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- RP Date
- February YE:41
- RP Location
- Xuno High Orbit
2/5/YE41
Edge of Dovanian space
0137 hours
A flash of light signalled the entry of a ship back into real space, a small craft only corvette class in size. The E.Y.E. III engaged it's stealth measures automatically upon exiting, the pilot beginning her scans. The array began seeking any sign of her target, a fevered need driving the command to investigate any sign of person she sought.
Kessler had through his small network of assets, notified Jack of the sighting of a small vessel that matched the profile that was unique to that of Thorn Ironhart's own Oracle. The very ship (more so a rocket with a cockpit) that the EYEs had been designed after, and was the focus of Sarah's search now. She had gotten the info on the sighting from Kessler at Jack's request, and with clearance, taken one of the stealth craft at their disposal to go hunting. Now it was hopefully only a matter of time to find a lead.
The original Oracle's own boredom had it performing radio telescope scans of the surrounding sky in the relative quiet that the Kyzu system offered. Occasionally, it would send a subspace pulse, the high pitched beep travelling lightyears in mere minutes, charting where stars actually were, as opposed to where the radio signals indicated. This allowed the ship to plot a model of the motion of the stars, and the bored starship sat as a ghost in the system.
The ping registered on the EYE's scanners, Sarah having fondly dubbed the craft as "Ariel", now began to accelerate as it turned towards the signal's general direction. Sarah grinned as she saw the feedback in her eyes, and as her body felt the feedback, and with small flex of muscle triggered the acceleration. With a thought, the optical sensors began to scrutinize the area nearby along with all the other sensor arrays onboard. Ariel had once been the Eye II-14, and had since been upgraded to an Eye III with a recent purchase by the NDC.
What her sensors would find is a ghost. An asteroid of regolith, about twenty tons in mass, with no RADAR signature, only a fuzzy blur of X-ray, and near impossible to see on optics, hiding between Xuno and its moon. It seemed to be colder than local space, and based on the sudden surge of stellar radiation emanating from it, it had seen her.
Its pilot would have seen the sensor readouts, the ship told to continue hiding, share readouts with the rest of the fleet in the area and attempt to identify. It wouldn't be long before the Dovanian cruisers in the area would light up on Sarah's sensors, active scans probing, targeting systems coming to life, and comm bursts demanding identification flooding Ariel's sensors.
Sarah growled in annoyance as it became clear that this situation was now more complicated, and that the target had snitched her out. "XF6037, Vessel ID as Ariel XF1. This is pilot Sarah Pine of the NDC, a diplomatic represenative of an allied nation. I am here on the intel of a sighted HVI, one I have been searching for. The target's vessel is presumed to be in position between Xunok and its moon.", the raven haired woman broadcasted back to the cruisers. "The subject is Thorn Ironhart, and my prescence is preffereably better left unannounced to her."
A few moments went by before the DSS-Thullo replied to Sarah, “This is Commander Ironhart of the Dovanian First Fleet. Sarah Pine of the New Dusk Conclave, why is it you are looking for this person in question? I understand you asked not to state, however this is protocol.” She completely dismissed the statement of the abnormality of an object in orbit of Xuno.
"She's family, the sister of my wife to be precise. I wish to find and speak with her, as she is also a citizen of the NDC.", Sarah said as she broadcasted her reply via audio signal, her eyes rolling at the process she was having to put up with. She never had been one for rules, or laws, but as a represenative she had to put up with them.
Another moment went by, “Your arrival will not be necessary. We’ll bring her to you. As we must follow our systems that citizens that is non-authorized must be vacate. We hope your ship is large enough to have her.” The line is then placed on hold.
The Oracle had been listening in, thinking over its options. Quietly sending its personnel pod into the atmosphere. It instructed its pilot on the current situation and told her one word. "Run."
"I will wait here then until she has departed the area. Thank you for your understanding, and help in this matter. Have a nice day commander.", She offered politely as she figuratively sat back. Honestly it felt too easy, but she didn't care, she was close enough that she wouldn't let this meeting slip her grasp. There was many things she had to say, questions to ask, and a hug to deliver.
After a hour went by, another message was sent, “Due to the situation at hand. We were unable to obtain the individual in question. Therefore, we have told the person to leave the planet within the next two hours aboard their own ship. As we cannot capture her. If she doesn’t leave, we will detain her and deport her to your location. However, is she leaves, you will have to find her on your own. If you have the patience, you may wait. If not, you may leave.” Commander Ironhart told her, explaining the situation as it was.
The Oracle's jump drive started to spool, her reactor flaring to life as something emerged from the atmosphere, Plasma flared at her engine's heart, breaking orbit with a casual ease as it broadcast the last known information on Thorn's citizenship status with the NDC. As far as it knew, Thorn was contracted by the government agency of the OSO known as Section 6. The contract, and any benefits of it, had been terminated when she left the system, and no paperwork had been filed for Thorn, though there was a name change to Rose Ironhart. Thusly, as far as the Oracle knew, the only claim for citizenship that the NDC had was a genetic link, which would make a good portion of Xuno's population also NDC citizens. It burned for the asteroid belt, and with a blip that looked like a high power jump from within the hill sphere, disappeared into the rock and dust ring of the system.
“We have recently been informed that Thorn Ironhart has left the system. Best of luck in the attempt to find her Mrs. Pine.” Commander Ironhart states over the comms, “Now if you will excuse us, the Monarchy of Dovania is having a political crisis on hand at the moment, and is not accepting any visitors. Diplomats are not permitted to enter into orbit of Xuno, or its moon.” However you will be granted limited access to the Kyzu System if you so wish.”
The Oracle watched the situation closely, keeping anchored to a house sized asteroid, passively scanning and monitoring communications across the fleet. It didn't know where Thorn was, and hoped she was safe. When she was ready, she would make contact. Till then, it would keep an eye on the little ship called Ariel. The one that looked so similar to itself, and yet so very different. It couldn't quite tell how, but Oracle knew that if Ariel came after her, she'd be in trouble.
"She hasn't left. It was a nice trick faking a jump signature, but a jump with an HFD isn't possible within a system. The local star's gravitational and magnetic emissions prevent a stable field for a fold. Most likely, the ship is hiding within the asteroid belt. She may not even be aboard. If permissable, I'd like to sweep the field with the sensor arrays on this ship, as they should be able to seek it out.", Sarah said relaying her knowledge of FTL jumps, finding it somewhat amusing the Oracle would think it would fool anyone.....and even more so that it actually worked on the green crews of the Dovanian fleet. Once her request was confirmed, she would head straight for the asteroid belt.
The Oracle quickly went into blackout mode, matching the temperature of the asteroid it sat nearest to, and carefully projecting an image with its radar and chromatophores to match the asteroid, as though it were just a rocky outcropping. Turning, it hid the glass of its personnel pod against the rock. With all of its stealth systems engaged, it would take an act of the Goddess for even Yamataian sensor packages to determine that that wasn't a rocky outcropping. Or an extraordinarily sharp eye to see the glass of the cameras. Or someone could reach out and touch it. But they'd have to have a suspicion first. Still, it fired a beam to the DSS-Thullo, laser communications that would take a few minutes. It had a fear of Thorn's, that the New Dusk Conclave would kill Thorn and dismantle the Oracle, rebuilding her into something else. It conveyed a potential fear that Thorn would be killed as an illegal clone, rather than given a chance.
The messaged was recieved with complete caution taking effect. “Sarah Pine, What is your intent and meaning to speak with Lisa Ironhart, my daughter.” She brought up, as that had more weight than if it was another individual. “Please explain, I am most interested in what you have to say.”
"I am here to speak with her sister, Lisa is my wife. There was an accident two years ago, and she died, but we had ST technology. Thorn was ressurected, but changed her name to Rose, and later would create another ST copy under her previous name of Thorn. Thorn is recognized by our laws as a sister, and legally a separate individual, but also a citizen by blood relation. I was never told why she left, why Rose had created another, and I have been searching for clues on where she was.", Sarah replied after switching Ariel to a plotted course that would be a slow sweep of the field, looking for odd shapes or abnormal readings. "I wanted to ask her why."
“From the sources we have access to. Both individuals in question here are on your KOS list. As well as the Oracle being deemed under certain parameters. Therefore, we will protect said idividuals, until their evacuation time has expired, which is still 40 minutes from now. Thorn Ironhart, and Azazel Titan, both being targets on said list. We cannot and will not allow you to interfere with them. As they’re still within our airspace and planet.” Commander Ironhart stated clearly to the younger woman.
"No, Thorn is not on such a list. She is again as I stated, a NDC citizen, and we do not kill our own. Your sources are mistaken, and I have no intention of carrying out any hostile action. She's family, and to me that is everything.", Sarah replied back, feeling a pit in her stomach as she had a hunch at who these sources most likely were. Did Thorn really think they were out to kill her, did she really fear them?.......fear her?
The Oracle listened to the transmissions from Ariel, processing a new piece of Thorn's emotional imprint, suspicion. She carefully modulated her nocollinear array to "throw" her digital voice, sending a carefully encrypted file to Ariel. A memory of Thorn's that existed on a Geist carrier signal. Impossible to locate the source, but designed to pierce Sarah's brain with a memory.
"Thorn? How are you feeling?" Fuzzy lines faded into the brunette form of a younger Rose, her eyes filled with fear and uncertainty. "You're awake? My name is Rose. I'm a technician here at Section Six. You... You died."
Scratchy throat and mumbled words came from somewhere nearby, her throat as the view shifted, and the form sat up, showing a heavily scarred wrist and the familiar datapad embedded in it. "What happened?"
"That doesn't matter. Your contract has been terminated. Sarah Pine requested you be sent away immediately after your revival. She... I'm sorry, Thorn. Take this." An anodized aluminum plate was handed to her as vision grew blurry, and breathing hitched. "Your ship is waiting."
Impressions followed, knowledge that the NDC was looking for her, the Anvil arriving at HX-14, and a growing fear. Despite Jack and Mark's clear offer of help, she couldn't be more careful, being under the protection of Yamatai might have saved her life, had things been different. A lie from Hades about her existence being illegal. Sudden knowledge imparted that Rose had been her, and she'd been lied to. Worry, and suspicion that Rose's actions were illegal. The knowledge of her nieces. Still more searching. And all Thorn could do was run.
It didn’t take long for a response to be made, “Our sources not only come from Miss Ironhart, but from Mister Titan. Whom also was aware of an issue between the two, and also after interrogation, had revealed that they had been living together as roommates for the past few days. However didn’t know exactly where she was. The threat and fear of you specifically, as well as the overwhelming hate for Rose Ironhart-Pine is immense within Lisa Ironhart. Adding another reason for your permissions and privileges here to be under questioning. At the time I request that you explain yourself to these claims.”
Sarah barely had time to recover from what she just saw, heard, and the resulting explosion of emotion that it caused. The feedback felt like a slap to the face, and it interfered with her connection to her craft Ariel. Tears dripped down her cheek to the display she blankly watched frozen as the questioning by the commander continued. Trying to keep the emotion that made her shiver out of her voice as she replied, "I am not here to harm her,.....Rose lied.....lied about it all.....I never told her to leave, I never wanted to hurt her, I just wanted to know why.......But I understand now."
Oracle's scanners leered at Ariel's stealth systems malfunctioning, and quickly dropped its cloak, burning for Xuno as fast as its engines would safely carry it. It didn't know why, but it trusted Sarah's voice, the pauses, the hurt that came through. Its connection sought out its pilot, launching the personnel pod to the train's nearest potential stop. Faking Commander Ironhart's voice via pieced together audio snippets, it let the comm burst fly. "Miss Ironhart. Sarah Pine-- is. interested-- request. you. here."
It then repeated Sarah's last communication, and got one in return. Repeatng the broadcast, Thorn's voice came across the speakers in both the DSS-Thullo and Ariel. "Sarah, if you can hear this, I'm... I'm coming up. I'd like to meet you. And my mother, if we can. I can't go back to the NDC. I am not a citizen. I'm sorry. But I have to stay here. There's someone who needs me."
Hearing that voice again, that lovely and sweet voice, granted it had more gravel then her driveway....It was still the voice of the girl she had fallen in love with, back in the day before some lie had tainted her memories of the last year. It was all it took to break any last vestige of composure she had. Her cries became audible as she couldn't hold them back anymore, "....Thorn...I'm so-....sorry...I...." It was all she could muster, speaking that was as broken as she felt, seeking out the words that could somehow magically fix this. For a woman who had lived the life of a realist, she was desperate enough now to hope and wish that magic was somehow possible.....and that it could save her from this pit of a depressing situation that was threatening to pull her under.
"Don't blame Rose for what she did, Sarah. Her body was so alien. I would have done the same thing. It... It hurt, knowing what she did. But I'm stuck in a body that will never grow up. Rose is a healthy adult. I hate her, but she made you happy, and I couldn't." The voice on the comms was clearly a synthesized reproduction, coming from Thorn's Geist without the need for her to speak. "I couldn't have given you the four beautiful children you two have. And she would never have been able to rest easy at night, knowing that I am wanted on so many worlds, for so many crimes. I love you, Sarah, but Rose is better for you, despite the horrible things she's done. I break atmo in Four-Zero minutes. Wait-Out." After that, Thorn's portion of the line went dead.
Commander Ironhart had gotten word from the Admiralty. They wanted to continue to observe the situation, and would permit that Thorn Ironhart may board the DSS-Thullo, under guard. Accepting the fact that she was in a very uncomfortable predicament, they wanted to see if they could assist.
"What is that happiness worth if built on a lie.......when apparently others see fit to decide what makes me happy for me. I've lived my life by my own choices, by my own say.....but she went behind my back and denied me that. I never chose to be used for her lie, never chose to be left in the dark while the woman I cared about feared me. How could you really believe I wanted to hurt you, that I would leave you,........Have I ever been that disloyal?", Sarah said with a hint of anger that was overshadowed by the overflow of other emotions that surged through her. She hated this, hated everything about this, and yet Rose had put her in this place. The world now seemed dishonest, and made everything she had fought for as seeming pointless.
The Oracle gave an automated acknowledgement of Sarah's message. Contact with Thorn was impossible due to terrain difficulties. Some form of magnetic interference. The message would be given when she hit orbit. It noted the drifting Ariel, knowing that Sarah was not on a stable orbit. If something too big shifted her orbit at all, she would fall into the star within a few days. Sarah had plenty of time to pull herself together and retake control of her ship, but the Oracle decided that would not be necessary. Communications lines were opened, Oracle's AI interfacing with the AI of Ariel, offering orbit stabilization solutions, and a firewall against Sarah's malfunctioning Geist to assume autonomous control. It had, after all, dealt with Thorn's Geist for long enough.
Ariel would accept the system update, deeming it necessary for the safety of the pilot. Once installed and the system was under it's control, the corvette corrected it's orientation and plotted a course to the DSS-Thullo for docking. As Sarah felt control slip from her grasp, she slumped against the controls as she quietly sobbed, cursing Rose in that moment, and planning for a long talk as well as a meeting with the back of her hand and Rose's face. For now however, she could only sit and wallow in the emotional situation she had been thrown into.
Forty minutes later, the bronze pod broke through the atmosphere, Oracle already burning to meet it and casually break orbit. She pushed towards DSS-Thullo, testing Ariel to ensure that her pilot was alright. Thorn opened up a video link, pushing her space suit out of the way to show her gloved hand. A jacket covered her sleeves and the familiar black tee shirt with the sequined heart the same color as her glowing eyes floated in the null gravity of the Oracle's personnel pod. Hair like the skin of a pomegranate floated as though under water, and her voice like a sandpapered child rang out. "Hull 2274-DS7D, ISS Oracle, requesting docking permissions on DSS Thullo. XF6037, S6S Ariel XF1, please return pilot control and open video line."
"Permission granted, you may dock when the signal is sent." Commander Ironhart sent to both the ISS Oracle and the Ariel. After a minute of the DSS-Thullo preparing the hangers, the signal was sent to both ships. Signaling that the ship was ready to accept them into their hangers. Dovanian Naval personnel were waiting in the hangers for the two to arrive. Divided up to ensure that they would remain separated from each other until they reached the bridge.
Sarah saw the skip drawing closer in the screen before her, Ariel taking her there for the meeting, one which she was not emotionally stable enough for at the moment. She needed to focus, and she knew of only one way to do so. Her hand reached down to a pouch strapped to her hip over the undersuit. With a brief moment of digging for it, her had pulled out with the tool needed. With a click, the blade of the pocket knife was flipped out into place, before the knife was flipped in her hand with the blade's tip now pointing down. With one swift motion, and a sharp stifled grunt, the blade was plunged into her leg.
Pain....it brought clarity.....her one true and honest friend through all these years. When things began to become unstable, pain brought focus, and clear view to her goals. With a huff, she synchronized with Ariel once more, "Prepare pod for landing in the hangar, and open up a vid line."
When the display showed her connection, she spoke, long black hair flowing behind her as dark as the void itself and a few floating drops of crimson liquid further back. "Lt. Commander Lady Sarah Pine of the NDC, requesting permission to land the personnel pod in the hangar. XF1 Ariel, awaiting confirmation of request.", She said with a firm voice, her emotions now composed, but the feelings of pain still feint in her expression.
"Oracle, moving to land. Personnel pod detatching from jump frame, frame moving into parking orbit. near main ship". With a hiss and cloud of escaping gasses, the glass lined pod carrying Thorn separated, turning away from the bridge window as thrusters fired. One could see the camera gimball follow Thorn's pod, before turning back to the Ariel, as though making sure the younger ship was okay.
Thorn's pod slipped around the underside, aiming for one of the starboard hangars and jetting into it, slipping over the steel hull under grav engine power, before settling in an out of the way corner. With another hiss, the pod opened, revealing a tee shirt and jeans clad Thorn to the Dovanian troops assembled there.
Commander Ironhart sighed as she resent the message, “XF1 Ariel, you have permission to land.” Once she placed the transmission on hold, she turned to her Captain and told him, “I want armed security in the hangar, make sure that the both of them have some layer of protection between the two of them.” Seeing the nod from the Captain, an extra 30 Dovanian Armed Naval Personnel were sent out. That on top of the initial 100 personnel who were already in the hanger for other reasons.
The pod would land, and Sarah would climb out, blood running frm the knife still stuck in her thigh. The undersuit would prevent her from bleeding out if that had really been an issue, but she had no desire to remove the blade anytime soon. With an upright gait, and an emotionally glazed expression that for now only carried a air of professionalism, she headed to where she was directed.
Thorn looked over at Sarah's pod, the black and red markings, sinister red glass, a shiver up her spine. Sarah looked radiant, and she didn't notice the blade, being too far away. But she could have sworn she saw globules of blood in the video feed. Shaking her head, she gestured for the guards to take her where she needed to go, clutching the stunner to her side. She had no indication of how this would turn out, and she owed her mother for what happened nineteen years ago. Fourteen years of Hell, and owners that claimed her own family had sent her there for a quick paycheck.
A dozen of the armed naval personnel got into formation around Thorn, escorting her towards the bridge. The other 18 went over to Sarah, seeing the blood on her was concerning, the CPO reporting what he saw to the bridge. He was told to grab medical and conduct standard protocol for the situation, then bring her up to the bridge.
“Mrs. Sarah Pine, we will be your escort to the bridge. Medical will have to deal with your wounds however before you’re brought to the bridge. It’s standard protocol to secure sterilization on the ship.” The Chief Petty Officer told her, waving over some medical staff that were in the hanger to come over.
"No need, the suit seals and sterilizes for me. I needed something to focus myself, can't be a blubbering cry baby at a time like this. Please, leave it be, I need to stay focused on the situation. So unless you're going to roadblock me, please escort me to the bridge now, you're also free to take my weapons......other then the pocket knife.", Sarah said firmly, not wanting to lose the clarity, to not devolve back into that sniveling baby that she was a few minutes ago.
The trip didn't take long. Thorn could see the design influences of her old job at section 6, design influences she would have made. Some of the modular aspects were distinctly unique to Section 6. Clearly these people had been allies for some time. Thorn felt the bitterness grow in her. What could she have expected? It could have been worse, she supposed. Hades had lied to her, stolen her genetics and ST. She had seen the reports of women like her popping up in their formerly controlled stations. She had thought her home in the NDC and Section 6 was a lie, but she was starting to doubt that.
Slowly, the bitterness faded, replaced by a hollow ghost of anger. She felt her hand shake, her thumb brush the trigger cover for her stunner. She wanted to put three bolts of less than lethal concussive force and ionized charge into the woman who so boldly claimed to be her mother on the comms. She wanted to make her pay for losing her. But there was a vague, half dream of a memory, that she was the one who ran away. Had run away from their conflict, like the coward she'd always been.
Both of the women were properly escourted to the bridge. After about 10 minutes, they were inside, where they encountered the woman known as Commander Ironhart. She was a short woman, standing at 5'6", she had short brown hair, and emerald green eyes. Wearing her Dovanian Naval Uniform, "Ah, welcome to my bridge. It's certainly a rare occurance to see both my lost daughter and the delegate of the Dusk Conclave. To what do I owe the pleasure? Or is this simply just a supervised meeting between you two."
"Well technically the delegate is your daughter in law, so seems more like a family reunion at this rate. But not the point currently, as I'm here to talk to Thorn, because we've both been lied to. I am here to clarify that lie, and to...apologize. I can never truly right the wrong that was done to her, and to us both, but I will find a way someday.", Sarah answered a bit quiet, just feeling a loss of energy from it all, but the blade in her leg kept her awake and aware.
The care in Sarah's voice, as though Thorn weren't actually a target, the admission of so much falsehood that she'd never known about. The cowardice that it took for Rose to create her, and for Thorn to never go searching. The bland look that the Commander wore on her face. So manylies through her life crashing to the surface, and Thorn hated them all. "Why..."
Her thumb opened the safety panel over her trigger, slipping into the trigger guard as her fist clenched on the grip, the lenses and flare tube rotating into place as it charged up with a barely perceptible whine. "You..."
Thorn took a step forward, towards her mother, despite the fact that her vision grew blurry. All she wanted was something familiar, something safe. So she sidestepped towards Sarah, hoping desperately that she, at least was telling the truth. "Fourteen years, five owners, pieces of me ripped out..." Thorn choked, suddenly, tears streaming down her face. "They told me you sold me! I just wanted to survive. People like me don't get happy endings, and Sarah was gonna be mine. I would glass Nepleslia Prime if it meant she got that... I'm sorry..."
Slowly, the girl's knees slipped out from under her and she settled to the floor, her shaking shoulders clenched tight as the stunner slipped to the floor, video screens flickering about her, ghost images of alien faces, living, dead, sadists. memories of surgical machines, accidents, punishments disproportionate to her crimes. Sounds and echoes of Thorn's internment in a series of Hellscapes flowing across in a whirlwind of Geist fuelled pain. "Why did you abandon me? What took you so long?"
Commander Ironhart stared at Thorn, she was a trained soldier, yet was facing her daughter she took so long to look for. “Lisa, I never abandoned you. When we removed the Nepleslians from their colony, you ran off in the conflict. We were unable to find you. I spent nearly the past 20 years looking for you! I would never abandon my daughter or lose hope for her! The fact that I get to see you again is a blessing from the Gods themselves. A sliver of faith that I was able to meet you again.” Throughout her speech tears slowly started to form, and her voice occasionally broke. She was not as stern as she normally was, the fact that she had her daughter in front of her, and she was hurting. The inability for her to do anything to help her, to a mother was soul crushing.
Thorn would suddenly find herself embraced as Sarah dropped to her knees with a grunt, and wrapped her arms around the smaller woman. As Sarah rested her head on the small girl's shoulder, she too began to cry a bit. He voice was full of unrestrained emotion, as even the pain could not hold back the flood that the sight of Thorn crying had opened, "Because I didn't know, I was never told until Jack and Mark heard the request for assistance at HX-14. When I confronted Rose, she said she had created you as way to still have herself out doing the things you always did. I felt at the time like something was wrong about it, but I could never find out what. She said it was what you had wanted, but I know now it was all a lie. I wanted to come find you, but as the final days of the OSO as it collapsed, we had to prepare to leave, Then when Hades attacked during the trip to Sirris, my shuttle was shot down, and I was stranded in the wilderness alone for over two months. I'm so sorry, forgive me for failing, I never wanted this to happen to you."
“Right, well, since you’re here, you may take your ‘wife’ now. As she has been told to leave. I’ll give you 20 minutes before both of you must leave.” Commander Ironhart stated, “As for your friend, he will be interrogated and dealt with until we get our answers. Might need an execution.” She said, walking down the bridge to give the order to a Cadet.
The touch of Sarah broke Thorn free from her inward spiral of anger and pain, just enough to hear Commander Ironhart's order. "I am not Rose, Sarah. I... I'm not your happy ending. Rose is a cold hearted, lying bitch, but everything she gave up to create me and send me back out to the stars... Everything she gave up to make you happy..." Thorn shook her head. "I'm not my sister. And I kinda fell in love with a bio weapon."
Thorn pulled away. "I love you, but there's someone who needs me here, and I'm pretty sure my mother just ordered him dead. So..." She stood, turning to glare at her mother. "Mom, you're not killing my feathered fucktard, and I'm not getting out of my hair. You said you spent twenty years looking for me. Prove it, you insufferable cold bitch. Or are you like my fucking sister?"
“Well, from what I was just told. You’re dead. You’re not my daughter I was looking for, your a clone of her. While I feel pity for the fact you were going through. You’re no daughter of mine. As for Azazel Titan, he’s already wanted by Dovania and Dusk. He’s only alive based on the fact the High King has his policy of second chances.” She shook her head and looked at the two of them, “Get out my bridge. I have no want to speak to you two any further.” The Naval Personnel then stepped forward to motion for them to exit.
"Okay." Thorn raised her left arm, thumb flicking forward to reveal the red button as she focused, reaching out, folding in on herself as she melted into the familiar systems and programming of Section Six's design, one she could easily copy her mind deep inside of, before pulling a few tricks. With that, she blew every single breaker on the ship, shutting down reactors and popping six shots off at the green eyed brunette Commander. "Fuck you, mom. Azazel comes with me."
"Thorn wait! Stop, they might kill you!", Sarah exclaimed as she realized what the smaller woman was doing. She was too shocked to stop her, and only hope this played out well........something the growing pit in her stomach, suggested otherwise on.
The Dovanian Naval Personnel were quick on her, Pinning her to the floor and firing a warning shot on deck, as their Commander was paralyzed on the floor. Dragging her out. With the confusion, Sarah Pine was also forcefully removed from the bridge. Both being dragged into the hanger, where they were ordered to exit the ship. Sarah being told she was to never return.
Thorn quietly hopped into her pod, giving no warning as she jumped her thrusters and blasted her way out of the hangar, spewing debris and sending hair and clothes flapping as she flipped a middle finger to the crew passing out her window. With another jet of her thrusters, docked with the Oracle, placing the ship into an extremely tight, cloaked parking orbit over the moon as her pod was sent into the atmosphere.
Sarah had no choice but to disembark, her own pod leaving back to Ariel, watching as Thorn blasted away. "Stay alive Thorn....I still have to make it up to you.", the raven haired woman whispered to herself before pulling away from the ship, and setting a course for the border of the system.
With a small blip, Thorn had left something in Sarah's ship, a comm code, and a message. "Gotta take care of a few things out here. I'll let you know when I'm safe. Again, Rose sent me so that she could stay, and give you the happy ending you deserve. We would do anything to make that happen, and you know that."
Edge of Dovanian space
0137 hours
A flash of light signalled the entry of a ship back into real space, a small craft only corvette class in size. The E.Y.E. III engaged it's stealth measures automatically upon exiting, the pilot beginning her scans. The array began seeking any sign of her target, a fevered need driving the command to investigate any sign of person she sought.
Kessler had through his small network of assets, notified Jack of the sighting of a small vessel that matched the profile that was unique to that of Thorn Ironhart's own Oracle. The very ship (more so a rocket with a cockpit) that the EYEs had been designed after, and was the focus of Sarah's search now. She had gotten the info on the sighting from Kessler at Jack's request, and with clearance, taken one of the stealth craft at their disposal to go hunting. Now it was hopefully only a matter of time to find a lead.
The original Oracle's own boredom had it performing radio telescope scans of the surrounding sky in the relative quiet that the Kyzu system offered. Occasionally, it would send a subspace pulse, the high pitched beep travelling lightyears in mere minutes, charting where stars actually were, as opposed to where the radio signals indicated. This allowed the ship to plot a model of the motion of the stars, and the bored starship sat as a ghost in the system.
The ping registered on the EYE's scanners, Sarah having fondly dubbed the craft as "Ariel", now began to accelerate as it turned towards the signal's general direction. Sarah grinned as she saw the feedback in her eyes, and as her body felt the feedback, and with small flex of muscle triggered the acceleration. With a thought, the optical sensors began to scrutinize the area nearby along with all the other sensor arrays onboard. Ariel had once been the Eye II-14, and had since been upgraded to an Eye III with a recent purchase by the NDC.
What her sensors would find is a ghost. An asteroid of regolith, about twenty tons in mass, with no RADAR signature, only a fuzzy blur of X-ray, and near impossible to see on optics, hiding between Xuno and its moon. It seemed to be colder than local space, and based on the sudden surge of stellar radiation emanating from it, it had seen her.
Its pilot would have seen the sensor readouts, the ship told to continue hiding, share readouts with the rest of the fleet in the area and attempt to identify. It wouldn't be long before the Dovanian cruisers in the area would light up on Sarah's sensors, active scans probing, targeting systems coming to life, and comm bursts demanding identification flooding Ariel's sensors.
Sarah growled in annoyance as it became clear that this situation was now more complicated, and that the target had snitched her out. "XF6037, Vessel ID as Ariel XF1. This is pilot Sarah Pine of the NDC, a diplomatic represenative of an allied nation. I am here on the intel of a sighted HVI, one I have been searching for. The target's vessel is presumed to be in position between Xunok and its moon.", the raven haired woman broadcasted back to the cruisers. "The subject is Thorn Ironhart, and my prescence is preffereably better left unannounced to her."
A few moments went by before the DSS-Thullo replied to Sarah, “This is Commander Ironhart of the Dovanian First Fleet. Sarah Pine of the New Dusk Conclave, why is it you are looking for this person in question? I understand you asked not to state, however this is protocol.” She completely dismissed the statement of the abnormality of an object in orbit of Xuno.
"She's family, the sister of my wife to be precise. I wish to find and speak with her, as she is also a citizen of the NDC.", Sarah said as she broadcasted her reply via audio signal, her eyes rolling at the process she was having to put up with. She never had been one for rules, or laws, but as a represenative she had to put up with them.
Another moment went by, “Your arrival will not be necessary. We’ll bring her to you. As we must follow our systems that citizens that is non-authorized must be vacate. We hope your ship is large enough to have her.” The line is then placed on hold.
The Oracle had been listening in, thinking over its options. Quietly sending its personnel pod into the atmosphere. It instructed its pilot on the current situation and told her one word. "Run."
"I will wait here then until she has departed the area. Thank you for your understanding, and help in this matter. Have a nice day commander.", She offered politely as she figuratively sat back. Honestly it felt too easy, but she didn't care, she was close enough that she wouldn't let this meeting slip her grasp. There was many things she had to say, questions to ask, and a hug to deliver.
After a hour went by, another message was sent, “Due to the situation at hand. We were unable to obtain the individual in question. Therefore, we have told the person to leave the planet within the next two hours aboard their own ship. As we cannot capture her. If she doesn’t leave, we will detain her and deport her to your location. However, is she leaves, you will have to find her on your own. If you have the patience, you may wait. If not, you may leave.” Commander Ironhart told her, explaining the situation as it was.
The Oracle's jump drive started to spool, her reactor flaring to life as something emerged from the atmosphere, Plasma flared at her engine's heart, breaking orbit with a casual ease as it broadcast the last known information on Thorn's citizenship status with the NDC. As far as it knew, Thorn was contracted by the government agency of the OSO known as Section 6. The contract, and any benefits of it, had been terminated when she left the system, and no paperwork had been filed for Thorn, though there was a name change to Rose Ironhart. Thusly, as far as the Oracle knew, the only claim for citizenship that the NDC had was a genetic link, which would make a good portion of Xuno's population also NDC citizens. It burned for the asteroid belt, and with a blip that looked like a high power jump from within the hill sphere, disappeared into the rock and dust ring of the system.
“We have recently been informed that Thorn Ironhart has left the system. Best of luck in the attempt to find her Mrs. Pine.” Commander Ironhart states over the comms, “Now if you will excuse us, the Monarchy of Dovania is having a political crisis on hand at the moment, and is not accepting any visitors. Diplomats are not permitted to enter into orbit of Xuno, or its moon.” However you will be granted limited access to the Kyzu System if you so wish.”
The Oracle watched the situation closely, keeping anchored to a house sized asteroid, passively scanning and monitoring communications across the fleet. It didn't know where Thorn was, and hoped she was safe. When she was ready, she would make contact. Till then, it would keep an eye on the little ship called Ariel. The one that looked so similar to itself, and yet so very different. It couldn't quite tell how, but Oracle knew that if Ariel came after her, she'd be in trouble.
"She hasn't left. It was a nice trick faking a jump signature, but a jump with an HFD isn't possible within a system. The local star's gravitational and magnetic emissions prevent a stable field for a fold. Most likely, the ship is hiding within the asteroid belt. She may not even be aboard. If permissable, I'd like to sweep the field with the sensor arrays on this ship, as they should be able to seek it out.", Sarah said relaying her knowledge of FTL jumps, finding it somewhat amusing the Oracle would think it would fool anyone.....and even more so that it actually worked on the green crews of the Dovanian fleet. Once her request was confirmed, she would head straight for the asteroid belt.
The Oracle quickly went into blackout mode, matching the temperature of the asteroid it sat nearest to, and carefully projecting an image with its radar and chromatophores to match the asteroid, as though it were just a rocky outcropping. Turning, it hid the glass of its personnel pod against the rock. With all of its stealth systems engaged, it would take an act of the Goddess for even Yamataian sensor packages to determine that that wasn't a rocky outcropping. Or an extraordinarily sharp eye to see the glass of the cameras. Or someone could reach out and touch it. But they'd have to have a suspicion first. Still, it fired a beam to the DSS-Thullo, laser communications that would take a few minutes. It had a fear of Thorn's, that the New Dusk Conclave would kill Thorn and dismantle the Oracle, rebuilding her into something else. It conveyed a potential fear that Thorn would be killed as an illegal clone, rather than given a chance.
The messaged was recieved with complete caution taking effect. “Sarah Pine, What is your intent and meaning to speak with Lisa Ironhart, my daughter.” She brought up, as that had more weight than if it was another individual. “Please explain, I am most interested in what you have to say.”
"I am here to speak with her sister, Lisa is my wife. There was an accident two years ago, and she died, but we had ST technology. Thorn was ressurected, but changed her name to Rose, and later would create another ST copy under her previous name of Thorn. Thorn is recognized by our laws as a sister, and legally a separate individual, but also a citizen by blood relation. I was never told why she left, why Rose had created another, and I have been searching for clues on where she was.", Sarah replied after switching Ariel to a plotted course that would be a slow sweep of the field, looking for odd shapes or abnormal readings. "I wanted to ask her why."
“From the sources we have access to. Both individuals in question here are on your KOS list. As well as the Oracle being deemed under certain parameters. Therefore, we will protect said idividuals, until their evacuation time has expired, which is still 40 minutes from now. Thorn Ironhart, and Azazel Titan, both being targets on said list. We cannot and will not allow you to interfere with them. As they’re still within our airspace and planet.” Commander Ironhart stated clearly to the younger woman.
"No, Thorn is not on such a list. She is again as I stated, a NDC citizen, and we do not kill our own. Your sources are mistaken, and I have no intention of carrying out any hostile action. She's family, and to me that is everything.", Sarah replied back, feeling a pit in her stomach as she had a hunch at who these sources most likely were. Did Thorn really think they were out to kill her, did she really fear them?.......fear her?
The Oracle listened to the transmissions from Ariel, processing a new piece of Thorn's emotional imprint, suspicion. She carefully modulated her nocollinear array to "throw" her digital voice, sending a carefully encrypted file to Ariel. A memory of Thorn's that existed on a Geist carrier signal. Impossible to locate the source, but designed to pierce Sarah's brain with a memory.
"Thorn? How are you feeling?" Fuzzy lines faded into the brunette form of a younger Rose, her eyes filled with fear and uncertainty. "You're awake? My name is Rose. I'm a technician here at Section Six. You... You died."
Scratchy throat and mumbled words came from somewhere nearby, her throat as the view shifted, and the form sat up, showing a heavily scarred wrist and the familiar datapad embedded in it. "What happened?"
"That doesn't matter. Your contract has been terminated. Sarah Pine requested you be sent away immediately after your revival. She... I'm sorry, Thorn. Take this." An anodized aluminum plate was handed to her as vision grew blurry, and breathing hitched. "Your ship is waiting."
Impressions followed, knowledge that the NDC was looking for her, the Anvil arriving at HX-14, and a growing fear. Despite Jack and Mark's clear offer of help, she couldn't be more careful, being under the protection of Yamatai might have saved her life, had things been different. A lie from Hades about her existence being illegal. Sudden knowledge imparted that Rose had been her, and she'd been lied to. Worry, and suspicion that Rose's actions were illegal. The knowledge of her nieces. Still more searching. And all Thorn could do was run.
It didn’t take long for a response to be made, “Our sources not only come from Miss Ironhart, but from Mister Titan. Whom also was aware of an issue between the two, and also after interrogation, had revealed that they had been living together as roommates for the past few days. However didn’t know exactly where she was. The threat and fear of you specifically, as well as the overwhelming hate for Rose Ironhart-Pine is immense within Lisa Ironhart. Adding another reason for your permissions and privileges here to be under questioning. At the time I request that you explain yourself to these claims.”
Sarah barely had time to recover from what she just saw, heard, and the resulting explosion of emotion that it caused. The feedback felt like a slap to the face, and it interfered with her connection to her craft Ariel. Tears dripped down her cheek to the display she blankly watched frozen as the questioning by the commander continued. Trying to keep the emotion that made her shiver out of her voice as she replied, "I am not here to harm her,.....Rose lied.....lied about it all.....I never told her to leave, I never wanted to hurt her, I just wanted to know why.......But I understand now."
Oracle's scanners leered at Ariel's stealth systems malfunctioning, and quickly dropped its cloak, burning for Xuno as fast as its engines would safely carry it. It didn't know why, but it trusted Sarah's voice, the pauses, the hurt that came through. Its connection sought out its pilot, launching the personnel pod to the train's nearest potential stop. Faking Commander Ironhart's voice via pieced together audio snippets, it let the comm burst fly. "Miss Ironhart. Sarah Pine-- is. interested-- request. you. here."
It then repeated Sarah's last communication, and got one in return. Repeatng the broadcast, Thorn's voice came across the speakers in both the DSS-Thullo and Ariel. "Sarah, if you can hear this, I'm... I'm coming up. I'd like to meet you. And my mother, if we can. I can't go back to the NDC. I am not a citizen. I'm sorry. But I have to stay here. There's someone who needs me."
Hearing that voice again, that lovely and sweet voice, granted it had more gravel then her driveway....It was still the voice of the girl she had fallen in love with, back in the day before some lie had tainted her memories of the last year. It was all it took to break any last vestige of composure she had. Her cries became audible as she couldn't hold them back anymore, "....Thorn...I'm so-....sorry...I...." It was all she could muster, speaking that was as broken as she felt, seeking out the words that could somehow magically fix this. For a woman who had lived the life of a realist, she was desperate enough now to hope and wish that magic was somehow possible.....and that it could save her from this pit of a depressing situation that was threatening to pull her under.
"Don't blame Rose for what she did, Sarah. Her body was so alien. I would have done the same thing. It... It hurt, knowing what she did. But I'm stuck in a body that will never grow up. Rose is a healthy adult. I hate her, but she made you happy, and I couldn't." The voice on the comms was clearly a synthesized reproduction, coming from Thorn's Geist without the need for her to speak. "I couldn't have given you the four beautiful children you two have. And she would never have been able to rest easy at night, knowing that I am wanted on so many worlds, for so many crimes. I love you, Sarah, but Rose is better for you, despite the horrible things she's done. I break atmo in Four-Zero minutes. Wait-Out." After that, Thorn's portion of the line went dead.
Commander Ironhart had gotten word from the Admiralty. They wanted to continue to observe the situation, and would permit that Thorn Ironhart may board the DSS-Thullo, under guard. Accepting the fact that she was in a very uncomfortable predicament, they wanted to see if they could assist.
"What is that happiness worth if built on a lie.......when apparently others see fit to decide what makes me happy for me. I've lived my life by my own choices, by my own say.....but she went behind my back and denied me that. I never chose to be used for her lie, never chose to be left in the dark while the woman I cared about feared me. How could you really believe I wanted to hurt you, that I would leave you,........Have I ever been that disloyal?", Sarah said with a hint of anger that was overshadowed by the overflow of other emotions that surged through her. She hated this, hated everything about this, and yet Rose had put her in this place. The world now seemed dishonest, and made everything she had fought for as seeming pointless.
The Oracle gave an automated acknowledgement of Sarah's message. Contact with Thorn was impossible due to terrain difficulties. Some form of magnetic interference. The message would be given when she hit orbit. It noted the drifting Ariel, knowing that Sarah was not on a stable orbit. If something too big shifted her orbit at all, she would fall into the star within a few days. Sarah had plenty of time to pull herself together and retake control of her ship, but the Oracle decided that would not be necessary. Communications lines were opened, Oracle's AI interfacing with the AI of Ariel, offering orbit stabilization solutions, and a firewall against Sarah's malfunctioning Geist to assume autonomous control. It had, after all, dealt with Thorn's Geist for long enough.
Ariel would accept the system update, deeming it necessary for the safety of the pilot. Once installed and the system was under it's control, the corvette corrected it's orientation and plotted a course to the DSS-Thullo for docking. As Sarah felt control slip from her grasp, she slumped against the controls as she quietly sobbed, cursing Rose in that moment, and planning for a long talk as well as a meeting with the back of her hand and Rose's face. For now however, she could only sit and wallow in the emotional situation she had been thrown into.
Forty minutes later, the bronze pod broke through the atmosphere, Oracle already burning to meet it and casually break orbit. She pushed towards DSS-Thullo, testing Ariel to ensure that her pilot was alright. Thorn opened up a video link, pushing her space suit out of the way to show her gloved hand. A jacket covered her sleeves and the familiar black tee shirt with the sequined heart the same color as her glowing eyes floated in the null gravity of the Oracle's personnel pod. Hair like the skin of a pomegranate floated as though under water, and her voice like a sandpapered child rang out. "Hull 2274-DS7D, ISS Oracle, requesting docking permissions on DSS Thullo. XF6037, S6S Ariel XF1, please return pilot control and open video line."
"Permission granted, you may dock when the signal is sent." Commander Ironhart sent to both the ISS Oracle and the Ariel. After a minute of the DSS-Thullo preparing the hangers, the signal was sent to both ships. Signaling that the ship was ready to accept them into their hangers. Dovanian Naval personnel were waiting in the hangers for the two to arrive. Divided up to ensure that they would remain separated from each other until they reached the bridge.
Sarah saw the skip drawing closer in the screen before her, Ariel taking her there for the meeting, one which she was not emotionally stable enough for at the moment. She needed to focus, and she knew of only one way to do so. Her hand reached down to a pouch strapped to her hip over the undersuit. With a brief moment of digging for it, her had pulled out with the tool needed. With a click, the blade of the pocket knife was flipped out into place, before the knife was flipped in her hand with the blade's tip now pointing down. With one swift motion, and a sharp stifled grunt, the blade was plunged into her leg.
Pain....it brought clarity.....her one true and honest friend through all these years. When things began to become unstable, pain brought focus, and clear view to her goals. With a huff, she synchronized with Ariel once more, "Prepare pod for landing in the hangar, and open up a vid line."
When the display showed her connection, she spoke, long black hair flowing behind her as dark as the void itself and a few floating drops of crimson liquid further back. "Lt. Commander Lady Sarah Pine of the NDC, requesting permission to land the personnel pod in the hangar. XF1 Ariel, awaiting confirmation of request.", She said with a firm voice, her emotions now composed, but the feelings of pain still feint in her expression.
"Oracle, moving to land. Personnel pod detatching from jump frame, frame moving into parking orbit. near main ship". With a hiss and cloud of escaping gasses, the glass lined pod carrying Thorn separated, turning away from the bridge window as thrusters fired. One could see the camera gimball follow Thorn's pod, before turning back to the Ariel, as though making sure the younger ship was okay.
Thorn's pod slipped around the underside, aiming for one of the starboard hangars and jetting into it, slipping over the steel hull under grav engine power, before settling in an out of the way corner. With another hiss, the pod opened, revealing a tee shirt and jeans clad Thorn to the Dovanian troops assembled there.
Commander Ironhart sighed as she resent the message, “XF1 Ariel, you have permission to land.” Once she placed the transmission on hold, she turned to her Captain and told him, “I want armed security in the hangar, make sure that the both of them have some layer of protection between the two of them.” Seeing the nod from the Captain, an extra 30 Dovanian Armed Naval Personnel were sent out. That on top of the initial 100 personnel who were already in the hanger for other reasons.
The pod would land, and Sarah would climb out, blood running frm the knife still stuck in her thigh. The undersuit would prevent her from bleeding out if that had really been an issue, but she had no desire to remove the blade anytime soon. With an upright gait, and an emotionally glazed expression that for now only carried a air of professionalism, she headed to where she was directed.
Thorn looked over at Sarah's pod, the black and red markings, sinister red glass, a shiver up her spine. Sarah looked radiant, and she didn't notice the blade, being too far away. But she could have sworn she saw globules of blood in the video feed. Shaking her head, she gestured for the guards to take her where she needed to go, clutching the stunner to her side. She had no indication of how this would turn out, and she owed her mother for what happened nineteen years ago. Fourteen years of Hell, and owners that claimed her own family had sent her there for a quick paycheck.
A dozen of the armed naval personnel got into formation around Thorn, escorting her towards the bridge. The other 18 went over to Sarah, seeing the blood on her was concerning, the CPO reporting what he saw to the bridge. He was told to grab medical and conduct standard protocol for the situation, then bring her up to the bridge.
“Mrs. Sarah Pine, we will be your escort to the bridge. Medical will have to deal with your wounds however before you’re brought to the bridge. It’s standard protocol to secure sterilization on the ship.” The Chief Petty Officer told her, waving over some medical staff that were in the hanger to come over.
"No need, the suit seals and sterilizes for me. I needed something to focus myself, can't be a blubbering cry baby at a time like this. Please, leave it be, I need to stay focused on the situation. So unless you're going to roadblock me, please escort me to the bridge now, you're also free to take my weapons......other then the pocket knife.", Sarah said firmly, not wanting to lose the clarity, to not devolve back into that sniveling baby that she was a few minutes ago.
The trip didn't take long. Thorn could see the design influences of her old job at section 6, design influences she would have made. Some of the modular aspects were distinctly unique to Section 6. Clearly these people had been allies for some time. Thorn felt the bitterness grow in her. What could she have expected? It could have been worse, she supposed. Hades had lied to her, stolen her genetics and ST. She had seen the reports of women like her popping up in their formerly controlled stations. She had thought her home in the NDC and Section 6 was a lie, but she was starting to doubt that.
Slowly, the bitterness faded, replaced by a hollow ghost of anger. She felt her hand shake, her thumb brush the trigger cover for her stunner. She wanted to put three bolts of less than lethal concussive force and ionized charge into the woman who so boldly claimed to be her mother on the comms. She wanted to make her pay for losing her. But there was a vague, half dream of a memory, that she was the one who ran away. Had run away from their conflict, like the coward she'd always been.
Both of the women were properly escourted to the bridge. After about 10 minutes, they were inside, where they encountered the woman known as Commander Ironhart. She was a short woman, standing at 5'6", she had short brown hair, and emerald green eyes. Wearing her Dovanian Naval Uniform, "Ah, welcome to my bridge. It's certainly a rare occurance to see both my lost daughter and the delegate of the Dusk Conclave. To what do I owe the pleasure? Or is this simply just a supervised meeting between you two."
"Well technically the delegate is your daughter in law, so seems more like a family reunion at this rate. But not the point currently, as I'm here to talk to Thorn, because we've both been lied to. I am here to clarify that lie, and to...apologize. I can never truly right the wrong that was done to her, and to us both, but I will find a way someday.", Sarah answered a bit quiet, just feeling a loss of energy from it all, but the blade in her leg kept her awake and aware.
The care in Sarah's voice, as though Thorn weren't actually a target, the admission of so much falsehood that she'd never known about. The cowardice that it took for Rose to create her, and for Thorn to never go searching. The bland look that the Commander wore on her face. So manylies through her life crashing to the surface, and Thorn hated them all. "Why..."
Her thumb opened the safety panel over her trigger, slipping into the trigger guard as her fist clenched on the grip, the lenses and flare tube rotating into place as it charged up with a barely perceptible whine. "You..."
Thorn took a step forward, towards her mother, despite the fact that her vision grew blurry. All she wanted was something familiar, something safe. So she sidestepped towards Sarah, hoping desperately that she, at least was telling the truth. "Fourteen years, five owners, pieces of me ripped out..." Thorn choked, suddenly, tears streaming down her face. "They told me you sold me! I just wanted to survive. People like me don't get happy endings, and Sarah was gonna be mine. I would glass Nepleslia Prime if it meant she got that... I'm sorry..."
Slowly, the girl's knees slipped out from under her and she settled to the floor, her shaking shoulders clenched tight as the stunner slipped to the floor, video screens flickering about her, ghost images of alien faces, living, dead, sadists. memories of surgical machines, accidents, punishments disproportionate to her crimes. Sounds and echoes of Thorn's internment in a series of Hellscapes flowing across in a whirlwind of Geist fuelled pain. "Why did you abandon me? What took you so long?"
Commander Ironhart stared at Thorn, she was a trained soldier, yet was facing her daughter she took so long to look for. “Lisa, I never abandoned you. When we removed the Nepleslians from their colony, you ran off in the conflict. We were unable to find you. I spent nearly the past 20 years looking for you! I would never abandon my daughter or lose hope for her! The fact that I get to see you again is a blessing from the Gods themselves. A sliver of faith that I was able to meet you again.” Throughout her speech tears slowly started to form, and her voice occasionally broke. She was not as stern as she normally was, the fact that she had her daughter in front of her, and she was hurting. The inability for her to do anything to help her, to a mother was soul crushing.
Thorn would suddenly find herself embraced as Sarah dropped to her knees with a grunt, and wrapped her arms around the smaller woman. As Sarah rested her head on the small girl's shoulder, she too began to cry a bit. He voice was full of unrestrained emotion, as even the pain could not hold back the flood that the sight of Thorn crying had opened, "Because I didn't know, I was never told until Jack and Mark heard the request for assistance at HX-14. When I confronted Rose, she said she had created you as way to still have herself out doing the things you always did. I felt at the time like something was wrong about it, but I could never find out what. She said it was what you had wanted, but I know now it was all a lie. I wanted to come find you, but as the final days of the OSO as it collapsed, we had to prepare to leave, Then when Hades attacked during the trip to Sirris, my shuttle was shot down, and I was stranded in the wilderness alone for over two months. I'm so sorry, forgive me for failing, I never wanted this to happen to you."
“Right, well, since you’re here, you may take your ‘wife’ now. As she has been told to leave. I’ll give you 20 minutes before both of you must leave.” Commander Ironhart stated, “As for your friend, he will be interrogated and dealt with until we get our answers. Might need an execution.” She said, walking down the bridge to give the order to a Cadet.
The touch of Sarah broke Thorn free from her inward spiral of anger and pain, just enough to hear Commander Ironhart's order. "I am not Rose, Sarah. I... I'm not your happy ending. Rose is a cold hearted, lying bitch, but everything she gave up to create me and send me back out to the stars... Everything she gave up to make you happy..." Thorn shook her head. "I'm not my sister. And I kinda fell in love with a bio weapon."
Thorn pulled away. "I love you, but there's someone who needs me here, and I'm pretty sure my mother just ordered him dead. So..." She stood, turning to glare at her mother. "Mom, you're not killing my feathered fucktard, and I'm not getting out of my hair. You said you spent twenty years looking for me. Prove it, you insufferable cold bitch. Or are you like my fucking sister?"
“Well, from what I was just told. You’re dead. You’re not my daughter I was looking for, your a clone of her. While I feel pity for the fact you were going through. You’re no daughter of mine. As for Azazel Titan, he’s already wanted by Dovania and Dusk. He’s only alive based on the fact the High King has his policy of second chances.” She shook her head and looked at the two of them, “Get out my bridge. I have no want to speak to you two any further.” The Naval Personnel then stepped forward to motion for them to exit.
"Okay." Thorn raised her left arm, thumb flicking forward to reveal the red button as she focused, reaching out, folding in on herself as she melted into the familiar systems and programming of Section Six's design, one she could easily copy her mind deep inside of, before pulling a few tricks. With that, she blew every single breaker on the ship, shutting down reactors and popping six shots off at the green eyed brunette Commander. "Fuck you, mom. Azazel comes with me."
"Thorn wait! Stop, they might kill you!", Sarah exclaimed as she realized what the smaller woman was doing. She was too shocked to stop her, and only hope this played out well........something the growing pit in her stomach, suggested otherwise on.
The Dovanian Naval Personnel were quick on her, Pinning her to the floor and firing a warning shot on deck, as their Commander was paralyzed on the floor. Dragging her out. With the confusion, Sarah Pine was also forcefully removed from the bridge. Both being dragged into the hanger, where they were ordered to exit the ship. Sarah being told she was to never return.
Thorn quietly hopped into her pod, giving no warning as she jumped her thrusters and blasted her way out of the hangar, spewing debris and sending hair and clothes flapping as she flipped a middle finger to the crew passing out her window. With another jet of her thrusters, docked with the Oracle, placing the ship into an extremely tight, cloaked parking orbit over the moon as her pod was sent into the atmosphere.
Sarah had no choice but to disembark, her own pod leaving back to Ariel, watching as Thorn blasted away. "Stay alive Thorn....I still have to make it up to you.", the raven haired woman whispered to herself before pulling away from the ship, and setting a course for the border of the system.
With a small blip, Thorn had left something in Sarah's ship, a comm code, and a message. "Gotta take care of a few things out here. I'll let you know when I'm safe. Again, Rose sent me so that she could stay, and give you the happy ending you deserve. We would do anything to make that happen, and you know that."
