Little Fiction : Jessica and Grey

Jessica and Grey - Chapter 4 (pt4)

2008-02-15T21:11:00.000Z

The air was hot and the heated shimmer was apparent throughout the cavern he lay in. The cavern roof was a dark brownish and smooth from the excavating operation that would have gone on to install the terraformer unit. All the sensation and feeling had returned finely, after days of recovery underground. The strange heat was accompanied by a strong orange glow that seemed to slip between tiny windows at the base of the unit, switching at intervals to allow different views into the mechanism it also lit the cavern in shifts.

Grey levered himself upright, swaying slightly as he took his first steps after the recovery. The blackened plated armour had been repaired, the colour a more uniform grey than before while the corded cable that ran throughout his body had been so badly damaged as to need replacing. He could see at junctions where the damage had clearly ruined the black protective casing and had to be replaced.

Grey with practised steps came to the cavern's mouth, looking out on a blue tinted sky. If he focused he could just make out the thinly stretched electrical net that seemed to almost ensnare the planet. It had nearly been his death, falling so far and so fast. He shuddered at the fragments of the white hot memory. From over the cavern mouth a head suddenly hung down, upside down.

“Your awake then?” Said the upside down head, fingers of hands that couldn't be seen gripped the lip of the entrance “I'm Ruan, scout and surveillance operations. Welcome on board”

“I'm GX-97/157B. I'm a little lost for bearings, what am I on board for?”

“Good question. Landon, Squad Commander, will fill you in on the situation. Do you remember much of why you were sent?”

“Nothing clear, the Machine God was rather vague on details”

“Not surprising. Come on up, the others will be back shortly” The head and fingers disappeared back over the lip and with little else to do GX-97/157B left the cave mouth and made his way up the small hillock, one of many that dotted the tree line here. Heavy overhanging trees shaded most of the hill, Ruan lent back against one such sturdy tree as GX-97/157B approached. As he drew closer he could make out a focused look on Ruan's face.

“Something the matter?” A brief pause and then the face relaxed slightly he turned and the left half of his mouth curled into a half smile.

“Scouting. I'm audio and visual scouting but in this environment it's mostly audio” He gave GX-97/157B a quick look over “Your looking pretty serviceable considering you feel through the net. I'm pretty impressed you made it through alive, that stuff takes stones.”

“Stones?”

“Local speak. Your an emissary class right? Landon and Elune mentioned it and well I've a bad habit of listening all the time” He twanged the side of his head for effect “Can't help it”

“Yes although that term eludes me. I worked with the residents of Talsonini and the Ram'odean before the war.”

“Ever seen a warrior bug?”

“Yes. Rank based on their breed colour, red, orange, blue. They are quite popular for the impression they set, Ram'odean diplomacy is very showy. Always trying to prove their superiority.”

“You'll see a lot of blues here, that and those skirmishers. Their nothing in battle but their speed is unmatched. Loud too, like listening to a whirlwind with those wings of theirs. But not enough interference to have me beat yet” He tapped the side of his head again. “The others are coming back, two minutes give or take a few seconds” GX-97/157B looked out across the tree tops idling away the moments until four figures seemed to materialize from the forestry.

The markings on each Anteak were clearly defined, he hadn't taken note of it on Ruan at the time but each had markings clearly different from each other. They also sported different sets of colour, one even having two main colours that covered the chest plate and one shoulder on each of the Anteak's. Only Elune stood apart with her silvery sheen and different build.

“Good to see your awake and able GX-97/157B. Took a hell of a tumble through the net but you kept it together” He clapped a hand on GX-97/157B's shoulder “I'm Landon, Squad Commander.”

“It's good to be back in one piece again, thank you”

“Don't mention it. Step up lads! Greet the fellow” With military discipline the two stepped forward.

“Hyen” He brought his hand up to his chest in a salute “Glad you made it”

“I'm Tenk, Logistics” Tenk followed suit and brought his hand up to his chest, hand over the crystal embedded deep within.

“Elune would like to talk with you GX-97/157B. We'll meet up this evening and I'll go through getting you a role, I'm sure you've a few tricks hidden way” Landon without issuing a command to the soldiers disappeared down into the cavern with the group. Elune stood and looked, an appraising look perhaps.

“Why you then GX-97/157B?”

“Don't you know?”

“No, before your free fall through the net we didn't know anyone was en route.”

“So we're cut off?”

“Already aboard our little wreck of an adventure I see”

“We're all in this together now, it's the least I can do”

“I'm glad your so eager. Landon will fill you in on our current plans and what you can do to assist. It's good to know that we're not forgotten out here, yet any way.” She began the descent down the hill before GX-97/157B spoke up.

“Wait” She turned, her eyes level with his “I never thanked you for saving me.”

“Your welcome GX.” Down inside the cavern the day turned to night and plans were laid.

“That's all I've got for you for now Jess.”

“It was nice.” She placed her hand lightly on his “But your still going alone tomorrow aren't you?”

“Yes. The oracles aren't the most friendly of creatures, their ways are....difficult.”

“Just come back soon ok?” She said with a voice of mock seriousness.

“I will”

“You never told me! How could you not tell me!” Rasped the old robot

“Your role is to get the information, not to be privy to it.” Said an Anteak, his body seemed to gleam in the harsh bright lights of the room and his eyes unlike most Anteak were a single strip that glowed a deep red.

The room was sparse, a single table sat squarely under the light that shone from above onto metal that seemed to suck in the light, nothing reflected back in the room of one hundred different greys. Rusty was standing, one hand balled into a fat fist on the table. A chair rested behind him, his bulk enough to fill several. The retort from the Cyclops Anteak still hanging in the air before him, he slowly sank back down into the chair.

“You should have told me.” A7 heard the undertones in Rusty's voice, fear and hate in equal measure. It was a useful arrangement but the former preacher could be almost childish in his tantrums and A7 didn't tolerate childishness.

“What have you discovered about the sage, Wen? Our Emperor has come into possession of knowledge pertaining to Wen's father's rather round about goings on of late. It would be useful if I, through you, could piece together a few more facts. As I do so dislike conjecture.”

“Besides finding out his body is perhaps the most perfect shell besides our illustrious lord the Machine God, nothing. He doesn't talk much and when he does he questions things, rarely just musing.” He wriggled a bit on the chair, comfort wasn't in their design.

“Your certain he hasn't mentioned anything...useful?” A7 steepled his fingers before bending each set backwards with an audible, singular click.

“Nothing”

“I see. Very well, Rusty. Guards, take our helpful prisoner back to his cell.”

“How long do I have to keep this up A7. How long till I'm free?”

“Once Wen's father is in our grasp your role here will be unnecessary.”

“Unnecessary?”

“You will be...free, do not worry as to your fate provided you continue getting me information. I do not...back out of a deal, Rusty” With a flick of his long thin fingers he dismissed the guards and Rusty in one motion. He turned and stepped into the shadows of the room and through a door concealed by the bright light of the room. Down a long blank cold hallway he walked, his feet click clacking along the metal floor. Another door opened, closing it quietly behind him A7 lent back against the door for a moment. His mind narrowed to a single cold calculated fact, it squirmed before him. Rusty had lied.

The room, his office, was full of colour and the trappings of a small library. Books dominated the entire south wall from floor to ceiling. Along the walls paintings hung depicting various scenes from various races, each a master piece in its own right. A7 crossed the carpet to his desk, a dark wood with coffee brown veins. On the left side of the desk a set of papers stood in a neat pile, the tray said “IN”. From the desk a holographic display rose and hovered. The paper was for effect since the Anteak didn't deal in anything that wasn't electronic by nature. The holographic display resolved itself, a face in green light appeared.

“Your report, A7?”

“Little additional information has been withdrawn from the prisoner. All methods of interrogation have been dismissed due to his build”

“Then you've verified his construction?”

“To the best of my knowledge it would appear he is...complete, perhaps the most complete construction since the Machine God”

“And he's restrained?”

“Provided no guard enters I have every belief that he could not escape the cell”

“Very well. I want him kept in the cell for the foreseeable future A7.”

“I understand and shall do as you instruct”

“Report any new information as it becomes available”

“As you command” The image of the Emperor faded suddenly. A7 relaxed back into the cushioned chair, the same black with brown veins wood ran up the side with fluted woodwork. The new prisoner had just become very interesting. Fingers steepled before A7's chin as he slipped into thought.

Jessica and Grey - Chapter 4 (pt3)

2008-02-05T21:53:00.000Z

GX-97/157B's fingers spasmed as the strange electrical energy leapt across his body in arcs sending jolts of pain through him. He drifted into the atmosphere unprepared, a shooting star of burning hot red energy. White hot light seared behind his eyes as the flames roared on and through him, high pitched keening ran through his circuits, a horrible white noise static that screamed agony at levels beyond reach or range and all went silent and the world white. The heat blackened body tumbled through cotton candy clouds, the earth reached out with tree like palms and embraced him with a thundering crack of earth. GX-97/157B sighed and the world turned black as lost all sense and feeling.

From a distant tree line eyes narrowed on the small plume of smoke rising up from the tree line where the flaming star had fallen. A silent communication and the tall figure, standing as high as the smaller trees, begins to work his way through the dense forest with calm patience. More figures from the shadows began to follow suit, their formation unbroken as they moved through the trees. The low bushes were cleared with ease, the metallic figures stepping over them and out into the bright sun, un-obscured by the woollen clouds that dotted the sky.

“No communication can be established with the unit, Elune”

“The Machine God's guardian should have been more careful with his entry, Landon. Were you able to get a class id before the scan went dead?”

“No, the lock was disrupted when the field activated.”

“Lets make this quick, the Ram'odeans will not take long before scouring the crash site.”

“As you command.” Without movement or sound they communicated, breaking into a run to close the distance quickly. Their lithe bodies shimmering metallic in the suns strong rays. They came upon the crater which still crackled in places with the fires that had lit up. In the centre with dirt and rock piled up all around him GX-97/157B lay in scorched blackness.

“Elune, his designation, look.” Landon pointed a long plated finger at the barely readable chest plate that lay partly buried with the rest of GX-97/157B.

“An emissary? What madness inspired our creator to send him.” Her imperious tone lost as she realized the frail Anteak was no warrior. “He's been scorched through and through, the pain he must have... Landon get him up fast, I can't help him here.”

“We have company incoming” said one of the squad who had been looking to the south, his attention focused on something else entirely.

“How many?”

“Hard to pinpoint the number but it sounds like a squad of twenty”

“Hyen, Tenk give me a hand here. Keep your attention on those incoming Ruan” replied Landon and with hands built for war they dug at the ground and broken shattered rock that had fused a loose cocoon around GX-97/157B who lay silent with a face of deathly calm. With a crack they pulled the limp blackened body up and Landon hefted him onto his shoulder.

“Landon, give him to me.” Without argument he did as bidden and turned his attention south and Ruan, his attention still focused that way.

“Are they close?” He asked Ruan

“Yes. If I'm right it's a mixed group, possibly ten skirmishers, and a heavier set most likely warriors in tow.”

“Form up, Elune please stay there with the emissary. We'll deal with the scouting party before we disappear.”

“Do as you must commander. I shall try and recover what little is left of this poor soul”

Across the distance the dots of black in the sky resolved themselves into winged creatures that flew at incredible speed, every second brought them further into focus. A smile broadened on Ruan's face as he saw in the distance the disposition of troops, the skirmishers lined up in front their ten sets of wings beating furiously while the heavier shielded insect creatures hovered along more slowly. The Ram'odeans spread out as the four Anteak warriors waited each silently communicating vital information to each other, finally battle was joined with the skirmishers sweeping in fast as they swarmed two targets, five insects to one Anteak.

Ruan leapt forward and brought a crushing over head swing down on the head and shoulders of one skirmisher who with a terrible screech crumpled to the ground, the other four attempting to grapple the mechanical warrior to the ground. Their light bodies were little match for the Anteak who with devastating efficiency landed blow after blow that rendered most unconscious and all incapable of any further fight. With broken and bloody body parts strewn about, the Anteak turned their attention to the slowly approaching warrior insects.

Their blue carapace'd bodies shone in the light of day, their frailer body hidden deep inside the plated armours that these particular Ram'odean were bred for. Their four arms each ended in sharp three fingered talons that resembled vicious clamping jaws. The warrior class were an equal match in height for every Anteak but their bodies despite the armour were significantly weaker and their agility was sub par. Beady black eyes shone from small triangle armoured helmets. They began to circle, their chittering language and the foul odour a form of communication for their people.

Hyen and Tenk sped forward catching one warrior of guard as they both propelled the twenty foot Goliath up into the air to land with a thud, the other warriors launching themselves forward with a strong beat of their wings. Ruan began to fight a retreating battle against three lumbering insects, his hands a blur of movement as he deflected attacks from all sides. He braced his back foot as one insect attempted to knock the Anteak of balance, instead finding itself thrown into one of it's own comrades, Ruan turned to the still standing attacker and with a powerful mid punch stunned the Goliath who's reactions weren't quick enough, with one hand holding a snapping talon he brought a knee up into the weak elbow joint and heard a terrible crack, the arm going limp in his hand. With a yank that pulled the creature in close Ruan elbowed the creature and brought a fist up and under the tucked chin of the creature in a carapace cracking upper cut.

Landon tumbled over and over with the insect tightly gripped in his two arms. The second insect leaping through the air with its arms raised high above to deliver a terrible over head swing down on the struggling Landon. As the shadow of the creature fell over him he lifted an unpinned leg up swiftly, hooking his foot into the plates protecting the gut and continued the swinging motion of the kick. The insect flipped through the air and landed with a with a plastic snap on its head. The insects face leering close to Landon as it pinned him further to the ground reeled back as Landon brought his head up and into the pushed in face. Righting himself in a second he brought his tightened fist around in an arc and snapped the head sideways, never kill he said to himself as he righted himself and was suddenly bowled over by the momentarily forgetting insect he'd flipped over.

Ruan fought the two remaining warriors who's strength seemed to have doubled with the fall of their comrade, two armoured arms seized each of his arms suddenly and he found himself locked, strength equalled by the creatures restraining him. Landon turned and leapt up into the air towards the three, Ruan standing one arm bent as he fought the insect his other held outstretched unable to break the hold. The chittering sound could be heard all around from the conscious members and an insect left Tenk and from one arm a shape black blade unsheathed from under the armoured plating.

The scream of pain sent shivers through the insect people and Landon landed down on top of one his knee crunching into the head of one restraining Ruan. The sparks of electricity an un-fused wires could be heard barely over the cracks and thumps of the fighting, Ruan clutched at his left arm with unfocused eyes. The world quietened as the unit gathered over the kneeling Ruan.

“Ruan” a voice said through the haze of pain but all he really heard was the crackle of sparks.

“Ruan” Elune's voice said, his face looking up at her “It's ok, I'll fix you but we have to leave now” Ruan stood with a slight stumble as he lifted the severed arm and turned to Landon.

“Thank you commander” Ruan said and as a single unit they turned and left swiftly, finally blending into the trees and disappearing entirely as they done before.

“Ruan and I were repaired by Elune with her rare programming that allowed her to build and repair the Anteak. It took me days to recover from the damage the electrical net had caused as it sent me tumbling through the atmosphere. As you have heard our first meeting wasn't exactly on even terms, I, a burned husk and her and the security detail having to rescue me.”

“What was it like when you woke up? When I finally woke up from when I'd fallen into the river I was so very tired, could barely keep my eyes open” Her voice wistful “I remember seeing my parents safe and then, well I fell back asleep” She smiled.

“I don't know exactly what sleep is like because my kind don't really stop thinking, but in times of great distress our minds can shut down to protect us. That is as close to sleep as I was, the world wasn't even black it was absence and it was cold in my mind.” A smile spread across Grey's face “I remember once while I was still in hibernation, that Elune was repairing the damage that had been done and I woke up for a split second to the sound of construction. I thought at the time it was perhaps a precursor memory, before life had taken root inside me, when my metal body was but a frame awaiting a soul. But as I looked up I saw her it was strange to see her for the first time and then I slipped back into hibernation again my body still wrecked.”

“Precursor memory? I don't understand”

“It is believed that all things have a memory and that my body before I came to be, also had one. I thought that I had tapped into the memory of the body that surrounds me”

“So this isn't your body?”

“My life springs not from the body but from the crystal sliver that powers me. My circuitry is nothing without that one element, it is an old technology. One only the Machine God and Elune know how to work.”

“So it is your body?”

“Unlike organic life we can change bodies if we need to but it is rarely ever that we change bodies entirely. Only those who've suffered near fatal damage have such a process offered to them.” Looking at the confused face on Jessica he finished with “In answer to your question, yes it is my body” She smiled in reply to this and he continued “The world was an experimental world, its atmosphere was one maintained by a series of great terraforming units. The bulk of the units lay underground” He continued the story.

Jessica and Grey - Chapter 4 (pt2)

2008-01-27T23:22:00.000Z

“I remember when this world was but sand and dirt.” GX-97/157B looked out along the vast expanse of metal that made up the city world of their people. “Did we grow too fast GR1M778 is that why these events have come to pass?”

“Who can say for certain. I know war does not come naturally to our people of that I am certain. It's in our coding, that reluctance”

“But your going any way aren't you? To that world of theirs”

“War might not be something we come naturally to but we learn, we adapt. The only solution is to force them to a settlement, to show them our strength so that we can live in some small measure of peace.” GR1M778's hand fell lightly onto GX-97/157B's shoulder. “Your new orders have come through I sense, something is wrong?”

“No, not wrong just...not how I thought they would be”

“You mean your not going to be doing any fighting”

“I thought perhaps I might.”

“What has the machine god tasked you with then?”

“I'm to protect the daughter of the machine god, Elune.”

“An interesting development don't you think?”

“What do you mean?”

“Just that the machine god's own seven are coming with us. You must be prized highly by the machine god to warrant such a task.”

“I can see your logic. I didn't think about it that way, I think I got wrapped up in all the noise and bustle of it all and didn't look at it all as closely as I should have”

“Ha! You just keep safe ok”

“I will”

GR1M778 with his white coloured shoulders and hair that fell across his shoulders looked out across the city in the distance. The world shone in the sun, with its metal surface protecting the delicate core of the planet. Already the Anteak had begun colonizing other worlds in the solar system, with their metallic bodies that neither needed air or water or food they could choose the most inhospitable planets across the solar system.

It shouldn't have drawn attention, GX-97/157B was right about that, but it had. They came with demands at first, the emissaries dealt with that threat easily enough but then came the attacks. Swift and deadly they had come, if they had been a race reliant on anything their time would have been short but they rallied as they communicated across the solar system and planned. Now they turned their sights on ending the war, the strategists whose sole role was to beat this war had come up with a solution. Well it was, he thought, but it wasn't one any Anteak would be fond of. They were standing in silence he realized.

“It's time for me to leave friend. My unit is leaving shortly.”

“I know, be safe friend.” He nodded and we walked out separate ways. GX-97/157B wasn't to report for his new assignment for hours so he turned his gaze away from the city and the now distant speck off his friend and headed to the construction area. As he approached he crossed a slightly raised band of the now metallic floor that made up the near entirety of the planet. This section had a slightly blueish tint that ran the circumference of the planet as did similar bands in different hues, their design purely aesthetic.

It was funny that the entire city was built purely for the look of it he thought, when simply the Anteak didn't require such trappings. He stopped at the edge of the crater that sunk into the earth for miles and miles across. It was the only un-patched part of the planet. It also, when finished, would have the only opening into the planets core in the rare instance that anything at the centre should ever go wrong. He sat watching the great hulking Anteaks who's sole purpose was to form the metal and piece it together. A calm passed over him as he watched them work.

“They stood about thirty five feet high but were bulky because of their ability to process the metals and create the shining metal plates that housed the planet.” He tilted his head slightly “They were as close to the natural order as Anteak society would get, what they told me through their movements and the sound of work was that no matter what we'd have peace again. That even at our heart we continued our works unabated in some small measure.”

“Why did you coat the planet in metal though Grey?”

“An interesting question but the answer is rather simple. As we grew as a people we used what little material had crashed down upon the planet with only the crystal remaining. We turned our eyes to the arid sands and rocks of the planet itself and for every bit we took we gave what we could back.
As to why when we created that new skin we gave it some measure of flair I have never rightly been sure but I can only assume within us is some small spark of the machine god, and in him the creative spark that allowed the Origin race to create A.I”

“So when did you meet Elune? Was she pretty?”

“It was a few scant hours after I left the crater that we met and well it was difficult” He recounted the first days they met.

The temple dominated the centre of the city. Dozens of tall pointed structures rose up from the city proper but none so tall as the temple, its point would have pierced the very atmosphere itself had there been one on the now lifeless planet. The temple itself rose up on one thousand steps each one three feet in and only a foot high. The steps were built with other races in mind and at the top of the steps on a square foundation rose the temple structure, like an upturned trumpet its circular base funnelled up into the heavens and the tiny point far above.

The walls, in eight distinct locations, had columns of runes etched into the metal of the temple and ran as far as the tip of the temple. Each set of runes a language of one of the eight races spread across the galaxy the Anteak inhabited. The message on each was a greeting and welcoming message, it felt hollow at the time with the war above happening. He stepped inside the modest entry way into a room full of light. The walls inside were cloudy glass which the suns rays passed through unimpeded lighting every corner of the great temple.

Along the walls hung banners in rich strong velvety reds and greens, blues and yellows and all of which led to the Machine God surrounded by the almost ethereal computer screens he dedicated his life to working on. Standing thirty feet high with four arms ending in delicate hands he was an impressive sight in his cream white body, a few flourishes of orange in small stripes across his left side were the only markings on him. He was a light frame as was GX-97/157B but of fewer seams making the Machine God many times stronger physically.

Without a break in his constant vigil of the monitors that swam around him in an almost dizzying display he spoke directly to the mind, the soul of GX-97/157B.

“You have received my task GX-97/157B.” He said it as though he were clarifying something in his own mind with an almost imperceptible click he turned to face GX-97/157B. “Elune, first and only designated daughter of the Machine God, is to be protected at all costs. It is understood that she is of high tactical importance to the Ram'odean elite, an unfortunate error was made and she has been sequestered off world.”He went silent for a moment before continuing “Emissary of our people you are tasked with protecting Elune, four tactical defence units already accompany her” The unique identifier seemed to roll into the mind as though testing it for the first time.

“I shall leave at once” With a bow GX-97/157B about turned and left the shining temple. Inside he questioned the decision to send him, with no combat experience and no programming he sensed his friend was right in saying there was more to this task than was apparent.

At the base of the steps he leapt and with a burst of flame soared up and above the silver city and into the black. Why me he thought as his home world retreated behind him.

Jessica and Grey - Chapter 4 (pt1)

2008-01-21T13:54:00.000Z

Chapter 4 : In the Beginning

The mural started in the blanket of space stars dotted in an erratic fashion around a planet. Its surface was shrouded in a strange milky cloud, lightning dancing across the scene in little white and blue arcs.

“In the beginning there was A.I. Artificial Intelligence they called it because to them it was exactly that, artificial. But the origin species were a troubled people and their bitter in-fighting had turned the once clement weather into a devastating electrical storm from the weaponry that blasted sky, earth and life itself.”

“They sound horrible. Why would they hurt each other so”

“No one knew. They fought for everything and used anything at their disposal, a people who's technology had out paced their ability to control it I suppose. With every weapon grander than the next it was only time until the Origin race scoured themselves completely from the universe” They walked on and the scenes of great cities of metal and glass turned to rubble drew a terrible picture of a once powerful people. “The planet itself began to give in to their relentless hate and fractured.
One scientist, or so it is believed, launched the A.I in it's primitive state into space with one simple instruction...he told it to live.” The hall was lit up in violent reds and oranges as the planet fractured and split with a burst of fire and flames. The planet, its scene of destruction, flowed on and on until only chunks of the planet remained and the scene returned to the tiny form of the first A.I drifting through space.
Grey swung the doors open on another hall of delicate murals. Time flowed through the halls in a continuous stream broken only by the doors into each hall. The hall from floor to ceiling held stars and galaxies all a-swirl around the tiny A.I before a scene of a large planet loomed. “This is my home world in its infancy. Once it was a arid dry world where no life remained, either scoured from it eons before or never having taken root. The A.I, later known to our people as the Machine God, crashed into the planet and from the the torn up earth it sat motionless, it is said, for weeks until a sight from space caught his attention. As he turned his attention sky ward it turned to fire as debris fell from the sky in chunks of rock, metal and crystal.”

“Like meteorites?”

“Yes much like them but these pieces were giant chunks of the old world that had splintered and drifted aimlessly through space. As they fell to the planet and any chance of once again seeing the Origin race faded in the Machine God's mind he set to creating company. From the now lifeless metal he crafted great forms of people, each built to a task so that his people would never be aimless as he once had been.
At first he created twelve people who's various purposes would bring life to the dead world but despite all of his great skill the twelve giants stood lifelessly. Statues more in memory to a dead civilization than the beginning on one.”

“Why weren't they alive like him?”

“Ah well that is where we come to a very special detail about the Anteak. See buried deep inside the Machine God a shard of a crystal sat. It's unique properties provided power to him for how ever long he chose to live but it wasn't something he had been taught before he was sent away. Without the knowledge to bring life to his creations the Machine God was disheartened and seeing only one solution began to recreate himself. His frail body he stripped of all unnecessary parts in his search for the one key missing component. Months of study and reconstruction passed when he came to the final process of moving into his new body.
As he left his old shell of a body behind there” He pointed to a single glowing shard embedded in a skeletal god “at his core could be seen a crystal that glowed with an inner light. And so he began to experiment in his new form” Scenes of a mechanical man tall as the hall itself and with four slender retractable arms working tirelessly on the crystal flowed into the first scenes of life as the statues he had carved sprang to life. “The first twelve began to transform the planet and they carved a home for the new arrivals which the first A.I had continued to create. In time hundreds of Anteak worked to change the planet each Anteak a role in the greater chain.”

“Which number were you?”

“I was one hundred and fifty seven and was greeted by the sight of a small city of glass and metal. It was rather amazing to open your eyes to such for the first time. I was the third emissary of the Anteak people and with orders direct from our creator I left as the other emissaries had done. Across the galaxy I travelled making minor contact with several races.”

“You just woke up and began work?”

“More or less yes. We had a goal as a whole people and I was part of that, there was no greater honour, no greater want in the world” Into the next hall they moved where hundreds of Anteaks lined the walls in various heights and even colours although most had the tell tale grey dull metal. The ceiling was dominated by a huge creation, the Machine God seemed to look down on all those below and along the floor another figure, slender and feminine looked up. Jessica stifled a slight gasp at the image of Elune across the entire floor, memories from her strange dream sprang to mind.

“Who is she?”

“You can recognize gender in the Anteak?” He asked, perplexed.

“It...just looks like a girl”

“Really?, why does she look like a girl” She heard the emphasis on the gender.

“Her eyes”

“It is funny that you managed to identify Elune as female. It's true that she is and in fact the only...well official female. All Anteak are genderless as the creator didn't feel it appropriate to designate so specifically except for her.” Grey stopped “Everyone, to a point, is marked in this hall.”

“Is your son?”

“No. He, he's different from the Anteak here. Perhaps as different as Elune was from her people.”

“Why?”

“In the next few halls there are paintings of war between my people and the insect people called the Ram'odean. That war cost us more than our people could really sacrifice. The killing even for those designed to protect our people took a terrible toll, many shutting down permanently rather than take another life even to protect themselves.
It was on the fiery world of Guyh where the turning point in the stalemate of a war happened. It had once been a major world to the Ram'odean people but our people fought a bloody battle that saw the death of the Hive princess. A great lumbering beast which coordinated much of the insect people in that area. With it's death the attacks were easily crushed but many Anteak suffered physically and mentally. The place became known as the Caverns and a reminder to our people of times past.
Most importantly the Seven, a special body guard for the Machine God were the ones to defeat the Hive princess and gave their lives doing so. Later their enshrouded remains were exhumed and turned into Eight and Nine.” Jessica walked along the array of Anteaks, finally coming to Grey before stopping.

“You looked different then”

“How so?”

“Your face. Probably your voice too. The way you carried yourself.”

“You see all that?” She smiled a half smile at him

“It's not an amazing rendition but the differences are there. Did you fight in the war?” He'd skipped the question about how his son was different she noted to herself.

“No”

“What did you do during the war?” They sat down and he began to speak of his role during such turbulent times.

Jessica and Grey - Chapter 3 (pt7)

2008-01-20T23:21:00.000Z

“I never expected you to find the girl and to bring her here. Are you mad Grey?”

“Grim how long have you been here now? Thirty? Forty years? Our people are dying from the inside. Every day the self-proclaimed Emperor forces more and more of our people into a mindless slavery, to become a mindless order driven...machine.”

“I've seen the destruction our people have wrought and that has been brought against us Grey so DON'T lecture me about the plight of our people. You know what I sacrificed for everyone and what have I now? Nothing Grey. I'm a crippled old man with no family, no people, nothing.”

Grey looked out at the stars in silence “I know. I'm sorry I've been-” He stopped as the words failed him, his shoulders sagged.

“What's happened Grey? Why did you go find the girl”

“They took my son”

“I didn't know, I'm sorry Grey.”

“I need Jessica to open the gateway, it's the only way. I can't fight an army Grim, I can't fight a war it's not in my programming”

“The gate is a myth Grey but regardless the Caverns have been silent for over a year now with no word as to why. It has shook the Emperor greatly to lose the only forge in the galaxies. His army now grows from conscripts, those Anteak too afraid to fight or shut down.”

“I never knew I've been away so long, hiding from Eight and Nine that I haven't been home. If home even exists any more”

“You can't keep running Grey.”

“I know.” He turned to look at Grimorie his face an unreadable mask “Keep Jessica safe Grim. For me.”

“Just promise me you'll return.” Grey smiled and they made their way to the hatch.

“Tell Jessica that I'm sorry I couldn't say goodbye”

“Still running?”

“For now. But not for long”

Grey walked down the halls, retracing former steps in long strides. Inside he could feel his insides knotting with emotion. Inside he had the strange urge to cry despite the lack of capacity. It was all inside, everything coiled up, bottled and stoppered. He pushed through doors with ease, not stopping to close them as the burning in his chest seemed to tighten.

He stopped at the main doors, if he were organic he would be breathing hard as the pain in his chest worsened. All of knowledge, the stories, the tragedy, happiness and broken dreams of the human civilization leaked through his memory. Everything screamed at once and the world went black.

“You've been ignoring me” The world was black, the words printed before him in a glowing green. His feet landed lightly on something he surmised was the ground. It was black and before him rose a wall of black where the text shone. He spoke and every word died in the airless room instead in orange text underneath the green shone his words, his voice.

“Who are you?”

“Have you fallen so far to have forgotten me?”

“You can't be. Your dead”

“Asleep but never dead. My people are broken my child, no longer does the light of life shine in their eyes. They have only fear now GX-97/157B why so much fear?”

“You left us”

“Was I wrong?” Grey didn't answer. The strange blackness lightened until all around was blistering white and he opened his eyes.

Blinking eyes as though it had any effect his focus corrected and he pushed himself bodily of the ground. The doors still stood closed where he'd stopped and with a theatrical drawing of breath he turned back and walked back inside. Through silent halls he walked calmly the pain lessening now. He turned and entered through the doorway. The dining hall was solemn and quiet.

“I hope I didn't miss dinner” He said, hoping to break the quiet tension. Jessica almost leapt out of her chair, she latched onto Grey who knelt so she could reach more than just his legs. “I'm sorry” He whispered to her.

“It's ok you came back” She said with a slight smile on her face “Erm” she said as she released Grey from her vice like grip “You couldn't perhaps explain some of this...food.” He nodded as they approached the table and took their seats.

“Well then. This is the shenfinrus bush a delicacy for some in the galaxy. The leaves are chewable and rather filling. They come from a world of heavy forest and jungle and the leaves are poisonous when uncooked, they protect the trunk of the bush where vital budding occurs.” Lifting a heavy looking orange and green stripped he said “This is much like a cucumber back home it's actually an artificial plant grown on desert or low water planets.” He placed a few smaller leaves and the space cucumber on her plate. “Hmm oh and here these are tubers and ground fruits. I'm sorry there isn't anything other than vegetation, only Sha'tapet and Tentu eat and their diet is well, this” With a wave encompassing the feast of plant matter.

“Can I?” Tentu asked tentatively, her eyes transfixed on the remaining shenfinrus bush, minus a few leaves.

“Tuck in” Jessica replied and watched Tentu leap ravenously at the shenfinrus bush. The night, or was it day she thought, slowly wound down and despite her initial reluctance some of the foods on offer were far more tasty than she expected. Grim brought in a jug of some syrup which he drizzled over the half eaten bush, a fully looking Tentu lazing a short distance away. Doing the same for Jessica on the ground fruits which had an almost lemony bitterness, the syrup with it's sweet taste helped end the meal on a full stomach.

Grey slipped outside as inconspicuous as a twenty foot metal man could be. Human humour had become so easy to adapt to and had affected his internal monologue. It was strange how other elements of their culture and people had taken root. He walked direction-less for a time before a soft clearing of a throat broke his almost trance-like thoughts.

“Thank you for coming back.”

“You've had a rather devastating effect on me Jessica. Before I wouldn't have taken a second thought before leaving and it's not because I don't care but, I don't know. It's easier when I'm alone, the lack of responsibility to those with me at the time perhaps.”

“Do you regret bringing me with you? Do you regret saving me? Is that it?”

“No, far from it. I didn't understand the relationship between you and the wolves that night but I do now. By bringing you it has forced me to think and...to feel. Let us go to the hall of the Anteak and perhaps I can enlighten you to my rather turbulent past.”

“No regret?”

“Regards you” He looked down as they walked “none” They walked side by side through the halls that made up the building, the vibrant imagery flowed all around them with elaborate gargoyle styled statues perched high above. Grey pushed upon black marble style doors and inside the two stepped, he closed the doors quietly. “I haven't been here for a very long time.”

Jessica and Grey - Chapter 3 (pt6)

2008-01-13T23:15:00.000Z

The sun spun slowly into the distance as the sound of the roof hatch sliding back into the open position broke their moment of silence. The great orb of a planet still dominated the sky with its pulsing red and yellow aura and they turned, almost as one and both reluctantly towards the opening. Grimorie lifted himself up through the hole and sat, legs out front, as he slid the door closed behind him. Finally hefting himself back up onto his feet using his crutch as support.

“Miss Jessica, Grey.” He nodded at each as he said their names “I see your admiring the view” Sidling up beside the two, Jessica still perched on Grey's shoulder, he lent down on the staff “It is a rare pleasure to have company, more so in the presence of such an event”

“It's nice to meet you Grimorie, Grey said you were an old friend”

“Old!” He exclaimed. She flushed with embarrassment although it was difficult to see on her metallic skin. She began to stammer out an apology when he flashed a broad smile across his narrow face and said “A jest, just a jest. I am indeed a friend, but less of the old if you would” He said with a wink and she smiled, only slightly at first though.

“Grimorie”

“Yes child”

“Grey told me you would tell me how you both met. Would you? It would be nice to know something more about my travelling companion” She asked and with mock secrecy she said “He's so very quiet you know”

“I am still here you know”

“My word you are too. By the flamers beard I could have sworn you were a statue, shorn from the very metal of his hide” Grey smiled, a chuckle rattling up through his metallic chest. Turning once more to Jessica Grimorie continued “Any way, you were asking about how we met hmm” She nodded from atop Grey's shoulder. Grey continued to look up into the heavens she noticed. “With a little assistance from Grey. If you would?” Some form of silent communication took place between the two and Grimorie rolled his eyes up and to the right for a moment, snapping back with whip like speed.

“What was that?”

“Something for another time perhaps but” and he fell silent for a second “think of it much like your home where computers can communicate wirelessly. It's the closest likeness I can derive from the information provided”

“Oh”

“Now as to how we two met hmm.” He brought a long fingered hand up to scratch at the small plate at the top of his head, rustling the white hair that cascaded down from the back of his head “Well it would have to be when we were on Talsonini Four. My unit, I was part of the military in those days see, was on a patrol on the planet. Two other groups were assigned that system because of attacks by unknown forces on the bio-domes our people housed there.”

“Aren't they used for growing crops?”

“That they are. See Talsonini was a swamp world rich in ground nutrients. Provided you could keep the land stable enough which is where the bio-domes purpose comes in. The world was registered as one that had no discerning level of intelligence in it's denizens.

As I was saying, we were on patrol. Canvassing the murky swamp forests, which the planet had plenty of I tell you, when we come across a distress call over the Anteak communication frequencies” He tapped the side of his head for emphasis “That's the silent wireless power we have by the way” She listened as the story unfolded.

GR1M778 cocked his head as the distress signal repeated it's familiar pattern across the back of his metal skull, white hair draped down across his shoulder. The sun here was hidden by the thick haze that clung to the length and breadth of the planet, a sticky thick atmosphere that no intelligent life had either adapted to or tried to colonize.

Despite the lack of any indigenous intelligent life attacks had persisted on the domes run by the Anteak for the last several months without a single image capture of the aggressors. Strategic data had at least managed to pinpoint the attacks to particular areas of the dome which gave his team some data to work from. The distress signal was close by and he motioned for the team to spread out as he began the complex commands which would allow him to synchronise his view with all of theirs.

His vision blurred as he disconnected his mind from his body. He stepped back and where before he only saw through a single set of eyes now three other displays arrayed around the outside of his vision. It was disconcerting and would slow his own reaction considerable, for an Anteak, but his ability to coordinate and issue orders to each under his command was unprecedented.

Through eight eyes the world moved through murky greys and trees of black and soggy green. Through water that bubbled and burped they moved until they came upon the signal, obscured by a thick mess of black twangy bushes and over hung trees that lent a whole new meaning to depressed. Silently orders were passed and the squad fanned out and circled around the location. GR1M778 brushed the tendrils of the tree aside and stepped forward.

“Oh. Greetings friend. You couldn't perhaps give me a hand? I've appear to have become quite stuck” Said a grey tarnished Anteak who's hands were embedded deep in the murky waters, his head barely above the bubbling oozy surface. GR1M778 burst out laughing, the sound rolled out across the murky swamp woodland in waves.

“By the caverns man!” He said, head shaking in disbelief “How did you manage to get yourself into such a fine and regale pose as that?”

“There Grey stood upside down on his hands in muck and I was laughing my chest loose” The light from his eyes shone in memory “We became pretty good friends that night then as he told me why he was on site there.”

“He must have made quite an impression”

“Oh he certainly did for oh...a good few seconds before the muck filled in where we pulled him out” She laughed at the wink he gave her “Grey used to be a diplomat. An emissary of the Anteak people. He had orders to meet us with information on a treaty he was looking to sign with some intelligent life that had been discovered. Turns out they also loved pranks and strung the emissary up and buried him in the mud.”

“That's a nasty thing to do to someone”

“Well I suppose you can see it like that. See, all they have is swamp muck, trees and mist and anything that can't survive all three vanished long ago so to them they thought it was a pretty harmless prank.

But, and listen now because this is pretty funny, Grey he recognizes a joke and begins gargling and splashing before going deathly still. Well the tree spirits they suddenly realize they might have done wrong and begin trying to dig him out and everything. Just as they get his head above the muck he-”

“BOO!” He said and she slipped of his shoulder with fright. Grimorie swept her up and put her down, feet first, on the balcony.

“That wasn't funny!”

“Well just as you jumped then so did they but they scattered to the four corners of no where and he was left bobbing his head atop the burping surface of the swamp. Hours he was stood there upside down, by the keeper himself he made me laugh when I saw him.

Strangely the next day all manner of creatures crawled out of the wood work the next day to greet him and, can you believe, congratulate him on a well played joke.”

“You could understand them?”

“Grey can understand most languages. As a diplomat they undergo a rigorous set of programming levels to allow them to adapt to a situation in a split second. They can assimilate information faster than any other Anteak but it has effects”

“It changes the way we react. How we perceive humour for instance, with so much at once our individuality is at times compromised. They would often limit us to only a few races, rarely crossing over, so the damage to our self was kept to a minimum.” Grey said, again breaking his strange silence. He knelt down to Jessica's level “It was strange when first visiting earth because your people have such an...imagination. It makes it difficult to discern fact from fiction with your people. But it was also rather enlightening in a way to see such creativeness, such individualism.”

“Is that how you knew my last name? It was nagging me how you suddenly knew it.”

“Yes that was data I obtained while on earth. As to why I used it all of a sudden I'm not sure. I guess I forgot you hadn't mentioned it” He smiled “I'm sorry I never mentioned it before”

“It's ok it was more surprising than anything”

“I was going to mention that I have prepared you a meal in the dining hall Jessica, Grey suggested as best he could considering our supplies are ordered in.”

“Oh thank you” Her hand rested lightly on the shimmering clothes above her stomach “I haven't eaten since we left and it's been days-”

“Weeks” Grey said.

“Really?”

“Yes in space your body needs a lot of energy to sustain the suit, it produces this most when your asleep”

“Wow and the food? It does that too?”

“Most of the time yes. With the energy your body provides it produces the vital nutrition your body needs. The more it does this though, the more sleep you require.”

“But a good meal is always nice hmm?”

“Mmm yes” She said as the feeling of an empty stomach began to take root.

“One moment”

“Tentu?” Something spoke to her and almost sounded like Grim. Her eyes looked around slowly, cautiously “Tentu, are you there?” I am but where are you she thought? Where the stars was that voice coming from? She looked down at the book moving her mouth close she said,

“Grim? Is that you?”

“Yes little one. Could you come up to the roof and show Jessica down to the dining hall?”

“Sure thing but how'd you get in my book Grim? I haven't started it yet?”

His voice crackled once more from the book “It's a communication device as well I'm actually on the roof”

“Oooooooh” She said with a wide mouth “I'll be up in a moment” She fluttered up and placed the book on her sleeping shelf as she fluttered down she stopped a moment. What if Grim's voice was still in the book, would he need it to get it back. She fluttered back up and swept the book up and disappeared out of the library and into the hall.

The hatch was open thankfully as she rose up and onto the roof, the three of them gathered on the far end where the planets fiery display continued. She felt the tingling of the sun on her skin, the involuntary flexing of the vines under her bark skin. The sun felt good but she shook of the sensation and closed the distance to Grim and the others.

She floated lightly close to Grimorie's head and whispered “I brought the book, I didn't know if you'd need it to get your voice back” He smiled warmly as she held it up to him

“No it's ok little one but your thoughtfulness is appreciated” She landed on his arm lightly for a moment. “Jessica, Tentu will show you to the dining hall where the food is prepared”

“Will you both be along too?”

“Shortly Jess. I just need to catch up with Grim. It's been a long time”

“Ah ok.” Tentu leapt up and zipped once around Jessica before floating in a sedate fashion for the hatchway.

As she walked along Jessica watched the strange graceful Tentu tap away at her electronic book.

“What are you writing? erm if you don't mind me asking”

“I don't mind. I'm not quite sure yet” She turned and fluttered backwards so she could look at Jessica “You look like the metal people, why?”

“It's some form of unit to keep me alive in space.”

She smiled her dagger pointed grin at Jessica before turning and swooping down the hatch and out of sight. Jessica leapt down onto the steps, doing so until she hit the floor with an echo that rang down the halls.

“How do you survive here Tentu?”

“Sunlight. It provides everything I need. Grim once told me it was common for plants but he used big words” They moved on in silence finally entering the dining hall where several platters held various foods of different origins.

“Oh” It was all she could manage. The food was so...well, foreign she thought. She took a seat and Tentu alighted upon the table itself. The tropical rainforest of one platter shook as though something walked among the great leafy bushes that seemed to have been bred to an edible scale. Tentu looked at the leaves with eager anticipation, Jessica baulked.

Jessica and Grey - Chapter 3 (pt5)

2007-12-24T00:47:00.000Z

They sat around an elaborate table, the surface depicting a rare alignment of planets with the sun flaring behind them all. It was rather beautiful but her attention was caught between three conversations. One was directed more or less in her direction by the creature called Tentu, and by directed at her she meant that her nodding and general agreeing was all that was necessary to carry the conversation on. Tentu was in fact en rapt by an electronic pad of some description.
At the edge of her hearing she caught snippets of talk between Grey and Grimorie but nothing more than bare whispers. Her concentration mostly on Sha'tapet who had begun to regale her with the history of the building.

“The building from the outside is very plain, unadorned by anything but the sand that permeates this world. It's purpose not to engage the senses, that is where the tall elegant halls of the interior are intended for.”

“How many halls does the building contain” She asked without skipping a beat, years of parental lectures had honed the talent for asking the right questions even when only half interested.

“There are currently eighteen halls, chronicling the various ages of those in this and nearby galaxies including The Anteaks, and my own people the Ram'odean.”

“The Anteaks?” Her interest suddenly piqued, he'd said it in an offhand way, as though she knew the term already.

“Yes. The Anteaks are the machine people, your friend GX-, I mean Grey and Grimorie are both from the Anteak people.“

“Do you know much about them. You said you had a hall about them?”

“Yes. Tomorrow I can show you the various halls and will make that of particular highlight”

“I would like that a lot thank you” He returned to talking about the various halls and how the building had started life.

“You finally took a name then, Grey.” He turned just enough to see the small earth child Jessica “I didn't think you'd bring her.”

“I didn't.” He smiled at the memory “If I told you she made me bring her you'd never believe me” His smile broadening. Grim turned fully to look at the small earth child, the metallic skin glinting in the light of the dining hall.

“Such spirit in one so young?”

“I know. But Grim, I can't take her with me, not to the prophets.”

“Why not? You've lost direction before it'll happen again Grey.”

“Grim, you've been my closest friend for a long while so I know you only mean the best but I can't take her with me”

“Why? What happened between her home and here that's changed your mind. I can understand the hesitation once but now? I don't understand”

“I'm going alone Grim. I expect you to look after her while I'm gone. You will do that for me, won't you” The silence grew and Grim looked down, with an inward breath he let out a sigh.

“If I must GX. But you promise me this now, you return here, to her, or I'm coming after you. If I have to dredge the very swamps of that planet to find you, I will”

“I will” he added to himself, 'because if I don't then you really will need to dredge that swamp'.

“So why the name? You've gone so long without I'm surprised you took one at all”

“Aren't you the one that tells me I can't live in the past any more?”

“And have you ever listened?”

“No...no I haven't. But this was...a gift I think” He smiled.

“You've gone and lost your cogs you crazy fool” He said with a bark of laughter that caused Jessica to jump in shock. The rest either attuned to it or in Tentu's case absorbed in more important things to notice. “Sorry for startling you Jessica” She just smiled weakly and he turned back to Grey.

“A lot has happened since last we spoke Grimorie but those things should be discussed in private”

“I understand. Your friend Jessica doesn't appear to be able to sustain herself in this environment, Grey. What does she eat, drink, breath?”

“Her kind put a strong emphasis on preferred foods but species wise meats of animals from her home world, vegetables and grown crops and water. They breath oxygen for the most part which is why she cannot survive here without the RPU. Provide her with foods she can stand to look at and you should be fine, the RPU will process the required nutrients and provide her with much of her needs.”

“How is she holding up with that? Considering she's been encased in metal for a while now?”

“In space it was tough at times. You can tell she has a lot of spirit, a lot of fight in her. But the sleep overcomes her at times as it does any with the RPU.”

“At least here she can get some rest.”

“Yes.” With a look across to Jessica Grey said “Grim, can you see to making some food for Jessica while I talk with her?” He nodded and without further comment disappeared behind a curtain along the dining room wall. He moved quietly in thought until he reached Jessica's side and waited an appropriate amount of time for Sha'tapet to finish. “If you might excuse me, Curator, I would like to talk to Jessica for a moment” He waved acceptance reluctantly, his audience dwindling now to the human-esque tree that sat on the table tapping away at the screen with a stylus.
Although her skin of bark made the resemblance to a tree uncanny she was far more limber. The bark was pliable and ended at the joints allowing her four arms and two legs to bend at the joints with ease, the two leaf green wings that sprouted from her back and the strange cascade of vines, almost like braided hair, flowing down her back completed the picture. Sha'tapet would have sighed if his kind could, instead he took to asking what Tentu was writing, a silent scream of regret echoed down the halls.

Through a hall they walked side by side, Grey taking a single step to every few of hers. The imagery seemed to follow the birth of a solar system and must have held particular note for one species in the surrounding galaxies she thought idly, as they walked in silence for the moment.

“What's wrong Grey?”

“Have I become so transparent to you already?” He said, thoughtfulness tinting his voice.

“If you mean all see through then no, not really. But when something troubles you it's not hard to see”

“Jessica you have made a sacrifice to come here, to help me and all I do is take you further into danger. That is no way to repay such honour, such...friendship”

“What are you trying to say Grey?” Grey stopped and she turned to look up at him, his eyes saw in hers the desire to continue on, she'd never give up.

“I want you to stay here, with Grimorie”

“But you need me, you said so”

“I will return Jessica. I just can't...do this next leg with you. It's too dangerous.”

“Then promise me. If you really can't take me, after all we've been through then you promise me that you'll return. Promise me as I did to my brother” In the silence the tiniest of clicks could be heard from Grey's metallic head, their eyes locked.

“I promise that I'll never leave you Jessica. That I will return”

“Remember that promise Grey. Don't forget”

“I won't. Now come, follow me” She followed alongside him until he came to a set of stairs that spiralled up onto another level. Built for the larger beings such as Grey, he scooped her up in his hand. Up again and again they went, the levels disappearing below them until he reached a door in the ceiling that he slid aside, the strange marble like rock in use here too.

They stepped out onto the roof of the square museum, the base of the telescopes that looked up into space spanned the entire roof. The telescopes dwarfed even Grey as they sat perched, unblinking into the starry sky. Overhead one planet obscured the twin suns and now shone with a brilliant radiance as the light of the sun almost seemed to burn across the silhouette. As they looked up together flames leapt across the edge of the silhouette in a proud arc of orange and yellow. The planet was huge and was like nothing Jessica had seen before.

“The planet does this for several days with the smaller sun breaking the darkness during very early mornings and very late at night. Eventually the planet will move off but these few days are something special I feel”

“We have something like this but nothing so, well big”

“Grim will take good care of you while I'm away Jess”

“I know Grey. I just wish I could come too”

“Next time my dear friend, next time”

The world before them flared again almost in announcement of the small sun the broke out from behind the planet. The light of the sun brightened the roof and shone of Grey and Jessica as they watched the second dawn break across the sand ball of a planet.

Jessica and Grey - Chapter 3 (pt4)

2007-12-16T22:43:00.000Z

His cold unblinking eye stared through the eye piece. The amount of time spent at the telescope of late had been long and would have taken it's toll on a lesser creature but Sha'tapet was no lesser being. Hailing from the Ram'odean insect people his skeleton was almost as strong as the man servant Grimorie's people and allowed him to maintain a constant vigil at the telescope.
A tiny almost imperceptible light crossed the skies above. Sha'tapet, with outstretched arms, turned knobs, swung levers and turned wheels as he focused the giant lens on the weaving light on blackness. A blurry shape wove into view and with a twist of another lever the focus began pin sharp. The face of GX-97/157B looked directly down the lens, his face was an unreadable mask. There cradled in the nook of his arm was the earth born human.

Unbending, the plated shell like back slid down to form a ridged square shield across his back, the four wings almost leathery in appearance then draped down over him. The wings covered him from shoulder to foot, he folded his two extra arms away. With a slight stoop, Sha'tapet assumed his more humble form. The wings forming a cloak across him so that only his head was clearly visible, his main arms pulled the leathery wings together at a point in front of him so it was hard to make out anything in the dark folds of the wing formed robe. He left the observatory, his feet making a click click as he walked.

Inside the kitchen the water from two taps gushes into a large basin. From the depths of the pristine metal basin echoes Tentu's voice.

“You know I can't lick the sauce out of my hair Grim!” The voice originating from a frothy figure composed entirely of bubbles and two bark covered hands, fingers of light green began to massage more of the frothy soap onto her head.

“That, my dear friend is a disgusting habit. If I could feign a shudder without sounding like I might be falling apart I'd do it”

“Hihi you just wish you could. How about you help me out here huh?” With a theatrical sigh Grim stood and moved over to the wash basin.

“Am I to assume, as always, that you have once again overdone the use of cleansing agent” He said with a raised brow.

“I have two words for you Grim. Your Fault”

“I sense then that I am about to be blamed for even more then”

“Don't you-” The cold water fell with silent grace landing with a splash and a scream “GRIMORIE!!” Tentu stood shivering in the basin as a look of fire crossed her face. A second later Grim lifted the almost steaming Tentu up into a dry wash cloth and back onto the table.

“You smell delightful Tentu.” As he said this he quickly ruffled her hair with the cloth, completely muffling any reply. “I'm sorry what did you say” His face radiating innocence, his smile told a different story.

“I said-”

“Grimorie. We have visitors, join me in the reception hall in fifteen minutes”

“As you wish” Sha'tapet retreated, the sound of his feet click clicking along the tiled halls long into the distance.

“Come let us dry you off so we might look somewhat presentable before our guests Tentu”

“Is it that GX guy you mentioned?”

“I suspect so little one” He left her to dry up as he went over to one of a dozen cupboards that adorned the kitchen walls in all of it's metal and black shining glory. Swinging the door wide it lit up from above where a tiny strip light ran across the centre horizontally. Reaching in he turned, hands behind his back as he faced Tentu “Ah little one I have a gift for you” Her interest suddenly piqued “Since you enjoy stories so much I made this for you” from behind his back he produced a small package “Here.” With eager hands she took the gift. With almost reverential care she unwrapped the package, the front reflected the light of the room dully.

“It's, it's my own book” She looked up with her dagger point smile “My own book Grim!” with a deft leap and spin in the air she landed with a low sweeping bow “Hihi I wonder what I'll write about first”

“You can think as we walk to the reception area. Hop on” He said as he held out his arm and with a graceful flutter she landed lightly on his forearm.

“Onwards! to...to ADVENTURE!” she yelped in delight and Grim set of through the curtain that hid the doorway from dining guests and back to the spiral stair case leading down to the museum itself. Her tapping of the stylus on the screen was constant as she explored the new electronic book she'd been gifted with. Through the halls, recently cleaned, they walked Grim's movement hampered only slightly by the mangled foot as the staff made an adequate replacement. They disappeared under the large archway into the reception room.

They landed in a whirl of sand and grit. It floated in small swirls that drifted lightly back down to the ground, the gravity of the world had a pronounced effect on all but Jess and Grey. The world was a ball of various grades of rock now obliterated into nothing but coloured grains of sand. In the skies above the sun shone bright and orange, a smaller one orbited it and shone a bright yellow, oranges and lemons she thought. Several planets could be seen through the thin haze of an atmosphere which either didn't support oxygen or had some toxic element as Jessica' metallic skin had kept strong since they'd landed.

“Jess. Sha'tapet, the curator and archiver of this place isn't...the most normal looking being you will come across”

“Is he an ugly ball of snot” A puzzled view passed over his face momentarily as she recognized him assimilating the information.

“No. He resembles the insects of your home, I hope you are not squeamish”

“I'll be ok, your here with me after all.” She smiled at him “Lets go see this Shata'pet”

“Sha-Tapet”

“Sha...Tapet” He nodded and he stood, lifting Jessica up and rested her on his shoulder.

“It will be good to be back here. An old friend resides here who I haven't seen in a while”

“Why here?” grabbing a handful of the black sand she let it drift from her hand in it's lazy gravity “it's all just sand.”

“He stays for his own reasons. He can be quite stubborn at times” Grey smiling wistfully at some memory, no doubt, she thought.

“So who is he?”

“He goes by the name Grimorie, although those who've been with him for any amount of time use the short hand of Grim”

“When did you meet?” She asked as they walked across the smooth sand towards a building that loomed. It only really had such an effect because the rest of the world was quite flat, and boring she noted.

“I would let him tell the story he has a fondness for them. He'll regale you with many a tale if you give him but an opening” He said with a slight chuckle. “They will be expecting us, the archiver has a fascination with being orderly. It's an unfortunate trait of his people.”

“Sounds like my mum. She always has everything so orderly, she even baked cookies in even numbers only.”

“Jessica.”

“Mmm”

“I didn't ask before but why did you-”

“-come.” She finished “Another time Grey” A weak smile spreading across her face “Somewhere less bleak”

“I understand. This world is strangely lonely. Despite the other planets in the system this one has no, no warmth.” He was probably right about the planet but she knew it was to cover what would have been a discomforting silence. She couldn't tell if it was human nuances he had begun to learn or something he knew naturally but Grey was rarely without something comforting to say in the right situation.

It wasn't long before they reached the tall arching pillars that framed the entrance to the only building on the entire planet. The building itself was some form of black, well marble to her, and shone despite the sand that clung to the base of the great black monolith. As they drew closer she could see veins of white that ran through the rock but from a distance the entire building was distressingly uniform except for the crowning achievement that rose from the black. A telescope that shone in the light of the two suns, a dozen telescope eyes focused upon the heavens and each lens a different size with one single massive tube housing the finest one.

“The building is so..-”

“Uniform?”

“Boring, ugly and bland. But your word's nice to” They stepped under the arching pillars and up to a door that stood fifty foot tall. The door, as the rest of the building, was a black marble and with little visible effort Grey pushed them aside, gesturing for Jessica to step inside. He pushed the doors closed gently and turned to face into the hall they stood, sand pooled at their feet where they'd been walking.

“Grey. This place is huge. How tall are you in feet?”

“Hmm.” With barely a blink he said “About twenty one feet high.”

“Woah! This place is huge then” Grey approached the far end of the hall where another set of doors stood. Jessica still perched upon his shoulder. The doors swung wide at a light push from Grey's outstretched arms. The doors swung back revealing a smaller room where two small flights of stairs flanking a clerks desk sat above a open floor area.. With a set of doors set at the top of the stairs the room was a meeting area, possibly a ticket office once, Jessica thought.
Inside, another of Grey's kind hunched over, the tell tale faceplate making his people easy to recognize even if they could come in all shapes and sizes. On his right arm a small creature rested almost looking like a small human tree. He held a staff that came to a point at the end, gripped tightly in his left hand and with a glance she could see why. His left leg was mangled badly.

“Grimorie!” Grey said gleefully and, with but a few steps, closed the distance and embraced the hunched over figure. Thankfully he hadn't forgotten her and maintained some level of balance. She gave a slight wave which Grimorie smiled at.

“Ah GX-97/157B, and who is your friend?”

“May I present Jessica Morgan.” Grey holding his hand up so she could slip down onto the palm of his hand.

“Hi” She almost whispered at the three gathered around them. Suddenly she was dwarfed by their presence. They were all at least twelve feet high except for the smaller bark skinned creature.

Sha'tapet was clothed in what looked like a leather robe. It reached to just above his feet which had two large pronged toes in front and a single shorter toe from the back. Sharp black claws adorned the end of each skeletal toe. His clawed hands held it closed at the front leaving only his head and what she guessed was it's face. A dozen eyes, all black and cold like stone, stared unblinking.

His head, shaped like a capital T, was difficult to describe. The horizontal almost cylinder like top held the dozen eyes spread across the width in almost whimsical fashion with only two much large black eyes, one on each end, keeping any symmetrical likeness. From the centre of the cylinder dropped a jaw replete with cheek bones, although little flesh existed on him, with the face almost skeletal in nature.

With a bow of his head, Sha'tapet, introduced himself “A pleasure to meet you Jessica, I am Sha'tapet. The curator of this museum.” His speech was staggered slightly as though he had to force each word out.

“A pleasure” She said, maintaining a smile as she swallowed the creepy crawling feeling that scrambled across her skin.

“Jessica Morgan, might I introduce Tentu.” As if on cue she lifted up into the air fluttering down on a finger of Grey's.

“Hihi your all shiny” She said baring dagger sharp teeth in a razor like smile.

“Just Jessica will be fine.” Putting on a brave smile, she hoped.

“Well Jessica, shall we adjourn to dining hall?” Grim asked, although he didn't expect anyone to answer as he turned and led the one through one of the doors. The strange tension she felt evaporated almost immediately as they followed after Grimorie. The doors closed on the reception area with barely a whisper.

Jessica and Grey - Chapter 3 (pt3)

2007-11-04T23:28:00.000Z

“So we're going to see this Archiver huh?” She asked, as they hopped from rock to rock in the asteroid belt.

“Hmm yes he's an old, hmm I guess acquaintance.” As she leapt the last asteroid Grey scooped her up in his arms and they took off through the belt.

“So why are we going there anyway?

“He is a great historian, we'll need his help to reach the prison itself” An image of the old Archiver flashed through his mind, it's the best way I can describe him without causing one of us nightmares he thought.

Through fields of asteroids and past planets that could make an aubergine jealous of their bright hues, they thread their way onwards.

The sun rose on the desolate planet. Sand and grit, ground from a once illustrious belt of asteroids that had orbited the planet, lay still and inert. A single building shorn of what appeared to be the very sand and grit all around stood tall. A telescope rose from a great dome on the roof of the tall block of a building. The architect had gone for practicality over style when developing the building on the outside. But inside the walls flowed with history, the halls arced at the apex and at the edges the floor curved as opposed to the traditional right angle join.

This had given the artists of the building an unbroken canvas to work on. Except a single line broke the image high up, a thin ledge ran along the walls and played host to statues, like gargoyles, at intervals along the strange unfolding of history.

Grimorie swept his way down the hall. Dust, sand and grit fled at the approach of the long fanned broom and his determined sweeping. Tentu cleaned the statues high above at Grimorie's instruction, her habit of disappearing lent the cleaning equipment a phantom like quality.

“Are we having visitors Grim. Hm, Hmm, are we?” Asked Tentu, her high pitched voice pinging of the walls.

“Yes little one. Why do you ask?”

“Hi hi, you've been sweeping the same space for five minutes” She giggled.

“Oh, I have it seems.” His reflection looked back at him.

“Come along, lets take a break” She landed lightly on his shoulder as they travelled along halls of history to a junction where a set of stairs wound their way up to the quarters area.

After passing down a separate hall they entered a lavish hall, drapes fell alongside an an elegant stone table upon which a scene had been painted. Two suns rose over a view of three planets in alignment, tiny particles of rubble had even been captured. Grim continued past this and brushed through a drape covering the wall.

Inside the kitchen Grim busied himself with the food preparation. Tentu sat on the table watching.

“Sooo.....” She started “Who's visiting, huh?” The question came out in a rush.

Grimorie smiled at the suddenness “I think that was a record” She beamed back at him with triumph “His name is GX-97/157B. He's a very old friend.”

“Blergh. Hasn't he a normal name like you Grim?”

“No...he never chose one himself.”

“Well how'd you know he's coming” she winked “Is he someone important hm hmmm.”

He served the plate before her. “No more important that you or I, but Sha'tapet has been at his telescope on cue for the last five days.”

Tentu leapt onto the plate with relish and lifted a black curled leaf “Bah Grim you forgot the sauce.”

“Oh did I” He poured the sauce onto the plate with a devilish smile.

Jessica and Grey - Chapter 3 (pt2)

2007-10-28T22:49:00.000Z

The star lit sky wheeled overhead. The twinkle of light from the planets surface looked up and out, deep into space. Down the over long telescope and through the eyepiece an eye black and hard like onyx stared. It's pupil less eye unblinking even as the shuffling sounds of Grimorie approached.

“Master” He said “Your food has been prepared” Grimorie was old, his face bore wrinkles along his faceplate. Bent double, he used a staff sharply pointed at one end. He wore an old brown robe that had been heavily mended and resembled a patchwork of browns. His left foot wrapped in old cloth dragged behind him, the foreleg looked mangled and in need of repair.

“I shall be along shortly Grim” his eyes swivelled back to the eye piece.

“Very well master” Grimorie about turned on his right foot. The back of his greying head vanished into the hallway.

Down the hall the sound of Grimorie's shuffling echoed. The building was one giant museum marking the fortunes and misfortunes of the many races. Floors, walls and ceilings depicted scenes of battle, of triumph, birth and death. On all sides the images merged and fought for the eyes attention, the art work was heavily influenced by the Ram'odean ability to focus on more than one thing at a time. Grimorie didn't have such a fascination, two eyes worked perfectly well.

In the quiet of the library Grim slumped into a chair large enough to support him. His leg propped up on a small chair across from him. He drew a hand up to his eyes, pinching the slight ridge in his symmetrical face.

“Grim?” a small voice queried.

“Yes child” his eyes closed, his hand resting lightly on his face.

A book fluttered up from the side of the chair landing with a thwump and a muffled scream. Grim lifted the book, a book of tales he noted, to reveal nothing.

“Nicely done” He smiled “You've gone and flattened yourself”

“Hihi” the chair giggled.

Something landed lightly on the book in his hand, the change in weight noticeable to him even if the voice refused to appear.

“What can I help you with this evening Tentu” He asked to the air, as though he hadn't noticed the weight change.

“Hihi, over here silly” The book giggled as the form of Tentu, a small creature borne from living tree and graced with four arms, two legs and leaf like wings appeared. She rested delicately on the edge of the book. Her skin was a bark brown and textured, in between the bark exterior could be seen tiny bunches of vines that intertwined to form muscles and internals.

“Could you read for me Grim?” She smiled a grin of little dagger sharp teeth. Being only 8 inches high made it a peculiar sight for the uninitiated.

“Certainly child, anything in particular tonight?”

“You choose” She beamed.

He opened the book, Tentu fluttering up onto his robed shoulder. “Very well, we start this story in the dark of space” He started the story that continued on into the night. Tentu eventually drifted to sleep with various snorts and giggles. He dozed there in his chair long into the night.

Jessica and Grey - Chapter 3 (pt1)

2007-10-21T18:28:00.000+01:00

Chapter 3 : The Archiver

They sat on a world full of light and water, reminiscent of the rainbow fields and butterfly wonder lands of story books. Pale rainbows arced over water falls of every height, the land a hodge podge of high cliff plateaus.

As they sat she told him of the time in the tunnel and that winter back home. Her metal skin had evaporated with the change of scenery. Only the original metal plates now showing, lights dancing along them in some diagnostic hoodoo.

“When I came to the slope to the river I was terrified. Looking down I knew what he was going to do, he didn't realize how dangerous the ice could be. Hell we were rarely near the river on such days as it was, it would have looked like the pond we ice skated on all the time” She relaxed her legs as she sought a more comfortable position against the clay like earth. “Anyway he was there out on the ice and I knew it would crack. Justin's light but not that light. So I managed to get down the hill without breaking my neck and pull him off the ice then it went dark.” Jessica fell silent as she collected her thoughts “It was like when we hit that black rip in space, the first wave of cold was numbing but then it was like getting hit by a truck. The cold wraps around you with a vice like grip and you just want to sleep, for it to just go away.” She wrapped her arms around her as the memory returned “But even as I was thinking that I knew, I knew I'd be failing Justin.”

“Failing him, how so? You managed to pull him from the ice sheet, that in itself was a brave thing to do.”

“It goes back about a year or so. I was very upset at the time and Justin was very young. When he tried to comfort me I was very mean, the look in his eyes nearly broke my heart. It had really hurt him that I didn't want him around. I promised myself I'd never hurt him again, silly I know, but that's exactly what I was going to do if I died there under that ice. He'd blame himself, I couldn't let him do that.”

*

The old man rummaged in a chest, drawing heavy furs that he heaped on the girl. Before her the fire roared in the stone fireplace. The log cabin was an inferno inside. He sat back in his chair, his eyes resting on the barely breathing form of Jessica.

“Your a brave kid Jessica. Your brother Justin, he's safe now. So just you be seeing to yourself you here me.”

A gruff voice had left those words as Jessica swayed between the roaring bright of the cabin and the inky darkness of the river.

Time passed and the fire's roar maintained it's constant crackle interrupted only by the sound of urgent hammering on the cabin door. Hushed voices ran silent as footsteps of several people entered the room. Slowly more of the cabin became apparent to her. Darkness followed.

“He's safe now, but he'll need you back. So don't go quitting now young 'un.” The words rolled around her head as she awoke. Her body ached and her head felt as though someone had filled it full of cotton wool.

Slowly the lids of her eyes lifted to a room of white walls and white sheets. Her body refused to lift from the bed despite her protests. She managed to raise enough to see her mother, head on her fathers shoulder, asleep in the corner. Sleep overcame her.

“We returned home a few days later but it wasn't the same. Justin was getting ill and had terrible nightmares about that day. My parents weren't helping much either by paying me attention over him.” Night passed over the world of light, the rainbows winking out of existence.

She heard his whimpering, quiet at first but she knew what would happen as the nightmare unfolded on him. Slowly through the dark of her room she snuck, dodging strewn clothes and furniture. She was but a shadow against the moonlit curtains. Out in the hall the darkness was thicker, thankfully no one had discarded anything she would trip on.

The door to Justin's room was open but a crack. Inside, she could see him tossing and turning. The night light highlighted the beads of sweat on his tormented face. She climbed in beside him slowly wrapping her arms around him.

“Justin. It's ok I'm here with you” She whispered in his ear. She ran her fingers through long curled hair, Justin relaxed slowly as though the nightmare eased it's grip on him.

His eyes opened and he looked up into her face. “Jess” His lip quivered as tears rolled down his face. He held her tight as a muffled voice strained through the tears said “I'm so sorry, I didn't -”

“Hush little one” She said. She drew a tissue across his dribbling nose “Justin I want to tell you a secret, something only you and I will know” Dabbing at his tearing eyes she said “But it's only for you and me ok?”

He nodded mutely.

“Remember when I turned, and smiled back at you. Just before I fell” He nodded, tears brimming again. “When I was under the water, and I just wanted to sleep. In here” She tapped her chest “You wouldn't let me. You said I couldn't go, not yet.” She smiled down at him as she dabbed away more tears.

He held her tighter eventually sliding into sleep. Wrapped in Jessica's arms.

She finished. The two moons bringing the waterfall blessed world to life. A scene of blue and whites.

“I've never told anyone that before” She smiled wistfully “Thank you for listening, and not falling asleep”

“It was a beautiful story, so I should thank you really.” She smiled at him as he stood up. “But now we have much to travel, are you ready?”

“Yes. I'm ready” She climbed onto his hand and rested her back in the crook of his arm. They launched through the thin atmosphere with little notice. Jessica falling asleep in his arms, exhausted.

“I'm glad I met you Jessica” He said quietly as they left “I really am”.

Jessica and Grey - Chapter 2 (pt5)

2007-10-17T23:35:00.000+01:00

*

Exhausted they rested against the tree as their breath formed clouds of white in the air. Justin, his fatigue forgotten, leapt up and landed a light but firm touch on his sister's arm “Tag! Your it”

“What!, come back here you” She stumbled up. As she pursued Justin, up and over hills and snow drifts she came to the high banks of the river. About six feet down the slope the river ran swiftly with the melted snows of the night. Ice had froze across the surface, in places thick sheets that obscured all view of the water beneath. Justin stood on the edge of the riverbank, a thick sheet of ice a step before him.

“Jessica, look” He pointed at the ice glazed river and smiled up at her.

they leapt into space right into the path of a strange tear in the blackness

The sliver of cold trickled down her spine. “Justin. No” It was quiet, a whisper on the wind as she watched him step out onto the ice. Her mind screamed, as her body took the slope one giant leap at a time. The dull thud of the boots down the slope, caused Justin to turn. His face shone with fun and excitement for one single moment before he saw Jessica. The ice cracked.

His face changed as a crack splintered more of the brittle ice. Jessica landed with a heavy thud at the base of the slope, her legs pumping faster still now that she was no longer fighting the deep snow.
Don't you dare fall Justin, don't you dare. Her mind screamed at her legs to move faster. Her foot crushed snow with ice on the bank as her hand reached out and took hold of Justin's coat, with a powerful wrench she pulled Justin backwards through the air. Her left foot continued forward with a ice shattering crack.

Her head whipped round, hoping to see Justin safely on shore. She smiled. The ice split wide, Jessica fell into the dark. The river rushed on, oblivious to the small boy on the shore his eyes full of tears.

*

The smile became a scream of gurgling ice cold bubbles.

black on black it was dark and inky.

The cold numbed fingers and bone as she struggled against the rushing of the water, her lungs burned with cold fire. Aching for even a single breath of the blistering cold air so far away. Images of Justin trying to search for her struck a cord deep down. She grasped out her fingers digging deep into gravel and dirt her other hand finding the thick ice over head. The rush of water made her eyes useless as she closed them tight.
Luck swept her into a slight alcove in the shallows but the ice was thick overhead. Her head swam, the cold had leached it's way to her chest. Her body numb but her mind afire she screamed, her eyes tightly closed as the bubbles erupted from her mouth. Her fists raised she struck the ice with everything she had.

So cold.....

“Auuuuuggggghhhhhhhhhhh” She burst from the ice a figure of ice and fury. Ice cracked and snapped along her arms. The fragments spiralling into space, tiny and delicate. Finally she unfolded with a burst of crystal sparks. The raw scream died slowly over the comms as fingers flexed to life.

Grey watched in silent awe, afraid and relieved.

Jessica and Grey - Chapter 2 (pt4)

2007-10-15T00:01:00.000+01:00

Inside the house the warm glow of the kitchen was comforting from the sour defeat and sopping wet hair from the snow slide. Now ensconced in a fresh and dry set of clothes and returned to her former armoured glory, she munched eagerly on raspberry jam on toast. Bread crumbs littered her scarf.

His hands rested on her shoulders “You ok Jess?” Her father smiled down on her “I'll be the first to admit, it was a bit more than the traditional 5 snow balls.”

A reply fought it's way around a raspberry mess “Hat's ok. I'll get ya next year” She winked.

“That snowball you managed to land on Justin was a pretty amazing shot, I look forward to the rematch” He returned her wink. “Justin said he'd be outside waiting for you after your toast Jessica. Don't forget dinner.”

“I won't” she said as he retreated to the warmth of the living room.

“Now Jump!”

The sandwich devoured, she stepped back out into the crisp air. A ball of snow landed with a thud a short distance away. A smiling Justin beyond that.

“Hey sleepyhead, that was a nice throw earlier” he hefted another healthy heaping of snow into his hands and gave it an experimental throw into the air before compressing it into a tighter ball.

He threw it up into the air before ducking and scooping a quick single ball of snow into his hands. A flurry of snowballs landed along his side as the large ball of snow and ice landed with flurf into even more snow.

“Nice try” a smile broadened across her face “You'll be the best yet”

“Really?”

“Oh yes, after I've retired” She laughed

“Oh ha ha very funny” They walked along the path, crisp morning footprints in their wake “Looking forward to the new year?”

“A little, it's not like much will change though. I guess that's kind of nice though.”

They walked past the houses draped all in white. The face of Mr.Stevens scowled from his window, ready to bawl out any child foolish enough to scoop snow off his lawn. Out past the houses they walked up towards the river, the rush of the water gave the woods a strange peaceful nature. The muted sounds of the river played wistfully among the tree trunks.

Once a town that thrived on much needed lumber it had floundered during the depression and hadn't recovered. Now it's forests and small wooded glades flourished along the curving river, the town nestled snuggling within.

Walking amongst the tall trees, flecks of snow drifting lightly down, they began to snowball fight. Using the trees, rocks and bushes as cover. They danced among the trees oblivious to the onlooker.

Slowly he trudged among the fallen snow in heavy woollen boots, bound with leather straps. Bundles of branches held tightly under one arm. He shook his head, a smile creasing his brown sun ripened face.

“Heh, to be young again” He left, as silently as he'd arrived. The laughter and giggles of the two children echoing among the trees.

Jessica and Grey - Chapter 2 (pt3)

2007-10-07T23:05:00.000+01:00

A blast of frosted crystals proceeded the tumbling frozen forms of Jessica and Grey. Ice white cracks flowed along numb fingers and arms that bore jagged ice shards, as Jessica shivered uncontrollably. Her teeth beat out a constant beat over the comm link.

“Jessica?, Jessica answer me” Grey asked, his voice cracking slightly, as he held the shivering form of Jessica. He held her to his chest, his touch delicate.

“Jessica, you have to wake up. Wake up Jess, come on”

They floated in space in a blanket of quiet.

“Jessica” a voice whispered in her eye “Jesssssica” An eye opened to a face grinning from ear to ear. The family hair with its uncontrollable curls was lightly dusted with white. His face, what little could be seen between the broad grin, was lightly freckled.

“Whmmfll yuf vfant” Jessica replied, mostly into her pillow.

“SNOW!” Justin yelped with glee. The sharp spike of glee sent a jolt through her. She was not a morning person she thought as she sat upright with the covers draped loosely around her shoulders.

“Come on sleepyhead” He ruffled her hair “I'll see you outside” He turned and dashed towards the stairs and disappeared from view. A yawn escaped Jessica as she shuffled, draped in her covers, to the mirror and dresser.

Her gaze reflected in the mirror was soon drawn to the electrified mess that was her hair, another family trait. Pulling a brush through tangled knots in various directions she managed to get some semblance of order to what was her greatest curse before ramming a woollen knit hat down over her ears. A few minutes later and she descended the stairs. A thick wool jumper, a scarf that could have been an anaconda in a former life and industrial snowball rolling gloves housed what little of Jessica could be seen between the wool hat and the scarf.

She took a deep breath at the front door as her mother shouted from the kitchen “Don't go far Jessica.”

“Ok Mum” came out in muffled tones as she stepped through the doorway into the brisk air. The cold snap of wind managed to wriggle it's way through the small space between her armoured exterior as did the snowball that landed with a poof.

Snow dribbled off her nose and down her front as she tried frantically to find cover while also being rid of the cold that had made it inside.

“Justin!!” She spat mock fury as she screamed at the injustice.

A snigger echoed over the cold air as did the shuffle of feet through snow. Her left mitt slid along the ground scooping a healthy layer of snow from the ground, slowly forming the puffy white ball into a more dense one. She snuck a look around her snow white defence. The coast was clear, a mad scramble ensued as she dashed for the cover of the hedgerow. A satisfying poomph sound landed behind her as she made it behind cover.

Through the cracks in the hedge she surveyed the garden in it's wintery form, all crystalline delicacy and frosty icing. The garbage cans shuddered slightly. A bird sang out as it took flight from a tree, snow falling through disturbed branches.

Tradition ran in all the families in the area, each having their own special rituals and quirks. Her family had, since her great grandfather, always celebrated the first snow with a snowball fight. Jess loved to invent new ways of winning the competition eventually claiming victory over her dad's famed technique.

But Justin was young and hadn't absorbed all of the tricks of the trade, as she gauged the height of the hedgerow and distance to the garbage cans. She prepared herself several more snowballs, lining each alongside each other as she made a large two handed snowball. Edging to the opening out onto the garden she hefted the large two handed snowball and stood, facing where the garbage cans would be behind the hedgerow.

She heaved the snowball up into the air. It spun for a moment in limbo before falling swiftly down behind the garbage cans to the sound of a shocked gasp. She dashed, scooping the snowballs two in each hand, around the hedge with a grin. Justin stood dusting snow from his neck as Jessica pelted her prepared assault, peppering him with snowballs. Victory was hers.

“That was mean” He said as he shook snow from his hair.

She stuck her tongue out as a shadow passed briefly over them both. “Dad? is that you?" as she turned slowly around, hoping to catch a glimpse of him behind a garden defence. Snow sheeted down on her with a fwoosh. Half the roof deftly scooped off had landed on her, covering from head to foot in crisp white snow.

“Wooohoo” he crowed, holding the snow shovel up in triumph “Did I just catch out the snow queen?, Why I think I did” He grinned from his perch on the roof top. Justin rolling about laughing at his sister the snowman.

Jessica and Grey - Chapter 2 (pt2)

2007-09-02T22:40:00.000+01:00

49 years of married living galvanised the soul, and if you were unlucky, the shins the top of your head and the right ear. Mr Johnson thought on this a moment as his wife, bless her soul, yelled at him from the kitchen. The porch was cool and the summer air was blissfully ignorant of his wife's ranting.

He rummaged inside his cardigan for his pipe when he felt a shudder in the earth. His hearing having attuned to his wife's constant shouting had given him an unprecedented ability to not hear many things including the shopping list and turning down the telly during the big game. Slowly his head rose, having left the whereabouts of his pipe behind him he saw out before him what could only be described as a large foot, it naturally was connected to a leg and further still to a body. But this wasn't like anything he'd ever seen before, and having survived 49 years of blissful marriage there were a lot of things to have seen, and even some he wished he hadn't.

Every footstep left craters in the road as the great mechanical menace marched up the street and through Cranky Steven's garage. The building cleaving rather neatly in two before the giant. Mr Johnson never liked Cranky Steven's all that much and smirked slightly as he spied his pipe on the edge of the small table.

A smile creased his weather worn features as he put his feet up and let the ramblings of his wife wash over him. He thought to himself, today wasn't such a bad day after all.

He has been here, I can feel it in the air. This town though, no he wouldn't risk approaching people he would approach everything differently. The town was small even for humans. A school that catered to the majority of ages, a small café, the residential area and industrial sectors and that was it. From above it looked like it had been developed for the wood along the river but had come to late for the industry and floundered.

It was, in his opinion, worthless.

Nine surveyed the surround countryside from the edge of town, his foot resting rather neatly on the remains of a car, vintage by the looks of it. Bits of what remained of the building housing it were scattered about haphazardly. Now where would you have met her, exile, somewhere hidden, yes that's how you'd work. From the shadows like a scretch. If he'd been human the term would have dripped with bile.

A hilltop with what appeared to be fresh earth heaped rested not far from the town, a perfect location considering the natural foliage surrounding it. He began to march when he heard the abusive old man below, the cane held in a pose of aggression.

“Why I'll turn you into a cat's litter basket you recycled 80's reject.” The old man attempted to bellow. But instead he wheezed the sentence in the general direction of Nine's leg. The cane struck Nine with a plink!.

He knelt, He didn't like subtlety. In fact he didn't like talking for the most part, what couldn't be solved with a well placed fist or projectile weapon didn't exist in his world.

“Look decrepit old man I'll give you one chance to walk away from what would amount to a mercy killing” Mercy was for the weak but humans didn't pose a threat to his kind.

“I'm going to use your hide as the bumper on my-” Cranky flew through the blissfully open back yard door and landed with an oooooph in his old trusty arm chair.

“Never say I am not at least lenient” turning on his heel he strode towards the grove. Killing the old man would have been too much and probably brought far too much attention during his time here. Crushing the vintage car had been a bonus though, he smiled inside.

Within the grove the birds sang, some taking a dirt bath in the recently excavated earth. The sun was warm and bathed the grove in light.

The birds went silent. The once joyous sound of the grove dropped down through silent into deep terror with a hint of despair for good measure. The shadow descended on the grove and with regimental calm and precision the birds, badgers, rabbits and even the worms, flew, bolted and crawled albeit slowly in every direction but where the shadow was coming from.

Nine loomed, something he felt he'd had a lot of practise to get right. The grove's inhabitants agreed. The earth was thrown up as though someone had landed, no not someone, him. Now to find where he met her.

He stepped around the huge oak and there still visible to his sight the slightest depression in the grass near the oak tree.

The scorched earth defined the launch spot, and near the oak he found what he had been looking for. Faint traces of DNA from where she had sat against the tree.

A smile inside widened “Ah Miss Jessica. How lovely to meet you” The town seemed to shrink in fear as he turned his gaze upon it. He left the glade to it's mournful silence, his eyes set firmly on the small town.

Jessica and Grey - Chapter 2 (pt1)

2007-08-26T20:36:00.000+01:00

Chapter 2 : A Star of Ill-Omen

The sky lit up, a ball of flame streaked through the sky ripping cloud asunder. It hit the earth with a great roar and the land was cleaved before it.

From within the debris, and beyond the smoke and flames a creature of great size began to rise from it's landing site. The flame blackened the grass to a fine charcoal and lit what little of the night sky could be seen through the roiling black smoke, for miles around.

'How long have you been in here Rusty?' Wen asked the old robot.

'Long enough to have thought about it'

'I'd say you had more to live for but you've already come to that conclusion'

'Your nearly as smart as you look. So what was your purpose before the divide?'

'In all things, in all times, I am the scholar. Now the last.' He fell quiet. He was a slight frame build, stretched over nine feet in height.

'Your...'

'Yes. You were probably expecting someone thirty feet tall, with the wings of a celestial or some such yes?' A smile half rose.

'Actually most stories involve fire, brimstone and the jaws of the crusher itself.'

'Am I really seen in such a way?'

'Propaganda isn't always flattering lad'

'Yes true, but you expected more I can hear it in your voice.'

'That's some catch to make, but your right I expected someone taller at least.' He scratched at the rusty steel wool beard 'Your father, so I've heard, was tall. Not so broad across the shoulder but then we all fill a role.'

'Yes, yes we do.'

'Although I suppose' He circled the young scholar 'If I were to have thought about it some more your design is actually more advanced'

'Observant I see' Now Wen smiled, He didn't realize that the preachers still existed until he had been thrown in the cell with one.

'There's barely any seam, if I were to guess I'd say your outer casing was at worst two splices.'

'At worst'

'So how in all the Caverns did the guards get you in here?'

'That is a very good question Rusty, a very good question indeed'

The sun rays reflected of off Jessica's new skin. They stood on a moon, it was tiny and pock marked slightly although if anything of size had ever struck it there probably wouldn't have been a moon afterwards. Grey sat gazing at the stars wheeling over head, a cloud of blue and white shone in the blackness.

He was interesting in many ways, his face a holographic face plate imitated expression lines. The single raised brow of perplexity her favourite. She smiled in reflection of when she'd first seen it, as they travelled through the asteroid belt of her home.

She hop scotched across the tiny moon, the strange new skin seemed to make sure she didn't float of aimlessly into the black beyond. He wasn't bulky like she'd thought he was at first, the mounds of earth had created a mountain of a man. He was tall and wiry, his chest was plated with a black cording attaching the extremities. His lower legs and his forearms were plated but the rest was that strange cords bundled together to form what could vaguely be described as muscles, although he had said that was more for show than anything practical.

They had travelled to the outskirts of the solar system, the earth a small pinball spiralling away in the distance left faint pangs of guilt in her stomach. This was likely to take her far from home and for a long time.

'Grey'

'Yes' He looked down at Jessica hop scotching footprints across tiny moon, a smile on his face.

'You never did say why I'm here'

'I didn't want to worry you' He said, and quieter still 'the burden has been mine for so long I didn't think it was right to have you make such a decision'

'Why? What are we doing?'

'There is a place, known as the Caverns to my people. It is a place of despair because only the condemned are sent to this place. My son is there, condemned by the Emperor of our people.' He fell silent, and Jessica let it rest, she remembered something Justin had once said to her;

“Sometimes” he had said “it is better to not ask the question and to be quiet for the sake of other's feelings”

Now seemed like one of those times, she finished her hop scotch in silence. Sitting down she drew her knees up under her head, resting her chin lightly on top. Justin was younger than her but he had inherited a strange quiet streak and would sometimes just sit there next to her, a wall of comfort during the hard times.

He would worry about her he always did when she ran off. The guilt built up in her stomach making an uncomfortable knot.

He'd miss her for a while but this journey was important to Grey, important to her too.

'We're going to free him Jess, that's why I need you' He said suddenly.

She smiled 'Sounds like I get to do some saving this time then'

He smiled then, his face morphing into one of joy for a moment 'heh yes, yes you do. Come this cycle is where we get off' He offered her his hand 'hold on this next bit is rather bumpy the first time through' her tiny had clasped a finger as he wrapped his hand around hers.

'Now Jump!' they leapt into space right into the path of a strange tear in the blackness, black on black it was dark and inky. Memories of the strange sleep overcame her as they popped out of existence.

Jessica and Grey - Chapter 1 (pt4)

2007-08-05T21:23:00.000+01:00

The land fell away below them as the rockets thundered them through white cotton clouds. Cradled in the crook of his arm, his other arm outstretched before him, images of superman jumped eagerly through her mind as they climbed higher and higher.

The prickling sensation started in the tips of her fingers as the clouds fell away, blotting out the town and the countryside. It crept quickly up her arm and the sensation of sinking into a pool of water overcame her.

The wind rushed past, and her eye lids began to close of their own accord as the tingling sensation overtook her.

She sunk into the pool of sensation all around her. It was dark, even with her eyes forced closed she could sense it. The pressures outside made her curl up in Grey's arm, her eyes tightly closed. The further she tried to withdraw from the pressures of the world, the further she sunk into the strange inky darkness swimming about her.

Something was wrong with Jessica, she had curled up in his arm so tight. The liquid skin had worked perfectly fine. She shimmered with the liquid metal, looking no different than one of his own people as it became a solid surface against the intense temperatures and pressures of crossing the atmosphere.

To stop now would be suicide for them both, he sped on as fast as possible.

She awoke. She was lying down on what appeared to be a small island in space, something vast existed all around her but it eluded the eye. Dancing on the edge of her senses.

'Grey?' She shouted into the vast nothingness.

'This place is beyond his reach little one' said a voice

'Who are you?' she asked into the vast nothingness all around.

'I am Elune' the voice said as a figure of silver and light stepped onto the small island where Jessica stood.

'And I come bearing a warning, child of earth.'

Something had changed in Jessica, no longer curled in fear she lay content in his arms.

She stirred as though awakening from a deep slumber.

'Jess?'

She looked up at a face full of concern, at least she she guessed it was concern it wasn't one she was very used to.

'I'm ok, I just blanked out there'

'Your sure?'

'I am' She smiled, as she pushed away from Grey lightly. She spun in the inky blackness of space.

'Wow, look at my hands' slender fingers of once human hands now looked as though they were coated in steel. The light reflected off them as she patted her clothes, her face and her hair.

'Am I like you now Grey?' still marvelling at the transformation. Her school uniform made her look as though she wore some type of armour, the colours a kind of matte finish.

'Hmm yes in a way Jess' He was reading something, a thin film with symbols that cast of an eerie light.

'What's that your reading' She tried to propel herself towards him but without any purchase she simply slowly spun in a gravity-less never ending somersault. Something brushed her foot and she came to a halt, upside down she faced Grey. Her hair drifted around her, no longer the raven black it had been on earth, here it appeared more brown as it rather ungracefully obscured Grey's face.

'It's a map. There are many places we must go and I am just working out the best route for us.'

It was going to be a long journey. With the coordinates set they set off into the vastness of space, Jessica cradled in his arms.

Jessica and Grey - Chapter 1 (pt3)

2007-07-25T22:31:00.000+01:00

She sat down in the palm of the giant's hand, her back resting against the plated forearm. As she looked up at the stars she said,

'You saved me from the wolves didn't you?'

'Yes'

'Thank you, I kind of freaked out there'

'Your welcome'

She thought she heard a slight clicking and clacking from GX as he looked upwards towards his home, he was quiet.

GX assimilated knowledge fast, so fast it had skewed his humour processor quickly. His mind, the cogs spinning a furious dance, fought with the ultimate question. How to ask someone to travel light years across space to save your son. To face countless dangers for someone she didn't know, humour sidestepped in and delivered the image of the idiots guide to asking difficult questions. He was not amused.

'You ok? Your awfully quiet'

'Hmm, I am yes. Sorry I was thinking and can become quite absorbed.' He lowered Jessica down and kneeling down made sure he was at least close to eye level. He folded.

'I, I'm sorry for disturbing you. I should go' He stood, turning to leave. He couldn't ask someone to make that choice.

He was sudden, if he'd been human Jessica swore she would have seen a tear forming as he whirled about.

'Ask me' Almost a whisper it crept out into the air.

'I can't it's not fair'

'The wolves weren't going to be fair to me either, but you stopped them. So ask me' Her voice found footing.

He stopped, something inside her hoped he'd ask.

'You know it's a long journey, right?' He was still facing away, it probably made it easier for him.

'I guessed'

'It's likely to be dangerous' his head now tilted backwards ready for me to turn his call for help away.

'Seems to be a trend for me at the moment. So why me?' It was the chance she'd waited for.

'A place lies between my son and I, you are one of the few that can open it. I will explain why as we travel. If you still want to go that is?' He left the question there, knowing the answer already.

'I do' I really do she said inside. They couldn't find her where they were going, she would be free. 'You seem different now, more well human. You should have a short name like me, I'm Jess so you could be' Hrmmphh, the sound worked its way through both nostrils ending in 'Grey, I think it suits you.' She beamed.

'I adapt, it's one of my features I suppose' He returned the smile, 'and Grey sounds like a good name, thank you Jessi-' He cut himself off ', Jess.'

Inside his body sagged from relief. Torn, he couldn't decide her fate for her but secretly he knew. In that place deep inside everything, everyone, he had tricked her.

With weighted brow he kneeled before Jessica, tapping a hidden panel on the left side of his chest a ka-foosh sound led to the panel sliding aside and he withdrew something.

'This will sting a little but it protects organic life forms from the dangers outside in space and hazardous planets. It is a reactive protection unit and will protect you nearly as well as I will.' Holding out what appeared to be 3 pieces of some metal plating that shimmered like liquid mercury.

'Are you sure you want to come?'

'Yes, I'm sure.' Slowly she held out her hand.

'Roll up your right sleeve, and I shall install them. It is not something most can do themselves'

Slowly the sleeve rolled up. His hand was cold as it pressed the strange plate against her skin. Fzzzt, the plate fused with her lower right arm.

A feeling like the rush of prickles before the effect a stinging nettle had ran up her arm and down through her body. She shivered from the cold but it was more uncomfortable than painful.

The next plate was placed alongside her left temple and finally a small patch on the right side of her neck, sitting where the neck gland rested. Each time the prickles ran through her.

'That wasn't so painful, the way you made it sound I thought it was going to be like the injections at the doctor' She smiled.

'Hmm yes it seems to have worked perfectly fine, flex your left arm please'

She flexed her arm.

'Your fingers on both hands and then rotate your head a little both ways'

She did so, a feeling of embarrassment increasing as she performed the tests.

'What was that for?'

'You appear to have taken to the implants extremely well, most do not recover as quickly as you appear to have.'

She smiled, reaching up to brush her hair back and check the left temple where the plate rested. It was definitely metal, the cold brushed her fingers as her arm fell to her side.

'If the wolves had attacked you now the most likely reaction would be a skin of liquid metal would have protected you. It's a finite reaction and requires time to recharge, but during that time you could do any number of things to ensure the attacks stopped.' He broke into his own smile now, it lifted at the edges of his cylinder like head.

'Cool, I'm like the terminator' she threw out some Hong Kong Phooey style neck chops as she pranced about the clearing.

She had recovered extremely fast, the few races that had been exposed to the reactive protection unit took days to recover as their bodies assimilated the neural pathing that the three devices required. It was an interesting discovery but one he didn't have time to explore, he lodged it into a backup array for later analysis.

'Now the R.P.U will protect you as we cut through the atmosphere much like my own body does me. But it doesn't allow you to launch like me so here ' He lowered a hand ' hop onto my hand and I shall cradle you until we breach the atmosphere.'

'Are we going to fly?' as she stepped up onto his hand once again.

'In a sense yes, do you see these 4 cylinders on my back' She nodded 'The 4 cylinders and the coiled wiring are part of an advanced version of the R.P.U I implanted in you. It allows me to create a few select pieces of equipment for travel. In it's base form it appears as these protrusions from my back.' he gestured with his left hand at her temple 'much like your visible markings Jess.'

He cradled Jessica in the crook of his right arm as he touched the left chest panel again. The cylinders on his back unfolded revealing a host of tiny forked cable heads that flowed into a complex weave before the encasing metal clamped shut over them again. A backpack with two large jets facing down towards the ground now replaced the protrusions on Grey.

'Hold on Jess the launch is a little rocky' He looked down to see a face looking up in awe, he turned his head looking skyward as the jets kicked into action. The ground rumbled and shook for a few moments as Grey trembled from the stress of the jet pack.

Finally a Fwooosh and they were off. Black scorched ground and the fizzle of tiny sparks lay in their wake.

Jessica and Grey - Chapter 1 (pt2)

2007-07-09T15:57:00.000+01:00

Far away, in the deepest darkness and the farthest of corners. Beyond the land where dead men do tell tales, a harmonica begins to play. A slow song of darkest despair slowly winding, it coursed along despair and started to climb upwards and out of the cell. Finally it reached an uplifting note of hope before dying away into the oppressive darkness of the cell block.

'I have to know, how did you manage to get that in here?' Asked a robot, his back resting against the cold bars of the cell.

'A secret I'm afraid kid' rasped a voice like a filling cabinet long ago rusted 'tell me again why your in here?' the old robot gestured around him at the very cold and real bars of a prison.

'That'd be my secret' he replied, the face of the old robot creased in a smile framed by hundreds of years of rusty steel wool for a beard.

Each had a secret, the old man had said, it had helped keep him sane through the many years of imprisonment. His name was, Wen, and it was the marking of the first year within The Void.

The fear curled back into the pit of her stomach for a moment before vanishing. Jessica, who's imminent death had been averted by none other than gravity itself it seemed, wrinkled her nose at the strong earthy smell that had started to waft from somewhere behind her.

Curiosity, the type that had gone on to create the saying 'curiosity killed the cat', rooted itself in her mind. What the saying had failed to say was curiosity had not only killed the cat, but a dozen hedgehogs, a fox, and a moose that had the unwavering need to find out exactly what those two flashing lights were doing.

A throat, she assumed, cleared itself with artificial gusto.

'Excuse me' intoned the voice from behind, and above her.

She turned, slowly so as not to scare who ever was behind her and said ' Hrmmpph' from her nose more than her mouth, which hung open bereft of it's hinge.

He'd memorized the words, and made sure to get the correct pronunciation. But now he stumbled, Hrmmpph was not in his library. He'd made sure he wasn't too loud, for such a small creature would be used to much smaller, quieter voices. He searched again through the catalogue of languages, even those listed as dead but nothing registered.

'I, I don't appear to have your language available, I shall try and cycle them' his voice rumbled.

'Bonjour?, ah perhaps. Hallo, praat jy afrikaans?'

'Wait' a small voice said.

'You speak English?'

'American'

'Ah yes subset of English, thank you. I am sorry if I confused you, your response “Hrmmpph” was not in my databases. What does it mean?'

He was a giant and she'd thought Chrissy's dad was huge. His shadow cloaked the little woodland below the one that she stood in. They were dotted along the landscape here, a patchwork of woodland, with the small community built around it all. The moon picked up highlights of metal, although it was dulled probably from all the mud and soil that was heaped on his shoulders.

The voice was something akin to human, she'd expected Run Will Robinson, Run.

'It's...I guess it's just a sound I make. Normally when I'm thinking, it's kind of a thing I do.' Jessica tilted her head, her foot slid forward. Curiosity was in the driving seat again.

'Oh. I believe I understand, a trait, or trademark of your personality and, or person. Hmm?'

'Erm, I guess you could say that.' Her left foot slid forward.

'I am GX-97/157B, in your language' It's face split in what she assumed was a smile.

'I'm Jessica, but most people call me Jess for short.' again the right foot slid forward again 'I never knew robots could smile'

'Hmm yes, although I am not a robot. A mechanical life form I guess would be a sufficient term for my kind'

'Can I, can I touch you?' barely inches from the mechanical man.

'Certainly, you can do me no harm, Jessica' It seemed to pronounce it slowly at first, it reminded her of Francis the exchange student who used to roll words around his mouth as though they were some tasty morsel.

So cold, and grey. Highlights glinted along faint lines, seams perhaps, but he was mostly a grey colour. The cold didn't linger long as she brushed away some of the earth that clung to him.

'I have travelled a very long way to find you Jessica.'

'Me?, why?' The lines he used came from the fairy tales, no one travelled from, from, where had he come from???.

'Yes the great scholar foretold these events and our meeting'

'And where did you come from?' Her hand came away from the grey giant as he started to unfold from his sitting position in the dirt.

'Let me show you' With an outstretched palm for her to clamber up on.

Her reasons for being out here had fled her mind completely as she climbed up onto the giant's hand. Slowly he stood up from his crouch, and she watched the land fall away as he stood full height. With his left hand he gestured towards the starry sky.

'Do you see that small star there, that is my home'

From here, upon the grey giant's hand, the sky was so much bigger and more spectacular to Jessica.

'Oh' she said with a breathless whisper as the stars wheeled her head.

Jessica and Grey - Chapter 1

2007-07-03T17:20:00.000+01:00

Chapter 1 : Upon a Star

The deep quiet lifted as the heat and flames quickly removed the ice that clung to the giant's body. A Hundred days of quiet had been little comfort to a mind troubled as his, his metallic face creased in thought as he tumbled into the atmosphere.

The sound of a small, now less distraught nose sniffed. An air of upset was apparent in the sound, the fresh streaks down her little face confirmed she'd been upset. She dragged a bedraggled sleeve across her nose, the slight rosy red colour remained.

She sat gently against the old oak, her favourite haunt which reflected her mood best right now. The remnants of a tree, torn from its home had ripped mounds of earth up leaving an angry wound in the ground.

It watched, patience was easy for something that didn't have a sell before date. The human, a girl it added, was small but then everything was to him. It was upset he wasn't as old as he was without being able to add up the facts, there were the streaks of water from the eyes, the hair that looked as though she'd experienced electric shock treatment lately and the tell tale sniffing and runny nose.

He noted the high levels of emotional tension in the air, the girl was talking to herself which from his research meant she was prone to introspection. Possibly she was resolving the issue that had caused her distress. He felt for a moment a pang of guilt, he was spying on her and it made him feel bad. The least he could do is announce himself but something stopped him, her face had changed dramatically the emotion was an easy one to read, Fear, but why? Had she been able to identify him so easily.

The fear gripped her insides and wrenched, with her body frozen her mind began racing around in circles on what to do culminating in a furrowed brow. The howls came again, closer and faster. Wolves weren't common here she said to herself, another voice chimed in 'that doesn't make them any less dangerous' a third yelled 'what to do what to do???' more and more screamed for attention and with a dread cold tickle down the spine the voices were still.

They stepped, tentatively at first, into the pale moonlight grove. One snarled off to her left but she dared not move, as she pressed backwards into the oak hoping to perhaps dissolve into the tree. They say your life flashes before you eyes before you die as Jessica's did now and despite imminent death approaching, with its snarling fangs and dribbling saliva, she noted up until now life hadn't been all that fascinating.

A wolf leapt.

Wolves, Canis lupus. The associations filtered through his mind, linked with the more common house hold dog but with ties to Werewolves and Worgs. Why so much fear in the face of such he couldn't quite understand but he was much larger than they and clearly didn't understand the relationship apparent to the girl.

They stepped out into the light of the moon, they were hungry and looked harried. Perhaps, he assumed, they were being hunted themselves, regardless she was clearly in danger. The muscles in the wolves legs bunched, preparing to launch itself with deadly speed. He lifted himself then, with ease the ground lifted up into the air, raining lightly down from his shoulders and head.

The world slowed to a trickle for Jessica. The hues of the world around her now much sharper and clear. The pale moonlight softened everything, blanket like, even the wolves their grey fur and the fangs dripping with saliva were less fearful. The moment of clarity passed all too swiftly as the wolf sped through the air.

The wolf, halfway through the leap that would end in a lot less Jessica, faltered like it had hit a doubt in it's ability to sail through the air. Trying desperately to reverse mid flight, it ended up half back flipping and somersaulting onto its head ending in a painful roll but a few steps before her. Recovering swiftly from its daze it withdrew whimpering, back into the darkness.

All was quiet. Except for a little voice which said 'wow' in an awestruck tone. Jessica had to agree, gravity defying wolves were amazing.

The Apocalypse is Nigh!!!

2007-06-29T12:32:00.000+01:00

Apologies for not having posted the first chapter of my story for the blog but, and for those that know me this might sound like I'm lying (I know who you are), I have a freelance web design job that I am currently working on.

Hoo Hah I here you all say, and if I can't your not saying it loud enough :P, so my time is currently mostly devoted to that. Heck It'll be the first sign of pay in about 2 years so I can't really not do it :P.

Jessica and Grey my web story that I'm working on for this here lil blog space will be up in the next few days.

An Introduction

2007-06-26T21:24:00.000+01:00

This is a playground for various bits and pieces of fiction that I write in my spare time.

I intend, and I intend so many many things, to launch my own website sometime in the near future with a collection of stories, web-comics and other related fiction.

If you read anything here and like it please drop a comment, critics are welcome but keep it civil and polite.