The Phoenix Colony

"Fine, see you all in the morning." beamed Juliano.

He walked out into the night and although it was dark he could see perfectly.

"What is going on?"he wondered.

However the thoughts disappeared from his mind as he approached a big tree, perfect for climbing. He stood at the bottom and firstly collected a few rocks for ammuntion, just in case something might happen. Not that it would do much good but it helped to reassure him.

He climbed the tree and waited at the top, waiting for the time to pass.....

 

Pasha turned as the gate closed behind the man, a mischievous smile on his face. He dropped the wood and knife to his side, and scuttled to the gate. He slid the rope around both sides, and brought them at first into a simple pull out knot. He looked behind, making sure no one was looking as he tied it into a double knot.

“Naughty…” he heard his mother mutter.

He let the rope fall, and tugged on it to make sure it was tight. He fell back against the side of the wall, and looked out into the night. He couldn’t see the man, and for that matter, he didn’t care. He quickly went back to work on his piece of wood a simple smile on his face.

 

The sharpened wood rolled, skipping unevenly, and Reva found her palm slapping down on it as it reached her. Her eyes met Pasha's and she gave him a somewhat uncertain smile.

"Thank you." She said simply.

Briteny showed her the map.

"Yes, that's a good idea," Reva replied as her stomach gave a prolonged rumble.

She felt for the sweatshirt bag around her and found it, dug through it to find mostly smashed berries which she ate. It wasn't enough but watching Pasha 'lock' Juliano out into the darkness, she knew there was no hope for more until morning.

Her eyes swept the cave, noting the newcomer and nodding to him.

"Hello, I'm Reva," she didn't see Ben or Allen. "Ben and Allen...where are they?" Reva asked.

 

Juliano sat on the tree, his mind wandering. He was supposed to be on watch but it didnt bother him. They didnt give him a weapon so how was he supposed to keep watch effectively?

"Oh well, their loss. That Pasha can F*** himself as far as I'm concerned. Who does he think he is? Leader!? PAH!"

As he began to think of a riddle to pass the time he noticed something. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a shadow move. He stared at the spot but was unable to make anything out. Just as he was about to dismiss it, another "shadow" moved to his right. Something was happening.....

 

Viva quietly opened her eyes as the darkness became uncomfortable. She let go of Pasha's arm which was around her and started walking out of the cave. She eyed the double knot on the gate, and opened it. There was no sign of dawn, though she could tell it was near. She stepped out, and walked until she was sure she was on the edge of the terrace. She knelt down on her feet and smiled.

You know how I felt when Britney asked me when I lost my virginity?
"Pretty bad?"
No, I felt happy. And pretty bad.
"Gee, I wonder why."
Very funny. You know why. It would've been a fun thing to tell her that I was still virgin.
"It's unbelievable, isn't it? A government spy and virgin."
I know. I guess it's funny too. And sad.
The voice stopped mocking.
You remember Fernandez, don't you?
The voice remained quiet.
Of course you do. You told me I was going to marry him someday.
The voice didn't flinch.

Oh come on, don't feel guilty. It's how it was supposed to be. I still remember it. It was a beautiful Friday night. I was dressed in a red bridal gown - Mom was never very much Western, you know - and was waiting with red flowers in my hands. I promised Mom when I turned fourteen that I'd remain virgin until eighteen. Funny, I actually listened to her. That night was my eighteenth birthday, and my wedding day. Fernandez was going to pick me up, we were going to go to the church and viola, we would be married. It was a quiet marriage, since my side of the family wasn't in the country and Fernandez was an orphan with hardly any friends.
The voice still didn't say anything.
I waited the entire night. He never came, did he? No, he didn't. Not that I remember.

"Viva..."
Well, one thing came. The police. With his hand. He died in a bomb blast, remember? They just got his right hand, which was fisted. You know what I found when I opened it?
The voice sighed.
I might be late for our marriage Viva. I'm sorry, but I'm not done looking for our wedding present and your birthday gift. I'll have this faxed to you first thing after writing this. Okay, love you sweetie.

"I'm sorry Viva."
It's alright. You're a good brain.
Viva felt warmth tears roll down her cheeks. She looked up at the sky - dawn was near.
"You said you'll be late for the wedding dear. It's alright, I'm waiting dear. I'm waiting."
She smiled, the tears never stopping.

 

“Wake up dear.” His mother whispered. He stretched out, his back cracking as it moved from the uncomfortable position. He opened his eyes, almost expecting to be back at home in his bed, but he knew it wasn’t going to happen. He sighed and looked at the cold, stone walls. He got up, putting more wood into the weak fire. He quickly grabbed his bludgeon stick, and knife and headed out the now untied gate.

He stopped suddenly, noticing Viva in the distance. He ran, his heart hammering when he realized she was crying. He put his arms around her, and his chin gently rested on her shoulder. His hands went to her cheeks and gently wiped away the tears.

“What’s wrong beautiful?” he asked, concern in his voice.

 

Viva felt Pasha's arms around her, and felt his fingers stumble over her face, wiping away her tears. She grinned, feeling like a cheat again.
"You're not a cheat. He's been dead six years."
But I still love him.
"Love is not supposed to be a block in life. Rather, it opens new gateways and opportunities. Come on, confess it - he looks and talks just like Fernandez."
Viva grinned, and looked back at him. He did look just like him.
"Nothing."
She murmured, and then buried her face in his chest.
"I had a friend once. He looked and talked just like you. He died today."
She stopped, tears flowing out of her eyes.
"I just hope that doesn't happen again."

 

Britney was dreaming again. She looks around to see that she is back on Earth. She's at a military base that looks familier. Its night, but the lights over the walk way are on. "What a second, this is dad's base. I used to come here when I was little. How the hell did I get back here?" says Britney. She notices that she is carrying something. Upon looking at her hand she sees a card key. "This...this is dad's key. I guess I should return it to him." thinks Britney. The place appears to be empty. She looks forward to see the building where her dad's office is. There were two objects that were on each side of the door, but she couldn't quite make out what they are. She runs to the door as fast as she can, but when she gets about halfway there, she drops to her knees. On each side of the door, there was a spear sticking out of the ground, and on top of each spear was the head of a soldier. Putting her hand over her mouth she whispers "Who could have done this?"

She slowly stands up and continues toward the door. She catiously opens the door. The lights are off. "Lets see, if I remember correctly the lightswitch for the reception area should be on my immediate left." thinks Britney. She froze in panic after turning the lights on. The room was covered in a dark sickly shade of crimson red. There was no bodies there, only blood. It was dripping from the ceiling, the walls and the funiture. The carpet was completely red and was wet to the touch. Written on the main desk was the letters W.O.A. in blood. She nearly faints from the sight. "Wha....what could have happened here. Oh my god, dad usually works late!" screams Britney.

Britney runs through the hall, heading towards her dad's office. The hallways seem much longer than she remembers them being. On the hallway walls, the letters W.O.A. are written over and over again in the same sickly crimson that covers the reception room. When she gets to her dad's office, she opens the door. She sees Fox and four other people standing there. They are wearing some military uniform that she's never seen before. As Fox turns around to face Britney she sees her father kneeling on the floor, unconscious. Fox says, "I was wandering where you ran off to. I must thank you again for letting us in. We would have never pulled off this ambush without you." She pulls a gun out and hands it to Britney. She grabs the gun and walks infront of her father. "No its the time for you to truely prove yourself. Kill him." says Fox. Britney shakes her head and says "No, I can't, I can't kill my father."

She looks at her dad, as Fox walks behind her. Fox puts one arm around Britney's waist and her other hand on Britney's arm. She raises Britney's arm so that the gun points right between her dad's eyes. Fox puts her forhead on the back of Britney's head and whispers, "You want to make me proud, don't you?" Her finger begins to pull the trigger. No matter how hard she tries she can't make it stop. The gun goes off and the back of her dad's head just explodes.

Britney falls to her knees and begins to cry. She looks down and sees that she is wearing the same uniform as Fox and the others. She yells out "No, this can't be real! It can't, it can't, it can't!" The room around begins to ignite into an inferno. With each passing moment the fire grows more intense. Eventually it was as if her and Fox were standing in the middle of a vortex of fire. As the tornado of flames swirles around them, Fox kneels down and kisses the back of Britney's head. "Good girl." whispers Fox.

Fox once again awakens to the sight of blond hair. Britney was clinging to her in her sleep. Fox gently moves Brit's hands and stands up. As she stands, she her head begins to hurt like hell. She feels the back of it and notices the gash. She then sees the map on the wall.

Just then Britney suddenly jerks up to a sitting position. Fox looks over and asks "What, did you have a bad dream?"

 

Pasha rubbed her back gently, placing his chin on her head.

“I won’t leave you.” He whispered, “I promise.”

They stood in a still hug for a few minutes, hearing nothing but the awakening of the planet as the morning animals started to wake. He suddenly looked down, a grin on his face. In a quick liquid movement, he dropped the stick, and pulled her into his arms bridal style. He grinned at her and began to spin around in quick intervals. He felt the laughter leaving him, unable to stop it as he felt the dizziness taker over, and he fell on his back with her in his arms.

 

"HEY GUYS!!!! Where is everybody?"

He had spent the night up the tree, rather enjoying it until that shadow had scared the life out of him.

But then the shadow had turned out to be a small goat, which he promptly killed with a bash to the head, using one of the stones he carried. Good food for a day. Hopefully the camp would appreciate it, but not Pasha. That idiot would suffer without. His relationship with Pasha was at boiling point, something or someone would have to give. Juliano knew he would not give an inch.

He had the goat over his shoulder, blood spattered on his ruined shirt. Raylene wouldnt be happy with that. He was begininng to get tired, now the day was beginning a new. He felt like a bat, only coming out at night.

But now he was back in the cave, when he spotted someone still in there.

 

As Pasha swirled round with Viva in his arms, she giggled, feeling a chakra of hers open and fill with optimism. She continued to giggle and laugh until her heart leapt with joy, and when they fell down she wanted to push a freeze button and stay in that hug for as long as she could. She rolled over him, her nose touching his.
"I love you. I really, really love you."
She said that as clearly as she could, as though she didn't want any mistake on their part. She then kissed him on his lips, tears of joy rolling down. Once she let go, she chuckled, started to tickle him.
"Of course, love comes with price!"
She laughed, and they rolled over each other as the tickling ceased to end.

 

Juliano sat down and ripped a piece of the meat off with his bare hands, chewing madly. He was starving.

He left the carcus out in the open, ready for anyone to eat. He couldnt be bothered to stop Pasha having some, the fued would have to wait.

Time to sleep, he was tired now. Chances are he would wake up in the afternoon, as it was starting to get dark, but he didnt really know what was happening to himself. He would find out later, if Pasha didnt get him. He laughed at his own stupid imagination....

 

The words sent his heart into a flutter.

“YURI!” he screamed in his mind, “She loves me!” He heard a giggle of happiness as his mind and his heart began to jump in excitement as one. She leaned in, kissing him on the lips. His heart seemed to come out, as he for the first time in his life felt true happiness. Was this what love felt like?

He let her go, and suddenly he was barraged with an attack of tickles, they began to roll and giggle, until they came to an abrupt stop. He held himself up over her, and looked into her eyes.

“I love you too Furstin.” He cooed. He lifted himself up, and lent her a hand. He pulled her up, and into his arms. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, and gently gave her a kiss on the forehead.

“I need to get us some food, but I’ll be back my love.” He said, struggling to get himself to pull away. He walked back, almost stumbling over his own feet, but never taking his eyes off of her as he grabbed his bludgeon stick from the ground, and headed towards the woods.

 

Britney looks up at Fox, "Um...yeah. It was the worse dream I've ever had.". She stops suddenly, just now realizing that Fox is ok. She jumps up and hugs Fox. "I'm so happy you're ok." says Britney before quickly turning away, "S...sorry about that." Fox asks "Who drew the map?" "I did." says Britney. Fox says, "I was thinking about doing the same thing. Thanks. Where is my knife and gun?" Britney smiles, she was really happy that Fox liked her idea, "They're over by Raylene." says Britney as she points to them.

Fox grabs her weapons and then walks over to the cloaks, "So Raylene was able to make three of them." says Fox as she puts one on. The cloak went down to the bottom of her calfs. She looks over at Britney and says "Keep an eye on the cave while I'm gone." "You shouldn't go out alone right after waking up." says Britney. Fox says, "I need some time to think."

Fox opens the gate and walks out of the cave. From the entrance she can see Viva and Pasha together. "Love, it only brings misfortune and misery." whispers Fox. She walks over to the place where she was questioning Allen the other night. She sits and leans against the tree.

Memories of night her father was arrested flooded her mind. "We were always well off, but there is no way that dad was working with, Cavelieros de morte. Those guys are nothing more than a bunch of blood thristy terrorists." says Fox.

A convict walks over to her. He was a very large man. "Well looke at you here all by yourself. Want big strong man to protect you, babe?" says the man as he kneels down by Fox. Fox says "Leave or die." "Those are big words from a weak little thing like you. You might want to take them back" says the man as he grabs her throat. She grabs her knife in the blink of an eye and slashes his neck. As he falls backwards, she jumps on his chest and begins to stab his face over and over. "I....AM....NOT....WEAK!" yells out Fox, as the man stops moving.

She goes back to where she was sitting and begins to laugh. "What the hell is happening to me. Ever since I saw that f***ing government lackey, I can't get the images of that f***ing day out of my head. And on top of that, my nerves feel like they are on fire. They're changing, I'm sure of it. Dad, Lonan, anyone please get me off this damn planet." says Fox. She begins to look at her left wrist. There are some old scares there that most people wouldn't even notice. She pulls out her knife and holds it ontop of her wrist. "I'm sorry Lonan." says Fox as she pulls the knife across her wrist. Some blood trickles down her arm and she begins to laugh again. With the pain comes a wave of happyness. She leans back against the tree, enjoying the high that the pain has given her.

 

Chrys had the last shift. She sat restlessly by the door looking through the peek flap resisting the urge to chace a small mouse that had just ran into view. Joey was perched happily on her shoulder eating a nut.

Smith woke up with a yawn and a streatch. He did his usual morning checks of his weapons and equipment and then walked into the back of the cave where the food that was gathered yesterday had been stored. Their was a bit of hell deer left, and lots of fruit. The hell deer antlers had been safely stored outside a short distance from the camp. Smith smiled as he unlatched the door and stepped out into the cool morning air. he walked towards the woods and turned around to see the rather finly made part wall and door that they had gotten up yesterday. Compleatly weived and it seemed to be really good at keeping the heat inside the cave. They needed two things done today. A fence, preferably a high one, and some meat gathered, the deer was almost gone but plenty of friuts and nuts had been scavenged up.

Joey scampered out after Smith with a small black bug in her hands nibbling on it. "So that awnseres weather your a herbivore or a omnivore." Smith said to her as he reached down and patted her on the head. Insects and fruit. She'd make a great pest control in exchange for lack of cats. At least insect wise.

 

Ben walked. He walked for a long time, silently with Allen, but not really with him. Sure they were next to eachother, but Ben's thoughts weren't with Allen, they were back on earth.

____________

"Mr. Freeman, we can make a deal. I don't want to fight with you, all I want is to find some middle ground." The man behind the desk spoke with a skill Ben had heard before. A lawyer like him, easily fifty years old. The office was big, the desk was in front of a large window display, a beautiful view of the cityscape laid out below. That was the universal sign of success, wasn't it? Big office in a big building, a shiny little plaque to put on your desk.

The man spoke slowly, each word carefully executed as it left the fat lips of the lawyer. "The Midnight Whistle is slander, a book of lies. Now you may not have meant anything by it, maybe you didn't check your sources properly, or maybe you wanted a little extra money, it doesn't matter. All that does is that you now have a chance few do. Simply publicly announce that the book is baseless slander and you're free to go."

Ben tapped his nose, covered in a bloody white bandage and said, "This? A broken nose that your thugs gave me."

"Yes yes, I assure you that any medical expenses will be paid for and those two will be disciplined."

Nodding his head, Ben sat silent for a moment, and then replied, "Bull . . . ****."

"Now now, theres no need for that sort of language," said the lawyer in a flustered tone, his finger caressing a little red 'call' button on his desk.

"Are you threatening me?"

"Of course not, all I'm doing is reminding you of your position. Cooperation will be better for all involved."

Ben got up from his chair and said, "Well I regret to inform you that I don't 'cooperate' with slavers. I'm leaving, thats my right."

The lawyer sighed and shook his head. "It is a shame, Mr. Freeman, seemed like a sensible man." He reached into a door in the desk and pulled out a knife. "You see, you went mad, Mr. Freeman, and you used this weapon to threaten me. Conspiracy to commit murder, not good at all. Your going to spend the rest of your life mining, it didn't have to be this way, but it is." He pressed one chubby finger onto the call button. A moment later the two men who had jumped him hours earlier entered the room.

"Ah Mr. Freeman, your limousine is here." laughed one sarcastically.

Ben, anger filling his face, took a swing at the man, landing a hard blow in his stomach. "**** all of you, this is wrong!"

"My my, assault! Your rap sheet is really building now isn't it?" teased the lawyer as the two men jumped him and dragged him out of the office. "Enjoy yourself Mr. Freeman, in fact, write all the lies you want, not that you'll have the time."

__________

And suddenly Ben was back on planet, next to Allen in the middle of no where. "Christ," he muttered. Why am I even going on? I should just let myself die. He walked on, not saying a word, tuning out the world around him, head down, eyes at his feet. He heard something, talking.

"So that answers weather your a herbivore or a omnivore." Faint, but Ben could here it, and it was familiar. He picked his head up and looked in the direction of where it came from. It didn't take him long to spot it, a cave.

Ben turned to Allen and said, "I think we might have found ourselves a new home."

 

"I think we might have found ourselves a new home." Smith heard the faint talking of a firmilar voice.

"It can't be." He said but the smile on his face proved that he really belived what he had just heard. "Ben?" He shouted towards the woods. "Ben tell me thats you?" He said excitedly, Joey chirping along side him happily, even if she didn't know why.

Chrys walked out of the cave. "Who's Ben?" She asked giving me a weird look, like she may have thought I was going nuts like the last leader had.

"An old freind of ours, you've forgoten about him." I exsplained and she nodded.

"Oh," She said and looked off into the woods with me. "So is he there?" She asked after a moment.

 

((From what I understand it is morning again. If I am wrong, PM me and I'll fix it.))

Reva woke later than the others. Sleep had been elusive and she had done more tossing and turning than resting. She had finally slept near dawn.

When she woke she sat still for a moment, half-expecting the cramps from the morning before. But nothing happened.

Relieved, she stepped carefully around the newcomer to the cave who appeared to be bedding down after watching all night. She wondered about him briefly, then went to get a drink from the spring.

When she exited the cave Reva saw Pasha and Viva vanishing into the woods. She went a different direction, once again left out of the cave and down the hill this time looking for the cataract of water they had crossed when hiking up. Her hair felt gritty and the prison clothing was none too clean.

She would have killed for a shower and coffee.

When she reached the water, cautiously listening for anyone and looking, she felt alone. Completely and gloriously alone. The sun was up and while the air wasn't warm as summer it would have to do.

Stripping quickly, Reva waded into the freezing cold water, her legs going numb immediately, and ducked in, rinsing and rinsing as long as she could stand the cold before bolting from the water. She shivered on the bank, noticing how her freckles stood out on her skin now that it was wet and blue-white.

Wringing out her hair, she shook it and brushed herself dry as possible with her hands, not willing to get her clothing wetter than necessary and having no towel. She dressed in fresh guard's clothing from the skin out, rolling the pant legs up and replacing the leather jacket over the ensemble.

She washed the noisome clothing she had been wearing the best she could and rolled it up to carry. She would put it up somewhere to dry when she returned.

But first, food.

Reva wandered, foraging, finding some pods that clung dry and browned to the branches of a small bush. When split open with a fingernail they had plump though slightly wrinkled legumes inside which she ate, not caring at this point what might make her sick.

Without meaning to, a slow step at a time, she found herself far away from the cave. She didn't realize it until she smelled something foul.

Something that smelled like death.

 

Cevin scraped the horn against a rock. A crude bow and seven arrows were strapped to his back. He looked at his camp. The fire was out. Leafs stitched to bark and animal skin covered everything making it look like just part of the land. He smiled as he rubbed a small drop of blood between his thumb and finger. It was only a couple of hours old. “No tracks,” he said. Cevin smirked as a crushed branch caught his eye. “Not too smart are we Mr. Beastie.”

 

After a few minutes, Fox walks back to the camp. Upon entering the cave she looks around. "Hey Britney, what happened to Ben and Allen." asks Fox. "I kicked them out. We can't trust Allen and Ben willingly sided with him." says Britney.

Fox sighs and says "Ben didn't know what the situation was when he attecked me and he was a good hunter. As for Allen, have you ever heard the saying, keep you friends close and your enemies closer. He was helpless in his current state. If he was still here then we would be able to know what he was up to. Brit, throwing them out was a bad call." "I....I'm sorry." says Britney.

"Well whats done is done." says Fox as she sits by the fire, "I guess we should just relax. I take it that Pasha is out hunting, hopefully he gets back soon, I'm starving."

 

Derek had rested most of the previous day, moving only to eat and use the knife to refine his sharpened stakes and create a makeshift javelin. He slept through the night but was not particularly tired, and got up early. He looked at the food, it was mostly gone. He nudged Chad awake just enough to tell him "I'm goin hunting. I'll be back later." Chad grunted then rolled over and went back to sleep.

Derek collected one of his stakes, put it in his pocket, and grabbed his javelin. He took off his boots, they would make too much noise and startle his prey. He put on his blanket, which doubled as his cloak, and walked out of the weaved door to the cave. He trotted to the edge of the woods, then slowed his pace and looked for a trail. He bent down to examine some tracks in the ground. Deep, much larger than something he would be looking for.

He paused for a moment to revisit his memories of hunting with his father. It was him who had taught Derek to track, but somehow Derek just never thought that it would be useful.

Guess that ol' bastard taught me somethin' useful he thought, returning his mind to the ground. A bit farther in, he got lucky and found some fresh helldeer tracks. He followed them silently, crouching as he saw the creature that created them. He fixed his grip on the the javelin raising it above his head. He stoop up slowly as the deer took a bite of a nearby plant.

Derek through the javelin, hitting the deer but got it right where the deer's front leg, meets its body, not killing it. It limped slowly, dragging along its wounded limb along with the javelin that still remained impaled in its leg. Derek jumped up and began to chase it down, pulling out his stake and sticking it in the deer's head right where it meets the neck. It fell to the ground. Derek removed his stake and javelin from the deer, whiping the stake off on the ground and putting it back in his pocket. He slung the deer over his shoulder with his good arm and picked up his javelin, walking back towards the camp the way he had come.

 

Reva almost stepped on a hand. She staggered back, gagging, covering her mouth with her free hand, eyes widening. Buzzing insects droned over two bodies, dusted by drifting sand and bits of branch borne by the wind. The two men were very, very dead.

She wanted to scream but she couldn't make more than a soft mewling sound of despair.

It was as though her journey from her safe former life had taken an ever darker turn through conviction for murder, through prison, through a killing, and finally here. To a specter of what awaited them all.

Reva turned away, tripping on bushes, only half-seeing her way through a blur of tears.

She thought they could be free here, perhaps. Free of prison. Instead they had brought the prison with them.

It surprised her for the second time that day that she wasn't sick. She put ground between she and the bodies before stopping to breathe and calm herself. She didn't register the voices not far from her and never heard the sound of the hunter's soft footsteps.

((Just to be clear...not far from where Chad and co are talking. She's right where Derek is walking along.))

 

Derek heard the rambling sound of footsteps and breaking twigs made by a creature that had no intent of hiding its approach. He immediately knelt and dropped the carcass of the deer on the ground, he didn't know what he was up against. He dropped his spear as well, retrieving his stake from his pocket and leaping out of the bushes just in time to grab the...Girl? he thought.

"Hey, who're you?"

((That's Reva he just snatched.))

 

Reva screamed.

Wrecking spaceships, killer storms, unseen beasts, and dead bodies and she had never screamed but being unexpectedly grabbed is something else entirely.

"Hey, who're you?" The dark-haired guy seemed more boy than man, muscular and taller than her, like everyone seemed to be.

"I'm Reva," She wondered suddenly who killed the two men she had seen. Was it this guy? "Look, don't hurt me," she gasped, "whatever you've done I don't really care, ok?"

 

Derek let her go. "Hey, sorry about that. Don't worry, I don't want to hurt you. In fact, I was just on my way back to the rest o' my tribe with some food. I left it over there. You mind helping me out?" He pointed to his broken arm in the sling with his stake. "Carryin' things is a bit difficult for me." He smiled, trying to be friendly.