AWAKENING

The Outer Rim / Far Side Of The Forbidden Planets Region /.01 Light Years From Dark Space

Kearyn peered through the darkness at a billion flickering pinpoints spiraling around a fiery Galactic core and saw God. "I wish you could see what I do, old friend," he whispered, more to himself than the man sitting in the co-pilot's seat beside him. The stolen Necromonger ship drifted at the far edge of the known universe. Most of its subsystems were offline.

The swirling light show outside reflected off the Rapier's ebony hull, making it appear as though it were a giant broadsword abandoned to the vast expanse of dead space.

"Guy," a gruff, raspy voice resonated from the shadowy seat beside him. "Would you like to explain why you brought us all the way out here? If all we're doing is sitting around, we could have done that in a hundred different systems."

"Homesick, Alexander?" Kearyn said, turning to him. Kearyn's mirrored pupils reflecting the stars outside.

"When you said we needed to get away to complete Eve's transformation in solitude-"

"You mean, cloning." Kearyn corrected. "When one starts from nothing it is not transformations, but rather, reclamation."

"I didn't know you meant the edge of nowhere." Alexander continued, cutting him off before he could finish. "This part of space ain't the safest place to visit. Even if we are in a Necromonger warship."

Kearyn turned to him, shined eyes glistening inside the deep hood. "What is wrong? Do not tell me you actually believe the old wives-tales about giant creatures hunting unsuspecting ships at the edge of the galaxy?"

"No," he blurted a little too quickly. The sound of someone shifting uncomfortably in their seat filled the dark cockpit as he looked out the window, scanning the impenetrable darkness for signs of movement. "A lot of ships have gone missin' out here." he added, "No wreckage, no witnesses, no explanations; just gone."

Kearyn leaned over uncomfortably close and whispered, "True enough, Alexander. But with no witnesses to corroborate such stories, one must concede many tales can arise when speaking in rumor and ignorance."

"I don't give two shits about witnesses or tales. I know the stories are bullshit. But I also know something is taking ships out here. And those missin' ships ain't rumor. They're gone." Alexander countered, shifting a little further away. "So, forgive me if I don't agree with just showin' up, powerin' down and floatin' around for two solar days with our asses hangin' out just to get shot off by pirates, raiders, fuckin' Necros or whatever else might be out here."

"Not to worry, old friend. I can assure you, the stories are exaggerated."

"Glad to hear it."

"However..."

"Christ," he interrupted, his seat angrily squeaking as he adjusted himself once more, "Why's there always gotta be a however with you people?"

Kearyn sat back in his seat, thinking about the underlying meaning of the question, and answered, "No idea. Perhaps it's a cosmic joke, or maybe fate contains a bit of irony."

"I don't do irony."

"Neither do I" Kearyn replied, switching on several console lights before continuing his train of thought, "Alexander," Kearyn said, gesturing to his own eyes. "While most see nothing out there, I can assure you, there is far more in that darkness than one may believe."

Alexander rubbed his eyes as they adjusted to the first lights he'd seen in almost two days. The glare hurt.

"Like what?"

Kearyn waved off Alexander's impending line of questioning with an aggravated hand and said, "Before we continue that topic, perhaps you would find it in your heart to explain when I suddenly became one of you people and no longer one of us?"

Alexander shook his scruffy locks, rubbed his thick mutton-chop sideburns and replied, "You became one of you-people, when you brought Eve and me out here with an ulterior motive you hid from us. Hence, the you and us."

"Ulterior motive." he said, ignoring the fact he had indeed hidden something from his colleagues.

"And I've asked you repeatedly to stop calling me Alexander. The only one who calls me Alexander is Eve. Call me Toombs. My name is Toombs."

Kearyn turned towards him, eyes glowing deep within his hood like the grim reaper, and countered, "And I have told you as many times. I do not address anyone by their surnames. I am not a savage."

Toombs reeled around with an angry expression and grumbled, "Just tell me why we really came all the way out here?"

"We are waiting for the fourth member of our party to arrive."

Toombs flopped back in his seat with an expression of exasperation exploding across his face and said, "Listen, I don't wanna cause waves here. I mean, it's not as if I don't appreciate what you've done for us."

"You are welcome."

"But," Toombs continued, ignoring his thanks, "after everythin' we've been through, I've earned a little more trust than that. Who is this fourth party?"

A tiny red light on the forward console flashed on and off as Kearyn conceded with a nod, "Fair enough, Alexander." He reached out, turned on the cockpit floor lights. Although Toombs didn't appear to notice, he hadn't explained who they were waiting in the middle of nowhere for.

"Yeah, and one more thing," Toombs replied, waving around at the still gloomy cockpit. "You realize not everyone can see in the dark?" he said, pointing at his eyes "I'm not like you; no nifty glow in the dark eyes."

Kearyn shook his head as if Toombs were being unreasonable.

"l almost broke my damn leg the last time l went in the back to use the head!"

"I hope you put the seat up first." Kearyn said with a laugh.

"And thanks to your recently implemented energy conservation program," he added, "I haven't had a hot meal in nearly two damn days."

An exaggerated yawn filled the cockpit and Kearyn replied, "Hot meals are not a necessity. The Rapier's galley contains a large assortment of highly nutritious field rations. All of which I am quite certain are delicious."

Toombs countered, "Hearin' how hot meals aren't a necessity from a guy who doesn't eat, just pisses me off." Toombs said, staring him down. "And how would you know what those abominable rations taste like?"

"I read the jacket on one packet. It sounded tasty."

"You realize that the propaganda they put on those packets is only to get you to buy them and that there is a distinction between reading about eating them and actually eating them?"

"Oh, I am sorry, Alexander." Kearyn replied sarcastically, "Does the fact that I no longer consume food offend you?"

"Just tell me why we're here? And I don't want to hear anymore bullshit about meeting someone. We could meet someone anywhere. So, what's special about this place?"

"It is unique." Kearyn answered, quickly leaning forward, tapping the flashing red light in front of him to make sure it wasn't a faulty bulb. He threw up his hand before Toombs could continue, and said, "In the interim, we are providing Eve with the safest place to complete her procedure, uninterrupted."

"Whatever," Toombs said, "as long as Eve's procedure takes priority, I couldn't care less who is showin' up, or why else we're here Just give her back to me. You said you could."

"I said I would, and I shall," Kearyn replied, "Now, if you do not find it too much of an imposition, I think it is time we see how our patient has progressed."

"Right now?" Toombs baulked.

"Now." Kearyn repeated, enjoying his comrade's sudden sense of apprehension. "I hope you remember your part in our little charade?" Kearyn cautioned.

"Does she realize what's happening to her?"

"Doubtful."

"Does it hurt?"

"No, Alexander. Eve does not feel a thing." Kearyn answered, pressing a button on the console above his head to reactivate the onboard computer system. "Eve, I have compiled enough data to finish my report on the outer rim. Please return the Rapier's subsystems to full power?"

A garbled mass of indiscernible pops and clicks streamed over the cockpit speakers. The noises began softly at first, but soon grew loud enough to cause Toombs to cover his ears. The sounds slowly formed rudimentary patterns, mimicking a strangely mechanical voice.

"Yes, Kearyn. I will return the Rapier to full power." Eve said, as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening. She remained unaware the Necromongers grafted Eve's brain, cortex, and most of her spinal column into the ship's mainframe.

The lights in the spacious cockpit flickered to life one by one, slowly revealing the two men sitting in the front row of a five-seat cockpit. A good deal of electronic gadgetry surrounded them, and the dazzling array of lights from the consoles overhead gave off a sharp glare, as if filled with fluorescent bulbs.

Toombs sat in the right seat, rubbing his wild hair out of his eyes. The bushy mutton chop sideburns pasted to the sides of his face gave him the appearance of a pirate buccaneer dressed in a suit of tactical armor. Kearyn sat to his left, concealed from head to toe in a heavy woolen Necromonger Priest cloak with thick leather boots and black gloves. The once vibrant robe looked both care-worn and ancient. His hidden eyes flared brightly in the flickering lights.

"Guy," Toombs winked and nodded, signaling he knew his part in what was to come. "Why does she have to sound so damn sexy? I mean, for a computer program, I just want to go bump into a space dock somewhere. You know, just si I can get a real good look at her airbags."

Kearyn threw up his right hand, forefinger extended and warned, "Alexander, just stop."

"0k... Ok... I'm just sayin'," Toombs moaned in a mock ecstasy as he feigned pressing a fingertip against a fiery light bulb.

Angry static exploded from the speakers like staccato gunshots, ricocheting around the cockpit until they finally ended in a choppy voice, "Alexander, you disgusting pig."

"Come on, darlin'," Toombs teased, fondling the camera in front of him. He beamed a sickly sly smirk at Kearyn and said, "You know I'm just havin' a little fun with my rich little princess. Besides, I'd never say anythin' to hurt my little sugar britches feelings."

"Chauvinist pig, what did you call me?" Eve replied, as the lights in the cockpit pulsed frenetically like a case of flash bulbs popped off all around him.

Toombs shielded his eyes from the attack, "Oh, don't get upset, candy pants." he added, as another volley of gunshots and flashbulbs pelted the cockpit. "Surely..." he continued, exuding as much chauvinism as possible. "You must remember all those long steamy nights in deep space when everyone else was in stasis."

Kearyn gestured for him to continue.

Toombs winked into the camera and blew Eve a perversely sloppy kiss.

The lights circled the cockpit like a half dozen vultures scoping out a defenseless carcass just before descending to tear it to shreds.

"I can assure you I don't have the slightest inkling of what you are blathering on about." Eve replied, matter-of-factly. Although, the continuously circling lights suggested she may feel otherwise.

"Oh really," Toombs countered, "what I am blathering about, is the two of us sneakin' off to the port-side cargo hold with a bottle of thirty-year-old brandy." Toombs was doing his utmost to push Eve to her breaking point. He smiled coyly into the camera, making a fist with his left hand, and suggestively pushing his right index finger in and out of his closed hand. He grinned perversely and said, "Huh, you know what I mean?"

"Doesn't ring a bell." Eve replied, obviously trying to ignore his inferences. However, the electronic pulse emanating from the speakers like an enraged snarl clearly suggested she was at the point of a catastrophic meltdown.

Toombs continued pressing her. "Come on. You remember the heavy breathin', hard nipples and the air so cold you could see steam risin' off our sweaty bodies." He placed his face right in front of the camera and continued. "What? No response, darlin'." Toombs cupped his hand and pretended to rub something as he goaded, "Well then, can you at least remember layin' there in nothin' but your birthday suit, bathed in the light of a billion stars as my hand caressed your little..."

"You hold it right there," Eve exploded and the entire ship groaned and shuddered angrily, "I am glad those butchers took the memories of all those runs to Terminus 3-21." The lights circled the compartment with such speed and intensity that Toombs had to cover his eyes again. During the pandemonium, the speakers seemed to lob electronic bombs around the cockpit.

Kearyn motioned for him to keep taunting her.

"'Damn darlin', that hurts my feelin's." Toombs said, still covering his eyes. "I thought my wife would remember a little more about the good old days."

"Wife," an electronic pulse like an enraged gasp filled the cockpit, "you dare call me, wife." Eve roared as every light, both inside and out, flashed on and off wildly. "Let me tell you something, Mister."

"Yes, wife," Toombs snickered, rudely cutting her off with a fist against the camera. "You must remember bein' my wife, remember all the people who tried to stop the spoiled little rich girl from runnin' off with the indigent scheming loser." He turned to Kearyn with an exaggerated grin and added, "I did so like it when her mother used to call me that." Toombs sat there taunting Eve, all the while thinking of the day her father ordered him to leave their home or he would have him arrested.

The speakers suddenly went quiet except for the sound of a slowing digital heartbeat; signaling Eve was remembering.

"And, while I'm thinkin' of it, perhaps you could explain how the Necros could erase all those memories of what we did in the port-side cargo hold and forget to take the memories of where we were going. No. I think not. I think if you can remember our destination, you can remember what we did in the cargo hold and I think you liked it darlin'." Toombs' tone was graphic and crude. "I think you loved every inch, didn't you?"

The comms-channel became an explosive stream of screaming pops and whistles interspersed with garbled expletives. The lights blared with anger and the ship shuddered as if it were going to explode at any moment.

Toombs held his hands over his ears and shouted at Kearyn above the chaos, "She always had a wicked temper."

Kearyn motioned for Toombs to stop and said, "Please, Eve, before the unpleasantries escalate any further, may we get back to the business at hand?"

The ship slowly returned to normal, leaving only the sound of an electronic heartbeat and a circling light show behind. "Oh, by all means," Eve replied, "Please go ahead. Before this sex crazed pervert starts on about any more of my most private and intimate parts."

There was a momentary pause when Kearyn noticed Toombs had suddenly succumbed to a bout of guilt. So, he reached over, placed a hand on his shoulder, and ushered him to continue his conversation. But Toombs sat stoically, as if he could not force any more words past his trembling lips. Kearyn watched him for a moment, realizing he had never given a single thought to his pain. It was too late to stop now. Toombs must continue. Kearyn squeezed his shoulder as Toombs stared at his feet in silence, tears forming in his eyes.

"You have had no parts, intimate or otherwise, since Crematoria. You're nothin' more than a bucket of brains spliced into a control panel, can you at least remember that?"

A series of sounds filled the cockpit, not unlike the sound of a terrified gasp, and then Eve admitted, "Yes... I remember that." Eve paused as if the sudden admission had caused a tidal wave of long forgotten nightmares to surge through her once emptied mind.

Toombs refused to look into the camera as guilt tears streamed down his cheeks and a barbed lump grew in his shrinking throat.

"Perhaps, my love," Eve continued, voice dripping with the venomous anger born of torture, "Since you're feeling the need for such brutal honesty, you might tell me what they took from you back on Crematoria."

"Everything," he replied. "They took everything."

"I think not." Eve countered, "You seem quite mobile to me."

Toombs felt mortally wounded by Eve's implication. Her accusation sank into his constricting chest like a dagger skewering a shriveled heart. He sat wallowing in self-incrimination as if her words had forced him to admit the truth his actions had cost him; what his actions had cost her. He lifted his head in shame and answered, "They took the only thing that made my pathetic life worth living."

"Do tell, what was that, husband?" Eve's voice dripped of sickly sweet venom.

"You, darlin'," Toombs answered, head hung low, "they took you."

The speakers filled with an electronic gulp of anguish. "I'm sorry." Eve apologized, "I should have never begged you to go."

"It wasn't your fault." he said, wiping his eyes with the back of his forearm.

"Stupid little rich girl, bored with her overly pampered life. I just wanted a little excitement."

"It's OK."

"No," Eve replied. "It was my fault. I had no right to blame you. I'm so sorry, Alexander."

And with that final realization, Kearyn knew Eve's memories and her self- control had returned.

"I'm sorry, darlin'." Toombs said, remembering being locked in the animal pen on Crematoria and hearing Eve scream as the Necros dragged her away. "It wasn't supposed to go down like that. I just wanted one big score so we could get away, start over somewhere else." Toombs felt the sting of her mother's hand hitting his cheek when he refused to leave.

"I know."

Toombs fiddled with the buttons in front of him. "They were right, I was the guy who got you killed."

"I'm not dead." Eve protested.

"So, despite all that's happened, you still believe we should be together?"

"I do."

Toombs stood up and walked to the back of the cockpit. "If we'd never met, nothin' bad would have happened to you."

"And nothing good would have either."

"I should have known I was no good for you."

"I wouldn't trade a second of the time we've spent together; not even for a different outcome."

Kearyn held out his hand, signalling Toombs to stop speaking and said, "Eve, it is good to have you back. I have successfully removed the control chip embedded in your brainstem. You are no longer under any form of neural control. In fact, your transformation from strictly brain to an intact body has progressed far quicker than I had expected."

"Complete body?"

"Yes," Kearyn answered, "I believe you can get out of stasis and move around in a few hours."

"WHAT!" Eve shouted. "What are you saying? I'm me again? How is that possible?"

Toombs walked back to his seat, sat down, and rolled his eyes at Kearyn. He patted the camera like a parent patting a child on the head and said, "So much for you recovering her short-term memories."

"Eve, I'd like you to think back to when I first came aboard the Rapier. Try to remember our first conversation; You can do that for me, can't you?" Kearyn asked.

There was a long silence before Eve replied, "It was something about an amicable trade; If I helped you escape from the armada, you would make me like I was before."

"Close," Kearyn replied. "What I actually said was I would make you better..."

"That's not possible. Eve's always been perfect." Toombs interrupted.

"That's sweet."

"I would say... sappy." Kearyn replied and laughed, shaking his head at Toombs.

"Kearyn," Eve cried out in terror. "There's something wrong with me. I can't move my arms or legs."

"Remain calm, Eve. There is nothing wrong with you. The sensation you are experiencing is the effects of being aware of your surroundings while still being asleep in a cryo-stasis pod. You are quite safe. I give you my word."

"Still asleep! How's that possible? Neurological functions cease while in cryostasis." Eve asked.

"When l removed the Necro implant, I used the still open interface to add a few upgrades to your cortex."

"Upgrades?" Toombs asked with a frown.

"Yes," Kearyn explained, "an open port left attached to Eve's spinal column would have eventually deteriorated, causing irreparable damage. Therefore, I replaced the Necro chip with a few neural sub-systems, one of which, allows Eve covertly hack into any nearby computer systems."

"Handy," Toombs replied.

"Handy," Kearyn repeated, "I create a covert system that locates and downloads everyone's dirty little secrets and you think it is merely handy?"

"I think it's cool." Eve blurted, "What else did you give me? Oh, I know. I know Kung Fu... or Karate... Ninjutsu!"

"No." Kearyn answered, shaking his head. "Now, before we deplete the rest of your energy stores on further nonsense discussion, I would like you to turn off the feed to that subsystem so you can get some much needed rest."

"But I want to get out now."

"No. Your body is still undergoing a rigorous transition period and needs to... how shall I say it... finish cooking."

"Will you be here when I wake up?" Eve asked.

"Yes," Kearyn said, gesturing for Toombs to shut off the feed. "Both Alexander and I shall come get you out when you are ready to rejoin the physical world. Until then, rest well and have pleasant dreams!"

"I'll dream of New York." Eve replied with a yawn. "Do you still remember the day we met?" Eve asked.

"Yeah baby, I remember it as if it were yesterday." Toombs lied.