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1 The Shion+KOS-MOS paring is the most debated in the Xenosaga fandom.
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2 I think they were made for each other. No pun intended.
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3
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4 The events of this stroy take place betwenn Xenosaga Episode One and
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5 Two. There will be some spoilers for the end of Episode One, and
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6 those who haven't complete that game might be a bit lost in later
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7 chapters.
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8
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9 I dont own Xenosaga. I only wish i did.
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10
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11 Gerad Dalton is my creation, however. Steal him and die.
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12
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13
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14 Chapter One
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15 Picnic for Two
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16 By Silvercry
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17 silvercry2000@yahoo.com
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18
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19
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20 ...my spirit sleeping somewhere cold,
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21 until you find it there and lead it back
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22 home....
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23 Bring Me to Life - Evanescence
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24
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25
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26 Allen had his head stuck in the refrigerator in the Elsa's kitchen,
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27 looking for an early morning snack. All he was able to find was
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28 freeze-dried this, frozen that, dehydrated something else.
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29
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30 "Aw, man," Allen whined. Don't they have anything quick and easy?
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31 The service bots haven't woke up yet, and I'm hungry now. He heard
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32 the door open behind him, but paid it no mind.
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33
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34 "Good morning, Allen," he heard Shion say cheerfully as she entered
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35 the room.
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36
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37 "Hey, Chief," Allen replied, his head still buried in the fridge.
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38 "If you're looking for food," he went on, "you're out of luck till
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39 the bots are activated."
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40
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41 "Yes, I know," Shion replied. It sounded like she was trying to
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42 suppress a little laugh as she spoke.
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43
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44 Wow, she has a cute little laugh, Allen thought. She really should
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45 laugh more often.
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46
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47 "Allen," Shion went on, "would you let everyone know that KOS-MOS
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48 and I will be gone for the day?" Her voice was moving through the
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49 room, stopping by the door leading to the main part of the ship.
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50
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51 Allen finally pulled his head from the fridge and looked up. "Sure
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52 thing, Chief. Where are you two -- WHOA!"
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53
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54 Allen's sudden yell startled Shion, and she nearly dropped the
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55 whicker basket she was carrying. "Allen, be quiet!" Shion said
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56 sharply. "Are you trying to wake the whole ship?" There was a silence
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57 in the kitchen as Allen stared open mouthed at Shion in shock. "You
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58 know, Allen," Shion politely informed him, "It's not nice to stare."
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59
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60 Not nice to stare! Allen thought. How could I not?
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61
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62 In all the time Allen and Shion had spent working together, he had
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63 only seen he out of uniform a handful of times. Shion was never one
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64 for casual social events; she spent almost all of her time working on
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65 KOS-MOS. She wasn't exactly anti-social, just focused on her project
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66 to the point of neglecting some other aspects of life. She was well
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67 liked though, by her fellow KOS-MOS Project team members and, more
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68 recently, by the unique party they were now apart of. The last time
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69 he saw her out of her uniform was at the private beech at the
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70 Foundation (he nearly had a heart attack when he saw her little black
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71 bikini, he recalled).
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72
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73 But there was definitely something different about the way she was
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74 dressed this morning.
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75
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76 Her hair was free of its typical braid, framing her face nicely. And
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77 since when did the chief wear make up? Allen thought. A hint of
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78 blush, a touch of lipstick and eye shadow...just what was going on
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79 here? She was wearing a long, light-purple sundress that fell to mid-
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80 calf length. The hem of the dress was purposely uneven, longer in
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81 front and in back than on the sides, where it only reached her knees.
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82 She was wearing a pair of matching sandals, and (much to Allen's
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83 surprise) was even wearing nail polish. She carried a large whicker
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84 picnic basket on one arm.
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85
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86 "Allen, my face is up here," Shion reminded him.
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87
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88 Allen snapped his head and neck back up so fast, Shion briefly
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89 wondered if there would be any permanent damage.
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90
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91 Say something clever, yet indifferent! Allen thought to himself
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92 frantically. He opened his mouth, but all he could manage was, "D-Did
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93 you say something, Chief?"
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94
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95 "Honestly, Allen, you act like you've never seen me out of uniform
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96 before," she replied.
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97
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98 "Only five or six times," Allen confessed.
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99
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100 A small smile crossed Shion's face. "So, you've been keeping count?"
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101 she asked.
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102
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103 Allen shook a his head and hands furiously. "NO! I mean, not really.
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104 I mean --what I mean is --" How can I get out of this one? "Um,
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105 wasn't their a message you wanted me to give everyone?"
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106
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107 "Yes. KOS-MOS and I will be -- unavailable today. Just let everyone
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108 know if they ask, alright?" Shion repeated. She turned to leave.
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109
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110 "Oh, right," Allen remembered, grateful for the change of subject.
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111 "Where are you two headed? Our report to Vector HQ isn't due for
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112 another two weeks."
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113
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114 Shion hesitated. "Out," she replied after a moment. "I have this new
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115 EVS I want to load up and --" she stopped abruptly, then simply
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116 repeated: "Out."
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117
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118 "Out?" Allen asked, puzzled.
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119
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120 "Out," Shion confirmed. She turned sharply, her dress flaring out
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121 around her legs. The door opened, she walked through, and it shut
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122 behind her, leaving Allen to wonder what the heck had just happened.
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123
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124 Shion quickly headed to for the elevator, not wanting to bump into
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125 anyone else. When the door shut behind her, and it began to descend,
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126 she released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She
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127 glanced at her reflection in the glass of the door before her. Even
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128 though she had spent a lot more time than usual on picking and
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129 dressing in this particular outfit, she was a little surprised by
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130 just how good she looked. A fact, she noted, which was definitely not
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131 lost on Allen. She smiled. She was not what you would call a vain
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132 person, but it was nice to be noticed as a woman once in a while.
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133
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134 Problem was, she was noticed by the wrong person.
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135
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136 Shion shook her head to clear it as the lift reached its
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137 destination. She exited the lift and proceeded towards her
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138 destination, her mood improving with every step. Past the cargo
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139 elevator, down to the catapult level, and through the AGWS hangar. At
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140 one point she noticed she was skipping, and stopped it immediately.
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141 Get a grip, Shion Uzuki! she scolded herself as she reached the door
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142 to KOS-MOS's room. You're acting like this is a --
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143
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144 The door slid open, and Shion pushed the thought aside, and stepped
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145 into the room. It was a simple room, not much to look at. That is, of
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146 course, if one was to over look the single object in the center.
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147 Shion walked up to and around the black maintenance bed for KOS-MOS,
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148 to see the battle android still 'asleep' with in it.
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149
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150 Her regeneration cycle will be over in a few moments, Shion thought
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151 to herself. Guess I'm a little early. She set the basket down near
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152 the foot of the pod, and took a seat on the side of it herself, never
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153 taking her eyes off the sleeping angel inside. An angel of death,
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154 maybe, she thought, recalling all the times she had seen KOS-MOS in
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155 action over the course off the last few days. On the heels of those
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156 memories came images of the several times KOS-MOS had put herself on
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157 the line to defend the Elsa...and Shion specifically. Ok, Shion
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158 thought. Maybe she's a guardian angel. Another memory came to her
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159 then -- a much older one. A thunderstorm, an attack by unknown men,
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160 the premature activation of the original KOS-MOS, and the massacre
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161 that followed. Or perhaps, she added sadly, a fallen angel.
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162
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163 KOS-MOS slept on, blissfully unaware for the moment.
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164
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165 "Sometimes I wish you could sleep forever," Shion whispered to the
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166 sleeping android. "And others, I can't wait to see you wake up. I
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167 wonder what would you say about that?" She tried to mimic KOS-MOS's
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168 voice and tone then said, "'Shion, your current line of thought is
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169 paradoxical in nature and serves no purpose.' Or something like
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170 that." Shion sighed. "Don't you think I know that?" she whispered.
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171
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172 There was no reply from KOS-MOS. Shion continued to stare at the
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173 android's face, waiting patiently for her eyes to open. After a few
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174 moments, her gaze drifted down from her eyes to her mouth. And an
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175 idea suddenly formed in her mind. A crazy idea.
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176
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177 What am I thinking? Shion asked herself silently. I can't do that!
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178 But the more she stared at KOS-MOS's lips, the greater the desire
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179 became. Just this one time, she tried to rationalize. She never has
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180 to know!
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181
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182 "If I stole one kiss, would you hold it against me?" Shion asked in
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183 a voice to soft to even be called a whisper. It certainly wasn't the
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184 first time she thought about giving her mechanical angel a kiss, but
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185 in the days since the incident at Proto Merkabah, the desire had
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186 grown stronger and stronger. She had come so close to losing her that
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187 day. Twice in fact. Sitting in her cabin that evening, she came to a
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188 startling revelation.
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189
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190 She was in love with KOS-MOS.
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191
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192 "That's right, KOS-MOS," Shion told the sleeping angel. "I love you.
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193 This is some fix I've got myself in, huh?" she laughed wearily.
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194 "Wonder what everyone would say if they knew? I wonder what Kevin
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195 would say? I wonder what you will say? Would you even understand?"
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196
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197 Her lips still looked so inviting, but Shion just couldn't bring
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198 herself to kiss them. If that's going to happen, she decided, it will
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199 happen when she's awake, and only if she's ready -- if she can ever
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200 be ready. Instead, Shion leaned over KOS-MOS's body, her hair
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201 cascading over her shoulders, and gave the woman who had taken her
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202 heart without even trying, a quick, but heartfelt, kiss on the cheek.
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203
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204 In a corner of KOS-MOS's mind, a corner so far removed that she
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205 wasn't even aware of its existence, something began to stir. To vague
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206 to be called emotion, to faint to be called a sub-conscious desire.
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207 Not yet important enough to trigger and internal diagnostic scan. But
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208 something was there, was brought to life by a kiss that wasn't
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209 supposed to happen -- yet. And it began to grow.
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210
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211 Shion pulled back with a gasp as she felt a twitch of movement from
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212 KOS-MOS's face. Her face was mere inches away when her red eyes
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213 slowly opened and locked with her own.
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214
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215 "Good morning, Shion." KOS-MOS greeted her in her even, precise
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216 voice. She took note of Shion's close proximity, and misunderstood
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217 the reason behind it. "My internal chronometer reads 0700 hours,
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218 which was the assigned activation time. Do you require additional
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219 offline time to finish my maintenance checks?"
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220
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221 Shion quickly puller her self back up to a sitting position on the
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222 side of the maintenance bed, and turned her head to hide her growing
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223 blush. "That wont be necessary KOS-MOS," she said quickly. "I - um -
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224 had just finished."
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225
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226 "Very well," KOS-MOS stated simply, and sat up. She ran her usual
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227 series of start-up diagnostics. Aside from and unexpected minor error
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228 in an otherwise blank section of her OS, all the internal quires came
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229 back green.
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230
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231 "All systems are operating within normal parameters," she informed
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232 Shion.
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233
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234 Still facing away from her, Shion nodded. "Very good KOS-MOS," she
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235 said carefully, her nerve failing. There was a brief rustle behind
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236 her, followed by the soft *click* of high heels as KOS-MOS landed on
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237 her feet outside the maintenance bed. Shion stood up then and the
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238 upper hatch of the bed lowered and secured itself in place. As she
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239 stood, she faced the battle android, who was staring at her intently.
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240 Shion knew perfectly well that KOS-MOS stared at everything intently,
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241 but today, she found the androids fixed gaze unnerving, and lowered
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242 her gaze to the floor.
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243
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244 What was I thinking? Shion scolded herself. This was a bad idea; I
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245 never should have --
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246
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247 "Shion, I am curious as to why I was set to be activated at this
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248 time," KOS-MOS stated. "Judging from your attire and the basket you
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249 have with you, you seem to have plans for some time of leisure
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250 activity, which does not include myself at this time."
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251
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252 Shion looked up, meeting her creation's eyes once more. That's as
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253 close to a compliment on my dress as I'm going to get, she realized.
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254 Feeling some of her bravery return, she said, "That's not entirely
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255 true, KOS-MOS. I was actually hoping you would join me for a picnic."
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256
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257 KOS-MOS experienced an unexpected data surge from the part of her
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258 Operating System was she had discovered the error this upon waking.
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259 Before she could isolate the problem, the spike was gone. She added
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260 to her error log for later review.
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261
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262 "Very well, Shion. I will accompany you," she replied. She turned
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263 and headed for the door, her heels making a very rhythmic click-click
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264 sound on the floor. She was already through the door before Shion
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265 snapped out of her surprise. She picked up the basket, and headed out
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266 the door as well.
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267
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268 ------------------------------------------
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269
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270 As much as the Federation likes to believe the opposite, there are
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271 parts of known space where they have no power. This was good news for
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272 Gerad Dalton.
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273
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274 As he welded the final components of his terminal together, he felt
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275 the urge to cackle like one of those mad-scientist types he often saw
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276 in horror sci-fi holos. He kept the urge in check. Who actually
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277 laughs like that anyway? Besides, he wasn't mad. Furious maybe, but
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278 not mad.
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279
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280 It wasn't too long ago that Gerad was a respected and up-incoming
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281 researcher at Vector Industries. He knew the men up top (maybe even
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282 Wilhelm himself!) had their eyes on him as he began to explore more
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283 applications for the UMN, taking what was thought to be an
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284 established, immutable science, and pushing it further. Some even
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rlm@0
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285 went as far as to call him a genius.
|
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rlm@0
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286
|
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rlm@0
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287 His own personal research was second in priority only to his desire
|
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rlm@0
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288 to rid the universe of the Gnosis. When the KOS-MOS project was
|
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rlm@0
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289 announced, he called in every favor he could to make sure he got the
|
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rlm@0
|
290 number two slot, right after project head Kevin. With his reputation
|
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rlm@0
|
291 and seniority in the company, he was the obvious choice.
|
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rlm@0
|
292
|
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rlm@0
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293 Except Kevin chose a complete unknown: an nineteen-year-old named
|
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rlm@0
|
294 Shion Uzuki.
|
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rlm@0
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295
|
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rlm@0
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296 Gerad wanted to cruse, wanted to scream, wanted to pound his fists
|
|
rlm@0
|
297 into the wall, but once again, held himself in check. The tiny, one
|
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rlm@0
|
298 bedroom shack he lived in on a God-forsaken moon was covered wall to
|
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rlm@0
|
299 wall with computer equipment; throwing a tantrum would only damage
|
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rlm@0
|
300 something. Crudely wired and looking rather thrown together, a casual
|
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rlm@0
|
301 observer would dismiss the mess as trash. It had taken several long
|
|
rlm@0
|
302 years to assemble, however, and its true power could not be seen by
|
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rlm@0
|
303 the naked eye.
|
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rlm@0
|
304
|
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rlm@0
|
305 He called it the Jolly Roger. It was his life's work, nearly
|
|
rlm@0
|
306 destroyed by her.
|
|
rlm@0
|
307
|
|
rlm@0
|
308 When Kevin passed him over for that four-eyed wench, he was
|
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rlm@0
|
309 devastated. It defied logic, defied reason. By choosing Shion over
|
|
rlm@0
|
310 him, he basically told him he wasn't good enough.
|
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rlm@0
|
311
|
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rlm@0
|
312 He wasn't good enough? Him, the genius Gerad Dalton??
|
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rlm@0
|
313
|
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rlm@0
|
314 The Jolly Roger would show him, show her, show Vector, show the
|
|
rlm@0
|
315 whole damn universe!
|
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rlm@0
|
316
|
|
rlm@0
|
317 He was so close the last time, two years ago. His research into the
|
|
rlm@0
|
318 UMN, combined with Vector's resources, made the Jolly Roger a
|
|
rlm@0
|
319 reality. His goal: the complete and total control over the entire
|
|
rlm@0
|
320 Unus Mundus Network. Lets see Shion Uzuki do that.
|
|
rlm@0
|
321
|
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rlm@0
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322 As it turned out, she did one better: she discovered what he was
|
|
rlm@0
|
323 doing, and reported him before he had the chance to bring the Jolly
|
|
rlm@0
|
324 Roger on-line.
|
|
rlm@0
|
325
|
|
rlm@0
|
326 Gerad removed the goggles he had been wearing. His face was tight
|
|
rlm@0
|
327 and worn, marked with many wrinkles. He was a mere 40 standard years
|
|
rlm@0
|
328 old, but his run from Federation law and his harsh life on a moon of
|
|
rlm@0
|
329 the ice planet Vladek has caused him to age horribly. His once neat
|
|
rlm@0
|
330 black hair was now long and unruly, peppered by streaks of gray. As
|
|
rlm@0
|
331 he closed of the final section of his super computer, he gave a sigh
|
|
rlm@0
|
332 of relief, and allowed himself a smile.
|
|
rlm@0
|
333
|
|
rlm@0
|
334 It was time to hack the entire UMN.
|
|
rlm@0
|
335
|
|
rlm@0
|
336 Once that was accomplished, he would see about handing out some
|
|
rlm@0
|
337 payback.
|
|
rlm@0
|
338
|
|
rlm@0
|
339 ------------------------------------------
|
|
rlm@0
|
340
|
|
rlm@0
|
341 KOS-MOS eyes darted from Shion's face to the strawberry she was
|
|
rlm@0
|
342 offering between her thumb and index finger, then back to her face.
|
|
rlm@0
|
343 She blinked once, then repeated the action.
|
|
rlm@0
|
344
|
|
rlm@0
|
345 She is so cute when she's confused, Shion thought.
|
|
rlm@0
|
346
|
|
rlm@0
|
347 "I do not see the point to this action," KOS-MOS informed her
|
|
rlm@0
|
348 finally. "I do not require foodstuffs to function."
|
|
rlm@0
|
349
|
|
rlm@0
|
350 "Just try it this once," Shion replied. "I think you might like it."
|
|
rlm@0
|
351
|
|
rlm@0
|
352 The two women were sitting on a red and white checkered sheet, in
|
|
rlm@0
|
353 the shade of a large (and probably extinct, Shion thought) tree. This
|
|
rlm@0
|
354 tree stood in the middle of a large expanse of grass and rolling
|
|
rlm@0
|
355 hills, extending as far as the eyes could see in any direction. They
|
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rlm@0
|
356 sky was a perfect clear blue, with only the occasional whisper of a
|
|
rlm@0
|
357 cloud here and there. All in all it was the perfect time and place
|
|
rlm@0
|
358 for a picnic. Not even the red and blue EVS exit portal spinning
|
|
rlm@0
|
359 silently nearby could shatter the illusion. There was slight breeze
|
|
rlm@0
|
360 just then, blowing KOS-MOS pale blue hair across her face slightly.
|
|
rlm@0
|
361 Shion worried about it getting in her eyes for about a second, until
|
|
rlm@0
|
362 she remembered just who she was sitting with.
|
|
rlm@0
|
363
|
|
rlm@0
|
364 "Upon swallowing this item," KOS-MOS tried to explain. "It would be
|
|
rlm@0
|
365 broken down to its basic elements, and consumed by my internal
|
|
rlm@0
|
366 generator. I would draw no benefit from it. It would be better if you
|
|
rlm@0
|
367 were to eat it. I insist."
|
|
rlm@0
|
368
|
|
rlm@0
|
369 Shion felt touched by this comment, even though she knew it was
|
|
rlm@0
|
370 basic on cold logic and not genuine caring. She'd take what she could
|
|
rlm@0
|
371 get for now.
|
|
rlm@0
|
372
|
|
rlm@0
|
373 "KOS-MOS, don't argue." Shion instructed. "Open your mouth."
|
|
rlm@0
|
374
|
|
rlm@0
|
375 KOS-MOS's lips parted slowly, and Shion felt a slight blush fill her
|
|
rlm@0
|
376 cheeks. She slowly placed the strawberry in her friends mouth, and
|
|
rlm@0
|
377 forced herself to tear her eyes away as KOS-MOS bit into it and began
|
|
rlm@0
|
378 to chew. She quickly activated her Connection Gear that she had been
|
|
rlm@0
|
379 holding in the other hand, and accessed a program that she had spent
|
|
rlm@0
|
380 most of the last few weeks working on. Once the screen came up, she
|
|
rlm@0
|
381 hit the 'Upload Now' option.
|
|
rlm@0
|
382
|
|
rlm@0
|
383 The data transfer was so fast that even KOS-MOS almost missed it. In
|
|
rlm@0
|
384 no time at all a new OS sub-routine was downloaded, taking up the
|
|
rlm@0
|
385 same space where the unknown bug had been detected earlier. That was
|
|
rlm@0
|
386 the first thing she noticed.
|
|
rlm@0
|
387
|
|
rlm@0
|
388 The second was an explosion of sensations in her mouth. She had been
|
|
rlm@0
|
389 chewing the strawberry as instructed, but now she could taste it! It
|
|
rlm@0
|
390 was sweet and soft and juicy and -- and --
|
|
rlm@0
|
391
|
|
rlm@0
|
392 KOS-MOS swallowed. Though her facial expression changed only
|
|
rlm@0
|
393 slightly, it was a difference Shion was able to notice.
|
|
rlm@0
|
394
|
|
rlm@0
|
395 "Wow," KOS-MOS said at last.
|
|
rlm@0
|
396
|
|
rlm@0
|
397 Shion was stunned. "Did you just say 'wow?'" she asked.
|
|
rlm@0
|
398
|
|
rlm@0
|
399 The moment soon passed, and KOS-MOS was in control again. "I believe
|
|
rlm@0
|
400 I did," she replied. "Perhaps my linguistic programs are
|
|
rlm@0
|
401 malfunctioning."
|
|
rlm@0
|
402
|
|
rlm@0
|
403 Shion sighed and rolled her eyes. "Well, how did you like it?" she
|
|
rlm@0
|
404 asked.
|
|
rlm@0
|
405
|
|
rlm@0
|
406 KOS-MOS opened her mouth to respond, then closed it again. After a
|
|
rlm@0
|
407 few seconds she spoke. "While I do not see how this program will
|
|
rlm@0
|
408 enhance my abilities as an Anti-Gnosis weapon system, it is a welcome
|
|
rlm@0
|
409 addition to my operating system."
|
|
rlm@0
|
410
|
|
rlm@0
|
411 "I meant the strawberry," Shion clarified.
|
|
rlm@0
|
412
|
|
rlm@0
|
413 "I see," KOS-MOS replied. "I find that I rather enjoyed it. Thank
|
|
rlm@0
|
414 you for sharing it with me."
|
|
rlm@0
|
415
|
|
rlm@0
|
416 Shion felt her heart beat just a little faster, and a new blush
|
|
rlm@0
|
417 spread across her cheeks. What am I, fourteen? she thought. She was
|
|
rlm@0
|
418 just being polite, stop reading into it!
|
|
rlm@0
|
419
|
|
rlm@0
|
420 "Shion, in the last several hours, I have noticed several abrupt and
|
|
rlm@0
|
421 dramatic changes in your heartbeat, respiration rate, and body
|
|
rlm@0
|
422 temperature," KOS-MOS informed her. "I am concerned about your
|
|
rlm@0
|
423 health. Perhaps you should consult a physician."
|
|
rlm@0
|
424
|
|
rlm@0
|
425 "How every perceptive of you, KOS-MOS," Shion said with a little
|
|
rlm@0
|
426 laugh. "I'll be alright, though. It's nothing."
|
|
rlm@0
|
427
|
|
rlm@0
|
428 "Are you certain?" KOS-MOS asked.
|
|
rlm@0
|
429
|
|
rlm@0
|
430 Shion looked away, staring off into the sky for a moment. She
|
|
rlm@0
|
431 sighed. "If I didn't know better," she said quietly, "I would think
|
|
rlm@0
|
432 you actually cared."
|
|
rlm@0
|
433
|
|
rlm@0
|
434 KOS-MOS turned her own gaze upward, scanning for whatever Shion was
|
|
rlm@0
|
435 looking at. "I do not wish for you to be unwell," she said
|
|
rlm@0
|
436
|
|
rlm@0
|
437 "Of course not," Shion said sadly. "After all, I'm your Primary
|
|
rlm@0
|
438 Directive."
|
|
rlm@0
|
439
|
|
rlm@0
|
440 KOS-MOS identified the tone of Shion's voice as what one might sound
|
|
rlm@0
|
441 like if the were unhappy or distressed. Unsure of how to respond to
|
|
rlm@0
|
442 such a situation, she decided to merely relate the facts of the
|
|
rlm@0
|
443 matter. It was what she did best after all.
|
|
rlm@0
|
444
|
|
rlm@0
|
445 "The Primary Directive of which you speak directs my action in time
|
|
rlm@0
|
446 of crisis. In such situations, I am to safeguard all Vector
|
|
rlm@0
|
447 personnel, especially you," she explained. "My current desire to
|
|
rlm@0
|
448 ensure you are well is --," she paused here, momentarily surprised by
|
|
rlm@0
|
449 what she was about to say. " - my own," she finished. "I -- just want
|
|
rlm@0
|
450 you to be alright."
|
|
rlm@0
|
451
|
|
rlm@0
|
452 Shion turned her head to look at the android, who was still staring
|
|
rlm@0
|
453 into the sky. She hadn't been expecting that response. She wasn't
|
|
rlm@0
|
454 sure what to say.
|
|
rlm@0
|
455
|
|
rlm@0
|
456 "Would you like another strawberry?" she asked awkwardly. Where did
|
|
rlm@0
|
457 that come from, Uzuki? she thought. KOS-MOS just performed the
|
|
rlm@0
|
458 android equivalent of pouring her heart out, and all you can do is
|
|
rlm@0
|
459 ask if she wants another strawberry??
|
|
rlm@0
|
460
|
|
rlm@0
|
461 "I would like that very much, Shion," she replied, still staring off
|
|
rlm@0
|
462 into the sky.
|
|
rlm@0
|
463
|
|
rlm@0
|
464 ---------------------------------
|
|
rlm@0
|
465
|
|
rlm@0
|
466 On board the Elsa, MOMO watched the scene transpire on the UMN
|
|
rlm@0
|
467 screen near the bridge. In her hurry, Shion had neglected to activate
|
|
rlm@0
|
468 a privacy screen, and MOMO just happened upon it while on her way to
|
|
rlm@0
|
469 the UMN store terminal.
|
|
rlm@0
|
470
|
|
rlm@0
|
471 "Wow, Shion is so pretty in that dress!" she said to herself as she
|
|
rlm@0
|
472 watched them converse on the screen. Of course KOS-MOS is pretty
|
|
rlm@0
|
473 too...I wonder if she ever gets tired of wearing the same outfit? she
|
|
rlm@0
|
474 added silently. Then she remembered just who she was taking about and
|
|
rlm@0
|
475 decided that the android probably never gave it a second thought.
|
|
rlm@0
|
476
|
|
rlm@0
|
477 As she watched, Shion reached out with her foot, snagged the picnic
|
|
rlm@0
|
478 basket, and pulled it towards them. KOS-MOS watched her do this, and
|
|
rlm@0
|
479 said something to her. There was no sound , but it was easy enough
|
|
rlm@0
|
480 for MOMO to read their lips.
|
|
rlm@0
|
481
|
|
rlm@0
|
482 "It would have been easier to use your hands, Shion," KOS-MOS was
|
|
rlm@0
|
483 saying.
|
|
rlm@0
|
484
|
|
rlm@0
|
485 "But not as much fun!" Shion replied. MOMO giggled at that; she had
|
|
rlm@0
|
486 a point there.
|
|
rlm@0
|
487
|
|
rlm@0
|
488 "Fun is a wasted use of resources." KOS-MOS informed her creator.
|
|
rlm@0
|
489
|
|
rlm@0
|
490 Shion surprised MOMO by sticking her tongue out at KOS-MOS,
|
|
rlm@0
|
491 effectively teasing a machine capable of destroying a planet some
|
|
rlm@0
|
492 day.
|
|
rlm@0
|
493
|
|
rlm@0
|
494 "You still want these strawberries or not?" Shion asked. KOS-MOS
|
|
rlm@0
|
495 nodded. "All right, then," Shion stated. She reached into the basket,
|
|
rlm@0
|
496 and pulled out one strawberries. She held it between her thumb and
|
|
rlm@0
|
497 index figure, and guided it to KOS-MOS's mouth. The android slowly
|
|
rlm@0
|
498 opened her mouth and bit into the fruit carefully. She closed her
|
|
rlm@0
|
499 eyes as the taste of the simple piece of fruit washed over her.
|
|
rlm@0
|
500
|
|
rlm@0
|
501 MOMO noticed the blush in Shion's cheeks.
|
|
rlm@0
|
502
|
|
rlm@0
|
503 She also noticed the serene expression of genuine enjoyment on KOS-
|
|
rlm@0
|
504 MOS's face.
|
|
rlm@0
|
505
|
|
rlm@0
|
506 She started to feel a little awkward herself. Just what is happening
|
|
rlm@0
|
507 here? she wondered. What are they doing? She was beginning to think
|
|
rlm@0
|
508 she should quit watching, when Fate decided the matter for her.
|
|
rlm@0
|
509
|
|
rlm@0
|
510 The Elsa, which had been cruising through hyperspace at an even
|
|
rlm@0
|
511 clip, was suddenly thrown violently back into real space so abruptly
|
|
rlm@0
|
512 that she fell to the floor with a small yelp of surprise. She banged
|
|
rlm@0
|
513 her head against the UMN terminal, and saw stars for a few moments
|
|
rlm@0
|
514 before rising to her feet and heading for the bridge. She took a few
|
|
rlm@0
|
515 steps, then remembered that her friends were still in the EVS, and
|
|
rlm@0
|
516 hit communication button on the terminal to let them know what was
|
|
rlm@0
|
517 going on.
|
|
rlm@0
|
518
|
|
rlm@0
|
519 "Hey, Shion, KOS-MOS, I think you better get back. Something seems
|
|
rlm@0
|
520 to be --"
|
|
rlm@0
|
521
|
|
rlm@0
|
522 MOMO stopped speaking when she noticed that neither of the two women
|
|
rlm@0
|
523 could hear her. They continued their meal, oblivious to what was
|
|
rlm@0
|
524 going on in the real world. She quickly keyed in a few more commands
|
|
rlm@0
|
525 to the computer to discover the problem when the screen went blank
|
|
rlm@0
|
526 suddenly. After a few moments, it winked back on.
|
|
rlm@0
|
527
|
|
rlm@0
|
528 MOMO took one look at it. "Uh-oh," she said. Then she turned and ran
|
|
rlm@0
|
529 to the bridge.
|
|
rlm@0
|
530
|
|
rlm@0
|
531 On the UMN screen, there was a rotating gray and black image of the
|
|
rlm@0
|
532 skull and crossbones.
|
|
rlm@0
|
533
|
|
rlm@0
|
534 ---------------------------------
|
|
rlm@0
|
535
|
|
rlm@0
|
536 After feeding KOS-MOS nearly every piece of fruit that she had
|
|
rlm@0
|
537 brought with her (and having quite a bit of food herself) Shion began
|
|
rlm@0
|
538 to feel a little better, and very, very tired.
|
|
rlm@0
|
539
|
|
rlm@0
|
540 "Perhaps we should return now," KOS-MOS suggested.
|
|
rlm@0
|
541
|
|
rlm@0
|
542 "Not yet," Shion sighed wistfully. Once again, they sat side by
|
|
rlm@0
|
543 side, backs against the tree, staring out over the horizon. Shion
|
|
rlm@0
|
544 tapped a few commands into her computer, and suddenly it was sunset.
|
|
rlm@0
|
545 The bright oranges, reds and yellows slowly receding away from the
|
|
rlm@0
|
546 backdrop of twilight was breathtaking.
|
|
rlm@0
|
547
|
|
rlm@0
|
548 "It's beautiful, don't you think, KOS-MOS?" Shion asked, even though
|
|
rlm@0
|
549 she new the android thought no such thing.
|
|
rlm@0
|
550
|
|
rlm@0
|
551 "It is a unique sight for one who has spent their entire existence
|
|
rlm@0
|
552 in space," KOS-MOS agreed.
|
|
rlm@0
|
553
|
|
rlm@0
|
554 Shion leaned her head on the friend's shoulder. This really has been
|
|
rlm@0
|
555 a perfect day, Shion thought. Pleasant conversation, opening her mind
|
|
rlm@0
|
556 to new experiences, and just being together without having to worry
|
|
rlm@0
|
557 about the Zohar or the Gnosis or Albedo. I should really end it on
|
|
rlm@0
|
558 this note.
|
|
rlm@0
|
559
|
|
rlm@0
|
560 "What do think of me, KOS-MOS?" The question was out of her mouth
|
|
rlm@0
|
561 before she could stop it.
|
|
rlm@0
|
562
|
|
rlm@0
|
563 "You are Shion Uzuki, head of Vector Industries First R&D Division's
|
|
rlm@0
|
564 KOS-MOS project. You designed me," KOS-MOS replied.
|
|
rlm@0
|
565
|
|
rlm@0
|
566 "Forget I asked," Shion said quickly.
|
|
rlm@0
|
567
|
|
rlm@0
|
568 There was a pause of several minutes as the sun continued to set on
|
|
rlm@0
|
569 the two women. Shion felt her self grow more and more drowsy. She
|
|
rlm@0
|
570 felt so relaxed where she was, so safe, so happy. For the next few
|
|
rlm@0
|
571 minutes, she decided, I'm not going to think. Just be here with KOS-
|
|
rlm@0
|
572 MOS. I'll worry about what that means later.
|
|
rlm@0
|
573
|
|
rlm@0
|
574 KOS-MOS's mind, on the other hand, was spinning. Things seemed to
|
|
rlm@0
|
575 fall into place for her all of sudden. Every moment she had ever
|
|
rlm@0
|
576 spent with Shion since she was activated came back to her in an
|
|
rlm@0
|
577 instant. When she was upset with her, when she spoke with her, when
|
|
rlm@0
|
578 she tried to keep her from doing things she had to do. Lastly, the
|
|
rlm@0
|
579 utter terror and desperation in her voice aboard Proto Merkabah.
|
|
rlm@0
|
580
|
|
rlm@0
|
581 ("You'd better come back, KOS-MOS! You'd better!)
|
|
rlm@0
|
582
|
|
rlm@0
|
583 Realization dawned on the android at once. The area of her mind now
|
|
rlm@0
|
584 occupied by the new taste program cheered silently at this
|
|
rlm@0
|
585 realization...but it was still to faint to be noticed. For now.
|
|
rlm@0
|
586
|
|
rlm@0
|
587 "Shion," KOS-MOS spoke suddenly, startling the young scientist. "I
|
|
rlm@0
|
588 believe I have come to a realization."
|
|
rlm@0
|
589
|
|
rlm@0
|
590 "What is it, KOS-MOS?" Shion asked. She felt her eyelids growing
|
|
rlm@0
|
591 heavy, and she was looking forward to falling asleep right where she
|
|
rlm@0
|
592 was.
|
|
rlm@0
|
593
|
|
rlm@0
|
594 "You are in love with me," KOS-MOS stated simply.
|
|
rlm@0
|
595
|
|
rlm@0
|
596 Shion was suddenly wide awake. She sat up quickly just as KOS-MOS
|
|
rlm@0
|
597 turned her head to face her.
|
|
rlm@0
|
598
|
|
rlm@0
|
599 "Do not deny it, Shion," KOS-MOS went on. "Careful examination of
|
|
rlm@0
|
600 your actions since the time of my activation proves this fact. What
|
|
rlm@0
|
601 we must now do is discuss what we shall do about it."
|
|
rlm@0
|
602
|
|
rlm@0
|
603 "You make it sound like this a problem to be 'dealt with' and
|
|
rlm@0
|
604 disposed off," Shion said, a little angrily. Not at KOS-MOS, but at
|
|
rlm@0
|
605 herself for being so obvious when she had thought she was keeping it
|
|
rlm@0
|
606 to herself. "Emotions are more complicated than that."
|
|
rlm@0
|
607
|
|
rlm@0
|
608 "I am aware of this, even if I do not understand them completely,"
|
|
rlm@0
|
609 KOS-MOS responded. "If you follow that fact to its logical
|
|
rlm@0
|
610 conclusion, you realize that I can never fully understand your
|
|
rlm@0
|
611 feelings for me, and therefore can never return them. This may be
|
|
rlm@0
|
612 acceptable for you now, as this 'date' indicates --"
|
|
rlm@0
|
613
|
|
rlm@0
|
614 "This is not a date!" Shion insisted, but her protest sounded hollow
|
|
rlm@0
|
615 even to her own ears.
|
|
rlm@0
|
616
|
|
rlm@0
|
617 " -- but eventually I will become a cause of great emotional stress
|
|
rlm@0
|
618 and pain for you." The android stood up. Without looking at Shion,
|
|
rlm@0
|
619 she continued. "The best course of action would be for me to remove
|
|
rlm@0
|
620 myself from your life as soon as possible." Shion began to protest,
|
|
rlm@0
|
621 but KOS-MOS talked over her. "I realize that my sudden departure will
|
|
rlm@0
|
622 hurt you, but I believe that it will be far better if I hurt you a
|
|
rlm@0
|
623 small amount now, compared to the great amount I will harm you later
|
|
rlm@0
|
624 by staying. In addition, the time has come for me to be turned over
|
|
rlm@0
|
625 to the Second Division, and begin mass production and field testing.
|
|
rlm@0
|
626 Good bye, Shion." She began to walk to the exit portal.
|
|
rlm@0
|
627
|
|
rlm@0
|
628 "Just you wait a minute, KOS-MOS!" Shion called after her. She
|
|
rlm@0
|
629 jumped to her feet as well. "You can't just leave like this!"
|
|
rlm@0
|
630
|
|
rlm@0
|
631 KOS-MOS continued walking. "That is precisely what I am doing. After
|
|
rlm@0
|
632 careful consideration, I have decided this will be the best course of
|
|
rlm@0
|
633 action."
|
|
rlm@0
|
634
|
|
rlm@0
|
635 Shion forced herself not to panic, even though she could feel the
|
|
rlm@0
|
636 same sense of dread fill her chest that she felt at Proto Merkabah.
|
|
rlm@0
|
637 She tried to keep her voice even (and failed) as she spoke. "Don't
|
|
rlm@0
|
638 leave me," she said quietly.
|
|
rlm@0
|
639
|
|
rlm@0
|
640 KOS-MOS stopped walking. She turned her head slightly to one side.
|
|
rlm@0
|
641 Shion could almost make out the profile of her face. She was looking
|
|
rlm@0
|
642 toward the ground. In that pose, as her ruby-red eyes blinked slowly
|
|
rlm@0
|
643 twice, she almost looked -- sad.
|
|
rlm@0
|
644
|
|
rlm@0
|
645 "I do not wish to hurt you, Shion. If I remain with you, I will do
|
|
rlm@0
|
646 so more than if I were to leave now," she said.
|
|
rlm@0
|
647
|
|
rlm@0
|
648 "Is that really what you want, KOS-MOS?" Shion asked her.
|
|
rlm@0
|
649
|
|
rlm@0
|
650 KOS-MOS opened her mouth to say 'affirmative', but found she
|
|
rlm@0
|
651 couldn't. She was experiencing an error in her verbal skill
|
|
rlm@0
|
652 programming. She quickly ran an internal diagnostic, to find the
|
|
rlm@0
|
653 error source was coming from the same place as before.
|
|
rlm@0
|
654
|
|
rlm@0
|
655 "No," she found herself saying.
|
|
rlm@0
|
656
|
|
rlm@0
|
657 Shion held her hand out to the android. "Then don't go," she said.
|
|
rlm@0
|
658
|
|
rlm@0
|
659 "Are you two serious?" a new voice called suddenly from the upper
|
|
rlm@0
|
660 branches of the tree. "Kevin passed me up for you? A child, little
|
|
rlm@0
|
661 girl who's so foolish that she'd fall in love with a weapon?"
|
|
rlm@0
|
662
|
|
rlm@0
|
663 Startled, Shion spun around and looked up. In an instant, KOS-MOS
|
|
rlm@0
|
664 was beside her, her right hand hovering over her holster. "Identify
|
|
rlm@0
|
665 yourself!" KOS-MOS demanded. This was only the second time in her
|
|
rlm@0
|
666 life that someone was able to sneak up on her, and she wasn't happy
|
|
rlm@0
|
667 about it. It didn't occur to her just then the fact she was angry
|
|
rlm@0
|
668 should have been impossible.
|
|
rlm@0
|
669
|
|
rlm@0
|
670 Standing quite easily on a tree branch which was actually thinner
|
|
rlm@0
|
671 than his feet, stood a man in a black and gray Vector uniform. Over
|
|
rlm@0
|
672 his right breast pocket however, was the image of the skull and
|
|
rlm@0
|
673 crossbones.
|
|
rlm@0
|
674
|
|
rlm@0
|
675 Shion noticed this, and her eyes went wide. "Dalton?" she asked.
|
|
rlm@0
|
676
|
|
rlm@0
|
677 "Ah, Ms. Uzuki!" Gerad replied. He brought both hands over his heart
|
|
rlm@0
|
678 in a gesture of mock happiness. "You remember me! I can't help but be
|
|
rlm@0
|
679 touched!" The smile vanished from his face, and his tone became as
|
|
rlm@0
|
680 serious as a heart attack. "I, of course, remember you."
|
|
rlm@0
|
681
|
|
rlm@0
|
682 "You know this person, Shion?" KOS-MOS asked. She attempted to use
|
|
rlm@0
|
683 her internal UMN link to access Vector personnel files for a Gerad
|
|
rlm@0
|
684 Dalton, but was unable to log on. Another internal error? she
|
|
rlm@0
|
685 wondered.
|
|
rlm@0
|
686
|
|
rlm@0
|
687 "I don't know how you got here, Gerad, but you can rest assured once
|
|
rlm@0
|
688 we get back, I'll be sure to report you! The Federation has been
|
|
rlm@0
|
689 looking for you for a long time!"
|
|
rlm@0
|
690
|
|
rlm@0
|
691 " 'We?' " Gerad asked. "What, do you have a mouse in your pocket?"
|
|
rlm@0
|
692
|
|
rlm@0
|
693 "Just what is that supposed to mean, Gerad?" Shion yelled back. "I
|
|
rlm@0
|
694 was talking about myself and KOS-MOS!"
|
|
rlm@0
|
695
|
|
rlm@0
|
696 "Oh yes, the weapon," Gerad said as though he was noticing the
|
|
rlm@0
|
697 battle android for the first time. "It could pose a problem. Lets
|
|
rlm@0
|
698 take care of that now, shall we?"
|
|
rlm@0
|
699
|
|
rlm@0
|
700 Gerad quickly pointed toward the two women. At the same time, KOS-
|
|
rlm@0
|
701 MOS detected a sudden energy surge coming from his body, and drew her
|
|
rlm@0
|
702 blaster. A jagged bolt of blue-white energy sprang from his
|
|
rlm@0
|
703 fingertips. Simultaneously, KOS-MOS shoved Shion down out of the way
|
|
rlm@0
|
704 with her left hand and fired with her right.
|
|
rlm@0
|
705
|
|
rlm@0
|
706 The two blasts met in mid-air and exploded, the force of the
|
|
rlm@0
|
707 explosion pushing Shion along the ground about five feet, and
|
|
rlm@0
|
708 flooding the artificial evening with light. When her vision cleared,
|
|
rlm@0
|
709 she noticed neither Gerad nor KOS-MOS had budged an inch.
|
|
rlm@0
|
710
|
|
rlm@0
|
711 "Well, well, well," Gerad said with honest surprise. "This should be
|
|
rlm@0
|
712 fun." |
