Hey, this is my writer's journal. I can screw up if I want to.
For the Republican Movement only a struggle on many fronts will achieve the Republican objective of restoring the "ownership of Ireland to the people of Ireland" (1916 Proclamation). - WHAT IS IRISH REPUBLICANISM? By Ruairà Ó Brádaigh, President Sinn Féin in the Irish Independent, December 9, 1970.
"Allie, Allie, ye takin' th' red'er'blue?"
Alan picked up the blue t-shirt, started yanking it over his head. "So are we ready?"
"Almos'." His roommate picked up the red shirt and pulled it on. He pulled on his jacket to make sure the pistol in the holster didn't show. "You?"
Alan patted the pocket of his coat. "Two pounds - one kilo - of PE-4."
His partner nodded. "That'll ge'air attention."
The two young men stepped out into the dim light of dawn.
What the plan for this story was:
Alan and the red-shirted kid were supposed to plant a bomb in the car of Catholic minister in Belfast. Why, don't know. Who, don't know either. The IRA started decommissioning in 2001. Alan should be, at present, around 30 years old, which means he was born just around the height of "the Troubles".
Just because the IRA decomissioned doesn't mean they stopped. They splintered off into more or less militant groups, but seemed to be more into the training aspect than the actual action. So let's say Alan doesn't actually do bombings, but he knows how, and he's done it in training sessions. He got caught in Derry with some incidiary devices and was deported. Finished college with a Chemical Engineering Degree, he worked for assorted demolition companies all up and down the East Coast.
It was during this time that he got electrocuted. Hit by lightning. Something. From that point he constantly exuded electricity in a radius (Lightning Field or whatever the hell that is). Well, he obviously couldn't work around explosives anymore. He and some friends eventually created the vest that he wears, that pretty much lets out electricity as he needs it. For a strange reason, he likes to be constantly bathed in it, so will usually have it on in some way. (Plus it looks cool.)
His knowledge was still in demand, so he prepared chemical bombs, passive bombs, TNT explosives, any kind that was wanted by any group, particularly the "Fifth Column of the IRA" so to speak. He was arrested after a tip-off, and he's on the search to find out who. Because of his electrical issues, he was allowed to keep the harness. Of course, he was searched more often than other prisoners since he had the extra harness, but that didn't stop him from sneaking things in.
While in the Zig he beefed himself up, with the full intent of going after whoever turned him in. Not only did he become useful as a mule, but also as a bruiser. He didn't always win - then, he didn't always want to. Many were allowed to run and then get beat up later, when they least expected it, and when it hurt MORE.
Why is he with Styrm? He knows a good thing when he sees it. Styrm built that battle suit, which he's impressed with. (He's more impressed with the guns than the suit. Wait until trip mines. He'll drool.) Styrm's got a good and intelligent head on his shoulders, he knows what he's doing, he's got charisma. Styrm might have heard that he's a bruiser and the reason he's in the Zig. Styrm might have figured that he would be a good wall between the enemies and himself. If something explodes, Styrm might think, let Provo take the hit. Or hits.
Is he evil? He's not morally ambiguous, he's morally empty. Tell him to kill someone, he would - because he knows he can, and he'll eventually start liking it.
So there's my take. I hope I can keep close enough to that outline, anyway.
"Hi, Linda," he said, pulling out the chair across from her.
"Hi, Nate. What were you in solitary for this time?"
"Somebody passed out in front of me, they thought I did something."
"Did you?"
"No."
She nodded briskly. "All right,then. Here's what we're going to do. We're going to aim the bar really high. After we get the confession dismissed, I'm going to ask that all the charges be dismissed, because, technically, they have no evidence that you did these crimes."
Masonry shook his head. "No. I did them. I deserve to be punished."
"Don't you think that your time in here so far is enough? Don't you think everything that you've done for the city is punishment enough?"
"I need to be watched."
"Nate, you're not on the drugs anymore."
"That's why. I'm evil."
"You are not," Mallory folded her arms across her chest. "Everybody gets mad at someone sometimes."
"But to want them dead?"
She looked down at her papers. She had read his psych reports and knew the answer to that question. He was jealous, pure and simple. But he didn't hate them enough to kill them, or she would have read Pace's obituary by now. "All right, " she stated. "But this isn't about them. Once the confession is out, they have no physical evidence connecting you to the crimes." She looked up and smiled. "You'll be free."
He looked down at the table. "Hm."
"Hm?"
"I was telling Fyre last night that I didn't want to be free. That I wanted to stay here. When they decided to put me back into solitary because some ex-sorcerer had a seizure, I realized I didn't want to stay here."
"Good, Nate. I thought I was going to have to fight an uphill battle." She rearranged the papers. "Now, here's the worst case scenario, and we're working our way backwards."
"Execution."
"Yes. They won't do that."
"How about a plea bargain?"
"It depends on what happens with the confession. We'll get you out of here, even if it means you have to keep wearing that teleport belt. We can change the teleport coordinates to something like a cell in Futura Force or the nearest police cell..."
He nodded, half listening. Scenarios ran the gamut from life in prison with no chance of parole or work release, all the way to total freedom. She would start from total freedom and work her way down. She didn't expect the total freedom, but she would push for some jail time with work release, probably a couple of more years.
His mind went back to the night before, when Fyre wouldn't believe he was capable of evil that he thought he was. "I've seen you with other people, Frosty, Rogue, Kit, Scott, Em, and Star. You can't not care." He told her that he almost tore Star's wings off. He didn't tell her that Em put him in his place with an order and a command, "UNDERSTOOD?"
"Nate, I know I'm boring you."
He gave her an awkward smile. "I'm sorry."
She smiled. "You pay me the big bucks to think for you. I just want you to know what to expect."
"Thanks, Linda."
"Just keep doing what you're doing, Nate. It doesn't matter what E says. And don't skip anymore, it looks bad."
"What about drinking?"
She gave him a skeptical look.
He smiled. "Drugs?"
"Nate..."
"Sex?"
She gathered up her papers even as she blushed. "Go on, get out of here."
His chuckle was deep and sexy as she watched him get up, like a lion rising from a meal. He squared his shoulders and fixed her with his dark, smoldering eyes. Then they crinkled as he grinned, because he knew what he had done to her for that one moment. He turned and knocked on the door for them to take him away.
Malloy took a deep breath to steady herself. No wonder Serena stuck with him. But she would have to beat off all the women with a bat. Or, Malloy thought with a grin, a katana.
"Is this going to be a morning ritual?"
The Tsoo seated across from Masonry began to rise. "If you would prefer..."
Masonry tapped the table with his fork. "Take a seat Strym."
"Actually, he's not here."
"Oh, then who am I talking to?"
"One of his servants."
"What's your name?"
"It doesn't matter."
"I'd like to call you something."
There was a pause, as the Tsoo scrunched his face in thought. "Psy-Ops."
"All right, Psy. Nice to meet you."
"Charmed," the Tsoo snapped.
"You happen to like Tsoo and Freaks?"
"I look to find what mind is available and see if you are in proximity to it. Then I access it."
"What about Igga?"
"I have worked with him before." The Tsoo gave a cry and fell backwards off of the bench. Masonry jumped up, and three guards came over, one with the quantum gun, drawing a bead on Masonry's forehead. Two guards went over to the Tsoo, who was having a seizure.
One guard said, "Wha'd you do?"
"Nothing. He was talking to me and then he just fell over."
The seizure faded and the man began breathing normally. They led Masonry away as he was pulled up to a seated position and the doctor arrived. The guard kept the gun on him.
"She will be punished," said the guard flatly, then his features softened. He looked around for a minute, wondering why he said that, then returned to focus on Masonry. The captain even got called over. Captain Aragon had known Masonry from the moment he came into the Zig. At first he had felt the same way that the Longbow did - that Masonry was a heinous criminal and evil man, but he saw how compliant he had been, even helpful.
Aragon saw the doctor, then turned to Masonry. As the rest of the prisoners were recalled to their cells, he approached Masonry. "What did you do this time?" he demanded.
"I didn't do anything, captain."
"You were the last person talking to him."
Masonry sighed. "We were talking about a mutual acquaintence and he keeled over. Maybe the drugs he had taken long ago finally got to him." The Tsoo was now heading back to the general population.
Aragon turned to Masonry. "Do you happen to like solitary, Greene?"
Masonry sighed again. "I swear to God I didn't --"
"If I had a dollar for every time someone said that I'd be a rich man. Solitary, Matt, until he gets called downstairs."
The quantum gunner directed him there. Again.
----------------------------------------------
Meanwhile:
The buff, naked man in front of him slowly, gingerly, unbuttoned Styrm's pants. He slowly ticked down the zipper. He took the hem of Styrm's shirt, tucked it under the waistband of the pants, then rebuttoned the pants. Styrm patted the man's head. "Very good, you did it right without this time without touching the skin."
"Thank you, master," the man said, bending his body in half so that his forehead touched Styrm's foot.
"Maybe I will allow you a touch this evening. Mousey," he said to a huge man with no hair or neck, "I want the most recent reports of my quarry on my table downstairs with my breakfast."
"Yes, sir."
He left his bedroom and headed down the hallway. He stopped outside of a door. "Where is Sheila?"
"We thought you didn't need her today," said the small man who had been behind him the day before.
"She knows her orders," he snapped, and turned the doorknob. It didn't move. Styrm growled. He turned and walked down the hall, touched an area that he hid with his body. A small panel popped open, and he pressed a button. This unlocked all the doors on the floor. He returned to the room, his face angry, causing the servants to step back. He threw open the door he originally meant to open.
Seated in a yoga position on her bed was the telepath from the previous day. Styrm strode across the room and grabbed her hair again like he had done the day before, but grabbed it hard enough that she fell off the bed. She screamed and sprawled at his feet. "I am disappointed in you, Sheila."
"Master, I was only trying to prepare the way for you to speak with him--"
"I did not want to speak with him today," he snarled. "Who are you to predict my wants? Have you skimmed my own thoughts as well?"
"No, master, no!"
He drew himself up to his full height. "You should know better." He turned from her. Mousey opened the door for him and guided him out. "Blake," he snapped to the small man. "Make sure she is punished."
The woman uttered in a deep voice, "Excellent. How lucrative is it going to be?"
The man chuckled. "Lucrative. What an idiot." He tapped the woman's right hand and spoke, "What are you looking for?"
The woman repeated it when he pulled his finger back. She then blurted out: "Free rein."
The man sat back, folding his arms across his chest. "Well. That's interesting."
"He wishes to be free, master," said a small, mouselike man standing just to the left and behind the seated one. "All prisoners want to be free."
"He wants to be more than free. He wants a license to kill." He tapped the woman's hand and chuckled audibly, which she mimicked. "I'm sure that can be arranged. We will contact you. In the meantime, keep doing what you're doing. Let them think you're a loose cannon if you want. Let them think you're the penitent son. Whatever you want." Then he reached over and pulled the woman's hair, hard.
She yelped, focused angry eyes on the man in front of her, who backhanded her for the insolent look. She wilted before him. "I'm sorry, master."
"You'd better be." David Strym- under an assumed name at the moment - put his feet up on the table and his hands behind his head. "That would be an interesting one to add to my collection."
"Sir?" The mouse uttered quietly, almost cautiously.
"Masonry the War Wall as my slave. And now that he's joined with a Kheldian...yes, it would be interesting. A challenge."
"The man would easily come to you, master. The Kheldian may not."
"It's the Kheldian I'm interested in. I know I can easily break the man. Maybe even..." He grinned. It was not a pleasant sight. "I can put him in chains. Hmm..." For a moment, Strym's mind drifted to all the different possibilities, what tools he could put to that man's perfect body and face to scar it - no, maybe not. By the time he finished with Masonry, the moment he would get off the train the city know the huge man was a twink.
It depended on the Kheldian. If the Kheldian was a true Peacebringer, he would be losing patience with Masonry by now, especially now that Masonry had turned traitor. Would the Peacebringer jump into the driver's seat and stop him? He knew from his contacts that this was the old Kheldian in Powerhouse Jack, who was a relic from Statesman's time - Powerhouse threw things around and generally beat things and people into bloody pulps. There was nothing about crossing lines.
Strym's mind switched immediately to the next item on his list, the recent acquisition from Atlas Park. She was a tall blond, who would look at someone and fully heal them with just that look. She also crushed things for fun. He caught her contemplating the Atlas Park Bank. His personal telepath had skimmed her mind to see her plans for crushing the bank vault door. It wasn't hard to convince her from there.
"Let us go meet the young lady called Gravolator."
Did you offer yourself to her? Even the words seemed encased in ice.
No! Lodestar replied. Before, he could easily put his "finger" on Nathan's feelings and could calm him down. Now he had still closed him off. No, Star's confused. She's a Protector. I only trained N'shta in Pathfinding. The rest is in her mind.
Then why did you greet her?
You disappeared. You went to a place in your mind to calm down.
Oh, so whenever I do those things to calm down you take over?
No! I only wanted to assure her--
Why? Do you have a closer relationship to her, too?
Because Star deserved it.
He felt a moment of hot anger, followed quickly by the equivalent of a fire extinguisher.
Do you know what's stopping me?
Lodestar "nodded." Frosty.
I promised. There were more conflicting emotions, first of love, then a quick squash of it, like someone stomping hard on an ant.
Nate, why are you blocking me?
You lied. When did you come out? How often?
I came out to E and Fyre while you had gotten drunk at Pocket D. That was the only time, I swear on the stars. All the other times we have worked together. He showed Masonry the memory of their conversation outside of Crey's Folly.
The wasteland brightened for a moment, as Nathan realized that was the kind of camaraderie the team had before they all changed. He thought fleetingly of letting Lodestar out permanently, then choked that thought off quickly. Don't use me. Ever again.
I will ask from now on. Or when you can't function, I will take over if necessary.
The two wills battled. Emotions, explanations, pros and cons, tears and force battled their way across the wasteland, clashing in the center and exploding into a blazing headache that raged behind the closed eyes of Masonry as he lay on the cot in solitary. When he wasn't moving during a quick check, the guards came in.
"His eyes are moving. He's talking to his Kheld."
"He's barely breathing."
The guard with the quantum gun guided the other one to the door. "He's fine. He'll wake up."
At just a little past 11 am, Masonry opened his eyes. They had reached an agreement. When Nathan would be incapacitated, by force or by choice, Lodestar would come forward to animate and protect the body. At no other time would he do so, even if Nathan had gone to that "place". But the headache remained.
---------------------------------------------------
Masonry sat down across from Iggabuzz. "I'm back."
"Yeah," he replied, sipping something. "Come to beat the shit out of me today?"
"Actually, no." He passed the note over. Again, Igga jerked to a sitting up straight position. He placed the cup down and focused on Masonry.
"What can I do for you, Masonry?"
"What can I do for you, Styrm?"
The Freak's eyes widened. "This has happened sooner than we expected. We thought we were going to have to bargain with you."
"I was nine-tenths of the way there, I just needed a reason to push me over the line."
"And what's that reason?"
"He's rejected me for the last time."
"Oh, I doubt that."
"I'm done feeling for him. Or her. Or them."
"I doubt that too."
"And I'm done proving things." He yanked back the letter. "I prove that I'm a prick every time, so I might as well keep up that reputation."
"Nothing wrong with that when performed in the right quarters, Masonry."
"Very funny."
"I wasn't trying to be funny."
Masonry spread his hands out on the table. "What do I get for working with you? Other than the satisfaction of seeing someone who's hurt me twist around on the wind?"
"Would you like to be the one tying the knot? Or kicking the chair out from under him?"
"Them."
"Oh, you want both."
"Yes."
"We don't care what happens to the girl."
"Excellent. How lucrative is it going to be?"
"What are you looking for?"
"Free rein."
The Freak chuckled, which would have chilled Masonry if he was in the mood for feeling emotions. "I'm sure that can be arranged. We will contact you. In the meantime, keep doing what you're doing. Let them think you're a loose cannon if you want. Let them think you're the penitent son. Whatever you want."
"Sounds easy enough."
The Freak blinked at him. "You're still here?"
"Just leaving. Thanks for the enlightening conversation."
He waved his hand and picked up another milkshake as Masonry got up, grinning.
Lodestar knew better. He stayed in the back of Masonry's mind, listening to his rants, how he'd fucking had it with them, with all of them, that he should just stay in the Zig and screw the world. They didn't need him.
E called it a temper tantrum. Lodestar called it venting. Masonry did the mental equivalent of throwing around the furniture. Where else could he safely do that, and not be judged? Lodestar understood and let him. Later Masonry would spend himself, sit down in the middle of the mess, and then be receptive.
Masonry's dreams were full of rage, blood, containing some of Lodestar's memories of war. And the realization that when Masonry turned his back on the world for two minutes, Lodestar stepped out.
You promised not to use my body.
You disappeared--
"You promised," he whispered, and he turned over in the cot, and buried his face into the pillow, biting into it so no one would hear his sob. I trusted you.
Lodestar waited for the emotion to finish washing over him. Then came blazing anger, fury, hate - now directed at him. Lodestar had no where to run and no defense, so he let it toss him around.
You're on their side. I'm not anymore.
A door slammed in Masonry's mind, with Lodestar on the other side of it.
Lodestar sighed internally. He'll come around. He just hoped that a useable host remained when he did.
---------------------------------------------
Breakfast.
"So, I hear that you went AWOL."
He turned to look at the bald Tsoo who now sat next to him. He spoke flatly, so he knew who he was talking to.
"Tell me something."
"Depends."
Masonry waved his hand. "E and Strym. Their relationship."
The Tsoo chuckled. "You already know, Masonry. You just don't want to admit it."
He should have known. The entire discussion of man-crushes over the course of his time when War was there. The task force a long, long time ago when Masonry asked E point blank, "Are you gay?" and his response, "No, I'm not gay." He never followed up with the next obvious question: "Are you bi?"
The Tsoo continued, "You're a lot smarter than they give you credit for. That's really why they hate you."
He knew flattery when he heard it. "I'm not falling for that shit."
"You know that Strym would appreciate you if you joined the team."
Masonry nodded to himself. Now the real reason comes out. "Appreciate me like he did with E? No, I don't want to be his servant or his lover."
"You'd be neither."
"I'd be used and thrown out." He glared at the Tsoo. "I'm sick of that. I'm sick of being used." He pointed at his chest. "I am my own man, I will not be used as a punching bag, I will not be used as a vehicle, I will not be used as a pawn, I will not let them control me. I am going to go out there, go to work, and if my actions don't speak for me then that's too damn bad."
"They did speak for you last night. They proved that you can't handle being your own man."
"What?!"
"When Pace rejected you, you left. Because you wanted to kill him again."
Masonry was going to protest, but the Tsoo was absolutely right.
The Tsoo got up. "You don't take rejection well. You kill the ones who reject you. Especially the ones you love." The Tsoo bent closely to Masonry and said, just loud enough for him to hear, "I think your brotherly love for Pace is a little more than brotherly." Then the Tsoo bowed to Masonry while his eyes widened and the rage boiled directly to the surface. As the Tsoo walked away from him, Masonry wanted to rush at him and tear him apart, but he was in the prison cafeteria. If he acted out here...
He rose stiffly. He walked over toward the door, prisoners glancing at him, seeing his clenched fists, his determined look, and most dove out of his way. The guard in his tunnel vision stood at the ready, and when Masonry got within ten feet, he pointed the quantum gun at Masonry's chest. Five other guards had moved to flank him.
"I need to go back to my cell or into solitary." He had the right to ask for these things, being a psychiatric patient. But he had never asked for this before, and this surprised the guards and prisoners that knew him. The guard nodded, and two of them took him by his arm to lead him out.
Part I
He stepped out of the shower and heard, "Styrm knows."
Masonry held the towel in front of him and froze. Guards were just inside the door, at least one quantum gun for each prisoner. Five prisoners stood naked in the bathroom, drying themselves off in silence.
"Drop!"
All the prisoners let go of the towels, letting them drop on the floor. Guards stepped forward, flanking each one, and led them out to the changing area. As he put on his clothes, he heard a flat voice state coldly, "Strym knows you want him."
He unfolded his shirt and searched out with his senses. He had developed this ability after becoming a huge unstoppable piece of rock; he could sense people to his left and right, out of his peripheral vision. This one was at
The guard brought his gun to bear. "Are you speaking to me?"
He moved the gun. "Move it."
Masonry put on the shirt - no longer the tank-top, but a plain, ordinary t-shirt now. He put it on over his head, and he heard the voice, "He can help you."
Masonry focused on the guard, who now held the gun at Masonry's chest. He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up - a quantum at this close range would tear him into little pieces instantly. Masonry put his hands up in surrender. "Move!"
The two voices were the same, but slightly different. Something's speaking through him, Lodestar said, and Nate nodded internally. He went back to his cell. He nodded to his bunkmate, Nickie Gross, who was in for allegedly killing his girlfriend. He blamed the Kheldian Warshade, who had been so disturbed at the ferocity of the crime that it hid somewhere so deep that even a telepath couldn't find it.
"At least one of us won't have fleas tonight," he commented. "Think you're going to come crawling in at
"Probably. I try to stay out as long as possible."
"Don't blame you." Nick nodded to the top bottom bunk. "Something came for you." A plain white envelope sat there.
"Did you read it?"
Nick gave him an incredulous look.
Masonry chuckled and turned the envelope over. There was nothing on the front, and it hadn't been licked closed, only folded closed. Undoing the flap, he waited to see if anything magical was going to happen. Nothing did, so he pulled out the folded paper.
It was folded into fourths, not thirds as would normally be in an envelope of this type. He opened the page to see a note: Want about Strym? M33t m3 4t 3rd t4ble near d00r window in c4ff 4 lunch.
It's written by a child, said Lodestar.
A leet child.
Masonry turned the paper over at Lodestar's suggestion and peered closer at it. Or someone directed him from a distance.
How can someone do that?
Mind control. Sister Psyche isn't the only one in the world that can force someone to do that if she so desired.
E's boss?
Maybe not him, but someone who works for him.
This is a break.
It's most likely a trap.
Masonry shrugged. How else am I supposed to know?
Make sure there's others around you. Don't go there by yourself.
I know what I'm doing.
You most certainly do not, Nate. This is intrigue, not a street fight. Your idea of subtle is a punch in the face. For once, listen to me. For once, do as I tell you. You constantly ask me for help - listen this time.
Masonry closed his eyes and felt himself let go, relax, not fight. He sighed in agreement.
Part II
Most Freakshow, after they are arrested, are brought down to the infirmary. Augmentations that could be removed are , and those that can't are allowed to remain. If the Freak was stupid enough to remove the item to use it for a shiv, they were brought in to a hospital, all of their augmentations removed and replaced with fleshlike counterparts, and then sent back to the general population to serve out their terms among the Hellions, Skulls, and other humans.
Iggabuzz had replaced his right eye with something that looked like a laser with a tracking device. It would be difficult but not impossible to remove. He wouldn't have an eye left, though. As it was, he had no real hands, but was using a pair of plastic mechanical gripping devices to handle things. His lunch consisted of different cups full of different liquids.
Masonry sat down across from him, sliding his tray onto the table. "If it ain't the famous Masonry. How many heroes you kill today?"
"None, but the day's still young. Did you write this?" He passed the note across the table.
Iggabuzz jerked, as if someone stuck something in his back. The voice that came out of him was flat like the guard's earlier. "I did."
"Talk to me."
"No. You talk to me. You want information, you give me information."
"Don't have much to give. I'm on the inside."
The Freak sat up stiffly. "And I'm not?"
"No," Masonry replied, using words Lodestar now supplied. Masonry emptied all emotion out of his eyes and watched Igga gaze up at him. While Masonry would keep on going and spit out something unintentionally, Lodestar had always been known to be prudent.
"You're smarter than I gave you credit for."
Masonry said nothing, looked down at his lunch. "Tell me something worth my while."
"Fair exchanges, Masonry."
He shrugged. "Ask a question. I'll answer. Then I ask. You answer. No beating around the bush."
"You trust my answers?"
"No."
"Then why should I trust yours?"
"Because I have nothing to lose."
Jack -
Shh.
"You mean you don't care about your friends?"
"If I didn't care, I wouldn't be here." Masonry focused on Igga's blank eyes. "I care whether they're alive or dead."
Jack! Where are you going with this?
Shh. Making an assumption.
"Do you want them alive or dead?"
"All of them? Or some of them."
"Pace."
"What of him?"
Igga jerked focused his eyes. "What're you doin' here?"
Masonry closed his eyes and turned his head. Damn, almost had him.
What are you doing?
Seeing whether or not they have the same information that E and Fyre have. That you still want to kill them.
But I don't.
I know that. You know that. E and Fyre know that. Eat something, wait. Maybe he'll reconnect.
"I'm eating lunch. You asked me to sit with you."
"I don' sit wi' baby killers." He gathered his lunch and got up. Masonry took back the letter and put it in his pocket. This will be your contact point, Nate. Eat here a few times and see if someone else comes along. If the telepath can do what I think he can do, it could be anyone.
Anyone. If he wasn't paranoid before, he would be now.
"Wha's goin' on out there?"
"Truck in'a mud, cain' getter out."
Jack hoisted his gun and started to the rear of the truck. The men yelled at him, but he didn't care. He undid the canvas, splashing them, then he jumped down and rezipped the canvas. It was time.
He squished through the mud, walking by three, five, eight trucks to get to the one in the North Carolina mud. Come to find out it was more than one truck - it was a truck, and a tow, and another truck was spinning its wheels to get the tow out. He glanced around, walked over to a man with captain's bars. "Sir, Captain, sir, request permission to pull the trucks out of the mud, sir!"
The captain turned to look at the man standing in front of him. A little older than most recruits, Jack had honed himself since the joining. Jack had barely passed the physical on entrance into the Army, and now had broad shoulders, a large chest, and stunning abs that made most of the men in the barracks green with envy. Jack understood for now to keep his ability under wraps. Until today.
He had read in the paper that heroes were forming their own brigade, and Lou suggested the idea of hooking up with them. It would be better than slogging in the mud with the rest of the GI's - but he would have to work much, much harder. His expectations would be much, much higher. Was he ready?
The captain regarded the young man. "And what do you think you're gonna do, private? Pull 'em out?"
"Sir, yes, sir!"
Trying not to laugh, the captain said, "Sure, son, you go on ahead."
Jack saluted, "Sir, thank you, sir!" Hoisted his gun up higher and headed toward the truck in front. A lieutenant watched him. "Sir, tell the men to get out of the truck." Then he handed over his gun.
"What the fuck?"
"Sir, do it, please?"
The lieutenant took the gun, and studied Jack, who looked very serious. "Hey! Boys! Get outta the truck!"
The GI's leaned out and jumped down. Jack walked over to the front of the truck and took a hold of the tow hooks. He squatted. Our footing - he felt himself get heavier, more centered - he felt himself sink into the mud. He took a deep breath and pulled.
Stuck. He sunk deeper, pulled harder. He took a step back, sunk in deeper, pulled again. He felt something ease. Took another step back, pulled again.
He could very well have given a good yank and pulled the truck out like pulling something out of gum - but then it would have gone over his head and he wouldn't have any control over it, and for all he knew it would fly into some general's car. He eased the vehicle out, until it rolled gently onto the ground. Then he got behind it and pushed it by putting his shoulder to the back. He saw someone out of the corner of his eye jump into the cab to steer.
After he got that one out, he returned to get the tow. Again, he centered himself and sunk deep into the mud and pulled. In twenty minutes, all three vehicles were out. Then came the pontoons, which he picked up like they were pieces of plywood and placed down over the mud. As the traffic began to flow again, the lieutenant gingerly came over to him with the gun. However the captain intercepted him. "What's yer name, son?"
"Private Jack Simon, sir."
"Sergeant Jack Simon. Get this man stripes, lieutenant. An' call Statesman. We got us a hero here."
He looked up as the corporal came up. "Sarge says he wanna see ya."
Simon nodded, started toward the barracks.
Jack.
He looked around, saw no one. He walked a little further.
Jack.
He stopped. "Whozzat?"
Over here. In the woods.
He glanced around him, then headed into the woods. No one was there immediately, so he turned to go back. No, come in. Head south. He kept on going, crashing through brush, until he reached a clearing. A young black child stood there, idly scratching into the wood of a tree. She turned to him. "Hi, Mr. Simon!"
"Do I know you?"
"No' yet. Lodeystar done like you-sir, bu' I gotta die. Say he gots'm work t'do, an' I canna help'm."
"Who? What?"
"Ain' gots time t'splain. C'mere." She walked up to him and made a motion for him to either kneel or squat to her level. He squatted, keeping his balance. She grabbed him by the back of his head and pulled his forehead to hers.
Next thing he knew, he was lying face-up in the leaves and looking up at the beautiful blue sky. He struggled up, using the huge tree in the center of the clearing as leverage. As he looked around, he noticed everything was clearer, brighter. He looked down at himself, then looked to his right.
A black girl's body lay at the bottom of the tree; she looked like she had curled up to sleep and died. He blinked, looked around.
No one sees us.
He jumped back, looking around wildly.
Calm, Jack.
He found himself taking a deep breath, holding out his hands to the ground, as if to gain strength from that. He seemed to calm down.
I know I didn't have time to explain, Jack, but that girl was too young to understand.
"Who are you?"
I am called Lodestar. I am from another planet. Don't panic. Oh... Then he sent images. The body moved on its own volition back to the gun, where the corporal still stood next to it. "Hey, Jack, wha'd he say?"
"Nuthin'," he replied. "Thanks."
The corporal touched the brow of his hat to him. "You look like somebody hit ya over the head."
"I'm okay." Jack stared at the gun. "Yeah. I'm fine. I'll be jus' fine."
She knew this judge, and blessed her lucky stars that it wasn't someone worse. Judge Anna Lorraine oversaw many cases of "heroes gone bad". However, she didn't know if her defense would fall on deaf ears, because Judge Lorraine was also one of the many judges that disliked temporary insanity as a defense.
After murmured "good afternoons", Nathan sat down. She had him wear normal clothes and his dark hair was touseled just-so, enough to cause many of the women in the area to turn their heads.
"Now, then," said the judge, shuffling papers, "Mr. Greene's competence to stand trial is brought before the court. He has been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Bipolar Disorder. He confessed to murdering eight people while under the influence of a drug he made himself." The judge looked up at Mallory. "Did he intend to kill the people when he took the drug?"
"No, your honor."
"Why did he create it?"
"So that other children could be able to defend themselves."
"Which," said Carr, "is the same thing as intending to use it to hurt the people who attack them."
"He was attempting to level the playing field, your honor," said Mallory. "He was a tiny boy who found himself constantly beaten by children twice his size. He wanted to create a substance that could make the body larger. It wouldn't make the child a berserker, at least that was his intent."
"But a child with a larger body mass would feel more powerful and therefore choose to turn that size on his aggressor--"
The judge interrupted, "We are speculating on something that doesn't exist. His intent was to increase body mass. The side effect was becoming Mr. Hyde, am I right?"
Mallory nodded. "I present before the court that he had no control over his actions--"
Carr interrupted, "He premeditated these murders for years. He knew what he wanted to do before he did it, the drugs merely gave him the ability."
"He premeditated them because of what had happened to him over the years. It's not any different than someone who has been attacked who dreams of hurting their attacker or even killing them."
"The difference is that he did it."
(Mallory refers to domestic violence cases)
Mallory continued: "Domestic violence is still the systematic abuse of someone." She leaned over to the judge. "Remember, that little boy who was beat up wasn't this man."
The judge studied Masonry, who looked up and held her eyes. She drummed her fingers against her cheek, watching him. Masonry looked away from the scrutiny, blushing. She looked over at the assistant DA. "He is competent at this moment to stand trial," the judge declared. "However, I don't believe that the prison is the right place for him to receive the kind of psychological care necessary for him. He is still allowed to contribute to assisting heroes?"
"Yes, he has been with Longbow Guardian Jason Pace for a few dozen assignments, especially in Croatoa recently."
"And how has that been going?"
Masonry squirmed and avoided her eyes. Mallory said, "We're working on that."
"Masonry's a distraction," snapped Carr. "Guardian Pace has had to surrender most of his time taking care of Masonry's issues in the middle of battles. He should not even be out."
"Which proves that he is psychologically unable to participate out in society."
Masonry whirled his head and stared at his attorney.
"At least with Guardian Pace and his companion. However we have not seen the same issues among other teams he had joined - teams that he is haphazardly assigned to. He has been seen in Pocket D and has not contributed to any aggression there - in fact, he does not drink anymore."
Carr turned to Mallory. "Paradigm of humanity, is he?"
"I never said that, Jim. I'm illustrating that it happens to be Guardian Pace and the teams he builds that causes these issues."
"Then maybe we should remove him from access to Mr. Greene."
Masonry's jaw dropped. "No," he muttered.
Mallory put her hand on his arm. "Guardian Pace abuses Masonry verbally constantly. Unfortunately, psychologically speaking, it is what Masonry is used to and therefore accepts this abuse as required for friendships."
"Oh, so you're a psychologist now?" Carr jeered.
"It's in the forensic psychologist's report that I submitted with the brief."
"So you believe that if Guardian Pace is removed from the scene that it will assist him? Then Mr. Greene does not have to be remanded to an asylum."
"The prison psychologist can only do so much. Masonry cannot have medication because of the high probability of addiction and adverse effects, both to him and the Kheldian residing in him. Solitary confinement with his Kheldian - who was not a professional psychologist - helps some, but he has much more work that needs to be done."
"Why Kirkbride?"
"It has a special Kheldian unit, and it also has a secure unit for criminally insane. He would be placed in the Kheldian unit because it is believed his Kheldian can keep him calmed down."
"I know of Lodestar when he was Powerhouse Jack," said the judge, nodding. "All right. Thirty days, he can go to Kirkbride Psychiatr for psychological counseling and testing."
"Can he still be allowed to work with other heroes in the field?"
"Provided these heroes understand that they may have to restrain him at some point."
Mallory nodded. "They are already informed of that or they wouldn't accept members from the Zig Work Detail."
The judge took out a pen and signed something. "Make sure he gets the care he needs."
The assistant DA held the door open for Mallory. "You should go work in the Isles." Carr looked up at Masonry. "We'll be seeing each other again, Mr. Greene."
Masonry slowly nodded once.
========================================
"Congratulations, Mr. Greene. You now get to spend some sunny afternoons in a high-class hotel over in Skyway City." The Longbow Guardian narrowed his eyes at him. "Hope you enjoyed your stay."
Masonry bit off a retort as his attorney, Linda Mallory, put a hand on his arm. "C'mon, Nate, they're just goading you."
He sighed. "Some hero that I get the Longbow pissed off at me."
"That's why you're going somewhere that can help you."
The Longbow snorted and slammed shut the gate. "That's exactly how E feels -"
"Nate, look at me."
The big man focused on the shorter blond woman standing before him.
"Guardian Pace is one of them - " she thumbed at the Longbow still standing at the gate. "They're perfection in motion, or so they think, and anyone who makes a mistake drops a few points in their book."
"All E wanted to do was help me."
"Of course he did. And what he does to you now is 'help' you? Treating you like he does? Both of them?"
Masonry closed his eyes and waited for calm to come from Lodestar. It didn't.
"I swear on everything that's holy, Sunstorm, this is his absolutely last chance. He will go on trial and be found guilty of murder. Period."
"I understand," Sunstorm said, walking away. He turned down a corridor and went into a conference room. Closing the door, he flipped out his cell phone and pressed a button. "Lodestar."
The lights in Masonry's cell brightened, so he knew a teleport was coming through. He turned and sat up, expecting Pinkerton, the prison shrink. Instead he saw two pairs of glowing white eyes appear before the bodies formed.
Masonry's eyes narrowed. "Great. Want to gloat over your failed experiment? See the human whose life you people destroyed?"
Sunstorm had appeared and was standing behind a chair. Seated in that chair was an older man, almost bald. He looked like he had been a strong man once, with broad shoulders and thick legs, but age had made him brittle. Sunstorm spoke, "Masonry. We are very sorry."
"Sure. I'll remember that when they strap me down to get me ready for the lethal injection." He nodded to the man in the chair. "Who's that?"
"He used to be --"
The man put a hand on Sunstorm's arm and smiled. "I can still speak for myself, my friend." Sunstorm bowed his head and stepped back.
"Masonry, I've heard many things about you. Many good things."
"Good. It's over now. I'm an evil villain and not worth your time."
"I beg to differ." The man got up shakily, holding onto the back of the shair for support. Masonry watched him gather his strength, and noticed that his eyes glowed even brighter. "My apologies, but we're getting weaker by the day."
"Oh, no, I'm not falling for that shit again."
"It's a statement of fact, not an evocation for guilt. The human part of me wishes to die. I would be happy to go with him into that good night, but Sunstorm told me what has happened to you."
"And you want to help. How heroic."
"That is what we are, Masonry, heroes." He started toward Masonry, but faltered. Masonry moved like a flash and caught him before he fell.
"You look familiar," Masonry said quietly, letting the old man lean on him.
"You might have seen me around."
"What's your name?""Jack Simon. I used to be known as Powerhouse Jack."
Masonry's eyes went wide. "I used to read about you in the comic books. That was World War II stuff. You were in the Sand Kings, the ones who went behind the lines in Africa and captured Nazi soldiers." He studied him. "Most of them are dead and gone. Did you...have you always been..?"
Jack nodded sagely. "You should know from your prior bonding that we've been around for years."
Sunstorm spoke up. "Benakasar had only recently arrived in this system and had never bonded."
"That explains much. Can I sit down?"Masonry guided him to the edge of the prison cot. As he settled in, he said, "So Sunstorm tells me you've had a hell of a time. First you take something so that you can enact your version of justice against those who abused you, then your friend's armor begins to slowly kill you, as well as the drugs you're taking which cause you great pain. So to heal yourself and help a wounded creature you join instantly with a Kheldian that threatened to kill your friends, and you gave up and became the bully that you had striven to destroy those many years ago. Do I have it?"
Masonry closed his eyes and heard E-VAC's words, "How does it feel to be the big kid in the sandbox?" "I wanted to help people," he said quietly, opening his eyes.
"I know, Masonry, I know. You need to let go of the anger."
"How can I? They goad me and insult me--"
Jack shook his head. "This isn't about our friends, Masonry. If they're your true friends - and from what I've heard and seen, they are - they'll stick with you."
"I've said I'm sorry over and over-"
"And then you do things to prove you're not."
"Like what?"
"Oh, like threatening to skip town to make Guardian Pace look bad."
He closed his eyes. "That was stupid on my part."
"Yes, it was."
"He won't forgive me."
"I wouldn't. You need to prove it to him, and that'll take time."
"He doesn't want to see me anymore.""We can ask him if he's sure about that. I'm sure he's not." He studied Masonry. "But it's not about them. It's about you."
"I'm a murderer, a villain."
"If you were a villain you wouldn't have caught be before I fell."
His eyes narrowed. "So that was a test, then?"
"Not at all, Masonry. I'm getting old. I was 25 when I threw Panzers across dunes. I worked until about fifteen years ago, retired and did a lot of philanthropic work, mentoring new heroes. It's time for me to go."
"So you want my body?"
Jack folded his arms across his chest. "No. I want to help save a good man."
Masonry got up and paced the room. "How long have you been on Earth?"
"My first host was a farmboy in Greece just before the Trojan War. I've been everything from that simple farm boy to a famous military leader."
"Who, Cesear?"
"No. Timur-e Lang."
Masonry furrowed his brow.
"Also known as Tamberlaine, a Persian who conquered much of Asia after Genghis Khan."
"Oh. You've always been in the military?"
"Mostly, but not always." He smiled. "I left my resume in my other pants."
Masonry turned back to him. "I can't believe you want to help me like this, a perfect stranger."
"Like I said earlier, it's what heroes do."
The silence lasted a long time. Masonry wanted to be a hero again - he didn't remember how he had changed, why he did - all he felt was power, the want and need to destroy and show the world--
"I won't let you use me, either, Masonry."
Masonry blinked. "How did you --"
"Because I've seen that look in men's eyes when presented with the kind of power the bonding offers."
Masonry looked down.
Jack smiled. "I've been around the block a few times, Masonry. You can't fool me, and neither can the Renegade."
"He's dead."
"No, he's not."
"Yes, he is."
"Part of him will always be in you. It's why you still want to kill your friends because of what they're doing. He took the anger you felt about your abusers and put it on everyone who tells you what to do. That includes your friends."
"I guess I'm stupid."
"No, Masonry, gullible. And you want to please people."
He nodded. Jack stood up shakily. "Masonry, you don't have to make a decision right now. I'm not going anywhere."
"Can...can you stay here? Talk with me some more?"
He glanced at Sunstorm, who gave the most imperceptive nod. Jack sat back down again. "I'll be happy to. Sunstorm, could you please see if we can have some lunch?"
"Of course, Lodestar."
Masonry tilted his head. "Is that your Kheldian name?"
"Yes."
As Sunstorm disappeared in a teleporting light, Jack turned to Masonry. "Do you have any girlfriends?"
"Two of them."
He chuckled. "Do you get their names confused?"
Masonry snorted. "I thought you'd get all holier-than-thou on me."
"No. You're a handsome man. I'm surprised you don't have a list as long as your arm." Jack sat back. "Tell me about them."
He won't kill you, he's a hero. Heroes don't kill heroes.
Masonry closed his eyes at the voice, the one that invaded his consciousness constantly, on its own volition. He could never initiate the conversation, but he could continue talking with it until it got bored and left.
He was in the Skyway City Freedom Force barracks, where he had surrendered himself a few short days ago.
"Good morning, Mr. Greene - or is it Masonry."
The woman who stepped into the room looked about 20ish, with almond-shaped blue eyes. She did not smile. "I am Doctor Marian Donovan. I am a specialist in erroneous bondings."
"Oh, that's nice."
"Mr. Greene, please. The less emotion the better. Emotion is what sets Benakasar off."
"No kidding."
She opened her pad. "I wish to speak with Benakasar."
Masonry felt the cramp start in his head, when it meant that he would change form. He constantly tried to fight it, but he couldn't most times; Ben surged forward so quickly that he almost didn't feel the pain of the cramp.
Glowing white eyes in a huge armored beast with tiny legs appeared before her. It exuded tendrils of white smoke around it and smelled of wet dog that had rolled in a compost pile. It looked down at its arms, still bound. "Release me," it growled.
"I don't have the authority to do that. I wish to ask you some questions."
"Go ahead."
"Who are you?"
"Benakasar. I am an artist."
"Were you injured trying to save another Kheldian?"
"No. I made the hero think so. I was trying to run away from the Void Hunter that was going after my patron, Whitesonic. The hero thought I was trying to save him, but Whitesonic died anyway. The Longbow hero informed Sunstorm. Sunstorm found Masonry. When Masonry came to see me, I saw that he was almost perfect, but he was tainted. I healed him. Now he's beautiful." He opened his hands, but they were bound. "Don't you think so, Doctor?"
She looked at the White Dwarf with no emotion whatsoever in her eyes. "So you wish to remain with that host?"
"Of course. He is so malleable. I can use him for whatever I wish and he never knows. I put him to sleep. Whatever I do is a cloudy dream to him." The Dwarf chuckled which sounded like a low growl. "He is so strong. He can do anything."
She finished scribbling. "And what do you plan on accomplishing?"
"I will bring beauty into this world. I will destroy evil and darkness."
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."
The Dwarf tilted its head. "What does that mean?"
"It's an old Earth saying and is not important. Allow Masonry to return."
"Must I? I happen to like seeing beauty such as yours, although cold."
She folded her arms across her chest.
The beast exhaled sharply and changed its form back into a human's. The doctor got up as Masonry opened his eyes and focused on her. "What happened?"
"The Kheldian that has bonded with you is insane."
He felt like he did when Hope's Fury had told him he was dying. I knew it but I didn't think it would be true... "So what do I do?"
She started to leave. "Control it or it must be extracted."
"Go ahead and extract it."
She opened the door. "I'll have you know, Masonry, that the average success rate for an extraction - both for human and Kheldian - is less than one percent."
--------------------------------------
"Mase. Mase! MASE!"
Nathan struggled up through the dark cloud of dreams at Scott Raynes' call. I have the form, I have control of it...
Obsydian Fyre put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "That's not Mase. That's Benakasar, aka Sewer-Breath." With a toss of the Dwarf's head, Benakasar fled, taking the form with him.
Futura looked at Masonry with a mixture of confusion and concern. The bodies of vampyri and Council soldiers littered the area - they weren't moving. The sight of the blood pooling at his feet made him sick.
"Dammit!" he snapped, as a battle raged above his head.
They both ran up the ramp, and he saw Notion heading into the fray. No, Thad, no!
I can protect him.
Shut the hell up.
I can save him.
Shut up! Masonry ran into the battle, trying to intercede between Thad and a Council warwolf, but Notion got cold-cocked and stunned. With a roar, Masonry dove in, his white fire exploding in fury - and then Benakasar took over.
Watch, he said, and proceeded to stomp on the floor, shaking it and sending Council flying. Masonry couldn't pull himself forward, but merely watched impotently, as Benakasar waded through the groups, hardly getting touched.
This is what you were - Masonry, indestructible, strong, able to take down anything, anyone, even these wolves - and what are you now?
I have white fire and energy -
Worthless. Wouldn't you rather do this? He swung a claw and tore off the head of a Council soldier. Feel their blood at your feet?
No! I don't need to do that!
I know you, Nathan. I have all your memories. I know how you felt when you crushed the life out of those two little girls a year ago. You felt satisfaction.
That wasn't me, that was the drugs.
Keep saying that, maybe you will believe it. I know how you felt when you beat those who harmed you into the ground. I know how you feel about Kit and Thad, and how you'd like to tear his --
Stop it! I would never hurt them!
--head off because of the way he treats Kit - but then do you not believe that she is what she wishes? Look at them, look at how they are around each other, both perfect for each other, both perfect, and you do not like perfection, do you? You do not like or understand such beauty. You do not understand that Darcy is imperfect -
You attacked him! You tried to kill him!
He is imperfect and should have been left for the vermin that attacked the Longbow that guarded him. Now, the Longbow... His voice grew wistful. The Longbow are perfect in their ac--
Masonry took the opportunity to yank Benakasar out of the driver's seat. He returned his attention to the people around him. They were outside the office now. Thad was grinning, E and Fyre were glaring at him angrily like they usually did, Kit and Futura stared at him, concerned. Masonry hung his head down. I can't control him...
------------------------------------------
The office was full of people running by in a panic. E-VAC helped to guide them out as Obsydian Fyre glared at Masonry. "I'm so angry at you, if you weren't... weren't..."
"What, so stupid to listen to a voice that makes promises?"
E-VAC had returned at the tail end of that conversation and told him, "It's not a promise if he doesn't have any intentions of keeping it."
Masonry advanced. "I DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS GOING TO KILL YOU!" he screamed. "I believed him, BELIEVED HIM!"
"Back up, Mason, Nathan, Ben, whoever you are." Fyre's voice was the coldest he had ever heard.
Masonry responded in the same tone. "No, and let E blast me into Kingdom Come."
"E's not going to do it this time. I am. It's going to be more permanent."
Masonry stepped back. "You...you..." He studied her glare, utterly cold, unfeeling, like that doctor who had studied him.
She wouldn't. She likes you too much.
"Ben, she would." He stepped away and tried to control himself, clenching his fists at his sides and closing his eyes, I won't let him out, I won't--
He felt his consciousness snap back as the Dwarf form appeared. I will protect you, Nathan. Then he turned his attention to Fyre. "Nictus!"
She retorted, with no emotion behind her voice, "Psycho."
He went to reach for her again, but Masonry yanked him back. "Bastard!" he yelled at himself.
"Let him out. We'll see what he does. If he kills me, E can bring me back, and then you'll have to believe that Ben's not 'good', he's not 'misunderstood.'"
"All right." Masonry stepped aside.
Ben surged forward in the wake of emotion that could be only described as glee. Kill the Nictus!
No!
Fyre stared at him in horror. "Mase, you idiot!"
"Finally," Ben growled. A citizen came running by them, and he reached out and grabbed him. The man - more like a young adult - stared up at him in terror. The Dwarf began to squeeze, and if it could grin maniacally, it would. "Stop me," he taunted.
Masonry tried to claw through - he could see everything going on and was helpless. I can't control him, kill him, Fyre, kill him!
"All right," she stated, and attacked him with Nictus energy, then yanked the energy back into herself. Ben dropped the man and fell to his knees while the form fled, stunned more that she actually did it. She would kill you?
Masonry tore his way forward with the thought, And I would let her if it meant to stop you!
He focused on Fyre, who glowed with the energy taken from Ben. Then E walked up to him. "Get up," he snapped.
Masonry got up, looked over at E. E hauled off and slapped him with the arm encased in metal, so it stunned him and actually hurt.
"You deserved that. You attacked a civilian. This will be on your permanent record."
He looked from E to Fyre and Keen Frost who had just arrived and had no idea what was going on but was smart enough to stay out of the way. Masonry stood straight and squared his shoulders. He had made his decision. "Let's finish this."
Less than one percent success rate, Nathan. You'll die.
So will you, you fucking bastard.
Ben knocked at the edge of his consciousness. Never again, Ben. Never, ever again.
Nathan heard distant laughter in his mind. Even he knew that promise wouldn't last. So he had to do it.
They finished the assignment, releasing some hostages, and Masonry stood outside of the office. E glared at Masonry. "I need to go to King's Row to make my report. Don't leave town, Mason."
"If you want me I'll be in the hospital."
Fyre said, "Better call him in, E. In case Ben has other ideas."
You can't extract me. You'll die.
Masonry ignored Ben's repeated warnings as he flew to Skyway City hospital and arrived at the registration counter. "Hi, I'm checking in. Doctor Marian Donovan will be performing a Kheldian extraction tomorrow..."
------------------------------
The steel table Nathan Green was strapped down to tilted slowly into a vertical position. He had been bound and transported by helicopter to the S.E.R.A.P.H. office in Galaxy City, then brought to the hospital. All night, it was hell. He would change to Ben and demand to be released, and then return to human form to tell them not to. People would come by the secure room to check on him, check his vitals. Once he changed to Ben and tried to pull himself off the stretcher, but the nurse zapped him with electricity from her hands.
Now he lay naked in a cold, brightly lit room. Dr. Donovan walked around the different consoles, checking screens and watching her assistants. A machine started to whir and Masonry looked up. Some huge wired helmet that looked like it should have come out of a B-grade movie slid slowly down from the ceiling.
"Nathan, listen to me," said Donovan, as he struggled to stop Ben from changing him or from even coming out. "Nathan, you must push him out. You must want him out more badly than he wishes to stay. Can you do that?"
He nodded as best he could with his head strapped down.
Something grabbed his bicep and he felt thick spikes enter his arm. "What the--"
"That will stop you from changing form."
No one noticed Moonfire come into the room.
The helmet came down and covered his face to his chin. Then it clamped down tightly. Nathan began to panic as he felt something else come up from below his feet and snake its way up. It's a coffin, they're putting me in a coffin! He began to struggle against the bonds but the metal case was coming up to his hips, his abdomen, now his chest. It crawled up and covered up to his neck.
He heard a voice in the headset, "Breathe, Nathan."
He took in a deep breath, it was like cold mountain air. "We will begin the extraction process. We will guide you with imagery to assist you."
Meanwhile, outside of the helmet, on a huge screen before them images flashed and interwove. Darcy lying on the ground while the point of view lurched violently to the right and focused on fallen Longbow. Blood in a puddle as he knelt in it. Blond hair from a small child spread out behind her head which is twisted at an awkward angle from the body lying on blanket. Artemis in his arms, smiling at a response to a kiss. His face in the hair of Serena Star as they look out at the ocean at Peregrine Island. Fyre laughing at a joke, E-VAC raising his hands to raise him from another failed attack, Kit's tears...
I can save you!
Nathan shoved the voice back, and kept on shoving. As he shoved, he felt something enter his skull - like the thick needles in his arm. Then he felt something else pull as he pushed. Ben screamed in his mind and Nathan echoed it verbally.
You wanted me to help you!
Not like this!
You wanted them to die!
Nathan stopped stopped pushing, but the machine didn't stop pulling. "Nathan!" came a voice in his headset, "Remember what he did to your friends!"
While Moonfire watched, Nathan gathered his anger and rage and shoved at Ben again, screaming in agony and fury. She winced in sympathy.
-----------------------------------
Jeff Davis felt the migraine come on like a Mack truck. He hadn't had one of these since college, and even then, it was probably more of a hangover than a migraine.
He was sitting in the cafeteria, reading a magazine and nursing his coffee. He had five minutes left for break. He closed his eyes and could see nothing for a moment, was sick to his stomach.
He waited for the moment to pass, and then he opened his eyes. The coffee seemed to waver in his vision. I better tell Mike I'm sick - if I can get up. He looked up, and everything around him seemed to turn into a carnival mirror - fat in places they shouldn't be, skinny in others. He closed his eyes again and got hit with another wave of nausea.
He got up and headed toward the bathroom, ignoring how everything looked as he did. He ran into it, heading right for a stall and skidding to his knees before the toilet bowl.
Relax.
Suddenly, a wave of peace came over him, something that he had never felt before, and he let out a sigh of pure contentment. Then something tore his consciousness out of his body.
The man that was called Jeff Davis opened his eyes, and they glowed purple.
-------------------------------------------
"He's awake."
Nathan felt something zap him in the arm. His eyes snapped open and he saw a peeling lime-green ceiling above his head. He turned to the direction of where the zap came, and saw a man in a suit and a metal hand - encased in a bubble - standing over him. "You are one tough son of a bitch," he said. "Sit up."
"Okay, okay," Nathan responded, sitting up. He was in only a pair of briefs.
The man in the suit motioned to a rickety chair behind him. "Suit up," he ordered.
Nathan got up shakily and focused on the chair. Folded on its seat were orange clothes. Then he noticed the guards with submachine guns at the door. He stared at the chair, recognition hitting him.
"The Zig," he whispered.
"Smart, too. C'mon, get dressed or you'll miss dinner."
"Dinner? How long have I been out?"
"All day. You hearin' voices?"
He closed his eyes for a moment. "No..."
"Good. Cuz otherwise I would have to kill you." He walked out of the room. "My job's done for now, boys. Call me when he does hear voices."
The guards waved the guns at Nathan. "C'mon prisoner 7281835, move your ass."
Nathan stepped out of the cell with them flanking him. Four guards escorted him along a catwalk. Nathan looked down - it was a very long way down. He heard people yelling, all the words were incoherent. He followed the ramp down, and then he heard someone say, "Masonry!"
He turned to look at a man in a gated cell. "Don't remember me, do you?"
"Should I?"
"Well, I don't have my raptor pack or my uniform on, but you put me in here you son of a bitch! Now you're here!" He started laughing. "Wait until Lt. Carson hears about this! You don't have long to live in here, pal, you'll be dead in a week!"
The guards shoved Nathan past him. The man kept yelling, "You're gonna die, Masonry!"
"Ma...son...ry!"
A chant started, so by the time he got to the bottom floor, the entire huge room rang with his name. He hung his head down, his fists clenched at his sides, struggling to hold back...but one tear snuck out to stain the collar of his orange jumpsuit.
-----------------------------------------------
Jason Pace stared at box in his hands. He wondered if his boss had a sadistic streak in him. He knew who Pace had to visit; he knew whose stuff was in the box, and he knew the connection they had. Pace sighed and opened the glass door to the offices of Futura Force, Inc.He noticed the young man standing by the water cooler, looking like he was taking a breather from work. "Oh, hey, E. How are you?"
"Fine, Notion. Is Soldier around?"
"Sure. Scottie! Somebody here to see you! Let me take that box."
E-VAC handed the box over. Heavy and awkward, Thad almost wasn't able to hold it. "Wow, what's in here?"
The side office opened and Scott Raynes, dressed in casual clothes, came out to the main office. "Hey, E. How's it going?"
"Good." He glanced at the box and then studied Scott. "I guess you heard Mase is in jail."
"Yeah, they said either you or me could sign him out, though. He worked with Song of Reason and Cimbala just yesterday - "
"Not anymore." He put his hands behind his back and stood in formal at ease. "He's in solitary confinement."
Thad asked, "What did he do?"
"Not what he did, but what he can do. He's a danger to society."
Said Scott, "But that evil Peacebringer's gone--"
"Yes, but he wouldn't have let that Peacebringer in if he hadn't told Nathan what he wanted to hear." E looked into Scott's blue eyes. "Nathan's got a lot of psychological problems. He's undergoing a series of evaluations to see if he's competent."
The room was silent for half a second as that statement sunk in. Then Thad thundered, "To stand trial? For murder?"
E turned to Thad. Thad only returned the glare to E, daring him to accuse him of reading his mind. E knew Thad read surface thoughts, and it was hard to hide his own feelings over the matter. Thad tore his gaze away from him. "Yes," E stated. "Murder and attempted murder."
"But the drugs controlled him," Scott offered. "And then the Kheldian."
E smiled gently. "Why did he take the drugs in the first place, do you know?"
"He was beaten up when he was a kid," said Thad.
"Revenge isn't a reason to be a hero."
"But he didn't want anyone else to have to go through what he did."
"Neither is martyrdom."
Thad waved his hand at E. "Forget it. You wouldn't understand what he went through."
"I understand perfectly."
The two studied each other, and Thad turned away again, leaving the room. There was no doubt in E's mind what Thad saw.
E returned his attention to Scott. "Futura, I'll do everything I can to help him, but he needs to help himself first."
"Maybe I can talk to him."
He shook his head. "He's in solitary. No outside contact, meals teleported to him. The only person who sees him is the psychologist. I'm sorry, Futura."
Scott only nodded. "Can you get a message to him?"
"I'll try."
"Tell him we're rooting for him, and we'll do whatever needs to be done to get him out."
E smiled. "I think he already knows that, but I'll try and remind him." As Scott opened the box to see the spiked shoulder boards that Masonry used to wear as part of his costume, E started to the door. "Oh, Futura, there is one thing you can do to help him."
"What's that?"
"Get him a good lawyer."
03-15-2007 21:35:39 [Team]E.VAC: Good evening, doctor. If doctor you are.
03-15-2007 21:35:43 [Team]Sunfallen: Good afternoon.
-15-2007 21:36:11 [Team]Sunfallen: What credentials would you like me to tell you about?
03-15-2007 21:36:29 [Team]E.VAC: None. My boss at Longbow is running a background check.
03-15-2007 21:36:47 [Team]E.VAC: No offense is meant. We just have to be very careful around Ben's ability to deceive.
03-15-2007 21:36:49 [Team]Sunfallen: I've received my medical degree from Harvard.
03-15-2007 21:36:58 [Team]Sunfallen: I understand entirely.
03-15-2007 21:37:01 [Team]Obsydian Fyre: Mostly, we're concerned that you weren't another one of Ben's illusions.
03-15-2007 21:37:05 [Tell]Keen Frost: wasn't Sunfallen an alt of yours?
03-15-2007 21:37:11 [Tell]-->Keen Frost: bingo! :)
((I love Keen to pieces. He is amazing in his trying to acclemate himself to American lingo and English - I wish I could do that. Too bad he's so young and a plane trip to Brazil wasn't so expensive, not to mention I don't know a word of Portugese - no, correction, I do. Va. To go.))
03-15-2007 21:37:17 [Team]E.VAC: What is it that you wanted to talk about?
03-15-2007 21:37:25 [Tell]Keen Frost: who's playing it then? :)
03-15-2007 21:37:49 [Team]Sunfallen: I wanted to discuss Masonry's case with you, Doctor Page. He speaks very highly of you.
03-15-2007 21:37:57 [Tell]-->Keen Frost: Me on my laptop.
03-15-2007 21:38:05 [Team]E.VAC: Pace.
03-15-2007 21:38:06 [Tell]Keen Frost: oh! Altitis Multiplus! :P
03-15-2007 21:38:16 [Tell]Keen Frost: (coolness! :D)
03-15-2007 21:38:28 [Team]Sunfallen: As you know, Masonry is not the best reporter of information.
03-15-2007 21:38:43 [Team]Sunfallen: I sincerely apologize for that
03-15-2007 21:39:02 [Team]Masonry Redux: Hey, Doc.
03-15-2007 21:39:08 [Team]E.VAC: Believe me. I've watched Mason deny he needed help when he was on fire.
03-15-2007 21:39:22 [Team]Masonry Redux: Hey!
03-15-2007 21:39:39 [Team]Sunfallen: ::: chuckles:: Classic.
-15-2007 21:40:00 [Team]E.VAC: Kind of on a clock here, doc. What did you need to talk to us about?
03-15-2007 21:40:03 [Team]Sunfallen: Regardless, allow me to simplify my findings for you; I will be happy to send you a full report.
03-15-2007 21:40:27 [Team]Sunfallen: One: The Kheldian who's joined with this host is insane.
03-15-2007 21:40:36 [Team]E.VAC: Duh.
03-15-2007 21:40:45 [Team]Obsydian Fyre: I'm not a doctor, and I could've told you that.
03-15-2007 21:40:55 [Team]Sunfallen: Two: My specialty is extractions of Nictus. I have not had a good success rate with it.
03-15-2007 21:41:19 [Team]Sunfallen: However, I have taken something you suggested to him, and it seems to have worked.
03-15-2007 21:41:27 [Team]E.VAC: ...you're looking to turn Mason into a case-study. A guinea pig. ((You know, this is a good idea.))
03-15-2007 21:41:56 E.VAC is astounded that someone might've listened to one of his suggestions. :D
03-15-2007 21:41:57 [Team]Sunfallen: Masonry does not take advice when it's given, you know. But thinks about it and mentioned it to me.
03-15-2007 21:42:17 [Team]E.VAC: What's that? What'd I say?
-15-2007 21:42:22 [Team]Masonry Redux: I hate being talked about in the third person.
03-15-2007 21:42:40 [Team]Sunfallen: We got him some paint.
03-15-2007 21:42:51 [Team]E.VAC: Oh. Cool.
03-15-2007 21:42:51 [Team]Masonry Redux: And I lost five hours of my life!
03-15-2007 21:43:11 [Team]E.VAC: Better than losing all of the rest of your life.
03-15-2007 21:43:19 [Team]Sunfallen: The piece is still in development, and when it is finished, he'll show you. But Ben did it.
03-15-2007 21:43:30 [Team]Masonry Redux: He took me over, totally!
03-15-2007 21:43:30 [Team]E.VAC: ...oh. Imagine my joy.
03-15-2007 21:44:04 Obsydian Fyre mutters something about pictures of dead kittens.
03-15-2007 21:44:10 [Team]Sunfallen: Doctor, rehabilitation such as this means we need to take small steps. If this begins to calm that Nictus in him then so be it.
3-15-2007 21:44:53 [Team]E.VAC: You weren't there for the "admitting he has a problem" step.
03-15-2007 21:45:09 [Team]E.VAC: Sounds like you got off light. So far.
03-15-2007 21:45:42 [Team]Sunfallen: No. Guess what, Doctor. You're helping him whether you like it or not. And if I have to put an order in to Longbow for it, I will.
03-15-2007 21:46:06 [Team]Sunfallen: I could turn his case entirely over to you if you wanted.
03-15-2007 21:46:33 [Team]E.VAC: Don't get pushy with me, doc. I'm betting I outrank you. If you want my help, ask for it. Ordering me around is the wrong way.
03-15-2007 21:46:35 [Team]Sunfallen: You seem to know him well enough to help him. Provided he accepts your help.
03-15-2007 21:46:51 [Team]Masonry Redux: Pissing contest...
03-15-2007 21:46:58 [Team]E.VAC: Shut up, Mason.
03-15-2007 21:47:14 [Team]Sunfallen: Do you want his case or not?
03-15-2007 21:47:28 [Team]E.VAC: A doctor should never get too close to his patient. I'll help, especially in the field, but I can not and will not take lead.
03-15-2007 21:47:33 [Team]Masonry Redux: Jesus, isn't she pushy.
03-15-2007 21:47:54 [Team]E.VAC: If you push the case on me, I'll just have Mason committed.
03-15-2007 21:48:00 [Team]Obsydian Fyre: Let's hope she doesn't act like that with Ben. Ben'll probably eat her.
03-15-2007 21:48:04 [Team]Sunfallen: If it's necessary.
03-15-2007 21:48:11 [Team]Masonry Redux: Committed!
03-15-2007 21:48:14 [Team]Masonry Redux: Wait just a second!
03-15-2007 21:48:27 [Team]Obsydian Fyre: E, wait... you wouldn't do that, would you?
03-15-2007 21:48:34 [Team]Sunfallen: Ben and I have already discussed his situation
.03-15-2007 21:49:05 [Team]E.VAC: I can't be your personal physician, Mason. We're friends. I'm too close to you to give you adequate medical care. Regardless of how it happens, some other doctor has to be in charge of you. Period.
03-15-2007 21:49:10 [Team]Sunfallen: He's in his own little world.
03-15-2007 21:49:21 [Team]Masonry Redux: But you can't commit me!
03-15-2007 21:49:32 [Team]E.VAC: I can and will. If I have to.
03-15-2007 21:49:37 [Team]Sunfallen: If necessary, Masonry, we've already discussed this.
03-15-2007 21:49:42 [Tell]Keen Frost: commit as in... getting married? :P
03-15-2007 21:49:53 [Tell]-->Keen Frost: No, as in go into a mental hospital.
03-15-2007 21:50:01 [Team]Obsydian Fyre: He won't committ you, Mase. He's just trying to get your.... doctor off his case.
03-15-2007 21:50:02 [Team]Sunfallen: We have also discussed extraction.
03-15-2007 21:50:08 [Tell]Keen Frost: oh, didn't know that.
03-15-2007 21:50:18 [Tell]-->Keen Frost: no problem.
03-15-2007 21:50:45 [Team]Sunfallen: I will be his lead physician, you may do what you've been doing. Masonry, you must do what he says.
03-15-2007 21:50:52 [Team]Masonry Redux: Oh come on...
03-15-2007 21:50:57 E.VAC chuckles evilly
03-15-2007 21:51:04 E.VAC coughs
03-15-2007 21:51:15 Obsydian Fyre glares at E. "Stop that."
03-15-2007 21:51:21 E.VAC grins
03-15-2007 21:51:27 [Team]Sunfallen: You have everything allowed to you and more to function in society, Masonry. Enough chances have been given.
03-15-2007 21:51:45 [Team]Masonry Redux: Yeah, yeah, I don't need the lecture from you, I already got it from Manticore, thank you.
03-15-2007 21:52:10 [Team]Sunfallen: So, is it agreed that you will accept responsiblity for him in the field, Doctor?
03-15-2007 21:52:30 [Team]Masonry Redux: I'm a damn...
03-15-2007 21:52:37 [Team]Masonry Redux: I dont' know what I am.
03-15-2007 21:52:43 [Team]E.VAC: I would appreciate you sending me everything you have on the case, doctor. Leave it care of me at the Longbow HQ in King's Row. I'll pick it up later tonight.
03-15-2007 21:52:58 [Team]Sunfallen: Agreed. Masonry, do what he says.
03-15-2007 21:53:04 [Team]E.VAC: Once Longbow has confirmed your identity and credentials, I'll give you everything *I* have.
03-15-2007 21:53:09 [Team]Masonry Redux: Jawohl, Herr Komandant.
03-15-2007 21:53:14 [Team]Sunfallen: Masonry....
03-15-2007 21:53:26 [Team]Masonry Redux: Yes, yes, I'll do what he says.
03-15-2007 21:53:49 [Team]Sunfallen: Good. Clear.
03-15-2007 21:53:51 Sunfallen has quit the team
This body was mine to control. I could bring such beauty into the world. I could show these humans not only the art of the Kheldian, but that which would bring joy and emotion to the masses of humans.
Some beauty that is here: it is wrong.
Fyre has beauty but she is marred because of the Nictus that resides in her. E-VAC has beauty but he is marred with scars emotional and physical. Such marred beauty must be fixed or destroyed. Nathan would have had beauty if he had not killed innocents and had not tried to destroy himself. Artemis has such beauty as do Serena Star, Equilibria, Thad, Emerald Flight, Providence. They have no scars, they are perfect. Scott is not perfect but he strives to be. Wild Eye may have beauty. Synecology also - Nathan's memories of them are incoherent.
With this imperfect host I will present beauty - and eradicate the errors.
This is Ben's PoV of what he is. Ben's just nuts.
First, this was a response to a post by Wir where she had Electryck tear out part of Rusty's shoulder because she thought that Rusty would take Sapphire away. Rusty head-butted her and ran like hell.
Rusty ran, seeing his impending death with every step. If I’m going to die, then why am I running?
Instinct overrode the panic and crushed that dissenting voice. He knocked over crates as he tore through alleyways and turned sharp corners. One path opened up in his sight, only one, one he hadn't done in a very long time. He could hear her roar of fury not very far behind him.
The alleyway opened up to a dock where a huge tanker lay moored. Dockworkers looked up at the red bird-woman's cry, not at Rusty's approach. He got to an open section of the dock and stopped. He planted his feet firmly, tossed his head up defiantly, watched as the red streak headed right for him. He heard only the thump of his blood in his ears, saw only the red and white wings flapping and getting closer and closer -
She slammed hard into him. It was like hitting a brick wall. She fell backwards on the tarmac.
Rusty, his hands balled into fists and his focus entirely on the red form on the ground, took two steps to the stunned raptor. He ignored the fact that she was female; he didn't even see her as a human, only as a predator who had injured him. He ignored that he would be weak with his left arm, that he looked through the red haze of blood in his left eye. His rage blinded him to eveything but his focus - it even blinded his foresight. He approached her from behind and stomped hard on her wings, close to her back. He heard the satisfying snap of bones in the wings.
She roared in agony, twisting to grab and bite him, but Rusty had moved away. He concentrated on the here and now, using her movements to predict her actions. When she twisted, he kicked her hard in the face.
That wasn't enough, and only served to enrage her further. Fine, he thought, and kicked her again. She grabbed at him, raking his leg, her nails going through his boot to the flesh. He didn't feel it. He stepped away so she could get to her knees.
"Coup de grace, bitch," he snarled, and stepped forward, delivering a full-body uppercut right on the Angel's jaw. The force of it picked her up and slammed her down on her shattered wings.
He stood over the unconscious creature and waited to be sure she wouldn't move. As the dockworkers bled out from behind the assorted crates to examine the battle's results, he turned and walked away, heading toward the ferry.
Then, Sapphire posted that she shot Rusty point blank and dumped his body into the bay.
Next, is this.
Hope almost jumped out of her chair when someone threw open her door. Her natural center of calm allowed her to only turn her head to see who came in.
Rusty stood in the doorway, shirtless with a huge gouge across his forehead that almost reached his left eye. She continued her visual assessment; he was missing part of his shoulder. "I need medical assistance," he said shortly.
"What happened?" She noted the gouges on his forehead that had generated most of the blood on his face.
"Just fix it," he snarled, sitting down hard on her bed. "I'll need to get back to the ship and get some Permacol to rebuild my shoulder."
"If you wish to return to the ship we must inform Emerald."
"Yeah, yeah, fine, fine, go by the god damn book. Go on, get her before the graft won't take."
Hope tapped her communicator which sent a ping to Emerald. Since each ping was distinct for each member of the crew, Emerald would know exactly who was contacting her. She only needed to look at the automatic GPS to find out where Hope was - two doors down.
Emerald entered the room as the door was still open. "Rusty! What happened to you?"
Rusty glared at her defiantly. "I just got my shoulder ripped out by a man-eating angel and my ass kicked by your great-something grandmother."
This has set up Emerald to respond. Lastly, I decided to post Masonry's aftermath. The first one is when Masonry meets up with Scott and it didn't change from the post that I presented here. However, I redid the second post below to have a set-up for Kit.
"Kit, I can't."
Kit turned sideways on the couch and saw Masonry standing shirtless in his jeans and boots, holding his armor and costume in his arms as if to present them to someone. His mace was placed squarely on top of the small pile. Then he dropped everything, the metal arms clanging on the wood floor, the mace teetering off the pile to roll sideways onto the floor.
"What's the matter? Everything okay?"
"I didn't realize that it was attuned to Nathan's body chemistry. Most of the time the rock was in him, not just in this."
"Mase, what're you talking about?"
"The armor. I can't make the rocks anymore."
"I can try and fix it for you." She looked down at the arm bands that served as his armor. Masonry gave her a slight smile; she had been itching to tear it apart since they day they met.
"Sure, if you want." He took the mace from the pile. It felt too light and awkward in his hand. "I don't think I'm ready to go out yet."
Kit looked at the armor, then to the communicator, then to Masonry. Masonry let the mace fall out of his hand and hit the wood floor, sticking into it for a moment before falling over again. "Let's go take care of this now," she said, and jumped off of the couch.
"But Jake and Syn - "
She was already talking into the comm mike, "Jake, yeah, hi - no, I - wait. I'm going to have to go after the Freakshow later; I have to help Mase here get his armor up and working. Sure. Have a drink for me. Bye." She had arrived at the pile of armor and bent to lift up an arm. It was heavier than she thought and she dropped it. "Geez, Mase, how do you walk around with this?"
He picked up the pile as if it was a mere mound of clothes. "You get used to it." He followed Kit into her workshop.
"Put it right there," she pointed to a table in the center of the room which was immaculately cleared. Everything else in the workshop seemed a hodgepodge of tools, gadgets, items half completed, but very neatly set in boxes and groupings.
"Darce'd be jealous," he said, stepping back and leaning against a counter. She pulled at one of the arms and yanked it toward her.
She took a simple Allen wrench and started to separate the parts. "What did you mean it was attuned to Nathan's body chemistry?"
"I'm not Nathan."
She kept her eyes on the armor but her hands stopped working. "So who are you?"
"Masonry."
Now she looked up at him to see him standing there, his arms crossed, smiling at her. "So what's going on? What's so funny?"
"Nathan believed that you were smart enough to come to your own conclusions when presented with answers to your questions. I was answering your questions with, uh, 'just the facts, ma'am'."
"What are you?"
"A Kheldian blended with a human host."
She put her tools down and her eyes widened. "A squid!" she whispered.
He shook his head. "I can't assume that form. I'm too perfectly blended."
She blinked. "I'm sorry, what?"
"It's difficult to explain."
"Try me."
"Usually, when a Kheldian bonds with a human, one consciousness asserts itself over the other, or a common ground is found where both consciousnesses share the same body. In my case, Nathan died, and Benakasar the Kheldian also died, but their memories and knowledge, and the emotions attached to those memories, are mine."
"Nathan's dead?"
"Yes."
She stared at the armor, then Masonry, then the armor again. He watched her concernedly and wished he knew what was going on in her head."Kit, I can't."
Kit turned sideways on the couch and saw Masonry standing shirtless in his jeans and boots, holding his armor and costume in his arms as if to present them to someone. His mace was placed squarely on top of the small pile. Then he dropped everything, the metal arms clanging on the wood floor, the mace teetering off the pile to roll sideways onto the floor.
"What's the matter? Everything okay?"
"I didn't realize that it was attuned to Nathan's body chemistry. Most of the time the rock was in him, not just in this."
"Mase, what're you talking about?"
"The armor. I can't make the rocks anymore."
"I can try and fix it for you." She looked down at the arm bands that served as his armor. Masonry gave her a slight smile; she had been itching to tear it apart since they day they met.
"Sure, if you want." He took the mace from the pile. It felt too light and awkward in his hand. "I don't think I'm ready to go out yet."
Kit looked at the armor, then to the communicator, then to Masonry. Masonry let the mace fall out of his hand and hit the wood floor, sticking into it for a moment before falling over again. "Let's go take care of this now," she said, and jumped off of the couch.
"But Jake and Syn - "
She was already talking into the comm mike, "Jake, yeah, hi - no, I - wait. I'm going to have to go after the Freakshow later; I have to help Mase here get his armor up and working. Sure. Have a drink for me. Bye." She had arrived at the pile of armor and bent to lift up an arm. It was heavier than she thought and she dropped it. "Geez, Mase, how do you walk around with this?"
He picked up the pile as if it was a mere mound of clothes. "You get used to it." He followed Kit into her workshop.
"Put it right there," she pointed to a table in the center of the room which was immaculately cleared. Everything else in the workshop seemed a hodgepodge of tools, gadgets, items half completed, but very neatly set in boxes and groupings.
"Darce'd be jealous," he said, stepping back and leaning against a counter. She pulled at one of the arms and yanked it toward her.
She took a simple Allen wrench and started to separate the parts. "What did you mean it was attuned to Nathan's body chemistry?"
"I'm not Nathan."
She kept her eyes on the armor but her hands stopped working. "So who are you?"
"Masonry."
Now she looked up at him to see him standing there, his arms crossed, smiling at her. "So what's going on? What's so funny?"
"Nathan believed that you were smart enough to come to your own conclusions when presented with answers to your questions. I was answering your questions with, uh, 'just the facts, ma'am'."
"What are you?"
"A Kheldian blended with a human host."
She put her tools down and her eyes widened. "A squid!" she whispered.
He shook his head. "I can't assume that form. I'm too perfectly blended."
She blinked. "I'm sorry, what?"
"It's difficult to explain."
"Try me."
"Usually, when a Kheldian bonds with a human, one consciousness asserts itself over the other, or a common ground is found where both consciousnesses share the same body. In my case, Nathan died, and Benakasar the Kheldian also died, but their memories and knowledge, and the emotions attached to those memories, are mine."
"Nathan's dead?"
"Yes."
She stared at the armor, then Masonry, then the armor again. He watched her concernedly and wished he knew what was going on in her head.
So now I wait for responses.