felt guilty for having seen it. For surely, he did not deserve it. He merely nodded, and smiled in return. His too, quite genuine a response as he did not expect to have one as genuine as hers. "There is endless fish in this sea." He said as he cast a line. They were in the middle of the red sea now. There were all sorts of fish on Xitchal, from the raging Lunatic (comparable to Earth's anglerfish only in shallower water), to the Fae (like miniature mermaids that bite).

"Gunslinger is... Well, Gunslinger's - " Before he could finish his sentence his rod was yanked and he stood up to reel in the perpetrator. The sound of his line being reeled in made him grin from cheek to cheek. "The Gunslinger's a sort of casino planet. It's got games, clubs, people from every solar system in the district, and best of all, every man for himself." He groaned at the last part, struggling to pull in his catch. And just when Ilan thought he had it, the sucker got away. He plopped back down to the planks of wood forming seats.

"That was a big one." He tried to reassure his masculinity as he looked over his fishless hook, then laughed. "There are other people here. They're probably at the temples in town center. That's more of a hot spot than fishing." He glanced over at Qi. "Not that I mind being alone with you. We'll be alone for a long time anyways, might as well get to know each other." Deeply, intensely. He heard his mind continue that sentence. Ilan wanted to know all of Qi's dark tunnels and pathways merging in her mind.

"Honestly, I just stopped at Guang Da because it was the nearest fill up station." He shrugged, laughing a little nervously. "I've heard good things about it. Mainly from older natives who escaped before the Yingya really took over. What are they like - the Yingya?"

> > > > > >

"FUCK that hurts!" Tennan yelped as the mechanic fiddled with her mask. A sort of screwdriver was lodged into a tiny opening near the dent in her head.

"I'm bein' as gentle as a butterfly, dear - bare with me!" Sweat rolled down his face as he tried to pry open the biomechanical appendage.

"Arrghhhh! Have you ever worked with Dasyrian before?" And just like that pop! The mechanic was revealed a mass of fleshy fat that sat where a human's eyes would. It almost looked like clear gelatin. If one looked close enough you might see a brain. This was the most exposed Tennan had been perhaps ever. She started to rethink her decision to let a stranger fix her.

"Never." Was all he said, in awe and disgust when looking down at her. She couldn't see him, but she could feel every fold in his face turn as he looked at her.

"Don't scowl at me! Just beat out that dent, and fast!" She panted, desperate to have her fleshy underbelly protected again.

"Lucky fer you, I'ma mean blacksmith. He grunted, turning to a table which had an array of smashing tools. He mulled over his options and landed on a nice, heavy mallet. With which he slammed the backside of her face piece repeatedly. Each whack sent sharp stings through Tennan's goopy forehead. She gritted her teeth, hoping for it to end soon. She had to wonder how her friend Marco was doing.

-- -- -- --

2 Hours Later

Finally, it was time to eat. Tennan was delicate now, and basically nonverbal. She kept her head low, still sensitive to every sound in the room. Her body was frail, and so was her mind. She was useless. Useless. Useless. Oh how she hated being rejuvenated. Oh how desperately she wanted revenge.

[sylvanSpider]

“Endless fish? That is...amazing,” Qi'an breathed, closing her eyes and feeling the sun warm her lids. So this is what happiness is. It's been so long... She set up the float and bait, then cast her line amazed at how smooth the entire process was. She was able to skip straight to her favorite part. “This is amazing,” she added after a moment.

She was on her feet in an instant, shielding her eyes from the sun to see the catch. She, too, was grinning ear to ear and her smile stayed even as Ilan's catch got away and she shook her head, laughing, “Need a stronger hook if those are the kinds of fish you will be catching.” She sat, waiting for her own rod to bow under the weight of one of this sea's dwellers and she found herself wondering if they'd actually eat what they caught or if they would end up releasing them. “So we are going to Gunslinger? Why? If you have all of this,” Qi gestured to the entire sea about them before looking back to her companion.

“I-I like being alone with you,” she said honestly, keeping her rod firmly in one hand as she kicked off her boots to dip her feet in, “I could stay like this forever. I want to see every planet with you and fish in every sea.” her voice still bore with it the residual high from the drugs they'd taken in earlier and she was dreamy. “I already feel as though we've known each other our whole lives, but it has only been a few hours, how can this be?”

She was silent for a moment, mulling several thoughts around in her mind. “Then you haven't actually seen it,” she said with an attempt at a smile. This one was slightly less genuine; her home planet, her physical home planet was destroyed. She would be showing him through a replica – but only when she was ready. For the time being, his taking her to a very different planet was the best course of action and she knew this in her heart of hearts. “The Yingya are...terrifying. They are tall and broad, have four arms, each of them with three claws. They destroyed everything and everyone...I don't even think they were taking slaves, they were so fearsome...”

> > >

The twins found Tennan when she was done at the mechanics, both standing with the hands respectfully clasped behind their backs when Roek cleared his throat, “How ya doin' there, Tennan? I take it ye went to see our mechanic?”

Damon bowed his head, “Hope yer feelin' better than Marco. The lad's blind in one eye. Led 'im t'the barracks an' 'e didn't utter two syllables. Might not be able t'shoot now. The lizard got 'is eye that 'e shoots with...”