Posted by Civilian Jessa Novar (Child) in Tick Tick Boom… The Promenade - Rogan…when the past doesn’t match the future or the present

Posted by Commander Heathcliff Rinker (Chief of Psychiatry) in Tick Tick Boom… The Promenade - Rogan…when the past doesn’t match the future or the present
(SNIP)

The man who was previously on his knees begging for her attention began to cower as if begging for his life. Excited jabbering filled the room with white noise as people began to panic.

“But you knew that I was divine as is my Pet. Tell me what did she prattle on about with you? What secrets and lies dripped from her lips.”

Zala Tsu

“She spoke mostly of our error for not immediately acknowledging your superiority and then spoke of the worlds that fell to their knees before you, either willingly or unwillingly.”

“Unwillingly,” she spat the word out as if it was distasteful.

“Is that what you really want to talk about.” He leaned in slightly. “Are you just interested in the little girl, or are you interested in a challenge? Perhaps why I’m not as affected by your divination as others.”

“Have you found a challenge, a competitor, hmm, at least more than what you might have expected.” He looked at her body lustfully.

Rinker

Tapping her wrists together, the armor produced a blade she instantly brought to Rinker’s neck directly below his Adam’s apple. Pushing hard she pressed it into his skin not caring if severed the delicate skin or not. “You are not a challenge. There is one reason you are still breathing and it is because you have a purpose. You should be on your knees, bleating out gratitude that I understand your place so do not call my Pet a little girl. She is ours, not yours. She is one of us, not you.” Zala Tsu dropped any pretense of finding a sexual attraction with Rinker and laid bare her use for him.

Rinker was able to keep his body from quaking in fear. He didn’t know how the ‘brave’ did it. It took all his will not to wet himself in fear, being so close to dying. His life hanging on the edge of knife… literally and at the whim of a psychopath. “Well I guess that is both fortunate and unfortunate for me.” The one thing he didn’t have to force is his mouth. Talking was his automatic response to everything.

Standing up she kept the pressure of the knife on Rinker’s throat so his only option was stand up and move back with her or slice his own throat. “Who or what are you,” she pressed the tip of the blade into his soft flesh nicking him slightly. The injury was small, like a nick from a razor but produced a fat drop of blood that bubbled to the surface. “Scan him,” she screamed out bringing a MECH to Rinker’s side. A long arm extended scraping up the drop of blood which was retracted into the silvery hull.

“Just a human.” He said honestly. “Perhaps a little brighter than most. Although my current position would suggest otherwise.”

His comment made her forehead wrinkle up in thought. “Are you referring to my intellect or the borderline IQ’s you all seem to be employing? It is a wonder you ever made it out of your primordial swamp and into the stars,” she responded haughtily. “Don’t worry however, we will see to a proper education of your offspring soon enough.”

A few nano’s were injected into Rinker’s wound during the procedure which was standard practice in the Civil defense mode of the MECH’s. Their job was to control the populace and not attack unless someone attacked them directly. Their job was also to provide medical assistance to anyone hurt in the disturbance. Rinker would not feel anything directly associated with the nano’s healing him except for the wound suddenly not hurting. While Zala might have not noticed this mode enabled, she would the second she ordered the MECH’s to fight on her command.

The MECH’s glowing red eyes swiveled to the entrance of the space and pulsed as if they were a timer counting down to some hidden preset timer. The commotion was getting louder as the noise was now turning into the sounds of battle with the classic explosions and familiar pew pews being only slightly muted to Luxe’s left. Zala Tsu’s actions and the battle sounds had pulled attention off of the back of the room allowing most of the patrons of Luxe to slink out and others to slide in.

“You hurt him or anyone else on my ship and I will put you down for good,” Ian walked into the space locking his eyes on Zala Tsu and never breaking his stride. While he was no more responsible for the actions of the aliens and Jessa, the fact she was his daughter did weigh on him. Normally one got nine months to prepare for the responsibility. Ian had had ninety-eight hours roughly but that did not change the fact he was now responsible for Jessa and her actions from this point forward.

“Yay, I’m rescued.” Rinker said in a very low tone. Moving significantly would likely lead to more cutting. Nor he didn’t think he was much safer with Ian challenging her. If I’m rescued, why am I about to die.

“And you are,” Zala gave Ian an icy glance.

“Captain Ian Bordeaux. The man you came to see,” he replied casually as the MECH began spitting out the results of Rinker’s scan.

Alien life form is Human. Composition…oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus.

“Phosphorus, because I’m hot.” Rinker talked because he was nervous.

Zala Tsu’s eyes darted to Ian with a predatory gaze as the MECH spat out useless information. She wanted to kill Rinker out of spite however right now she had no idea which man meant more to the success of the mission. They came looking for Ian and yet no one seemed to be able to control Jessa which until they found the Prism, was problematic. Feelings of rage streamed from Zala like a pot overflowing on a stove. It bubbled and covered everything in its vicinity causing the MECH’s to swivel their attention back and forth between the entrance to the door and the room filled with security officers. Previously the effect seemed to be only a few feet into the room but now it washed over the space like a tsunami. The normally calm and focused security officers that took up positions the civilians had vacated felt their hands tremble, fighting the urge to fire and kill everything and anything in the past. Several officers turned their weapons on fellow officers as minor grudges suddenly became raw blood feuds that needed to be dealt with on a primal level.

“How are you doing buddy,” Ian said casually glancing at Rinker. His quip was met with sarcasm by the head psychiatric officer. It was an obviously stupid comment, Rinker returned with an appropriate quip of his own.

“Why are you interrupting Ian? I have right where I want her. With a knife at my throat, I’m covering it with all of my blood. In a few minutes, she will have an insanely daunting laundry bill that would depress her banking account for weeks.”

“Ugh… savages,” Zala replied with a thick measure of disgust in her voice looking down and seeing her clothes polka dotted with droplets of the man’s blood. The bubble of anger again seem to wash over both of the men closest to her when it should have had Rinker and Bordeaux in physical combat over her instead of lobbing retorts between them.

Zala’s eyes narrowed staring at Ian and back to Rinker. Her divination was affecting everyone in the room except for these two men. It was time to find out why. Fisting the man’s shirt, Zala screamed into Rinker’s face, “why are you not affected?”

“I can’t say.” He paused, then added a little more, “Well, I can say, but I don’t really want to.”

“You will tell me, mind seer,” she spoke in a chilling tone. “If not I may just have to make your crew tear each other apart until you do.” Her implication was clear. While she had no way to control Rinker, she could control those closest to him. Even if the first few people she touched meant nothing, eventually she would find someone Rinker cared about.

“Your threats are not as effective as you might hope as I already know you don’t consider our lives as anything more than a bargaining chip that you will use and discard. If your word meant something, then you could negotiate. All you do now is threaten a death, that I already expect will come. So, what are you threatening that isn’t already happening.”

Zala looked at him with a loathsome stare. Her fury ran like an icy fire in her veins with this mind seer. Part of it was due to her burning jealousy for the divination Rinker possessed that she could only achieve when the Quad was together. Telepaths had been hunted throughout the Union and eradicated like the vermin they were and here was one definitely acting as if he already had not read every thought in her mind. Tired of his games, Zala Tsu proceeded with the mission objective no longer caring about the cloak and dagger games they employed earlier. “Don’t play coy with me,” she snarled. “You know the power of the Prism and yet you gave it to my Pet. With power like that she is the one you should,” she spat before a defeating boom rippled through the space making even Zala Tsu spin back in surprise.

“I’m not playing coy. The power of the Prism is to diffract light so white light becomes a rainbow.” He said innocently and with the deep ramble of his voice. If he was going to die, he was going to die doing what he does best. Annoy the F out of people. “It’s very pretty.”

Her rant was cut short as a large series of explosions erupted just outside the doors of Luxe. From the right angle, one could see an armored alien firing round after round into the forcefield as if desperately trying to break through while the security officers fired round after round into the alien’s retreating back.

A ball of fire and a billow of smoke seemed to explode into the area directly in front of the Luxe. Visually it was almost mesmerizing with the blast concentrated producing an effect like a slow-motion image of a bullet passing through an apple or glass of water. The fire and smoke was streamlined due to being forced through a small section of the forcefield and having only two directions to initially expand. The sound was loud enough to make those hearing it instinctively duck or at minimum flinch out of surprise. The pressure wave that followed half a heartbeat later was strong enough to make someone bobble slightly as if they were bumped by someone walking by.

“What the holy hell,” Ian’s attention, like most the people in Luxe, immediately focused on the area. As the smoke quickly was sucked away by the fire suppression systems, the only thing remaining in its place was the sprawling image of an armored alien, face down on the deck plating.

Snapping her fingers and then pointing, Zala divided the MECH’s with half forming a position covering her rear and the other half taking a position in front of her. Now seeing it was one of her own and not these pathetic aliens trying to mount a defense, her mood changed. Leaning forward, she pressed her lips to Rinker’s in a slow kiss before pulling back and licking his cheek. “No more foreplay. Time for work. My Pet has arrived.” Twirling her wrist, the blade retracted back into her armor as she slowly began to saunter toward the slowly twitching armored form on the floor trying to sit up.

Rinker didn’t know what had suddenly changed beyond Jessa’s arrival perhaps it was a show for the little girl he wasn’t certain, but there was no way she was doing this for his benefit. On the other hand, he had a very fine line between foiling her plans whatever they were and, well, dying because he pissed her off too much. “I thought you already figured out that whatever you were ‘divining’ on them didn’t work on me.”

“Shut up Mind seer. You and I both know why the divination did not work,” she hissed at him.

“You’re not nearly as hot as you think you are?” He questioned. “Or,”

“Because you were honestly overwhelmed with desire for me, because while my ego screams that make sense, my brain says both of us know better than that.”

Holding up a hand, she gave him a gesture that did not need a linguistics team to determine the meaning. Right now she wanted nothing more than to rip out the man’s tongue and listen to his mewling sounds but with the arrival of Jessa it was time to get off this ship. The child had found the Prism which was the sole reason they had come to this backwater section of the universe. Soon enough she would have him strapped to a table and a vivisection of his brain would give the answers he refused.

Looking at Rinker, Ian did a double take. “Did Jessa just blow herself through the security forcefield?” His comment was stating the obvious. With the smoke gone Jessa’s entry point into the space was well-defined with a ring of MECH’s stopping the men on the other side of the forcefield from following her. The position of the MECH’s behind her had created a bubble of sorts absorbing the force from entering the restaurant space but in line with the third law of thermodynamics had applied a force of equal magnitude and opposite direction making Jessa bounce around like a ping pong ball until she was expelled out the whole she created.

“It would appear so.” He forced a smile that was no greater than a firm line of his lips being forced together. “Well now I’m rescued,” he said with slightly more confidence than before. “I think.”

“By Jessa,” Ian’s forehead wrinkled up not sure if that was sarcasm, humor, or a mixture of both.

Armor integrity The AI spoke in Jessa’s helmet. The sound forced Jessa’s eyes to open. She blinked several times trying to focus her vision and take in her surroundings. Reaching up she slapped at the controls on the side of her helmet dropping it. As the shielding retreated in a blur to the small circle at her neck, the AI systems now spoke from a holographic display on her wrist. For the first time, someone other than Jessa could clearly hear the heads-up display reporting instead of just Jessa. at 50%. Repairs in order. It was hard to concentrate and think. A ringing seemed to fill her ears causing Jessa to reach up and stick a finger in her ear as if trying to dislodge something so she could hear.

Jessa

“Incoming,” Rinker yelled at Jessa. She didn’t seem to be paying attention despite the fact she literally blew her way into this room.

The voice sounded hollow and far off in her ears as Jessa tried to process if the warning was for her or the people she had just escaped from. Flinging her arm several MECH’s that had come through the hole Jessa just created in the forcefield moved back to plug it. Once she got her bearings, Jessa could move them into another position.

“Are you talking to the psycho chick or Jessa,” Ian murmured grabbing Rinker’s shoulder and pulling him to a standing position. “Come on. Time to earn your paycheck. We need to control psycho chick until we get the civilians out and the security forces in place.” Ian began to walk towards Jessa following behind Zala.

“Like I’d try to help the one that cut me. Nobody makes me bleed my own blood. Nobody.”

“Are you talking about helping her into the afterlife,” Ian questioned.

He looked at Ian with a confused expression, “What do you want me to do? I already give her my best combat move… bleeding on her. I don’t have another skill unless you want me to ask her about her relationship with her mother.”

As the Nano’s began to repair the damage from the concussion, she sustained turning herself into a human bomb, Jessa was starting to think more clearly and the voices started to make more sense and not just a dull white noise she could not understand.

“Rinker,” Jessa replied to the man’s comment turning her head to the direction it seemed his voice came from. She felt both a flash of panic and relief hearing Rinker’s voice. The relief came from knowing the Elder’s had not yet targeted him for cleansing. The panic was that Rinker and Ian probably did not have the good sense to capitulate to Zala and cower in a corner.

“That’s me.” He responded to the name call. He started humming the role call rap. ‘its the role call, its the roll call, that’s my name cause its the role call.’ He didn’t say it aloud since it was about 300 hundred years old and he doubted anyone else had even heard of it.

A momentary wave of relief seemed to soften Jessa’s features until her gaze focused on Zala quickly closing the distance to her while Ian and Rinker perused.

“Trife me,” she grumbled seeing Ian walking towards her position. Pausing in her attempt to rise, Jessa opened her palms and brought them together in front of her before twisting them out as if to show she had nothing in her hands. The MECH’s she had arrived with instantly reacted flying to create a line between the two officers and Zala. It was not a barrier but looked more like a picket line to hold back or hold off an attack. Right now it was not clear if the MECH’s were meant to stop or protect the people the glowing eye was facing.

“Language.” Rinker said awkwardly. He actually had never corrected her language he found it hypocritical since he was well known to curse the paint off the walls if left to his own devices.

Seeing the MECH’s had now provided a protective line between the Atlantean officers and the advancing Elder, Jessa could focus on getting off the floor. “It’s okay,” she called out trying to stand but having difficulty coordinating her feet with what her mind was wanting her body to do. It was hard to think and her head felt like it was stuffed with cotton. For anyone watching who didn’t see her bounce into the room like a football in the endzone, Jessa would look like she was drunk. “I am here. You all are safe.”

“Absolutely glad to hear that,” Ian responded. “Now how about you move these tin soldiers for me?” Reaching out, Ian pushed one closing one eye as if he expected it to send him to his maker. Instead of being attacked, the MECH appeared to move slightly.

“Hello Pet,” Zala said casually as she moved to a few inches of Jessa but did not extend a hand to help her up. Instead, she knelt down so that she was on the same level as Jessa watching the girl struggle to stand upright. Zala did not waste her breath asking about Jessa’s condition. Whatever injuries the child might have sustained would be treated by the nano’s in due time. Besides, there were more pressing questions to be answered. It more than concerned her that Jessa’s first response was to the mind seer and playboy rather than greeting her approaching Elder. “I can see you are here but why are you comforting them over me Pet?” Glancing behind her, it was not lost on Zala that the position of the MECH’s was such that it created a barrier of sorts between them and the men they were trying to escape from. Was this meant to protect her and Jessa or the men behind it? It was time to find out where Jessa’s loyalties were falling.

Pushing harder, the MECH seemed to allow Ian to create a space he could move through without an adverse reaction. The space he used to move on the other side of the MECH wall closed behind him. Looking at Heathcliff, it was obviously the manipulation of the MECH’s only seemed to be something he could do.

“You know they had just held me at knifepoint. Look at my shirt,” Zala took on a comforting but dramatic tone as she gestured down to the droplets of blood. “My life was hanging in the balance a moment ago before you arrived to rescue me so are you worried about keeping me safe or them safe?”

Jessa

“You,” Jessa sounded almost hurt at the suggestion, “but,”

“Really, lying on me when I’m right here.” Rinker questioned from between the Mech’s legs.

Part of Ian was irritated that Jessa seemed to be far more attached to Heathcliff than him; however, if the counselor was the best way to control the situation so be it. “Jessa needs to see you,” Ian whispered. The Commander’s combat talents were solely in the arena of psychological warfare, not physical but right now they needed a knife in this gunfight. Reaching between the MECH’s Ian grabbed Rinker’s shoulder and pulled him between the picket line. The MECH’s did not seem to care or react to Ian pulling Heathcliff through.

“Putting me in front…” Rinker said sarcastically. “So the crazy dark haired one can kill me first.” Not that he thought he wouldn’t be the first target no matter where he was.

The gamble paid off as Jessa looked at Rinker with a stunned expression. Her mouth opened to speak looking up at Zala.

Putting a hand to her stomach, Zala held it as if trying to stem the flow of imaginary blood. With the Nano’s in Zala’s blood, any wound would be almost healed depending on when it had occurred. Turning her face to Rinker, Jessa held the same slack-jawed expression as if she had no idea who to believe.

“She in armor. I’m in a ripped shirt. She has blood on her. I’m the one bleeding. She has the knife and the robots. I don’t even have a phaser.” It wouldn’t take even a second to see that the hottie was a liar.

He spoke to Zara, “Are you so used to never being quested that you don’t even make a basic effort to have your lies somewhat plausible.” He was actually stunned how did she think she could say this and not be refuted?

Rinker

“Okay, I think we all need to stop and talk,” Jessa held up her hand as if she were the parent dealing with two kids trying to convince her their version of the truth was correct.

“You want us all to go sit and talk,” Zala looked at Jessa and glared at Ian and Rinker. These men had a far stronger hold on the young girl than Zala could ever have believed would happen in such a short time. She had shown some rebellious tendencies but that was natural for young to challenge authority. This was almost open defiance and that needed to be put down like a wounded animal. Raising her fist, she activated her weapons and fired directly at Ian and Rinker. It did not matter to her if one or both of the men died. It would clearly show Jessa who had the power and who controlled the room.

“Oh, $h..” was all Rinker got out before the lights consumed.

Instead of the bolts impacting flesh, they bounced off a pale blue shimmering wall emanating like a bubble from the MECH’s behind Ian and Rinker. The shields seemed to react far faster than one would expect indicating the probable assumption the AI controlling Jessa’s suit also had some form of control over the MECH’s.

“Pet, Gharapāluvā janāvaraharū nāgarika surakṣā mōḍamā chan,” Zala felt a knot forming in her stomach. If her guess was correct as to why the MECH’s had protected them, these men did not need to know it which is why she used the Union’s native tongue.

Jessa Novar

“You didn’t just fire that blue stuff at me.” Rinker was more mad than anything else. There was no value to other emotion. He was a non-factor in this engagement. He couldn’t physically affect the battle and Zara made it clear she was the aggressor. He looked at Ian. He wanted maneuver Zara towards the windows of the bar/club.

“First she tries to bully you,” Rinker analyzed. “Failing that, she now is going to either intimidate or guilt you. Were i to guess she wouldn’t have the patience to guilt you… so it was probably some sort of threat, saying it in a language so it wouldn’t be subject to rebuttal.”

Rinker